Troll Mountain: The Complete Novel Read Online Free PDF Page B

With every movement the troll managed only to sink itself further into the ooze.
    It looked pathetic and terrified. It was going to die here, slowly and alone.
    “Hey …” Raf called.
    The troll jerked round in the mud, looking this way and that before it realized the voice had come from the southern side of the muddy stream.
    Its fearful eyes found Raf’s and in a single instant Raf saw a complex series of thoughts pass through them: this troll needed a human ’s help, but given the history of human–troll relations, such a thing was unlikely to happen.
    “Please help Düm,” it said as it sank another inch into the mud.
    Raf looked long and hard at the creature. He thought of his mother in the grip of a wild troll. He had never contemplated that his own first encounter with a troll might involve saving one.
    “If I help you,” he said, “you won’t hurt me?”
    “Düm no hurt. Düm promise no hurt.”
    Ko came alongside Raf and whispered, “Not all trolls fully understand the concept of a debt of gratitude, Raf. If you save him, he may not believe he owes you anything.”
    Raf pursed his lips, still thinking.
    Ko said, “This doesn’t have to concern you—”
    Raf spun to face Ko. “Yes. It does. I will not stand by and watch a creature die.”
    With those words, he pulled out his axe, tied his rope to its handle and, holding the other end of the rope, threw the axe down to the stricken troll.
    It landed in the mud next to Düm and he grabbed hold of it.
    “Hold on and we’ll pull you up,” Raf said.
    The troll obeyed and with slow, careful movements, Raf and the far more reluctant Ko pulled him through the gripping mud to their side of the stream. Once Düm was out of the mud and standing on more solid dirt, they used the rope to help him scale the sheer wall of the stream until at last the troll stepped up onto their bank.
    He rose to his full height, looming head and shoulders above Raf and Ko.
    There was a long pause as he stared at them.
    “Düm would be pleased to know your name, so Düm may thank you.”
    Raf smiled. “My name is Raf.”
    “Thank you, Raf. Thank you for saving Düm’s life.”

Chapter 8
    Raf, Ko, and Düm were sitting around the remains of the fire. It was very late. The forest was dark and still. Raf stared at the huge troll with wary fascination. Düm looked big and powerful but quiet, not enraged and wild like the troll that had killed his parents.
    “Why were those trolls chasing you?” Raf asked.
    “Düm refuse challenge, so they chase Düm,” the troll said. “Try to kill Düm.”
    “You refused a challenge?” Raf asked.
    Ko explained. “Troll society is a highly ritualized warrior culture. Arguments are often settled by challenging another troll to combat on the Fighting Platform. One cannot refuse such a challenge and combat is a fight to the death.”
    Düm nodded sadly. “Düm only wanted to help Düm’s friend Graia.”
    “What happened?” Raf asked.
    “Düm’s friend Graia is she-troll. Graia beautiful . Graia always nice to Düm, even though Graia she-troll of high birth and Düm just a dragger.”
    “A dragger?” Raf glanced at Ko.
    “Draggers are the laborers of the troll world,” Ko explained. “All day long they drag heavy stone sleds packed with supplies up the side of Troll Mountain.” He lowered his voice to a whisper: “Draggers are not as bright as the ruling trolls, as you can see from this one’s speech.”
    Düm went on. “Yesterday, Düm see Graia crying and ask what wrong. Graia say she betrothed to Troll Prince Turv. Troll Prince Turv is son of Troll King. Very strong troll. Very powerful troll. But Graia no like Troll Prince Turv. She say Turv mean troll and she no want to be betrothed to Turv.
    “Since Graia nice she-troll and friend to Düm, Düm seek audience with Troll Prince Turv. Düm tell Turv it make Graia unhappy to be betrothed to Turv and that maybe Turv find other she-troll to marry.”
    Düm sighed