This episode has a few references to previous scenes that I couldn't resist pointing you to. I've added links in the text to identify them; however, I've also added a list of links and the episodes they refer to, so the links won't get in the way of your reading. :)
*
Kratan headed northwest, passing through the first clearing
and confirming his early suspicions that De Faumont had been there. He
recognized his faint smell, as well as his horse’s. He maintained direction and
grudgingly crossed the river, waking up the unconscious Aimee when tripping in
a hidden rock.
Aimee groaned and looked around dizzily. She wondered if
that river was the same where the trolls had forcefully bathed because of her garlands. Kratan turned east and then southward, following the river from the
other side. Shortly, Aimee could see a castle’s light, surrounded by an enormous
half-moon shaped city which end she couldn’t see. It was very disorienting to watch it all from upside down. As she knew from merchants’ descriptions, this should be
the capital, the king’s diamond belt she had dreamed to see her whole
life.
However, the effort was too much for her and darkness engulfed her. She
woke again with a small rock falling on her neck. Kratan had moved her and she
was on top of Velin’s body. She twitched, startled with the leathery skin below
her.
“Quiet, girl, or I’ll drop you off.”
Aimee glared at Kratan’s back in response, and got dizzy
again. Letting her body loose, she took a deep breath and decided to
investigate her surroundings in a safer fashion. This caused only another wave
of vertigo and a deep chill running up and down her spine. She was facing a
dark abyss that seemed having no end. The pain and the cadaver’s smell made her
sick. Velin was showered one last time as Kratan climbed a waterfall and headed south with great stealth. He put her
and her companion down only when they arrived in a cave, leaving her alone in
the dark. He came back shortly with enough wood to keep the fire up for days.
She woke up with the sun’s brightness dazing her. Kratan was
at the other side of the dying fire, protected by the shadows. Velin’s body
was entangled with her. It took her such a great effort to free herself that she
concluded that flight was impossible. Once again she’d have to be rescued. She
punched the floor in frustration and grunted in pain. Breathing hard she
directed her attention to her surroundings.
She learned that they were at the entry of a cave with one
large chamber downwards and several small entries. A worn out path into the
darkness called her attention, but for now she resigned to her fate and fell
into a dreamless sleep.
Kratan shook her off the bliss of forgetfulness. “Eat,” he
said, while throwing at her an armful of fruits. She devoured them in a twisted dejà vu, looking up to him only when she was able to slow down. He was watching her
with an empty gaze. She could not read his emotions for the first time and it
scared her.
“I can’t have you getting thinner than you already are,” he
said. “I like juicy bones, you know?” He grinned, but there was no glee in it.
She cocked her head, wondering the reasons for this other
change. Kratan wasn’t having the usual fun on abusing her mentally. She pondered if their new location had anything
to do with it but it was too soon to draw any conclusions. She would be patient, she decided, the nights were getting longer and she
doubted help would come any soon.
The next night she decided to investigate. “Where are we?”
she asked.
Kratan looked up startled. He searched the cave with an
empty gaze and turned to her, still unfocused, “Not sure.”
She was so bewildered with his answer that she gaped at him
until his head went down again. She rubbed her chin and after some pondering
she tried a different strategy. “Kratan?” He looked up slowly. “My side hurts.
I think I broke something.” No reaction. “Would you mind searching for
something to help? If there are fruits around here, there might be herbs to make
a cataplasm…” He stood up mechanically and left.
Looking at his back, she noticed that the sun was still a
thin line in the horizon. With a chilled grip in her stomach she realized he
would have walked right into the sun in this strange state. She’d have to keep
an eye on him.
It was pitch dark when Kratan came back. He chewed several
different herbs Aimee couldn’t identify in the dim light, and spit on the
mixture. He went to one of the cave’s inner chambers and retrieved a large roll
of bandages, to which he applied the concoction. He kneeled down beside her and
lowered it, pausing when rubbing his fingers against her dress. He stayed there
robotically, with unseen eyes.
Aimee mustered courage for a few moments. Slowly, she
undressed her upper body, shyly covering her breasts with one arm. He lifted her other arm to discover that her whole hind was black and there was a strange
protuberance in it. She saw a flicker of life in Kratan’s eyes and almost
yelped, but he calmly put the bandage down and looked neutrally to her. “You’ve
got a broken rib. This is going to hurt a bit.” Before she could reply he
covered her mouth with one hand and poked at her rib pointedly with his index.
The bone clacked into place and she shrieked in pain, tears rolling down
freely. Kratan placed the medicine gently on her wound, and tightened the bandage comfortably around her shivering body. He then laid her down ever so slowly and
left her breathing hard on her make up bed.
He sat down on the other side of the fire, shoulder and head
supported by the thick wall. As soon as Aimee could move again she asked, head
turned to him, “What are you thinking about, Kratan?”
Absent mindedly, he replied, “My family.”
*
This is a list of links to previous events mentioned in this episode:
1) Kratan's suspicions about the first clearing - epi. #14 Bell Alarm
2) Trolls taking a bath because of Aimee's garlands - epi. #3 The Most Horrid Torture
3) Ravenous Aimee and her dejà vu - epi. #2 - Landy's Hands
Oh this is so sweet - loved it, kept picturing Jim Henson's puppets, somehow :)
ReplyDeleteaww, poor troll. sweet flash. though putting a chewed up mess on a wound- yuck!!!!
ReplyDelete@Anne: Bwahahah! That's an amazing immagery! :D
ReplyDelete@Sonia: I was told it was how they made medicine back then, heh.
Something happened to Kratan — is he un-reverting back to the Nice Troll stage?
ReplyDeleteHaha! I like the hyperlinks. I don't remember you using these before, but they're good for quick references or refreshers. I did the same thing in my Previously On series, though it didn't last nearly as long as your Sweetest Trolls.
ReplyDeleteAlso, owwww.
This was lovely, Kratan taking care of Aimee - does he still have a spot of kindness in him somewhere?
ReplyDelete@FAR and Helen: There's certainly something off with Kratan. Whether this change-back is permanent or not, is still uncertain.
ReplyDelete@John: You're right. It's the first time I put the links, and I did so because the story is getting longer, and I felt it would be interesting to make the connections to the readers instead of hoping they would do it themselves. The links are also meant to help new readers to understand better the story without having to read back from the beginning.
Owwwww, what? Kratan's change, or something with Aimee?
I felt Aimee's frustration at always feeling the victim. Also her hesitancy with asking Kratan for help with his strange behavior. The way he poked her rib back in and yet medicated and bound it reminded me of men without sisters. The last sentence says it all. Enjoyed this, Mari.
ReplyDeleteI was expecting not to like this little troll. Now, I'd like him for a pet.:-)
ReplyDeleteNice job,Mari!
Neat, I've never seen trolls portrayed in anything less than "they are terrible monsters."
ReplyDeleteGood concept.
@Jodi: This frustration has been following Aimee her whole life. As to Kratan's poke, he was being extremely gentle. In this transitional moment, he has the strength of the evil troll and the kindness of the Kratan we learned to love.
ReplyDelete@Cynthia and Michael: This is exactly what the challenge is about: telling a story about good hearted trolls who are falsely persecuted. Glad you enjoyed this take on the old monsters. :)
I need to spend some quality time here catching up. I'm hooked on these eps. Bring on my holidays for some reading.
ReplyDeleteAdam B @revhappiness
Hmm, Kratan's behaviour is certainly odd.
ReplyDeleteI second "Owwww", having once had a cracked rib myself (note to anyone with a cracked rib - don't try and see if you're well enough to go back to the gym yet by attempting a push-up...)
Interesting, I'll be curious to find out why Kratan is acting the way he is. In this scene, he seems to be trying to create a facade and the real him seems to glimmer through in a couple of places.
ReplyDelete(I liked the idea of linking phrases that referenced bits of older episodes in the text. It seems a very natural way to handle a serial.)
I like the way that Kratan seems a lot more tender around Aimee. Something strange is clearly afoot!
ReplyDeleteAh, I wonder if it's something to do with locations that cause the changes in him. Interesting...
ReplyDelete"It was very disorienting to watch it all from upside down." < Lovely line Ms Mari, but your tale, helpful hyperlinks and all, is spinning well of its own accord. Aimee was aiming for more than that 'neutrality' look, eh?
ReplyDeleteDarkness surely doesn't engult the reader tantalized by where good-hearted trolls can take 'em in adventures to unfurl.
~ Absolutely*Kate
@Adam: That's great! I hope you'll have time to read it over soon. :) Please let me know what you think of the whole thing when you do.
ReplyDelete@Maria (mazzz): Ahhhh! So John's "owww" was about the rib? Uh, I see your point. Hope this is long passed and you're feeling okay now.
@Aidan: You're very perceptive! ;) And thanks for the feedback on the link thing. I guess I'll keep doing this, as it seems to please more than bother people.
@Icy and Maria: You're both right!
@*Kate: Right on spot! ;D
I rather like the links! The text color isn't intrusive, and they remind me about previous episodes. I wish some complicated books did this, so I wouldn't have to slip back pages :)
ReplyDelete@Angela: I'll keep that in mind when I launch the ebook. ;D
ReplyDeletePoor Aimee! I hope things are going to look up for her!
ReplyDelete@Jemi: She's very much loved, so I'm optimistic. :)
ReplyDeleteSomehow I missed this episode when it posted, so I'm a little late catching up. I like the intrigue with Kratan's changing demeanor. I think he's nervous about something...
ReplyDelete@Chuck: Kratan has much to be nervous about, you got that right! Thanks for catching up. My hopes are that this week we'll see "Memories, part 2" with clues to some important answers. ;)
ReplyDelete