Hallmark/NBC own all rights to The 10th Kingdom, I make no money from this and promise to put the characters back with very little wear. The Billy Goats Gruff are owned by the Brothers Grimm, they too shall be returned unharmed.

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The Troll Bridge

Valerie Kaye

"Bluebell!" Blabberwort called, "come out here and take your punishment like a Troll."

"You're only making it worse," Burly warned. "Dad's really gettin' mad." The oldest child of the Troll King was poking around the stones littering the roadway to the castle. "Come on, Bluebell. Get out here or Dad'll take it out on Blabberwort and me."

Bluebell crouched deeper into the shadows around the bottom of the troll statue he was hiding behind as he watched his siblings search for him. He knew that sooner or later he'd have to face his father, he'd just rather it was later than sooner. As his sister moved closer to his hiding place, Bluebell quietly and carefully moved further into the rocks behind the statue.

The youngest child of the Troll King stiffened as he heard his father's voice.

"Have you found him?" Relish snarled as he stomped up to his older children.

"No, Dad," Burly and Blabberwort answered in unison.

Relish, who had been scanning the area, snapped his eyes to his children, "Why not?"

"Sorry, Dad," Blabberwort said quickly.

"He ain't anywhere we looked," Burly defended.

"Then, look someplace else," the king ordered. "Go!" he shouted as the two of them just stood there looking at him.

"Yes, Dad."

"Right away, Dad."

The daughter and elder son of the king dashed off in opposite directions in search of the younger Troll Prince.

Bluebell watched as they scattered, away from his hiding place, then turned his attention back to his father.

The Troll King was slowly shaking his head and Bluebell could hear him mutter, "How can they be my children?" After a few moments, Relish moved back inside the castle. His youngest child heaved a sigh of relief.

It wasn't that he didn't love his father, he did. At least he did as much as any Troll understood that emotion. It was only that he feared his father more. All Trolls understood that emotion -- well.

"I really messed up this time. How was I supposed to know that it would turn out so wrong? Suck an Elf! It's all the fault of those stupid goats! They were supposed to pay me so they could cross the bridge. I wasn't really going to eat them. I'm not a wolf, after all."

Poor Bluebell thought back to the night before when he'd taken up residence under the bridge and eagerly awaited the arrival of his first victum. Night had slowly turn into dawn as he sat beside the river and still no one came along the path to the bridge.

It was nearly lunchtime, and Bluebell hadn't eaten anything since supper the night before, when he heard footsteps coming his waay. Then he heard voices, three of them.

"This is going to be good. I'll charge all three of them to cross and Dad will be so proud of me." He shifted, trying to see down the path. "I'll prove that people are scared of me and I'll bring Dad some gold, too. Even better, I'll take their shoes to add to Dad's collection." The young Troll rubbed his hands together as a predatory gleam shone in his eyes.

The sounds of the travelers drew nearer.

The young Troll finally caught a glimpse of them as they topped the rise. "Goats!" he complained. "Suck an Elf. Goats don't have any shoes. Goats don't even have any gold! What am I going to do?" Bluebell wrung his hands and tried to think. (Thinking is not easy for Trolls, and seemed to be even harder for him than for others.) "I wish Dad was here."

The three goat brothers were totally engrossed in their own problem and didn't notice the Troll hiding under the bridge.

"How are we going to get back home, William?" the youngest brother bleated. "That bridge looks like it could collapse at any moment. It will probably happen when we're in the middle of it and we'll fall into the river and drown!"

Willaim stopped in his tracks and fixed his brother in place with a look, then he sighed, "First of all, that is not a river, merely a creek. Secondly," he turned to look meaningfully at the bridge, "the bridge itself looks as if it'll hold all three of us at the same time. And," he turned back to his brothers, "home is just over the rise on the other side."

"Are you sure?" Billy asked. "Home seems so much farther away than that."

Rearing up on his rear legs, William demanded, "Are you calling me a liar, Little Brother?"

Back pedalling several steps, Billy rushed to assure William, "No! Never William, I just said that home seemed farther."

"Knock it off, you two," Guy ordered. "We'll get across the bridge and be home for supper. Now, let's go." The middle brother walked forward and the other two, with a bit of pushing, followed in his wake.

Billy pushed ahead of his brothers and was the first to put hoof upon the bridge. As he timidly took a step, Bluebell growled from underneath, "Who dares to cross my bridge?"

The goat stopped and looked fearfully around, "Who are you?"

"I'm the Troll who lives under this bridge, Birdbrain. And, if you want to cross, it will cost you one gold Wendell, each."

"We don't have any gold Wendells."

"Then, I'll just have to eat you."

Wild-eyed, Billy ran back to his brothers, yelling, "William, Guy, a Troll is going to eat us if we try to cross his bridge without paying him!"

"What are you talking about? There isn't any Troll around here, this is the Fourth Kingdom, they aren't allowed."

"Yes, there is! He's under the bridge. He says it's his and we have to pay to cross or he'll eat us!"

"Get a grip on yourself, Billy," Guy ordered. "Trolls are mean but not terribly smart. We'll get across in one piece and without paying him anything either. I'll show you," with that, Guy stepped boldly onto the bridge.

"Who dares to cross my bridge?" Bluebell growled.

"I do. Guy Gruff."

"You don't cross unless you pay. If you can't pay, I'll eat you."

"Just try it, you overgrown bully," Guy challenged.

Bluebell stood and began climbing up the side of the bridge. When Guy saw the spiked hair and beady eyes of the Troll, he lost his nerve and ran back to his brothers.

The Troll continued his climb and stood in the middle of the bridge, laughing, "You're hardly even worth my time. You'd barely make a snack and I'd only get a single pair of shoes from your hide." He glared at the goats for a few moments, "Well, come on. Do you want to cross or not?" He waited a beat, then in his best wheddling voice said, "Tell you what. I'll let two of you cross and the other can stay here with me for a snack and a pair of shoes.

"Which of you go and which one stays?"

The brothers looked at each other. None was willing to stay behind with Bluebell to become a snack and shoes.

"This is ridiculous!" William finally snorted. He moved to stand on the bridge facing the Troll, "All three of us are going across, and you are going to let us."

"Suck an Elf, Goat. You're all going to stay with me." Bluebell smiled his best evil smile, "Dad's going to be really proud of me." He moved a step closer to the goat.

William backed up two steps, lowered his head, and took aim on the Troll's stomach. Before Bluebell came any closer, William raced forward and butted the Troll, knocking him back a few steps.

"So, that's how it's goin' to be." Bluebell half bent over, spread his arms wide and charged the goat.

William pushed off with his back hooves and, again, butted Bluebell in the belly.

"Oof!" The Troll tried to grab the goat, but William was too fast. He reared back and once more butted the Troll.

Blueberry's arms windmilled as he toppled sideways, over the railling of the bridge. "Suck an Elf!" he screamed as he landed on his backside in the middle of the creek.

"Well, don't just stand there, let's go home."

The Brothers Gruff trotted across the bridge. The last Bluebell saw of them was their tails as they topped the rise on the other side of the bridge.

"Dad would have been proud of me," he muttered from his soggy seat. "All I had to do was bring him some goat meat and leather for shoes."

"Here he is, Dad!" Burly called. He grabbed his brother by the ear and forced him to stand so Relish could see him.

"Bring him down here, boy. I have a few lessons in torture that he can help me teach all of you."

"Dad, please, I can explain. I can do better," the unlucky Troll blubbered, as Burly forced him to stand before Relish.

"Shut up!" Relish slapped his son on the side of the head, "You need a lesson and I'm going to give it to you. Goats do NOT EVER get the best of Trolls!" Turning on his heel, and stomping toward the castle, he ordered over his shoulder, "Bring him along."

"But, Dad. I tried."

Burly hit him, "Shut up. This is going to be fun."

"Yeah, a lot of fun," Blabberwort added. "Don't worry, Bluebell, we won't hurt you too much."

"Wonder what Dad's going to teach us this time? Something long and painful, I hope," Burly smiled, trying to picture the torture to come.

"Please, Burly? Blabberwort?" he twisted to look at each of them in turn.

"Shut up!" Blabberwort ordered, "or he'll punish us too."

The three Trolls followed their father. Burly and Blabberwort with anticipation. Bluebell with dread.