Page 20 of Troll Charming

“How can you be sure?”someone yells from the crowd.

“She can destroy all we have built with one of her pictures or by spreading word of our village! We have remained hidden for far too long to jeopardize everything now!” another voice chimes in.

“She must be killed! You must honor the old ways!” More voices join the call for murder until Dartor uses his booming voice and heavy gavel to bring the room to silence once more.

“Red, you hear the village speak. There is grave concern about what you have done. I speak for the council, and we agree. The human must die.”

“You don’t understand!” I bellow with all my troll power. “She is my mate!” The feeling of desperation grips me—I cannot live without Alex, much less end her life. I must save her at all costs. “I will give myself up in her stead if that is what you want! If you need blood, then take mine!”

“Your mate, you say?” Dartor asks.

“Yes! And I will sacrifice myself to save her. It isn’t her fault that she is here. I brought her into the village, and I love her. Please, if you will not let her stay, then let me take her back home. And she has no pocket devices. No cell phone or camera. Tabitha can wipe her memory so she will remember nothing… But also, there is another aspect to this… with Tabitha… we…”

“Silence!” Dartor calls out. “We have heard enough.” With that, the council devolves into murmured whispers amongstthemselves. The rest of those gathered go silent. Everyone waits with bated breath to see what judgement they will meet out.

It feels like forever before Dartor stands up to speak the council’s decision.

No sooner does he clear his throat than he is interrupted.

“Wait!” a booming female voice echoes through the entire chamber, reverberating through the walls. Tiny Tabitha appears next to me in her flaming glory.I am relieved she has finally arrived but a bit perplexed at the urgent tone in her voice.

Her bright green eyes lock on me, and she speaks, her voice booming again as if coming from the likes of Troth. “Before you render a decision, allow me, as a witch, a seer, and a member of the Common Council to speak on behalf of all unmated males here in this village.”

Dartor nods and waves his hand in permission.

“Yes, it is true—Red’s actions are in violation of our ways, but he did not act alone. Not really.” A bit of a gasp echoes through the chamber. “Our village is in need of new blood!” Tabitha yells. “Who among you hasn’t seen our males walking the streets in search of mates we all know they will never find here?”

“But there is exchange among clans and towns!” Dartor exclaims.

“Yes, but you know very well there is truth in my words,” she continues. “A few days ago, I did a ceremony with some of our males. I invited in mates. I called upon fate itself to bring them the love they have yearned for.”

More murmurs among the council.

“And fate has answered. This human was invited. And she has come. Maybe not in a way many would understand, but invited, nonetheless. She is not some dangerous cryptid hunter. No. She is Red’s fated mate. And I would argue that far from being killed, she should instead be wed to the fine troll we know as Red, prince of the House of Relgor.”

“But she is human!” a voice yells.

“Silence!” another of the elders calls out.

Again, they retreat into whispers, until finally, Dartor speaks, his eyes scanning the crowd. “Where is this human, that she might speak for herself?”

“She’s gone, driven out by your arcane and outdated laws.” Tabitha turns to me as she pronounces this bad news. Then, in a lower voice, she tells me, “She left you a note.”

I take it with trembling hands.

Dear Red,

I have never felt so alive, so safe, and so at home as I have here with you. You are the most beautiful troll I have ever had the pleasure to, well… pleasure. But I know how this story must end. It’s no different than all the other stories I have been through. But I will also save you from doing what I know you would never want to do. I must leave you and your village. I guess it just wasn’t meant to be. I will love you with all my heart to the day I die.I hope you understand.

Alex

I am instantlyfull of an almost blind panic. But I know I cannot just run after her. To leave the elders without being dismissed would be unforgivable. With all my will, I stand my ground, waiting to hear their sentence.

They are whispering again.

I must go to her, though. I have to find her; she will die in these woods, either by cold, hunger, or something worse.

The seconds tick by like hours, it seems, but in reality, I know it is less than a minute.

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