Halthor was about to say something when an unexpected sound interrupted the pleasantries. Something struck the door of the stone house with enough force that it rattled on its hinges. Halthor reached for his hammer only to realize it lay across the room. The door was stricken again with the same degree of force. The voices outside had gone silent. Only the massive blow's echo and the crackling of the fire met their ears. The Blue Lady rose to her feet. Halthor was on his feet and striding across the room to grab his hammer from where it lay when the third blow struck and the wood groaned.
"The axe," the Blue Lady said, "Lend it to me. Me thinks the latecomer is more than a match for your hammer." Halthor held the axe out to her and picked up his hammer when a voice bellowed. At first the voice was so loud that Halthor couldn't understand what it said. Then it called out again as though thunder could speak, calling his name. Halthor took the axe and held it out to the Blue Lady. As she took it in her hand, an electric thrill ran up Halthor's arm. He took his hammer and stood beside her at the ready as she approached the door. The Blue Lady held the axe hidden in the folds of her gown as she opened the door.
A creature that seemed made of stone crouched at the door. It's face was as though partly carved and partly weathered out of a great slab of grey rock. Lichens were over its body and Halthor was almost sure he saw a sapling sprouting up out of its back. The massive arms were long enough that even if the creature stood at full height, the hands would be below its knees. The creature wore a rough garment of some kind, or perhaps it was just the play of shadows over the angular and jutted out lines of its limbs. "I COME FOR HALTHOR," the creature bellowed. The Blue Lady seemed unperturbed after laying eyes upon the creature.
"You were not due for two days from now," she said to the being.
"GRIFF OF WYE IS DEAD. I BEAR THE SISTER TO HER SISTER AND MISTRESS. HALTHOR MUST GO NOW."
The Blue Lady blinked. The creature opened its large hand and sitting in the hallow of the palm was the twin of the axe the Blue Lady was holding. She reached forward and picked it up.
"YOU BEAR THE TWINS NOW. HALTHOR MUST COME."
"Wait, Freystein, what happened to Griff?" she asked. Freystein shook their great head. "I am the destined bearer of the twins?" she said in confusion. Freystein made an impatient noise and gestured at Halthor. "Very well, but the man must sleep. He is not trollkin or of my folk. Leave at dawn."
Freystein glowered. "BAD MEN COME BEHIND ME. THEY RIDE SWIFT AND FOUND THE HIDDEN PATH." The Blue Lady's expression became one of alarm. She turned to Halthor and made a shooing motion.
"Go, gather your things. Leave with Freystein. They will bring you to the Unquiet Field. You haven't much time if they are on the road we have come." Halthor turned to take his pack when the sound of voices shouting came. The troll named Freystein turned to face the newcomers. Freystein gave a mighty roar. The rider's horses panicked. They had been trained for combat but not for mountain trolls.
Freystein picked up a fallen tree. Using the ten foot long broken pine tree as a club, the mountain troll smashed it into the ground in the middle of the company, flattening one unfortunate horse and rider. Freystein swept the tree to the left and another of the party died. His mount was not as lucky. The third and fourth members of the pursuit party turned to flee. Freystein gave another roar as they threw the tree after the retreating humans.They were knocked off of their horses. One was trampled. The other scrambled to his feet to run. Freystein reached him in a stride.
"NO MAN, I SHALL CRUSH YOU FOR KILLING GRIFF." The man in Freystein's grip gave an agonized cry as the mountain troll avenged his friend. Halthor watched the horrific violence of the mountain troll's wrath in mute terror. Freystein's hand was wet with blood and gore. The mountain troll wiped their hand on the snowy ground, leaving a shallow trench behind in the meadow.
"OTHERS COME. HALTHOR MUST LEAVE NOW." The Blue Lady nodded in agreement. "YOU HOLD THE REAR LINE." The serene expression that the Blue Lady wore earlier returned. She crossed the hand axes over her chest and gave a small half bow. Halthor picked up his pack and settled it on his shoulders. He had no idea what had become of the pony or the dog. For all he knew, the mountain troll could have eaten them. When Elwis appeared around the side of the building, Halthor gave a sigh of relief. The pony started to trot over when the Blue Lady held out an arm in a staying motion.
"YOU AND ELWIS CLIMB ON MY BACK. WE HAVE FAR TO GO BEFORE SUNRISE." Halthor slipped his hammer through the loop on his belt and an arm under Elwis. Awkwardly, he began to climb up Freystein's left leg. Freystein heaved a sigh. With unexpected grace and gentleness, the mountain troll reached back and helped the much smaller human. Halthor settled himself against the sapling growing up out of Freystein's right shoulder. With a lurch, the mountain troll began moving.
Halthor held on to the sapling for dear life as Elwis yelped in discomfort. Carefully, Halthor forced himself to relax his hold on the dog. The mountain troll did not move in a slow, lumbering fashion. It was instead this rapid, rolling gait that involved all four limbs. As Freystein clambered over hill and dale with ease, Halthor wondered what became of the night singers. "Where are the Shadow Riders?" he called to Freystein over the rush of wind.
"WECK-IN-WOOD HAS THEM AT THEIR EVES," Freystein answered. Halthor's arms began to tire. The strength of panic had long since waned and Halthor was unsure how long he had to hold on. The biting cold making his limbs numb didn't help his confidence in his grip on either the sapling or dog. "WE SHALL STOP NOW. WE ARE TOO FAR FOR THEM TO FOLLOW NOW." Freystein seemed to crash to a halt in the middle of a small glade. "MAKE FIRE AND I WILL SHELTER YOU." Halthor unclenched his arm around the sapling. Elwis yapped at him and Halthor let go of the dog. With a bound, the elfin hound lept from the mountain troll's back to the ground and sniffed at the snow. Awkwardly, Halthor slipped and clambered down Freystein's side.
Elwis brought Halthor a stick. He reached to take it and the dog began to walk away from him. "Not now," Halthor groaned. Elwis looked over at him and snarled around the stick before walking again. Halthor followed the dog. Freystein followed Halthor. They found themselves on the leeward side of a thorny hedge. Elwis dropped the stick and gripped another, larger one in the hedge with a growl. Realizing that the dog had found dry wood and a place where the wind wasn't as harsh, Halthor reached into the hedge and pulled out more dead fall. Soon, there was a modest fire burning. Halthor sat as close to it as he dared. Freystein came up very close to Halthor.
"I SHALL SHELTER YOU AS GRIFF SHELTERED ME." The next thing Halthor knew, the mountain troll surrounded him with its body and limbs. It was as though it was an embrace but there was a gap in the middle where Halthor sat with Elwis and the fire. The fire was not the only thing that burned. Halthor's eyes ached with weariness. Freystein's body acting like a hearth and chimney, the fire grew stronger and soon Halthor was comfortably warm. Halthor looked up at Freystein's craggy face.
"Tell me, how did you know Griff and how did you know to find me?" The mountain troll's expression seemed to be a smile but Freystein said nothing. Cautiously, Halthor leaned against Freystein's leg.
"YOU SHOULD SLEEP. TOMORROW WE JOURNEY FAR. I SHALL TELL YOU A TALE TOMORROW." Halthor nodded and mumbled something about tomorrow before yawning. Unsure if the entire experience was a dream or not, Halthor shut his eyes for a moment to stop the burning sensation as Elwis cozied up beside him. That moment quickly turned into the remainder of the night.
No comments:
Post a Comment