Prompt Twenty-Four

Trolls, Trolls, Trolls!

(Post-Series, Human Jim)

"So let me see if I understand you." Claire rubbed her eyes to get rid of the sleep. "NotEnrique and Glug, you had a disagreement."

"I just said the most recent batch of glug was a little on the sweet side! It wasn't bad, just a little sweet! And Glug flips her lid!" NotEnrique gave the sullen Quaggawump a look. "She said if I didn't like it I could make my own!"

"No one knows how hard it is to make good glug! Don't have supplies, hard to find roots in new places!" Glug crossed her arms. "Tired of people complaining!"

"I just said it was a little sweet! Anyway…I figured, being an enterprising sort, that she meant what she said! Two folks making drinks will lessen the burden, expand the market to different tastes!" NotEnrique put up his hands. "I ask you, what's the problem?"

"You will take Glug's patrons! Copy recipe!" Glug made a fist and shook it in his face. "I punch people for less!"

"I didn't 'copy' anything! Certain ingredients are needed for both drinks because they're drinks. How can I make a drink without water?" NotEnrique yelled back. "It ain't an exclusive ingredient!"

Claire looked down at her pajamas. Pink and purple skulls dotted the fleece bottoms. She should be in bed with her husband, snuggled up in their alcove with the light crystals dimmed to a perfect, soft gold. But, she thought, if there were things more important than being cozy in bed sleeping – there were but right now that sounded really appealing – Jim was one of them. The indignant squawks had woken her and she'd gotten up, leaving him still sleeping, and if she could solve this dumb argument she could slip back in bed and feel the satisfaction of dealing with a dumb problem and taking one off his list.

So there she stood, in pajamas, listening to the spat.

"Glug confronted NotEnrique," she said at last, "and there was a fight. What happened?"

Both trolls suddenly looked embarrassed and churlish. "We, uh…mighta got a little out of hand." NotEnrique turned away. "I broke her tub. I only meant to knock it over but I put a hole in it and it broke apart. And she knocked over my little batch I was making in a bucket!"

"I can no longer make glug! You know what trolls are like when they have no glug!?" The Quaggawump threw up her hands. "Anarchy! Chaos! Cannot make enough glug in a bucket!"

"I said I'm sorry! I'll try to fix it! But you weren't able to meet demand in the first place!" NotEnrique scratched his diaper. "And then we were punching and kicking, and mighta broken some light crystals…and hit Blinky in the nose when he tried to break us up."

Ah. So that was why another party had been involved. It was hard to be impartial when your nose was smarting. Claire looked around the pub, chairs strewn everywhere from the brawl and light crystals cracked and flickering. Glug's woebegone tub lay on its side like a weeping maiden, green liquid still pooled in the curve of the chunks. Claire pushed her hair back. "I think I have a solution. Let me present it to you."

Both trolls adjusted so they were facing her. "NotEnrique, you know I love you like a brother. But you damaging Glug's tub was way out of line. She's entitled to a replacement. I'm putting you in charge of finding a new tub or container of equal capacity. You will also work with Glug for a month to help get glug supply back up."

NotEnrique muttered but nodded. Glug looked gratified. Claire raised a finger. "However, you both should have settled the dispute without fighting. You both have to clean up the pub and chisel the new light crystals."

Glug sighed. "Fair enough."

Claire mulled over her next point. "And regarding the supply of glug, I do think it's too much for one person to do. And trolls really do like to have plenty of it. Instead of making your own NotEnrique, why not work with Glug? You could make more together than if you're squabbling."

The two glanced at each other. Claire folded her arms. "Think about it. NotEnrique could help test flavors and gather new ingredients, Glug has the experience and a helper, and a new container once you find one. The market has more glug. Everyone wins out. Just think about it?"

"Well…I guess that might work." NotEnrique rubbed his chin thoughtfully with a tiny hand. "We could even get a bunch of tubs, age the glug a while. Whaddya say?"

Glug slowly nodded. "We shall see. Trial period." She inclined her front to Claire. "Fair decision. Appreciate your help."

"No problem, glad to be of assistance." Claire left the pub, finally sighing with relief. "I don't know how Jim deals with all the different trolls every day," she said softly. Surely she loved the trolls as her own family, but criminy.

She returned to their alcove and slipped under the blanket, pressing her front to Jim's back. He stirred as she settled in. "S'mthin' wrong?" he mumbled.

"Nah. No problem. Get some sleep hon." She kissed the back of his neck and he relaxed again. He would have a full day tomorrow – every day was a full day in Trollmarket. If picking up an occurrence at night helped out, Claire was more than willing.

Such was the lot of one living with trolls.

End of Prompt Twenty-Four