Leif Frond and Quickfingers by Joan Lennon Read Free Book Online

young Sigli and Leif should take the story from here.”
    Sigli and I looked at each other and gulped.
    It was up to us.
    I took a deep breath, and began.
    â€œBANG!” I shouted, making everyone jump. “CRASH! ROAR! An attack was going on up ahead! We rushed forward, yelling and thrashing through the undergrowth, and I think we must have sounded like a much bigger party than we really were. By the time we reached the clearing where Sigli and Quickfingers were camped, the attackers had gone – and so had the old Pedlar.”
    Well, I thought, that at least is true!
    â€œWhat had happened, Sigli? Can you tell us?” asked my father in a kind voice.
    â€œTrolls,” said Sigli. His voice was low, but the word carried to the furthest corner of the Hall and made everyone shudder – even, I noticed to my surprise, Thorhalla!
    â€œThey came… no warning… so awful…” He covered his face with his hand.
    â€œTake your time,” said my father quietly.
    Sigli nodded, and paused for a moment. Then he squared his shoulders and tried again. His voice was stronger now.
    â€œI was waiting at the foot of the Pass, just as my master had ordered, but the days went by and he didn’t come back.”
    â€œHe was with us the whole time,” I said, and everyone nodded.
    â€œAh,” said Sigli. “Well, I didn’t dare move from our campsite – he could be harsh, my master, if you disobeyed – but then the first snow came and I thought I’d have to leave or freeze to death. Before I could act, though, he came back, laden with stolen goods and chuckling with pleasure at how well he’d tricked you all.”
    There was a low, angry murmur at that, but nobody wanted to interrupt the story. Sigli was in full swing now.
    â€œ ‘Get me food, you lazy scum!’ my master growled, but before I could stir, a horrible, rumbling, roaring noise sounded from amongst the trees.
    â€œ ‘What’s that?’ my master cried. ‘Has someone followed me? It can’t be those stupid villagers – I sent them off in the wrong direction using their very own stupid cow – who could it be?’
    â€œThe horrible noise came again – from two places this time. My master began to panic.
    â€œ ‘It sounds like… it can’t be … is it?… oh no, oh no –
trolls
!’
    â€œThe moment the word left his mouth, rocks began to fly out of the woods from every side. The roaring got even louder, and there was trampling and thundering as if the undergrowth was being crushed under angry, giant feet.”

    I glanced round the Hall. Every eye was fixed on Sigli; every mouth was a round O.
    â€œIt was terrifying. My master was tottering back and forth, whimpering, trying to find a place to hide – and then one of the trolls’ rocks hit me. I felt as if my head had exploded and then I… I must have fainted. The next thing I knew, Leif and the good Artificer werebending over me and looking after me and being so kind…”
    His voice broke a little here, and everyone tutted sympathetically.
    â€œAnd where was your master?” asked my father gently.
    Sigli shook his head. “I don’t know. Gone. Disappeared.”
    â€œHe maybe ran away or it might be that the trolls took him,” I suggested. “It looked to us as if there had been a desperate struggle.” I put on my very best beseeching face and looked up at him. “No matter which, poor Sigli’s all alone now. He has nobody. Don’t you think, Father, that he could stay here, with us, at Frondfell?”
    This was it. This was crunch time.
    I could see Thorhalla’s eyes light up and I knew what she was thinking before she even opened her mouth. When she looked at Sigli, it was as if there was a great big sign hanging over his head that said ‘Laundry Assistant’. I gave Queue a sharp nudge with my elbow.
    â€œOw!”