Grounded By Love (The Giant Wars #2)(84)

Rolling around on the ground, they both punched and deflected blows, as they tried to get the upper hand on each other. It was down to brute strength and agility.

After tumbling around Kaeldar straddled his father and held on to his throat.

“Do not make me kill you.”

“You have always been weak, and you will never be a great king.”

“Rope! I need rope!” Kaeldar barked.

A rock giant came rushing forward.

“Tie his hands, once I get him flipped over.”

His father tried to fight him off, but Kaeldar forced him onto his front and his hands behind his back. Once he was all tied up, Kaeldar stood, bringing his father up as well.

“What will you do with me now? Stick me in the dungeon and leave me to rot?”

Was that a tremble in his voice? Kaeldar shook his head, it couldn’t have been.

“I won’t kill you.”

“You can’t.” His father spit in disgust.

His father seemed determined to spur him into killing him, but Kaeldar wasn’t going to take the bait. He was a different man.

“What will you do with him?” His mother had broken free and was racing towards them.

“He will be banished.”

He gave his father over to a trusted warrior and instructed him to take his father to the dungeon for now.

It was done, the challenge had been completed.

Glancing back up he took in the sight of his people bowing down to him. He was the king of the rock giants now.

Thoughts of Claira flitted through his mind. He had sent out some scouts, and he now knew where she was residing. It had taken time, but he thought he was ready to bring her back.

He didn't know anything about her personal life, but he was going to find out. If she’d started a life, he would go away without disturbing her and without bothering her with his presence or so he told himself.

If he saw she wasn't happy where she was, then he would give her the choice of returning with him. She would still need a guard, but his people knew about her. They knew she meant a lot to him.

Everything he had done was for them, but it was also for her.




Kaeldar sat perched in a tree right outside the human village. The sun was rising and so were the people of the village. He watched, as children and dogs went tearing through the streets. His heart stuttered, he was going to see Claira for the first time in months.

He had searched the area around the village, looking for any sign of a cottage on the outskirts of town. There hadn't been a single cottage by itself, which meant Claira was living within the town. It seemed as though she had been able to finally get along with her own people.

He was glad for her, but he also hoped he would be able to get her back.




The afternoon passed and Kaeldar grew weary of staying in one spot for too long. Perhaps the scouts he had sent out had been wrong about spotting her. He’d been waiting half a day and still he had no sighting of her. The majority of the humans here had brown hair, and so far he had seen no sea green eyes either.

With a heavy heart, Kaeldar jumped down from his perch in the tree. After a quick check on his horse, he made his way by foot around the perimeter of the village.

He was hoping a different vantage point would allow him a better opportunity to find Claira. Even if he did find her today, he may not get an opportunity to talk with her.

Picking another tree with plenty of foliage to hide his massive warrior's body Kaeldar sat to wait.




By early evening, Kaeldar was graced by a flash of long straw hair, but was it Claira?

Straining to see into the town he watched the woman. Her figure matched up with Claira's, and her height would be about right.

"Damn it, turn around." He cursed, as the woman kept her back to him. He felt like it was her, but he wanted to be sure.

He grew frustrated, as she kept her back to him, while she talked with a villager. He hopped down from the branch and looked for another vantage point.




Claira shivered, as goosebumps spread over her tender flesh. The hairs on her neck stood to attention, and she couldn't help but run a hand down her neck, while she turned to look at the forest behind her.

Nothing.

But she felt like there had been an intent gaze pinned to her back.

"Claira, all you alright?" The woman in front of her asked.

"Yes. Of course, I’m sorry. What were you saying about your son?"

"Well, I believe it is just a cold, but I wanted to see if you had time to take a look at him." She explained further. "I just fear for him, since he is so young. I don’t want an illness to take him away."

Claira felt certain there would be no need to worry, but she would, of course, keep checking up on the boy. She’d got to know a lot of the villagers here, like Mary. She knew Mary never had luck with having babes, and this young boy was a treasure.

Entwining her arm with Claira's Mary guided them to her house.




Finally, the two women were moving. He braced himself, as they turned around and faced him.

The breath left his lungs, as he watched Claira smile to the other woman beside her. It did indeed look like Claira had gotten along with these villagers.

It pleased him she hadn't had a hard time, while she had been living here, but it made him wonder if she would want to come back with him. He still remembered the day he’d left her here by herself.