Chapter Seventeen
Two days later, cries of battle were replaced by the laughter and pranks of the children. Everyone was busy taking care of endless chores with so many living souls under one roof. Even though the Glennmorley castle had ample room to accommodate everyone, there didn’t seem to be one vacant corner where someone could hide from all of the confusion.
Octavius and Emmaline were sitting by the fire, having a cup of tea. Octavius watched all the commotion going on. Suddenly a head appeared from underneath his chair and gave him a start. Emmaline laughed and quickly got to her feet and withdrew the small hopper from her hiding spot and carried her over to one of the ladies watching some of the children.
“Aren’t they the cutest things you have ever seen, my dear?” Emmaline smiled at Octavius. He seemed deep in thought and she knew he had not heard a word of what she had said. “Octavius, is there something bothering you?”
“Oh! I am sorry, my dear, I guess I am not use to all the happenings in the castle. It seems the only place we have any time to ourselves is in our bedchamber.” He watched as one of the hoppers tore past a huge vase and it fell with a mighty crash.
“Oh my! I hope the small hopper is all right.” Emmaline once again arose from her chair. “I think Gertrude was planning to go up to the cliffs today with some men to retrieve the Horns of Kern and bring them down to the edge of the village. Perhaps you could go with him, if you feel you can walk the distance with your injured leg.”
Octavius smiled. “My dear, that is an excellent idea! I believe I can carry myself that distance. I shall find Gertrude and ask if I can join him.” He didn’t have to look far as Gertrude, Norman and Thaddeus had just entered the room and walked over to the pair.
“Good morning, Octavius and Emmaline. The three of us were talking and we were wondering if you were up to a walk? We are going to go up on the cliffs and bring the Horns down to where we can watch them better.” Gertrude smiled and turned his head when he heard a crash. “I am sorry about that, Octavius.”
Octavius waved his hand. “Don’t worry about it. Let us get on our way, shall we?”
Within the blink of an eye, the four found themselves out in the chill of the day, hiking towards the cliffs with the other men they needed to haul the heavy treasure. A fresh snow had fallen the night before, wrapping the trees in new winter coats. The walk was fairly easy and they soon were entering the glen. Coming around a grove of pines, they were met by an unexpected sight.
As though a supernatural vision, the Horns of Kern stood before them, the gold on their bells gleaming in the bright sunlight. Gertrude looked at Octavius and immediately realized that the king was just as surprised and had nothing to do with the sight before their startled eyes. The Horns had been placed on an outcropping of granite and behind that was a smaller version of the haven looming before them. ‘How? Where? When did this all take place? Who brought the horns down and set them on the outcropping? Who had built the huge building where none had been days earlier?’
Thaddeus and the others did not understand what was going on. “It seems as though someone else has done the task for us. It is truly an instrument of greatness and whoever placed it upon the rocks had great strength.”
Norman walked over to Thaddeus. “These Horns were up on the cliffs above us.” Norman pointed upward. “That is a few thousand feet of rock, ice and snow that the horns were brought over. This building did not exist just a few days ago...” Norman watched as wonder crept into Thaddeus’ eyes.
Gertrude climbed upon the outcropping to stand next to the Horns. He rubbed his hand across the body of the instrument. It almost felt alive... He stared out over the valley below. The river, Caoimhe, meandered through the kingdom of Glennmorley and disappeared through the distant hills. The castle seemed to shimmer in the cold air. The scars of the fires in Awll were well hidden by the fresh snowfall. He stood there gazing at the bucolic sight for a few minutes, lost in its beauty and peace. He almost didn’t notice the work going on at the edge of where Awll had once stood. Men and trolls were working side by side to build the many pyres needed for the dead. Gertrude turned and jumped down from the outcropping. He looked at the other three bewildered souls with him. “I do not understand all of this. I do not have any answers.”
Thaddeus looked over his shoulder as he had caught movement from the corner of his eye. “Look, kestrels seem to be watching us.” Up in the clear sky above them, a pair of the birds were circling and gliding through the air.
Octavius admired the birds and spoke his thoughts. “Do you really think that they are the eyes of Laude’s and Amor’s master?”
“Our lore is full of stories about the kestrels. I am positive that all the stories are based on some form of truth.” Gertrude smiled and started towards the building. Just as he was about to put a foot o the first step, one of the kestrels alighted on the far banister that enclosed the porch. The bird let forth a shrill whistle and once again took to the air. Gertrude looked back at the others and merely shrugged. He opened the door to the building and was immediately awed by its size. “How could anyone build such a huge structure this time of the year? Are we truly seeing what we are seeing, or does some great sorcerer have us all under his spell?”
“Everything looks real, feels real and smells real. You can smell the oils they used on the wood to make it gleam.” Norman ran her hand over the doorframe. It was then that she noticed something strange. “Look, everyone, at the carvings...!” Everyone looked to where she was pointing.
Prince Thaddeus was the first to speak. “Whoever did the carvings has a deft hand. Some of the figures look lifelike.” He peered toward the rear wall and could only point, for he was lost for words. Two large figures were carved into the mammoth support beams. One figure was human and the other figure was troll. Each figure was reaching to the other with an outstretched right hand. Thaddeus walked closer and the others followed him. He looked up at the carving of the troll and down at Gertrude and then back at the carved figure. “The likeness is uncanny, Sir Gertrude.”
Norman let out a gasp, and looked at her father. “Father, it is you! That is your likeness carved into the beam.”
Octavius blushed, for he could not deny that the carving closely resembled him. “That is not me…” he said in a hushed tone. “That is my father, King Norman.”
“My mother says that I closely resemble my father.” Gertrude looked at the others. “I think the other figure is my father. If you stop to think about it, it does make some sense. What they fought for was to have humans and trolls reside together. That is what the whole Troll Wars were about. It is sad to think that it took another war to possibly bring it to fruition.”
The light inside the building seemed to move with the sun, and the sunlight hit the rear wall, revealing a plaque formed in the shape of a star. The inside of the star held an inscription.
Octavius started to read what it said for all to hear:
“Let these walls echo with the sounds of justice. May those who make the laws that fall upon this land know the meaning of the word ‘equality’. For all who dwell in this kingdom shall be considered equal, be they troll or human. Let neither race forget that the blood of each lies on the land so that all might live in peace. May love, peace, hope and joy forever be celebrated by the peoples of this kingdom. May the horns be blown once a year to remind evil that good is always vigilant...”
Everyone was silent and no one saw the pair of figures enter through the door. They were quiet until they reached the small group. “Do you like the meeting place that our Master had built for your homeland?” Laude smiled broadly and raised his arms high in the air.
Gertrude was the first to turn with a start. “Laude, Amor, we thank your master with all of our hearts. But why has he done this for us? We do not even know him…”
“We all must make choices in our life. Sometimes we make the right ones and sometimes we make the wrong ones. Our Master wanted to show you t
hat you have indeed made the right choice. He hopes that all who pass through the door into this place continue to make the right choices for the good of all.”
Gertrude pointed to the huge support columns that bore the likenesses of his father and Octavius’ father. “It would take a normal troll or human a good part of a year to carve those figures. How was your master able to do this and create such a structure in a few passings?”
Laude and Amor smiled broadly. “Our Master is capable of many things. He believes in helping those who seek out the best in themselves and others. He dislikes evil and those who think only of themselves. Therefore he aids those seeking the path of good and confuses those heading in the path of evil.” Amor looked over at Laude, who was nodding his head in agreement.
Gertrude gazed at Amor in frustration. “You did not answer my question. How did your master accomplish this in such a short time?”
Laude answered, “Our Master has many followers who believe in his ways and he can do many things more quickly than the mind can imagine. Our Master has his limitations, but instead of dwelling on those limitations, he rejoices in the things that he can accomplish, either on his own or with the aid of many.”
Octavius had stood silent through the conversation. He walked over to the pillar with the likeness of his father carved so artfully into it. “Your master has some extraordinary craftsmen working for him.” He turned to Laude. “How did you know that we were down here, and how did you get here so quickly from the haven?”
“Our Master has the ability to see things that others cannot, for he has many eyes watching for him.” Amor looked toward the door and pointed. Two kestrels landed at that moment on the porch railing. “We have been down here supervising the construction of the building and the placement of the Horns. We came down after the children and women left.”
Thaddeus raised his eyebrows. “You are trolls. Is your master a troll?”
“Does our Master care if you are human or troll? The forms that our bodies take are irrelevant to him. If you had three heads and twenty eyes, it would not change the way he feels about you. He only cares for the good that resides in all of us.” Amor smiled at Thaddeus. “Have I answered your question to your satisfaction?”
Thaddeus looked perplexed. “No, you didn’t. What does he look like?”
Laude tapped Amor on the shoulder and smiled at her. “Our Master looks like everything, yet looks like nothing that you have ever laid your eyes upon. To look directly upon the Master would be very confusing to the eye. When you see good, our Master is present.” Laude turned to Amor. “We must leave to finish our tasks.”
Amor smiled and nodded. “We bid you a good day. Our Master is anxious to see how you will use his gift.” The four souls watched as Amor and Laude left the building. Their eyes were drawn toward the ceiling as they noticed movement in the rafters. A lone kestrel had managed to fly in through the doorway while they had been talking.
Gertrude took off his cape and wrapped it around his arm. He held it out in front of him at shoulder height. To everyone’s amazement, the kestrel swooped down and landed on Gertrude’s outstretched arm. Both troll and majestic bird studied each other for a brief moment. “Please give a message to your Master that we appreciate his many gifts and thank him from our hearts.” The large bird turned his head as if he were studying the others. He raised his wings and sang out a cry and soared toward the still open doorway. He was gone…
Octavius was the first to speak.” What is your thought behind all of this, Gertrude? I think that whoever this ‘master’ fellow is he is not after power. I do believe that he is trying to help us set up a society where all of us can live together under one set of laws that will serve justice upon the whole kingdom.”
Norman looked at Gertrude, who seemed to be digesting what Octavius had said. “I think that whoever is to lead the justice system should be elected to the position.”
Gertrude looked at the prince who had been an observer. “What do you think about all this, Thaddeus?”
“My father is wise in many ways, and he once told me that justice must be blind for it to succeed. Therefore, the way I view this matter? The laws that are written must not favor one over the other. If the laws are written in favor of one and to the detriment of the other, then there can never be equality between human and troll.” Thaddeus looked at the others and rested his gaze on Octavius.
Gertrude smiled. “Exactly! We must arrange an election to have a judge put in the position to oversee this assembly of lawmakers. Then we must give the assembly power to over rule the judge as a check on his power.”
“Gertrude, as Grand Troll, you now have a place for assembly and you can talk to our people. If you would like, I would be more than happy to give my view on this matter.” Octavius raised both hands in an outstretched manner.
“I will call for a meeting tomorrow. We will set forth a nomination for a judge. I will also have one of our members give a copy of our laws already in existence to you so everyone can go over them in your assembly.” Gertrude looked at Octavius.
“I will do the same, Gertrude.” Octavius smiled and reached to shake Gertrude’s hand.
*
The following day dawned with clear blue skies and a warm sun. Gertrude and Winifred found themselves leading their people up to the glen to the new meeting place. There was a lot of talking and whispering going on. Gertrude stopped at the opening to the glen. He turned and raised his arms. The procession came to a halt.
“My friends and neighbors, beyond these trees there is a special place. This place will symbolize a new beginning for our people and the humans of this kingdom. This place will be where the laws of the land shall be made - by both trolls and humans - and where those who break the laws shall be dealt justice. We shall call this place ‘Harmony’. Let us go forth and rejoice as we hold our first meeting in Harmony…”
Gertrude turned and walked around the pines shielding the building from view. As each troll saw the Horns and the building, they were shocked into complete silence. Upon entering, they were awed by the magnificence of the structure and its artistry. Gertrude and Winifred watched as everyone slowly filed in. Each troll touched the doorframe and rubbed the wood as if to check to see if it were real. Gertrude started singing the “Troll Honor Song” and the sweet music took flight on kestrel wings, soared through the building and rose to the heavens above.
*
It was not easy convincing all humans and all trolls that coexistence was possible, but it did happen and peace came to the kingdom of Glennmorley. Peace spread as quickly as a spring wind to the surrounding kingdoms, also, as they saw the benefits of this unity between trolls and humans. For many years, the court was ruled by two judges: Winifred of Tinker Hollow and Queen Emmaline. They both sat on the bench together and saw that justice was dealt fairly to all.
Princess Norman married Prince Thaddeus and they had three daughters and three sons. They named their first son, ‘Octavius’, and their first daughter, ‘Gertrude’.
Gertrude accepted the position of chancellor and married Toddy. Toddy loved children and they found themselves with ten hoppers getting into all sorts of mischief
Norman and Gertrude remained friends until the very end. Norman was at Gertrude’s bedside as he took his last breath. All of his children and grandchildren were there. Norman held his hand as Toddy drew her fingers through his hair. “You are sooo ugly, my friend.”
“And you are so beautiful, my friend…” Gertrude smiled and closed his eyes on the peaceful world that he helped create.
THE BEGINNING...
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