If Valda had thought their journey so far had been difficult it was nothing without the horses. She was used to walking for long periods of time when she went hiking with her Dad. But this terrain was different. It was steeper, rockier, which made walking more strenuous. Add that to the fact she often had a baby giant who refused to walk unless he was holding her hand, and the journey was proving to be difficult. Still, she and Tevin were both fairing better than her cousins, especially Mauve.

Her multiple skirts had made riding the horses a task, but trying to walk in them was proving to be worse. Small stones and clumps of dirt gathered between the layers, weighing her down even more. Occasionally, it got snagged on larger rocks so now the intricate design was peppered with tares.

The first day into the mountains had seen them all collapsing much earlier than they would have normally, even though they hadn't travelled as far as they usually did. Tevin had tried to urge them on half heartedly but he didn't try too hard.

"My poor feet," Mauve wailed. "Car, can you rub them for me?" She batted her eyelashes.

"No. I've got my own feet to worry about."

Mauve pouted but didn't argue. She lifted off her boots and squealed at the sight.

"What's wrong?" Valda called out, rubbing at her own aching calves.

"Just look at my toes." Mauve's voice wavered as she gingerly touched her feet.

The others couldn't help gathering round. Anything that made Mauve go quiet was definitely going to be something interesting.

Valda gasped, the two boys did a funny little motion over their hearts, as if warding off evil, and Nisog just continued bashing two rocks together completely oblivious.

"Are your toes usually that colour?" Valda queried, hoping that they had nail varnish in Adiocion.

Mauve looked down at her purple toes with apprehension before shaking her head. "Not usually. No."

Before anyone could react, Nisog lumbered over and covered Mauve's toes in some moss.

"What are you doing?" Mauve cried, kicking her feet out. But before the moss fell off, Nisog grabbed her legs to stop her moving.

"Nisog." He said unhappily before he pointed to the moss and back at Mauve. "Nisog." He said once more. His eyes continued to watch Mauve, to make sure she didn't move, before he went back to play with his rocks.

"What am I supposed to do now?" Mauve demanded, pointing to her moss covered feet.

At her disgruntled expression, Valda couldn't help but smirk. The boys behind tried to hide their chuckles, but a few escaped.

"Oh, you all think this is funny, do you? Well, you can set up camp without me then," she sulked.

The meal that night was distinctly quieter, with Mauve not talking to any of them. Her mood was only made worse by Nisog, who continually reapplied her moss dressing when she tried to take it off. Her annoyance and weariness meant that she was the first to fall asleep, leaving the others to gather around their meager fire.

The only things they could use for their fires now were the spindly bushes dotted across the mountain. As they moved further up, even those would be limited.

Tevin and Carrick now each carried a bundle of large sticks strapped to the top of their bags for when things got scarce. They'd also foraged for a few more things to eat, anything that would keep for a few days.

"Do you think she'll be able to make it through the rest of the journey?" Tevin tilted his head to Mauve, his expression serious.

Valda hadn't wanted to say anything, but she'd been thinking the same thing. Both Carrick and Mauve had only ever known life in the castle but Carrick had still trained a little with his father. Mauve had never been interested so hadn't bothered. She was having a rougher time adapting to her new conditions.

"She's tougher than she looks. She'll make it." Carrick's voice was so filled with sorrow that for a moment Tevin and Valda shared a look of concern. He'd been fine a few seconds ago.

"Car, are you okay?" Valda was tentative, not sure what was happening with her cousin.

Carrick looked towards his sister and sighed. "You know that our mother died when we were just kids." Both Tevin and Valda nodded. Valda didn't know much, her cousins had been brief with details and she'd never pushed them for more information. She had her own mother issues and could understand why they didn't want to talk about it.

"Our mother became ill, and nothing the medics suggested made a difference. The only thing that could have saved her was a Healer and a person with those types of powers haven't been seen in hundreds of years."

Valda had no idea what a Healer was but Tevin was nodding his head in understanding. She decided she'd better just go along with it rather than interrupt Carrick's story. The poor boy looked like he was already struggling without her butting in.

"I'm ashamed to say that I didn't handle her illness well but Mauve was there with her every day. She read to her, brushed her hair, sang to her. Everything and anything to make her feel even a little better. And then when our mother died, Mauve was there bringing us all together. She was our rock. Without her my family would have splintered into nothing."

Tevin and Valda looked on in sympathy. Tevin knew what it was like to be separated from a parent though he realised how lucky he was. At least his mother was happy and safe somewhere. He could hope they'd be reunited. But for Carrick and Mauve that wouldn't happen in their lifetimes. There would be no more cuddles and kisses, no more of their mother's smiles, just the distant memory of them.

Neither questioned Mauve's ability to carry on again. Anyone who could hold their family together after something like that deserved their respect.

Mauve was brave, maybe even braver than she knew. She could do it.

Despite everyone else going to bed before her, Mauve got up last. Even Nisog was up and chewing on the bushy plants around camp. Though he refused to eat any of the meat they'd cooked, he didn't seem as picky when it came to eating the rest of the surrounding vegetation. Even if most of it was inedible to Human and Fae standards.

Mauve shuffled her feet out of her sleeping bag. The material was still too slinky for her liking but she couldn't fault that she was warm and comfy. It seemed like the Humans could do something right in her books.

She blinked down at her toes and gasped. Wondering if she was still dreaming, she wiggled them. Ten pink toenails flashed back at her.

"You okay Mauve? Are your feet still giving you trouble?" Valda shouted as she tucked into leftovers from the night before.

Mauve gazed at her toes in wonderment not able to say anything. Seeing her now awake, Nisog crawled over to her and inspected her feet.

"Nisog," he said, approvingly, smiling at her with his toothy grin.

Somehow whatever Nisog had placed on her feet the night before had cured her destroyed feet. Mauve was speechless.

"Is everything well, Mauve?" Carrick looked between her and Nisog, his hand inching towards his sword as if expecting trouble.

The movement snapped Mauve out of her revere. "Everything is great. Nisog cured my feet."

Everyone looked between her and Nisog before checking her feet to see if she really had gone crazy. There were gasps of disbelief as she flexed her feet back and fore with no pain.

"I suppose it would make sense that the giants have their own form of healing." Tevin scratched at his head, looking at Nisog who was now playing with a stick.

Carrick still gave him a weary look but had left his sword where it was, realising that his sister was fine. He didn't trust the baby giant but he couldn't deny it. Whatever Nisog had done had helped his sister.

Mauve felt almost brand new when she got to her feet, despite her unwashed clothes and dirty hair. She missed being able to have a heated bath with soap. And she would have given up her precious art supplies to have a comfortable dress with some sturdy shoes. But as that didn't seem likely, she knew she'd have to struggle on until they found the rebel stronghold.

Even the silly Human trousers would have been better than her skirts. But unfortunately, she'd left those with Ken.

It wasn't long until they broke up their camp, obscuring any evidence that remained so that nobody could follow them. Nisog led, holding on to Valda's hand, whilst the other three made up the rear.

Whilst all three of them had gained new respect for the baby giant, they didn't want to have to be closer to him than they had to be. They'd all been taught the same thing growing up; giants are dangerous.

It would take more than one act of kindness to convince them to forget that.

Valda was sore and tired. They had pushed themselves to travel further than the day before but were now feeling the effects. Their feet were swollen and their bodies weary.

"We should make camp before the sun sets completely," Tevin stopped, peering up.

They all regarded the sky awash with the colours of the setting sun. In less than fifteen minutes, they would lose their light. And setting up camp in the dark was not something they wanted to experience.

Nisog's hand tightened around Valda's and he began a much quicker pace, practically bouncing on his large feet. He dragged her forward a few feet before she could stop him.

"Nisog, what's wrong?" She pulled at his hand, making him turn and face her.

"Nisog," he wailed and pointed up the mountain eagerly.

They all squinted in the same direction but there was nothing for them to see. Valda worried that all the sun had finally gotten to the baby when a rumbling sound shook the ground beneath their feet.

"Did everybody else feel that?" Mauve queried, looking around with a frightened expression.

Everyone nodded, but they were all too afraid to say anything, the only one unaffected was Nisog. He continued to tug on Valda's hand, urging her to keep walking.

"I say we should go back to that flat bit of ground we passed and camp for the night." Carrick's voice was strained and his grip on his sword handle was turning his knuckles white.

"I second that idea," Tevin agreed, both of them on the same page for a change.

"Come on, Nisog, let's camp for the night." Valda tried to turn around and follow the other three but Nisog wouldn't let her. "Nisog, we need to camp before it gets dark." She tugged at his hand hoping he would understand her.

He shook his head back and forth frantically. "Nisog," he urged her, avidly pointing with his free hand.

"Nisog, I don't understand. What's wrong?" She felt annoyed. She was tired, hungry and wanted nothing more than to sleep but the baby giant made that impossible.

Without warning Nisog dropped her hand and ran down the path, stumbling and calling out. "Nisog. Nisog."

"Wait Nisog! Come back." Before Valda could question what she was about to do, she ran after him. She could hear her friend's footsteps behind her calling after them.

Nisog continued to run, his destination seemed to be a weird outcropping of stones, covered in moss. Valda pushed her tired legs harder, determined to catch up with him. They'd gone to all the trouble to get him home, she refused to allow him to get hurt now.

Her steps faltered as the ground shook again and she stumbled to the side, Tevin ploughing into her from behind.

"Sorry." Was his embarrassed response as he helped her back to her feet.

Valda dusted herself off before looking round for Nisog. She expected to see the giant not far in front of them but he wasn't there.

"Did anyone see where Nisog went?" Her voice took on a hint of panic.

The other three shook their heads as they began peering around in the fading light. The sun had set whilst she'd been chasing Nisog and before long it would be too dark to find him. It spurred her on and she began running towards the rocks. Maybe he was hiding behind one of them?

She ran towards them but skidded to a stop when their shape shifted. The ground trembled again but this time she realised it was no earthquake. It was the pressure from large bodies shifting.

What she'd assumed were rocks were actually several grey skinned giants at least nine feet tall, all with different shades of green hair. Their clothes were like Nisog's, various bits of bark and plants all weaved together.

Too late, Valda realised they hadn't been the only giant's in disguise. They were surrounded.

Tevin and Carrick tried to draw their weapons but the swords just clanged against the giant's hard skin. Using the boys' momentary surprise, the giants reached out and knocked their heads together.

They crumbled like rag dolls right in front of the girls' eyes. Mauve, having seen her brother incapacitated began to chant, fire dancing in her eyes, as she raised her hands.

The giant in front of her was hurled backwards as if attached to an invisible fish hook. But before she could do anything else another giant stepped forward and blew a purple powder straight into her face.

Mauve tried to clear her streaming eyes and focus on the giant moving closer to her but she found it impossible. The more powder she breathed in, the fuzzier her head became.

Valda gasped as Mauve's eyes rolled back into her head and she collapsed at the giant's feet.

"What did you do to her?" Valda screamed, holding her own sword in unsteady hands.

"It's no concern of yours Fae. You are on giant land and we may do what we wish with you." The giant smiled with cracked teeth, a cruel look in his eye.

Suddenly a grey body appeared in front of her. "Nisog," Nisog shouted.

"What do you think you're doing Nisog?" The older giant grumbled trying to pull the baby out of the way but Nisog resisted.

"Bifgar." A voice chided.

A giant taller than all the others stepped forward and immediately everyone else stepped back. Her green hair was exactly the same colour as Nisog's and adorned with precious gems.

Valda had to resist taking a step back. Whilst she seemed more peaceful than the other giants, it was clear she was in control. One false move, and Valda and her friends' journey would be over.

Nisog ran towards the giant woman and pulled on her mossy gown. She lifted him up as if he weighed nothing, which Valda knew, was not the case.

"This is the one?" She asked him.

"Nisog," Nisog confirmed.

"Very well, collect the other Fae and return to camp." The female giant pointed to Valda. "And you follow me."

"My Queen, why are we to take this filth into our home." Bifgar was outraged, but he quickly became quiet at her sharp look.

"Because Kadtius will wish to speak with this one."

Valda gulped realising she was the one who this Kadtius wished to speak with. The other giants seemed to straighten at the name and no one else questioned her orders.

"Follow me."

Valda felt a prod in her back and stumbled forward. She looked behind her and saw her friends being picked up and thrown over the giants' shoulders. It didn't look like a comfortable ride but at least they were alive. She only hoped she could keep them that way.