Firkon flew into a rage. The giantess had only inflicted a handful of casualties upon the legion, yet the soldiers still fled like rabbits before a fox. He stormed through the massive gate of the citadel hall, accompanied by three of his officers. A number of soldiers wearing purple attire opposed to the normal red stood inside, members of the citadel guard. Their rectangular great shields bore the insignia of a falcon, talons outstretched. They stood beside a tall figure, draped in purple, sitting at an elaborate marble throne.
Firkon's three officers stood behind him as he stormed up to the throne.
"Senix Praeclaris, I return bearing news of a defeat."
Firkon spit the word out as if it was poison. Praeclaris glared, and waved his hand.
"Very well. You failed at your task, and so our arrangement has drawn to a close. Our armies are no longer under your command. May the stars guide your path."
Firkon didn't budge.
"This particular giantess is more agile and intelligent than the armored ones we fought at the start of the wars. Your soldiers, upon taking a few light casualties, all deserted, leaving only myself and my rear guard. We had injured the giantess, and only a few more strikes would have been adequate to end her once and for all."
The Senix, rising from his throne, stared intensely at Firkon.
"My soldiers have not fought one of the giants for many years, and those that did are mostly now too old to serve in the vanguard. This citadel has had no need for a vast army, for our great walls and our mighty inventions have been enough to ward off others of our own kin. The legion that accompanied you was the best at our disposal, and they have not seen a true battle for many wintersÂ… is this why you have come? To complain about the army I gave you at your disposal? Your audacity is offensive."
Firkon glared, hand tightening around the pommel of his blade.
"I know we are from different factions, Senix. I know that our two nations have warred before, and they may war again. But we all have an agreement, and that is to become allies in the face of our true enemies. The giants have long since been mostly driven from this realm, and this agreement forgotten."
Firkon stepped up to the Senix, causing the citadel guards to eye each other in suspicion.
"However, even if giants and giantesses have been gone from this valley for a long time, one is here now. Even if your soldiers are poorly trained, you still have an obligation to fight alongside me. Even if you did not yourself agree to band together against the giants, you are still bound by this agreement."
Firkon drew his blade, prompting the citadel guards to ready their spears and circle him. They hesitated to attack, however, for Firkon's blade rested upon the neck of the Senix.
"And if, for some reason, you choose to disobey this agreement, this sacred pact that joins us, then I am obligated by the same agreement to strike you down upon this very spot, and unlike you, I don't shirk my duty."
Praeclaris didn't flinch, even as Firkon's blade was inches away from ending his life.
"The moment you cut my throat, my soldiers will hack you and your officers to pieces. I will agree to continue helping you, but if you ever threaten me again, I will have you and your men slain and your heads mounted upon pikes."
Firkon drew his blade back, causing the citadel guards to rush forth and attempt to grapple him. Even as they did this, one of Firkon's officers whistled, and Firkon's rear guard marched into the hall, spears at the ready. The citadel guards, outnumbered and unprepared for such an event, stopped their assault. Firkon pushed away one of the citadel guards, dusted himself off, and looked at Praeclaris one last time.
"I want you to gather your finest engineers together, and make a device capable of putting down the giant in a single shot. If they can't do it by tomorrow, I want you to give me a giant slave. They may be unwieldy, but few things can kill one of the giants as quickly as another giant."
Firkon stamped out, followed by his officers and rear guard. Petty politics wouldn't stop him from carrying through with his vengeance for every last innocent life lost.
~
Teagan grunted as she lowered herself to the ground. Her wounds were bleeding, and every movement was painful. The javelins of the tomkin army had fulfilled their ill purpose, inflicting nigh rehabilitating pain upon Teagan. Her ankles and lower legs oozed warm blood where the spears of the tomkins had pierced them and a large hole lied in her lower leg where she had pulled out the bolt fired from the tomkin device. She had miraculously routed the army, but she'd lost the upper hand in doing so. Their numbers were nigh unmarred, while she was wounded and tired. To make matters worse, Teagan wouldn't be surprised if that damnable escapee had mustered an even larger force and was arming them at the very moment.
Teagan sighed and slumped down as she realized that another battle would be the end of her. Eventually, her scare tactics wouldn't work, and she'd be forced to fight or flee. If she happened to be surrounded again, escape wasn't an option, leaving the inevitable battle to the death, most likely hers.
Teagan reached for her torn backpack when she remembered that she had hurled it at a cluster of soldiers, and left it behind. So much for dressing her wounds.
She idly reached for her box, needing something to distract her from her pain. She opened it and pulled out the tomkin girl with the red hair, grasping her gently but firmly. Teagan lied down on the ground and put the tomkin on her stomach.
~
Sihil breathed in the outside air and took in the various sights to be seen, glad to be out of the damn box for a bit. Even if the giantess was going to use her for such carnal pleasure, Sihil would gladly be used as such if she could spend a few minutes out of her dreaded prison.
She was, of course, still tentative as she was lowered onto the barely covered and slightly warm midriff of the giantess. She looked to the face of the giantess, and saw that her captor was wounded, a number of small spear-like wounds covering her arms and legs. The face of the giantess was one of pain and despair, and Sihil saw something deep and sad in those massive green eyes.
Sihil saw said eyes focused lazily on her, watching her every movement. Sihil, suppressing her urge to bolt, started to walk up to the face of the giantess, her curiosity overwhelming her instinct of self-preservation. If the giantess was going to eat her, she would have done it already. Sihil tripped and fell on a wrinkle on the shirt of the giantess, but landed rather softly on the softness of the giantess' abdomen. She saw a small smile tug at the edges of the giantess' mouth as she clambered up her large breasts and stood near the throat of the giantess, an arm's length from the mouth that had consumed so many lives.
Sihil sat by the mouth for a second, planning her course of action. She had to somehow gain the trust of the giantess... But how? They shared no language, and there was nothing she had to offer to the giantess.
Nothing, Sihil realized, except the only thing she carried with her throughout this journey.
Sihil stood up and cleared throat, causing the eye of the giantess to settle quite fixedly on her. Sihil pointed at herself.
"Sihil. See hill. Sihil."
She did it again. The giantess looked at her in confusion for a second, before a look of recognition crossed her gargantuan features. It wasn't happy, however. It seemed as if something deep and angry had been stirred up in the giantess. Sihil stood fast, looked the giantess steadfastly in the eye, and said her name one last time.
"I am Sihil."
The giantess sighed, causing Sihil to lose her footing and fall down. The giantess opened her mouth.
"Teagan. Tay gun. Teagan."
Sihil smiled, but on the inside she was celebrating, for she had done the impossible. She had told her name to the giantess, a small step in obtaining her freedom.
Sihil had even learned that the giantess, Teagan, perhaps was not as devoid of humanity as she first thought.
Teagan didn't seem quite as happy, as far as Sihil could tell. Her face portrayed a conflicting series of emotions, with suspicion rising above all else. Sihil, determined not to let the progress she had made amount to nothing, walked over to the mouth of the giantess. Teagan let this happen, and Sihil took a deep breath before curling up in a small ball on Teagan's cheek, trying to fall asleep. She knew it was an unlikely success, but perhaps she could endear herself to this Teagan enough that she would receive a window of opportunity to escape. Even if that opportunity didn't arise soon, Sihil was pleased just to be out of her prison.
~
Teagan eyed the tomkin with wariness and suspicion. She had broken this girl, devoured her kin, and yet now here she was trying to be friendly? Teagan knew something was afoot, and was not going to let this clever tomkin outsmart her. Teagan picked up the tomkin and returned her to the box before shutting the lid. Perhaps Teagan would refrain from eating this particular tomkin, but she wasn't about to let her guard up. If this tomkin escaped, she would assuredly alert the rest of her kind of Teagan's whereabouts, and lead to a quick and messy end to Teagan's search for the keep.
Teagan struggled to her feet, determined to escape this accursed valley before she was beset upon again by another legion.
~
Firkon grinned as he marveled at the weapon he had been provided. For something made in less than a day, it was truly beautiful. It would surely spell the end of that blasted giantess, and allow him to return to his home. He thought briefly of the girl with the giantess, and wondered if she really was working with the giant.
Firkon shook his head, and returned his focus to the weapon. This would all be over soon.
Giantess World
All is Lost by Enzo
Author's Chapter Notes:
I had a lot of fun writing this chapter. Although it did take longer than expected. Hopefully next chapter will take a lot less time. This chapter has more gentle interaction than anything else, but it was interesting to work on nonetheless.
Chapter End Notes:
I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Stick around for more, hopefully coming soon.