Crystal Hedge

Prologue- A Vist from the Past

The fire was whispering secrets upon the hearth. Soft, hot crackles smoked up around a large black cauldron that bubbled and hissed joyfully. Bellows of savoury smoke leaked from the beneath the thick iron lid and filled the room with bursts of rosemary and thyme. As it boiled, two small creatures sat upon the rug, watching the fire dance and playing with wooden horses carved from oak. Their sounds of joy filled the air and mingled with the rosemary like a patchwork quilt.

The creatures were Trolls, and were no more than four feet tall. They looked much like us, but had squarer frames. Their pale skin was smooth and contained splotches of blue and green that shifted in the light like stained glass. Their young faces were exuberant and round, and their noses were flat and wide across their faces.

"Rimley, Romley?" A larger Troll with protruding, rounded belly was sat in the sunken armchair behind them. Her skin was speckled with patches of green and her auburn hair was pulled back from her face with a red ribbon.

The twins ears twitched at the sound of their names. They were large and pointy, sprouting from either side of their head where a mess of dark hair grew, "Yes Mama?"

"Be careful near that fire, and don't make a mess. Your grandfather will be arriving soon," Her voice was stern but her eyes were kind. As she spoke she placed her long fingertips upon her belly protectively, which was covered with a tasselled yellow blanket.

"Yes Mama," Romley replied. He was five minutes younger than his sister, however in meeting them you'd think the situation was reversed. Though physically larger Rimley's quiet demeanour meant she was easily overlooked in place of her boisterous brother. The young Trolls eye's reflected the pattern of the flames, and were a soft shade of violet, like the petals of an Aster flower.

The two rose to their feet and rushed to put their toys away, making various neighing noises upon their way to the toy chest. As they did so, their mother struggled to push herself up from the armchair, her belly bulging as she huffed in exertion. She steadied herself on the arm before waddling slowly over the pot, using a dirty cloth to lift the lid. More of the scent permeated the room as she dipped a ladle into the pot and pulled out a large chunk of tender lamb . The stew had been simmering since early that morning in preparation for a family dinner and was eagerly awaited.

"Mama, let us try some," Romley rushed forward and looked up at his mother, sliding his hands into the pocket of his brown trousers, "I'm starving!"

Rimley followed closely behind her brother, looking hopeful and licking her thin lips.

"Now, you two, this is for the new baby not me. They get first taste because it's their party," She brought the ladle to her lips and made a slurping noise. She rubbed her belly in appreciation and let out a dainty laugh as Romely stomped his feet in protest.

"It's not fair Ma-"

The door swung open, letting in a bitter wind that searched the room's every crevice like a hungry dog looking for scraps. Two shadowy figures trudged inside, both wearing thick black hoods that conceal their faces from the nipping cold. Their boots were heavy against the wooden floor, and they left a trail of sludgy snow behind them.

"Pa!" Rimely squealed and ran towards one of the cloaked figures, the two were only distinguishable by the colour of their boots.

He was three times her height, and reached out to pat the top of her head with a gloved hand affectionately, "Hello Darling."