Eliza Twitchel & The Haunted Forest

Eliza Twitchel & The Haunted Forest--Chapter 16

                            Down The Mourne River

The cramped room at the top of the stairs in the Boar's Head Inn smelled of damp wool, mold, and spicy lamb stew.  The air was stifling hot from a pot-bellied cast iron wood stove upon which sat a steaming teakettle and near-empty pot of stew.

Talan, Eliza and Jynx sat around a rickety table slurping stew from wooden bowls while Fayne sat perched on the footboard of an equally rickety bed, preening her feathers.  Socks and a moss-green cloak hung over a wooden clothes rack near the stove, along with muddy boots.

Jynx had taken advantage of a full washbasin and a bar of soap to scrub the remaining soot from his face and hands, leaving his skin a glowing shade of pink.

"There must be something we can do," Jynx said between spoonfuls of stew.  "They keep him chained up like an animal."

"What is a giant doing so far from his mountain home?"  Talan wondered, taking a gulp of ale from a tankard.

"He said he was lost," Jynx replied.  "I have no idea how he managed to find his way here. He must have followed the river.  He said these men are forcing him to labor for them."  He turned to Grizzle for support.  "Tell him, Grizzle."

The brownie sat cross-legged on the table, slurping stew from a spoon too big for his small hands.  "It was a shameful sight; big brute like that being pushed around by mere men.  No backbone at all."

"Isn't there something we can do?" Eliza asked, taking a sip of tea.  "Even if he is a giant, that's no reason to treat him like that."

Talan sighed and shook his head.  "Is his injustice any more deplorable than what happened at Sprudlende?"

"No, of course not," Jynx said, feeling his cheeks flush.  "I don't see what that—"

"Or the kidnapping of your sister?" Talan continued, staring intently at Eliza.  She lowered her eyes and shook her head.  He glanced at Jynx.  "I understand your concern, Jynx, and I sympathize; but you cannot save everyone.  A giant can certainly take care of himself."

"But they terrify him," Jynx protested.  "They use spears and whips."

Talan downed his tankard of ale.  "Then he will have to find the courage to stand up for himself.  And when he does, Mother help those men."

Talan got up and went to the wood stove.  He donned his cloak and picked up his boots.  "The barge should be ready by now.  I will see to the horses.  Meet me outside."  He slipped on his boots and went over to Fayne.  She hopped on his outstretched arm and dug her talons in.  "And Grizzle—remember; invisibility."  He left the room, closing the door behind him.

Grizzle took another slurp of lamb stew.  "The woodsman is right.  The giant is no concern of ours."

"How can you say that?"  Jynx argued.  "You saw what they did to him."

Grizzle stood and stretched.  "If I were you, I would worry about how I was going to save my fellow gnomes from the troll witch's dungeons."  He snapped his fingers and disappeared.

Jynx looked at Eliza, who sat on the floor, slipping on her boots in front of the wood stove.  "If you had only seen Torc.  He was like a frightened child."

"I'm sorry, Jynx," Eliza said, slipping on the second boot and cinching the laces.  "Talan's right. Your giant friend has to stick up for himself against those bullies."  She stood and looked over at the gnome.  "The more I learn about Aldaen, the less I like it."