ertius was also clear, since you
said there had been no company here in three years--yet are there many
trolls in these lands, ergo even they cannot stomach our gentle
hostess." Cappen watched her through heavy-lidded eyes.

She flushed deeply, blew out the candles, and he heard her slip off her
garment and get in with him. There was a long silence.

Then: "Are ye not--"

"Yes, fair one?" he muttered through his drowsiness.

"Are ye not ... well, I am here and ye are here and--"

"Fear not," he said. "I laid my sword between us. Sleep in peace."

"I ... would be glad--ye have come to deliver--"

"No, fair lady. No man of gentle breeding could so abuse his power.
Goodnight." He leaned over, brushing his lips gently across hers, and
lay down again.

"Ye are ... I never thought man could be so noble," she whispered.

Cappen mumbled something. As his soul spun into sleep, he chuckled.
Those unresting days and nights on the sea had not left him fit for that
kind of exercise. But, of course, if she wanted to think he was being
magnanimous, it could be useful later--

* * * * *

He woke with a start and looked into the sputtering glare of a torch.
Its light wove across the crags and gullies of the troll-wife's face and
shimmered wetly off the great tusks in her mouth.

"Good morning, mother," said Cappen politely.

Hildigund thrust back a scream.

"Come and be eaten," said the troll-wife.

"No, thank you," said Cappen, regretfully but firmly. "'Twould be ill
for my health. No, I will but trouble you for a firebrand and then the
princess and I will be off."

"If you think that stupid bit of silver will protect you, think again,"
she snapped. "Your three sentences were all that saved you last night.
Now I hunger."

"Silver," said Cappen didactically, "is a certain shield against all
black magics. So the wizard told me, and he was such a nice
white-bearded old man I am sure even his attendant devils never lied.
Now please depart, mother, for modesty forbids me to dress before your
eyes."

The hideous face thrust close to his. He smiled dreamily and tweaked her
nose--hard.

She howled and flung the torch at him. Cappen caught it and stuffed it
into her mouth. She choked and ran from the room.

"A new sport--trollbaiting," said the bard gaily into the sudden
darkness. "Come, shall we not venture out?"

The girl trembled too much to move. He comforted her, absentmindedly,
an