Two Crows Watch from the Gallows Tree (part 9)

Ky was frightened alright. “So was Rönn.”

"I'm curious as to when the gods will surface, and what that looks like," Gaius mused. "It's said that when they went to sleep they sank deep into the earth at their respective shrines, with a few exceptions: Ljos joined Rodull in the sun, Tunlig chose the moon as her resting place, and Lograela sank into the sea."

“And if they’ll all wake up at once,” Pratik said.

They've never been asleep this long before...this will be new." He looked up. "I should warn Harold about this. He probably won't believe me, but perhaps if I compile enough proof...and we have eyewitnesses of the troll now."
At that moment a soldier burst into the library, eyes wide and chest heaving. Gaius looked over and held up a hand as the young woman opened her mouth. "There's a troll. Yes, I saw. Did anyone make any moves on it?"
"N-no, milord," she stammered. "Everybody was too shocked to do anything..."
"Good. If it happens again, leave the thing be and let me know immediately. Send for General Xander, please; I need to speak with him about this."

Ky flinched at the sudden arrival. Gods, was she going to have to be an ‘eye witness’ about this? Testify in front of the king? This night kept getting worse and worse.

The soldier nodded and dashed off. Gaius turned back to his book. "If the General saw it himself that will be particularly credible," he mused. "But everyone awake on the wall tonight will have seen the troll. So I'm not so concerned about that evidence. It's what it means that worries me. Harold isn't a very pious king...he may not believe that the gods are stirring. And if he does, he may act rashly."

Ky wanted to act rashly. She wanted to sprint to Caracal Keep, on foot if need be, and throw a fit until Tomhas and Anneke agreed to pack up their family and move South. Gaius seemed to be getting some morbid glee out of an absolute tragedy. But she didn’t plan on sitting by and letting her entire family get eaten by a troll. Rönn could protect them until the border. Then she could guide them back to Juudri. They’d all be suspicious of nobles, but they’d accept them with Ky’s endorsement. She was sure of it. Tomhas could work on his farmer’s muscles.

Gods. They needed to get Wick and Auntie Ana, too. They’d need a bigger house. But they could make it work until they figured it out. She could stay in the barn and she bet Wick would be okay with that, too. Let the children and auntie stay inside. It would work. It was better than trolls.

“Like what?” Pratik asked.

"Like try to reason with them. Historically that has not worked out very well. Or worse, and I don't expect this of a man like Harold, but worse--he could try to purge the faith out of the Northern Realm thinking it would weaken the gods. He would be incorrect." Gaius was tapping his bad hand on the table excitedly as it twitched and spasmed; there was an eager light in his eyes. "Mm, I need more books. There are others with more information..." He rose unsteadily, grasping his cane. "Somebody wake the librarians, I need quick readers with inside knowledge!"

“Where are their rooms?” Ky asked wearily. She was done with Gaius.

"Through those doors." He pointed to a small pair of double doors towards the middle of the library, already limping toward them. "I'll need the Tale Masters specifically."

“I’ll get them.” Ky started towards the doors, expressionless. She hated this. But was slowly starting slip back into the persona that could be utterly miserable and belittled and yet still function. Apparently that’s who she needed to be again.

Gaius turned back to the desk without comment, sinking back into his chair so he could study further.

Ky hesitated at the door, not quite sure whether to knock or not, then decided it was more likely to be a hall of bedrooms rather than a collective bunk, so she pushed the door open and hesitated just inside.

There was a dark hall stretching outward and branching off into three corridors lined with doors.

Ky groaned and rubbed her face. Great. Decisions. She decided to go down the middle corridor directly ahead and knocked on the first door on the right.