Chapter 31

Enrico stood along with Enrico near the house of Rollan observing the building. 

„I wonder if she's still going to leave the house right now," Ernesto stated. „Maybe if we would have come earlier we could have managed to catch these cubs you talked about,

„I believe it will be soon enough. His girlfriend entered the house as his mom arrived. I can't imagine them not at least giving a try into passing by the prison to listen to what happened," Enrico said. „Just hold on, they've got about half an hour until visiting time is over,"

„Okay," Ernesto responded, then looked at the building of his academy mate and noticed the door open up seeing Rollan's girlfriend walking out, followed by Leticia, then Gerda spoke to someone, who stood inside the house Ernesto couldn't see.

„See? What did I say? Asked the raven-haired teen watching the two women leave heading to the inside of the town, then Ernesto sighed and walked beside the building to the corner to encounter Enrico's father's friend, which held over his shoulder a small potato bag, which made Ernesto wide his eyes questioningly.

„What's with the potato bag?" Questioned the brunette boy.

„That's where the potatoes will be transported," The man explained with a different emphasis on the vegetable. „Don't worry, your dad's carriage is nearby. He will show up to pick up the bag and we will leave without leaving anything to look for,"

„Okay," Ernesto responded walking along with the adult to Enrico, which looked at the two.

„Ernesto, you'll knock at the door and try to make a conversation with the person left in there. Samuel and I will go around and look for a way to get in," Enrico explained making Ernesto nod, then both split up and the brunette Spaniard walked to the front door and knocked on it. Ernesto heard a chuckle coming from the inside followed by a voice ordering the cubs to be quiet making Ernesto chuckle.

„No one's here!" The voice mimicked making Ernesto drop his mouth at the odd answer he got.

„Are you sure?" Ernesto asked hearing an almost-female hum, making the boy chuckle. Ernesto knocked again, then spoke at the person behind the door. „Hey ma'am, my name is.....Ernesto. I'm a friend of Rollan. You know the young man, that lives here with his mother,"

Behind the house Enrico spotted a window, where the two could see the kitchen of the house, then Enrico moved his eyes to the man and up to the open window and Samuel held his hands out for Enrico to climb up into the house, then he got on top of the counter of the kitchen and got down on the floor.

„I'm not interested," A voice said calling Enrico's attention, which sneaked along the wall of the kitchen to get to the other side, then glimpsed at the corridor to see a slink, adult troll with a red vest stay in front of the door listening to Ernesto on the other side of the door.

Enrico looked around the kitchen, then looked at the various pans hung above the stove, then he had an idea and went to grab one of the pans and moved back to the arc of the kitchen slowly and watched the troll Orm speak to Ernesto.

„Listen, the lady said I should not let anyone get in here, no matter what they say. The best thing for you is if you pass by in an hour or two when she returns," Orm said. „You sound like a nice person, but you know orders are orders," Orm explained as Enrico slowly approached the troll with the pan, then swung the pan at his head knocking him down. „Ouch!" Orm cried falling down on the ground, unconscious and Enrico furrowed his eyebrows and moved Orm's nose.

„Those are awkward," Enrico commented, then rolled Orm to the side and opened the door, so Ernesto could get into the house, then he shrieked as he saw the troll on the floor.

„What did you do?" Ernesto asked watching the friend show him the pan.

„Watch the door, I will help Samuel into the house," Enrico mentioned seeing his father's friend had already got into the building and got close to the two teens and Enrico pointed at the troll earning a nod from the adult. „Ernesto, follow me up to the bedroom. The cubs must be up there," Enrico advised going stairs up slow, followed by the friend and they stopped in front of the door of Rollan's room, which was open. Ernesto looked around the small corridor and spotted the door of the bathroom move slowly earning his attention. Ernesto nudged Enrico and pointed at the door, making the boy smirk and walk quietly toward the door and opened it up to encounter an empty bathroom making him frown. Ernesto noticed at the edge of the door dark fur looking out, then he went down on his knees and pinched with his fingers on the fat he picked up with his finger catching the skin of a troll, causing it to yelp and alarm Ernesto.

„There you are!" Enrico exclaimed seeing the middle old cub scratch his back from being pinched, while in front of him stood the other siblings looking up at Enrico. Ivan pushed the door close to have them locked up and Enrico got down to pick up the front cubs by their fur behind their necks causing them to scream, while Ivan remained alone on the ground looking up in shock at his siblings in danger. „Ernesto pick up the fat one," Ordered Enrico making the friend nod, then Ivan ran at Enrico's leg and bit him on his leg making him cry, then Ernesto pushed Ivan by the back and held him up tight against his chest.

„We got them!" Shouted Ernesto, then Enrico walked out of the bathroom, walking the stairs down to encounter Samuel, which had been waiting with the bag for the teens to show up.

„Put them here," Samuel ordered looking back at the road, which was at the moment empty. „Quick, we have to enter quick into your dad's cart," Warned the adult watching the teens put the trolls into the bag, then Samuel placed it over his shoulder and he pulled it tight against his back due to the weight of the trolls.

„Dios Mio. This is heavy," Samuel complained, then felt kicks inside the bag and Enrico ran out to see his father come from the side, then Enrico lifted his hand, so the father pushed on the leash to command the horse to approach the building faster and Enrico ran at the carriage opening the door of it, so Samuel could put up the bag and helped the teens up at the carriage and Enrico's father whipped with the leash to order the horse to ran off with the carriage.

„I think we forgot to close the door," Ernesto mentioned making the adult shake his head.

„It doesn't matter, as long as no one knows about us, we're safe," Responded Samuel.

„Exacto. Also, Rollan is stuck in jail and in case he would get to the conclusion, that we were guilty no one's going to believe it," Enrico explained earning a nod from the friend.

„Okay, you're right. Just let's get out of here before we're suspected of something.....or worse, that one dragon shows up again,"

„I wonder who and what exactly the dragon has to do with Rollan or the trolls. Could they be somehow related?" Ernesto asked making Enrico shrug.

„Dumb thing is dad asked us to catch the dragon as well, but without it around how are we supposed to lure him to us?"

„I have no idea, maybe we'll find it out soon," Ernesto answered and sat down on the edge of the carriage to look at the road along with the friend of Enrico's father.

Rollan sat on the ground inside of his cell leaned against the wall bored at the loneliness in his cell, then he got up and sat down on the wooden board, which was the bed he would have to sleep over the night.

„The sun will set in several minutes. I think it's not possible for someone to pass by," Rollan thought, then heard a metal door unlock and squeak as it opened up, then Rollan got up and glanced through the grids trying to recognize the person, that came from the end of the corridor. „Mama?" Rollan questioned squinting his eyes to recognize his mother walk forward, then he shoves his hand out to wave at her. „Mama! Estoy Aqui!"

„Rollan, hijo!" Leticia called running towards his cell and stopped in front of him. „Gerda told me, what happened. Are you alright?"

„I'm bad. I'm almost freezing with these clothes they borrowed me," Rollan answered showing her the white shirt and white pants he was wearing.

„This place is really cold. You shouldn't be here,"

„I know, but I must stay here until the guards find out if Gerda and the others were lying or not. But that's impossible, they will end up here like me as well,"

„Your girlfriend mentioned, that she asked Pastor and Marina to help her find Roberto, so he could come to see you here,"

„Would he really believe me that?" Asked Rollan making his mother shrug her shoulders.

„We're working on it mi Hijo," Leticia assured the boy, then they heard footsteps on the ground and Leticia looked back to see Gerda approach along with the teacher from Rollan's academy, which was dressed normally rather than the uniform.

„You've found Rollan?" Gerda asked, then encountered Rollan and shove her hands through the cage to have Rollan grab her hands. „How are you?"

„I'm better now after seeing all of you," Rollan responded, then Gerda moved her right hand to lean it on his cheek.

„I told Lieutenant Roberto what happened and he wanted to talk to you," Gerda mentioned, then Rollan nodded and watched Gerda step aside to see Roberto come closer to the door.

„Young man. I have heard about what happened at the beach with Enrico. Something with a book, where you apparently were a bad guy and this was based on a real event,"

„I will be honest with you, Señor. About a year ago I went to this place they call the Troll Kingdom. It's located around the Trolltunga in Norway. I went there to look for a magic stone they call the wishing stone. I wanted to use that stone to become a legend and have powers of some sort. I met Gerda during the days I was around and told her about the stone and to obtain the chance to have her help I lied, that it would bring her missing parents back, which of course wouldn't. We went together into that tomb and found the stone, then as we touched the stone we got cursed and had 24 hours to revert our powers before we would be enslaved by the stone's demons. The worst part about it, is that I have no idea, what happened during the time I was possessed with these powers the wishing stone passed towards us. I just remember how Gerda and I awakened the demons and then I suddenly woke up inside Alfida's ship on a hammock. According to Gerda and the book I left her back in the middle of the lava and, and I tried to kill all the inhabitants of the kingdom including her friends. Gerda never came to look for me after I had fallen into the death, but two months later after she was reunited with her family and was traveling back to her home town, she found the ruins of the tomb and spotted my body on top of a block of stone, which was slowly getting eaten by the lava and she came down to save me, even after all I did. I couldn't believe their stories when they told me what I did. Neither I believed them, but I noticed their anger towards me and I could understand them. I was so silly in lying to people,"

„Alright, alright. Look your Gerda, she told me her side of the story already and the book..... I asked you to make sure it would correspond with hers. Also I wanted to see how honest you could be about that. You have never shown me any negative trait, that could make you a villain or a criminal. You've been working hard to improve yourself. Whatever happened in the past with you or with everyone else, that's something, that should stay there. Sure some people won't forget it so easily, but you know you did a mistake and realized it later. What matters now is, what you are today and what you're going to become in the future. And I know what will come will be someone great,"

„Gracias, Señor. I'm happy to know you trust me after what happened back then," Rollan responded, then the guard took from his jacket's pocket out a ring with attached keys and searched for the right one, he could use to unlock the door. Rollan left the cage and embraced the women, which were excited about Rollan's release.

„Thank you for calling his help,"

„What are we going to do now about this issue? You're able to go back to the academy, right?" Leticia asked making her son shrug his shoulders.

„I'm still going to talk with my comrades about this. I'm not supposed to let him out, but I made it my responsibility to let him out and in case something happens I'm the one to blame for it. But I know he won't let me down," Roberto explained looking at Rollan, which glanced at Gerda, which smiled at the love interest.

„I'm honored to know this, Señor," Rollan said earning a smile from the teacher.

„Is he allowed to come home with us?" Questioned Leticia looking at the guard.

„Sure, but I will accompany you all out. No one hasn't received any orders about this," Roberto responded making the woman nod.

A while later Rollan sat on a carriage along with his mother and Gerda heading back to their house. Rollan was chatting with his girlfriend during the ride while Leticia, Rollan's mother sat watching the houses they were passing by.

„He had luck. He managed to get the book out of my room without anyone noticing it," Declared Rollan. „He had the chance afterward to do that to me and you see, where it brought me,"

„Uno momento.....Yesterday night someone broke into our house?!?" Leticia asked shocked listening to her son's conversation.

„Si mama....But everything is okay, the cubs and I are okay," Rollan assured making his mother frown.

„You could have said anything. Enrico can't just break into our house like that. No matter how low his relationship is with you," Leticia complained earning a neutral face from her son.

„You know I didn't want to bother you with that and as you see nothing happened to us. We had an angel around......you know, a guardian angel," Rollan commented looking back at Gerda, which smiled at his comment and leaned her face behind his ear to whisper.

„You can tell her that as well," Gerda mentioned making Rollan nod.

„I tell her that another time when there are fewer things to worry about. I think for now on, she has heard enough," Rollan explained making the girlfriend nod.

„Sure, I'll show it when the time is right," Gerda commented. „I mean soon or later she will need to know, that I'm related to magicians,"

„Yeah, well that's another long story then. Shouldn't we discuss that together on another day? In more detail I mean?"

„I'm fine with it,"

Rollan nodded, then noticed his mother get up from the carriage to look at their house, then got down on her seat and moved Rollan on his shoulder.

„Rollan, is the door of our house open?" Leticia asked watching Rollan take a glimpse at the small veranda in front of their house to see it opened up.

„Si,"

„But Orm should have it closed, right?" Gerda questioned looking at Rollan which shrugged his shoulders.

„How high is the chance for Alfida and Kai to be in there with Orm?" Questioned the Spaniard.

„Uhm 50?" Rollan responded. „Stealing us at the moment would be worthless unless the thieves wouldn't mind taking any kind of furniture with them,"

„Some people are willing to do anything to get money nowadays," Leticia stated, then Rollan shut his eyes up remembering the cubs, that were attacked during the assault last night.

„I think I know, what's up," Rollan announced jumping off the carriage, then Gerda followed her boyfriend and they entered into the small hall of the house and saw no one was around in the first level. Rollan ran stairs up, while Gerda gazed into the kitchen to find a pan lying on the table. Leticia entered into the house to see Gerda inside the kitchen and noticed the pan lying on the table.

„The pan was up there with the others before," Leticia pointed out, then Gerda glimpsed under the table and walked back to the corridor to take a look into the living room, afterward he heard at the stairs his boyfriend get down to encounter the blonde.

„They're not up there," Rollan warned. „They're just gone without any note,"

„Something must have happened. Orm wouldn't just get out of here unless his and his cousin's lives were in danger," Stated Gerda.

„Yes. You're right, and how long is this ago?"

„It probably happened a longer while ago. At the moment we left I didn't notice anything suspicious around us,"

„Okay.....since yesterday I may have an idea who could have anything to do with this, but I don't know how I am supposed to have a confirmation about this theory. I believe Roberto would believe me, but I cannot tell him you were present during his assault as you were transformed. At least if I had to come along in the same space as Enrico,"

„Shall we go out and look for them? They could be around here, but I doubt they will," Gerda suggested earning a nod from Rollan.

„Mama will you stay here, while Gerda and I will go out and look for them?" Rollan asked earning a nod from the woman. „I'll be back soon,"

„Be careful, mi hijo," Leticia warned earning a nod from the son, which ran out with Gerda and stopped downstairs, then glanced at each other.

„Shall I check for them at the ship?" Gerda asked earning a nod from Rollan.

„Yes....oh and in case they're not around, ask Kai and Alfida to help us, if they can. I will as well ask Pastor and Marina if I find them,"

„Good and watch out, try to stay out of trouble," Warned the blonde earning a nod from the tall boy, which ran into the center of the town, afterward Gerda raced toward the road junction to follow the path along the sea