* * * * *
I ignored her thinly-veiled suggestion.
"Where is the Lady Skogul, and what have you done with her?" I demanded.
Ovaria did half-smile: "I have shrunken and devoured other men for being only half so impudent! But, my spies in Alamtu say you were quite impressive, the way you fought to escape from the Kazakh city guard. So, come with me and I will show you."
Thus, did we leave Ovaria's bedchamber. With the demoness leading the way; and myself, flanked on either side by three Korybantes a piece.
Countless minutes later, we reached what I can only describe as a "bath house." Only, the naked maidens I beheld were not bathing themselves in tubs, or even pools, of soapy water. Rather, they were immersed in a substance that I had heard brewers of mead call..."royal jelly."
It was then Ovaria directed my attention toward the far back wall of this vast chamber. And, there, bound-and-gagged to that wall with shackles of beeswax, was the beauteous Skogul. Ten English feet tall; and also stark naked.
"What in God's name...?" I began to exclaim. Only to have Laphrianides swat the back of my head.
"No infidel oaths in Her Majesty's presence!" he shouted: "Queen Ovaria is the only true deity, here."
I did half-smile, most unpleasantly.
"Give me my falchion and buckler, and we shall see which deity does better protect whom."
This did cause the demoness to laugh.
"An excellent idea! A duel-to-the-death between the captain-general of my bodyguard; and the champion of Murom."
I did glare angrily at her.
"What makes you think I would agree to such madness, you...you self-aggrandizing succubus?"
Never before had I received such a look-of-daggers from a woman.
"Agree to the duel...or I shall devour both the Norse wench and her father before your very eyes!"
"Nmmmmph! Nmmmmph! Nmmmmph!" muttered Skogul, trying- but-failing to shake her head in her attempt to dissuade me.
"If I agree...and win," I replied: "...you must let the Varangiants (and Holgar Gudfredsen) go. Alive and unharmed!"
Ovaria did smile in triumph.
"On one condition! Should you win? YOU shall father my new army! After which, you will be castrated...so you can serve me as Laphrianides' replacement!!"
"If I agree to that condition," I countered: "...I must have a sign of good faith. Release Skogul into my custody, so that we may share whatever quarters you assign me in the interim preceding the duel."
The triumphant smile became a most feral grin.
"But, I shall hold on to her father, as a sign of _your_ good faith!"
Grimly, I nodded. In response to which, Skogul did try to lower her head in shame and frustration. Only, her waxen gag would not permit this. So, there was no way to hide the tears in her eyes from mine.
An hour later, I was in a bedchamber fit for a nobleman...and dressed in a blue toga.
Suddenly, a gong sounded, and the doors to the bedchamber did open. Through those doors came Skogul; still ten feet tall. But, now dressed in a white toga, with only her left shoulder bedraped. And, with her long blond hair braided in the Frankish style.
"Skogul!" I began, as I approached her: "Are you al...?"
The right-handed slap she did give to my face did almost send me to the floor!
"Are you crazed?!" she did yell at me: "How could you accept that harlot's terms? And, why did you do so?"
"I was trying to buy time," I replied.
I did then explain how Lin Kuei had managed to escape. Taking with him the blest-headed arrow.
"I am thereby hoping that the preparations for the duel will divert all manpower from the search for him. So, that he can return the arrow, to me, at the crucial moment. Along with the bow to fire it!"
I did then change the subject by asking her why she and Svyatogor had not resumed giant-size, upon regaining consciousness, and escape from Ovaria under their own power. Unfortunately, this did only serve to make her break down in tears anew!
"The wound inflicted on him, by Baba Yaga, was worse than he let on. It did allow Ovaria to cancel out his size-altering magic with her own. By pouring juice, from one of her accursed fruits, into the wound! She then did likewise to me...by pouring that same juice down my throat while I was still unconscious. So that, presently, I can grow no taller than this!"
Needless to say; this, I had not counted on.
tbc
Giantess World
