Men & Monsters

Not-So-Welcome Party

It rained off and on again for much of the day, but the mist was always present, as it circled around the village. Eira, with her feelings for it, likened the phenomena to a group of vultures waiting and biding their time. Several times, Awel anxiously asked her if he could escort her back to her parents, but she always reminded him of her dislike of walking in the fog. She still hadn't told him or Adelae every aspect of her travels, but her newfound fear of it only worked to pique his interest.

Despite the wet conditions, several Folk men had gathered dry wood from their huts so as to build a large bonfire for the evening. After Adelae had opened a shutter from her home's window and beckoned to a neighbor, she announced Miss Aune's return. It didn't take long for the news to spread. As one might expect, everyone in the village was eager to hear her story, which she promised to tell in its entirety before all of them after a great feast.

Hopes ran rampant for the rain to cease, and surely enough, by mid-afternoon, they had. The village altogether was giddy for a grand tale, one they hadn't heard several times since childhood. Gossips worked to occupy their minds for the time being, as laughter from outside worked to ease Eira's tensions from her previous adventure.

Once night fell, it appeared that none of the men had caught anything substantial during their morning hunt. Instead, they made use of a generous man's goat to feed the small village, and while they cleaned and cooked it up, the Folk dined on various fruits, vegetables, and herbs that the women had gathered from the previous few days. Adelae among others shared their soup, and together it turned out to be a grand feast, the likes of which only occurred a few times a year, especially for their numbers here. Naturally Eira was a bit flattered that her return had garnered so much attention, as some had begun to suggest that she was becoming the only one Death could never touch.

When the time finally came for her to tell her story, she was met by undivided attention from them all. Even the children finished their various games to sit down and listen, eager to hear a new story to entertain their imaginations. A few men brought a table forward for her to stand on, with an elderly gentleman helping her atop of it. Now towering over them all, Eira felt quite small once again, as she always had before at home. Nonetheless, as she was met with wide, intrigued eyes, including Adelae and Awel's, she found the strength to speak confidently. Smiling, she tried to imagine Giant and Finn there, which offered some strength in her rather soft voice. Her shoulders arched backward while she clasped her hands before her. She spoke with a pleasant grin.

"Before I begin, I would really like to thank all of you for your hospitality in welcoming me back." Her smile widened as she curtseyed before them, prompting both applause and snickers from everyone, who had all known to simply bow in respect. Perhaps Madam Martin's teachings rubbed off on her more than she expected, Eira thought when she continued. "As many of you know, the morning before I disappeared I encountered a Coffin Spawn, which I said ran off. That...that is only partially true. You see, that morning I met more than just that beast, but many more. What had scared it off was a great creature, who stood taller than two Folk combined. He looked like a great lizard who walked on two legs, with his arms quite small, and a head so big he could probably swallow one of us whole!" Already captivating the minds of her fellow Folk, she let the image settle for a moment.

"His name was Giant, as he told me himself. You see, he could speak in a dialect you and I could both understand. He was both strong and charming, and I spoke with him again the night before I was kidnapped. Yes, I was kidnapped. It would appear that the kingdom outside the forest has been searching for us for some time, and when I awoke the next morning in the woods I was taken by a legion of knights. They took me to a wondrous castle, grand in its size but cold and dark inside. I...I didn't know what they wanted from me when they locked me away in a closet, when a drunk and retired knight by the name of Sir Bernard found me and let me out. I was taken to be a maid for the castle, and became the personal maid for Princess Susan Gladview.