Page 6 of Earth-Bound

Eventually I realised that Randall was so happy because he was with his mate. I hadn’t even been aware that trolls could get a mate, but this one had. Now that I was becoming more alert, I could tell for myself that Broadmire was a troll because his feet on the earth were just a little too solid and a little too unmagical. He broke the tiny pieces of magic being worked in the earth all over. It was just for a second, and then the magic would start up again, but it meant I could sense the troll’s movement for the best part of a mile.

If anyone would be able to feel it, it was an earth spirit.

And the two of them walked across the fields just to visit me every morning. Well, to visit my tree.

I was just enjoying Randall’s attention, with the early morning sunlight starting to warm my branches, when I felt a familiar jolt. It was never hard, never hurt, but it was like a spark of magic went through me. I was getting used to that feeling but had never been able to pinpoint where it came from.

Randall was just saying, “I hope you’re getting enough water,” when I felt it again, harder.

And I felt the change in the earth.

And I heard his voice for the first time.

“Hey, are you having a good morning?”

It was a rich, melodic voice and it made every inch of my skin tingle with pleasure. There was something special about that voice, something important…

I almost remembered something but I couldn’t quite get a handle on it. I was still waking up, really. I’d been trapped for years, I thought – though I had no way of being sure – and I’d sunk into a deep, deep sleep. Sometimes I was still confused.

Randall gasped, “Oh, um, hi Joe,” and I felt the name roll into my bark and resonate inside me.

Outside my tree, that voice said, “I was wondering if I could have a word with Broadmire.”

Instead of listening, I reached down into the earth with my senses, feeling for this man’s footsteps. He stood with his weight on both feet evenly, solid but not too heavy, covered in tiny flakes of earth from different locations. Some of the old mud on his boots was from the fields to the north and some was from further away, a different part of the land. He was a stranger here.

I was so busy learning what I could about him, feeling the impression he made upon the ground, that I missed the end of the conversation. I only realised when he turned and walked away. His footsteps were even and careful, which I liked. That was a man used to walking over fields. My stomach swooped inside me. I hadn’t seen him yet but I liked him. I hoped he stayed. I hope he stayed long enough for me to meet him.

Randall and Broadmire were silent for a few minutes and then Randall said, “I suppose we’d better get back to the café.”

“I suppose.”

“Do you think you can make Marcia a new counter while she’s away?”

“Yes.”

“That’s it? Just ‘yes’? You’re not going to ask why?”

“No. You want her to have a new counter, I can do it, end of.”

I heard the amusement in Randall’s voice as he answered his mate’s strange reply. “Thank you. She’ll love it. The old one is too high and it creaks when we open the doors.”

“No problem. You want it done before she gets back?”

“Can you? That would be great! It’ll be a brilliant surprise for her.”

“And that’s good?”

“Yes! Marcia loves surprises.”

“And you?”

“What about me?”

“Doyoulike surprises?”

His voice changed a little and I peeped out of my tree to look at them. Randall’s eyes were lowered and he mumbled, “I used to like surprises. I haven’t had any nice ones in a while. Except for you. You were definitely a surprise.”

As he leaned up to kiss the troll, I sank back into my tree to give them some privacy.

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