Although the urge to celebrate was strong among the refugee humans, Annallya reminded them that they were still far from free at the moment. Thanks to Gaelin, the most difficult part of the plan was behind them, freeing the hostages from the cages without being caught. However, they still had a city to escape from, one that was on high alert now for potential intruders. Annallya debated keeping the humans in her room for a day or two, before returning them to Sol-har. Eventually she came to the conclusion that it would be best to return them as soon as possible, while the palace was searching for an imaginary spy, rather than a group of escaped human pets. If she waited any longer, the Queen would have time to implement new security systems that she would have to bypass as well. No, she decided, better tonight when none of the attention was on her, and the palace has had little time to react.

Informing the little ones of the rest of her and Gaelin’s plan, they all waited until nightfall, when the palace had grown as quiet as it ever would. In preparation for this, Annallya had purchased a small traveling bag, and filled it mostly with soft cloth and fabric. This would be the bag that she would carry the little humans in, and she wanted it to be as comfortable as possible for them. When she presented them with the bag, some looked upon it with uncertainty.

“How do we know this isn’t some kind of trick?” asked one of the tiny men. An older looking one with more grey in his hair than black. “She’s a Titan after all.”

Gaelin, who had been off to the side talking with Andrill, looked over at him. Before he could say anything, a dark skinned young woman spoke first. “This Titan is the reason that we’re not in a cage right now. I think she’s earned some trust.”

“The reason we’re not all in cages right now are because of them.” the man retorted, pointing at Gaelin and Andrill, both of whom were looking cross. They looked to be on the verge of speaking up, when Annallya silenced them with a slight shake of her head. Choosing her words carefully, she addressed the man, as well as the rest of the crowd gathered on her desk.

“I cannot say that I blame your distrust of me,” she began. “Had I been held as a prisoner and a pet to a group of people for so long, I too would distrust all members of that group. You must understand, though, I have nothing to gain by helping you in anyway, and everything to lose should I be caught.”

The man crossed his arms, unconvinced. “You could have freed us just to capture us. Gain favor with the Queen.”

Gaelin took a step forward, only to stop when he saw Annallya smile. “I am practically sisters with her daughter. We have been as such since the day we were born. I also live in her palace, as my mother is her advisor, and oldest friend. I would say that I have enough favor with the Queen.”

Her smile slipped from her face, turning into a more somber expression. “I have also been to Sol-har and seen its people. I have walked amongst them. I have heard their laughter, and felt their pain. It haunts me at night. I wish no more nightmares, for myself or for your people. I wish only to help.”

The gathered crowd took a minute to process her words, including the skeptical man. At once, Jessiday Wedrin stepped in front of him, thrusting her chin up at him in defiance, silently asserting her refusal to be budged from her opinion. “I believe her, and I’d say she’s earned my trust. I’ll follow whatever order she gives, especially if it takes me back to my husband again.”

Surprised by the sudden show of strength from the normally subdued little woman, Annallya looked down upon her in amazement. “Thank you Jessiday.”

The diminutive woman looked up at the enormous Titan above them all and smiled. “I might have mentioned before sweetie, my friends call me Jess.”

It took a second for Annallya’s shocked expression to transform into one of genuine mirth. With a chuckle, she bowed her head to her new friend. “You honor me, Lady.”

Jess likewise chuckled and responded with one of her practiced curtsies. Looking out through her window, the Titan noted to late hour. “I believe that it is now late enough to make our voyage. If you all would kindly step into the bag, I will try to make this as smooth of a trip as I can manage.”

She held the bag up to the edge of the table, and watched as, one by one, each of the humans lept into it. Some were understandably hesitant, though even the gray haired man realized that he had no chance of escaping without her help. The blanket the she had stuffed in there ensured that each of them were well cushioned as they landed and remained inside. Andrill was the last one inside, and was about to be followed by Gaelin, when the giantess gently wrapped her fingers around his body, and lifted him into the air.

“Your task is not yet over, I am afraid. I will be needing a second pair of eyes to watch my back.” she told him, before slowly depositing the man on her shoulder. “Feel free to hold onto my hair as tightly as you require. Just do not attempt to pull it from my head.”

Gaelin took a minute to orient himself properly on the Titan’s shoulder, making sure that he had both secure footing, and a good grip on her fiery red hair.

“Huh, not a bad view from up here.” he remarked. Remembering his rope, Gaelin tied a short length of it around one of the leather straps of her armor, and then connected that to his belt. Now, should he fall, he would not plummet to his death.

When Annallya had been assured that he would not be going anywhere, she smiled down one last time at the humans in her bag. “Worry not, little ones. Soon you shall all be amongst your families.”

She closed the bag, leaving them in almost complete darkness, before extinguishing all lights in her room, allowing the encroaching night to consumer her bedroom entirely. From underneath of her desk Annallya drew her own coil of rope, this one was proportionately much longer than Gaelin’s, it had to be. She did not have a bow and special arrows capable of embedding themselves in wooden or stone surfaces. Rather, she had a different method in mind. The Titan threaded the rope around one of the legs of her bed, the heaviest piece of furniture in her room, then tossed both ends out of the window.

Slinging the bag of humans over her shoulder, she turned to Gaelin and whispered. “Hold fast, I shall try to go slowly.”

The red haired giantess sat utop her desk, then gently swung her legs around and out of the open window. With both ends of the rope clenched tightly in her fist, Annallya slid forward until her body had cleared both the desk and the windowsill, leaving her suspended by nothing but the rope and her own grip. Annallya grit her teeth. This had sounded so much easier when Gaelin and Andrill had described it while recounting their time navigating the palace halls. There was nothing for it now, however, other than to keep going. Using all of her considerable upper body strength, the Titan lowered herself down bit by bit, descending down two stories worth of distance. The moment her feet touched the ground was the moment that she released a breath she had not even noticed that she was holding.

“You ok?” Gaelin asked from her shoulder.

“Titans are not meant for such activities as climbing.” she concluded with labored breaths. “We are far too large. What need have we for such things?”

“Uh-huh, so how do you build houses higher than one floor?” he skeptically asked.

Annallya’s eyes narrowed as she glanced sideways at the little man on her shoulder. “Do not make me flick you off.”

She heard him chuckle softly. “Still, you’re taking a big risk. Wouldn’t it be easier to hide us and take us back in the morning?”

The Titan sighed. “I have training all day tomorrow, in addition to the fact that too many witnesses would see me and question where I am off to with a travel bag. Better this way, where I only have to sneak passed two guards at the most.”

“We could hide in your room for a few days.” he suggested.

Even though it was dark, Annallya turned to look at her friend, so small and close to her. She smiled, even though she was not sure if he could see in the dark yet. “I would worry for you every day that you were hidden and I was not around to protect you. Better for you if you are far from Thylara as quickly as possible.”

Gaelin was not entirely convinced, but he trusted her judgement, and conceded the argument with a gentle stroke of her neck. Oddly enough, Annallya found it comforting to have him with her like this. To have a tiny companion on her shoulder to speak with at any time gave her a new found sense of confidence that she could somehow bypass whatever obstacles came their way, only because she was not alone. She left the rope where it was, as she would need it to get back inside later. No patrols came close enough to the palace for anyone to notice it anyway, especially in the dark of night. With her little refugees at her back and her mentor by her side, Annallya slowly slid herself down the grassy incline which the palace rested upon, and headed down the nearest street. The dark made navigating Thylara somewhat troubling, but her knowledge of the city helped lead her in the direction of the gate she was looking for. The guards at each gate changed shifts at different intervals of time, so as to better confuse outside spies trying to gain entrance.

The fall of footsteps behind her brought her to a silent halt. Without any hesitation, Annallya slipped into the alleyway between two buildings and waited, not even daring to breath. From beyond the scope of her hiding spot, she could vaguely hear hushed voices.

“What are you complaining for Yuvora? It is not as though we have had much responsibility before this night.”

“I am aware of that,” another young Titan, Yuvora presumably, replied. “Which is precisely the reason why I volunteered for the night watch. We have little else to do but march through our designated route and not die of boredom. Now, I am to understand that we must actually watch out for an intruder in the city?”

The rest of their conversation was lost as the two Titans passed by the alley which cloaked Annallya in darkness, and continued on their way. It was a call far too close for comfort. The Titan waited through a full minute of breathless silence before emerging from the alley and resuming her mission.

“Are you ok?” Gaelin whispered.

“At the war council, the Catcher that I had saved you from told the assembled Generals that she believed there to be an intruder within the city.” she replied in as quiet of a tone. “Now, my mother, as well as the Queen herself, believe that I am some sort of highly trained and exceptionally dangerous spy. By tomorrow this entire city will be on the lookout for the intruder who is actually me.”

Gaelin was silent for a moment. “You put a whole city on high alert all by yourself. . . I’m proud of you.”

The red haired giantess could not help but beam a little as he reflected her own sentiments on the situation. “It appears I have had a competent teacher.”

He let out a quiet chuckle as the Titan carried them all onwards towards their destination. It took a few more minutes of running through streets and dodging patrols, for the gates to finally come into sight. When Annallya finally stopped, they were a block away straight ahead. The imposing wooden monoliths stood shut to the escaping party, an obstacle that would not be altogether difficult for the diminutive group. Upon her instruction, Gaelin untied himself from her shoulder so that she could place him on the cobblestone street. She quietly set the bag down beside him and opened it up, revealing the thirty little humans all huddled together atop the blanket that served as their massive cushion.

“I am going to turn the bag over now so that you can walk out.” she whispered. “We are not outside of the city, so please be as silent as possible.”

The humans did as they were told as Annallya slowly tilted the bag onto its side, allowing them to walk out without a word. Once the last tiny human had exited the bag, Annallya closed it, and joined them by shrinking down to their size. It was quite a breathtaking experience, to be so vulnerable and surrounded by so many people. Every one of them had good reason to hate Titans enough to attack her on sight. Yet they did not, and she doubted that Gaelin’s presence alone was what kept them at bay. This was nothing like her experience at the Black Stallion Inn, when the entire room had looked upon her with fear and anger. These humans looked to her for guidance, for leadership, the one task that she was least suited for. But none of that mattered right now. She had placed this responsibility on her shoulders the second that she had promised them their freedom. There was nothing left for it now but to hunker down and carry on with her task, as if it were one of Gaelin’s chores. That thought was enough to bring a small smile to her face and give her the confidence to keep going.

“Listen carefully to me,” she said, addressing the assembled crowd in a low voice. “We have but one obstacle before us. Make no mistake, though, for it is not an easy one.”

She pointed down the length of the expansive Titan street to the looming gate. “That is the gate that leads towards the forest where Sol-har lies. Given how small we are, if we keep to the shadows, there will be no way for the guards upon the walls or towers to spot us.”

She held up a warning finger for all to see before continuing. “The real danger lies behind those gates, with the women standing guard.”

Annallya could practically feel the weight of their stares on her as they began to comprehend their situation. Freedom lay close within their grasp. One tiny wrong move, however, would ruin all of that. “We have to be more careful now than we have ever been this night.” she urged. “What we shall do is crawl beneath the gates one at a time. We shall stay in the shadows and hug the walls as if we were one with them. If we can move slowly and quietly enough, the guard should not even glance down at us.”

“Begging your pardon Ms, but doesn’t this seem like too big of a risk?” asked a middle aged woman with complection similar to Thoren. “Isn’t there another way we could go?”

“Our only other avenue of travel is that way,” Annallya answered, pointing at the palace, which could still be seen looming in the vast distance. “Each gate we approach will be the exact same situation. All we can do is choose which gate we will exit from, and I promise you all that I shall be there with you through all of the danger.”

They were scared, and that was only to be expected from them. But not a single one of them could bare returning to their cages while their families continued to believe that they were dead. Especially not the humans who had been used by Titans for ‘pleasure’. With steely determination in their eyes, they trailed behind as she lead them down the street to the gate. From the humans perspective the gates here were no different than the doors that had kept them trapped in the palace’s disciplinary room. Despite being much bigger than those doors, they had one important difference, the relatively large gap between the bottom of the doors and the ground. To a Titan this gap was negligible, but to a human the gates themselves might as well have been open for all of the good they were going to do. The group of tiny men and women approached the gates, immediately hugging the wall. They all took a few moments to steady their breathing and prepare themselves for what came next. Without a word Gaelin uncoiled the massive length of rope he had brought with him, holding onto one end while Annallya held the other. They had discussed this part ahead of time.

Annallya took her end and surreptitiously began to inch her way towards the gate, slipping her body under the massive slab of wood, only to peak her head out of the other side. She was greeted by the dreadful sight of two Titan guards, sitting in enormous chairs at opposite ends of the gates, and gazing off into the distant wilderness. The job of a watchwoman as each gate was simple, keep an eye out for intruders, and do not fall asleep on the job. It was both an easy task, and a boring one. Above their heads and to the side of each of them was a burning torch, casting a bubble of light out against the oppressive darkness of the world. At the moment both women were engaged in a quiet conversation about their respective families. Annallya paid little heed to what was said, only that they continued talking as she crouched down and slowly stalked out from under the door. She immediately moved off to the right, her body never more than an inch or two away from the wall, and the two guards never once out of her peripheral sight. She had stressed to every single one of them how important it was that they move as slowly as possible while they were within the torchlight. Once the light began to fade and she was just on the border between the shadows and the fire’s dim glow, she halted and gave the rope three good tugs.

A breathless minute later, Jess appeared around the corner of the stone wall, crouching in much the manner Annallya had. The diminutive Titan noted that the skirt of her dress was noticeably shorter than before and unevenly cut at the edges. Gaelin’s doing then, as it made it easier for Jess to move while crouched. Gaelin volunteered to be the last man to leave so as to remind everyone how they must maneuver themselves around the Titan guards. Jess moved like a jungle cat observing prey with how carefully and slowly she stalked behind the the back of the sitting Titan. She made sure to pay equal attention to both the guards, as well as where she was placing her feet, fearful of even the slightest noise made by her steps. Once Jess had made it passed where Annallya was crouched, the Titan tugged three more times on the rope. Just as before, another human, this time a man, crawled out from beneath the gates and began his slow advance passed the guards. This process continued for a number of minutes, which quickly piled on with each human. By the time they had reached the sixteenth human, a pretty young woman, who was especially fearful around the statuest guards, an hour had passed. Once each human made it passed Annallya, they continued walking in silence, cloaked by the darkness of the late hour, until they were well out of earshot of the Titan guards, but never any further than that. At this point they were far too afraid to continue without their Titan protector.

But Annallya stayed by her post, as more little people made their perilous trek beneath the noses of the vigilant Titans. The twenty second person to take their turn, the older woman with the dark complexion, spent too much time looking up at the conversing guards, as she made her way passed them. She found her foot slipping into a small dip in the ground, just small enough to cause her to trip and fall to the ground with a soft THUD, expelling the air from her lungs. Annallya’s heart jumped into overdrive as she was two seconds away from leaping to the woman’s defense. However, the guard’s voices, even at the lower tone they were conversing in, proved more than sufficient for masking the woman’s noise, so that it never reached their ears. Picking herself up, the woman continued her trek, reaching Annallya without another incident. After another twenty minutes, Andrill was slipping passed Annallya, leaving Gaelin as the only one left.

The swordsman appeared from beneath the gate a bare moment later. Annallya began gathering in the rope, as he would hardly need it, and moved deeper into the shadows. She hardly needed to wait for the man, for she had seen his capabilities first hand. The man had practically grown up skulking through the forest. His footsteps were careful and slow, making the absolute minimal noise as was possible for a human to get away with. With his black leather coat on, he would practically melt into the shadows once he was passed the boundaries of the torch light. They had made it. Against all odds, the misfit Titan and her drunken human mentor had outwitted an entire kingdom and gotten away with all of their captives. What was important for them to remember, however, was the external forces playing a role in these events. Forces of chaos and chance, that govern the everyday happenings of normal life, are at work even and especially in big events such as this. Things happen that are out of human, or Titan control, and no amount of planning can counter this undeniable fact of reality. Sometimes things just happen, and there is no rhyme or reason behind any of it.

In this case, the Titan guard just happened to stretch her back, and turned around in her seat just in time to see Gaelin heading for the shadows beyond the light.

She stood to her feet at once, and Gaelin froze in place.

“What is it?” her companion asked.

“It is a man.” she answered.

Annallya’s heart leapt into her throat upon hearing those words spoken. She had begun moving away, assuming Gaelin was in the clear. Turning back, she found both guards looking down upon her mentor, who was completely exposed in the torchlight. Just as she was about to sprint towards him, preparing to grow herself as well, she stopped. Gaelin, despite not moving from his spot, had paused with his hand out facing her, indicating her to stay where she was. He either had a plan, or was about to do something incredibly foolhardy. Either way, Annallya owed it to him to trust him more. She did not, however, take another step in the opposite direction. Should whatever he had in mind not go his way, she was prepared to fight both guards with her bare hands if that is what it took to keep them away from her friend.

“Is he a wild one?” asked the second guard, a lanky woman with slanted eyes and hair as pitch black as the night atmosphere.

“He wears clothes,” noted the other one, a blonde haired woman with a soft voice. “Clearly an escaped pet.”

The looming Titan began to lean in towards the ankle tall man, her hand reaching out to grasp him. “A noble effort little creature, but you cannot escape from us.” she warned him with a smirk on her face. “Stay still and we shall be gentle with you.”

Gaelin turned his body, so that he faced the two gargantuan women with the left side of his body turned away from them, but made no more move than that. Annallya had broken out in a cold sweat by now. Why was he making no move to escape?

The guard grinned when she saw that he was not planning to run from her, her encroaching fingers reaching out to grasp his pathetic form. Just as she was a hair's breadth from touching him, Gaelin’s entire body blurred in one single motion that barely registered to Annallya’s panicked eyes. One second he was facing two forlorn Titan guards, ready to make him their plaything as well as prisoner. The very next second he stood in the standard guarding position he had taught her, with his right leg forward, hilt held low, and blade pointed up. Annallya was not sure if it was an effect of the torchlight on the blade, but his sword appeared to have erupted into flames.

No, she realized, taking a quick second look, his blade was stained scarlett with . . . blood.

“AAAHHHH!” the blonde Titan roared, clutching her right hand with her left. Shocked by the pain that now pulsated from her fingertip, she took an involuntary step backwards, knocking her partner back a few steps. Gaelin spared a second to swing his sword once, clearing the blood from his blade in one swipe, before sheathing. From there he wasted not a moment more, turning towards Annallya and sprinting for all he was worth. Before he grabbed her wrist and pulled her along after him, Annallya had just time to spot the tip of the injured Titan’s finger.

It was lying severed in the cool evening grass.

*************************************************************************************

It was about an hour to midnight when the visitor came to the little village. Rhollan was just standing amidst his common room, listening to another rapturous tale spun by the Whistler, when he felt the tremors approach. The villagers themselves, most of whom had planned on leaving just after this last story, noticed not long afterwards. A thread of panic began to weave its way through the heart of every man and woman in the room, tightly controlled as it was. They had all experienced this sensation enough times to retain adequate control over themselves. As the Whistler paused his story, the men and women of the common room stood to their feet, and began to file out of the building. They herded themselves through the streets towards the forefront of the village. Along the way they were joined by other villagers who had retired early to their homes, until not a man, woman, or child remained sheltered in doors. Rhollan followed at the head of the crowd, his ever faithful Anda by his side. Perhaps it was because of his advancing age, or the fact that he owned the biggest building in the village, but the residents of Sol-har seemed to defer to him as the unofficial ‘head’ of the village. As such, it was expected of him to greet whatever Titan emissaries sent their way. It was a heavy burden that he would have gladly passed on to younger shoulder, yet so long as Anda stayed by his side, he found that he could muster the strength to face a Titan again each time.

What was particularly odd about this instance, he noted as the tremors grew closer, was the timing for it all. Their next Offering wasn’t due for a few more months. What could the Titans want with them this night? Things became no more clearer when the villagers reached the outskirts of Sol-har, only to see who it was that had come to meet them.

“It’s her!” Anda whispered in his ear. “It’s that girl that came here.”

“Yes, I recognize her.” he confirmed.

“And look who she carried here with her.” she muttered in a tone darker than all the night.

Rhollan looked up with squinted eyes at a sight he had never before heard of in the wildest of stories. Perched atop the shoulder of the Titan was Gaelin ‘Val Saida. The Titan, Annallya he recalled her name being, spoke not a word as she cast her gaze over the assembled crowd of frightened villagers. Oddly enough, she looked a bit frightened herself, as if she were the one who was afraid of facing them. Nothing about this made any sense to Rhollan who stepped forward to greet her, drawing strength from the presence of his wife at his side.

“Annallya Rhaolin,” he addressed her loud enough for both the crowd and the Titan to hear him. “I welcome you to Sol-har. Why have you come here this evening?”

Annallya looked over at the man standing on her shoulder, before giving a slight nod. Very slowly, she lowered herself down, until she was kneeling on the grass, her body resting on her heels, and her hands laid peacefully on her lap. It was the strangest sight any of the villagers had ever seen: a full grown Titan sitting peacefully before them, with a man on her shoulder.

“Hello Rhollan,” she replied in a surprisingly soft voice. “It is good to see you again. I had not the chance to thank you for your gracious hospitality to me two nights ago, as well as apologize for the scene that my presence had caused. It was not my intention to ruin everyone’s night.”

The weathered old man blinked, he had not expected this. True, when he had met her that night, the young woman had behaved with more respect and courtesy than any senile old man like himself was due. All the same, this was not the typical haughty superior attitude displayed by all other Titans he had met before her.

“It was not your fault Lady Rhaolin, but your apology is graciously accepted.” he slowly replied, his uncertainty shifting towards curiosity. He watched as the Titan took a deep breath, her mouth forming into a sad smile.

“I am certainly no Lady. A Lady would know what to say in a moment like this,” she said with a small chuckle. The villagers remained silent as they waited for her to continue.

“When Titans are little girls, we are taught of our unique ability to change our size, though we understand almost nothing about it. Despite our gift, we rarely use it, preferring to remain at our natural height. As such, when little girls are told of people living in the wilderness who are always tiny, we believe that they are the most different kind of creatures from us in every way.” she explained. “We grow up hearing stories of your people, living in the forest, stories that paint you all as wild animals, roaming about and hunting each other. When you are brought to Thylara, we are made to believe that we are doing a good thing, teaching you to be civilized.”

She took another deep breath before continuing. “All my life I had believed this lie to be true. It was not until I had met two men that this illusion was shattered before my eyes, and I learned the dark truth.”

The smile slipped from her face, as her eyes became heavy with knowledge, and all of the pain the follows in its footsteps. “I know that my people come to your village and take your loved ones from you. I know that they force you into this . . . this Offering. I know that you hate us for it, and I cannot blame you for your anger.”

“I cannot erase the pain that has been wrought.” she continued. “I cannot change was has already happen. All that I can do, is change what happens from now on, and show you that I am not the same as my people.”

Annallya stood up to her full, daunting height, and declared for all of Sol-har to hear. “This is my Offering to you.”

She stepped off to the side, making a slight effort to keep her footsteps soft. From the woods that had previously been obscured by her giant form, came the rustling of many leaves. Figures suddenly began to materialize themselves from the darkness. Tiny, human figures. Thirty in total. As they came closer their features were easier to distinguish.

Rhollan gasped. “It can’t be.”

All at once, Idoata Halloway broke off from the crowd, running forward with her skirts held tight in her hands. One of the figures noticed her, and sprinted forward to meet her, a young man with a red coat and a lions mane of golden hair ran forth to meet her. Andrill wrapped his arms around his mother, and together the two of them wept in the open night. Many of the other figures, men and women who were thought long dead, ran towards the crowd in search of their loved ones. Rhollan and Anda watched as grown men and women broke down into sobs upon being united with each other. Husbands with their wives, parents with their children, and lifelong friends.

“Rhollan! Anda!” called a voice from the crowd.

The couple turned about to see a fair skinned man and woman of about the same age as them approach. The man was lanky, with a spars amount of hair decorating a round head, and an impressive beak of a nose. He was dressed in fine silks that contrasted sharply against the simple cotton cloth of his wife, a warm kindly woman who’s blonde hair was beginning to fade with age. Though it was obvious that the two had just been crying, they wore the broad smiles as they walked over to their old friends.

“Klin!” Rhollan breathed. “Klin! By the Sun and Stars!”

The hawk nose man embraced his two friends for the first time in nearly four years.

“How?” Anda asked in disbelief. “What happened?”

Klin pulled away to indicate towards the Titan standing off in the distance. “It was those two. Gaelin, the mad fox, appeared out of nowhere and freed us all. Took us to that young woman over there, and she snuck us all out the city.

Rhollan couldn’t believe his ears. Gaelin? Waltzing into a Titan city and freeing captives? It sounded like a Whistlers tale. “How about that?” he murmured.

“Well come to the Inn,” Anda insisted. “You’ve got to tell us everything that happened.”

But Ol’ Klin turned back to the couple with an eager grin. “Oh there’ll be time enough for that. First tell me, have you still got my fiddle?”

*************************************************************************************

From her vantage point above the trees, Annallya had the perfect view of the humans as they reunited with their loved ones and friends. Living in a war hungry city, Annallya had seen soldiers return home to their families many of times. The sight before her was very reminiscent of that. She could practically hear Tayall’s voice cry out as he tackled his older brother in a violently emotional hug, their mother Idoata standing beside them embraced her two sons. Following on the heels of Tayall came an older man who bore a striking resemblance to the two boys. He stood there processing the weight of the sight before him, his family reunited. With strong arms outstretched, he embraced his wife and sons.

So, Annallya thought. That is what a father is.

Gaelin remained a constant presence on her shoulder, basking in the emotions emanating from the villagers, as hope and happiness was returned to Sol-har for the first time in a long time. A few captives from the city had not originally been members of the city, instead having been kidnapped while travelling through the woods. Though they had no one to weep over them, they were swallowed by the ecstatic villagers all the same, welcomed as a part of their community all the same. The swordsman allowed himself to lean against the lock of hair that he had grabbed onto.

“Still believe you carry the weight of your people’s sins on you?” he asked.

She smirked. “Do you?”

“I stopped believing that when you showed mercy to evil men.” he answered. “Today, though, you really amazed me. You made all of this happen.”

“As did you,” Annallya reminded him. “Running about a Titan palace all by yourself and setting fire to it, all to free your people?”. She paused to look over the crowd again, to feel their happiness wash over her. “We have done a truly good thing today.”

“Yeah,” he agreed. “Suppose we did.”

“Annallya!” came a familier voice.

The Titan looked down to see Jess running towards them. She smiled as she gently lowered herself on one knee.

“Annallya!” she cheerily called again, stopping just in front of her knee. “We’re going to be celebrating at the Inn!”

The red haired giantess smiled down at her new friend. “That is wonderful Jess. You all deserve a celebration.”

But the tiny blonde haired girl only laughed. “So then come down here. You too Gaelin. You’re not scurrying away from this one.”

Annallya cast Gaelin a perplexed look, who replied with a shrug of his shoulders. She gently grasped him and placed him next to Jess, only soon join them at her human size. Jess wasted no time, grabbing the taller woman by the arm and hurrying her over to the assembled crowd, with Gaelin trailing at their backs. Voices became hushed as the group approached, with some of the villagers parting the way, allowing them to stand at the center. The contentment Annallya had been feeling was now being replaced with uncertainty. She had hoped to slip away and let the people enjoy their night of celebration without the presence of a Titan among them. Jess, however, paid it no mind.

“This is my friend Annallya,” she proclaimed to the village. “Who kept her promise to carry us from Thylara. She will be my guest of honor at tonight’s celebration.”

Though the diminutive woman said it with a smile on her face, there was an underlying tone to her voice that communicated how this was not up for debate. Jess Wedrin who, even at human size only came up to Annallya’s chin, subtly dared the entire village to object to her statement. Her challenge was answered by a hearty laugh from the crowd.

“Why of course!” Ol’ Klin exclaimed. “Why I reckon you’ve never heard fiddle music before! You’ll have to let me play for you. It’s the least I can do to thank you.”

Other refugees among the people began to voice their agreement, taking the Titan by surprise. “I- . . . uh . . .” she looked back at Gaelin who smiled.

“Go on,” he murmured. “Enjoy your party. You’ve earned it.”

From the crowd stepped Andrill, who clamped a calloused hand on the shoulder of the taller man. “And this,” he announced. “Is my teacher Gaelin ‘Val Saida, who freed us from our cages, and fought guards so that we could escape. He’ll be my guest of honor tonight.”

He leaned in closer so that only Gaelin and Annallya could hear him now. “Or did you think I was going to let you get away with saving us and not be thanked?”

“I definitely should have left you on that night table.” he muttered in return, causing the younger man to roar in laughter. But Gaelin looked off to the side and saw his family. Tayall looked at him in open pride, the tear streaks still fresh on his face. Next to him was his mother Idoata, who wore the first ever smile Gaelin had ever seen on her when she looked at him. Clutching onto them was Andrill’s father, a butcher named Norid, who gave the swordsman a solitary nod of respect and gratitude. Turning back, Gaelin saw Rhollan make his way to the front of the crowd, a merry smile plastered on his face, as he gave a small bow to the group.

“I’d be honored if you’d join us in my Inn for the celebration.”

From there the dam broke and the crowd ran through the streets, dispersing in all directions. Those that had been gone were eager to shed their Titan made clothes and return to the comfortable cotton made outfits of their former life. Helpers ran to the Inn, preparing the common room to receive the largest crowd it had ever seen. Women ran to the kitchen to prepare food while the men began rolling more casks of wine and beer from the basement. Tables were pushed off to the side so that the entire center of the room was open. The Whistler himself vowed that he would have the entire room dancing to his tunes. He stood off to the side, tuning his instruments along side Klin, discussing what songs they knew how to play between them. The entire village seemed afire with new life, and Annallya stood in the center of it, taking it all in.

This. This is what a community was. She had seen them all mourn together. Now, she watched as they celebrated together. The happiness shared by every man and woman permeated the air, and it felt warm to her. It was breathtaking.

(Author's note: I recommend reading the rest while listening to the song Acres Wild by Jethro Tull)

In under an hour the entire village occupied the the Inn. A massive gathering of people formed a circle around the center of the room, where couples and individuals danced to the music of Klin and the Whistler, a jaunty tune that compelled the feet to move and hands to clap. Those that could find no room on the ground looked down from the railings of the second floor, talking, drinking, and laughing. Annallya hypnotically watched Jess spin and leap about, her feet becoming a blur as she kicked them to and fro. The quick paced music only seemed to push her to go faster. All of a sudden Jess appeared in front of her, pulling her into the dance floor.

“Come on!” she insisted.

“Jess I know not your dances!” she protested.

But her friend only laughed. “I’ll teach you! Come on!”

She was surprisingly strong for a smaller woman, and Annallya found herself a part of a line of men and women holding hands and dancing about, kicking their feet around. In Thylara, the dances are more delicate and gentle in their movements. They could be performed alone or with a partner. But they could have the effect of lulling some to sleep with their slowness. These dances were fast and energetic and . . . and fun.

The mandolin and fiddle music, combined with the beat of clapping, made Annallya want to kick her legs as well. Before she knew it she was laughing along with everyone as they spun about in a big circle. The crowd cheered them on, sharing in their mirth. Though Annallya did not know the exact steps, she imitated Jess well enough to keep pace with her movements, and together the two women danced as partners. In the middle of it all Jess embraced Annallya in a hug, tears of happiness falling on her shoulder.

“I never thought I’d dance among my friends again!” she told her. “Thank you Annallya!”

Annallya hugged her back, and together the two jumped back into the fray of music and motion. Annallya found herself spinning about, until she landed in familiar arms. Gaelin, who had caught her, was looking down at her in open wonder. He had never before heard of a Titan dance, nor had he seen a woman in general move as she had. It was mystifying. Before he could utter a word, Annallya pulled his face in and kissed him. Amidst the jubilee not many took notice, and that suited her just fine. In that moment there was only the two of them, surrounded by pure happiness. When they pulled away, her eyes were practically shining.

“You are an unbelievable woman.” he told her.

She put a hand to his face, feeling the contract of his skin and beard, and was about to reply, when something interrupted her. A tremor.

A second, more forceful tremor brought the music to a crashing halt, as everyone froze in place. Shadows were cast about as the chandeliers were shaken, giving the room a dark cast. A few voices in the crowd timidly whispered “No no no.” in naked horror.

Annallya ran to the window and gasped at the sight before her. Standing at the forefront of Sol-har were five Titan figures. Four of which were guards taken straight from the Queen’s palace. At their center was a commanding woman, in a blue dress and shawl, sporting a massive staff of red wood.

“Daughter!” Mistress Rhaolin shouted. “I know that you are here! I would speak with you of your treachery!”