Page 84 of Torin and the Princess

Torin nodded approvingly then looked at the mug’s Jurassic Park logo. My coffee mugs were an eclectic mix collected over my lifetime.

“What is the meaning of this?”

Cooper said, “I picked that mug for you, it’s from the movie, Jurassic park.”

Torin shook his head. “I daena understand.”

Cooper said, “The one about the dinosaurs in the park — you know, came out about ten years ago?”

Torin continued shaking his head, a grin spreading. “Ye keep explainin’ but ye are using many words — I daena ken the meanin’.”

Cooper chuckled. “Still going, huh? Want me to explain the movie Jurassic park?”

“What is a movie?”

Cooper said, “Amovie,a moving picture, a film, a video… TV show?” Then he said, because Torin was still shaking his head. “Damn it, fine, okay, I’ll show you?—”

Jen said, “Nope, breakfast is almost ready, it’ll have to wait until after.”

I got the syrup out of the pantry.

Torin said, “I also daena ken what a dinauswer is.”

Cooper’s eyes went wide. “You don’t know what a dinosaur is?”

Jen turned from the stove with oven mitts on her hands. “Holy smoke, Torin! You don’t know what a dinosaur is? How freaking old are you supposed to be?”

I said, “Dinosaur bones are a fairly recent discovery in the scheme of things.”

Jen blinked for a moment. “I hadn’t thought of that... that’s wild. But... anyway, stacks are ready! Bring your plates!”

We lined up and Jen gave us each a stack and we sat around the kitchen table where I had the butter dish, a syrup pitcher, sliced strawberries, a dish of blueberries, and a can of whipped cream.

We were all quiet for a minute while we passed the toppings and put it all on our pancakes. Torin studied our actions and copied us again.

Torin was so big his seat looked small under him, but he seemed self-conscious and trying to be well-mannered. He asked, “Dost ye mind if I pray afore we eat?”

“No, please do.”

We all bowed our heads and folded our hands. I opened an eye to peek. Torin had his hands clasped tightly, his eyes closed. “Oh merciful Lord, our hearty thanks for this bounty, I ask that ye watch over m’companions, keepin’ them in health and good spirits, also remindin’ them tae explain what a dinashwar is, and bless our sweet cakes of the morn, and grant that I may be strengthened in body and soul tae embark upon m’journey today, amen.”

We all said, “Amen.”

He put his elbows on the table but then pulled them off.

Cooper said, “A dinosaur was a great beast, like a monstrous lizard, that roamed the earth long before man. Now their bones are turned to stone.”

Torin said, “Monstrous lizards, ye say? Sounds like a dragon — did these beasts breathe fire and plague villages?

I said, “No fire, no village-plaguing. Just big, scaly things — some as long as a castle wall. But they were gone long before man.”

“So they werna dragons, but died long before man, and dragons were left. Dragons were the winners of the ancient monster wars.” Torin poured syrup on his pancakes.

“No, dragons aren’t real, dinosaurswerereal.”

“Dragons arna real? But I hae seen them with m’own eyes!”

Cooper said, “No way, that’s not true.”

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