"Uh, miss Entalia, would you mind?" Adam asked quietly, hoping no one else could hear his protests.

"Oh, don't mind me," Entalia replied. She wrapped her arms around him a little tighter, letting Adam feel her warmth against his back. "I just don't want to fall off."

Though her words were sweet, he could hear the playfulness within them. She was enjoying the moment far too much. The pair were riding on his mountain yak, it would have been rude to allow her to walk whilst the rest of them rode. She was sitting behind him, clutching at him tightly.

Adam could feel the warmth of her body, but his own body was effective at keeping away the cold now. Adam was not the kind of man to objectify women by placing a number on her, but Entalia was the kind of woman where, if one was to roll three dice, each with six sides, the answer would be the maximum amount.

She was far too close to him, uncomfortably so. Her head was resting against his shoulder and he could feel her inhale deeply now and again.

"You've grown much stronger," Entalia said. "Bronze does not suit you."

"What colour suits me?" Adam replied, trying to keep his mind off of her body against his.

"Silver."

Adam was glad she was behind him, otherwise she would have seen how red he'd become. ‘This woman, really…’ He wondered why she behaved in such a peculiar way. She seemed hungry for him, but he had no idea which kind of hunger she held.

The wind no longer howled as harshly as it had the days before, and the snow around had started to fall. The pathway grew gentler, allowing them to pick up the pace, though the fog remained.

During their dinners, Entalia would glance at the princess repeatedly, which the others began to notice. They didn’t react yet, though they kept their eyes on the stranger, the elf who had emerged from the snow.

“Why are you so interested in the child?” Adam asked as they rode of their yaks together.

“It’s been some time since I have met any of her kind,” Entalia replied. “I don’t believe any have stepped foot on this land in some centuries.”

“Why is that?”

“They prefer the water.”

“Oh… right.”

“It’s not a surprise to see those in her company. So many old scents I haven’t tasted in so long.”

Adam wondered if she was going to taste him too with how her arms were wrapped around him. Her armour was a blessing, though did seem to contort around her body like a glove. Entalia would continue to smell him along the journey.

“How did you figure it all out so quickly?” Adam asked. Entalia’s intelligence was terrifying, considering it had taken her seconds to understand what they were doing. She hadn’t revealed she knew everything, but Adam assumed she did.

“I have the great wisdom of great age,” she replied, pulling Adam a little closer into her bosom. “Mortals all behave the same, regardless if they are as long lived as the elves or the dwarves.”

Adam looked back to see whether or not those following him had heard her words, the gentle wind doing very little to block out any sound. Entalia seemed to be trying to pick a fight with his companions, though he wasn’t certain as to why. He decided against pressing her for more in case he stepped himself into some hot water with the others.

“We have entered their lands,” Entalia said in the evening. “We are but two days away.”

“I can’t wait,” Adam replied, wrapping his cloak around himself. The excitement of meeting the giants had been keeping his boredom at bay, whereas Entalia had kept his loneliness at bay. She had been respectful of his time in the nights, leaving him be, though she did spend most of the days teasing him.

“Let’s hope they greet us peacefully.” Entalia’s lips painted a knowing smile on her face.

“I don’t like the way you said that…” Adam narrowed his eyes, groaning.

“Do not worry,” Entalia said, “for we have a child with us. They will not attack us as long as we reveal the fact, no matter how much they would delight in it.”

“You said you used to fight with the frost giants before, right?” Adam asked.

“I did.”

“Did you leave off on good terms.”

“No.” Entalia’s smile became wider.

“Oh.”

“Aksak and I fought for some time before we finally retreated. I was told to never return to their lands, but they couldn’t help me flying overhead.” She looked up to the sky to another time, a mischievous smile plaguing her face.

Adam threw an apologetic look to his companions. He had been the one to allow Entalia to come along, so it was his responsibility with how the frost giants would react.

“Perhaps we should meet the Su’dai without you,” Elowen said. “I would prefer we make a good first impression.”

“You have nothing to fear,” Entalia urged. “With or without me, you will make the same impression to the frost giants. They will give you audience should you choose to seek it, as long as you are honest and true with your intentions.”

“Isn’t that how all meetings should be?” Adam asked.

“You certainly are young,” Entalia smirked at him.

Adam’s face soured and he crossed his arms. She certainly had a point, he was young and naive. He probably shouldn’t have said something so silly, but he couldn’t help himself. He looked to Elowen and her party, now wondering if whether they had been entirely truthful to him.

“We should head towards one of their towers,” Entalia said.

“A tower?” Elowen threw the elf, who was actually a dragon, a curious look.

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“They have watch towers manned by a handful of giants. They continue to man them ever since the Old Times, the times when darkness had come to lay claim to the mountains.” Entalia looked up to the sky once more, losing herself to her thoughts.

“If you believe that would be best,” Elowen said, though her voice was laced with obvious suspicion.

Entalia smiled at the half-elf. “Then I’ll guide us there. They shouldn’t recognise me, so we will be able to at least meet with the soldiers there without being attacked. By the time they realise who I am, it will be too late, and we will be under the protection of the Edict of Hospitality.”

Ylra nodded, saying something in another language, which Entalia bowed her head towards the scout. Adam couldn’t make out the language, though it seemed to sound like dwarven, but if one was also eating ice.

“I would prefer not using such means.” Elowen frowned. “It would be in poor taste if we were to abuse their culture.”

“On the contrary, we are merely following their way of life. Even their worst enemies can ask to be helped under their various edicts, though it differs on the payment.”

“And what payment do we have to offer?” Elowen asked, raising her brow.

“I will be offering the payment, you merely need to bask in the shade under my wings.”

Adam coughed on his soup, quickly glancing at Entalia. Had she just revealed her true form to the group? Or was it a phrase that was often used in the land?

“Very well.” Elowen acquiesced to the dragon.

Adam prepared to bathe, relaxing within the hot water. He hadn’t notice Entalia enter until she was already submerged opposite him. Adam’s eyes shot open when he heard her snicker, and then his eyes quickly shot up towards the ceiling.

“I hope you don’t mind,” Entalia said, her voice low like a kitten ready to pounce. “I was hoping to speak with you about a certain matter.”

“What matter is this?” Adam asked, trying to keep his attention on the ceiling.

“The matter of our last meeting and the creature we had met.”

Adam’s face darkened as he recalled the being. He clenched his fist as he felt it, the burning anger and the cooling terror. His eyes fell down to Entalia, who brought her slender fingers up to her hair, pouring some water over her head.

“What about it?”

“It has retreated from the lands of the Iyrmen and seeks a new land to form. I am not entirely certain which lands it has yet to lay claim, but it seems that other ancient evils have begun to awake due to it, and they seek to lay claim to a number of lands as well.”

Adam thought for a moment. Why was she telling him this? “Are one of these evils trying to appear in the north?”

“I wonder what kind of foolish evil would try to do so.” Entalia giggled at his words, then her eyes became hungry again.

Adam crossed his arms over his lap, trying to hide himself from her. She continued to leer at him for some time, her eyes trailing over his shoulders and his chest.

“Perhaps there are some evils that are foolish enough to try to lay claim to the north, out of desperation or ignorance.” Entalia sighed. “Things have become so much more complicated in the world. The balance has always been tumultuous, but now there seems to be even more chaos. Cults and religions have always played with the balance, and though there have been many crusades which have destroyed countries and reshaped borders, the balance has always been there…”

Adam swallowed down a lump in his throat. “So… something has happened to upset the balance?”

Entalia’s gaze became softer. “Are you not the one who values honesty? We both know who is to blame for such a disaster. His disappearance has left the world at a loss, and recently even his son has disappeared.” Entalia raised a hand to her face. “Would you be willing to share the story of how someone as mighty as Bandlor has become your pet?”

Adam’s brows raised in alarm and his heart thundered in his chest. “You know?!” he gasped, his jaw wide open.

“Of course I know,” Entalia replied. “Anyone with the power to gaze through the Veil will know, though it depends on how proficient they are with such a task.”

Adam’s fright quickly gave way to curiosity. What was the Veil, and what did it mean to gaze through it?

“No,” Entalia said.

“No?” Adam pulled back.

“Do not think about it.”

“Don’t think about what?”

“The Veil. Keep your mind on the question. Regardless of how strong you’ve become, the Veil is something out of your reach.” She snapped at him. “And my oh my, you’ve become so strong.” Entalia licked her lips.

Adam shuddered under her gaze. “The story of how Bandlor became my familiar…” Adam recalled his meeting with the gods and then how Bandlor had been so rude in front of Mistress Fate.

“Won’t you tell me?” Entalia asked. “Aren’t you one to share stories?”

“I’m not sure I’m allowed to.”

“Was it Ohm?” Entalia asked, cocking her head to the side.

Adam raised his brow. “Ohm?”

“No, not Ohm?” Entalia seemed surprise at the notion, not that Adam understood. “If not Ohm then…” Entalia gazed at Adam long and hard. “It couldn’t be…”

“What?”

“Was it… Mistress Fate?” Entalia asked.

Adam’s brows shot up again. “How did you know?” Adam asked.

Entalia stood up, revealing her entire form to him. Adam covered his eyes quickly, though managed to catch as glimpse of her beautiful pale skin, a few hints of pink blurred as he hid within his arms.

“We did not speak of this topic at all,” Entalia said quickly. “I do not know of your special familiar, and I do not wish to know how he became so.” Entalia retreated away, as though a shadow hiding from the light.

Adam uncovered his face, confused at her behaviour. He had never seen Entalia behave in such a peculiar manner. It was almost as if… as if she was afraid?

Entalia afraid?

The next day the dragon remained silent. She continued to hold onto Adam tightly, though, as it seemed she was yet to give up on teasing him, but she did not speak to him throughout the day. She would sometimes point one way or another in order to guide them towards the towers they had yet to find.

“Is everything alright?” Adam whispered.

“Everything is fine.”

The ground shook, and the mountain yak stopped. Adam straightened up as his eyes scanned the snow to see a giant rock stuck in the snow. He was certain the rock hadn’t been there before. Another rock appeared from the foggy sky and struck near the last rock, the earth shaking again as the group all gathered near one another.

“What’s going on?” Adam whispered loudly, his heart pounding within his chest.

“The giants, they’re throwing rocks at us!” Ylra gasped.

“They’re warning us.” Elowen pulled her yak back away from the rocks.

Entalia hopped off the yak and then stepped forward. Another rock landed a few metres ahead of her. A single degree could have been life or death for any of them, especially the child. Adam withdrew near her, just in case.

Entalia removed her helmet and then hollered something out into the fog, her voice bouncing off the mountain. Then all fell silent.

“We have come,” Ylra whispered, translating the holler. A low, loud shout echoed back towards them. “We can see that.”

Again Entalia hollered out, though Ylra decided to not translate this as her face grew pale. She pulled back with her yak, her eyes focused on the skies.

“What?” Adam whispered.

“She insulted their ancestors.”

“That doesn’t sound good.” Adam withdrew with her.

There was no response, by voice or by rock. A still silence fell over them like the earth of a grave. Their eyes were glued towards the skies, as though they could try to dodge the inevitable large rock.

Then, emerging from the fog, came a shadow in the shape of a man, quickly revealing itself to be a giant. This was not the same as the mud giants that Adam had met, no, for this was a specimen the ancient Greeks and Romans would have carved into statues.

The figure was heavily muscled, as though it was part of their religion to be able to push a mountain, clad within heavy chain. Their eyes were icy blue and white, like their skin, and held a glare at the strangers who had intruded on their land. The giant was a man, with a thick beard that Redboulder could appreciate, and furry brows which curled aside, shaped by ice which clung to their hair. They carried on their back a giant axe, one which towered over even Adam.

“To think we’d meet again, after all these years…” he said, his voice deep like the valleys of the mountains.

“So you recognise me?” Entalia smiled. “I hadn’t expected that you would, considering how young you were.”

“Indeed, I was but a welp back then…” The giant’s eyes then fell across the others. “You bring with you stran-” He squinted towards Adam and the rest. “Fey beings?”

“That is right!” Elowen called out. “I am Elowen of the Sansant!”

“Can you make such a claim?” The giant asked.

“We’ve come for the Gathering of Snow, and wish to act under the Edict of Hospitality.” Entalia said. “Or will you refuse us?”

“I do not have such authority.” The giant then turned. “I, Oklok, hear your plee, oh Lady of Sansant.” The giant then roared out, his roar echoing across the mountains.

Seconds passed. A light pierced through the fog. Oklok stepped into the fog towards the light. Entalia turned and smiled towards the group.