(KOTG) Ch 4: The Kingdom Of The Giants!

I craned my neck back as far as it would go, staring up at the massive white gates towering miles into the air. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't see the top. The thing just went up forever. I was half-expecting clouds to form around it. The walls surrounding the gate were no less impressive—etched with intricate carvings that looked ancient, maybe even older than the forest we'd just left. Lines of blue light snaked through the carvings, glowing faintly like they were alive.

"Dang," I muttered, completely awestruck. I didn't even know what else to say. How do you describe something so massive and, let's be honest, completely unnecessary? Who needs a gate this big? Who's breaking in? Other giants?

"Welcome to your kingdom," Kyvareth said, her voice tinged with pride. She smiled down at me, and I could swear she looked as proud of the gates as someone would be showing off their new car. Except this wasn't a car. This was insane.

"Yeah... sure," I replied weakly, still trying to process what "my kingdom" even meant. Was this some kind of giant hazing ritual? A prank? Maybe I was hallucinating after hitting my head earlier. Honestly, that seemed more likely.

Kyvareth stepped closer to the gate, her strides making the ground shake beneath her feet. I wobbled in her palm but managed to stay upright. When she stopped, she threw her head back and called out, "This is Kyvareth Draegorn, First of the Bloodline and Second to the King himself. I have returned!"

Her voice echoed like a thunderclap, reverberating off the colossal walls. The blue light that flowed through the carvings suddenly dimmed and disappeared, leaving the stone looking plain and cold. Then, with a groan so deep it made my teeth rattle, the gates began to move.

I watched, slack-jawed, as the two halves of the gate slowly swung inward, each one easily the size of a skyscraper. Behind them, towering figures clad in gleaming silver armor stood at attention. Their spears were ridiculous—easily taller than any building I'd ever seen, and they glinted like they were polished daily by some poor soul who probably regretted all their life choices.

"Welcome back, Lady Kyvareth," one of the guards said, his deep voice booming across the entrance. He was as tall as Kyvareth, with a helmet covering most of his face. "Did you—" He stopped mid-sentence, his eyes widening as they landed on me.

I froze, suddenly hyperaware of how tiny I looked sitting in Kyvareth's hand. The guard's face turned beet red, and his mouth opened and closed a few times, like he wasn't sure what to say. Then, as if on cue, every guard dropped to one knee, their armor clanking loudly enough to make my ears ring.

"Your Majesty!" they bellowed in unison, their voices echoing so loudly I had to cover my ears.

"Uh... hi," I squeaked, waving awkwardly. What else was I supposed to say? "Thanks for... kneeling?" My voice cracked halfway through, and I immediately wanted to disappear.

Kyvareth chuckled softly, clearly enjoying my discomfort. "Rise," she said to the guards, her tone commanding but warm. They obeyed instantly, their gazes flicking back to me every few seconds as if they couldn't believe I was real.

As Kyvareth carried me through the gates, the city unfolded before my eyes. And by "unfolded," I mean it hit me like a freight train. It was enormous. Towering buildings made of stone and metal stretched as far as the eye could see, each one designed for people Kyvareth's size. Roads wide enough to fit an entire football field ran between them, bustling with activity. Giant women—only women, I realized—walked the streets, each one dressed in armor, robes, or other clothing that looked ancient but functional.

They all stopped what they were doing as soon as they saw Kyvareth. "Lady Kyvareth!" they greeted her with bows and smiles, but their expressions changed the moment they saw me. Their eyes widened, their jaws dropped, and they immediately bowed so low I thought they'd scrape their foreheads on the ground.

"Uh... hello," I said weakly, waving again. This was getting ridiculous.

"They're all huge," I muttered under my breath, trying not to let the sheer scale of everything overwhelm me.

"Indeed," Kyvareth replied with a smile. "This is your kingdom, the kingdom of the Akyri—Vorshalda."

I didn't know what to say to that. I mean, what could I say? "Thanks for the warm welcome" felt a little inadequate. "Where's the nearest exit" seemed more accurate, but I doubted they'd appreciate that. Instead, I focused on not falling out of Kyvareth's hand as she made her way through the streets.

The castle came into view before long, and let me tell you—it made the gates look like dollhouse furniture. It wasn't just the biggest building in the city; it was the biggest thing I'd ever seen, period. Towers spiraled into the sky, their peaks lost in the clouds. Bridges arched between them, wide enough to fit entire neighborhoods. The walls shimmered faintly, almost like they were alive, and a massive set of stairs led up to an entrance that could've fit the Statue of Liberty lying down.

"Holy crap," I whispered, staring up at the monstrosity. "You're kidding, right? That's not actually my house."

Kyvareth laughed, a sound so warm and rich it made my chest feel lighter. "It is the royal palace," she said. "Your home, Your Majesty."

"I live in a studio apartment," I muttered, half to myself. "This is insane."

We continued up the stairs, each of Kyvareth's steps swallowing what felt like miles of distance. I couldn't help but glance down at her hand every now and then, half-expecting her to lose her grip and send me plummeting to my doom. But she carried me carefully, her fingers curled protectively around me like I was the most precious thing in the world.

As we reached the top of the stairs, I took a deep breath, trying to calm the swirling mess of emotions in my chest. "So," I said, looking up at Kyvareth, "you're really sure about this whole 'king' thing?"

She smiled down at me, her blue eyes sparkling with something I couldn't quite place. "I am," she said simply. "You'll see, my king. This is where you belong."

I wasn't so sure about that, but as the massive doors to the palace began to swing open, revealing a throne room even more opulent than I could've imagined, I couldn't help but feel a tiny flicker of curiosity. Maybe—just maybe—this wasn't going to be as bad as I thought.

Or maybe it would be worse. Who knows?