Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow - Jessica Day George [72]
“Ja?”
The lass froze. Rollo’s hackles raised, but he whimpered rather than growled. “I, um, the queen . . . I’m looking for work,” the lass stammered.
The troll gazed down at her in consternation. “Why would you come all this way to work here? You’re a human!”
“Er. Well.” The lass rallied, remembering the flattering carvings of the ice palace. “But is the young princess not fairer than any human maid could ever aspire to be? I have come to serve her graciousness.”
“She’s a troll,” the guard grunted. “One look at her could peel the hide off a goat.”
The lass couldn’t help it, she snickered. Then she covered her mouth and looked around. “Should you be saying that?”
“No, but who’s going to hear me except you? They’re all in there celebrating. It’s all wine and dancing and feats of magic, and I’m out in the cold talking to a mad human. I’m cursed.” He seemed to be saying this to himself, but it made the lass shiver all the same.
“Celebrating? Celebrating what?”
“Princess Indæll’s latest marriage to some poor human fool, of course.”
“Oh, no!” The lass felt tears prick her eyes. “They’ve already married?”
“No.” The troll frowned at her. “They won’t be married for four more days.” He bent down and studied her face. “Are you the girl? The girl who had to live in the palace of ice?”
“Yes.” Her voice was barely a whisper.
“And you made it all the way here? So quickly?”
“I had some help.”
The troll looked around nervously. “If you’re wise, you’ll get out of here. Leave, go back to your family.”
“I can’t.”
The troll heaved a sigh. Breath that smelled of rock and ice, not altogether unpleasant, blasted in her face. “I didn’t think you would take my advice. They never do.”
“Is Tova here?”
“It’s better not to ask. It’s better not to be here.”
“Can you at least let me in? Could I talk to . . . the housekeeper, or someone, about getting work?”
The troll shook his head. “It’s more than my sorry hide is worth to let you pass through these doors.” He licked his lips with a blue tongue. “I did it once,” he confided in a low voice, “and if I do it again . . . well, few have survived the queen’s wrath one time.” He shuddered. “That’s why I’ve been ordered to play sentry, as though anyone would think to attack the troll queen’s lair. The humiliation of it nearly killed my family.”
“But,” the lass faltered, then thought of something. “I can pay you!” She let her pack fall to the hard-packed snow with a thud, and rooted around inside. A golden carding comb came to hand first. “Here! Solid gold!”
He shook his head. “Very pretty, but this entire palace is made of gold. If I wanted a lump I could just chip off a piece of windowsill.”
“Oh.” The lass’s shoulders slumped.
“What is that, anyway?”
She fished out the other comb and held them up so that he could see them better. “They’re carding combs. You know, for wool.”
“Really?” This seemed to interest the troll. “You can card wool with them?”
“Well, yes. I mean, I’ve never used this particular set, but I’m sure they’d work just fine.”
“No, I mean, you personally know how to card wool?”
“Of course.” The lass was puzzled: idiots and children could card wool.
“Well, then, you might have something there. I’m not one for the, er, ladylike arts myself. But there’s others here that are. Certain ladies of high birth, if you know what I mean.” He laid a long finger to the side of his sharp nose and winked.
The lass’s heart raced. “The princess? She would like them?
“She might. Especially if you were to demonstrate.”
“Can you take me to see her, then?”
“Oh, no, I can’t let any more humans in. But if you were to hang around the palace, and maybe do a little carding. . . . Her rooms are on the west side.” The troll leaned in close as he