The shortest of the two stared at White and responded to Joseph with a confused face, “Village? That?” He pointed to the ‘village’ in question, “That is a kingdom.”

Joseph nodded his head, “A kingdom… right, that’s what I meant. Are there many people in this kingdom?”

The men looked at each other before shaking their heads, “Yes, but that’s not important. What’s with the giant wolf?”

Joseph reached down, patting White on the head. “This here is my traveling companion. You don’t have to worry about her!” Joseph pats her side trying to show them.

The tallest of the two calls out to the girl a ways behind them, “Do all giants have wolfs as pets?”

She yelled back, “Not that I know of, but he seems to be a young traveling giant by the age of his face.”

Joseph looked to White, “Why do they keep calling me a giant? Oh, see that’s one of those questions I was talking about.”

The woman then yelled to Joseph, “Mister Giant sir, what is your name, and why have you come out this far?”

Joseph motioned for White to stay and began to walk toward the woman, “My name is Joseph? I don’t really know how ‘far’ this is but I’m looking for warriors who can teach me in the ways of battle and war.”

The two men closest spoke, “”Joseph, the giant. Got it.”” They nodded their heads together, locking in the name.

A man much older than the other stepped in between Joseph and the woman. Even though he was nowhere near getting close to her he understood the gesture and stopped walking. The man eyed him, “That’s far enough boy.”

Suddenly they all jumped back and drew their weapons, Joseph could hear White behind him readying herself. The older man spoke again, “I’m sorry, I did not mean to offend you in any way!”

They all nodded, “Yeah he calls me that too!”. The woman shouted, her voice quivering, “Please he meant nothing by it Joseph.”

Joseph scanned them all, none tried to initiate a battle. “Why did you grab your weapons?”

They all looked at Joseph dumbfounded, the old man forming his thoughts the fastest, “When I called you b-… When I called you that your face attempted to kill us from a distance.”

Joseph put a hand to his face, “Oh, I’m sorry then. I didn’t realize that. White, don’t kill them, unless they try and hurt you.”

Their eyes almost popped out at Joseph’s last words. “Sorry about that, me and White have had some ‘difficulties’ in the past so please forgive us if we act strange. Could I ask, why do you keep calling me ‘Giant?’”

They all relaxed their posture but didn’t put away their weapons, “It’s the name of your species—I mean it’s the name we use for your species. It isn’t anything bad I promise.”

‘My species? Well, it doesn’t really matter’ Joseph nodded in understanding, “We clearly come from different places so I hope this isn’t rude, but where I come from it is custom to draw your weapon when someone draws on you so I hope you don’t mind if I get mine?”

They all shoved their weapons back in their sheaths, the one with the spear stabbing the butt of it into the ground. “There’s no need for that if we put our weapons away, correct?”

Joseph nodded to the older man.

The group all walked up to Joseph ready to engage in conversation now. The woman spoke first, “I’m terribly sorry about that, it’s just we aren’t the strongest party around so we have to be careful—”

The older man cut her off, “That’s not something you go around telling strangers.” The woman covers her mouth realizing what she had done.

Joseph smiled, ‘they seem like good people, for now.’ “ I understand, that makes sense. Oh, and I won’t tell anyone that.”

The woman’s face reddened, “I would appreciate that.”

The older man stuck his forearm out to Joseph, “Let us take you into the kingdom as an apology. We’ll help you find a place to stay and show you around.”

Joseph put his forearm out excitedly, “That would be great!” The older man was thrown back by the force, “I’m so sorry!” Joseph caught the man before he could fall.

He laughed, “It seems the young giant doesn’t know his own strength. That makes me even happier we did not fight you.” They showed Joseph the way, White now the one following.

“Joseph, if I may ask?” The shortest of the men looked up at Joseph, “are all giant’s armor like that?”

Joseph pounded his body armor with pride, “Oh, I made this myself.”

The man looked away, “Oh, that does make sense.”

Joseph smiled, “What do you think, not bad for a first try?”

The older man looked at him, “Yes, I suppose for a first try it isn’t. How did you make it?”

Joseph thought for a moment, “Well I heated up a bunch of armor sets and beat them together to make one my size.”

The older man smiled, “Ah, the way it looks makes perfect sense now. And your weapon? Is it a practice one?”

‘Practice?’ I do practice with it so in a way— “Yes. I practice all the time with it.”

They all nodded, “so that’s why it’s made of wood.” The woman then spoke up, “anyway, we have to wait outside the gates here until someone comes out to check us.”

Joseph nodded, “So that’s what everyone here is doing.” Joseph looked around at the large crowd of people.

“Yup. Lucky us there aren’t that many people here today so it won’t be too long.” The woman reached into a pouch on her hip and pulled out a flat piece of metal. Her and her whole group. The older man put his hand on Joseph’s shoulder, “Don’t worry about these, they just let the guards know who we are faster. Once we get you in we’ll have you register with the guild.”

‘The guild? Didn’t Boss say something about that before.’ Joseph was confused for only a moment, “So you are mercenaries.”

Joseph then noticed everyone’s eyes had focused on him. The woman quickly spoke up, “We prefer the term ‘adventurer.’ The other has a lot of negative connotations.”

“What does that mean?” Joseph leaned down to hear her better.

“Oh, it means people think a lot of bad things when they hear that word. So please use the term ‘adventurer’ from now on.”

“Hey, you Giant!” Joseph turned to one of the people in the sea of strangers, “The hell do you think you’re doing with that beast so close to the kingdom?”

Joseph looked on at the short approaching figure with a hood drawn over its head, “This here is my traveling companion. You don’t have to worry about—” Fire shot out from the figure's hand, striking White.