The rest of Alyssa's day went rather uneventful. She never saw anyone else besides the changing of the guards watching over her. Every so often people would gather on the outskirts of the beach to get a glimpse of her, but they were ordered away by the guards. Evening came and, wearing nothing but a bikini, she found herself shivering slightly despite the warmth of the day's sun earlier. Some of the more sensitive guards saw this and decided to build their fires closer to her, at the protest of the less concerned larger group of fellow guards. Alyssa was apparently causing a rift between the little people it seemed. Some saw her as a monster sent by their hated enemies, Blefuscu. Others saw her as a young girl, albeit a HUGE young girl, who may have actually came to Lilliput by accident from some wondrous far away land filled with giants.
It was a mixture of both these theories that was also fueling another offset of people who viewed her as a deity. Unknown to Alyssa, these fanatics were trying to sway the people to worship her to appease their old gods. They had members all the way into the royal house staff who believed she was sent by the gods to judge their devotion. Earlier in the day the guards had actually fed Alyssa. They gave her a food base that was fed to the slaves. It was very bland, square shaped, and almost completely tasteless aside from a slight bread flavor. But the little they gave her filled her completely. It was almost like magic. That was the food's purpose. To feed a huge amount of people for almost nothing. It was devised by the same contingent who were currently worshiping her. Their religion dealt with sacrifices and strange magic that was really nothing more than the use of alchemy and hallucinogens. They created this amazing concoction and was in part why they rose to prominence with the royal family all those years back.
As darkness crept over her beach, Alyssa began to nod off. What else could she do? Sleep seemed the only thing she had a choice in anymore. In the morning she could feel something crawling around on her. She looked down her body and saw flocks of tiny birds using her for a rest spot. They looked like tiny gnats. She blew a gust of wind down herself and they scattered, cawing annoyed.
"Giantess!" Alyssa heard whispered urgently beside her ear. She recognized the voice and turned to see Amara standing by her shoulder.
"Amara! I'm so glad to see you again!" She whispered back. But there was a look on Amara's face that even Alyssa could see. "What? What happened? You weren't caught were you?"
Amara shook her head. "No, nothing like that." Amara was carrying a satchel with her and she set it on the ground opening it. It contained saws and other tools. "Yesterday…. You… relieved yourself on the Advisor and Captain?!" Amara said, still worry upon her face but a smile cracked momentarily before she covered it up again with a serious look.
"It was an accident!" Alyssa explained.
"They did NOT take it well." Amara stood brandishing a saw. "All day they were devising a way to eliminate you. They argued for hours into the night, but they think they have a way. They plan to burn you." Amara paced as she explained, but then approached an anchored rope and began to saw away at it. "I have to free you! Before they come I have to help you!"
Alyssa lay there in stunned shock. They were going to burn her alive. Because of an accident. She started to feel tears return down her cheeks. When she turned to thank Amara, her eyes saw down the road and a garrison was making it's way towards them. "They're coming!" Alyssa said no longer whispering. "Amara…. please hurry! Don't let them hurt me, please!" Amara sawed faster and cut through the rope and moved to another. Her hands were shaking as she worked and her own tears were flowing now.
The large garrison, accompanied by a royal carriage and a crowd of people in white flowing robes, reached the beach and spread out along Alyssa's prone body. They began lining up burning material along her body. The robed people began to sway and chant, to the annoyance of the Advisor. The Captain was barking orders, and the Advisor was watching with a steely look on her face. Clearly yesterday's dousing had made her less cordial than before.
"What are you doing?!" Alyssa cried out as she struggled against her bindings.
"You are being disposed of." The Advisor called out, still refusing to make eye contact. "Whether you are an ally of Blefuscu, or simply a monster with no allegiances to either, you are not something we want in our land anymore. You are a disgusting monster and your time here is over."
The Captain simply laughed as he continued to direct placement of the flammable material. One guard rounded Alyssa's shoulder and saw Amara feverishly working on one of the ropes. "Hey, you there!" He shouted. Amara didn't even bother to look up. "Stop that! Captain over here!" The guard started to rush towards the slave girl.
"Amara! Run!" Alyssa cried.
But Amara stayed until the guard reached her and shoved her away from the rope. Amara scrambled and ran back down the length of Alyssa's arm with the guard in pursuit. Rounding the giant hand she saw the Captain and more soldiers advancing. She shot a glance towards the outlying trees but there were more guards closing in from that direction as well. She shuffled her feet in panic, unsure where to go.
"A slave?!" The Captain said disgusted. "Aiding this.... thing?! Kill this traitor!"
"No!! Don't you hurt her!" Alyssa screamed.
The guards shot a volley of spears but Amara dodged them and huddled beside Alyssa's wrist screaming. The archers near the edge of the beach notched arrows and took aim, they would not miss like the clumsy guards had. Their arrow heads were alight having been preparing to launch at the debris to burn the giantess. As they pulled back their arrows, Amara covered herself crying knowing her life was surely ending.
"No!!" Alyssa cried out. She summoned all her strength, fueled by her friend in danger, and ropes along her arm began to snap. Her arm shot up free from the beach. Just as the archers let loose, Alyssa brought her hand down and cupped it around Amara. The volley struck Alyssa's hand and bounced off. But the fuel used to light them splattered her hand leaving small spots of burning flame. Alyssa cried out as she began pushing up from the weakened ropes and the few Amara had cut. The soldiers began to panic as she seemed to be impossibly freeing herself. Alyssa's other arm wrenched up from the beach. Everywhere there were anchored ropes either snapped or dislodged and flinging sand around her lifting body as the young giant grunted in effort. Alyssa's legs were free and as she sat up on her elbows, her attention returned to her hand's burning speckles and she stamped it out with other. She opened her cupped hand slightly and saw Amara huddled in fear.
"Are you ok, Amara?" Alyssa asked.
Before she could get an answer, the Captain seemed to finally regain his senses. "Fire!!" He yelled. "Kill them! Kill them both!!" A fresh volley sliced through the air and struck Alyssa in various spots over her entire body. The arrows fell harmlessly but again she was pock marked with spots of flame. She squealed and brushed herself off with her free hand. She scooped up Amara, and a good bit of beach sand, and rose to her feet. She stood and the soldiers, despite the Captain's orders, started to scatter at the sight of her immense size fully realized as she stood for the first time. She held Amara in her hand close to her chest. In a panic she turned and ran down the empty beach before the army could regain their courage. The very ground shook with each footfall as she escaped leaving huge sunken footprints in her wake.   indicates the next chapter needs to be written. |
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