She screamed as she looked at its lifeless eyes. The troll opened its mouth, saliva dripping low.

Evelyn would have run back, but her feet were frozen. She stared at the uneven teeth and fell. A fit of shivering started to take over as the creature slowly made its way towards her.

All she saw was a swift stroke. At first she didn't notice any change except the troll stopping. The moment seemed to drag on for eternity. Maroon blood started oozing out as two cuts made themselves visible across the troll's humongous body. The troll gave a loud groan as it fell face first on the ground among the shrubbery it had helped destroy.

As the creature fell, Evelyn saw Edwin's back to the beast, sword in his right hand, at an angle.

She would have thanked him had she found the use of her voice. Tears rolled down her cheek. Edwin unsheathed his sword, checked the troll's neck and came to Evelyn.

"Are you alright? I told you before, don't wander too far into the forest when I am not around Evelyn," he said in a concerned voice.

Evelyn just sobbed in reply.

He hugged her, as a father would hug his daughter. Evelyn calmed down as she came to the realisation she had escaped death. That was something to be thankful for.

Wind and Nameless found good company as they set again on their journey. With Evelyn now silent the atmosphere seemed to have grown morose.

Edwin took the reign as Nameless neighed, "So tell me more about the whores of Andlenore."

"You asked me not to talk of whores."

"Maybe I was testing you."

"You have failed in testing me then!"

"It seems I am the one who has been tested."

"Dolin finds them charming. More charming than his wife at least. That man has no taste I tell you."

"And you have failed the test."

"I know it wasn't a test. You are perverted and trying to hide it"

Edwin laughed.

Evelyn returned to her original talkative mood by evening, thanks to all the effort put in by Edwin. It seemed she had all but forgotten about the troll.

Suddenly Edwin stopped. Taking the hint, Evelyn pulled the reigns and Wind came to a halt.

"How convenient. How very convenient!"

"What's the matter?"

"Well just try to collect all the dried wood you can from around along the road. Stack it on your horse."

Saying so Edwin himself started doing the same. Evelyn followed and soon there was a little pile of dried wood branches on Wind and Nameless just beside their supplies. Edwin led the horse to the left of the road and inside the forest. Evelyn followed close behind.

She noticed how Edwin occasionally stopped to look for stare at something, a trunk, a trodden leaf, a broken branch.

Soon a cottage came in sight. Edwin tied his horse to a pole near it, unloading all the supplies and dried wood from his back. He signalled Evelyn to do the same. Edwin lit the two torches at the door.

The cottage was small and simple. But it was much more than they could hope to find so deep in the forest. It would take care of their basic needs. There was a makeshift cupboard and a solid table. Evelyn sat on the single bed. It was more comfortable than it looked. The windows weren't particularly large.

To keep any big predators out I guess.

That conjured up memory of the troll. She could picture a troll looking at her from the small windows, its eyes lifelessly fixed on her. She shivered.

Edwin's voice came to her rescue again, "The owner of this cottage isn't going to return any time soon, it seems. Even if he did, it's not like we are troubling him in any manner. It's just for tonight."

Edwin was clearing the old ash in the fireplace and stacking it with some of the dried wood they had collected. He struck a match and lit the fire place. A warm glow welcomed the room as evening slowly turned to night.

"Do you know this place? Have you been here before?"

"No, I have not. Why would you think that?" asked Edwin poking the wood to further intensify the flame.

"Well, you knew from a mile away there was a cottage here and also know about the owner."

"Oh that. It was just the signs in the forest. The cuts in the trees, the trodden leaves. There were ample signs that some person had lived here for a long time. There were a lot of branches that had been cut using tools. That also indicated that there was some sort of shelter nearby. There are many signs only a human leaves in a forest. And what's more, this person was probably an archer. The trees around here have a lot of holes signifying arrow marks. He or she lived here for some time that would be a safe assumption. And we see the cottage has a fireplace, there was some dried unburned wood here, indicating it has been used just recently and there are no supplies anywhere. A person who would frequent this cottage would at least leave supplies in cases they return. This cottage is completely empty, meaning the person has vacated the place."

Evelyn was astonished by how much Edwin figured by just looking around.

"The archer probably went to visit Andlenore."

Evelyn looked at him, eyes widened in astonishment.

"He just vacated recently, probably a day or two ago. And the cottage is completely empty; there are no spare clothes, no food, no extra bow and arrows. An archer always has multiple sources of arrows to keep him furnished if he runs out. This was more like a practice site for the person and there are still no arrows. And what recent event has occurred that would change someone's mind to this extent, out of the blue, Evelyn? It is that God made his presence known to Andlenore. He or she must have heard this from a source and gone to visited Andlenore, probably settle there. Though this is mere speculation," explained Edwin.

"Why can't there be multiple people?"

"That is because there is a single bed," he said, pointing at the one she sat on.

"If we are to assume he set out for Andlenore, we can also say that we took a different route to Andlenore, possibly shorter given his knowledge of this forest. We haven't met any archer up on our way here now, have we? Not that I recall of."

These observations baffled Evelyn.

But this just seemed usual for Edwin, as he went poking the wood sitting cross legged in front of the fireplace.

"Well let's put your cooking to the test, now that we have a decent stove!"

Evelyn suddenly cheered up at the thought. She loved cooking.

Edwin went to the makeshift stove at the other end of the room and lit it up as well. They were well stocked with dried wood after all.

Evelyn leapt up surfing through her supplies, her head filled with ideas as to what she could make with whatever they had.

She got to work as Edwin watched. They soon had a meal at the table, with Evelyn bragging about her cooking skills, "See? You would have starved was if not for my exceptional cooking skills."

Edwin laughed, "I do know how to cook."

"Not as good as me I bet."

"Well maybe not."

"Maybe? I am quite sure."

"A good cook does not brag about his skills."

"A good chef definitely does. How else will he sell his food?"

Evelyn gave a triumphant smile as Edwin did not retort. After dinner Edwin offered her the single bed as he resumed his seat in front of the fireplace looking at the low fire changing shapes. Evelyn put on her blanket and tried to sleep.

As time passed the image of the troll peeking through the window seemed to trouble her more. She pictured the scene as the troll broke through the window to get to her, his stone like skin breaking the wooden cottage walls. She broke in a cold sweat.

"I am scared, Edwin," she said in a low voice.

Edwin looked at her, "I will keep watch Evelyn, don't be afraid."

"Thank you for before."

"Repay the debt by trying to catch some sleep. A man deserves a little peace of mind too you know."

Evelyn managed to smile at that, as she closed her eyes.

****