^^ Don't Judge Me... ^^

But... this is my image (in my head) for Davila and Dimitri. And No... I know they're not anything like Percabeth, but I unwittingly (it really was an accident,) made my characters look like them, then I saw this art by Viria, and it clicked, and I can't go back, now, in my head.

Now I think of Dimitri and Davila, and I get the image of a super-beefy Perseus and a Beefier Annabeth, but with a flat chest,(because that's somehow important to me, amongst all this nonsense, for all of my characters to have realistic body types, and some women just don't have breasts, but they can still be the most beautiful women in the room, which Davila definitely is...) so yeah.

--- Dimitri ---

The third day of our flight dawned to see me at the drivers bench, barely awake, petting Gruner in my lap, while Davila sharpened a few of her arrows which she seemed to think weren't quite sharp enough.

A whistling sound reached my ears, and I hummed, looking for the source, just as a sharp projectile slammed into my skull, dazing me, but not breaking the skin.

I caught the wooden shaft of a Ballistae Bolt, and clutched my ringing skull as Davila stood without hesitation, and started firing 4ft long arrows at the men around the ballista now below us.

The carriage halted, and Demos shrieked as he was tossed out of bed. I set Gruner next to him, and took my sword, leaping off the carriage and down towards the group, who were hurriedly reloading.

I landed, bending my knees, and charged through the dust, swinging my sword in a deadly arc, managing to decapitate three of them in one swing, though I took the third one's shoulders as well.

My Chaste Markings glowed for the first time, and I realized what my 'Trigger' was. Arias had said a situation was all a Chaste needed to use their abilities. Mine hadn't revealed itself, during his tests.

'War. Plain and simple. I like it...' I grinned, and launched myself forward, surprising even myself with my speed, which was much better. I ended up shoulder-checking one man unintentionally, sending him into his comrade's spear.

Their weapons, as they charged me, were mismatched. They attacked with an impressive cohesiveness, meaning they'd been together for a while, but with no authority or smith to speak of... odd.

I waded into them, my strength growing immensely as I fought, and soon I was ripping dead trees out of the ground, and throwing them as improvised projectiles at the horrified men.

They showed impressive fortitude, and did not run away, but they hesitated to attack me, with three quarters of  their force wiped out within three minutes.

Davila landed behind the last ten of them, holding her bow, fully drawn, with an arrow nocked. She smirked. "You boys lost?" She asked, speaking the common tongue.

They grouped up, forming an unimpressive shield wall. "When all you have is lemons, I suppose..." I muttered, and swung my sword through their shields and bodies, killing five at once, then another three, and the last two, who'd been being protected by the rest, and were clearly women, dropped their daggers, and begged for mercy.

Davila shot them both through the hearts with her arrows, and tsk'ed. "Disgraceful. And to think they had a chance at such an honorable death..." she shook her head.

I nodded, and searched their horses, who were right next to the clearing. Forty in all, and in very good condition, though their saddles were worn and abused, clearly very old...

I put them all on two leads, removing their saddles, and bridles, then began brushing them.

Davila hummed and assisted, as Demos landed the Carriage next to us. "As good a present as a Hammer... but do Dwarves ride horses?" She asked.

"Not for them... these are for something else... and I think these men were Bandits." I nodded at the human corpses.

Demos covered his nose with a piece of cloth. "You're mostly correct... we've been trying to kill off these for a while... that flag? It's the Black Forest Mercenary Troupe... fancy words for assassins... this isn't all of them, but it's a good half, I'd say. You definitely hurt them... they'll come looking for you."

I nodded and cut my name into the dirt next to the Ballista, which I broke and cut all the strings and bolts for. "Then they'll find me. Should they wish a feud, I will not cower from these warriors. They were well-trained, if weak."

He shook his head. "And you find me weird... anyway, these horses... what will you do with them?"

"They're of good stock, yes?" I asked.

He shrugged. "I'd say yes, they're obviously stolen... you might get a lot of money from a noble, looking for his herd."

I hummed. "Or I can stud the Mares with Giant Horses, and sell the Offspring." I said thoughtfully.

Davila nodded. "Yes... the humans would certainly like the larger stock for their Warhorses. But there's only six Mares."

"Then we give the stallions to the Humans, when we speak to them, as a peace-gift, like the Hammer. The Mares will stay with us, and grace our herds... the Inman clan are the horse-breeders, right?" I asked her.

She nodded again. "Yes, the Inman's... but the Saddles come from the leather-working clan next to theirs, I can never remember their names. Henrick was one of theirs before he retired as an Elder."

I gathered the heads of the dead, and burnt their bodies, then wrapped the heads in their flag, and tossed the bundle into the meat locker. "If they've bounties, the human authorities will want proof." I shrugged at Demos's disgusted face.

He nodded. "I know that... but... that's still disgusting..."

I sighed. "Fine. We'll deliver the horses and heads first, swiftly, so they don't stay in the meat locker. Alright? The Dwarves will keep for a Day."

He nodded, and Davila gathered her arrows, before joining us on the carriage, and flicking the reins as the leads attacked to the front, and the horses started trotting.

I cleaned my sword, checking its edge, and grinned when I found it had no dents along the sharp sides, and no scratches. "Point us to a town with a Bounty Office, Demos." I asked him.

He nodded and grabbed the reins, pointing us gently east, and within twenty minutes, we were on the edge of a large town that just barely bordered the forest. He sighed. "Now these people don't like elves at all, so-"

I took the bloody bag, and my sword, then ordered the carriage to armor up. "Don't be a coward this time, Demos. We've done nothing wrong. Stand with your back straight. Show no weakness." I strode towards the people that were milling about, gathering weapons.

"They take too long, getting armed." Davila sighed.

"Yes... we could've already stormed them... I expected more from humans who live near a forest filled with magical dangers. Ah well." I shrugged as we passed through the half-built barricade, and continued on as people parted around us like a wave of butterflies.

A large stone building with a Guild Insignia on the door came into view, and I ducked through the door, walking up to the counter, where an elderly Dwarf sat.

He gazed at the bag, and hummed. "Black Forest Mercenary Troupe... how many?"

"40, even. I've no clue if there were any leaders amongst them... oh, and they had horses. Stolen, they looked, so we took them, as well." I informed him.

He nodded. "Good. Number?"

"36." I said simply.

He wrote that down, and then burnt the paper, confusing me, until the ashes collected magically, and a new paper appeared, with a message written in an odd Dwarf script, likely a new version of the older Rune's.

I hummed aside to Davila. "The Fell's pride is at stake... I cannot read those Runes." I whispered.

She blinked in shock, and attempted to read them as well, before scowling. "I see. New Runes... we'll have to learn these when we go to Kalægir." She nodded.

The Dwarf murmured to himself, then sighed. "Your bounty comes to 5 Gold and 3 Silver for the human heads... and 12 Gold for the horses... but I don't have that much here-"

"Add it to my Guild Account, Dimitri Termini, Dimitri the Dwarf... A good deed has been done, all is well." I nodded my head, and then signed the papers with my name in Ancient Giant Script, one I was certain he didn't know, and Davila did the same.

He blinked at it slowly, and then turned his gaze even more slowly towards us. "Giant Script?"

I blinked down at him. "What did you expect?"

He sighed and rubbed his temples. "I am simply too old for this kind of surprise... SANDUSKY!!!"

A small Dwarf, clearly a young man, darted into the room, holding a large hammer, then glanced at the old man, gazing at us warily. "Yes, grandfather?"

"There's 36 horses at this Giant's carriage that he retrieved for us... go fetch them, and make sure the Villagers don't try to get him... and Sir Giant... if you kill any of them, I will issue a Bounty on your head, as is my duty." He said severely.

I laughed softly. "A Bounty? That'd be amusing. Come, Sandusky. We must fetch the horses."

I dropped the bag of heads next to the counter, and then merrily followed the small Dwarf out into the village. A ring of villagers with crude weapons welcomed us, and I laughed again, shaking my head. "They're adorable, Davila."

She snorted. "Adorable? as if... they look pitiful. Definitely not Warriors of any Clan. More like Free Folk."

I shrugged and followed the Dwarf, who parted the ring with a wave of his hammer, then another ring that had surrounded our horses.

Demos was shaking in the back of the carriage, hiding with Gruner, and I sighed. "Lovable coward, see, Davila?"

She frowned, and then gave the leads for the horses to the Dwarf, one by one, until he had collected all the stallions.

We waved and took off, returning to the meadow with the last four Mares, and found elves around them.

"Hullo, there!! My name is Dimitri the Dwarf, friend of the Canaanites! And those are mine, little elves." I said warningly.

Demos spoke quickly in an Elf language that was not Canaanite, but close. "These horses are spoils of war. Dimitri the Dwarf, friend of the Canaanites, wants them taken to Canaan, and given to the Elves there, for safekeeping. Gold may be exchanged at a later date for the favor."

I slowly glanced at him. "Do not speak for me, Small One... I do not appreciate it." I said softly. He paled, and sat down.

The elves discussed amongst themselves, and then nodded, leading the horses north, to Canaan, and we took off again, South, headed towards the Mountains.

---

Twelve hours of uneventful travel later, we reached what was apparently a mine-shaft, to all appearances from afar... but when you got close, the truth became clear.

The opening stood 30ft tall, and just as wide, tall enough for a normal Giant Caravan, or mounted Warriors, exactly as we'd designed it.

I reached up and gripped the latch that would open them, only one amongst ten thousand, and a booming voice sounded from amongst the gears.

"STEP AWAY FROM THE GATES OF THE KALÆGIR! NAME YOURSELF, BEAST!"

"Beast?" I growled, and then turned the lever.

The door groaned, disuse and disrepair having gunked up the gears, but they were Giant-Forged, and so they opened anyway.

A small Dwarf stood, wide-eyed and terrified, next to the speaking tube.

I seized him, and shook him savagely. "Who dares name Dimitri the Dwarf Beast? Hmm? No words for him as asks for them? You were spitting all that good shit a second ago, where did your balls run to? Are they attached to the Giant-Forged wall between you and those you abuse?" I snarled.

Four spears tapped different sides of my neck. "Release him and raise your hands above your head, Giant... and explain how you opened The Gate." A soft, yet authoritative voice soundeda.

I tsk'ed and tossed the Dwarf into the wall. "Coward..." I turned to the others. "When was the last time you opened this gate? It was designed by my people to be opened at least once a month, so the grease would work within the gears, and keep them healthy." I ignored the spears.

The Fifth Dwarf raised an eyebrow. "I asked you a question, Giant-"

"I've already Named myself, as Dimitri the Dwarf. Speak my name or not to me at all." I said simply, and not hostilely.

He blinked, then raised an eyebrow again. "And not very smart, is he?" He chuckled in Dwarfish.

I responded in the same language. "I assure you I'm more intelligent than the Dwarf who thinks these spears are actually threatening me, and who ignores Davila the Red." I nodded behind him.

Davila poked his nose with a drawn arrow, and smirked. "Hullo. I'm Davila the Red. Want to know how I earned my name?" She asked threateningly.

The four dwarves around me squeaked in terror, and went after her, but I snapped their weapons casually. "Now let's talk kindly, hmm? Answer my question. How often do you open the Gates?"

He gulped. "We never have. Not in my lifetime, at least... we use the hatch, there." He said simply, pointing at the Maintenance Port.

"The Maintenance Port? You don't realize how dangerous that is? Idiots!" I sighed. "Whatever, now you know how to open it, yes?"

He nodded his head furiously. "Yes, now, if you please, call off your woman?"

I laughed loudly. "You expect me to have any authority over her? Why? I am not her chief... ah well... Davila, the poor man looks ready to shit himself, leave him, please?" I asked.

She narrowed her eyes. "I don't like him. He's more afraid of the arrow than me." She sheathed the arrow, then simply kicked him in the chest savagely.

He slammed into the wall, and slumped, unconscious. I sighed in exasperation. "Davila." I said simply.

She shrugged and unstrung her bow. "He was annoying and self-righteous. You know I hate those types."

I shrugged and waved Demos forward. "Come on, we've got a delivery to make."

He flicked the carriage reins gently, and the Homunculi horses started pulling. Davila and I walked in front, ignoring the Dwarf guards, who were running away to gather reinforcements, no doubt.

Demos pointed us towards the Main Hall, which housed the throne, currently empty. We sat down, and began sharing a meal of dried meat and apples we'd gathered in the forest, as we'd flown, (which was massively fun, and I planned to challenge father when we returned,) waiting for an audience.

---

I moved a set of two tiles four spaces, then another two, and rolled again. "I love playing Cambat with someone who knows the rules." I said bitterly, remembering trying to play with Tamil and Arias.

Davila chuckled and nodded her head playfully. "Yes, they are most definitely the most Uncultured Savages." She said sarcastically.

I smirked and handed her the wooden dice. "Don't be mean. I tried to teach them, but they just didn't understand!"

"The Runes maybe confused them." She shrugged.

I hummed at the Ancient Dwarven Runes, and nodded, preparing a reply.

"Dwarven Runes... and ones I don't recognize... odd." An elderly Dwarf commented, gazing down at the board.

I blinked. "You're very stealthy. I like it."

He grinned. "I may be old, but that just means I've learned more! Now, I'd like an explanation as to how you opened my Gates?"

"The Giant-Forged Gates? I just used the Schematics from the Library." I shrugged.

"You... have Schematics for our City?" He asked slowly.

"The Giants of the Fell Clan built this entire city, so we have extensive records as to its workings, though you must've changed a bit in the past 4,000 years. I'll update the schematics when I return." I nodded.

He blinked. "Ah... suddenly the massive hallways make sense... I'd always wondered." He grinned mischievously.

I laughed. "I like this man, yes. Much like Oze the Greedless. A sense of humor."

Davila nodded. "Mm." Then she made her move, and I tsk'ed as she imprisoned two of my men.

The Dwarf-King chuckled, and sat next to us. "We no longer read these Runes... but we still put them on our Cambat boards." He commented.

I blinked. "Truly? Here." I pointed to the first one. "That represents 'King', then 'Queen', 'Knight', 'Squire', 'Merchant', 'Servant', 3 'Farmer's', and finally 3 'Wastrel's'. All 8 Castes. The game of Cambat is a game of reaching the highest Caste, and then dying as a King, the most honorable death for a Cambat Piece." I nodded.

He blinked, and looked quickly between the carved Runes and me. "I see... how do you know how to read Ancient Dwarven Runes?"

"Because to me, the last time we had contact with your people was 4,000 years ago. To us, these are as new as any Rune." I shrugged.

He nodded slowly. "I... see... and from whence do you hail?"

"Giant Country. We come with a gift to create relations between our Countries, and the Elf brings equal Gifts from the Canaanites." I waved at Demos.

He nodded and used his magic to bring out the four parcels.

"I am Dimitri Termini the Dwarf, Son to Wyler the Driven and Lila Termini the Rabid, Warriorborn of the Fell; and this lovely warrior Giantess is Davila the Red. We are of the Fell Clan, and represent the Aurum Council in this peaceful trade negotiation." I said respectfully.

She nodded. "Greetings to you, Dwarf-King."

He grinned. "I am Darren Sathorn the Elder, King of the Kalægiran People's. I welcome you, Giants of the Fell, to my Halls. Now, let us discuss these Gifts..." he gazed at them with a healthy amount of greed.