The Adventures of Elf and Troll: Two Kingdoms

By NM Reed and Whitney Lee Preston

A wood Elf and a mountain Troll find themselves pulled between Two Kingdoms. A King and a Queen try to bridge the gap of many miles of forest and strange beings, and the total lack of cell phones, using Elf and Troll as messengers. A Hob Goblin and a giant flying messenger Eagle named Gaston are just a few of many wonders found here in this myth

• Language: English
• Publisher: Tattered Unicorn Publishing
• Release date: Aug 17, 2021
• ISBN: 9781955243629

NM Reed

NM Reed is a narrative and fiction writer who has run a small business for decades creating art and drums and performing live ethnic dance and music. NM Reed and her husband Whitney Lee Preston are husband-wife teams of SciFi fantasy and myth authors. Both have spent decades in the community of ethnic music and traveling historical theater. They participate and sponsor live role-playing games at a large science fiction convention in the San Francisco bay area each year. They now live in the mountains of the central California region on a small ranch with lots of books and animals.

Book preview

Chapter One: The Adventure Begins

Elf was the only one to do it. She must set out on a mission for the Queen.

She must take a message from one kingdom to another. And to do it she must pass through the Forest of Fear. For between the Kingdom of Kindness and the Kingdom of Wisdom is the terrible Forest of Fear.

The cool of night stood between the tall trees, calling down the mist from the steel gray sky. Elf watched carefully, listening to the rustling of leaves. Troll stood near her, his dark form lurking beside the trunk of a large oak. He ventured a look around the trunk at her slight form. Their eyes met for an instant, and she feared not. She saw the beauty and softness in his large blue eyes. Where most people felt fear for his sheer size and strength, she saw gentleness and a caring spirit.

One evening on their travel, they encountered a man traveling alone. They came upon one another, both shocked by the sudden appearance of the other. Troll and Elf could not avoid him by hiding in the forest, so they stood their ground in the lingering light of sunset.

Confronting the Black Prince on the deserted road, the Troll stood behind Elf quietly. His thick arms were crossed before his great chest, his face was unreadable. The man

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looked from the handsome Elf up to the face of the Troll. The man's face changed from cunning to surprise, then shock and fear. He took a step back, then another, then turned and fled.

As always for Ogres, Trolls and Giants, they were universally misunderstood. For in the face of innocence and true goodness, evil is always reflected directly back. That, not his size, was Troll's greatest advantage.

Elf had other strengths.

Understanding humans was not one of them. Troll always told her, as a Wood Elf, she could never see villainy in the heart of a crooked man. But as a hunter, she could always out-wit a predator.

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Chapter Two: In the Palace

The wide double oak doors were held open by two huge guards of a race unknown to Elf. She strode boldly forward and Elf entered the hall. It's grandness dwarfed her small frame. Sounds from dark corners echoed hollowly around her. Troll entered right behind her, stepped through and then to the side. He barely avoided colliding with one of the huge door guards. Troll positioned himself with his back to a wall, so he could observe the entire huge hall. Clothed in his heavy body armor and thick under tunic, his knives and swords had been taken from him in the courtyard. He felt naked with out them, as he warily clenched and unclenched his huge hands.

Elf walked slowly forward, she stepped onto the dense gold and red carpet that ran down the length of the hall. Up from the double doors all the way up a throne on the other end of the room. Her small leather shoes sank into the soft plush texture, making her think of the soft moss deep in the forest where she dwelt and hunted.

Her attention was jerked back to this present with a clang and a voice shouting her introduction. Her attention was drawn to people at the other end of the room. She walked slowly and regally down the length of the encrusted rug. She could now see the King that sat on his high throne. She studied the people nearest him, his retinue, or perhaps

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family and guards. His throne was encrusted with jewels, metal work. It was thick with the piling of the many colored furs of wild animals. She recognized the pelts of animals she knew from her forest, some she did not recognize. One was golden soft with black spots.

To what do we owe this pleasure? said the king in a booming voice. As she approached, his eyes burned down her small frame, and she felt a strange shame at her worn garment and well-used handmade leather shoes. She lived and survived in the forest and should feel no shame, she told herself proudly.

I bear a message from the Good Queen to the South, Valerie the Kind. Her voice cleared as she spoke, becoming more clear and confidant with each word. It echoed with the rest of the sounds, until they died away and hers was heard above the rest. The king measured her with his deep blue eyes within crinkled skin of experience. He sensed no fear or intimidation on the small Elf announcing her charge in front of his throne. He sat back a bit in his chair.

Elf bowed low, dropping to one knee onto the padded carpet below his dais. She swept her well worn cloth cap off her head, baring the crest of her brown mane toward the appreciative king. A woman beside the king, standing near to his elbow scoffed audibly. The woman stood stiff within a jeweled white gown, flicks of light catching assorted jewels and metal workings. She sneered at Elf's simple

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The Adventures of Elf and Troll

worn clothes of leather and canvas, the earth colors of the Fen from whence this wild creature obviously emerged.

The King sat back into his recline and regarded the elf, ignoring the woman's noises. His face changed to sublime curiosity as Elf's dulcet voice carried to him the long message memorized from the Good Queen. His eyes softened and he let out a slight sound of contentment. Then he nodded slightly taking in Elf's message. The woman in the white gown beside him turned to glare at her King, her face turning white with rage and jealousy.

Her message delivered, Elf bowed deeply for the King again. He pondered and stroked his chin of fine whiskers. The woman in white turned to the elf and began to speak. How dare you come in hear and address my king, with out even...

Hilda The king's booming voice interrupted the woman before she could finish her barrage, "Hilda! She turned wide-eyed toward him, now very red-faced, as Elf quietly said, Your, Grace? The King spoke slowly. Ignore my sister, who has too long dwelt in the comforts and confines with her older brother. She forgets her manners. Elf, I find your speech entrancing. And convincing. Tell your Good Queen to the South of this Great Kingdom of Herald the Wise that we contemplate her initiative and will consider the prospect. We shall send a courier forthwith with our goodly answer in the fullness of time."

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NM Reed with Whitney Lee Preston

Elf committed that quickly to memory, for she knew not exactly what he meant in this vague but formal courtly speech. She would need to travel back swiftly to the kingdom of the Good Queen to the South to deliver this King Harold’s short, if cryptic, response.

She acknowledged his answer with a nod of understanding, and again said Your Grace to dismiss herself. With the King still regarding her pleasantly, Elf backed up slowly, still bowing her brown wild mane of hair at him, hat in hand, until she was a goodly and polite distance from him. She turned gracefully heel and toe, and quickly slipped from the hall. She strode passed Troll, who glared at the gallery in general, and turned to follow her out the double oak doors. Through the vestibule packed with people to address the King. And out into the sunshine of the courtyard beyond.

Elf was still moving quickly as Troll stopped to pick up his shield, and his broadsword, and his short sword and his 3 daggers and a mace and several other small weapons. Oh, ya. And his helmet. And she was still traveling quickly out the courtyard when he called to her, Elf, wait up.

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Chapter Three: Back to the Forest

Down the street, under the battlements, thorough the gate and over the bridge they marched right out of the village. Straight on down the road they marched with Elf moving swiftly in front of Troll. Then she took a hard right south straight off the road and into the dense forest. Elf then adopted her forest gait, hopping over limbs, choosing footing on soft moss, passing rabbits staring in curiosity. Birds paused on branches in mid-tweet. Till she came to the darkest place, surrounded by tall trees with infinite tops.

She stopped, bent over, hands on knees, breathing hard.

Troll caught up to where he could see her. He stopped a moment, then approached quietly.

What is it, Elf? What's wrong with you?

She stood up and looked at him, a twinkle in her eye, and a quirk on one side of her red mouth.

You KNOW I hate being indoors, Troll!

Troll stepped back with a sigh of exasperation, rolling his huge eyes at her.

And that WOMAN! All shiny and white. Just couldna stand being near a stinky ol' wood elf, now could she?

Now, Elf... he began remonstrating.

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I'm done. I did it. Just DONE.

Elf, he said. Who was that anyway?

I think it was the King's sister's second husband's first child, she said her face red. Or was it the King's mother's second husband's daughter's first child. I don't remember. Her face turned purple and contorted. Then she laughed out loud.

A big belly laugh from such a small being, that sent the birds and rabbits scurrying.

She turned to him and her laugh changed to a higher tinkling noise, the laughter of birds in the trees, or the sound of a brook nearby. She removed her soft skin boots and dipped her pink toes in the cold water. Minnows darted around them. Dark slimy pollywogs hid under rocks and buried themselves in a layer of mud. Troll came near and sat on a rock, with a clunk of armor. He softly placed a large pale hand on her tiny shoulder. As she stilled, the minnows swam near and nibbled on her submerged toes.

That tickles, she giggled.

What? said Troll, as he lifted his hand off her shoulder.

She turned, large wet brown eyes looked into his concerned face. No, Troll. Not you, she giggled. The minnows. You can put your hand back on my shoulder if you want.

He peered into the water at her toes surrounded by tiny

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The Adventures of Elf and Troll

minnows. Oh, he chuckled. He settled closer and placed his hand on her arm.

After a few minutes of silence, listening to the slight wind in the trees, the vague murmurs of the animals going about their forest life, Elf said, "You know I cannot stand to be in those Human confines. I get all