After catching a few hours of sleep in the early hours of the morning, I was woken by the sun streaming through my window. I groaned the slightest- being both the Prince’s lover and bodyguard meant losing out on a little sleep, but I couldn’t really complain. I was happily under his spell, completely head over heels. I’d do anything to see him smile, to make sure he was safe. 

I got to leave my armor hanging in my room. That day was beach day which meant normal clothes! I threw on an outfit that the Prince picked out for me on one of his shopping sprees. I didn’t really know much about fashion. In fact, I’d say I was pretty hopeless most of the time, but he seemed to always know what would look best, and the fabrics were always light and airy- kept me cool on hot days! I think he liked to see me in them too based on the way his gigantic, golden brown eyes would ravage me when I wore them. 

Wearing my fancy duds, I made the trek to my giant’s room where I climbed onto his bed, quickly enveloped by his familiar scent, the radiating warmth of his body while he slept. Being in his bed was one of the quickest ways to make me melt. There was something about being surrounded on all sides by the man that I adored that made my heart flutter every time. I just sighed dreamily as I peered up at his sleeping form, watching his giant chest gently rise and fall, hearing his powerful lungs pump oxygen through him. 

I glanced at his partially exposed body, eyes following a trail of freckles that lead to his sexy, blonde pubic hair. It disappeared beneath the comforter which was obviously tented by his giant cock. He was always so hard in the mornings. I knew it was just a result of his body relaxing while he slept but god, the morning wood made me so hot. There had been a few mornings where I crawled under the covers to stroke it and rub against it until it woke my Prince. The efforts definitely pleased him and usually resulted in a few hours of us exchanging affections but Moira was sleeping on the pillow just next to him and I would never do something like that with her around. 

“I should probably wake him in a normal way,” I thought to myself, so I used some of his impossibly long hair as a rope and climbed up onto his shoulder. His smell was exponentially stronger once I was tangled up in his hair- the power of his pheromones. I touched on the warm, soft skin of his neck, feeling his pulse humming. I gently petted him and pressed my lips to him until he began to stir. 

“Mmm,” he moaned as he awoke, shifting ever so slightly. “What a pleasant thing to wake up to..” 

Ugh, his voice was so sexy in the mornings- graveled by sleep and just so all encompassing and pretty. 

“Good morning, baby..,” he said as he turned his face towards me, nuzzling his nose and lips against me. I flushed at the pet name. For some reason I still wasn’t used to having the Prince’s affection. I mean, out of all the people in the world, he was calling /me/ baby? I smiled as I touched on his lower lip, giggling a bit. 

“You’re making me want to go to sleep… your neck is so cozy.” 

I glanced over at Moira who was snuggled up with one of the Prince’s hands, hugging around his finger. She frowned, groaning a bit. 

“It’s too early for you guys to be so cute. Can’t a girl get some sleep?” 

Cass pulled his hand and her to his chest, now snuggling with both of us. He purred as he pet Moira and planted a kiss on me. 

“Mmm.. both of my favorite people all snuggled up with me? I am a spoiled Prince, hm?” He sighed, being a little possessive as he pulled us both a bit closer to him. “Perhaps I’ll just never let you go,” he said happily. I don’t think either of us hated that idea, but when the Prince closed his eyes again, we both knew that could mean being pinned under his hands while he caught a few more hours of sleep. 

“Nope! Uh uh! Wake up, pretty boy. It’s beach day!!” Moira tried her hardest to lift the heavy hand off of her, but it was difficult even for me. I remember the first time I lifted one of the Prince’s hands I had to use all of my leg strength! He was so impressed! Cass just groaned. 

“Mmm… so early..,” He whined. He slowly shifted with a sigh, sitting up and stretching as he yawned. “Fine fine.. I’m getting up..” 

I couldn’t help but notice that he looked a little more tired than usual. There were clear dark circles beneath his eyes and he seemed extra groggy, but maybe he and Moira just stayed up a little too late gossiping. They loved to chat into the early hours of the morning and my Prince didn’t exactly love waking up before lunch time. I just sat on the bed as the Prince slowly got ready for the day, throwing on a pair of tight, gold swim bottoms that he covered in a short, sheer sarong. His royal bulge looked immaculate in them, so much so that Moira caught me staring with my mouth agape, giving me a playful shove when she noticed. His ass looked even better as he turned his back to me and started pulling his hair into some pretty braids. God, I was such a lucky man… 

It wasn’t long before the Prince carried Moira and I on either shoulder as he walked to the beach, a slight jingle with each step from the multicolored, iridescent beads adorning his exposed abdomen, some hanging around his waist. There were so many eyes on him as he passed through the city gates, the sight of the giant, nearly naked Prince bringing a blush to everyone’s face. I noticed some folks shooting envious looks in my direction. It wasn’t exactly a secret that we’d been seeing each other and the city was buzzing with gossip over it. Some even wondered if we’d be married, but… well, I knew that Cass was destined to marry another noble- something I tried my hardest not to think about. We’d cross that bridge when we got there, right? 

He walked a bit slower than normal. His giant strides definitely took us much further than my legs could have carried us, but he just seemed a little sluggish, his pulse fluttering in his neck. A bead of cold sweat dripped down his temple and landed heavily on the ground below as he started to pant. If he were a normal sized man I may not have even noticed, but being so large meant something as simple as breathing could become loud pretty easily. I reached out and touched his neck in concern. 

“Cass? You okay?” 

He paused for a moment, a look in his pretty eyes that I didn’t recognize. He looked almost dazed, maybe even afraid? But my lover was a master of covering up his feelings, and I was bad at reading people. He mustered a smile, wiping his brow. 

“Yeah.. It’s just a little hot.” He sighed. “Carrying you humans everywhere is exhausting,” He teased. 

I smiled sheepishly, terrible at detecting a lie. “We’re almost there, babe..” 

When we finally arrived, he set us both down on the beach as he unrolled a gigantic towel. This was when I should have realized something was wrong because normally the Prince would go sprinting out into the ocean as soon as we got there. He loved the water ever since he was a little boy, and he could swim as well as a mermaid could, his powerful body able to propel him miles through the water at a time. I braced myself for the inevitably gigantic wave that would come crashing onto shore when he jumped into the water, but my Prince just sat down on the towel and sighed. 

I stared up at him, a bit perplexed. “Not gonna swim, Cass?” 

He smiled softly, peering out at the ocean. “Mm.. I'd like some sun first I think.” His giant, golden eyes fixed on me as he smirked. “You look like you could use a swim, though?” 

Before I could even respond, I was being scooped up by one of his massive hands and being thrown dozens of feet through the air. I let out a shriek which quickly turned to laughter as the ocean grew closer and closer. I expertly curled my body into a cannonball, crashing into the water with great force. I was plunged deep underwater- he must have thrown me pretty far. I heard the surface of the water break a second time and looked over to see Moira sinking into the water next to me. Our eyes went wide for a moment- realizing that our Prince had just used us like skipping stones. 

We shared a good laugh about it after surfacing, peering over at Cass who gave us a playful wave. 

“I’m gonna get you back for that, you big jerk!!” Called Moira. 

I saw the Prince laugh before reclining back with a book. I gazed at him for a moment. He looked so beautiful sprawled out on the beach with the sun beating down on him. I was quickly splashed by Moira. 

“You can stare at him later. Put me on your shoulders!” She laughed, already climbing onto my back. 

We splashed around for probably an hour or so, just giggling and gossiping and playing. Moira was a good friend. I could see why she and the Prince had been inseparable for so long, and I think she was really starting to like me which was important. I wanted every reason for Cass to keep me around. 

I remember having so much fun that day. Even though my Prince hadn’t joined us in the water, it was nice knowing he was nearby on the beach, enjoying the sun. I just wish I had been paying more attention. I noticed in the corner of my eye when he rose from the sand. The weight of his colossal body made dull thuds as he gently padded along the shore. Moira and I were talking about food- making plans to go raid the Prince’s giant picnic basket soon, but that’s when it happened.. I noticed Cass’s stance waver, and being so graceful, it wasn’t like him to suddenly lose his balance. One moment he was strolling along the shore, the next he was collapsing. The ground shook violently as his titanic body crashed into the sand. Birds and bugs alike came soaring out of the nearby trees, startled by the great disturbance. I think he briefly tried to catch his weight with one of his arms which dampened the fall only slightly, but it's nearly impossible for a creature of that immensity not to cause a commotion. My heart was in my throat as I realized what had happened. I looked over at Moira only to see my own expression reflected on her face- a look of pure fear and panic. 

We swam over as quickly as we possibly could. The shore brushed up along the Prince’s body, one of his arms extended limply in the water. I was relieved that his face was clear of the waves. He at least wasn’t at any risk of drowning for now. His eyelids fluttered a bit as I drew near his face, but he soon went still. 

“Prince!” I screamed, touching his face, trying to figure out what the hell I was supposed to do for him. I wanted to pull him away from the water, hold him in my arms, but of course none of those things were possible. I felt so tiny, so useless, so weak. Moira quickly joined me, giving his giant face a few gentle slaps. 

“Cass! Cass, baby, you gotta wake up!” 

Tears sprang to her eyes as she looked at me in panic for a beat before shouting, “Sorren, you have to run to the temple! Run to the temple and get the High Cleric! NOW!” She placed her hands on my arms, pushing me along. I just nodded dumbly. There was very little I could do at that moment, but I could run. My body was built for that. 

My heart beat so hard that it rattled my ribcage as I sprinted as fast as I could back to the city. Cass’s giant stride always made the trip so much faster, so I had to make up for the difference- I’m not sure how long it took for me to get there. Time seemed to pass at an agonizing rate. The world around me was a blurry mess as the image of my Prince collapsing played over and over again in my head. I tried hard not to think of the worst, just tried to stay focused on putting one foot in front of the other, sweat dripping down my temples. 

I blew past the front gates when I finally reached the city, yelling for the guards to let me through- that Prince Cass had fallen and that I needed to reach the High Cleric as soon as possible. Everyone seemed to clear a path for me, looks of worry on their faces after hearing that something might be wrong with the beloved Prince. My legs were screaming by the time I passed the temple’s threshold, gasping for air as I called out for High Cleric Rossa. Many of the other clerics looked to me in concern, recognizing me as the Prince’s personal guard. 

“Please!” I cried out. “I need High Cleric Rossa!” 

It wasn’t long before the small form of the High Cleric stepped out. We’d met a few times before- he’d been Cass’s doctor since he was a child. His graying brow furrowed, his typically kind eyes filled with worry. I knew the moment I saw his expression- Rossa already knew something about Cass’s condition- the Prince was hiding this from me. 

“Let us get the horses,” he said, quickly gathering his medical bag. 

~~~

I think I must have been in shock as I rode with Rossa and a handful of other clerics back to the beach. My whole body was cold, drenched in sweat. I probably should have been exhausted but the adrenaline kept me fresh. Physically, my body was ready for anything, but mentally, I could hardly process what Cleric Rossa was saying. He mentioned an illness called “Giant’s Bane”, how Cass had been sick with it for a little over a month, how it's not something that humans know how to treat, that when the giants left all those years ago, they took all of their medical knowledge with them. The Prince apparently first visited Cleric Rossa in concern of the dark circles under his eyes. It wasn’t even that he feared for his health- he said he wanted to look his best for a date. God, he wanted to look pretty for me… 

 I would have cried. I mean, I felt the lump in my throat, but the tears just didn't come. My body shook, though. I trembled with fear, with heartbreak. The Prince was my whole world. I couldn’t bear the thought of losing him. 

When we finally reached the beach, I saw that Cass’s eyes were open and I nearly leapt off my horse. The healers rushed over to him and began attending to him- taking his vitals, pouring potions into his mouth, wiping his brow. He looked a little pale, his giant yet slender hands trembling ever so slightly. His eyes darted around- looking for someone- for me. I could feel his heart sink when his eyes finally found me. He looked sad, afraid. Small. 

“S-sorren..,” He said, nearly under his breath. 

I knew that this wasn’t the time to scold him for keeping his illness a secret from me, so I rushed to his side and fawned over him, touching his hand. 

“I’m here.” 

~~~ 

I’d been talking with the clerics for a while as Cass rested back home in his bed. No one was capable of carrying him, so we waited for him to gather enough strength to walk back home on his own. I could tell he wanted to downplay the whole thing- pretend like it was just a silly fall, that he was still an unstoppable force. I realized for the first time just how lonely it must have been for him to be a giant surrounded by humans- no one could carry him home. Not even me. 

After conversing with the healers for hours, I finally crept into my Prince’s room and climbed onto his bed. His eyes were closed, but they quickly fluttered open as he became aware of my presence. His lips parted like he was about to speak, but he couldn’t seem to find the words. I just sighed, staring up at him in concern- he looked so exhausted. It made my heart ache. 

“…You should be sleeping.”

His brow furrowed, lips pulling into a soft smile. He gingerly reached out, fingers curling around me and touching my back. I flushed. I was a little upset- mostly worried sick, but upset. I averted my eyes, nervously rubbing my arm. 

“You’re angry with me..,” He said, voice soft and a little hoarse. 

I shook my head. “Cass…,” I sighed, looking at him. “You’re sick. I mean, really sick.. And what? You just weren’t going to tell me?” 

He frowned, blinking a few times before looking off towards the end of the bed. “I was going to tell you, but… we’ve been so happy.” His golden eyes fixed on me again, finger gently stroking my jawline. “I didn’t want to ruin that. I just wanted to enjoy you.” 

He smiled at me, but for once it didn’t make me feel any better. Batting his long eyelashes could only solve so much. I gently pushed his fingers off of me, taking a few steps closer as I looked up at him seriously. 

“Cleric Rossa has been telling me all about it. About how it will make you weak, how your body will deteriorate- you might lose your eyesight, Cass.” I shook my head at him. “This is serious.” 

He frowned, turning his head away from me. “You think I don’t know that it’s serious?” His face went stony. I swear I felt the room turn cold. 

I swallowed, taking another step forward. “The giants knew how to fix it though. If we could just find them-“ 

He cut me off, scoffing. “Ugh, what giants, Sorren?” He looked at me sharply. “The giants who disappeared when my parents were murdered? They’re all gone.” 

“Cleric Rossa said there are rumors about the Dusted Summit in the North- people tell stories about giant footprints in the snow, unimaginably large clothing and baskets that have been discarded along the mountain path. How do you know the giants aren’t there? They could help you-“ 

He cut me off again, glaring down at me. I was making him upset. “Those are just /stories/. Folklore- tales that a bunch of snowbound people made up to make their lives less miserable.” He sighed, bringing a trembling hand to his face where he squeezed the bridge of his nose. “I don’t want to spend what’s left of my life chasing something that doesn’t exist, Sorren..” 

I shook my head, unable to accept this. “We can send a team out to investigate- hell, I’ll lead them! It’s worth looking for if it means saving your life.” 

He just looked away and crossed his arms. “I want you to drop this.” 

My jaw dropped a bit. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing- did he not even /care/? I stared up at him for a few beats before balling up my fists. “No,” I said firmly. 

I marched over and climbed up the blanket in his lap, planting my feet firmly on his thigh. I watched his brow furrow as he glanced down at me. 

“You can’t do this, Prince.” I could feel my eyes getting wet, my face flushing. My emotions were running away with me and there was nothing I could do to stop them, so I just let them ride. 

“You can’t just give up- not anymore- not after choosing me as your guard. Not after kissing me in the hot springs and stealing my armor. Not after making me love you!” That’s when the tears started to stream, my lip quivering. “You made me love you, Prince. How could you ask me to drop this?” 

My Prince’s eyes went impossibly wide as I made my speech. I’d somehow stunned him again, though I couldn’t tell if this was going to be good or bad for me. He just stared down at me with those giant, golden brown eyes, a very quiet gasp escaping his lips. My brow furrowed as for the very first time, I saw those pretty eyes well with tears. 

“…You love me?” 

The tears in his eyes swelled until they grew large enough to overflow, spilling down his cheeks. He blinked at me with long, thick lashes, dew drops sticking to them. I have to admit, he was beautiful when he cried. 

I nodded. “Yes. I love you. So much, Cass..” 

His lips pulled into a soft pout as he started to cry. The ground I stood on shifted as he curled onto his side, letting his head rest against the sheets. He pulled me in front of his face, tears soaking the sheets. I felt all consumed by his huge, wet eyes. 

“I’m sorry,” he said hoarsely. I think if we were the same size, this would have been like his head falling onto my chest. “I’m sorry, Sorren… I’m scared..” 

My heart throbbed. I reached a hand out and moved some of his blonde hair out of his eyes. 

“Hey… I know..,” I shushed him. “I know… me too..” 

I stepped a bit closer and the Prince nuzzled his nose and lips against me. I sighed.

“Let me help you, baby.. let me go find the giants..”

I felt him frown and he shook his head. “No. I don’t want you to leave me. I don’t want to spend any of the time I have left without you.. because I love you.” 

I blushed, looking into his big eyes. “…If that’s true, then I have to save you, Prince. I swore I’d protect you. You have to let me.” 

He stared at me for a few beats. “Well, you’re not going alone.” He sighed. “If you’re going to find the giants, I’m coming with you.” 

My eyes went wide, ready to object. “Prince..” 

He touched his finger to my chin. “Don’t argue with me. I’m not going to be the helpless Prince who waits to be saved by the hero..” He shook his head. “Besides, my legs will carry us so much farther than your little ones.” 

I just stared at him- I could tell he was serious and at least this meant there would be a chance of saving his life. I pet his cheek, gently nodding at him. 

“Okay.” 

He pressed his lips to me, and we settled down for the night, but my thoughts spooled up about what we’d just agreed to- the Prince and I were going on an adventure.