Darius dismounted his horse quietly. The stone of Brooke's chimney had come into view through the trees, but no sign of Brooke. He tied the horse to a low limb and crept towards the cottage. He noticed first that the roof was intact, meaning Brooke had probably not had the chance to start collecting her things. He trotted lightly to the back wall, peering in through one of the windows. Her cottage had been turned over, the door was kicked in. He saw movement from the other side. A royal soldier paced back and forth on a horse, Darius crept around the side, noticing that entire rows of trees had fallen on either side of the path leading towards the road.
Seeing that the soldier was alone Darius waited until he had his back turned before charging at him, leaping and grabbing hold of his armor before crashing to the ground. The young man coughed as he struggled under Darius's weight. Darius tipped his helmet off with his blade, glaring down at him.
"Why are you here?"
"I-I was ordered to stand watch" He stammered eying the black blade with wide eyes.
Darius held the blade to his throat, "What happened here"
~~(The previous morning)~~
Brooke grunted as she was prodded on all sides by tree limbs, trying not to damage the forest too much. Finally the clearing that held her house came into view. Her pace slowed as she heard the strange murmur of horse hoofs. She cautiously moved closer, eyes widening as she saw a group of armed soldiers walking along the path, a few horses stood ties up outside of her home. She snarled, ready to put a swift end to these intruders.
A shout rang out, Brooke decided to hold her anger back, after all they might still think she was on their side. She knelt down behind her cottage, all of the soldiers attention was on her. Her gaze shifted as a figure emerged from her cottage, five men at the woman's side. The Queen turned, though seemed to remain calm, not much could be said for the others.
"Oh, there you are!" Her voice echoed up to Brooke, she flicked a lock of dark reddish brown hair from her face.
"Why are you at my home?" Brooke asked calmly.
"Looking for you, of course" She responded with a grin, "You had served my husband, and I hoped to continue that partnership"
"I sold him things, I did not serve him. And I truly regret ever giving you such a powerful tool"
"Oh, I am sorry to hear that"
"You seem to have accomplished the impossible, being even more of a monster than King Jared!" Brooke spat, leaning over her cottage. The queen backed away nervously, glancing toward a group of robed figures, giving them a nod.
Brooke glared at them, but nearly jumped to her feet as one flung a red sack into the air. Carried by magic it nearly struck Brooke in the face, but exploded into a blue cloud before colliding with her nose. She gasped, the blue cloud suddenly jumped into her lungs. Brooke knew what it was, groaning slightly as she fell to her side unconscious.
~~~~
"T-They carted her to the castle, it took nearly the whole army to do it" The soldier stammered.
"Did you see where they are holding her?" Darius snarled.
The man shook his head, "T-They only asked me to stand guard" He whimpered as the black point dug into his throat, a little red dribble running from the blade, "P-P-Please don't kill me"
"Do you have a family?" The man nodded, "Children?" He shook his head, "A wife?"
"Y-Yes, I-I live with my mother, she is often sick" His eyes pleaded with Darius.
"If you tell anyone you saw me, I will find where you live, tie your mother to a chair, and cut your wife to pieces before your very eyes, starting from her delicate little feet and upwards. Then, your mother will have to watch as I blind and mute her son, but you will keep your ears so you can hear her dying screams!"
Tears nearly flooded from the mans eyes as he nodded furiously.
"Good" Darius stood, "As you were"
~~~~
"He should be back by now" Sarah said pacing, watching as the sun slowly dipped below the horizon.
"He will be alright" Luthor said confidently.
Rodrick nodded, seated up on Nika's knee as she sat cross legged, "If I know anything my friend it is that he is perhaps too good at sneaking around"
Darius broke the tree line, his horse panting heavily.
"You came alone?" Nika asked with a concerned look.
Darius nodded, "And with some bad news" The others crowded around him, "Brooke had a run in with the Queen, they have taken her prisoner back at the castle"
"Oh no..." Nika gasped.
Darius nodded, "But it is true that they will not be able to use any sort of size magic against her?"
Nika nodded, "Unless they are better sorcerers than I or Brooke"
"I doubt that" Darius said, "But regardless they have the means to keep her contained, I fear to think of what they might do if she is held there much longer"
Rodrick hopped down from Nika's knee, "Do you suggest we break her out of there" He said with a grin.
"I was hoping to not do it alone" Darius responded.
"It would take weeks for my kingdom to give me a force, if at all, to assist you" Luthor said, "But I can see who will be willing to come"
"Will you?" Darius asked, Luthor nodded, "Good, your services will be greatly appreciated. The more we can get the better"
"Then I will come" Nika said with a nod, "I have never used my magic in battle but I can assure you it will be more than enough to keep a charging line at bay"
"I can believe that" Darius laughed.
"And me!" Wendy said with a nod.
"No...Wendy, you will stay back"
"But I can fight"
"By swinging a tree around?"
"Yes, that will work"
"No, Wendy we will not ask you to fight, stay here with Sarah"
"We could probably mass a small army with all of the people who fled, many of them are more than willing to fight"
~~~~
The Queen grinned to herself as she strolled back up to her throne. She stepped up, smiling down at a small box she had left on the armrest, "Hello again my dears" She grinned down at the tiny squirming figures inside, "So, I hope you have all thought over my warning" She slipped her hand inside and plucked one of the tiny people out. The man squirmed in her hand.
"Now" She started, "Where did the rest of your little group of revolutionaries go?" He glared up at her, but remained silent. She sighed, "Please don't make me be cruel, after all surely one of your tiny friends will give me the answers I want after you" He remained silent, eyes widening in fear as she sighed, "Alright then" She flicked her wrist, tossing the man into the air a few feet from her. He hit the ground with a loud slap, rolling to a stop. The queen whistled, the clacking of paws ran beside her, "Go on" She said to the sleek black canine. The dog licked its jaws as it ran over to the limp and broken figure, swallowing him down quickly before coming back to the Queens side.
The queen sat still for a moment, an idea crossed her mind and she strolled out to one of the tables, setting the box down. She slipped her hand into the box once again, "Now, same question"
"So you can collect and torture the rest of us?" The man spat.
"Oh, don't say it like that...I just want my loyal subjects back"
"You will never have anything-" The man was cut off as she slammed him painfully on the table. She pressed a long fork to his chest.
"Tell me what I want to know...it can only benefit you"
"I am not so self-"
The Queen grinned as she heard the thunk of the forks points against the table. She watched the man squirm slightly before falling limp. She lifted the body from the table, frowning at the little red pool before flicking him over her shoulder, the loud clacking following, "What a waste" She said with a sarcastic sigh, "It appears more traditional methods are not so successful with you stubbom bunch of peons" She tapped her long fingernails against the wooden table. There were only two little prisoners left, out of this batch at least.
She lifted them both, these were only two inches in height, "Alright" She looked towards one, "I'm sorry but you have to be the example here" She opened her mouth and slipped him inside. He screamed and thrashed against her tongue, the other pleading desperately with her. Another idea crossed her mind just before tossing the man between her teeth. She slipped him back towards her throat, opening her mouth for the other to see.
"L-Let him out! Y-You couldn't possibly-"
"Hush, I will let him out, if you give me the answers I want...hurry now I think he is slipping"
"I-I" The man stammered, watching his friend struggling within her throat.
"Don't tell her!" The man screamed.
The Queen closed her lips as she waited, smiling down at the man in her hands. He man lowered his head, she shrugged and swallowed, "Oh...he feels quite lovely going down" She gasped. She sighed again, "Well...I'm sorry but you have just sacrificed not only your companion but yourself" She grinned lifting him into the air. Her lips parted, her tongue dropping to accept him.
"No!" The man cried as he fell, slipping against her tongue, falling quickly into her throat.
The Queen smiled, feeling the little squirms slip into her belly. She got to her feet, leaving the empty box on the table and exiting the room towards her personal chambers.
~~~~
Darius looked out over the line of men. They varied from all ages, he grimaced every time he saw a man who had lived too many years, or too few. Luthor had found twenty real soldiers ready to go in just for a fight, they seemed to be the only ones who could pass for real fighters.
"We are almost ready" Luthor said with a nod, "When we arrive at the gate, or where ever her army might encounter us you must ask quickly"
Darius nodded, "I understand, you are very brave to accept such a fight"
Luthor shrugged, "I believe I am doing what is best for both of our kingdoms"
"Just be careful...all of you" Sarah said nervously, "I still feel sick that such violence will happen on my behalf"
"Not just your behalf" Darius mentioned softly, "These men are willing to fight for their land, and for you...they have all more loyalty to you than they had for your late father"
Sarah nodded, "I hope I can live up to their standards...I must"
Giantess World
