Night came and went by in a flash. It felt as though barely a moment had passed before light forced itself upon Emil’s eyes. Why did he ever set his bed up beside a window anyway? Ah yes, to wake him up. Of course. An idea he cursed right about now.

Tempting as it was to stay in bed and sneak into the crowd only after he was well rested; Emil slipped from his bed and dressed himself, opting to skip breakfast and make way right for the town square.

Naturally every member of the town was present. They all stood around the area in one singular mass surrounding Alexandra, who funnily didn’t seem the slightest bit weary or hung over, completely at odds with the rest of the town who seemed mostly dead on their feet.

Damn, he was already late. Thankfully nobody seemed to pay him any mind as he snuck in and joined the thrall of people gazing upon the giant. It appeared as though Alexandra was delivering some idiom about the significance of the day and her gratitude towards Windermere for accepting her for all these years. Or at least something along those lines. He was only half paying attention to her words.

At the heart of the square she stood in all her giant beauty, hands on her hips as she peered down towards her Attendant before her feet. In spite of what was about to happen he stood proudly and met her mirthful gaze head on.

“Today marks a year of your service Andrei.” Her blue eyes washed over him warmly. Her visage curled into a gentle smile while she knelt down on one knee before her faithful servant. “You have done well for me. One of the strongest Attendants I have ever had the privilege of having. It is no easy job to be mine but you answered the call better than most and for that I thank you. Truly you were a blessing from the Gods.” Her hand reached down, offering her open palm to Andrei. The man stepped on top of it without a moment’s hesitation.

“I want you to know I bear you no ill will. This is simply how things are, and I’m not one to break tradition. But for you I shall make it quick.” Alexandra nodded dutifully and brought her hand up. Tension permeated the air, thick enough it threatened to suffocate. It was time. Nearby mothers covered their children’s eyes preemptively.

It began with Alexandra bringing her former Attendant up to her face. They appeared to exchange some quick dialogue with one another in low whispers. Then her lips pursed, delivering a gentle kiss to his smaller body. Jutted out just enough to be visible, her tongue sampled the young man’s body and savored his taste. After a few swift licks her large fingers grabbed his tunic from behind and ripped it off with enough force to knock the man on his back. Though nobody could see it Alexandra quickly did the same with his trousers.

“It has been fun Andrei. Perhaps in one of the Seven Realms we can meet once again.” The blonde giant opened her mouth wide. All could see the woman’s tongue roll from within, saliva strands connecting it to the roof of her mouth and breaking with the faintest of her breaths. Her hand tilted back, allowing gravity to do the rest. Andrei could be seen sliding down, resigned to his fate. True to her word, Alexandra made it quick. The splintered sounds of bone crunching came immediately. All it took was a single bite and she swallowed, wiping her lips with the back of her wrist as a single trail of blood dripped down her cheek. Everyone watched with nary a sound of protest.

Brutal and perhaps even unnecessary, this was easily the most peculiar of Windermere’s or rather Alexandra’s traditions. Put candidly, each year the old Attendants were sacrificed to make way for the new. Why? Nobody knew. Another facet long lost to history. Perhaps it was just in a giant’s nature to kill every so often. Maybe Alexandra tended to grow bored of her playthings and tries to have one last hurrah with them before moving on. Nobody could claim to know the workings of a giant’s reasoning. They just knew it was wiser to do as she commanded rather than protest.

Emil recalled his first time bearing witness to this scene. At the crisp age of ten he had finally grown old enough to watch as the Attendant of the time met his end beneath Alexandra’s boot, then her first order for his replacement was to clean his predecessor off her sole. It was and had always remained a strange and eerie reminder of what she was. For all her comradery and gentleness she offered, Alexandra was a giant at heart. Nobody could explain the tradition when he asked. They all only offered the inquisitive young Emil the same vague answer.

That was simply how it was.

The scene before them served as a reminder that at any point Alexandra could end them on a whim. Perhaps that was in fact its purpose Emil mused.

With the public execution done Alexandra stared to the torn clothing between her fingers for a long moment, neither saying a word nor displaying a particular emotion. Quietly, her fingers opened the pouch at her hip and slid the rags inside. “Now…” Her voice thundered and drew everyone’s eye back to her visage. “To pick the new Attendant.” Despite what she had just done she wore a playful smirk.

Her oceanic eyes scanned the crowds, stopping on a person every so often. She stepped towards everyone with a hand waggling its fingers. “Now what do I want I wonder? A strong Attendant for chores? A smart one for banter? Or perhaps a talented one for amusement?” Alexandra playfully slid a finger along the cobblestone roads along the edges crowd. It tapped teasingly at Erica the village songstress and moved along once she had gotten a surprised shriek from the girl.

Aoi the Brute. The cunning Aria. The wise but presumptuous Amair. The finger threatened to choose person after person, always moving on after gauging their reaction or playfully knocking them over. Despite the palpable tension in the air Alexandra was having fun at least. Even when a touch nervous Emil could at least admire that smile of hers.

Never in a million eons could he have predicted the finger would gesture to him: the nobody who blended into the crowd. Emil felt himself pale before the massive digit. Any second now she’d chuckle and move on. Certainly. Yes. There was nothing to fret.

“You.” Alexandra rumbled, her tone decidedly serious.

…What?

Who…?

There was no way…

…Alexandra picked him…

This was a joke right? She was going to laugh any time now. No matter how often Emil told himself that her expression failed to budge an inch. The finger kept itself directly before him. This was impossible. Was he still dreaming? Alexandra would never pick him.

But she did.

“I decided this long ago Emil.” Her loud voice answered the question painted upon the young man’s face. “You shall be my Attendant. Congratulations.”

There had to have been some sort of a mistake. Alexandra couldn’t have picked him. But she just said his name…Wait, how did she know his name? Did he do something to stand out in her eyes? If so what? Nothing came to mind.

Nothing except his exchange with Andrei the night prior.

All at once a wave of loud sounds made him jump from his stupor. It was a moment later that Emil realized what it was: applause. All around him the crowds of people were joyous, clapping and cheering at him like he was a hero. What sort of nonsense was this? He wasn’t being awarded some special prize. This was a death sentence!

“Don’t look quite so terrified my dear Attendant. I don’t bite…much.” The giant giggled and rose to her feet. “I have preparations to make for the Pilgrimage. Get him ready as I do so.” She bellowed out the order nonchalantly to some figure in the crowd.

Emil only vaguely understood he was now watching Alexandra walk away. Then moments later he realized that he too was being led somewhere.

This couldn’t be real, but already some small part of him had begun to slowly accept it. Or at the very least grasp it. It couldn’t be real and yet it was. No amount of denial could change that.

 He was the new Attendant.