(KBTCM) Ch 5: The Archer & The Watchers

Rowena stood in the open field beyond the palace, her massive bow resting comfortably in her hands. The weapon was a masterpiece—crafted specifically for her, its wood reinforced with metal bands to withstand the force of her pull. No ordinary bow could survive the strength of a giantess. And no ordinary arrows could serve her either.

At her feet, a quiver the size of a merchant's cart held her custom-made arrows, each one taller than an average man. They were thick as spears, the fletching crafted from the feathers of the largest birds in Vaeloria.

Her target stood at the far end of the field—an enormous wooden construct she had built herself. Regular targets were useless to her. They shattered too easily.

She exhaled slowly, drawing back the bowstring, feeling the tension ripple through her arms.

Her mind wandered.

She thought about Draymoor, the neighboring kingdom. About the prince she was to meet. About her future as queen.

It worried her.

Rowena had always known she would rule. She had always accepted her duty. But marriage... that was different. The idea of choosing a husband, of falling in love—it felt so much more uncertain than the throne ever had.

Could she love him?

Could he love her?

Would he see her as more than a giant?

She pushed the thoughts aside, steadying her grip.

Focus.

Rowena narrowed her golden eyes, locked onto the center of her target, and released.

The arrow soared through the air, a blur of motion too fast for most eyes to follow. It struck dead center, splintering the thick wood, the force of impact shaking the ground beneath her.

A small sigh of relief escaped her lips.

Archery always calms me down.

She reached for another arrow, completely unaware of the four pairs of eyes watching her from the bushes.

***

Eldrin crouched low in the undergrowth, his heart pounding.

"We shouldn't be here," he whispered, his voice barely audible over the wind.

Drystan, kneeling beside him, shot him a pointed look. "Hey, this was your idea, man."

Eldrin clenched his jaw. True. But now that they were actually here, watching the Princess of Vaeloria practice, he was starting to regret it.

Drystan, on the other hand, looked thrilled. His blue eyes gleamed with excitement as he peeked through the leaves, watching the giantess pull back her bow.

"She's even bigger up close," Drystan muttered.

"No kidding," Orin added. "I think that bowstring could snap us in half."

Calista, the only girl in the group, sat cross-legged behind them, arms crossed. She looked thoroughly unimpressed.

"I don't get you fools," she muttered. "If you want to get to know her, why not just go up and introduce yourselves?"

Eldrin and Drystan snapped their heads toward her, horrified.

"Are you insane?" Orin whispered harshly. "We're from Willowhearth. We'd never get close to a noble, let alone the princess."

Calista rolled her eyes. "You act like she's some untouchable goddess. She's just a person."

"A person who could step on us without noticing," Drystan whispered back.

"Not helping," Eldrin muttered.

They turned back to watch as Rowena loosed another arrow. The sheer power of it sent shockwaves through the earth, rattling their bones.

Drystan whistled under his breath. "You sure you don't wanna just go say hello?" he asked sarcastically.

Calista smirked, nudging Eldrin. "Come on, aren't you the one always going on about how you want to meet her?"

Eldrin scowled, feeling his face heat up. "I just—look, I admire her, alright? She's strong. She's not like the nobles in the city."

"Ohhh, you admire her," Orin teased with a knowing grin.

Eldrin shot him a glare.

"Please," Drystan snickered. "You've had a crush on the princess since we were kids."

Eldrin felt his entire soul leave his body.

Calista laughed, patting him on the shoulder. "Hey, no shame in that. She's, you know...ridiculously gorgeous."

Eldrin groaned. "Can we not do this right now?"

"Yeah, yeah," Drystan waved him off. "But for real—what do you think she's thinking about?"

The group fell silent, watching Rowena as she stood there, staring off into the distance. There was a weight in her expression, something thoughtful, maybe even troubled.

Eldrin found himself wondering the same thing.

What was it like to be her? To carry the weight of a kingdom on her shoulders? To have the entire world watching her every move?

"She looks..." Orin hesitated, searching for the right word.

"...Lonely," Eldrin finished softly.

For a moment, none of them spoke.

Then, suddenly—

CRACK.

Eldrin barely had time to react before Drystan—the idiot—shifted his weight too far forward and snapped a branch beneath his foot.

Rowena's ears twitched.

Her golden eyes snapped toward the bushes.

And just like that—

The four of them froze.

Rowena took a step forward, the ground trembling beneath her weight. The trees around her shivered, leaves rustling as if whispering warnings to the four small figures huddled in the bushes.

"Come out," she said, her voice calm yet firm.

Eldrin felt his heart jump into his throat. The sheer presence of her was overwhelming. Even standing still, she radiated power, her golden eyes piercing through the leaves with unsettling accuracy.

None of them moved.

Rowena sighed, taking another step. The impact of her boot sent vibrations through the earth, shaking loose small pebbles and leaves from the trees.

"I said, come out."

This time, they obeyed.

Slowly, hesitantly, the four of them stepped out from the cover of the underbrush, standing shoulder to shoulder as they tilted their heads back to take in the towering wonder before them.

Up close, she was even more breathtaking.

Her auburn hair, damp with sweat from her archery practice, cascaded down her back in thick waves. Her toned arms and powerful frame cast shadows over them, and despite her sheer size, there was something graceful about the way she stood, the way she held herself—like a warrior, like a queen in waiting.

Rowena crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow. "If you wanted to be sneaky," she said, her lips curving into a knowing smirk, "you're going to need to learn how to stay quiet."

Drystan shifted awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck. "We would have been quiet," he muttered, "if someone didn't step on a branch."

Eldrin shot him a glare. "You were the one who stepped on it."

Rowena let out a small chuckle, then crouched down onto one knee, lowering herself just enough so she wasn't towering over them quite as much.

Eldrin swallowed hard as her golden gaze settled on him.

"You knew we were here all along, didn't you?" he asked.

Rowena shrugged, resting one arm on her knee. "I have good hearing," she said simply. "I was hoping to just pretend you weren't there, but you were making it... difficult."

Orin, who had been visibly shaking the entire time, suddenly dropped to his knees and bowed deeply.

"Your Highness, please forgive us!" he pleaded, his voice trembling. "We didn't mean to spy! We just—we didn't know what we were doing, and, and—please don't step on us! Or—or eat us! Or—"

Calista elbowed him hard in the ribs, making him gasp and shut up.

Rowena blinked, then let out a full, amused laugh. "Eat you?" she repeated. "Now, that's a new one."

Eldrin sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Forgive him, Your Highness. He's an idiot."

"Hey!" Orin protested, still kneeling.

Rowena shook her head, still smiling as she looked down at them. It was always the same.

This wasn't the first time people tried to get closer to her.

But in the end, they were always afraid.

She could see it in their eyes—that hesitation, that quiet fear hidden beneath their curiosity.

It was something she had grown used to.

"I wouldn't hurt you," she said at last, her tone gentle. "And I certainly wouldn't eat you." She smirked at Orin, who looked relieved but still cautious. "In fact, if you'd like, I could give you a lift back home. It'd save you the walk."

The four friends froze, exchanging uncertain glances.

A ride? In the hands of a giantess?

None of them knew what to say.