CHAPTER 86 Miss Gerda Did Not Disappoint
Keith
"Treant?"
"Ancient Tortoise?"
"Wyvern?"
"Wraith?"
"A lizard wizard?"
"Gorgon?"
"Dragon? Ah, we already said that. Drendil did too, didn't they?"
Keith was the one offering the answers, as he was the only person not under the influence of the spell. If Henrietta guessed incorrectly, then she'd be attacked by the magic, and if she guessed correctly, it would break the spell, and it was possible the Drendil army would take the opportunity to turn around and attack.
Miss Gerda shook her head at each guess. When Henrietta had an idea, she spelled the word in the air for Keith, and he asked for her.
Keith scratched his chin. "You said that you gave them a hint? What was the hint?"
"Wait, don't tell us!" Henrietta cried, covering her ears. "Keith!"
"What?" He raised an eyebrow. "I can't imagine a Master class like your knight commander doesn't have points in Intelligence, or at the very least someone at his side who's solely there for their Intelligence stat."
"You have Intelligence eighty-five! No one in the entirety of Drendil has over sixty, and they work in the tax offices, not the army," Ria countered. "Shouldn't you be able to answer this riddle in your sleep?"
"Do you know how many answers I've come up with for this riddle? Seven hundred and ninety-four." Keith could think of even more that fit partially. His mind easily compartmentalized the possible answers for each line of the riddle. By cross-referencing all creatures with a high risk at birth, a leathery skin, who lived long, and who could be purchased at a market or a guild across the continent … there were just too many that fit. His innate skill lay in complex magical formulae, memorizing, placement, and comprehensive deconstruction of mana networks. Not solving children's riddles.
"We should narrow it down with the second riddle, or we'll still be here long past when the army crosses back over the border." Keith tried to say this gently; he knew how much fun a good challenge was. Any other day, he might have relaxed and just stayed here guessing riddles until sunset lit the horizon. But he was itching to get back. "So, Miss Gerda? The second part?"
"Its birth is laborious, it can be bought,
Its flesh is leathery, all over taut,
It lives as long as elves or fae,
In time, its name will fade away.
You need the light to see it clear,
But time in sun, its greatest fear.
It dwells inside and underground,
Fire burns its body brown."
"Well, that didn't help." Keith was still left with two hundred and forty-five possible answers after processing the new data. "We'll need the next hint."
"Actually," Ria's smile was radiant, and she let out a short laugh. "I think I've got it! Oh, Gerda, that's so clever!"
Keith frowned. "What is it?"
"I can't say." The princess pointed in the direction of the retreating army. Her eyes sparkled as she teased, "And I'm not telling. You wanted the extra hint! Now you can use it to figure out the riddle yourself."
"You know, Princess." Miss Gerda hid a smile behind her hand. "You've had a lot more practice with my riddles than His Majesty."
"Still." Ria linked both hands behind her head and craned her neck back to gaze up at me. "It'll be fun."
"Ah, well then. I'll just have to entertain." Keith wanted to bend over and kiss her nose. But he couldn't afford to get stuck in another dimension right now.
He rattled off a few correct answers: phoenix, world serpents, fox spirits, to various undead or dungeon-born monsters. After another half an hour, he sighed. "We need to leave soon if we're to catch Minstrel Bronwynn's show. What's the third clue?"
Miss Gerda recited,
"Its birth is laborious, it can be bought,
Its flesh is leathery, all over taut,
It lives as long as elves or fae,
In time, its name will fade away.
You need the light to see it clear,
But time in sun, its greatest fear.
It dwells inside and underground,
Fire burns its body brown."
Wind tears up words you've never heard,
Earth will scour, mud mark blurred,
Its body alone, can untold feed,
Only water makes it bleed."
Keith slapped himself in the forehead, carefully missing his glasses. "I can't believe I didn't see it immediately. A book."
"That's right." Henrietta stood up and stretched. "It's [A Book]!"
The world distorted as countless mana particles dispelled a dimensional veil over the bridge. It rippled in waves down the river to both sides. The sheer force of the spell left Keith breathless; it was a work of art.
"Would you two like to come in for a cup of tea?" Miss Gerda asked. Keith was about to politely refuse; he really needed to monitor the retreating army, but thought better of it. Portal travel was much faster. He sent his automaton Lulu a new task before turning to a bright and cheerful Henrietta and offering his arm. "Shall we?"
"Thank you." She took his arm, and everything was right with the world.
They wandered underneath the bridge to Miss Gerda's portal door. It was artistically ornate with a collection of flowers carved into the arch. He was again surprised by the complex spellcraft the troll had used in creating her home. It had a subtlety and workmanship one didn't often see in her generally brutish and overbearing race.
If he didn't convince her to join up with the Dark Horde, then he would kick himself. This tea was the perfect opportunity to do so …
It also portaled Keith and Ria to their home drawbridge.
Even if she didn't want to join his forces, Miss Gerda would be required to start immediate work as bridge maintenance officer and road waterway inspector. That included signing the usual magically enforced contracts for loyalty and vacation days. And he needed to investigate who in the tax department had failed to notice that a single troll now controlled every one of his major bridges.
He couldn't have just anyone opening up a portal into his castle without some assurances. If she refused … they could cross that bridge when they came to it.
And Keith just knew that Henrietta would be so disappointed if they needed to destroy the bridge troll should she turn out to be a true threat. But for now, he needed to be thinking of a suitable reward for holding off the Drendil army. It was a lot to think of over cheese biscuits and a delectable pumpkin spice cake.
Luckily, Miss Gerda did not disappoint.