The first day of their journey was mostly uneventful as the group simply walked for as far as they could. They had rested every now and again but eventually they did have to stop for the night. A couple of them would have loved nothing more than to carry on with their journey. Their minds were more than ready but their bodies simply needed the rest and they had no choice but to rest.

The group set up camp just off a path that they had been travelling on and soon discovered an open patch where it seemed like people had camped before. In the centre was a ring of stones which were placed there so that a fire could be built within. Charles quickly collected some firewood while Maxine started the fire itself.

It was a clear night with no threat of rain but there was still a cool breeze that would be enough to make them feel a little cold. The heat of the fire would hopefully put an end to that and they could use it to cook some food. A boar had been killed by one of Alsa's men and after it was skinned, it was placed above the fire so that it could cook. Waiting for it to cook was something else that was almost torturous as all of them were hungry.

While the meat was cooking Asla decided to sit herself down next to Maxine. Even sitting down, the size difference between these two women was truly breath-taking. Both women were around the same age but both couldn't have been more different to one another. It was somewhat noticed by the men in the group but at that moment in time, Jinshu and Taiyun tending to the meat. Charles sat close by and was writing in his book and seemed to be lost in her own world.

"Ms Martel is it?" asked Asla. This got the attention of the very tall woman as she looked down at her much smaller companion.

"Yes, is there something that you want?" replied Maxine with a curious tone. They hadn't really spoken to each other that much since the journey had begun. She didn't even know why Asla wanted to go to the east coast. It didn't matter just as long as she was paid for her services.

"I-If you don't mind me asking and I know that it might be a little rude but my curiosity is getting the better of me."

"Let me guess, you wanna know how I'm so big?" This was a question that she was very much used to answering. Even when she was younger, she was still much taller than the average man so the question came very often.

"Y-Yes, that's it. If you wish not to answer then I respect your decision."

"It's fine, I get the question a lot. My father is an average man but my mother is a very, very tall woman. I and my sisters inherit our height from her and there's nothing too much to it than that." She could have explained more about the magic that had fuelled her mother's height and the growth abilities of her sisters. But she knew that she had a small amount of magic within herself which allowed her to be so big.

"I see, that does make sense and if you don't mind me asking as well. Are you still growing?"

"To tell you the truth, I'm not sure. There's still the possibility that I can grow a few inches but I'm mostly done growing." She then lifted up her left arm and began to tap on her bicep. The muscle itself couldn't be seen under the armour but Asla was getting the point. "If any part of me is going to grow, it would be my muscles. Carrying around such heavy armour all the time might slow me down but it's built up my strength considerably." She gave the smaller woman a smile. "You should see them when I take my armour off."

"I already look forward to seeing them. I must admit that it is odd seeing a woman of your stature. Forgive my bluntness but where I'm from, people simply don't grow as tall as you. It's true or just a tall. There was a tale of a giant woman from the land that I am from. But not sure if it's just a tall tale."

"I wouldn't be too surprised about that. But many tall tales have some element of truth to it. You say that it was a giant woman but most likely, it's just someone of above average height with some exaggeration. Why tell the boring truth when you can add a touch of fantasy and make it infinitely more interesting?"

"Hmm, you make a good point there."

Maxine and Asla chuckled for a moment but the former couldn't help but be curious about whether what the latter had stated was true. If there really was a giant woman who lived in the land where Asla was from, she wondered how tall she actually was and if she was taller than her. Even if this mysterious giantess was, she doubted that she would be as tall or taller than Maxine's mother or sisters when they used their powers. But still, it did make her curious to see if the tales were true or not.

"Maxine!" stated Charles. From the tone of his voice, she could tell that there wasn't anything wrong. He was only calling her name relatively loudly so that he could get her attention. "The boar is ready!"

Thankfully Jinshu had packed some plates before they had left and they quickly used them in order place the chunks of cooked pork onto. Of course, Maxine had the most out of all of them, while the others had portions that was still large enough to satisfy their hunger. For the foreign trio, it was far from the best food that they had ever eaten but it would do for the time being.

Thankfully the boar that they had caught was relatively small so there was no meat that was left over. Such a thing would likely attract other predators such as wolves and bears. Maxine would most likely be able to defend them against such threats if they came. But there was still a chance that a member of the group would be harmed before she would be able to fend them off properly.

Some water was shared amongst them and although Maxine would have loved for it to be ale. She simply had to accept that they didn't have any for the time being. After the amount that she had drunk the day before, many would say that she had more than enough for a good long while.

Both Jinshu and Taiyun were still a little nervous of the entire situation. They both had a small fear that Maxine and Charles were betray them and take whatever valuables that they had. So far, they had given them no reason to seriously consider this outcome, but from the reception that they had received from others, it wouldn't be too far out of the realm of fantasy for such a thing to take place.

When speaking to one another and even to Asla, they spoke in a language which was unknown to the Maxine and Charles. To them, they were speaking gibberish and yet the trio could understand every word that the other was saying. They were also speaking at a speed which made it difficult to pick up what they were saying, even if they did understand the language.

This developed some distrust into Maxine, since they were speaking in a different language, she thought that they were saying something that they didn't want her or Charles to hear. This made her suspicious of them and if not for the money that she was going to be paid. She would have thought that all of this would not have been worth it.

"T-That was very nice," said Asla after she had finished the last of her pork. It was pleasant for her to have warm food in her belly as she knew that it was relatively hard to come by at this moment in time. "Hits the spot."

"Indeed," replied Taiyun as he agreed with her. "Reminds me of when I used to help my father hunt for boars. At least this time, I didn't have to worry about hunting the boars themselves."

"But I must make a suggestion," answered Jinshu. He had finished what he was eating and although he was full, he felt that there was something that he still needed to mention. Something of importance was on his mind. "I think that there should be someone who remains awake while the rest of us sleep. Take it in shifts to stay awake and keep an eye out of any threats."

"That shouldn't be necessary," replied Maxine who took another bite out of the pork that she was eating. "Unless you have people actively looking for you, you don't really have anything to worry about while you're asleep." She did look over to Asla for a moment with a curious look on her face. "There isn't anyone trying to find you, are there?"

"No," replied Asla. She smiled up to her in an attempt to reassure her that there was nothing amiss. "My companions are just a little overly cautious. They are simply concerned that we might be ambushed while we slumber. There might not be anyone trying to find us, but there are still opportunists who could attack. If you believe that this is unnecessary, then we shall forego the notion."

"We will be fine, plus no one would be foolish enough to try and steal from us while I'm around."

This was somewhat reassuring for the group but they still had a small amount of fear amongst them. The only one who truly wasn't afraid was Charles who looked over to his friend and looked at her. He had his own concerns that he thought needed to be addressed but for now he remained silent. Throughout the entire day, he had been keeping his eye on Maxine as he wanted to see how she was.

Although she seemed to be alright, he was sure that she was still recovering from the disappointment that had taken place the day before. The truth was that she hadn't spoken of it but he was sure that she was still upset about it. He didn't want to mention anything to her about it though as he didn't want to get a negative reaction from her. It was something that he knew that she and she alone could fully recover from.

Something else that Charles had noticed was that Maxine had not shown much anger today. One reason for it was the fact that she hadn't been in a situation to get angry. Besides being mildly insulted when they had first met the group, there hadn't be anything that he thought that she would have gotten angry about. This was still a good sign though as he thought that she was trying to keep her promise and control her anger. But this was merely a first step on a long journey.

The group did go to sleep soon after and there were no incidents during the night. It was shortly after dawn when they had continued on with their journey. Some fruit was shared amongst them during for breakfast and they continued to walk on. There were still hundreds of miles that needed to be travelled and they weren't going to get anywhere if they simply stayed where they were.

The sky above seemed to be overcast and the threat of rain held over everyone. The temperature was also lower than it had been the previous day and there was definitely a chill amongst them. If events played out in a particular way, Maxine would likely sneeze once again and everyone would hear what they sounded like. Definitely not the kind of sneeze that someone would expect from someone like her.

As he walked, Charles was in his own world as he was thinking about a few things. Some were about the journey and situation at hand while others were about things that weren't very important. He didn't notice that Asla was walking alongside him and it was obvious that she wanted to speak with him.

"Hello there Charli," said Asla. She smiled up to him and he quickly looked back at her. He was a fairly short man but thanks to Asla's height, he was taller than her. This was quite unusual for him as he had gotten used to being around a woman who was around three and a half feet taller than him. Even so, due to his height, it was quite common for him to meet women who were taller than him.

"Hello there Asla," replied Charles. He wanted to correct her on his name but he didn't want to be rude. "Is there something that you need?"

"Well, I just wanted to chat, if that's alright with you."

"Of course, what would you like to talk about?" He was curious about a few things about her and her companions so a chat would be nice for them.

"I couldn't help but be curious about you and your friend. Forgive me for being rude, but it is very unusual to see a relationship between people like you and Maxine."

"Well, you could say that the way that we met was unusual as well. I was working in a tavern and a patron was threatening me. Maxine stood up for me and after a scuffle she saved my life. Well, saving my life might be a stretch but I still felt like I owed her a life debt. At first, she was reluctant, but she accepted and I became her squire. Now she has stated that I've repaid that debt but we have developed a strong friendship over our time together and see it as beneficial that we continue to work together."

"Ah I see, I couldn't help but think that you pair were lovers."

"Lovers?" If he had been eating or drinking anything, he would have likely choked on it. "W-We're not lovers, we're just very good friends."

"Have you met her family?" She gave him a bit of a sly look as if she knew what was actually going on.

"W-Well yes I have, they're very nice people... Well, most of them."

"Ah I see." She looked over to Charles and then Maxine, even though she had only been around them for a short amount of time. She knew that the small man meant a lot to the armoured giantess. She found it a little funny since it was like she was seeing something that they weren't.

"And if you don't mind me asking, how do you know your companions? I've seen how the three of you are together and I can tell that you're the one calling the shots. Even in a place like this, that's unusual."

"Well, you see..." She paused for a moment as she thought about what she was going to say. There were several things that she would have liked to have said to him but felt that it was best to simply stretch the truth. "They are simply my friends who wish to travel with me. Both are very respectful and you could say that they're extra protection as well."

"Hmm, that's interesting." He was no idiot as he knew that Asla was hiding something from him. But he thought that it was best to not pry further. If he did, then she might decide that their services were no longer needed and simply cast them off. This of course would lead to them not being paid and would only add to their woes.

"And I see that you have your own sword as well. Are you training to be a knight like your friend?"

"My sword." He placed his hand on the sword that he was carrying. It was still a little odd for him to think about the fact that now he possessed one. Just a few years ago, he could never imagine himself actual wielding one. He also hadn't imagined himself being the squire for a nine-foot woman either. "Not exactly, we have been in a few tense situations together and Maxine believes that it's best for me to be able to defend myself. She is training me on how to wield a sword properly. I don't expect to be taking part in any tournaments but I hope that I'll be able to defend myself from anyone who wishes me harm."

"That is a good way to look at it. Diplomacy should always be your first weapon against an attacker, but you must always have the means to defend yourself if need be."

Charles saw sense in what she was saying but as he looked at her, he could see that she was unarmed. There was a chance that she carried some kind of concealed weapon that was native to her own land. But he didn't want to pry further and simply take her word for it. He could tell that there was more to this woman than he had originally thought.

While they were walking, both Jinshu and Taiyun couldn't help but look at Maxine. When they had first seen her, they thought that she was a man and maybe even using some kind of cheat within her armour to make herself look bigger than she actually was. They were amazed when she actually took off her armour and they could see her body and muscles. It was true that she did look bigger while wearing her armour, but not to the extent that she looked much bigger than she already was.

Any attention that was brought towards Maxine was swept away when both men felt the rain begin to come down. They weren't the only ones as the rest of the group too could feel the weather changing and it made them begin to pick up their pace. Unfortunately, the falling rain only continued and the path in front of them began to get muddy. It made traversing through it very difficult and Taiyun at one point almost slipped over but Jinshu was able to prevent him from falling.

Travelling in this weather was difficult and Maxine knew that it would be best for them to find some kind of shelter as soon as possible. Salvation seemed to come in the form of an inn that was only a short distance away from where they were. She decided that they should stay inside of the inn during the rain and then continue their journey once the rain had subsided. The mud would still be there of course, but they wouldn't have to worry about the rain in their faces.

Something that the armoured giantess did notice was that her latest three companions seemed to be somewhat reluctant to go to the inn. To her, this was a little odd but she led them towards it anyway as the rain began to get heavier. The sound of the raindrops striking her armour could be heard clearly and splodge like sound as their feet came down onto the mud on the ground.

After a couple of minutes of walking, the group did reach the inn and made their way inside. Asla and her companions were still reluctant to go inside, but neither did they want to be stuck out in the rain. All of them were soaked from the weather and all of them just wanted to sit down and relax for a short time.

There were only around half a dozen people inside of the inn and when the group had made their presence known. This drew a lot of attention and the patrons looked towards them. There was a look of distain on most of their faces once they saw them and there was a lot of tension in the air.

Nearby was an empty table and all except for Maxine sat down at it. Instead, she was going to go to the counter so that she could order drinks. She thought that it was best to buy some water as it was something that they could all drink. Money was something that she didn't particularly have since she had spent most of it in the previous inn. It was something that she now regretted.

Behind the counter, she could see the Innkeeper standing there and looking at her with his arms crossed. He didn't really seem to notice her height and instead simply glanced over to the group at the table and then looked up to her. His stance hadn't changed and it seemed like he was not ready to serve her.

"Excuse me," said Maxine. She spoke with a respectful tone as she was trying to come across as being friendly. "My companions and I would like to order some water and food if you can."

"Your companions can take a hike, I don't serve their kind here," replied the Innkeeper. For a moment, Maxine thought that he was joking but from his stance and tone, she could tell that he was serious.

"Is there a problem here?" Her tone began to change as she began to realise that there was going to be trouble.

"Yeah, there is. People like them aren't welcome in my establishment. So, I suggest that you all get out of here and not darken my inn again."

Maxine began to see red as she imagined herself grabbing the Innkeeper by his neck and effortlessly lifting him up. She would likely choke him until he decided to allow the group to stay for a while longer. However, she remembered the promise that she had made to Charles and she had to try and control her anger. Strongarming people wasn't always the best solution in a situation.

The others too had noticed what was happening and Charles himself took particular interest. He was worried as he knew what happened to people who insulted his friend. On more than one occasion, he had seen the rage get the better of her and he just hoped that things wouldn't go too far south.

"Then we'll leave as soon as the rain lets up," said Maxine. She had done her best to quell her anger but it was evident to her that she was still annoyed.

"No, I want you lot gone now," replied the Innkeeper. His arms were crossed and it was evident that he wasn't joking around. "You bought those things into my inn; I want you and them out of here right now!"

Maxine could see that she was likely to get what she wanted unless she resorted to violence. The thought of going back out into the rain wasn't a very tantalising but it seemed like that was what was going to happen if she wanted to keep her promise. With every passing moment, she was finding it more and more difficult as the rage within her continued to build up.

What she didn't notice was that one of the patrons had gotten up from his table and was walking over to her. He was a tall, well-built man who was still smaller than her but was still pretty confident. He also had a couple of companions sitting at the table where he had been. One striking aspect of his appearance was that he had no hair on his head at all, not even eyebrows which did make him look a little odd. But it was obvious that the nine-foot woman stood out even more.

"He's told you to get out of here," said the Patron as he approached Maxine. "I suggest that you take his word for it. Or else my companions here and I will just have to forcefully throw you out."

"Is that a threat?" replied Maxine who was far from happy with the words that she was hearing.

"No, that's a promise." He then reached up and poked her armour. Normally, he wouldn't be so bold but as he had two other companions to back him up, his confidence was through the roof. He could see that they too had gotten up from where they were sitting and had stepped over in order to back them up. "So, what are you going to do?"

"Do you enjoy that hand?" Maxine began to glare down at him as to show that she was clearly not happy with the situation. "Touch me again and I will swiftly separate it from your wrist!" This was when the three men all drew the swords that they were carrying and each seemed intended to use them.

Charles couldn't help but rush over and try to get in-between them. It seemed that what he was fearing was coming to be as the situation was spiralling out of control. He was happy to see Maxine showing restraint but he thought that if he didn't do anything quickly, then something would happen which everyone would regret.

"Now, now," said Charles as he stepped between them and tried to defuse the situation. "Let's all calm down and try and think this through. No one needs to get hurt here, so put your weapons away and let's talk about this like adults."

"Out of the way runt!" Without much effort, the Patron was able to push Charles to one side and he fell to the ground. Instantly, Maxine looked down to him and quickly knelt down so that she could tend to him. She was glad to see that he was uninjured but this didn't lessen what had been done.

With rage radiating from her body, the giant woman stood up to her full height and the three men who were standing there and the Innkeeper realised that they had just made a huge mistake. Before, they could see that Maxine had been annoyed but now she was on the verge of exploding with pure rage.

"You can insult me all you want but you never, EVER hurt my friend!" stated Maxine as she began to step forward. The three men began to step back and no one knew how they were going to get out of the situation.

Even Charles looked up from where he was as he got up to his feet and he was worried about what was going to happen. She had promised him that she would try and control her anger but it seemed that the situation had already deteriorated to the point that she couldn't hold it back any further. Now all he could hope for was that no one got serious injured in the next few minutes.

From their table, Asla, Jinshu and Taiyun could see what was happening and they felt a small amount of guilt as they knew that it was because of their presence that had caused the situation to happen. Asla in particular felt guilty and she wanted to go and try to defuse the situation like Charles had done before. But she also knew that her mission was too important and that her interference might make things even worse.