Chapter 5
Kindness by the Riverbank
Remembering the fairy's words, Lily offers the troll her lunch. This simple act of kindness melts his gruff exterior. The troll, touched by her empathy, finally allows Lily safe passage across the sparkling river.
Lily’s heart thumped a little faster as she approached the sparkling river. The grumpy troll, a mountain of moss and stone, stood resolutely on the opposite bank, his arms crossed over his formidable chest. His frown seemed to deepen with every ripple that danced across the water. She remembered the shy fairy’s whispered words, the gentle flutter of her wings as she’d spoken of the troll’s hidden loneliness. It was a secret that felt as big and heavy as the troll himself. Lily clutched the small, checkered cloth bundle that held her lunch. It wasn't much, just a cheese sandwich and an apple, but it was all she had.
“Halt!” the troll boomed, his voice like stones tumbling down a cliff. “No one crosses my river without my say-so!”
Lily swallowed, her voice a little wobbly. “But… but I need to get across. My grandmother is sick, and I’m looking for a special flower.”
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