Chapter 1
Asael shifted awkwardly, stirring the soup in the pot, the crimson flames casting his shadow on the cave wall, the tap tap of the rain persisting with no end in sight.
Oh… how he loved his privacy, the solitude that came with it and, above all, the silence.
He shifted again; he could still feel eyes boring holes into his back.
"Why won't she stop looking at me?" he thought.
You would have thought anyone who saw a twenty-foot man would run, but not this creature.If only he hadn't gotten involved.
It was what counted to him as a normal day. He was out farming, sweat soaking his tunic. The faint rumble of thunder signified an incoming storm.
"That should be all for today," he said, putting the last of the fruits in his grass basket, bigger than normal. One could almost say it was Asael-sized. He laughed at his own joke.
HaHaHa… the silence,he had gotten used to it, as it had become his only companion.
A scream rang through the forest.
"What is that?" he asked. His reply was another scream. He had to help. He cut through the forest, the trees little more than plants. The voices were closer now, all audible.
"Shut up, bitch," a masculine voice said.
"All we want is the treasure," another said.
It sounded like a robbery. He perked from behind a tree. Several individuals in leather armour—mercenaries—were gathered around a… Fae woman. She was dressed like a princess trying to be a commoner, intentionally neutral in colour, minimum adornments. Her clothes were muddied, her dark skin a rich sheen, hair so blonde that they looked white, grey eyes, blood oozing from the side of her head.
"I don't know what you are talking about," she replied, her voice sounding as beautiful as she looked.
"I told you not to hit her on the head," one of the mercenaries told the other.
"What did you expect me to do? She was running," he defended.
"I don't know, hit her in the leg or something," he replied.
"Guys, not helping," she said.
They were about ten in total,I can take them, but…should I?
He pushed the thought aside.
I burst into the opening. They fell to the ground, the face of fear I had gotten used to apparent.
"GIANT!!" they screamed, running into the forest, never to be seen again.
The woman lay weak on the floor. One look at him and… there she goes, unconscious. He scooped her onto his shoulders, the winds intensifying.
"Please don't make me regret this," he begged, and off he went into the forest.
Bringing us to now, she sat at the corner, bandaged up, staring at him.
"Ummm… are you hungry?" he asked, giving her half a bowl. She eyed the bowl hungrily.
"Eat," he said, nudging the bowl closer to her with his finger.
She scooped up a spoonful, downing it with her eyes shut. She waited for about a minute as if expecting something to happen. The thought hit him like dragonfire.
"You think I poisoned it!"
That… hurt. He thought he had gotten used to it by now, but thinking he would poison someone he rescued was another level of monster. Guess he would always be seen as just a beast and nothing more.
"No… No… No…" her voice came, exotic and pained. She stood, walking towards him, a limp in her footsteps. Asael stared as the Fae got closer. She sat beside him, her bowl in hand, like they were old acquaintances.
"No, I don't think you would poison me. It is just that your cooking is…" she paused, looking at him one last time. His breath caught in his chest in anticipation.
"Sooooo good!" she said excitedly.
Well… that was not what he was expecting. She continued eating, scoop by scoop, until it was empty. She looked at him, and it took a minute to understand.
"You want more?" he said.
"If… you would have me," she said shyly.
He looked at her, scanning her. This Fae ate like, well… him. The laughter burst out from him, making the cave rumble.
"How do you fit that much food into that tiny body?" he said, chuckling.
"Hey, I'm just hungry." He collected the bowl, pouring in another bowl full.
"No offence."
She collected the bowl, scooping it. It was interesting to see her eat, her hair tied back, her eyes aglow from the fire.
"Are you not afraid?" he asked.
She stopped, taking a look at him up and down. Suddenly, he felt self-conscious of the way he smelled, of the grime in his hair. Hopefully, he didn't look that bad. Finally, she talked.
"Of course I am. You are four times my size, and I am quite tall."
He tilted his head in confusion, running his hand through his locks.
"So… so why are you not running?"
"Because I feel safer here than out in the storm, and you don't look like you want to eat me," she said, returning to her food a moment later.
"Wow."
They sat in silence for a few minutes, the only sound being the spoon hitting the bowl, but even still, he appreciated the noise.
"So… does the big grumpy giant have a name?"
"I'm not grumpy," he said in his defense.
"Asael," he said, the name as unfamiliar to him as the Fae before him. When last had he heard the sound of his own name?
"Well… Asael, thanks for the hospitality."
"Th-thanks," he said, trying to decipher what she meant. Was she just being nice or just toying with him? He pushed the thought aside.
"How about you? What's your name?"
"Ella," she said, putting her hand on her temple as if the memory just came to mind. Although Fae could not lie, they could still withhold the truth.
"Ella… uh, nice name for an earth Fae."
Given that all their names were either rock-related or sand-related.
"Earth Fae… uh, I suppose that's about right."
Her tone sounded sad, sad enough that I knew not to pry.
"There is a pond not far from here. Just go right at the exit," he said, pushing open the door.
"Thanks. I really needed a bath," she said.
She stood, staggering but soon found her balance. "Yup… I'm good," she claimed.
A few steps, then… SMACK!! came the sound as her face connected with the wall.
"Oooouch!" she screamed, dust on her face but thankfully no blood.
"Who put that wall there?" she asked, squinting and frowning at the wall like it offended her. It was not doing anything other than being a wall.
"It was always there," he managed to say without laughing.
"Oooh," she said, feeling the wall as she found her way to the door.
What was wrong with this girl? Asael asked himself. Probably nothing.
He went back to clearing up the dishes. He might not know much, but he knew for sure that he had to part ways with the Fae.
Asael's steps sounded like rocks falling as he trudged through the forest, the bag of his belongings across his shoulders, green, matching his tunic. Various animals trudging by, unbothered by his presence, just like he liked it.
Except for one tiny detail.
"…and then I was like, ooh my, whatever shall I do?" the Fae continued, her dress now clean, bandages running up her arm.
He released a breath.
"Why are you still following me?" he asked. She looked at him like he asked a weird question.
"Weeelllll, that was what I was about to say." She took a breath, preparing to state her case. "So last night I realised, apart from my name, I don't really remember anything else, so it would be better to stay with you," she said, content with her explanation.
He put his hand on his face in frustration.
"Ho-ho-how is that the next choice of action? You lost your memories, and the next thing you think to do is follow the twenty-foot giant?"
She looked at him, still confused, like she had not heard his point. He stretched his hands out, taking his words slowly.
"You do not follow a good giant. You find your own path like any other sensible living being."
"So you think I am not sensible? Besides, it is dangerous out there. I'm far safer at your side."
She does have a point… no… no, I am not doing this with you. Be on your merry way, Fae.
"The name is Ellana,And what… why… what would you do if I refuse to leave, huh?"
He was off, thirty feet away from her when she shouted,
"Wait up, Asael! You wouldn't leave a poor helpless lady in the middle of the jungle, would you?"
"Watch me," he said, trudging on, not sparing her a glance.
She bounded along, cursing the twigs she hit. Then finally she was beside him. He gave her a look out of the side of his eye.
"You talk a lot," Asael blurted.
She drew her head back in shock, and then came the outburst.
"How… How dare you! I...…."
And this began the journey of the giant scorned and the Fae with the missing past.