Swords with Souls

A Medieval Fantasy Fiction Story

(Adult Content)

By Dan Watt

(Author of the BARD series)

BARD covers by fantasy_art_z

Cover by Darren Joy

(Author of the Plagueborn series)

King of the Giants and Dwarves

caedar-writig-artwork.com

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She thinks of the ancient tomes Haashir has brough her family and the secrets within them.  “Will the king of the giants and dwarves attack us Propers?”

“Only if the faie ask him to.”

Her mouth opens and she freezes inside. Does Jederick know who her and Gwen’s mother is? Or about her grandfather?

“We must leave today,” Jederick says, his dark blue eyes studying her. “Will Aminah let me take her rein? You need to be blindfolded.” His voice is soft and respectful.

“Are you going to tie my hands to the stirrup as well?” she asks with a mock snarl.

“No. I trust you. The blindfold is more for show for those who might not.”

“And if I can see through the cloth?”

“Just don’t tell anyone. I give you my word Lady Некромансер, I will try to protect you but we must leave now.”  His voice is calm but the acidic smell of his sweat says the opposite.

“You’ll try to protect me?” She says in a haughty tone. “Fine.”

His hands look like they could crush her head, yet, she hardly feels them as he ties a red strip of cloth around her eyes. The fibers of the cloth are not tight and she can see the back of Aminah’s head and a bit beyond. Jedreck must have Aminah’s reign because she feels a gentle jerk just before Aminah starts a slow trot.

The air becomes cooler and windless as they travel. She can smell the distinct resinous scent of juniper. Aminah’s steps are more cautious and she can feel through her hips that the ground is uneven.

A long time later she can smell the sweet smell of burning alder.  Aminah halts and a moment later Jedreck helps her down.

She feels his hand engulf hers. “We’ll be there soon,” he says with trepidation in his voice as he leads her along a wide dirt path cleared of stones and roots.

A short while later she feels stone, like cobblestones, under her feet. “Step up and forward,” she hears Jedreck say.

On the fifth step she hears creaking and can just see a giant wooden door opening.

Even with the alder burning she can smell the stench of something rotting. It makes her gag.

The blindfold is removed and Jedreck reties it so that it covers her nose and mouth.

She gazes up and sees he already has a cloth around his own nose and mouth.

Her eyes widen and she takes an involuntary step backwards. Deep inside the hall of the building is a crowd of real giants and exceptionally wide shouldered dwarves. They are standing with somber expressions on either side of a bed. The giants are easily eighteen to twenty or more of her hand lengths tall.  A few of the giants are female. Their hair is braided and oiled to show off their long, determined faces. The younger women have faces similar to the men’s. The faces are also similar to some of the dwarves. She gulps.  Except for the older ones, are these all the king’s children?

Lying on a bed with posts made of thick oak is the tallest giant of all, the king.  A blanket made up brown bear hides covers his frail body. Long fingers with skin so thin she can see the bones underneath clench the blankets, relax and clench again with each breath. His shaggy head of white with intermingled strands of red hair flows well past his sunken chest. His head rests on layers of pillows. Deep wrinkles cover his slightly lopsided pale face. His sunken eyes glimmer unevenly with conceit that emits from intense pale blue eyes. His mouth stays open as he wheezes in and out each breath. There’s something in his mouth behind his front teeth.  She feels Jedreck take her wrist and gently pull her forward. Now she sees what the objects are, another row of teeth.

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