In the courtyard of the giant castle were several human-sized structures, built around the time that Valerie became queen. Many of the first settlers were soldiers from Elgon and other human cities, and they decided that they should form an army for their new queen. They built barracks and military training facilities in the castle's courtyard, at the foot of one of its great walls. As it turned out, an army wasn't really necessary, since the queen herself was more than capable of dealing with any threats to her realm. The military structures were eventually more or less abandoned, and the only threats the remaining human soldiers were concerned with were internal ones – criminals, bandits, those kind of things. Still, a number of men continued to use the buildings for training and the making of weapons, since there was always the chance that one day the kingdom will be attacked while the queen was absent, or somehow incapable of retaliating.

It was mid-autumn, several weeks after his wedding, and Lorek was practicing fighting with a sword in one of the buildings in the courtyard. He was being instructed by a man called Ansur, a commander in the army of Vandan. There was no real reason for Lorek to be doing this, but he knew there would be times when Belena wasn't around to protect him, and if he ever found himself in any danger during such a time he needed to be able to take care of himself. He'd tried learning archery first, but felt he wasn't making any progress, so he turned to learning sword-fighting instead. Valdan was busy training as well, along with several other young men from the town. They all got along well, except for Lorek, who felt a bit like an outsider. His background was different than theirs – they grew up living this life and he didn't – and then there was the fact that he was already married while they were spending each night with a different girl they met in town. Valdan himself didn't have a girlfriend yet, or if he did he hadn't told anyone about her. But he was the only one of the group whom Lorek felt comfortable spending time with, and he considered him a good friend.

"Not bad," Ansur said, after Lorek had taken a short break from practicing. "You've still got a lot to learn, Lorek, but your progress is remarkable. I think you can start practicing against some of my other men here soon...next week, I should say."

"Oh...that's good," Lorek said, not really feeling like sparring with guys who were both more experienced and stronger than he was. But he guessed it was necessary if he really wanted to learn properly, which he did. Belena hadn't liked the idea at first, feeling that she could look after him much better than he could himself, but he'd managed to change her mind.

"Hey!" Valdan said, coming over and sitting by Lorek's side. "What's going on with you? You look like you could use a little cheering up."

"No...I'm fine...just wondering if this was a good idea, that's all."

"What do you mean? Of course it's a good idea, learning how to defend yourself. Dad first made me learn how to use a sword when I was twelve, and I've been grateful ever since. Of course I don't mind having a giant mom and sisters to protect me, but they're not all-powerful. I know Belena will do her best to keep you safe from harm too, but you never know..."

"Yes...I understand."

"Well, then...how about you and I begin the real training next week? What do you think, Commander Ansur? Can Lorek practice with me?"

"Certainly, your Highness. Like I said, he's making good progress."

"All right, then, let's head back to the castle. The sun is starting to set, so it's nearly suppertime, I'd say."

As they walked back across the courtyard they saw Sylvie making her way back to the castle as well, her vast shadow falling across them. She'd been visiting some friends of hers in Rismark, and she had spent the day wandering about the countryside. It must be nice, Lorek thought, to be both a powerful giantess and a royal princess at once. He wondered if Sylvie had begun a relationship with someone, but, like Valdan, she wasn't saying. Then again, she was only fifteen, though she already looked just as pretty as her older sister. He wondered if there were any other guys who, like him, found giant girls attractive. Sylvie spotted the two of them at her feet and sat herself down on the grass, blocking their path.

"Um...hello," Valdan said, stopping in front of her. "You got something to say, sis?"

She giggled, a sound which Valdan had always found annoying. There used to be a time, not so long ago, when he couldn't stand her company. She would give him all kinds of grief, all in the name of having some fun with him. But she had matured a lot over the last year or two – their first adventure in the wild having been an eye-opener for her – and she now treated him with much more respect and consideration. But Sylvie was still Sylvie, and she couldn't resist having a go at him every now and then.

"Not really, little bro...just thought the two of you looked really lonely down there. Been playing with swords again? How's that working out for you, Lorek?"

"Fine, I guess. I mean, I'm not gonna be a warrior anytime soon..."

"He's doing very well," Valdan added. "He'll be training with me next week at the military school in town."

"Uh-huh," Sylvie replied. "Pretty soon you'll both be the terror of thieves and bandits throughout the land. I'm sure Belena will feel a lot safer on the road when you're there to protect her, Lorek."

Valdan simply ignored her sarcasm. She offered them a lift and they climbed into her open hand. Lorek had only been carried by her a few times before. It didn't feel the same as being carried by Belena. He wondered what it must have been like for Valdan growing up with two giant sisters, one of whom was younger than him. Sylvie was still a growing young girl, but she was already larger and stronger than any of the monsters in the stories Lorek had heard as a child. He could see why some people might think the giantesses were monsters, especially those people whose ancestors had been victims of vicious giants long ago. But he himself was thankful to live in a land ruled over and defended by a giant queen, and to have found love and a new life with one of her daughters.

By now Lorek had become quite used to his new life at the castle, which included the unusual seating arrangement at mealtimes. The three giant women sat on one side of a small (for them) table, while the three men sat facing them at a much smaller table, which was placed on a box on the big table. The meals were always prepared by Valerie and her daughters (taking turns), since it would have taken a legion of cooks and servants to make a meal large enough for even one of the giantesses. Due to the scarcity of giant animals in the land, meat was rarely on the menu for the women, but they didn't mind too much. It didn't take long for Lorek to feel part of this unusual family.

After supper that night, Belena and Sylvie as usual cleaned the table. When they were done Valerie asked them to sit down again and said that she had an announcement to make. She took Alban up in her hands and placed him on her shoulder.

"All right, then," she said. "Now, I know this is rather sudden of me, but there is something important I need to say to you, my children. Your father and I will be leaving you for a while, and we want you to rule the kingdom while we are away."

"What?" Sylvie and Belena exclaimed together.

"Do you mean...do you mean that I...that I get to be queen?" Belena asked hesitantly.

"Hey, Mom was talking to all of us, not just you!" Valdan added.

"That's right, dear – I was talking to all of you. I want the three of you to rule together, and to help each other in all the duties that ruling this land requires."

"But...where are you going?" Sylvie asked. "And how long will you be gone?"

"Well, we won't leave right away," Alban said. "About two weeks from now, I reckon. As to how long we'll be gone...well, that'll depend on how far we need to go to find what we're looking for."

"Which is...?"

"There have been reports, from the forests beyond our northern borders...reports of a giant, or maybe several giants..."

"That's impossible!" Sylvie said. "We're the last giants...aren't we? I mean, there couldn't have been giants living by themselves for hundreds of years, without anyone discovering them until now, right?"

"Oh, it's not that impossible," Valerie said, smiling. "I was pretty well hidden for hundreds of years before your father rescued me. Perhaps another giant princess has been found and released from her spell by a brave warrior..."

She looked down fondly at the little 'brave warrior' on her shoulder. Even though things had been awkward between them at first, she still remembered the day Alban kissed her and released her from the sleeping spell she'd been under as one of the happiest days of her life.

"Oh please!" Valdan said, ruining the moment. "Another giant princess? Were there really that many giant princesses around back then?"

Sylvie began to giggle.

"What's the matter, little bro?" she said. "Too many of us giant girls for you to handle? Well, I hope it is another giant princess, then you can be her little play-doll, just like you were mine. I bet you miss being played with and having your hair brushed and..."

"All right, kids, that's enough," Alban interrupted, before an incensed Valdan could do something violent to his sister. "We don't even know if there really are other giants out there, but there have been too many reports coming in for us to ignore. So we will be heading out soon to discover the truth behind them, and we'll need you to look after the kingdom while we are away."

"That's right," Valerie added. "Which means no more squabbling and bickering and arguing between you, all right? I'm talking specifically to you, Sylvie."

"But I..."

"I don't want to hear anything from you except 'yes, mother' – is that clear?"

"Yes...Mom," Sylvie said, sighing. "Sorry about that, Valdan, it won't happen again."

Valdan rolled his eyes, but he accepted her apology. Before they headed off to bed, the king and queen gave their three children an overview of what their duties as rulers of Vandan would entail. Even though all three of them had wanted to become king or queen when they were younger, now that it was actually sort-of happening they didn't feel as eager anymore. Would it turn out to be too much of a responsibility for them to handle? Even though she was the eldest, Belena still felt that she was way too inexperienced to be a queen. But her parents were counting on her and she wasn't going to let them down.