Weeks passed. The Iyrmen had long left, taking with them many stories and Adam’s warning. Lotag had been thankful for Klara and Adam’s assistance in returning his arm, which had gained him great favour with them. It had been rather easy, though fairly expensive, using hundreds of golds worth of powdered gem dust.

Weeks continued to pass as Adam studied the language. He hadn’t spent this much time in one place before, even when he stayed in the Iyr it was only for a month or so.

He was reading over a scroll, one of the many tales of the giants, when a shadow loomed overhead. He did not look above to see Entalia, who placed her hands beside his and pressed herself against his back.

“What are you reading this time?” she asked in giant, peering from over his shoulder. “Antanam? Why are you learning about someone as boring as him?” Entalia had figured out that Adam would ignore her unless she spoke in giant, both in a bid to keep her in line, but also to learn the language quicker.

“I’m still learning giant,” Adam said in the gruff tongue, “and learning about their history would be very useful for me when I speak with the other Princes during the Gathering of Frost.”

“You don’t have to worry about the Princes, let’s go and find some treasure.”

“It’s my responsibility to see this through.”

“It’s up to them whether or not they want to believe in the threat,” Entalia said, sighing as she lay down on Adam’s bed. “Let Aksak speak with the others, and if they don’t want to believe him it’ll be their own fault.”

Adam decided to ignore Entalia, something which he had been practising for some time. Ever since the Iyrmen left, she spent most of her time annoying him in his room. He continued to scan across the scroll and Entalia took the hint to leave him be, napping as he studied.

Stealth

D20 - 1 = 19 (20)

Adam slipped away from the room once he was done studying, though Entalia stirred and hopped out of his bed. He should have expected it since she was a dragon.

The half-elf made his way towards the friendhearth, where Freya was currently staying with Elowen and the others. Ylra was able to speak giant and was always eager to speak to, or rather at, Freya.

“Good afternoon,” he said. “How is everyone?”

Freya glanced up at him, nodding her head, and then returned to her own thoughts. Adam sat down beside the group, exchanging some greetings.

He would try to speak with Freya, but she would merely listen to him. She sometimes spoke with others, but refused to speak with him. He heard that she had exchanged two sentences with Ylra last week, which made him green with envy.

Adam wondered if perhaps he could make her some tea to open her up, but he didn’t have much tea on hand. If only he could make some shortbread biscuits, then he’d be able to entice her into speaking with him. He sighed, thinking to himself, wondering what he could do to try and get her to speak with him.

Once he was done talking to her, he left and walked around the city, a Runeguard following him, though Entalia didn’t leave his side. He mostly ignored the woman, who whistled and sung around him.

Adam sat down on the snow and looked out to the snow, staring out towards it. His giant had come a long way, and he had gone through the daily motions until he felt the itch deep within him. He thought for a small while, wondering if he could do more. He had thought about smithing, but Karasmith and Gotorsmith had been working on it since he had given them his specifications.

The axe was almost done. His language learning was enough to hold an entire conversation with minimal effort. The Gathering of Frost would soon arrive.

Adam couldn’t only help but wonder what was going to go wrong. There was a feel deep inside him, something which told him that something would happen.

“You’re thinking,” Entalia said, poking fun at him.

“I am,” he replied.

“What are you thinking about?”

“Something bad is going to happen.”

“Then let it happen,” she said, sitting down beside him. “What would bother trying to fight the two of us?”

Adam chuckled. “I don’t know. Belle?”

“The God of Chaos? I suppose he could fight us.”

“He’d win.”

“Not without a fight,” she said, smiling.

Adam laughed. “We don’t have to fight him. I think he’s a nice enough god.”

“Do you prefer him to me?”

“He doesn’t bother me as much.”

Entalia smiled. “You don’t seem to mind me bothering you.”

“Only because I have the strength to resist you.”

“I wonder who would win between us.”

“I’m not sure. I don’t really know how strong I am.”

“Enough to defeat a Chief with half your strength.”

“Not quite half.”

“Not far from it.”

“If something bad does happen, just get away. I’ll run away too.”

“Wouldn’t it be best if we remained together to flee?”

“Chances are they’ll be coming for me. There’s no need to risk yourself. I can’t let a lady endanger herself for me. I’m a gentleman.”

“An idiot.”

“An idiot gentleman,” Adam agreed. He laughed, looking up at the stars.

Weeks continued to pass as the weapon was finally complete and Adam achieved near fluency in giant. The Gathering of Frost had finally been slated for a particular day, one which signified the Breaking of Chains, an ancient agreement between the giants. The Breaking of Chains had been an agreement between all the giant clans to never bow their heads to a single King, but rather, their own Princes, who would form a council. The giants had never forgotten their ancient threat, the dragons of old, and remember their near extinction.

“I’ll have to leave for a short while,” Entalia said.

Adam stared up at her, surprised to hear about her abrupt departure. “Now? Why?”

“I need to attend to some family business,” she said.

“Good luck,” Adam said, reaching out to shake her hand.

Weeks continued to pass. Freya still didn’t speak with Adam, who tried his hardest to hold a conversation with her. Even a cup of tea didn’t help loosen her tongue, though she sipped at it happily.

“What am I to do?” Adam asked Karasmith.

“It seems she’s interested in speaking only with women,” Karasmith said. “She doesn’t speak to men.”

Adam blinked a few times, trying to recall everyone the girl had spoken to. It seemed to be true. Klara, Ylra, and even Karasmith, who had begun to chat with the girl now and again.

“Is it a cultural thing?” Adam asked.

“I’m not sure,” Karasmith replied. “I don’t think so, but I haven’t asked. Would you like me to?”

Adam thought about it. “Not yet. I’ll try my best for a while longer. Once we leave, she’ll probably speak with me about her own goals. I still need to help her.”

Karasmith nodded. Karasmith and Adam often talked, she was someone who enjoyed smithing, and had given him a number of tips. He smithed a few weapons with her assistance, offering them to Lady Elowen and the others as a parting gift. They were going to leave around the same time as the Gathering of Frost. Adam had created a small dagger for the young merman princess, one which he created himself.

The time to leave for the Gathering of Frost was approaching rapidly. Entalia had yet to return, and Adam couldn’t help but worry. It was a few days before when a shadow formed over the sky, and a silver dragon descended, dropping down to take the familiar form of an elf.

Familiar, and yet, not the same. Standing before him was definitely Entalia, but she did not let down her helmet to reveal her face. Adam narrowed his eyes at her, but made no comment on it.

Prince Aksak raised his staff, surrounded by two of his Runeguard, as well as his two sons, who were accompanied by a Runeguard each, and then Adam and Entalia. He slammed the staff down and the air and snow around them began to whip all around before a gate formed ahead of them.

The other giants watched, their eyes glued to the figure, who soon stepped into the gate. Aksak went first, followed by his Runeguards, and then it was Gutt and his Runeguard, and Joti with his own. Adam reached out a hand and allowed Entalia to step through first, before he stepped into the gate. He shuddered and then dropped onto the bridge, landing in a squat.

He looked around to see the other giants and the dragon, who remained in her elven form, though continued to hide in her suit of armour. She hadn’t even spoken to him, which unnerved him.

“Let us go,” Aksak said.