Page 19 of A Tale of Ice and Ash
Eirwen shook her head. “No. That’s me. I’m the princess.”
All five dwarves bristled.
“What,” said the grumpy one darkly, “brings the princess this deep into the woods?”
“My stepmother,” said Eirwen, as firmly as she could manage. “She tried to have me killed.”
A couple of them nodded, conversing quietly amongst themselves. “That seems right,” said the dark one. “You escaped?”
“Someone let me go.”
“Go where, exactly?”
“I… I haven’t worked that out, yet.”
The motherly one put her arms around her. “Now, don’t you worry pet, you can stay with us as long as you need to.”
The grumpy one snorted. “It should go by morning.”
“Onyx!”
“Oh no, woman, I know what you’re like. First it’s ‘I’m just giving the stray cat a saucer of milk’ and the next thing you know, we havefive cats.’”
“How was I to know she was expecting?”
“We havefive cats, Garnet!”
“I don’t think this one’s going to multiply,” said Garnet. “She’s just a child. And she’s all alone in the world…”
“No. No, absolutely not. Look at her. She’s already bigger than we are. Give it a month and she’ll be taller than the cottage. She’ll eat us out of house and home–”
“I’ll work for my board and lodging,” said Eirwen quickly. “I… I don’t know quite how, yet, but I can find something to do–”
“She’s got archer’s fingers,” said the huntress. “I could always use some help getting game.”
“No.No!Oakley– help me out here.”
The one doctoring her ankle looked up. “Come on, old fellow. She’s just a child.”
“She can sleep with the twins!” said Merry. “It would be good for them to have another playmate.”
“I can sew,” Eirwen offered. She could think of nowhere else to go, and the cottage seemed warm and safe and cosy. The rosy-cheeked dwarf seemed nice, too. She reminded her of Niamh.
Niamh.Would she ever see her again?
“I’d love an extra pair of hands to help in the house,” said Garnet.
“I’m a quick learner. I can do anything I put my mind to–”
“Watch it,” said Merry, “he’ll have you down the mines if you’re not careful!”
“I don’t mind. If it’s helpful and it keeps me away from my stepmother–”
“Such a lovely child.” Merry patted her head. “Come on, brother.”
Onyx growled. “Fine. She can stay a week. But just the week. And that’s final!”
