Dragon Bride

Chapter 29 Thief

Queen Eleanor and her three young daughters were sitting with Gretchen and her family eating supper. Unni was talking, "I know she is still alive. I know it in my heart. I can feel her. I even know where she is...sort of...is, it's a cave and she's trapped."

"Where is the cave?" Gretchen asked.

"That's the part I don't know. Loki does but he's not hear."

"How do you know she lives," Eleanor said softly as she reached out and took Unni's hand. "My guards followed after them for awhile when they were taken. They couldn't see what actually took them and eventually lost them. They found bits and pieces of what they believe was human flesh and bone."

"Karlie and I have a special bond. We know if the other of us is stressed, sad, happy, or mortal danger. Karlie is alive. She is was feeling very stressed and panicky but I can only describe her current feelings as determined. Loki is part of that bond we share."

"I don't understand," Gretchen said. Oonagh was sitting on her lap with her head lying on her mother's shoulder apparently sleeping. She looked at her mother.

"Loki's a dragon," Oonagh whispered. "He told me when he took me from Vada and Karlie came. A dragon would never hurt my Karlie." Gretchen held Oonagh tighter and stroked her hair.

"We can only hope and pray," Gretchen whispered softly then kissed Oonagh on the crown of her head.

"Vada has told the villagers a different story," Eleanor said. "He claims the dragon came that night and took Karlie. He was displeased with her, he took her but in his anger took Gorm too. Vada barley escaped with his life. He claims he is now the high priest as well as the king and more sacrifices may be needed. I have no idea what he is plotting."

"I understand Lothar is not dead," Gretchen said, "a knarr brought news from Denmark late yesterday."

"Yes, but he is not expected to live," Eleanor said, "and still no word about Arnie. Everything hangs by a thread now. I think Vada may be mad."

"Or just totally evil," Unni added.

When Karliene awoke she felt rested. She was hungry, famished more accurately. She had no idea how long she had slept or what time of day or night it was. She decided that now would be a good time to see if she could safely visit the troll cave. She cut a square of cloth from a bolt of linen and pored some of the floral scented pomade on it and tied it like a mask on her face. That way she could better handle the awful stench of the troll cave. She removed her toga to make slipping through the narrow passage easier and keep it clean. Then she approached the crawl space. She paused listening for several minutes. She slowly crawled forward until she could peer unseen into the cave. It was empty. The stone door was shut and no light could be seen through the cracks so she knew it was night. As she entered the cave she saw a fire had been burning but now was close to being burned out. It was enough to illuminate the room. She saw several long poles with fierce looking hooks leaning against the wall near her escape hole. Then she spotted the hams.

The trolls had obviously raided a smoke house and carried off a dozen large hams and squares of salt pork. Karliene seized the closest bundle of salt pork and backed down through her hole. Then after listening and waiting returned for another. Then she began helping herself to the hams. She was maneuvering the last ham as she slid feet first back into her escape hole when she heard the door slide open. She was still half way into the troll cave. The trolls yelled. "THIEF!" and growling with rage charged her. Karliene let out a squeak as she jammed herself to quickly into the narrow fissure and became stuck again by her chest and shoulders. The trolls thrust one of their poles with a hook into the fissure after her and snagged the ham. Karliene screamed in surprise as the ham was ripped from her grasp. "I hooked her!" the troll shouted as he pulled the heavy ham back. Karliene was able to free herself and exit the fissure as two hooked poles came within inches of snagging her.

"Thank you for the ham!" she called up to the trolls.

"THIEF! give us back our hams," the troll shrieked.

"I gave you one back. Thats enough for you. Don't want you to get too fat. And, by the way, you are stupid." The trolls responded screaming and pounding the walls and floor with their fist in fury. Several minutes past and Karliene shouted, "next time you morons go out I'd like some bread, cheese and vegetables. A girls got to eat." This statement resulted in the tolls throwing another tantrum. Karliene walked deeper into her cave and laughed to herself. Baiting the trolls was fun but extremely dangerous. She decided she would bathe again before dressing and then enjoy her ham. She had enough food to last several weeks. Enough to keep her busy as she cataloged the treasure. Bjorn and Loki would find her. She was worried for her family and especially Unni and Oonagh.

*****

Loki lay curled up with the golden dragon. They lay on the soft warm sands of the caldera floor. Loki gently nuzzled the golden dragon. "Lokhoggr will my egg be safe here?" the golden dragon whispered.

"Yes my love," Loki whispered then he became aware of Karliene's distress. He also realized that Karliene had been in distress for several days as was Unni. He had been so occupied with his lady dragon that he had not even acknowledged the girls plight. He rose quickly to his feet, "I have got to go!"

"Is it those little huldra you talk about?"

"Yes, they are is some duress. I must go to them."

"I will follow. I think the egg will be safe for a little while. I must meet your huldra for myself." The dragons once airborne flew out of the volcano and in a flash of of bright light entered the void between worlds and then re-entered the sky above Skelholm.