“Where did you get these tea leaves?” Adam asked, sipping on the hot liquid. When they had finally returned to the fort, they were given some time to rest. The first thing Adam was offered was a nice, hot cuppa. The tea was hot, yet tasted like ice. It was herbal and sweet, a hint of honey and citrus at the end of each sip.

“We often trade with the other giant cities,” Joti said. “A clan cultivates the tea leaves within their grove.”

“This is some good tea,” Adam said. “I hear the minotaurs brew good tea as well.”

“I have heard the horned ones have cultivated tea. We haven’t traded with them in a century.”

“You’ve had contact with the minotaurs down south?” Adam asked, surprised. He hadn’t expected the giants to know the minotaurs he had met.

Joti shook his head. “Not those within the south, but those to our west.”

“Oh. I didn’t know minotaurs could live easily so far in the cold.” Adam then recalled how many people lived up north in the frozen wastes the British called Scotland. “They must be crazy.”

“They have been here for centuries. We first met them many hundred years ago. At first, as all people do, we fought. Eventually we became distant as they had travelled further west. We didn’t meet for centuries, we hadn’t had any reason to contact one another. Then we met one another again, and though we held our grudges, we were also fighting the same dragons.”

“Dragons?” Adam asked, leaning in. He sipped on his tea, staring up into the giant’s eyes. Anything about dragons piqued his interest.

Joti nodded. “There was a group of white dragons who had once ruled over the lands, keeping the trihorns and the drakken as their slaves. We hunted down the dragons, slaying as many as we could, allying with the horned ones. We forced the dragons away from our lands, and then created the various Princedoms which now rule.”

Adam rubbed his chin. “The white dragons, did you slay them all and drive them all away?”

“We drove our enemies away,” Joti replied.

Adam narrowed his eyes, but he nodded his head. He understood that the giants may not want to speak of their secrets, and it was only fair since Adam would not reveal his own secrets.

"Vandra was a kin of our enemy." Joti sipped on the hot tea. "Her and her brood had lived far to the south. We hadn't known she had returned until Lady Sansant brought the dragon's head."

"Is that why the Prince accepted the alliance?”

"My father had already accepted its continuation when he engraved the runes on his back,” Joti said. Adam noticed that Joti puffed out his chest, a rare moment of pride coming from him. It was a welcome surprise, and Adam couldn’t help but feel Joti was a person just like him, just a little bigger. “We have always waited for the Sansant to return. We are no fools to allow such a powerful alliance fade into the wind.” Joti fell silent, his mind wandering. “There was a time when a Sansant was always present within our walls.”

“What happened?”

“They were within our walls to aid us, but when our issues had been resolved, their own lands came under attack. We sent many with the Sansant, but none returned.”

“Until now?”

Joti bowed his head. “Until now. It is something which we have been waiting for, from beyond even my father’s time.” Joti looked out once more, as though reliving the memories associated with hearing the stories from long ago.

Adam left him be, sipping at the hot tea. There was something about a nice cuppa that filled the bones of an Englishman. If only there had been a little bit of milk and sugar, and then some biscuits. His heart yearned for his country. The cool winters, the hot summers, the seconds of sun one could steal. He even missed the taste of chicken tikka masala, a true British national dish. Of course, there was also the classic of fish and chips, which was often accompanied by one of a myriad of sides depending on where you lived.

The group was soon done with their rest, and as Adam walked to the carriage, he looked back towards the refugees. He saw Lotag and he paused, tilting his head aside. Why were the Iyrmen here? Adam recalled they were not going to assist the villagers once the frost giants helped.

He stepped into the carriage as they continued on their way to Muten. Entalia withdrew towards herself, closing her eyes as she leaned back against the carriage. He stared at her, watching her fall asleep. He looked to Joti, who shrugged his shoulders. It seemed Entalia’s exhaustion had caught up to her, and Adam could feel it creep through him. The tea had helped awaken him, but there was still the exhaustion of the fight and the travel that clung to him. His eyes grew heavy, but he fought sleep off.

They finally approached Muten, with the darkness welcoming them soon after. As the refugees were let out, a few giants approached to come and escort them. Adam noted the Iyrmen, who were looking all around the city. Adam walked towards them, but soon Entalia grabbed at him.

“We need to speak with the Prince,” she said.

“Right now?” Adam replied. “I’m so tired, I don’t think I’ll be able to speak with him too well.”

Entalia looked over him and then nodded her head. She let go of his arm, allowing Adam to follow the giants. She remained right beside him, walking with him. Adam glanced at her, raising a brow towards the dragon, but left her be.

They returned to the building in the centre, which had housed Adam for a night. As he stepped inside, the group he had been working with. Elowen stared at him with surprise, quickly standing as she approached him quickly.

“You’re back so soon,” she said. “We hadn’t expected you for a few days.”

Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

“I was getting a little bored with walking in the snow.” Adam’s dry joke came out very Britishly, but what did one expect from him?

Elowen narrowed her eyes, a little unsure of his words. “That is understandable.”

“Just a joke,” Adam said, smiling. “It was very fortunate that the frost giants arrived. They were…” Adam realised that they probably didn’t know what a cab was, and so let the thought trail. “They were very accommodating.”

“Did you manage to help them?” Elowen asked.

“I did,” Adam replied. A smile came to his face, but it was a sad smile. “As much as I could anyhow…”

“What happened?” Elowen asked, placing a hand on his elbow and then leading him further inside.

“There were a lot of mud giants, and a pair of troublesome fellows. Although we had the help of the Iyrmen, Entalia, and another pair of troublesome fellows, there wasn’t much we could have done.” Adam looked up towards Entalia, who hadn’t come help. He could still feel it, the pain in his chest, the betrayal of the party. It wasn’t a betrayal, they had no cause to help the villagers, they had a much more pressing task.

“We spoke to Bruta,” Elowen said. “We told her of what you had done for her son, and how you were going to save him. They spoke with the Prince after, and that was when we heard that the Chiefs were leaving.”

Adam raised his brows in surprise. “You spoke with her? Is she well?”

“She is well. She was relieved that her son was alive, though she wondered if he would return to her.”

Adam’s eyes began to burn. “He did,” he said, his voice barely a whisper. “He was the only son I could bring home.” Suddenly the weight of emotion filled him. He pulled back, leaning against the wall, and with that he fell asleep.

When he awoke, there was a face inches from his. Her eyes were piercing him, and he shuddered, quickly straightening up. Her eyes were a piercing blue and white, yet her skin was slightly pale, though held the colour of a human.

“You are the one who saved my son?” Bruta asked.

“I had some help,” Adam replied, trying to pull away.

Bruta wrapped her strong arms around him and then held him tight, threatening to crush him through his armour. Adam gasped for air as she continued to hug him tight, before she finally let him free to breathe.

“I’m very sorry,” Adam said. “I have a habit of not bringing back sons alive to their mothers.” The joke cut him deep in his heart. All he could think of was his old friend, Jurot, and now he had allowed Rikta and his twin brothers to die.

“I’m sure they died fighting to protect their brother,” she said. “He may be old, but he is a boy.” She brushed his hair with a motherly touch.

Adam’s lip quivered, but he would not cry in front of her. “I’m glad he’s back with you safe and sound.”

“Thank you, Adam was it?”

“Yes.”

She smiled, the way a mother would, tenderly. Adam had found himself being comforted by two mothers ever since arriving in this world.

“I have heard all that you have done for my son. Lady Elowen has told me that you also looked after him once he was lost.”

“I did my best, miss, like anyone would.”

“Not anyone,” Bruta said sagely.

“I would hope they would.”

“You’re a young man, I can tell.” She ruffled his hair.

“I want to ask you about what happened when Jon separated from you.”

Bruta bowed her head. “We were making our way to the giant lands to speak with them. When the mud giants attacked, my first thought went to my heritage. I am a daughter of the Yspeks,” she said, “and I have the ability to ask for some privileges.”

“What kind of privileges?”

“I can claim protection under their laws, as well as my family. We had come to convince them, but when I heard Jon was alive… I claimed my rights in the instant.”

“Then they sent the frost giants?” Adam asked, recalling how Gutt had gone straight for the boy. He was interested in the various rights and edicts the giants possessed and how they worked.

“They did,” she said. “They are bound to do so.”

“By Om?” Adam asked.

“Ohm,” she said.

“Ah yes, that’s right.” Adam nodded. “I recall the name…” Adam tried to think. Who had said it? It sounded so familiar.

“They are bound by their laws by Ohm’s will. If they had not, then ruin would have befallen the people.”

“Wow…” Adam whispered. The frost giants seemed to be the type who were hardcore in their laws and customs. “So the Prince sent two Chiefs?” Adam wondered how powerful the pair were. They had to be, considering they were the Prince’s children, and one was set to be a Helm, a leader of their army.

“He would send whoever he felt was appropriate. Seven of their greatest warriors had left to find my son. I see that they have brought the villagers as well.” She sighed, smiling warmly. “I hear that was your doing as well.”

“I did what any decent being would, miss.”

“Bruta,” she said.

“I did what any decent being would, miss Bruta.”

Bruta smiled at him again and then ruffled his hair again. “You did not do it unless it was for a reward, right?”

“I’ve received my rewards,” Adam said. “It was a heavy price, but at least…” Adam rubbed his face. “At least I can sleep fine.” He rubbed his eyes with his knuckles and then looked to the woman, who nodded at him and then left.

Entalia stared at Adam. “You seemed to have slept well.”

“Well enough. I was a little tired after all that.”

“I could tell.”

“I don’t want to hear it from you,” he said, chuckling. “How was the carriage ride?”

Entalia smirked wide. “It was fine.”

“I’m still exhausted. That tea was nice though.”

“You enjoy tea?”

“Yes, very much so. I grew up with it.”

“I’d love to hear more about your past.”

“I could do that, but that means I want to know about yours as well.”

“One day, perhaps?”

“One day, perhaps.”

Adam closed his eyes again and then leaned back, sighing. His body was still heavy. He started to pull off his armour, unstrapping and pulling himself out of his chain mail. Then he reached for his sword, raising his brows.

“Entalia,” Adam said, reaching out with the sword towards her.

“Returning it already?”

“It’s not my sword.”

She took it from him, a wild grin on her face. “No, it’s not.” The blade disappeared from her hand.

“Thanks for letting me borrow it for the fight.”

“Did you use it?”

“No, I wasn’t able to at the time.”

“Understandable,” she said, smiling. “You were too busy casting all your spells.”

“Not all of them,” Adam replied. “Just the one that was most useful…” Adam thought about the fight. The best spell wasn’t actually Fireball, but his Spectral Spirits, which would have kept many of the mud giants around him. He rubbed his forehead as he thought about how many people he could have saved if he had thought more about the fight. They had planned for a short while, but he could have figured out a better plan rather than assisting in making the fortifications, which were so easy to break. Hindsight was a painful mistress.

“What’s wrong?” Entalia asked, sitting down beside him.

“I could have done so much better. Different spells, different abilities…” Adam could have had access to certain spells which would have allowed him to shape the earth. He could have created a fortress around themselves, one which would have been difficult to break.

“We could have,” Entalia said. “I could have flown over the right mud giants. I could have fought the two strangers. We could have summoned more frost giants beforehand. There are many things we could have done, but we didn’t. The past is in the past, and we are here, in the present. We much keep living our lives regardless of what has occurred.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Adam replied, sighing. “We just gotta keep on keeping on.” He reached down to his javelin, the only real weapon he had at his disposal. “I need another weapon,” he said, trying to preoccupy his mind.

“You could buy one from the giants.”

Adam looked up at Entalia. “Oh,” he said. “Right.” He had forgotten the fact that the frost giants were great smiths, and probably sold weapons. “I should buy a weapon.”

“A sword?”

“An axe, I think. When in Muten, do as the giants do.”

Entalia cocked her head aside, narrowing her eyes. She bowed her head slowly. “A saying from your land?”

“Something like that.”