Tiad and the Troll (Short Story)

[Valius]

A couple of you know that I like to do a spot of writting in my spare time, and last night I just started scribbling a short story (without any planning at all) and I ended up with this...

Hope you enjoy it


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Tiad's heart pounded

He had never been much for violence, preferring to play a lute at the back of a Tavern for his coin, rather then take up arms like so many others. The path to glory and riches at the tip of a sword had called to him a couple of times during his travels, but the rather final... or terminal end of such a career has always persuaded him to stay at home, entertaining the lonely buxom village girls, left behind by all the ideas who enjoy running around and hitting things with swords. The Bard looked around quickly, realising that he had become lost in his thoughts for a moment and had wandered far from the beaten track. He stopped to look around, turning to come face-to-face with a very large Troll.

The Troll was on all fours, poking a fat finger down a rabbit hole, its tongue stuck out in concentration, as though a rabbit was just jump out into its hand, and Tiad froze as it looked up him, tiny piggish eyes poking out from under the heavy blue scaled brow.  It regarded him with a slow recognition, as though trying to determine what Tiad was, and Tiad could tell that it was slowly coming to the realisation that he would be a better snack then some rabbit. Its docile features fell into a snarl, and with a roar it uprooted a small tree from the soil as a makeshift club. The Bard moved nearly as quickly as his bowels and dived into a hawthorn bush, scrambling through the groping branches like some fox on a hunt. He reached the other side and carefully pulled himself free as the Troll investigated the small hole into which he had crawled through, not noticing the Bard making his escape.

Scrambling in almost blind panic, Tiad ran for the nearest cover, a small copse of trees a few yards away, but ran directly into the back of an Orc who was busy hitting a beehive and licking the honey from his green knuckles. The Orc looked up at Tiad, and although a helmet made from a cow’s skull obscured its head, the screaming, grabbing of and waving of its axe rather clued Tiad into its decision. As he ran from the Orc, Tiad pulled out a small flute, and headed for the Troll. Skidding to a stop, he began to play a gentle tune upon the instrument, with both the Troll and the Orc stopping to listen placidly. As the Troll swayed dozily, Tiad noticed he was gaining more and more control over the Orc, and changed his tune subtly. The Orc walked over to the Troll and swung his axe into the Trolls bony legs. The Troll stopped and looked down at the Orc, that realised what it had done and smiled up nervously. The Troll stared down for a long moment, confusion gripping its ugly face, then with a cry, brought the tree down upon the Orc, squashing him entirely.

When the Troll raised the tree-club, a dark green semi-gelatinous puddle, wearing boots now remained in the hole where the club had fallen. Tiad played rather nervously now, the Troll examining the gloopy mess on the floor and then looking up to Tiad. Bellowing loudly, the Troll set off into a charge, but slipped in the Orc and fell violently, crashing to the floor and striking its head with great force against the boulder, slaying it. Tiad stared on as his dumb-luck set in and he digested how closely he just came to being... digested. He walked over to the Troll partially numb and checked the body over, liberating some useful possessions. Just as he pulled his pack tight, a bush to his side exploded into the figure of a skinny young man wearing semi-rusted chainmaille and carrying a sword that he could barely lift. He froze as he saw the Troll, then realised it was dead and looked up at Tiad who simply smiled.
"Morning" Tiad said, trying to keep his voice as calm and casual as possible. "Out for a spot of hunting are you?"
The man nodded deftly to Tiad.
"Hmm, which village are you from M'lord... and what of the women?"