“Tell me what this creature looked like” asked Laegaire. “Oh, I wish I could have met him, he sounds wonderful.”

“He was,” replied Tuatha, clutching the railing and holding her waist tight with the other arm, as the ship lurched over the high waves.

“He was black like the night before the moon rises and shiny scales reflected any light, like stars in a black sky. I could not see all of him, but his head was fierce looking, many large white teeth, Huge black eyes, two white horns and his paws were huge with long white claws.”

Laegaire shivered and Celthair and Aillel listened wide eyed, their imaginations running wild.

“You will see him one day, I promise,” said Tuatha laughing at their faces, mouths open in wonder.

“Now you two, off to your beds,” he said the children, “tomorrow we hope to find a place to land in Dun Emain.”

They all slept fitfully that night, their minds trying to fathom what Tuatha had told them. The rolling of the ship and the creaking of the timbers, every time it changed tack in the wind that ever seemed against them woke them repeatedly.

Until the morning when a loud shout woke them all up and they quickly ran on the deck to see a rocky shoreline with gigantic waves crashing over it. Beyond that, cliffs then the mountains, impenetrable and foreboding.

The ship tacked and began to make its way along the coast, the captain cried out to the lookout to keep an eye out for a beach or a cove where they could find shelter from the large waves and launch a boat safely for the shore.

The search lasted all day. The excitement wore off when the shoreline did not change. It didn’t take long for Celthair and Aillel to grow bored. “This was exactly as Emain described,” said Tuatha mournfully to Ainnle. “He ended up turning back after the ship was nearly lost.” They lost the mainsail, and it took double the amount of time to go back to Muinremar. Why did we think it would be different?”

The ship had been travelling north for two days before they rounded a headland and began to travel southwest for the first time. The boulder strewn shore continued but the mountains and cliffs were getting marginally smaller as they went along the coast.

After two more days they were headed south, and the wind was behind them.

On day three, they were all called to the deck by another shout of land. The mainsail was being rolled up and the rattle of the anchor being lowered was heard. The Anchor suddenly grasped into the sea floor and the ship lurched to a stop.

In the distance a roar could be heard and from horizon to horizon they saw there were waves breaking over a reef.

“A reef is a bad sign,” said the captain. “We could hit submerged rocks or reef at any time and sink, there is no going forward, it is dangerous to try to get through.”

There was a small sailboat lashed to the side ship, as was the style of ships in Muinremar. It was a sensible addition as it gave them a second chance if the ship were to begin sinking.

Tuatha looked at the small skiff thoughtfully, “We could sail ahead of the ship and find a safe path through the rocks” said Tuatha. He looked at Ainnle knowing he had skill with small sail boats. Esclarmonde was a city that relied on fish to feed them. All children were taught to sail and fish.

Slowly they made their way along the reef, looking a for a way through where the waves did not break. It was not long before Ainnle found a place and the sailboat easily went through. But as they proceeded it became shallow and once more the ship was stopped in its course. Its draught was much too deep.

“It’s no good,” said the captain, “we will have to find the end and go around. It could take days or weeks; we have no idea. We can go for two days along the reef but if we don’t begin the trip back, we will run out of food and water.”

It was finally decided that the ship would head back and Ainnle, Tuatha, Laegaire, along with Celthair and Aillel, would keep going in the small sailboat.

“Riangbra will care for you,” said the captain. As they pulled away from the ship they waved goodbye, before long the large ship from Muinremar slowly disappeared over the horizon, and they were alone on the other side of the reef.

For a day they sailed fast along the shoreline, the wind behind them. The shores slowly became flatter and less rocky the mountains and cliffs a distant memory.

As they came around a jutting peninsula a beach came into view and an amazing sight greeted their eyes. Eight huge beings were swimming in the waves, and they were close. They were so tall, it seemed they could just reach out and pick up the small boat in their hands. “Stay calm,” said Tuatha, show them we are not afraid of them. The giant beings spotted the boat and began to shout and walk out toward them threateningly. Before Ainnle could react to his flight response and turn the boat back out to sea, one of the giants had grabbed the front of the boat, found the rope and was pulling them toward the shore.

The giants continued to shout in their deep tones, like ship horns in fog, then they could hear shouts in the distance as other giants responded. Then they saw it. With the tallest towers they had ever seen, taller than Mount Dagemar. A city made of black stone. The sheer size of the city made them gasp but it matched the giants and appeared in perspective with their stature.

Tuatha had leaped to the front and cut the rope setting them free. But the giant grabbed the boat itself and pulled it quickly to the beach. Tuatha put the tip of Salchah against the giant’s hand and pushed it into its hand slightly. “Let go,” he commanded. The giant looked surprised and pulled his hand away, putting it to his mouth to stem the blood.

It said something unintelligible and grabbed the boat again. Tuatha went for the giant’s hand again, this time in a quick movement the giant flicked his finger at Tuatha striking him in the legs, Tuatha was unbalanced and fell into the sea. Before he got to the surface it had picked him up by his shirt with the other hand and threw him back on the boat unceremoniously. By now the ship was nearly on the sand and giants were running down the beach. Massive warriors with long black beards. They grabbed the children, Laegaire, Ainnle and Tuatha and carried them up the beach. The horses were also picked up and carefully carried to a place nearby.

They were surrounded by these massive warriors and dumped abruptly on the ground. Spears were pointed toward them, and the warriors, tall as mountains, stood as still as stone. Tuatha stood in front of his family, Salchah held out, protecting his family.

A lighter haired giant appeared through the stationary warriors and looked at Tuatha. He laughed and lowered his spear, as tall as a forest tree and tipped with a metal that would have been the weight of Tuatha alone. He poked at Tuatha, who responded by using his sword to deflect the blow and the spear tip dropped and went into the sand.

The giant looked surprised. Tuatha had not physically moved the spear, but he had changed its direction by using the Riangbra skills taught him by Cathabad. The ability to redirect force by thought alone.

Tuatha moved away from his family and the giants formed a ring around Tuatha and the fair-haired titan of a man.

Tuatha pulled down the band around his head and over his eyes and grasped the sword, taking a Riangbra pose, ready for battle.

The giant bellowed with laughter.

He swung the spear toward Tuatha suddenly and without warning. Sensing it Tuatha jumped over it, hitting the spear in the same direction as it was travelling. It rang loudly and continued, slipping out of the giants grip and flying through the beard of an incredibly surprised guard and landing in the sand some distance off.

Tuatha did not stop, he leaped toward the giant and feet first connected with the back of the knee of his left leg, at the same time he cut through the giants rope belt, The giant fell to his knees, fell to his side and attempting to stand up, his leggings slipped down revealing his undergarments. He grasped at the pants trying to hold them up while using his other hand to push himself back up to a standing position.

This time the rest of the giants bellowed with laughter.

The giants face grew red with rage as he re-tied his rope leggings support.

This time he pulled his short knife, which to Tuatha was longer than he stood tall.

The immense man leapt toward Tuatha again and plunged the sword down where Tuatha was standing. But Tuatha was not there, he stood a few lengths away, leaning on Salchah like he was taking a rest. The giant lifted the knife and swiped it toward Tuatha, attempting to cut him in half where he stood. Tuatha jumped over the blade and Salchah left a deep cut in the top of his hand.

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The giant roared and tried again. This time he swung the knife and grabbed at Tuatha with the other hand. Tuatha tapped the long blade, and it went through the giant’s other hand.

It stopped and stared at Tuatha, straightening up and looking at his own knife sitting through the middle of his own palm.

The other giants collapsed with laughter which to Tuatha and company, sounded like a massive thunderstorm with constant thunder.

The giant walked off to get aid for his wounded hand.

Another giant walked toward Tuatha and got down on one knee leaning close to Tuatha and inspecting him. Tuatha had swung his blade toward the face of this new protagonist. But it did nothing but stare. Tuatha lifted his blind fold and looked back at the new threat.

She was smiling. No longer a threat. She wore clothes of Royalty and was as regal as she was tall.

The guards had lifted their spears and stood upright, looking into the distance.

She bent down and offered Laegaire and Omaith her finger. They looked startled but she nodded at them encouragingly and they grasped her finger, and she gently helped them stand. Then she turned and beckoned to them, and they followed her up the sand toward the streets of the city.

When they finally got to the edge of the city, they were helped by the servants of the queen to climb aboard a carriage, drawn by twenty horses. Inside the carriage there was a smaller giant who motioned for them to sit on the bench opposite. Once they had climbed on and were sitting on the soft animal skin of the bench, the queen followed them and sat next to the giant. They were all able to sit abreast of each other, due to the width of the carriage. As it began to move, they all worried that they might fall as the carriage took off, but it began smoothly, and they were amazed at how smooth the ride was. There was barely a bump.

“I was expecting it to be worse than the carts at home” said Tuatha.

The queen leaned forward inquisitively at the sound of Tuatha’s voice.

The small giant sitting next to the queen suddenly spoke and the queen listened. She looked at Tuatha and laughed, then answered the giant.

What came next surprised them all.

“We have good roads, and our engineers are very good at making carriages,” the giant said, they looked at the queen and back at the giant and realised he was her interpreter.

The queen spoke, and the interpreter repeated, “Sorry, we did not think to tell you I am an interpreter, we understand the puzzled looks you gave. This is queen Ariadne, I am Grost. The queen wished you to know you are now safe. We apologise for the discomfort our soldiers bestowed upon you. They have been commanded to stop all strangers and scare them off if possible. Most Men run and never come back. We were surprised by your persistence and bravery.”

Tuatha listened and replied, telling the queen who they were and their quest. The queen listened eagerly.

When Tuatha had finished the queen sat back, still staring at the wall behind them. After a few moments she spoke.

“It is good to hear what has been happening in the Deep Lands, our exclusiveness means we do not know how the lands and its people are changing, I will need time to process this communication and it will be told to our people. Then we will have an answer for you.”

Tuatha nodded. They had arrived at the palace and the interpreter asked them to dismount.

The palace was enormous from their perspective. It looked like a mountain range; such was its expanse. The steps were nearly triple in height to the ones they were familiar with where the people were not triple the height.

Laegaire had no problem leaping up the steps like it was the boulders around her home back in Dagemar, so far away.

The children were given a ride sitting on the arms of the queen, giggling with delight, having no fear of the height they were above the ground.

When Tuatha reached the top panting, the others laughed at his discomfort.

“Oh Tuatha, you need to run up a mountain a little more often,” chided Laegaire.

He grinned and turned to an amazing sight. The entire city to the beach stretched out beneath the palace. It was shining white, the buildings made from the sandstone that was mined from the cliffs. The houses were square with steps up the outside and the roof an extension of the house. Many of the Anakim were on the roofs, eager to see the strangers that had arrived or just generally enjoying the sunshine.

If his breath wasn’t already gone, it was taken once more in its splendour in the brightness of the sun.

The queen put down the children and stepped forward her arms opening wide. “Welcome to Imchad of the Anakim,” she announced proudly, quickly interpreted by Grost.

Inside the palace it seemed even bigger, the ceilings were so high they felt like tiny insects.

Once again perched on the queen’s arm, Celthair and Alliel were borne along at such a pace, a walking pace for the queen but Tuatha, Laegaire and Ainnle needed to run very fast to keep up.

They finally arrived at a hall with a table. There were Anakim already seated at a long table. They watched the newcomers with some curiosity. Food was being served.

Grost motioned them to a part of the table that had been modified so the seats would be high enough for them to be able to sit at the table. As they sat, all the Anakim stopped eating and stood, staring at them intently.

Feeling very vulnerable they sat, the giants all sat as well.

The food was out of reach, and they were very hungry. Suddenly Celthair jumped onto the table and picked up her plate, a small one, probably used as a side dish by the giants, and began to put the prepared food on her plate. Laegaire looked shocked as did Tuatha. Tuatha leaned forward about to tell her to be seated. But the hallway began to rock with laughter. The giants were all laughing, the ladies, giggling behind their hands.

“Do not be concerned,” said Grost. They deliberately did this with the food. They wanted to see what you would do. Some even made bets.”

After this, Celthair made it her job, running back and forth, her own mouth full of food, filling her families’ plates with whatever they asked for.

When they had finished eating and were feeling quite bloated, they were surprised to note that they had barely made a dent in the piles of food before them. Yet the giants had cleaned the plates bare that was before them.

Some were already eying the leftovers hungrily.

Tuatha turned to Grost. “How did you learn our language?” he asked.

Grost began, “I spent time in Muinremar many cycles ago when I was a child. I was exploring the mountains to the east and got lost, I ended up in Muinremar and was raised by an exceedingly kind family in Muinremar. But they kept me hidden till I was too big to hide and when I was fifty cycles old, I decided to say goodbye and come home. That was over one hundred cycles ago, now I work as interpreter for the palace when they need one, like they do now.

“We came from Muinremar,” said Tuatha. Grost’s eyes widened, tears welled up in his eyes, they became glassy as memories flooded back. “I do miss the place and the kind family.”

“Come,” he said getting off his seat, “I have something to show you. We know you are tired and require rest. I’d like to introduce you to our resident human family. They are from your lands and the story of how they ended up here, is for them to tell you. They have offered part of their house, which has furniture and beds more your size so should be more comfortable.”

They arrived at a house made of the same materials and architecture as the Anakim. It was still a palace compared to the average size house in the Deep Lands. At the door stood a man with brown leathery skin and black hair. He stepped forward and spoke in the language of the Deep Lands.

“Greetings, I am Conail Cearnach this is my wife Freysia and my children Dom and Dreya; we are of the Sea traders of the island of Dun-Cluana.”

Tuatha, Laegaire and Ainnle bowed, and Celthair and Aillel stood shyly glancing at the other children who looked about their age.

Conail nodded at them. “Off you go children, you know what to do, have fun!”

Dom and Dreya came over to them and beckoned running past them. “Follow us,” they said. Celthair and Aillel hesitated, watching them growing smaller. Then they suddenly ran after them, smiling and laughing happily.

Conail nodded in satisfaction. “It has been so long since they have had children their size,” he said, “giant children are so rough without meaning to be. It can get dangerous playing with giant children, even if they are toddlers.”

After Tuatha had introduced them all and the introductions were over. Conail grasped Tuatha’s and Ainnle’s hands and Freysia did the same to Laegaire in the manner of the culture of their people. They leaned forward and placed their foreheads against Tuatha’s and Laegaire’s.

When they had welcomed them, Tuatha spoke, “I have met a few people of Cluana back at home in Athlethan,” said Tuatha, “They are a noble people and immensely proud. We are incredibly pleased to meet you.”

“Welcome to your home. Please make it yours,” he said. They led them into the house.

Inside was spacious and airy, the windows open to the air, which was not cold or hot, just a balmy sea breeze blew open some light curtains.

“It is never too cold or too hot here,” said Freysia, “I was amazed how constant the weather stays.”

“How did you end up here amongst the Anakim?” Laegaire asked Freysia.

“Conail and I were young and training to become traders. Our ship was wrecked on the coast, and we were the only two survivors,” she began, “We were captured and became slaves to some Anakim in the south. We were only saved from this by the queen Ariadne when she heard of us because of a rumour. She apologised and had this house built for us. We fell in love,” her eyes met Conail’s, and they smiled at each other, “we were married and decided to stay here and learn more of this amazing culture of the Anakim.” We have no desire to go back. Now Conail works for the royal shipbuilders, helping the Anakim design and build their first ship. One day we will go back, to tell out people we are alive and maybe remove the trading ban we have with this part of the coast.”

It did not take long for Tuatha and Laegaire to settle in and fall in love with the idyllic city of the Anakim. Each day blended into the next and the days flew by fast.

Over the months that followed, they all became fast friends with these two kind and strong people and their children.

Tuatha was often called upon, to tell the queen more about the Deep Lands. He learned the Anakim language quickly, quite soon Grost was no longer of any use. But he was never far away.

Laegaire, Ainnle and the children learned the language too, and they learned fast when Laegaire made the Anakim language mandatory in the house.

One day, Tuatha was called to meet the Commander of the giant army. Which was not large in number but looked powerful due to their size. Tuatha’s prowess in his battle on the beach was now lore among the Anakim, much to the displeasure of the giant he had defeated and humiliated on the beach. The Commander wanted to know more about his warrior technique and Tuatha taught him of Riangbra and how one needed to use their senses and build up the muscles to become faster and more powerful, how defence was more important than attack because defence was easily turned into attack with the correct moves.

The commander decided to incorporate these techniques into his small armies training and was impressed by Tuatha’s knowledge about these things.

He was so impressed; the commander was granted permission by queen Ariadne to teach Tuatha of the amazing healing techniques of the Anakim. When Tuatha was taught the healing ways, he realised it was again, power derived from Riangbra that they were harnessing in a small way. The power could be used on the battlefield to heal wounds on fallen enemy, your fellow soldier or even yourself.

The Giants were peaceful and only had a small army for protection. They were much better at healing emotional and physical wounds than they were at inflicting them.

They were quite different from the Giants who lived around the Black city. Anakim who had been corrupted and used by evil men as weapons. They renamed themselves Elim and they had already been seen by the warriors in the south, fighting the evil of Sennol. On two occasions they had raided Imchad and been driven back by the Commander and his army.

Tuatha and Laegaire’s appearance had also changed over the sun cycles they had been there. Tuatha was now tall and bearded, so much so that, if he went home, he would appear mildly unrecognisable to his people until perhaps they saw his face.

He had felt faint messages from Queen Dagemar in his mind, although he heard no words, his senses could feel that she was telling him to wait.

So, they did, the children grew and learned to be warriors. They also learned how to use Riangbra and how to heal.

Their horses had been well cared for and they continued to learn to skilfully ride them, to use a bow and arrow whilst riding at full gallop. Aillel had desired to do this when he heard from Tuatha of the Rochad Horsemen, he dreamed of these warriors far away and aspired to be like them. If Aillel and Celthair went back now, they would have impressed Findtain the general of the Rochad warriors, with their mastery of the saddle.