"Ride, Arod… Ride! Show me the wind's jealousy!"

            And she did. Whether or not Arod sensed the danger, or maybe she was hiding her potential up until now, Matt didn't know, but it didn’t matter to him. Arod had never gone this speed. The sunlight peering through the forest canopy seemed like a strobe light to him. The rock fifty feet in front of him was gone not five seconds later. Like the wind…

"Come on, Arod…. Just a few more miles."

"Hey, Janos, get the wine, will you?"

            Janos got up, walked over to the captain, and handed the red bottle to him. The captain grabbed it rudely from him, and gulped it down greedily. Finished, he threw it down, breaking it on the stone ground. "Great. No go get me some food will you?"

            Janos obeyed, head down. Turning around, he sighed inward. All those years of training, down the drain. As a boy, Janos had dreamed of becoming a soldier in the royal army. His own father, as well as his two older brothers, had been in the royal army as well… but this was nothing like he'd expected when he heard the stories. It was only a few months after he'd finished basic training, at the ripe age of seventeen. He wasn’t a phenomenal fighter, or a cunning strategist, but he was pure in heart, and had, what he thought, astounding determination. He'd hoped to get a position guarding the castle, or, if he was lucky, assigned protection of one of the nobles, but it seemed like a dream now: here he was, standing in a female giant's cave home, fetching chicken and drink for someone who one won his position by bribery. What would his father say, were he alive? Or his brothers, if they saw him like this? The mockery would never end. Both of his brothers where members of the royal guard.

            Maaaan… this sucks. I wish I were home, with… her.

            'Her' happened to be a young lady he recently asked to marry. She was a rather wealthy farmer's daughter; she wasn't the prettiest in the land, but to Janos, she was the most beautiful creature he had ever laid eyes upon. Janos prided himself (with what little pride he had) on the fact that he was extremely non-face value. While yes, the girl was attractive, he deeply admired her qualities: Her kindness, her sincerity, her voice… Gods, her voice. He first heard her at the well. They shot glances, and the next thing they knew, they were walking and talking… Handholds followed soon after, then by their first kiss…            Everyone knows the story.

            He sighed. Soon, after this whole giantess business was finished, all he wanted to do was go home, wrap his arms around her, and then-

            He stopped in his tracks, and dropped the chicken on the floor. He saw the knife cut across the captain's fat throat, and heard his girlish scream.

            The knife bearer moved his eyes slowly to Janos, who could only stare in fear.

The man uttered three words:

            "Where. Is. Amelia."

            She finally awoke. Her wrists hurt. She tried to move, but couldn't. Something restrained her… Her wrists. Cold… cold iron. She opened her eyes… She was in a room… a rather nicely decorated one, at that. She hadn't seen such nice cloth since she left her home.

Where am I?

            She looked around: laying supine, and to her left, she saw a table of various bottles and tools... scalpels and tongs. To her right, she saw a door, guarded by two very nervous-looking guards. They were her size.

"Hey!" They jumped.

"Come untie me. Please?" They jumped, but didn't move.

            One of them fidgeted. "Um, we can't Miss giantess. King's orders. Sorry." She laughed. Even at her present size, she was still intimidating as hell. Nothing she could do now… She tossed her head back, only to find a pillow; she was on a bed. Wow. Royal treatment for prisoners…

            The door opened. A tall, old lady came through, followed by a small boy. The old lady bent over, and the boy whispered into her ear. The lady nodded, and the boy started towards her.

            Amelia stared wide-eyed: it was the same boy she put into her mouth that same day…

            The boy stepped forward, and looked at her. Blonde hair, blue eyes, innocent face… Oh, he's so cute. How could I have ever done that to him? Guilt shot through her heart, and she averted her eyes when he drew near. She couldn’t stand it; the guilt was too much.

            The boy touched her forehead with one hand. Warm she thought. She looked back at him, somehow the touch drew all the cold away.

"I… I'm sorry…" She managed to say. Her throat still itched like fire.

            The boy retracted his hand slowly. He looked at her for a moment, then smiled.

"You don’t seem that mean..." he spoke, a soft and boyish voice. Amelia was overjoyed. She caused this boy so much fear, yet he was still able to forgive a beast such as herself… amazing. Tears almost started in her eyes, but held them back and she smiled instead.

"What's your name? The boy asked.

"Me? My name's Amelia, young lad. What's yours?" Her eyes blinked hard, trying to wrestle tears away so she could get a better look.

"William." He smiled again.

"Well, William, I am very happy to meet you!" She tried to articulate it as much as possible, along with not sobbing. It's been a while since I've talked to such a small child. Small being the operative word.

"I am happy to meet you, Lady Amelia." He bowed like a noble… or at least tried to.

            Amelia laughed.
"Ooh, you're so cute, Will! I could just eat… er, nevermind." She laughed it off. Soooo close…

            William didn’t seem to notice, however. Good.

"How old are you, Miss Amelia?"

"Me? I'm twenty three years old. How old are you?"

"I'm six!" He held out his hand, sticking out five fingers.

            Amelia laughed, and her throat hurt. She pulled on the shackles, testing their strength. Strong.

I'm going to die here, aren't I…?

            The thought saddened her. It made her cry inside, but William couldn't tell.

"Do you have a boyfriend, Miss Amelia?"

            This made her flinch.

Matthew… She closed her eyes and waited for her to be in his arms again. Why did she miss him so? That jerk, throwing her ideals in her face like a child, and then outright walking out? She had every right to hate him, and by all means should have… but why did she not?

"No… I don’t, William." She said after a moment of thought. "Do you have a girlfriend?" She could barely stop from sobbing.

            He fiddled around.

"N-no…. but… do you want to be my girlfriend, Miss Amelia?"

            For once, the idea of crying stopped, and she laughed, purely and simply.

"Hahaha…. Well, William…. While I do like younger men (This was truth, in fact, and she wondered many times about Matt's age), I don’t think your mother would approve… I'm sorry."

            Will looked very dejected.

"Aww… ok…" Amelia's heart sank: she wished she could just embrace Will in her arms, like Matt did once (In my dreams… only in my dreams…). Short-lived: William came and gave her a kiss on the cheek. 

"Bye, Miss Amelia. I gotta go and do my numbers class." He started to scamper off. He called back, "I'll see you later, ok? I hope you find a boyfriend soon!"

            After he left the room, Amelia cried hard, sobbing all the hour.

            Janos stumbled back. Again:

"Where is Amelia?!" The spear came down, but Janos was able to dodge it. He ran to get his sword and shield: Once unsheathed, he faced Matt, blade in hand.

            The sword shook in his hand like a leaf in a winter wind. Matthew grabbed spear again, and pierced his eyes into Janos’. He shook his head.

"It's no use, boy. Tell me where she is."

            Janos took a screaming lunge for Matt. He managed to get a swing in, a powerful swing, Matt thought, but was deflected by the spear's oaken wood. Another vertical swing, which Matt dodged easily, was countered by swinging the bottom of the staff into Janos' head. On the floor, bleeding, Janos found the spear head pointing directly at his right eye.

"Oh Gods, please, no…" The spear spoke to him, calling him to the Black River, the barrier between worlds. He saw Death in the shining steel of the spear blade, offering Her hand and guidance to the other side.

"Where is she?!" Matt spoke loudly, and brought Janos out of his trance.

"I… I don't know who 'she' is!" She started crying. He didn't want to die here. He thought of Julia, his fiancée, the one with the beautiful voice. Matt knelt down, grabbed Janos by the hair, and slammed his head into the ground.

"Where is she, dammit?! The giant! Where the hell is she?!" Matt was screaming now.       He'd never been so angry in his life.

"Please no…" He sobbed. "Please… Julia…"

            Matt's eyes widened. Julia… Wife maybe… no, too young. Fiancée?

            What was he doing? He'd been in this position many times, far too many times than he'd like to count. It was second nature to him; to take those in his way and send them to the Black River… but why did this boy repel his spear so?

"Julia…"

            This… the voice screamed in his mind, is how everyone felt. All those felled by your hand, and screamed the names of those left behind. Do it, Matt. Ease his pain. What's one more soul in the Dark Fortress? Inside the halls of Dimmu Borgir? You are a killer, Matthew. It's what you were born to do. Do it. The voice echoed louder in his head. It was Sagreth, he remembered. Do it…!

            Matt raised his spear…

                                                            …and let it fall to the ground.

I refuse…

            Who was he to end another life… especially one so young?

Just a boy…

"…Get up." He said finally, calmly.

"What's your name?" Matt stood up and cleaned his knife.

"J-j-j-j-Janos, sir…" He was still crying.

"You've seen a giantess here… right?" Matt eyed him, emphasizing the ‘right.’ If he was going to lie, he'd know.

"No sir…" He stammered. "But I hear they captured one at the Castle city of Ilica…"

            Matt dropped the knife, wide eyed, and grabbed Janos by the arm. Janos flinched horribly. Matt's eyes locked with him, and Janos knew, not even from the moment he sliced off his captain's head, that this man meant business.

"Tell me everything. Everything you know, Janos, for the Gods’ sakes."

            And told him Janos did. Not everything, however. Yes, Janos did tell him everything he knew, but he knew nothing of Amelia’s predicament. All he knew was the story of the man and beast team the very cave they stood at, and how one hundred soldiers were dispatched there. Finding nothing, all but two were called back to defend the city. Not a few hours after, a dispatch bird was sent, telling tall tales of a tall lass rampaging the city. And that was the end of all Janos knew.

            Matt sheathed the extra sword. It was a good one, solid and hefty.

"Thank you for your sword and information, Janos." He mounted Arod again.

He was almost out of the cave when he stopped and turned around.

"And… sorry about your captain."

Janos laughed at this.

"It's ok…"

Matt cocked an eyebrow. Not many would take the death of their captain so lightly…  He shook his head. It wasn't his business. He started to trot off again.

"Oh, and Janos: Go home. Take Julia and flee the city; forsake the army, there's nothing noble about it."

            Janos ran to him, but he was almost gone.
"Why? Why flee the city?"

            Matt stopped and called back:

"It's about to have a change in leadership."