Love of a Giant

Chapter Six

Theresa stared out the window, curiously watching the snow fall. She had been in the carriage for quite some time now, and they had passed the Etimid border an order ago. The snow-covered scenery hadn't changed much, except the roads had gotten wider. Yet, despite the wide roads, she had yet to see any other giants outside of the ones they had passed by at the border.

That had been a rather tense moment. The royal family symbol on her carriage made it obvious who was inside of it. There had been some stares, a mix of curiosity and coldness, and she feared something would happen. Fortunately, she had been allowed through without incident.

Word had already spread through both kingdoms about the marriage. There had been some discourse within Audrora, but there hadn't been any riots or revolts to the news. Still, the people were cautious. Even if she and Brandon married, an alliance between the two kingdoms was still fragile.

She and Brandon had to ensure they got along well enough to instill confidence in the people. If they could have a happy and successful marriage, perhaps the people would understand that their differences could be set aside and they could work together.

That was what her father's advisors had been drilling into her for the past week. She tried to keep the pressure from overwhelming her, but it was a lot. Now she could understand why her family had been so against her doing this. Yet, despite her nerves, she wouldn't give up. She had already agreed, so she would do her best.

At least she didn't have to live in Etimid's main palace right away. After her father had sent word to King Bennett about her decision, he had written back about what she should expect when she finally arrived in the giant kingdom. Instead of being forced to live in the heart of Etimid, she and Brandon would stay at an estate out in the countryside. This estate was often used by the late Queen Penelope whenever she wished to take a vacation with her family. At the estate, there would be both giant and human servants that would attend to them, so she didn't have to worry about bringing any maids, if she didn't want to.

He promised that it was only temporary, only six months. This was supposed to allow both her and Brandon to become comfortable with each other and foster their relationship. They were to remain there until their wedding, where only then they would move into the main palace.

That did make her feel less nervous. In this estate, there would be less eyes on them. She and Brandon would be able to become more acquainted naturally and didn't have to worry about people watching their every interaction. She just knew there would be those who wanted to find something wrong and pick that apart for their own agendas.

"Your Highness, please close the window. You will catch a cold."

Theresa, sighing softly, did as she was told. Sitting across from her was Sophia, dressed in her own warm clothes as she watched her carefully. Though King Bennett said she didn't have to bring a maid, she felt a bit uneasy going alone. So she had asked Sophia if she would like to go with her.

And she was forever grateful her maid had agreed.

"How much longer do you think?" she asked, her gaze still focusing out the window.

"We should be there shortly," she assured her. "I've been told the estate isn't too far from the border."

She wasn't sure if that made her relieved or more anxious. This would be the first time in weeks where she would see Brandon again. He had been the one to ask for her, but perhaps he had changed his mind. There was also a chance that they would spend time together and he grew to dislike her. Maybe he would even find a giantess to love, only for their marriage to get in the way of his happiness.

She didn't want things to fall apart. She had a duty to Audrora to make this marriage work. While being married to a man she didn't love wasn't ideal, she had to make sure this turned out well, for everyone's sake.