The immense, slothlike bulk of the armored troll shook slightly as something akin to astonishment coursed through its dull mind. Eyes the size of hen's eggs in a knotty green face the size and shape of a great boulder seemed to bulge a little as they registered the strange pair approaching the troll's station at the center of the narrow span. The troll heaved itself to standing, towering over Rhavanielle and Sfeithi who boldly walked up under the monster's shadow. It seized a great cudgel laying at its side.
“Hold it right there, yous!” it exclaimed. “Just where do you think you're going?”
Rhavanielle smiled cheerfully and the pair of them bowed low. “Greetings, mighty one!” the girl spoke, her voice ringing over the looming void like a brass chime sounding in a serene temple.
Instantly, the troll lurched to its splayed, three toed feet and lowered its head, now eye to eye with the merry elf. The massive maw opened wide, emitting a cacaphonous roar that echoed through the vast open chamber. Faroff orcs and goblins cringed in terror. The elf was liberally sprayed with foetid spray of malodorous breath and spittle. Though nearly blown on her backside from the blast, not to mention the stench, Rhavanielle stamped her foot and banged the butt of her staff on the bridge with delight. Sfeithi, for his part had lost all the color in his normally ruddy face, but otherwise stood his ground.
“Mightiest of trolls! Don't bother eating me. I'm just a skinny elf who eats salad for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Why, right behind me is a fat, plump dwarf raised on beef and beer!”
The troll's piggy eyes squinted in confusion as it wiped anticipatory drool off its grubby lips. Rhavanielle didn't wait for an answer but went on her way, walking around the baffled green titan. Before the troll could react, Sfeithi padded up on his bare feet. The troll did a puzzled double take. “Hah! Fat dwarf! Me eat!”
Sfeithi roared with laughter. A feat that required no little courage with the troll's stump-toothed maw grinning over him. The dwarf frowned and wiped a swath of saliva from his bald forehead. “You foolish beastie! You don't want to fill your belly with me! Why just behind me is a man-warrior hale and hearty, yet wounded from a perilous fight with your friends the orcs! He's twice my height and half again my girth. Why he'll fill your belly and you'll have leftovers besides.” And with that, Sfeithi walked under the troll, holding his breath at the foetor.
The troll spun round, growling in confused anger. He saw the two miscreants walking calmly down to the far end of the bridge where the great stair rose toward the open gate where the orcs stood watch. He seemed to remember being told something. Something about people passing. But the warrior. His belly rumbled and he turned back toward the mighty hall with its forest of cyclopean pillars, scratching his scaly rump.
Sfeithi steered Rhavanielle toward a side hall which led to his company's camp. “I have to admit, I was hard put to keep a straight face back there!”
Rhavanielle shrugged. “It works every time. Don't ask me to explain it, though...I have no idea.”
