Grounded By Love (The Giant Wars #2)(67)

Right as she finished adjusting the shirt, a knock sounded on the door. Before she was able to answer, the door opened and in came a bustling giant woman.

"Hello?" Claira prompted, as the woman dropped a large bundle of fur and cloth on the bed.

The giant woman looked up and cast her eyes up and down Claira’s body. "Aren't you a tiny thing."

Claira had no idea what she should say to that statement, so she placed a shy smile on her lips.

"I've never made any clothing for a human before, but I will do my best." The woman said, as she grabbed a tape measure.

The giant woman bustled her way over and threw the tape measure around Claira's neck. She tensed.

Sensing Claira’s apprehension the giant woman tried to calm her. "Dear, if I harm you, Kaeldar would have my head, and I wouldn't get paid. Without you alive, there is no reason for him to pay me for some useless dresses."

"Makes sense." Claira reasoned. Maybe Kaeldar’s position could keep her safe among his people. Time would only tell.

The woman grunted, as she took the measurements she needed to make dresses for Claira.

“Are you full grown?” The giant woman’s eyebrow rose, as she looked at all the measurements she was taking down.

“Yes.”

“Interesting. You are so small, like a child for us.”

Claira pursed her lips. She wasn’t that much smaller. Her head came up to Kaeldar’s chest.

Within minutes, the woman was done and said no more about her height or size.

"I have brought several samples of some of the cloth and fur I have, hopefully, you will be able to find a few you like. When you have decided, hand them over to Kaeldar, and he will give me the samples." With that said she promptly left the room.

Claira just stared after her. At least, the giant woman hadn't acted like she despised Claira. It was a step in the right direction. One person, other than Kaeldar, was willing to put up with her existence.

Looking over at the samples laying on the bed she realized why the giant woman would be willing to accept her. The seamstress had given Claira quite a few expensive looking furs and fabrics. Kaeldar had to be paying a pretty coin for her dresses.

With a sigh, she headed over to the bed and sifted through all the squares of samples. Her fingers glided over the soft furs.

He didn't have to spend this kind of money on her, yet he was willing to. She hoped that spoke of some sort of volume about his feelings. If he thought she was worth this kind of money, then he must have feelings for her. Then again he might just feel it was his duty to keep her clothed.

As she turned away from the fabrics, Kaeldar strode into the room. "How did your time with the seamstress go?"

"Everything went well and much more quickly than I expected." Claira sat on the bed and drew a few of the fabric samples onto her lap. "She left some samples, and I must admit I was quite surprised by the quality of them." She gave him a broad smile.

"Hopefully, there will be something there that will catch your fansy."

"I've noticed giants tend to wear more furs than fabric. Why is that?” Claira asked bewildered.

He sat before the fire. "Raids. Of course, we also make our own fabrics, but most of it comes from raids on human villages. We find fur to be more pratical, especially when winter comes, because it requires less layers to keep a body warm. Fur is also practical in the rain as well. The water beads up and rolls right off, while fabric just sucks it in.”

"Oh." Claira couldn't think of what to say. She wondered if the owners of these fine fabrics had met a gruesome end at the hands of rock giant soldiers.

She gave him a nod from across the room, as she swallowed hard against the lump that had formed in her throat. She didn’t wish to dwell on the idea of whose fabric these could’ve been and what might’ve happened to them. For all she knew, nothing had even occurred. There was the possibility the raids were performed on abandoned villages.

She focused on the fabrics before her. Her eyes landed on a deep and lovely shade of emerald fabric. She could very well imagine herself in a dress made from it.

"I think this would make a lovely dress." Claira said, as she held it up for him to see.

"Indeed. I do believe it will make your eyes stand out even more." His voice deep voice washed over her.

Taking the other fabrics from her lap she set them aside.

"Do no more hold your interest?" Kaeldar arched a brow, as he looked over the large stack of samples.

"Well, there are a few others I like, but I think I’d prefer to have a dress made out of the green fabric."

"Claira, please pick a couple more, if there are other fabrics you like."

Nervously, she shook her head. "No, really, the green one is fine." She didn't want to be too much of an inconvenience or cost him too much money.

"Claira." His voice turned stern. She looked up at him, he was leaning his elbows on his knees, as he focused on her. "Pick a couple more."

Giving a smile she took another look at the fabrics and furs laying before her. A deep purple appealed to her greatly, and the thought of having it trimmed with some white fur also tempted her. She set the fabrics aside, and then grabbed a light blue fabric.

As she held it up to take a better look at it in the light, it unfolded and a string of blue ribbon fell out from between the folds. A grin spread across her face. Now she would have a little bit of decoration for her hair.