* * * * *
With that pronouncement, she did enfold me in her hand, once more. Doubtless, so I could not see, and thus memorize, the direction to Jomsborg from my encampment. This guess was confirmed when she did re-open her hand...
...and I did behold a giant of one hundred English feet tall.* His white-bearded face gazing down upon me!
"I am Svyatogor; jarl of Jomsborg. And, my daughter Skogul (captain of the shield-maidens who do serve as my personal bodyguard), you have already met. So, then, tell me, little man! Why do you seek an audience with me?"
Whereupon, I did re-tell my now-familiar story. And, upon disclosing the name of him I had been entrusted to rescue, I did espy a look of recognition pass between father and daughter.
"The name is known to you, then?" I inquired.
Skogul nodded: "Holgar Gudfredsen is my mother's long-lost grandfather!"
She did then recount how this paladin had been banished from the seat of Carolingian power, for a time. The result of unwittingly killing Charlemagne's son, Prince Charlot, in retaliation for the latter's killing of Holgar's brother! And, how, during this exile, he did take the hand-in-marriage of Ilse (half-Saxon daughter of Ansegranus, king of the Langobards).
"His son, who did grow up to achieve renown as Edric Half-dane, did take as his own wife one Swanhild Ragnarsdottir. Alas! Holgar did not get to behold the birth of his grandchild. For an envoy did come from Charlemagne, one day, stating all had been forgiven. And, Holgar was free to return to court."
"Then, many weeks later, a second envoy did come to Jomsborg, demanding to know why Holgar had not yet returned! When told of Holgar's departure with the first envoy, both the second envoy and Edric Half-dane were most perplexed. Thus, they did adjourn to the hut of our shamaness Vulda (who is whispered to be part fox!)."
"Vulda did scry into a pan of boiled water. And, she did ultimately reveal that, within two days of their departure from us, the coterie escorting Holgar and the first envoy had been attacked. By the vile troll hag, Baba Yaga!"
"The latter did massacre everyone but my great-grandfather. Him, she took prisoner. And, when my grandfather heard this, he was most distressed. For Baba Yaga takes prisoners for one reason, only."
"To fatten them up for her dining pleasure, later."
tbc
Giantess World
