Twidi Saves the Day (Date 1/10/9)

Biting her lip against the pins and needles shooting through her hands, Twidi Harraden worked her fingers back to life. Something was going on, she was sure of it, and she was going to need working hands if she was going to be of any use. What had been four trolls was now down to two. Only one of the boys and Big Mama remained.

Not long ago there had been the thunder of a rock fall which had woken her from slumber. Whatever it had been, it had called away the other male and led big mama to extinguish the cook fire. Maybe it was rescue... It had to be! She and minors had been trussed up like swaddled infants for days, and why? When the mine had been attacked, Twidi thought for sure they were dead. Her, her father, and all the other miners. Dead! Or at least they should be. The trolls obviously had no compunction against eating people. They had gobbled down the ones who had fought back, but once they were gone, the trolls had started hunting rather than eat the rest. It was weird. Many times the hungry males had leered at her, one even went so far as to lift her from the pen before being shouted down by Big Mama. She was keeping them for something. Twidi couldn’t guess what, and didn’t really care. Twidi was still alive. She wasn’t sure about her father though. He hadn’t moved since he’d been dropped into the pen. If he was still breathing, it was too shallow for her to see. Don’t worry about that now. She could hear her father’s voice. First things first. She prayed to Storm that he still lived, but first thing was escape, and for that she was going to need her hands. The knife hidden at her back would be useless without her hands.

Another sound, loud, like a cave-in but different, startled Twidi and the trolls. The noise was little more than a curiosity to Twidi, but the big mama troll freaked. She jumped at the noise and began barking orders to the remaining male who moved cautiously toward the cave mouth. It had to be an attack, a rescue! Twidi abandoned caution. This was it! Tonight it was escape or death. She pulled the knife from her belt and bent to work on her ankle ropes. No sooner had Twidi begun sawing before Big Mama came to the pen, pushing aside a mine cart as easily as Twidi might a campfire stump. Folding herself back up Twidi watched in horror as the troll matriarch hefted the man next to her. She was pretty sure it was Ward, but in the dim light she couldn’t be certain. It looked almost as if Big Mama planned to put the helpless minor into the strange harness on her back. Though most of Twidi’s mind was consumed in terror, a tiny voice pondered the harness and its purpose.

Twidi saw the steel first, then the man wielding it. Both had come from nowhere, and with their arrival, time turned to a blur. The man got swatted away. She hacked manically at her bonds. A troll roared in the distance. Other men poured into the cave. A huge troll shadow fell over her and great hands scooped her up. Unable to do more than twist in the unbreakable grip, she flashed out desperately with the tiny knife. Meat! A startled roar of pain. She fell. And then she was scrambling across rocks working to free the other miners. Another explosion rocked the cavern, this time dislodging a shower of rubble. Nearby voice shouted. Did they say, “The Prince”? No time to worry about that. The ceiling might give way at any moment, and she doubted her tiny knife would do much go if the trolls returned….

Suddenly it was bright as day, almost too bright to see. Gentle hands were pulling her away from her work. Soothing voices spoke of calm and concern. It was over. They were free! The magic Prince had come to their rescue. There he was, sitting across the cavern talking to a strange looking woman. She must be an elf! And this one talking to her, was one too. Lex, did he say? Such a strange bunch. There was the miracle man! And who was the huge one with the sword on a spear? Before she knew it they were gone. She could scarcely remember talking to any of them. Had she? It was all so surreal - like a fantasy. They hadn’t even waited a day, once the Miracle Marty had healed her father and the others, they were off, back to the city. Malwan… Before it had always seemed so far away, but today, it was her capital.