Sir Gabriel can see his hometown of Oakvale in the distance. Walking on the still wet road with Ashley close behind him, he can't wait to head back into town. As he is getting closer, he can see several guards standing at the town's entrance. Unlike his visit to Vershire, the guards here are looking somewhat relaxed, with only a few people staring at the large sight that is Ashley.

     Sir Gabriel knows why everyone seems to be relaxed despite Ashley's presence behind him. He did grow up in Oakvale, so most of the people do know him quite well. To see him being followed by a giant woman, they must figure that he has a good reason to be leading her close so close to the town.

     Sir Gabriel is surprised to find that Sir Olric isn't standing there with the rest of the townsfolk. Surely rumors of a giantess approaching the relatively small town would have grabbed the old knight's attention and given him cause to investigate the sighting as well. He can only figure that he must be at the town of August or another local town, performing his knightly duties.

      Sir Gabriel raises his hand, waving to the guards as he is approaching the town, only stopping when he is several feet away from them.  Ashley stops behind the knight, crouching down so that she can be closer to everyone, her toes sinking into the still wet ground a bit. She wants to kneel on the ground since it is less tiresome for her legs, but with the road still being wet, she wants to avoid getting mud on her skirt if she can help it.

     One of the guards approaches Sir Gabriel. With a smile on his face, he approaches the knight with a sense of familiarity. "Sir Gabriel," the brown-haired guard says while smiling, revealing that he is missing a couple of his teeth. He extends his hand out as he continues to speak, "Haven't seen you in what, about three years?"

     "That seems about right, James," Sir Gabriel says, shaking the guard's hand. He looks at the guard's smile, remembering how he was the one that did that to him. A foolish fight that the two had gotten into, and he got a bit too carried away. Sir Olric had been the one to separate the two of them all those years ago, knowing that things could have gone a lot worse if he had not interfered.

     "I would like to assume that your long overdue visit to town has something to do with that fine young lady behind you?" He looks up at Ashley, who is blushing by how he referred to her.

     "You are correct about that," Sir Gabriel confirms. "This is Ashley."

     "Hi," Ashley says, waving to the guards, doing her best to seem as nice and friendly as possible. "It is very nice to meet all of you." The few townspeople who have gathered around to catch the sight of the giant maiden seem to be a bit shocked by Ashley's greeting  They weren't quite sure what to expect from her, but for her to say hello in such a friendly manner did seem to catch them off guard.

     "I have returned, mainly because I want her to meet my family," Sir Gabriel explains.

      "Wait..." James looks at Ashley then back to Sir Gabriel. He is a bit dumbstruck by what Sir Gabriel has just told him. "Meet your family? You mean to tell me that you two are..."

     "That is correct," Sir Gabriel says with a sense of pride, "I am courting her."

     "So you finally did what you set out to do," James says while chuckling a bit. "You went out and rescued a maiden. Though I can't imagine what she needed rescuing from."

     "It's not funny," Ashley chimes in, feeling somewhat offended by how James is laughing. "I was very lonely until Gabriel came into my life. He has been so sweet and kind towards me, despite my more than unusual height."

     "I mean you no disrespect, Ashley," James apologizes. "It's just that Sir Gabriel here has always talked about rescuing a maiden and taking her as his wife. The idea itself was just so corny that I would often rib him about it. "To be honest, I am just surprised he succeeded so soon that's all. Though I guess I am one to talk. Remember Cassandra?"

      "I remember her," Sir Gabriel answers. How could he forget, she was the reason the two of them fought. She wasn't the best looking girl in town, nor did her looks improve as she got older. When they were both teens James had thought it humorous to lift up her skirt and make a rude comment about her undergarments. This caused the knight, rather squire at the time, to see red and start punching away at him.

     "Well, it was hard for me to admit back then but you set me straight all those years ago. The day after our little scuffle, I started courting her and we are now happily married."

     "That is good to hear," Sir Gabriel says while resting his hand on the guard's shoulder. "As much as I would like to stand around and catch up, I really must be on my way. As I said, Ashley is looking forward to meeting my family and I was hoping that I would be able to introduce her to Sir Olric first."

     "Then don't let me keep you then," James says as he steps off to the side. He takes one last look at Ashley, smiling at her. "It was nice meeting you too. Though, if you don't mind me asking, how tall are you, exactly?"

     "Fifty-one feet," she answers quite casually.

     James watches as Ashley stands up to her full height, noticing how he doesn't even reach her knees. He can't help but watch as she walks by him, following Sir Gabriel. "Fifty-one feet tall?" he mouths. He could clearly see just how large Ashley is, but he never would have guessed her to be THAT tall.

     "Why didn't you tell him about what happened to Sir Olric?" one of the other guards asks James.

     "I thought it would be best if he finds out for himself."

     Ashley is looking around at the town as she is following Sir Gabriel. Oakvale seems to be a much smaller, more quaint town. While the town of Vershire had homes that were two stories tall, the homes here only pass her knees due to only being a single story high. She mainly sees stalls with a variety of goods for sale as opposed to actual shops. But one thing does remain the same, the stares that she is receiving because of her height.

     Ashley isn't quite used to being stared at the way she is. Granted, she knows that it is inevitable. After all, she is the only woman to have reached such an extraordinary height, so the sight of her must surely be surprising. She can see how some people are pointing at her while talking to those who are close to them. Others seem to be laughing amongst themselves. She can only imagine the remarks and jokes that are being said about her. All she can do is smile warmly and wave, letting people know that she means no harm to them.

     "Gabriel," Ashley says, looking down at her knight. "Where exactly does your family live at anyway?"

     "Just outside of town," Sir Gabriel answers, pointing straight ahead.

     "Good," Ashley responds, holding her arm over her stomach. "I am getting very hungry, skipping breakfast was not such a good idea."

     Skipping their first meal of the day was not by choice. With the downpour delaying their journey to Oakvale considerably, the two had decided to eat when they arrived at Sir Gabriel's parents' house. "I can agree with you on that," Sir Gabriel agrees, looking up at Ashley as he continues to walk. "But I can assure you that Momma will make us a delicious breakfast."

     "Are you sure that she can feed me?" Ashley asks, sounding somewhat concerned. "Because I am pretty sure that you are aware of how much I can eat because of my size, right?"

     Sir Gabriel is fully aware of just how much Ashley is capable of eating. It isn't because she is a glutton, but rather because of her great size. The amount of food that he had ordered for her yesterday, after his attempt to kill a Toros, did surprise him a bit. Though the look on the tavern's cook's face showed that he was in a bigger state of shock, never having to prepare so much food for a single person. "Don't you worry about that," Sir Gabriel replies. "Momma won't let you go hungry. Besides, you can always have some fresh apples while you wait."

     Ashley smiles at Sir Gabriel's suggestion. Apples have always been a favorite for her to snack on. Thinking back, she can remember when she was twelve years old and being tall enough to just reach up and start plucking apples right out of the trees without any assistance whatsoever. The first time she did this she had been able to eat her fill, stripping the tree of all it's fruit in the process.

     Before the two of them can converse any further, Sir Gabriel stops when he hears someone yelling from inside a nearby house. Ashley needs to stop suddenly, nearly bumping into the knight with her toes. She breathes a sigh of relief, knowing that she could have easily kicked him if she wasn't being careful.

     Ashley crouches down, looking at her knight with a look of concern. "Gabriel, what's wrong? You stopped so suddenly without any warning."

     Sir Gabriel doesn't answer, listening to the yelling that he is hearing. The argument he hears sounds like it is one-sided, only hearing a man yelling. The sound of a door opening, and a woman sobbing moves his attention to the sound's source. Both Sir Gabriel and Ashley witness a woman being thrown out of her own home, falling into some mud, tears rolling down her face.

     A man stands in the doorway, looking down at the woman he has just evicted out of the home. "Until you learn how to cook a proper meal, like a proper wife, I don't want to see you back inside this house again! I am tired of the shit meals that you have been preparing!" He slams the door behind him as he steps back inside, leaving the poor woman on the ground crying.

     Sir Gabriel rushes to her side, helping her up. The blonde-haired woman's dress is covered in mud as she is helped up to her bare feet. He is already angry about how she was just treated, but looking at her face and seeing a red mark on her cheek only fuels it even further. He stares at the door, his mind focused on only one thing now.

     The woman looks over at Ashley, now just noticing her. She has no words to describe her surprise at the sight of such a large woman, but such things like that are not at the front of her mind at the moment.

     Ashley is watching as Sir Gabriel is approaching the door of the woman's home, noticing how his stride is different. "Gabriel?" she asks, worried about how he is acting. Sir Gabriel doesn't answer the concerned maiden but instead kicks open the door and steps inside the house. He is in a different state of mind right now, being solely focused on the man who had thrown his wife out the door and into the mud.

     With Gabriel now inside the building, Ashley wonders what he is going to do. She may have only just met him yesterday, but it is clear that he is acting a bit differently ever since he saw how that poor woman was treated by her husband. She wishes that she could follow him inside, but she knows that she is unable to do so. A reminder of the fact that she is just too big for this world.

      "Y-you're pretty tall," the woman finally manages to say, wiping her tears from her cheeks.

     Ashley smiles at her, not minding the comment since she knows that it is true. "A lot of people say that about me."

     Inside the home, the man turns around when he hears the sound metal clanging. "What the hell are you doing in my home?" the man asks while staring at the intruding knight. Sir Gabriel doesn't even answer the man, still approaching him. He clenches his fist, still replaying in his mind how that woman was just tossed out into the road. "Hey! I asked you a question."

     Sir Gabriel refuses to answer, but instead raises his fist and punches the man right in the face. His metal gauntlet making a strong impact.

     The man falls backward, landing on the floor. He is holding his face with both his hands, blood coming through his fingers. The knight's single punch had actually broken his nose. The man sits up, staring down at his blood-covered hands. "What the fuck was that for you son of a..." He doesn't get the chance to finish his sentence, Sir Gabriel lifting him back up to his feet by grabbing the collar of his shirt.

     Sir Gabriel is now in this man's face, staring at him as if he had just committed a heinous crime. "You listen to me!" Sir Gabriel finally says. His tone is full of anger, he sees no excuse for the actions that this man has performed. "I don't care why you threw your wife out like you just did, or why you saw fit to strike her. Yes, I saw the red mark on her face. You have no right to lay your hands on her the way you did. She is your wife! To be loved and respected unconditionally!"

     "You don't know... Owwwww!" He is interrupted again by Sir Gabriel headbutting him, the knight's forehead hitting him in his already broken nose, which is quite a painful experience. The angered knight gets some of the man's blood on his face by doing this, but this is not a concern for him at the moment.

     "You be quiet and listen to what I have to tell you!" The man stares at Sir Gabriel, genuinely afraid of what he may do next. "Here is what you are going to do now. I am going to walk out of here and send your wife back inside. Then you are going to get on your hands and knees and BEG her for her forgiveness. Then you are going to eat the meal that she has so lovingly prepared for you and tell her that it is the best meal that you have ever had. Do I make myself clear?"

     "Y-yes. Crystal." He is looking at the knight's angered and serious expression. He does not know why the knight is being so aggressive, but he knows that he means business. He figures that it is best if he complies with his demands.

      Sir Gabriel lets go of the man's shirt, causing him to fall back onto the floor. "Good. And one more thing. If I EVER hear that you have laid your hands on your wife out of anger, I will not hesitate to give you more than a broken nose."

     The man watches as Sir Gabriel leaves through the front door, thinking about everything that has been said to him.

     Sir Gabriel steps outside, feeling much calmer now that he has resolved the situation. The man's wife is staring at Ashley, fully taking in what she is looking at. "Ma'am," Sir Gabriel calls out, getting her attention. "You can head on back inside. Your husband has some things that he needs to say to you."

      "Th-thank you," she simply says, taking a few steps away from Ashley before running back inside.

     "Are you okay, Gabriel?" Ashley asks out of concern as she notices the blood on his face. "Your face."

     He runs his gauntlet over his face, seeing how his fingers are stained red due to the blood that he has just wiped off. "Oh that. Don't worry it's not mine. I guess I got a little carried away in there."

     Ashley watches as the woman is escorting her husband out of their home, his blood-covered hand over his face. "Don't worry," she says to her husband, sounding a bit concerned. "Let's get you a healer first, and then we can talk. Okay?."

      "Gabriel, did you do that to him?" She sounds worried, and she feels that her concern is justified.

      "Unfortunately I did." He sounds a bit remorseful, genuinely regretting what he had done. "I did go a bit too far, but it took every bit ounce of self-control just to hold back from going any farther."

     "This is a part of you I don't really care for."

     "Neither do I. But I always get like that whenever I see a woman being completely disrespected or harmed."

     "So it's more of a righteous anger then?"

     "Yes. I actually made an oath to myself to always show respect for women. When I see others failing to do the same, it just pisses me off that much."

     Ashley smiles, both surprising and confusing the knight. "Well then, I guess that the next time that happens, I will just have to hold you close until you calm down."

     "That is one solution to that problem," Sir Gabriel responds. "One that I will admit that I have no objections to." He looks back at the husband and wife as they are walking towards the edge of town. "If Sir Olric had seen how far I had taken that, he would be about as disappointed in me as you are."

     "If it ain't at the bottom of a flagon, he couldn't care less," a gruff voice comments.

     Sir Gabriel turns to face the old man who said that, unable to believe what he had just heard. "I believe you may have misheard me. I was talking about Sir Olric Darrold, Knight of the People."

      "More like Knight of the Ale now," the old man says. "All that damn dummy does now is sit inside the tavern and drink for hours on end. It's all he's done for almost a year now. "

     Sir Gabriel watches as the old man walks off, muttering about Sir Olric under his breath. "Sir Olric is a drunkard?" Ashley asks, sounding very confused. "That does not sound like the man you have told me about."

     "It isn't," Sir Gabriel responds. "He doesn't even drink. Says that ale can dull your senses and impair your judgment." He is trying to figure out why Sir Olric would be mistaken for a drunk. "The only thing I can figure is that there has been a lot of trouble at the tavern lately and that he is there so often to keep people in line."

     "So it's that bad at the tavern?"

     "Normally it's never that bad. Sure, people can cause some trouble when they get drunk, but they have never caused any major problems." Sir Gabriel thinks for a moment, still trying to figure out why the knight who trained him, his father, would be spending so much time there. "But then again, I have been gone for a long while. So there is no telling how much has changed since then."

     Yet, in the back of his mind, Sir Gabriel can't help but wonder if that rumor is true. He knows Sir Olric, the knight has been his father, he was taught and trained by him while he squired under the knight. Still, he can't shake that nagging doubt when he is thinking about that rumor. What if Sir Olric really has been drinking at the tavern?