Chapter 4

Vera spent that night in the palace courtyard. The ground was rough and uneven but she was quite weary from all her experiences. Sleep took her far more quickly than she expected in such a strange place. Unfortunately for the Piconoreans, Vera had never been an easy sleeper.

She snored terribly, for one thing, and the sound reverberated and echoed throughout the city. The windows of many homes were rattled by the racket. Vera also tended to toss and turn as she slept. Each time she shifted position, the ground rumbled below her, sending tremors throughout the area. She frequently rolled onto her side, causing her gargantuan body to slam against the courtyard wall or the battlements of the castle. On the outer wall, the night watchmen fought to maintain their balance. Inside the palace, the huge vibrations shook rooms and threw people from their beds. Plaster and stonework rained from the ceilings. Fine china and wall art fell to the floor and shattered.

The citizens of North Piconorea may have known that the giantess was not hostile, but they certainly didn’t sleep well that night.

* * * *

The following day, Vera sat once again in the courtyard with the chancellor in her hand. He was asking her many questions about the lands and culture of “A-mare-ee-cah.” Below her, Lord Fallowmark and a squadron of soldiers stood prepared to assault the giantess if she harmed their glorious leader.

“Horseless chariots of metal! Towers of glass!” Brogan exclaimed, after Vera had described her world. “Moving images that speak and tell stories! Flying metal birds carrying people in their bellies! Truly, Lady Vera, the giants are a society of wonder-workers!”

“We kind of take it all for granted,” she said. “But yeah, I guess we’ve created some pretty amazing stuff.”

“Such incredible inventions!” Brogan continued. “Perhaps, in time, we can have such devices in North Piconorea. We have always believed in the march of industry and science. And just think of the unfettered progress once we eradicate religion and irrational superstition.”

“Er, right,” Vera humored him uneasily. “Look, we’ve been at this for hours. You know a lot about my world but I’ve hardly seen any of yours. Until we figure out how to get me home, I may be stuck here for a while. I can’t stay cooped up in this courtyard the whole time.”

“A regrettable necessity, my lady,” said the chancellor. “It is far too dangerous for you to wander about.”

“Oh, come on!” she pleaded. “I’ll be careful! I promise I won’t hurt anyone. My brother used to have gerbils when we were kids and I almost never stepped on them!”

Brogan gulped nervously. “Er, almost?”

Vera giggled. “Relax, I’m just joshin’ ya,” she said. “We actually had a dog.”

“Ah. I see.” Brogan wiped his brow.

“A tiny Chihuahua that I accidentally sat on.”

“What?!”

“Kidding!” Vera said, bursting into laughter. “Oh wow, you should see your face!”

“Well,” Brogan sighed, “I suppose it’s wrong to keep you prisoner here. If we were to warn the populace in advance—”

“Great idea!” Vera cried. She placed a hand on the wall of the courtyard and twisted around to face the street. Placing her free hand beside her mouth, she called out to the city. “Attention, tiny people of Piconorea! I’d like to go for a walk and stretch my legs! Please clear the streets for your own protection! Thanks! You guys are the best!”

The chancellor had been forced to cover his ears when Vera raised her voice to its full volume. They were still ringing when he released them. “I, uh, that was not exactly the type of warning I had in mind, my lady,” he muttered.

But Vera was already standing up and preparing to step over the courtyard wall. She lifted Brogan to her shoulder and gathered up a few strands of hair to secure him.

“Here, tie these around your waist,” she said. “You can come with me and continue our chat.”

“My lord chancellor, I must protest!” Fallowmark squeaked from the ground far below. “The giant cannot be allowed loose! We would have to evacuate the streets! And I certainly will not allow her to carry you off like a mere trinket!”

“If you’re so worried, Ozzy, you can come too.” Vera stooped down (giving the soldiers quite a view of her monumental chest and multi-story cleavage) and grabbed Fallowmark by the collar of his uniform. As she bent forward, Brogan slipped from her shoulder and dangled on the end of the strand he’d been tied to. He swung loosely before her like a bead or ornament that had been threaded into her hair.

“Yipe!” the chancellor exclaimed, clinging more tightly to his silken lifeline.

“Whoops,” she said, scooping him back up and returning him to her shoulder. “Guess I’d better keep the terrain more level for you guys.”

As the little commander bellowed angrily, she set Fallowmark on her other shoulder and tied him securely in place. Satisfied, Vera stepped over the wall.

* * * *

Vera was once again wandering the streets of the capital city. She had forced herself to get over the embarrassment of her skimpy clothing. It was an unavoidable reality. There was not enough fabric in Piconorea to craft even a simple garment for her. Not unless they had a circus with a spare tent or two. She would have to resign herself to being an exhibitionist. In truth, Vera was beginning to find it kind of sexy to parade half-naked among these tiny creatures, shameless and statuesque in her goddess-like glory.

“Now, now,” she thought, “don’t let it go to your head. You’re not a god, just a girl. Man, this is starting to be fun though!”

The people who lived closest to the palace had heeded her warning and fled the streets, returning to their homes and shops. But those in the outer boroughs had not heard Vera’s request clearly. Her voice had seemed only a distant boom, a deep rolling thunder far away. Thus, as Vera walked further into the city, there were still numerous tiny citizens milling about the streets. They ran fearfully as those gigantic bare feet plodded down the road, cracking the pavement and crashing to earth dangerously close to them. The city was shaken by tremors and quakes, throwing many people momentarily to the ground. As the giant woman’s immense shadow covered them, they leaped back onto their feet and darted away in terror.

Vera took cautious little steps, scanning the ground and watching the Piconoreans scurry for their lives. As she walked close behind them, she tried not to let anyone end up underfoot. A few times, the crowd’s miniature strides were too slow and a group of them would be gathered directly in her path. At these intervals, Vera simply paused with a foot poised in the air above them, waiting until they finished their escape. Dirt, pebbles, and bits of pavement that had adhered to the bottom of her foot shook loose and rained down upon their heads. The people shielded themselves and sprinted away from the canopy of flesh overhead.

Vera couldn’t help but giggle at this scene. She felt like she was in a Godzilla movie. The young lady bent her fingers into claws and curled her lip, letting loose a monster-like snarl.

“RAAARRR!”

The tiny, fleeing people quickened their pace. Vera stifled a laugh and snorted, feeling ridiculous. “Aww, I’m just teasing you guys! Come on, don’t run away!”

“It’s pandemonium down there!” declared Fallowmark. “Cease this madness!”

“My lady, this is not wise. I, um, command you to desist!” Chancellor Brogan said. Despite his bravado, he clung tightly to her hair and pressed himself against Vera’s neck, daring not to look down from the towering height.

Vera saw a tiny woman hurrying down the road mere inches in front of her right foot. “Hmm, maybe that’s what I need—some girl talk,” she thought to herself. “I could use a break from these puffed up self-important little men.”

She considered reaching down to scoop up the miniature lady but feared toppling her passengers from her shoulders again. Instead, Vera lifted her foot and extended it towards the tiny figure. Carefully, she clamped her big and second toe around the inch-high woman, who was completely dwarfed by these digits.

Vera still couldn’t get over the size difference. The smallest extremities of her body were larger than the Piconoreans were. And the more…pulchritudinous parts of her seemed like hills or mountains. It was enough to go to anyone’s head but she tried to check her excitement and remain careful.

Vera lifted her foot, feeling the tiny woman squirm and fight against her toes. But their strength was simply too great and already the lady had been lifted too high to jump free. Vera reached down and plucked the woman from between her toes like a piece of lint. She brought the wriggling creature level with her face.

“Hi,” she said in her stage whisper. “Sorry if I startled you. My name’s Vera. What’s yours?”

The minuscule girl stared up at her in shock and suddenly fainted dead away. The little lady hung limp between Vera’s fingers.

“Oh, God. I’ve killed her!” Vera exclaimed. She held the ragdoll-like form up to her ear and listened. “Thank goodness. She’s still breathing.”

“You will leave these people in peace!” Fallowmark demanded. Vera ignored him. She placed the lady back between her toes and repeated the maneuver, gently lowering the woman back to the ground.

On a nearby rooftop, she found a cluster of young Piconoreans gathered to watch the giant in their midst. Most were teenagers or young men in their twenties. They whooped and hollered and cat-called at her in their squeaky voices. Vera stopped before the building, looming over the group.

“Hey, boys,” she said softly, careful not to blow them off the roof with her breath. “Aren’t you scared of me?”

“Are you kidding?” one said. “You’re amazing! Sexiest damn monster I ever saw!”

“If this is what all Southern war machines look like, I welcome our new masters,” said another.

“Oh, I’m not actually a war machine,” she said. “Just ask the chancellor.” The youths were astonished to see the leader of their nation perched upon the giantess’s shoulder. Brogan gave a weak wave and clung tighter to her hair.

“Hey, baby!” a third man called. “Show us those king-size bosoms of yours!”

Vera scowled. “I don’t think that’s appropriate, young man.”

“Aw, come on,” the youngster continued. “They’re halfway out already! Shake those mountains, girly!” He wiggled his torso like an exotic dancer to the laughter and delight of his friends. Vera arched an eyebrow in annoyance.

“Where I come from, a gentleman treats a lady with respect and at the very least takes her out for dinner a few times before any of that nonsense.” She reached down and plucked the inch-and-a-half-tall man off the roof, holding him tight between thumb and forefinger.

Vera lifted the man above her head and dangled him over her lips. “So what do you say, honey?” she said, her hot breath rolling over him. “Dinner first? Or at least a light snack?” She opened her mouth wide and began lowering him towards the gaping chasm. The tiny man gave a shrill shriek and began fighting against her fingers. Vera’s massive tongue slid out of her lips and started to lap at the man’s kicking legs. She slurped off one of his shoes and let it slide down her tongue into the darkness.

“Madam!” Fallowmark bellowed from her shoulder. “Release that citizen at once!”

Vera smiled deviously. “If you insist, Ozzy.” She opened her fingers and let the Piconorean drop into her mouth. As he skidded over her tongue, Vera closed her lips and sealed the youngster in darkness. Her tongue tossed his tiny shrieking form roughly around her mouth, coating him in a layer of saliva and causing him to collide against her teeth. Vera was careful not to swallow for the man was hardly bigger than a breath mint.

Fallowmark was absolutely livid. “That was not remotely what I meant and you know it, giant! Spit him out this instant!”

Reluctantly, Vera spat the man into her palm and brought it back to the building. She abruptly flipped her hand, causing him to fall a short distance onto the roof. His friends backed away cautiously, no longer amused by the giantess.

“There will be no further shenanigans of that nature!” Fallowmark told her.

“Oh, lighten up,” Vera said. “I was just playing with him. Wish I could do that to every sexist pig back home.”

“You are completely out of control!” Fallowmark shot back.

Vera was greatly offended by this. “Out of control? I am very much in control! I’m being super-careful! Have I killed anyone or destroyed anything yet? No!”

“The roadway has seen better days,” Brogan said, looking backward over Vera’s shoulder. Gigantic footprints had caused the streets to sink and crumble in her path.

“This is intolerable!” Fallowmark continued. “I order you to return to the palace, you titanic twit!”

Vera scowled and turned her head to face him. “I don’t appreciate being called names, Osric. You’ve got a lot of cheek for a man the size of my little toe. Let’s not forget what a two-hundred-foot woman could do to a speck like you.” Fallowmark paled, cringing slightly on her shoulder.

“Thank your lucky freakin’ stars that I’m a nice person,” Vera informed him, poking him in the belly with a huge fingertip. “Things could have gone very differently for you.”

“I…I retract my earlier statement,” the tiny commander said with hesitance.

“Good,” Vera answered. “But you still need a time out, little man.” With startling swiftness, she reached up and untangled Fallowmark from her hair. Before the nobleman knew what was happening, she had thrust him deep into the valley of her cleavage. The minuscule man vanished completely in her prodigious curves, leaving not a trace.

Brogan was left speechless by this turn of events. He was having serious misgivings about whether his new “weapon” could truly be controlled.

* * * *

With Fallowmark no longer aggravating her, Vera continued her exploration of Piconorea. She reached the edge of the city and stepped over the defensive wall. The lady then proceeded into the wide open countryside. Vera found it quite refreshing to be able to stretch and move more freely without the buildings all around her and the citizenry underfoot.

The area surrounding the city was mostly farmlands with a few scattered towns. Vera kept her distance from the tiny farmhouses and well-tilled fields, not wishing to endanger anyone or disturb their work. She watched the people of North Piconorea go about their day like industrious ants. Many were still cleaning up from the recent hurricane, clearing debris and rebuilding their homes. Others were hard at work in miniature factories or on their way to institutions of higher learning.

Vera knelt beside one of the small buildings and held her eye close to a window. Inside, she saw teams of researchers lost in study. Some were poring over maps and charts or studying illustrations of the stars. Some were scribbling mathematical formulas on a chalkboard, debating animatedly with their colleagues. A team of inventors was tinkering with strange devices. As a jet of air burst out of an odd machine, Vera realized that they were working on steam power. Brogan had been serious about the North’s dedication to industry and science.

“Our finest minds at work,” the chancellor said. “Mostly they create weapons for me. Er, purely defensive, I assure you! Best to be prepared, after all. We’re seeing new innovations every day!”

The researchers were puzzled as the room became darker. They turned to see an enormous blue eye completely filling the window. Those closest to the wall could even see their reflections in the membrane of the eye. After being momentarily startled by this, they flocked to the window and called out to the giantess.

“Lady Vera! How good of you to visit!”

“We were just debating about how a being of your dimensions could exist without breaking the laws of physics or collapsing under such extraordinary weight!”

“Gee, thanks,” she said, sarcastically. “And here I thought my diet was working. You guys do wonders for a girl’s self-image.”

“You must let us study you or allow us to take a few tissue samples!” the scientists called. They brandished miniature scalpels and archaic-looking syringes.

“Uh…maybe later,” said Vera, backing away from the building.

As the noonday sun rose into the sky, Vera felt a bit hungry. She looked around for a snack and settled on a lone apple tree. After making sure Brogan was secure, the young woman knelt down and uprooted the tree from the ground. She shook it over her open hand, trying to catch as many of the apples as possible (and ensuring that no apple harvesters were climbing in the branches. The incident at the banquet was still fresh in her memory). When only a few infinitesimal apples fell loose, Vera shrugged and brought her hand up to her mouth. She munched on the entire tree at once, biting off the top like a piece of broccoli. She repeated this with several more trees until her appetite was somewhat sated.

Vera set Brogan on the ground beside her and knelt before a small, bubbling river. She lowered her face until her lips touched the water and started to drink. Gallons upon gallons of fresh water (not to mention a number of tiny, unnoticed fish and frogs) were sucked through Vera’s lips and down her thirsty gullet. She stopped herself, fearing to drink the entire riverbed dry.

Vera scooped up Brogan again and continued her journey. Her giant strides allowed her to cover many Piconorean miles in only a few minutes and soon, she found herself in the vast tracts of wilderness. Dark forests were on either side of her like lines of untended shrubbery. A wide mountain range was just up ahead. Some of the mountains were only as tall as Vera was.

“My lady!” the chancellor cried in alarm. “We must turn back!”

“Why, what’s the matter?” she asked.

“These mountains form the border between North and South Piconorea,” he explained. “We are approaching enemy territory!”

“Fine with me,” said Vera. “I want to see these South Piconoreans that you seem to find so evil and barbarous.”

“I cannot cross the mountains,” Brogan insisted. “As leader of the North, I would be shot on sight or captured and ransomed. But I would not wish for such a refined lady as yourself to go unescorted into hostile lands.”

“I won’t be completely unescorted. I’ve got my little ‘bosom buddy’ with me.” Vera patted her chest where Fallowmark was imprisoned deep within.

“Very well,” Chancellor Brogan told her as she set him on the ground. “But exercise caution. Those heathens cannot be trusted!”

“I think I can take care of myself,” Vera said with a smirk. She reached up, took hold of a mountainside, and lifted a leg over it as if jumping a fence. With a hop, she hoisted herself over to the other side.

To be continued...