It must have been hours before Emil’s eyes fluttered open. At least that was what his internal clock said; though the sky was still dark so it didn’t seem like it had been too long. Aches and pains confirmed what he already knew: that the vivid and lewd acts running rampant in his mind did in fact happen. His body sounded off a series of pops as he sat upright. He groaned under his breath and looked ahead. Even half asleep he could tell something was amiss.

Or rather someone.

Dozens of feet away sat Alexandra, dressed in her tunic and leggings once again. Her eyes were turned skyward to the moon on the horizon. She made no movements even as her Attendant wearily stepped over to her. Like her, Emil sat down and looked up into the sky. Everything was still, and it remained so for at least ten minutes. Just the two of them admiring the starry sky.

“It’d be fifteen years ago today.” Alexandra suddenly broke the silence.

“Hmm?” Emil gave her a curious look.

The giant ignored him and went quiet once again. After a while the familiar rumbles of her chuckles sounded. “Tell me Emil, do you know why I chose you as my Attendant?”

This again? She’d asked this once before, and his answer remained the same as it did back then. “No. You told me it was just on a whim. No special reason.”

“I did didn’t I?” Alex ran a hand through her blonde locks. Emil couldn’t help but admire her in the moonlight. There was a sort of beautiful stillness in her visage, like a portrait come to life.

“Once, many years ago. There was a boy.” She began. Her human companion went silent and listened. “It was during a festival of some sort. Some human mating period or some such I think. Boys were to propose and offer gifts to the women they fancied. Even in all my years I never paid the ritual much mind. After all, it had nothing to do with me. But this one year there was this one child, a plain looking boy who was usually too clumsy to keep up in the other children’s games. On that day he approached me.” She said at length with warmth in her voice.

“I’ve always liked playing with children. They’re innocent. They don’t care whether I’m a giant or some other creature. But still, imagine my surprise when this boy offered me a handful of flowers and weeds and said the most outlandish thing. Do you know what he said to me Emil?”

This was…familiar. He couldn’t place it, but the young man felt he knew this story. The dots were slowly connecting. “No, I don’t.”

“He said to me ‘Momma said I’m s’posed to give flowers to pretty girls today and yer the prettiest girl in town so I gots as many as I could.’ Can you believe that?” Alex laughed.

For reasons long since lost to him Emil felt the heat rush to his face. “He sounds like quite the kid.” He joined her in laughter.

“He really was.” She smiled. “I was blown away. In all my years never had I been approached like that. Other giants? Sure. But a human? They always cowered in my presence. Even children who adore a giant playmate know better than to get too involved with me. But this kid didn’t. He was different somehow, and it got me thinking.”

“What about?”

Another pause, followed by a sigh. “A lot of things. It made me question so much. All my decisions. Of involving myself with humans. Abandoning my fellow giants for a life in the middle of nowhere. It was such a flattering gesture. I was so happy to accept the child’s gift; and yet at the same time it reminded me of how truly alone I was in Windermere. I figured perhaps it was time to return to my own kind. Go back to the days of raiding villages for playthings and the copious amounts of wanton sex.”

“But you didn’t.” Emil noted.

Alexandra nodded and turned her head his way. “You’re right. Do you know why?”

In fact he did. “The boy.”

“Right.” She smiled. “You could say that boy had caught my attention. Without even realizing it I began to always keep a watchful eye on him. I watched him grow up. I witnessed him stumble his way through adolescence, lose his parents, and so much more. Like any other child he slowly drifted away and forgot that he had anything to do with me. But even as he stopped joining the children to play I kept regular eye on him. Curiosity turned to fascination. Fascination became wonder. And wonder became…” Her hand crept closer to Emil and petted his head with a finger. “…adoration.”

“And so…one year you chose him as your Attendant.” Emil finished for her.

She didn’t need to answer. “I’m a rather selfish girl. When I see something I like I must have it. Others don’t see it, but I do. Perhaps I did even back then. You might not be the smartest or strongest; but you persevere, and you’re kind, and I adore you for it. I kept away from you for so long Emil. I didn’t want you to become like the others. But this latest year I just couldn’t hold myself back anymore.” Alexandra laughed dryly. “I am the Great Alexandra, respected giant of Windermere. Practically a ruler of this land. Who was I to be denied the one human I wanted? He will be mine, damned be the consequences.” The blonde shook her head with a bitter smile. “My mistake I suppose.”

These revelations had left Emil stunned, unable to do little more than nod along. “What do you mean like the others?”

The giant turned back to the sky. “All good things must come to an end Emil.”

“You said the same thing the other day when you brought up Hue.”

“So you do pay attention to what I say.” She chuckled. “It always begins the same with my Attendants. They sulk at first but soon grow enamored with me. Then it’s all fun and games and happiness, but then…” Alex sighed. “A year is but a blink in the eye for me, but to you humans it is a long time. Much can happen in a year. You can grow jaded, bitter, and even the most positive of feelings can turn into resentment. Especially if someone separated you from your loved ones.”

He blinked. “You’re saying they ended up hating you?”

“Nothing quite so simple, but eventually…yes. Some sooner than others. Some remained in denial to the end. But all of them stopped looking at me with the same warmth.” The blonde tucked her knees against her chest and rested her arms atop them. “I can’t stand to be looked at like that.”

“So you kill them. Quit while you’re ahead and move on to the next Attendant…Before you get too attached.”

“One lay and suddenly it’s as if you can read my mind.” Alexandra laughed. “But you’re right. I’ve killed enough humans in my life to not reflect too much on it. To a human it must seem heartless and cruel, but to me well…” She shrugged her shoulders. “Just one of thousands really, but to forget them is a disservice. I remember all of them, and all of our happy nights together. Just as I will remember the ones with you.”

There it was again. That melancholic tone Alexandra had whenever her previous Attendants came up. Something about it was infuriating. “So if I ever end up growing to dislike you you’ll replace me too?”

“Not if. When.” She stated flatly. “I’ve tried countless methods over the years. Invariably my Attendants are ostracized and grow to despise me. You will hurt more than most. But that’s the price I pay for my selfishness I suppose.” Alexandra sighed. “My apologies Emil. These last few nights have left me in a rare mood. Pay these ramblings little mind and focus on enjoying yourself as much as possible would you? For me if nothing else.”  She parted some hair behind an ear and smiled. “It is important not to sully the good while it lasts.”

“A little easier said than done.”

“Don’t front. You’ll fall asleep the second you lie down.” Alex chuckled. “You handled yourself quite well. The idea of finally having you inside me…I couldn’t stop thinking about it and I ended up getting a little carried away. But you made it through. Congratulations.”

“I’m honored to have survived your waterboarding.” Emil replied dryly.

“Hey! You got to experience me in all my glory and live to tell the tale. I’d consider that a gift!” Alexandra pouted cutely.

“And I’d consider it a torture.” Her Attendant rolled his eyes with a thinly veiled smirk.

“You’re joking, but this one Attendant I had, Martin. His story ended a bit differently.” She grinned. “Poor fellow spent a month getting into my pants and once he did it was the end of him. At least he died happy.” Emil had no joke for that story. Though his silence made Alexandra laugh all the same. “Get some rest Emil. As I said. Pay this conversation no mind and consider it the ramblings of a moody woman.”

“But I’m not tired.” It wasn’t a lie either. Emil was as wide awake as ever. His body ached. If he fell over exhaustion would take him in a second. But there was no place he wanted to be more than right here. “You mentioned your days as a roaming giant. What was that like?”

“You truly are talkative tonight aren’t you? And here I thought most human men liked to leave the second they got their sex.” Alexandra chuckled. “There’s not much to say really. Just the standard giant life.”

“Which is?”

“Pillaging, slaughter, rampant sex.” The blonde shrugged her shoulders. “We are born feared and attacked by you humans. So we strike back in kind. When you live to be as old as us societal boundaries and the concepts of life and death lose most of their meaning. Life becomes a matter of existing for pleasure since that’s the only thing that never changes. Not much of a life to be frank. Although it is certainly fun while it lasts.”

It was one thing to hear of the tales of giants from legends and myths. It was certainly another to hear it from the giant herself. “That sounds…”

“Horrifying?” Alex grinned. “Don’t worry, I’ve heard it all before. I have no delusion that I am anything but a monster. A pretty monster mind you. Beautiful in fact, but a monster all the same. Such is life.” She crossed her legs and sighed, wandering her gaze back to the sky.

“If that’s all true then why would you leave that life? I mean…It’s not like you cared much about humans before coming to Windermere.” Emil asked, curious.

“Even hedonism gets old after a while. At least it did for me. One day I got into a spat with my friends and I left. Simple as that. Went to live my life in the mountains like my ancestors. Imagine my surprise when even in the mountains I find a village.” Alexandra let out another chuckle. “So I figured why not start anew? Oh the look on Hue’s face when I asked.”

Emil gaped. “You asked him?”

“Begged really.” Alex laughed. “It was too cute watching him try to piece together what I was up to. Hue was the sort of human who you could always tell what he was thinking before even he did. The rest is…Well…History.” She shrugged.

“History is still kind of vague on the details. What happened between you two?” Emil kept his eyes on the giant’s expression, staring expectantly.

“Well aren’t you just all about prying into my past.” Alexandra smirked at him. Was he really that obvious? “It’s not much of a story I’m afraid. I convinced him to do it and we worked out an arrangement. Over time we became good friends, but of course…You know how that story ends. No matter the era humans have always been the same.”

This again. Emil could already see the somber creep back into Alexandra’s visage. “Why not tell me more about your other Attendants? Until I get tired that is.”

“Are you still not tired?” The blonde looked at him with surprise.

“Afraid not.” And even if he was, Emil had never seen the giant quite like this before. He’d be a fool to walk away from such an opportunity to get to know her.

Alex smiled and scratched her cheek sheepishly. “Well…About a hundred years back there was this lass named Emilia. Very prudish girl with a temper like you wouldn’t believe…”