Mrs. Grimwold interjects. "Let's just say, I did 'im some big favours, and 'e owed me some back!"
"Indeed." Hordriss had forgotten how incorrigibly infuriating the woman could be. Such dichotomy in one person, confounding yet ever fascinating... he cannot help hoping that she will shut up, yet tells himself that it is her prerogative to contribute to the narrative. He refocuses his attention on YG. "In fact, it was I who brought your mother and Mr. Grimwold together."
Young Grimwold isn't sure what to say. Should he be grateful? Knowing there is more to hear, he keeps quiet, hoping that Hordriss will anticipate his burning question: why an ogre and not someone else?
"As you may recall," continues Hordriss, "one had as one's companion the Oracle of Confusion. It had uttered a prophecy about your mother which, when it became known, made it difficult for her to find a partner." Hordriss turns quickly to Mrs. Grimwold. "My apologies, Madam. One must recount what is relevant, but one will be discreet. You know, Master Grimwold, of the omen of Thetis?"
YG recalls the mythology of the sea-nymph as best he can. Thetis caught the attention of the lustful Zeus, king of the Ancient Greek gods; until he was told, perhaps by the Oracle of Confusion herself, that a cruel article of Fate hung over Thetis: any son she gave birth to would outshine his father. To Zeus, this meant that if he coupled with her, he would end up with a son powerful enough to depose him from his throne. So he arranged a mortal husband for Thetis.
Young Grimwold looks at Hordriss and nods intently. As he does so, he begins to feel the beginning of a rush of understanding, like the inaugural raindrops of a stormy downpour. But again, he keeps quiet, knowing he cannot finish the jigsaw while others still hold so many of the pieces.
Finding Hordriss' tact a little too ambiguously erudite, Mrs. G pipes up. As ever, her voice lurches between disparate emotions yet never quite loses its histrionic pitch. She makes it difficult to trust and sympathise, but impossible not to listen.
"It weren't easy for me, dearie. All I wanted was to settle down, but this prophecy made men run a mile. Then 'Ordriss found me someone who didn't care about destiny, so long as 'e 'ad someone to cook for 'im - my Grimwold! The day I could stop being Enid Goody and become Mrs. anything was one of the 'appiest of my life." YG and Hordriss had winced in unison at the dropped H of the latter's name.
Mrs. Grimwold continues. "So, we got ready to start a family. But we couldn't. It just weren't 'appening. We tried..."
Young Grimwold interrupts. "Please. No details."
Hordriss takes this opportunity to reclaim the narrative. This patch of it requires more care than he feels Mrs. Grimwold is capable of.
"Mrs. Grimwold came to one for help. Having never professed to being a medic, one was unsure how to assist. But one was still indebted to her over certain matters.
"One's options were limited, especially as one was dealing with unknown causes; but determination and honour bound one to the task, as so often they do. Eventually, one found a suitable procedure. Like most rarely-performed magic, there was risk involved, but Mr. and Mrs. Grimwold gave their consent. One hesitates to be euphemistic, but one also wishes to avoid a technical digression. The procedure involved endowing the couple with a measure of one's own... vitality."
Hordriss sees an awkward look contort Young Grimwold's face, and knows that, despite his efforts, he has bred misunderstanding. He decides to remedy it with candour. "One is not your father, Master Grimwold. Your parentage has caused you enough anxiety without such news. Besides, it would be a somewhat hackneyed revelation." Hordriss hears Mrs. Grimwold snort, and mumbles an apology to her. He is pleased to observe YG looking a little calmer. Though Hordriss doubts he will remain so for long.
"One's aid was not so much biological as magical. Perhaps you are familiar with the way in which Merlin would cast energy spells to replenish a dungeoneer's Life Force. One's nourishment of your parents was similar, save for the fact that due to the nature of their problem, one shared some of one's own Life Force, as it were. The intricacies of magic are tricky - no pun intended - to articulate to the non-expert, so you will forgive one if..."
Mrs. Grimwold interrupts once more. "The point is, dearie, it worked! It weren't easy carrying an ogre's bun in me oven, but I did it. And we 'ad a son! Ogres don't normally bother with names, but 'Ordriss insisted."
Young Grimwold shifts uncomfortably. He is hearing at last about the person he should be closest to, but had never even heard of yesterday.
"The child was showing remarkable alertness for a newborn," notes Hordriss, "especially one of ogrish stock. One thought of the philosophical wisdom, 'I think therefore I am', and wanted a name to reflect it. The Latin for 'therefore' appealed."
"But I just wanted something simple." explains Mrs. Grimwold. "Not boring, but simple. Like 'ogre' backwards."
Hordriss again. "So the child became..."
