“What are they arguing about?” Morwyn asked as she peered out from behind a large stone. The sound of raised voices carried to them easily despite the distance, though the words were in a grating, harsh language that she didn't understand. Even from a long way off she could tell that the group of towering individuals were easily thrice the height of a normal human. There were four on the left side of the road and five on the right and the two groups were shouting and jeering at one another. All of them wore similar patchwork clothing of large animal hides stitched crudely together and they carried a variety of clubs and spears with massive stone heads and points. She'd never seen a giant before, but it wasn't difficult to arrive at that conclusion. These beings were the stuff of legends in the books of her childhood.
Trux frowned in concentration as she tried to sound out some of the words under her breath with frustration. After a moment she crawled back around behind the boulder and scratched her head for a moment.
“It's a different dialect than the one I learned and it doesn't help that they're arguin',” the dwarf said with a sigh. “Best I can tell, the group to the left of the road thinks the group on the right stole somethin' from 'em, but I couldn't tell you what.”
Morwyn scanned the prairie looking for any way to route the caravan around the altercation of giants but found none, the same as the last few times she'd looked. The rough dirt road upon which the caravan traveled was already little more than a suggestion as it had grown less and less defined the further into the wilds they traveled. It followed the path of least resistance through the hilly landscape and was littered with boulders and high brush to either side which would make for hard going with the wagons. She bit her lip and mused over possible solutions.
“Do you think we can wait them out? If they kill each other or go their separate ways, at least they won't be our problem anymore.” Eronir spoke up with uncertainty evident in his tone. Morwyn hadn't seen the elf so perturbed before and guessed that giants were not within his realm of expertise. She couldn't blame him. A single swing of a club or thrust with a spear would crush or impale her with ease. Trux rubbed her hands together as she considered the idea.
“I don't think so. Their height means they can see further across the plains than we can. I think the only reason they haven't spotted the caravan yet is because they're distracted with each other. Who knows what they'll do once they've settled their row. They could see us as easy plunder.”
Morwyn watched on as two of the giants, one a bald man with a bushy red beard and the other a woman with a wild mane of curly black hair, stepped forward onto the road to face each other while their respective companions continued to bluster from the sidelines. The scene reminded her of the prelude to a bar fight, but one where the patrons wielded tree trunks as weapons rather than fists.
“What if we talked to them?”
The others turned to look at Morwyn at the same time with raised brows.
“You want to try and broker peace between giants?” Eronir said flatly, clearly unimpressed with the idea, but Trux laid a hand on his shoulder.
“Let's hear her out,” the dwarf murmured. “It's not like we've got any better ideas.”
“I said we should wait them out, that's an idea and a damn good one if you ask me.”
“I should have said 'ideas that would work', you iron brained-”
Morwyn, still watching the giants down the road, held up a hand to still their bickering as an idea began to take shape. Eronir rolled his eyes and Trux crossed her arms but they held their tongues.
“Look, they're arguing down there but they aren't at blows yet. It may be a discussion we can barely understand, but they are discussing something. They look savage but they also seem to have some sort of etiquette. If there wasn't something to talk about they'd have simply bashed each others' skulls in and been done with it.”
Her companions considered her line of reasoning for a long moment. Eronir held up one finger and began to say something. He seemed to think better of it and leaned out from the other side of the boulder to see what she was seeing. Trux's head perked up as she caught some familiar words in the giants' heated conversation.
“We need to figure somethin' out soon. Things are heatin' up down there. The big woman just said the ginger fella's mother is a mammoth and he didn't take too kindly to that.”
Morwyn chuckled absently as her mind raced to formulate a plan that wouldn't involve getting them all killed. They'd trusted her at Whitewater but that was against men. Men they could challenge in close combat, not so with giants. She doubted even Argoth could take on a giant unscathed let alone nine of them, though she thought he'd likely relish the opportunity. They needed something else to even the odds or give them a chance to escape.
“Eronir, you're the fastest of us by far. If you run back to the caravan and bring Rennock, the two of you can follow us from a distance. Trux and I can approach down the road and try to make contact. If they're openly hostile to us, or if we are able to talk to them and things don't go our way, Rennock's magic can help us escape and regroup with Argoth to defend the caravan.” Morwyn gave Eronir a sheepish look. “Though Rennock did say you didn't like such magic.”
“The old bastard can teleport normally too,” Eronir said, massaging his temples before rising into a crouch. “He just chooses to explode with lightning for fun.”
Trux fidgeted nervously with the straps on one of her bracers as the elf took off running back to the west. She had a far away look as she continued to eavesdrop on the giants' altercation.
“I'm worried I won't be able to translate well enough,” the dwarf grumbled. “The ginger just called the big woman a gnarluk, which I think means either coward or cow dung...”
“You'll do fine,” Morwyn said with a smile, as much to reassure Trux as it was to convince herself. “Did you learn of giant culture as well, or just their language?”
“Not much, I'm afraid. I know that my home was founded by dwarves and giants that lived in harmony, but there haven't been giants in Drokheim for centuries now. If I'd paid more attention to my studies I might remember why, and might remember more of their tongue.”
“I understand,” Morwyn said as she spotted Eronir and Rennock moving quickly down the road toward them. “Well, seeing as you're the only one I know that speaks giant whatsoever, that makes you the expert.”
“Isn't that just dandy,” Trux said, her voice dripping with sarcasm as the elf and wizard approached the women and crouched behind the boulder beside them. Morwyn nodded to Rennock and was about to address him when the old wizard held up a hand to stop her. He had a perplexed look about him.
“Eronir has informed me of your plan. It is a risk but one I think is worth taking if it can avoid bloodshed. The giantfolk here usually keep to themselves, so I hope that we can settle whatever has set them against one another.” Rennock reached out a wizened finger and tapped each of them on the forehead including himself. The hair on the back of Morwyn's neck rose at the tingle of arcane power in the touch. “There, that should help with negotiations. You will be able to understand their words, but you will not be able to speak their language if you do not already know it.”
Morwyn blinked rapidly several times and worked her jaw to pop her ears which felt strangely fuzzy in the aftermath of Rennock's spell. She shifted her attention to the voices of the giants that were echoing through the hills and her eyes grew wide as the unfamiliar words began to twist and transform within her mind. Though she still heard their grating, guttural words, she knew what they meant as if they were spoken in Common. The sensation was disorienting but effective nonetheless.
“...and twice with your sister!”
“She would rather die than rut with a thieving scoundrel like you!”
Morwyn shot Trux a concerned glance. The dwarf let out a low whistle as all eyes in the group turned to her.
“Say something in giant,” Morwyn said as she rose to her feet.
“Very not good, mad them. Hurt soon might they each other.”
Morwyn exhaled a long, drawn out sigh.
“It'll have to do. Let's go see if we can keep them from killing each other. And, gods willing, from killing us as well.”
The pair of women ran down the road quickly while Eronir and Rennock followed at a more measured pace. It was difficult to judge proper distance on the prairie but Morwyn was still surprised at how long it took to cover the distance. They stopped a few dozen yards short to catch their breath and she was surprised that none of the giants reacted to their approach. They were too busy hurling insults and accusations at one another to pay the companions any mind.
“We need to announce ourselves before things get ugly,” Morwyn panted. Trux drew in several deep breaths and stepped forward into the middle of the road with her arms raised high. She shouted for all she was worth over the bellowing insults and accusations.
“Big friends! What today makes trouble for you?”
The raucous scene immediately froze and nine pairs of giant eyes turned toward them as one. Everything fell terribly still and silent in sharp contrast to the cacophony from seconds earlier. Morwyn's heart pounded with fear but she stepped forward to stand beside Trux with her hands outstretched in a gesture of peace.
The black-haired giant lowered the fist that had been cocked back as if to swing at the ginger, a look of confused amusement overcoming her brutal features. She tilted her head to one side with curiosity then stepped toward them as the other giants began to murmur amongst themselves, gripping their weapons uncomfortably as they did so. Morwyn looked over her shoulder to where Rennock and Eronir had halted some distance away. She hoped they were close enough to intervene.
“What do we have here? Two little-folk who are very brave or very foolish,” the giant woman said as she crouched down to the left side of the path to get a good look at them. The ginger giant crossed his arms across his massive chest and huffed angrily before striding over to stand opposite her. Both groups of giants shuffled awkwardly forward to back up their leaders but stayed several paces back from the road.
“Why do you let the small ones interrupt us?” the ginger growled, his booming voice reverberating in Morwyn's chest. “First you insult my honor, now you look for any excuse to ignore my challenge!”
“Trux, I'll do the talking but I need you to translate quickly,” Morwyn hissed. The dwarf nodded and took a steadying breath. Morwyn stepped forward with her palms out as the female giant rose to her feet with a murderous glare at the other giant.
“Wait! We heard you arguing and wish to help you settle your conflict.”
“Halt! Your fight witnessed we, and us you should let help it end.”
Trux closed her eyes and sighed in frustration as the magic translated her own words back to her. The leaders of the giants looked at each other, then down to the little-folk, then back to each other again.
“The dwarf speaks strangely but they seem to understand us,” the ginger said with a shrug. “Perhaps they can give some insight on our predicament and explain why you would accuse me of theft!”
“Or they could help us figure out why you would steal it and lie directly to my face, you coward,” the woman replied venomously. Both giants took half a step toward each other, their fists flexing on their weapons.
“Please, let us help settle the matter,” Morwyn interjected.
“Begging, us you should let help it end.”
The giants glared at each other for a long moment before turning toward Morwyn and Trux once again.
“Why are you little-folk so interested in the affairs of giants?” the woman asked, leaning heavily on her club. “I would think our disputes far to large for ones so small.”
Morwyn lowered her arms slightly and coughed to clear her throat.
“Your disputes are even bigger to us,” she stammered, wracking her brain to find the right words. She pointed back down the road toward the caravan, which was to her but a small smudge in the distance. “Um... If you fight one another, we worry that you might harm our companions too. We would rather become your friends by helping you.”
“Giant fights are for us more very big. If between you fight, worry we our family you will hurt maybe. We be wanting friends of you for helping.”
The giants looked up to the west, shading their eyes against the late afternoon sunlight. Several of them whispered amongst themselves though their words didn't carry down to her ears. Morwyn noticed one of the massive men on the left side of the road, bald with a blonde beard and a spear in hand, kept his eyes intently on her with disdain evident on his scarred face. The animosity sent a shiver down her spine but she didn't have time to dwell on it as the leaders of the giants nodded to one another and sat down with resounding thuds on either side of the road.
“Brave of you to risk yourselves to protect your clan. That is the honorable thing to do,” the big woman snarled. “Woda will parlay with the little-folk. If this is settled justly, we will go in peace.”
“If it takes the words of strangers to convince you, I will do so as well,” the man said with a scowl. “Amrak will parlay with the little-folk. If this is settled justly, we will go in peace.”
The giants clasped hands firmly over the road but did not look too happy to do so. Morwyn glanced at Trux who, though a bit flustered, gave her an encouraging smile.
“Well, we aren't dead,” the dwarf whispered to her. “I think I'm gettin' the hang of this. I'll try not to ruin it.”
“You're doing just fine,” Morwyn replied. She allowed herself to relax but only slightly. As nervous as the giants made her by their sheer size, she couldn't help the excitement she felt at being a part of something so strange and uncanny. She cleared her throat again and held up her left hand to address Woda.
“Woda, we understand that you believe something was taken from you.”
“Woda, know we you believe you have something had stolen.”
She held up her other hand to address Amrak.
“Amrak, we understand that you believe you are wrongly accused.”
“Amrak, know we you believe you... not like that.”
Morwyn gave Trux a side-eye and the dwarf shrugged ruefully. The giants both nodded in turn and waited for her to continue with expectant faces. Morwyn took a deep breath and pressed on, acutely aware of just how difficult it was to express her thoughts in a manner that was reasonably simple for Trux to translate.
“We can understand you well, but it is hard for us to reply. Please explain what happened, Woda first. Take turns.”
“We can your words hear well, but not for us easy to speak back. Begging, tell story, first Woda. Share.”
Woda nodded and laid her huge club across her knees before smoothing her wild mane back from her face. She waved an accusing finger at Amrak as she began to speak.
“This fool stole something very precious to us all, a sacred stone passed down by the ancestors which I use to contact the spirits of the dead to advise our tribe on spiritual matters. When I discovered that it was missing, I knew it had to be Amrak. The fool has always been jealous that I was chosen as the shaman of our tribe. I passed the trial, he did not. He is the only one with motive to commit such blasphemy.”
Amrak's face turned crimson and he began to rise, but Morwyn waved her arms at him frantically.
“No, wait! It's your turn.”
“No, halt! You now speak.”
The hulking man sat back down but glowered at Woda as he muttered some sort of curse in a low tone. He rubbed his forehead and let out a deep breath that caused his wild beard to flutter.
“My men and I were on a hunt when this fool and her cronies came upon us in a rage, scaring off the game with their noise. She told us that the stone was missing but before we could even offer to help find it she threw accusations at me. Not only would I never do such a thing, it is doubly insulting to be accused with no proof! Honor demands trial by combat, but Woda is too much of a coward to accept.”
“Liar! You dare call our shaman a coward?” shouted the blonde-bearded giant on Woda's side as he started forward. Woda held up a hand without looking at the man.
“Hanor, you will hold your tongue or I will cut it out. Do not interrupt a parlay.”
Morwyn let out a breath she didn't realize she'd been holding and pressed a thumb to one temple to soothe an encroaching headache. She could understand why neither side would be willing to budge on the matter.
“Any ideas?” she asked, leaning over to speak to Trux in a low tone.
“I'm not sure. A spirit stone doesn't seem like the kind of thing that just goes missin', you know? Someone must've taken it, but from how he's reacting I think he's tellin' the truth.”
“I was thinking the same. If not Amrak, we need to find out who or what might have stolen it. But do we have that kind of time?”
The giants standing behind their leaders grew increasingly impatient as they waited for a response, grumbling amongst themselves as they shifted their feet and gripped their weapons tightly. Morwyn sensed that their patience was already worn thin.
“It is fair to believe the spirit stone was stolen, but we believe that Amrak did not take it,” Morwyn said, hoping her judgment wasn't clouded by self-preservation. “How big is the stone? Would it be easy to hide?”
“Fair believing was the ghost stone taken, but believe we Amrak took it not. How big is the stone? Hiding easy?”
Woda raised one hand with her index finger and thumb spread apart to the size of her palm, which Morwyn estimated was slightly over a foot wide.
“The stone is small so I can keep it with me at all times,” Woda said, indicating a crude pouch hanging from her waist belt. When the giant pointed it out, Morwyn glanced around and saw that each of the giants had several belt pouches in addition to the large shoulder bags they carried. At a loss for another course of action, she glanced nervously between the leaders of the giants before speaking.
“Did you search everyone's belongings to see if anyone else might have taken it?”
“Search you the belongings of all people to find if by them it was taken?”
Morwyn hadn't been prepared for the immediate uproar from all of the giants once her words were translated. She shrank beneath the bellowing voices and barrage of insults that overlapped in a sudden cacophony that made her ears ring. She fought against the instinct to grab Trux by the collar and run. Woda and Amrak held up their hands for silence and though their followers quieted down, even they looked to be enraged by the thought.
“Questioning the honor of one is insulting if you are wrong. Questioning the honor of all in such a way is beyond contemptible,” Amrak said as his eyes narrowed suspiciously at Morwyn and Trux. Morwyn reflexively put a hand on Trux's collar, prepared to drag her away at a moment's notice, though she knew it wouldn't do them any good. They were within easy reach of the giants. Their only hope for intervention was Rennock if he were quick enough.
“I would do no such thing,” Woda agreed gravely. “It shows immense weakness. I would rather challenge everyone in turn to single combat to prove the righteousness of my cause.”
Morwyn struggled to swallow as her mouth went dry. This was an aspect of giant culture she couldn't have predicted and the suggestion had nearly caused a riot. If she couldn't get them to turn out their pockets willingly, there had to be another way. She glanced quickly between each of the giants for any sort of indication of who the culprit might be, if it even had been a giant that had stolen the spirit stone. She couldn't afford to guess. It wouldn't only risk her life but that of her companions and perhaps the entire caravan as well.
“We did not mean to insult you. Give us a moment to speak.”
“Intended was the insult not. Let us for a time talk.”
The giants grumbled loudly in protest but fell silent once again as Woda and Amrak each gave them stern glares.
“I'm floundering here,” Morwyn whispered desperately to Trux. The dwarf's hands twitched as if preparing to reach for her crossbow but she stood firm.
“We've got your back,” Trux replied with her face set in a grim frown. “And if we're turned to bloody pulp, well, it's been an honor knowin' you.”
Though Morwyn wasn't sure if Trux was jesting, the words still strengthened her resolve. An idea sprang to mind, one that she did not like at all. She prayed for any alternative to what she was about to do but the gods declined to answer.
“Would you say the giants seem superstitious?”
Trux raised an eyebrow and thought for a moment.
“I'd say so, given this dispute is over an ancestral spirit stone. Why?”
“I'm going to do something extraordinarily stupid. If it doesn't work, get the hells out of here and tell the others I'm sorry,” Morwyn murmured, her pulse pounding. “Especially Hazel...”
Trux looked up to her, deep concern cracking through her mask of determination.
“By the Beard, what in the hells are you plannin'?”
Morwyn lifted her canteen with shaking hands and unstopped the cork. She spilled some of the water down the front of her tunic but the liquid that did make it down her throat was soothing, even though it was warm and tasted of tin.
“I'm going to try and figure out who took the stone,” Morwyn said. “And if I do, I'm going to challenge them.”