CHAPTER 83 How Rude

Henrietta

I didn't know what I was expecting to find when we walked south, but Gerda standing on a bridge braiding her long—Wow! I hadn't realized it was that long—hair into a collection of plaits on her head was not it. She was almost finished, but had a few parted sections left.

I was surprised no one had noticed us as we came into view; I'd certainly noticed them.

"It's a dragon!"

"We've already said dragon. It has to be an armordillo."

"Why would you think it's an armordillo? That's the dumbest idea yet."

"It could be a trick. What if it's a specific kind of dragon?"

"Well, I don't wanna be sent flying like the last guy, so you'd all better figure it out soon."

Keith was walking right beside me, which meant I heard him quietly murmur, "Fascinating."

It wasn't exactly the same as when I'd answered riddles in the past; this time, magic positively radiated everywhere. Even I could feel it.

On the other side of the bridge, I spied a pop-up canvas shade, its flaps pulled open.

Inside, Sir Havork sat silently listening to the leaders of each division, one hand over his eyes, deep in thought. Knights I'd trained with, adventuring parties I recognized, and mercenaries I'd never met all milled about. The army stretched behind them down the road. Those within view looked tired, injured, or bored.

"We should stop guessing and attack again!" Sir Phineas, one of the stronger Drendil knights, slammed his fist into an open palm. "The beast can't be that powerful. She is just bluffing."

"Bluffing?" A mercenary wearing a crossed lace up vest popular in Sumbria scoffed. "She's lasted through two assaults already. Don't you know anything about trolls? We're just lucky she hasn't eaten anyone. We can either solve the riddle or go around."

"You tried that." The high-level adventurer Trevor Malory rubbed his arm. It was a telltale twitch when he was holding himself back from clobbering a self-centered noble. I'd gone dungeon delving enough times with him to know his temperament. He was the leader of the Lancers, a powerful group of adventurers that had settled in Drendil. "Anyone who goes west gets ripped to shreds by treants, dire wolves, and the literal forest. And anyone who goes east"—he waved to emphasize his point—"risks waking Feliwyn. Or getting pulled into the lake and eaten alive by the denizens of evil lurking beneath the waves."

"Poor Sir Tilly."

Keith, Lieutenant Patina, and I were almost at the bridge. Oddly, the Drendil army still hadn't noticed us. I felt a surge of irritation; how badly had army discipline deteriorated in my absence?

"Just tell me the riddle again, and if we can't solve it, I'll launch another attack." Sir Phineas picked up his shield. "We'll start with the arrows this time. On fire, if we have to."

"No." Everyone turned to Sir Havork. He uncovered his eyes and told them, "Fire will only make the forest—"

His words cut off as saw me.

Gerda also noticed our approach. She glanced over her shoulder.

"Hello, Princess." The troll woman picked up her last strand of loose green hair. "Just give me a minute; these ruffians arrived while I was getting ready this morning, and I'm still doing my hair. They should send word if they're going to arrive early."

"How rude," Lieutenant Patina said dryly. I looked at the selkie, and she raised an eyebrow. "Of the soldiers."

"This would have been so much easier if I wasn't in the middle of my morning ablutions." Gerda sighed. "I barely had time to put on my boots and grab my hair ties."

"Gerda's been holding them off for almost two hours," Lieutenant Patina explained, shaking her head.

"What can I say?" Gerda worked her fingers through her braid, twisting the strands. "I'm good at making riddles."

"Henri," Knight Commander Havork called out to me. He strode out of the tent and straight up to Gerda's bridge. "Henri, come here; we need to talk."

"What? Is the princess there?!" Sir Phineas strolled over to the bridge and squinted past me. Could … could he not see us?

Keith's hand reached for mine, and I took it, squeezing harder than I should've. He didn't flinch. His voice was soft. "Whatever you want to do, I'll support you."

A metaphorical weight lifted from my shoulders, and I smiled up at him openly. "Thank you."

"Henri."

I looked up at the man who'd practically raised me. Who'd taught me how to fight, how to survive—in more ways than one. I let go of Keith's hand and stepped forward onto the bridge.

"Wait!" Sir Havork and Gerda cried out at the same time. Gerda even dropped her braid, putting out a hand in warning.

It was too late. The force of the bridge magic engulfed me, and I felt it settle.

[You have entered into the Area of Effect Skill: Troll Magic. Answer the Riddle to proceed.]

"What's this?" I looked at Gerda as the woman dropped her braid and slapped herself in the face.

"I've never actually used [Troll Magic] on you before. Most people don't need me to waste the mana," she explained. "And I've activated my highest-tier magic for this. No one can cross the bridge either way until the riddle is solved."

"It only applies if I try to get to the other side though, right?" The pressure felt … odd. Like I was walking through water.

Gerda frowned. "You can't cross the bridge without feeling the [Force Effect], and you can't walk off the bridge without activating the attack." Gerda sighed. "Anyone trapped has to answer the riddle correctly or be attacked. And unfortunately … I can't deactivate it."

"You have to stand there until someone answers the riddle?!" I asked, eyeing the magic.

"Yep. The first time I tried it, I was stuck for days. I was practicing on a smaller bridge with less foot traffic." Gerda shrugged.

"Days?" Sir Havork sighed.

"Then it'll be fine." I nodded and walked over the bridge. Each step was met with heavier weight as the power of her skill bore against me. By the time I met Gerda at the middle of the bridge, I'd started taking physical damage. My Constitution took the edge off, but it was taking all my Strength just to stand there; a weaker foe would have been sent flying. I imagined that was the point.

I stopped at the edge of the bridge, staring at Sir Havork. He didn't draw his blade …

I was hoping that he wouldn't try to kill me, and I was glad to see I was right. Getting this close to him, even trapped in [Troll Magic], could have ended badly if he aimed to end me.

"Sir Havork." I looked up at him, calling him by a familiar title.

His eyes softened. He'd become older in the months I was gone, with more gray hair along the sides of his head. Or maybe I just hadn't realized he was an old man until now.

"I've come to take you home. Your parents—" he began.

"I'm not going."

"Your parents have something important to tell you. They've sent me to bring you back."

I shook my head. "They will only kill me—"

"I guarantee you that is no longer the case."

"—but even if I wanted to return, I wouldn't. I'm happy here."

The old knight stared at me for a long time.

Behind him, Sir Phineas confirmed my earlier suspicion when he yelled, "If the princess is here, grab her and let's go! What are you waiting for?"

"Shut up, Phineas." Knight Commander Havork lifted one hand and made a signal for Stop them, or as I fondly remembered him joking, Deal with that annoyance.

Trevor happily took out the knight with a left hook to the gut, using a fighter skill to get through the man's armor. Phineas hit the ground on his knees, clutching his stomach and wheezing for air. It looked like Trevor had even dealt Surprise Attack bonuses despite warning from the sign.

"It's important," the knight commander continued. "Your parents have something to tell you."

"You can tell me."

"I can't." He looked pained. "You have to come home and hear it from them."

"If they have something to say, they can tell me themselves. Have them enter the Dark Enchanted Forest."

"No king would endanger himself …" He trailed off, his eyes flickering in Keith's direction.

"Then I'm sure I'll see them at Grand Duchess Calisto's Spring Ball, if they have the nerve to show up." I didn't know where the strength to talk back was coming from, but I felt like the entire Dark Enchanted Forest was supporting me.

I repeated, "I'm not going."