"Sir Edward! You're okay!" Ella shouted with joy and relief when she saw Billy safely exit the dangerous cave. She ran forward to hug him, but quickly stopped herself before she could, blushing.

"And you're okay too. Thank goodness," Billy smiled, happy that his friend had made it to safety. He looked around and was surprised to see that the other two goblins he had met earlier, Dusty and Thorn, had been standing outside with Ella. They looked relieved that he was okay, but there was a hint of worry still showing in their eyes.

"Sir Edward! Is Grunt..." Dusty started to say, voice faltering away as if she did not want to finish her sentence.

Billy didn't know how to answer her. He didn't know whether Grunt was okay or not, so he couldn't say anything for certain. They would all have to wait outside in hopes that he would return.

"I-I don't know, Dusty," Billy stuttered, and then cringed at what he had said as if he had unwillingly been the bearer of bad news.

"We'll have to wait and see, Dusty. Don't worry. Grunt is the strongest goblin we know of," Thorn said softly, putting a comforting hand on Dusty's shoulder.

"How did you guys know where we were?" Billy asked slowly, cautiously changing the subject with a question that he was genuinely curious by.

"We were worried about you, Sir Edward. We knew that you were on a quest, and we also knew that the trolls reside close to the mountains, so we knew that we had to go after you to make sure that you would be okay!" Thorn answered. "When we reached the mountain path, we heard a lot of commotion going on in one of the caves, and before we knew it Ella had come running out."

"That's right. And I told them that you were still inside about to fight the trolls. Grunt ran inside almost instantly to save you, good Sir," Ella explained cordially, nodding at the other two goblins beside her.

"We do hope that he will be alright...that crazy Grunt..." Dusty said sadly, looking down at the ground.

Billy and Ella didn't know what to say, both wanting to comfort her but worried that they would just be giving her false hope if they tried. The entire group was silent, looking at the cave's entrance and hoping that they would soon see Grunt walking out victoriously.

Minutes passed, and there was still no sign of Grunt. Dusty looked as if she would not be able to take any more waiting, as she fidgeted nervously. Thorn had opened his mouth to say something to her, carrying eyes resembling sorrow, and Billy worried that what Thorn had to say wouldn't offer such a positive outlook.

But before Thorn could say anything at all, a voice echoed, "The leader is down!"

Everyone looked up at the cave entrance to see Grunt walking out tiredly, but with a triumphant look. However, he was not alone. A disgruntled looking troll was walking behind him, tiny as could be.

Dusty and Thorn cheered and ran towards Grunt, too relieved to take much notice of the little troll. Billy and Ella had sure noticed him, though, and exchanged bemused glances.

"Sir Edward. Your sword," Grunt stated formally, nodding respectably towards Billy as he handed him the sword.

"Thank you, Grunt, so much for saving our lives...but...who's that?" Billy gestured towards the little troll that was trailing behind Grunt as if he were a dependant puppy. The troll was muttering angrily under his breath.

"This here is Rashi. I found him hiding behind a few rocks in the cave. To make up to you all the trouble he has helped cause, he is going to help you on your quest. Isn't that right, Rashi?" Grunt glared at the little troll.

Rashi grumbled under his breath but nodded.

Billy realized what Grunt had done, and was grateful for it as well. He knew that it would be beneficial to have one of the trolls with him, as he could provide valuable information of where Princess Claria's whereabouts could be.

"That's awesome, Grunt! We're looking for the Queen's daughter, Princess Claria, who disappeared somewhere here in the north," Billy explained.

Grunt nodded his head in understanding and looked down at Rashi. "Rashi," He barked. "Do you know anything about where Princess Claria might be?"

Rashi shook his head furiously while cackling, "No, no, no! I don't know where she is at all!"

"Rashi! I demand a serious answer!" Grunt snarled. Rashi yelped and his laughter had quieted.

"Okay, okay! We didn't take the princess. We didn't know that there was a princess around, either," he confessed, and then added angrily, "But if we did know, then you can bet us a hundred humans that we would have gone after her! Oh, yes we would have! We-"

"Silence!" Grunt shouted at the little troll. Rashi grumbled under his breath but remained silent.

Billy sighed in frustration. It didn't look like the little troll could offer much help after all. If even the trolls hadn't seen Claria pass through the north, then it could be very possible that she wasn't there at all. If they never found Princess Claria, he would never finish the story, and therefore, never return home. Billy shuddered at the thought.

"Do you have any idea of where she might be?" Billy asked Rashi desperately. "Any idea at all?"

Rashi looked up at Billy and then said seriously, "Well...there is one place..." he looked ahead of them.

"What? What is it?" Ella prompted, eyes widening.

"I don't think I want to tell you. You don't deserve to know," Rashi glared.

"Please?" Billy added in desperation.

"No, no, no!" Rashi snarled.

Billy sighed. What had worked on the goblins had sadly, not worked on the little troll.

"Rashi, we need to know where Princess Claria is! If you tell us, you'll be a hero! Please Rashi, just tell us!" Grunt urged, clearly getting frustrated with Rashi's defiance.

"I don't think being a hero is my best interest at the moment," Rashi shrugged.

Grunt started growling in warning. Rashi yelped as his hair stood up and said quickly, "Eeep! Okay! Okay! The Hidden Palace! The Hidden Palace! The Evil Prince! The Evil Prince!"

"The Hidden Palace? An evil prince?" Grunt tilted his head. Billy and Ella exchanged confused glances.

"Can you tell us more, little troll?" Dusty encouraged, looking down at Rashi.

"The Hidden Palace is a place that I don't think any of you humans or goblins know about. But we trolls know about it because we have experienced it," Rashi began. The others prompted for more.

Rashi continued. "Many years ago, a band of trolls wandered too far into the north, and were chased out by a dragon. That dragon guards a big palace, that we call The Hidden Palace. If your princess wandered too far into the North, then she very well could have faced that dragon."

Everyone looked at each other with surprise.

"Are you telling the truth?" Grunt eyed Rashi suspiciously.

Rashi stayed silent, expressionless.

"I'll believe it when I see it," Billy said. "I think we all should keep heading north. That's the best thing to do at the moment."

"You're coming with us, Rashi," Grunt ordered. Rashi grumbled and trailed after him as they both started heading north. Dusty and Thorn followed.

"Wait, don't you all have to guard the Goblin Bridge?" Billy questioned, curious of who would guard the bridge if all three goblins he had seen were gone.

"No. There are more of us, they live under the bridge. We switch guarding duties throughout the day. I think you're pretty lucky that we were the three that you two came across," Grunt explained.

"So the bridge will be fine?" Ella inquired for confirmation.

"Yes, the bridge will be fine. Now come, we must hurry to complete your quest," Grunt gestured for the two to follow. Billy and Ella looked at each other and nodded, following the goblins and Rashi towards the north.