The Troll War

Chapter Four - An Explanation

When Maria arrived back at King Potts castle with Leaf and Korb, the King was waiting for them. "Hello Leaf and friend, Please, I need to talk with you." As they walked towards the entrance to the castle proper the King turned to Korb, "And who might you be young halfling?"

Korb smiled, "Princess Tea told me to stay with Leaf wherever he goes to protect him from the enemy. So, I've adopted the name Korb the Protector. I think it sounds pretty good."

"Yes, it does." The King said smiling.

"Leaf I've requested your presence for two reasons. First, though I am fairly confident that she is my daughter, I need to confirm that she is, in fact, my daughter. Equally important, I must know whose side she is on. She looks so very different that I can't be sure if she has changed that much on the inside."

Leaf stopped, "I can assure you with complete confidence that she is on your side. She didn't even want to stay a sun for a welcoming home celebration, she wanted to get to your side as quickly as possible. If I remember correctly, she even said she 'wanted to knock some sense into her brother's head'," then to Korb, "Did I get that right."

"You sure did. She was furious with her brother."

"That my young friends, is some of the best news I could ever hear. Now let's go see Tea."

As they walked away Maria laid down, rested her head on her front leg, sighed and thought, "Maybe now I can get a decent nap."

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As they walked Korb asked, "So are you keeping her under guard or something?"

"She is in the dungeon."

Both Leaf and Korb in unison, "Dungeon!"

"Yes. While confident that it was Tea, I couldn't allow her freedom if she had sided with her brother. You have dispelled any doubts I had, and I sincerely thank you both for that."

The stairway was only wide enough for two, so the King led while Leaf and Korb followed. The dungeon was dark except for torches every several steps, the walls were damp, the air smelled stale, there were spider webs just about any place a spider could build a web, and an occasional rat would scurry by. Overall, it was the most depressing place Leaf and Korb had ever been, and they wanted to get Tea out and away from this miserable place as fast as possible.

When they arrived at Tea's cell, she was sitting on the straw as before with her head in her hands. She had been crying so much she didn't have any tears left to shed. She didn't look up, and in a very weak and dejected voice, "What?"

"Someone to see you Tea." The Kings voice was cheerful.

Tea, with red bloodshot eyes slowly looked towards the door, and then she saw her father step aside revealing Leaf and Korb. She exploded to the bars, "Leaf! Korb! Tell my father that I really am his daughter." King Potts unlocked the cell, and opened the door; Tea ran to Leaf and Korb, grabbed then for a hug but she came at them with so much speed and force that they all fell to the damp stone floor. While still pinning them down she gave each one a very big kiss on the lips, stunning both males as well as her father. Rolling off of them and getting up she gave her father a strong disgusted look, "So father dear, what exactly was the reason for locking me up? And it better be a very, very good reason."

"Dearest daughter, it broke my heart to confine you like that, but you looked so different on the outside that I needed to be sure you hadn't turned against me on the inside. Please forgive me." Tea understood – sort of.

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Continuing, "Now all of you please come with me, I've instructed Bannon to have the kitchen prepare a small feast to celebrate my daughter's return, and to thank Leaf and Korb the Protector for all they have done for me."