The next morning, a goblin came to Dynala's house while Nuada, Dynala, and Wink were eating breakfast. Looking very nervous, he asked the Prince if he could speak to him – privately. Nuada consented and got up from the table to follow him back outside.
Once outside, the goblin cleared his throat and squirmed. His face was pale. Nuada frowned curiously and waited. Drawing in a deep breath, the goblin began. "My name is Corrigan. I must ask something of you, and I hope that you will not be angry."
"What is it you want?" Nuada inquired warily.
The goblin's large hands twisted his hat nervously. "Well – people know that you saved my lady yesterday and stayed the night, and – forgive me, Sire – they are beginning to… talk."
Nuada's brows snapped down even further. "Talk?" he repeated darkly. This did not bode well.
The goblin swallowed. "Yes, Sire. They begin to say things – about you and my lady. Untrue things – I know that you and my lady both are honorable – but some smart-mouthed fool has been sayin' that the two of you are – "
"I understand," Nuada growled, seething at the insult to Dynala's repute. "Give me the liar's name, and I will take care of him."
Corrigan chuckled, still uneasy. "That would please me to no end, but it might not help the lady if people thought you were too zealous to protect her. Please, listen. If you intend to stay here, I live about three miles from here; if you would agree, you could stay there. It's close enough to my lady that you could still see her often, but the biddies would shut their traps." His offer on the table, Corrigan fidgeted and blinked up at the prince.
"Thank you," Nuada replied, surprised. "But I am not alone; my friend Mr. Wink is with me. Have you room for a troll?"
Corrigan grinned. "I have done very well for myself in these mountains, if I do say so myself. I've enough room for him, I assure you."
Nuada sighed sharply, thinking. He had not though that his presence could hurt Dynala. He could – probably should – leave. He was honor-bound to protect Dynala's virtue and to ensure his people's freedom; he should leave and continue his search for the Crown piece. But now that he was here, he was loathe to leave just yet. Would just a few days of rest be wrong? "Your proposal is well-meant; I thank you for the lady's sake. But I have not yet decided whether I will stay after today. Let me consider it." Still frowning, Nuada walked away, back into the house.
Dynala looked up from her food when he reentered the kitchen. When she saw his brooding expression, the smile that had been playing on her lips vanished. "What did Corrigan want?" she asked guardedly.
"I must apologize," Nuada ground out stiffly. "It appears that my being here has sparked injurious rumors about you."
A dark green flush swept up her neck and face. "Cavan!" she snarled lowly. "I should have guessed this would happen."
Nuada's scowl darkened until it was like a thundercloud; he remembered well the gancanagh who had harassed Dynala when he had been here the first time. "Your little pest has something to do with this?"
"When the forests were destroyed, all the Fae were driven to this area. Unfortunately, Cavan was one of them. He has been very pesky, telling tales and spreading rumors. No one believed him, of course, but now…" Her mouth hardened; she did not have to say "now that you've returned, they have begun to believe him"; Nuada understood. But he also knew that Dynala did not blame him. She tugged lightly on her braid as she pondered the situation. "If I had known what trouble he would cause, I might have let you fight him that first time," she muttered.
A feral approximation of a smile, thin and harsh, spread across Nuada's face. "I would be delighted to oblige you now," he proffered.
Trilling laughter burst from Dynala. "I am tempted to accept! But that would do little good."
"Corrigan has offered to let me stay with him," Nuada told her, careful to keep his voice disinterested. "But I think it would be best if I left. After all, I need to continue…"
Dynala had looked up at him, shocked, and he trailed off. "Already?" she asked.
Not very inconspicuously, Mr. Wink stood and left. I'll go take care of the animals, he grunted over his shoulder. Then he was gone, and Nuada and Dynala were alone, staring silently at each other.
Finally Nuada shrugged, though he felt anything but calm and decided. "It would solve your problem. And I cannot stay; I must free my people. You know that."
Her composure firmly in place once more, Dynala nodded calmly. "I do. But no road extends forever without so much as a pause. Stay, if only for a few days, and rest; then return to your search with a clear mind and refreshed body." She smirked. "And as for the problem of the gossipers, I am not afraid of a few rumors. Let them talk – we know the truth, do we not?"
Nuada's mind resisted – logically, he knew that leaving was the best option. But his deeper self was of a different opinion, and in the battle between the two, his mind was rapidly losing ground. At last, he relented and agreed to stay for three days. When Dynala beamed like he had handed her a priceless treasure, he found it impossible to regret his choice.
Nuada and Wink moved into Corrigan's house that afternoon. To get there, they had to walk through what remained of the mountain woods. To Nuada and Wink's surprise, they encountered a lively Fae village on the way. I didn't know there was a town here, Wink said, stunned.
A passing green wood elf – like Dynala – heard the remark and replied in the troll language. There wasn't. But when the humans began invading the forest, we were forced together. He bowed perfunctorily to the prince and went on his way.
Nuada and Wink continued until they reached a very large, very fine house. Appraisingly, Wink muttered, Aye, they have room enough for me – they have room enough for four of me.
Nuada grinned. "Well, Corrigan said that he had done well for himself," he reminded the troll as he knocked on the heavy, beautifully carved wooden door.
A goblin woman in an apron answered it – and promptly shrieked when she saw the Crown Prince of Bethmoora. Nuada and Wink jumped. "I'll kill him!" she howled; and she whirled back around and dashed down a hallway shouting, "Corrigan!" as she went.
Left standing at the doorway, Nuada turned quizzically to Wink. The troll shrugged, shaking with laughter. It looks to me as though Master Corrigan failed to mention his invitation to his wife. From within the house came snatches of a wailing complaint: "Why didn't you tell me… Me in my apron… The house is filthy…"
"Stop your moaning, woman… Where is he?" There was a beat of silence. Then, "YOU MEAN YOU LEFT HIM STANDING AT MY DOOR LIKE A BEGGAR?"
Not a moment later, a scarlet-faced Corrigan was ushering Nuada and Wink inside. "Forgive Ornat, my wife," he muttered as they walked. "She's just a bit… high-strung, sometimes. The guest wing is this way." A wide-eyed goblin child peeked out from behind a corner. "That's my daughter, Tara. The great room is just through there." Another goblin girl, older than the first, was sitting in a chair in the great room, sewing. "That's my other daughter, Tierney. The washroom is here." As they passed the door to which he had gestured opened, revealing a startled goblin young lady. "This here's my girl Tullia." Tullia curtsied hastily as they went on. Nuada and Wink exchanged glances as yet another child – also a girl – squealed at the sight of them and darted away down one of the many halls. "Oh," Corrigan added, "and that's my girl Trevina. Your rooms are here," he concluded, pointing at two doors.
"Thank you, Corrigan. I appreciate what you have done for Lady Dynala," Nuada said sincerely.
Corrigan grinned. "I would do just about anything for her – without her, my youngest daughter, Tipper, would have died last year."
Another girl? Wink rumbled incredulously. Bless him, how many does he have?
Corrigan grinned broadly, mischievously. "I speak the language of trolls, Mr. Wink. And to answer your question, I have seven daughters. My two eldest, Tristianna and Teria, are married; they live along the coast."
Shaking his head mournfully at the thought of living with all those females, Wink sighed. What did you get us into? he demanded.
His trepidation was ungrounded, however. When the family sat down to lunch, all the girls were well-behaved. Nuada had never exactly been what one would call comfortable around children, but, despite that, all the girls were very polite; Tipper – who was probably around three years old – in particular took quite a liking to him, insisting that she wanted to sit next to him. She kept up a steady stream of conversation throughout the meal. Just as Ornat was clearing the table, Tipper looked up at Nuada with large green eyes and asked "Are you going to be here for the solstice? It's in two days. There's going to be a big party, and Father says I can stay up late if I want to."
Still slightly uncertain about dealing with a child, Nuada smiled. "Yes, I will go." He would probably leave the next morning.
Tipper laughed and clapped her hands, then went off to play with her sisters. Corrigan sighed and patted his stomach. "Good cooking, Wife," he congratulated, getting up to kiss Ornat on the cheek.
Ornat blushed and hustled away, and Corrigan turned to Nuada. "That Tipper of mine is a chatterbox like her father," he admitted. "If she gets too garrulous, just tune her out, Your Highness; she won't notice, and if she does, she won't mind."
Nuada couldn't help but smile; he had found Tipper amusing. Indeed, he liked Corrigan as well, and Tullia and Tierney seemed very intelligent. It was not so bad here.
But still, he greatly preferred Dynala's small, quiet house and peaceful company.