The Light of My Hearts

Everyone had a job during the pie making. Leida of course was the head chef, directing what needed to be added to the recipe. She had pre-planned the upped portions so they could make the one-hundred pies she needed (plus a few extras). Leida had made big orders before to accommodate the holidays and festivals she attended but making one-hundred pies at once was a new record for her.

Lucky for her she had a literal giant kitchen to work in. It was amazing the help Kendrick’s size afforded her. Instead of making dozens of batches of pie crust he made one immense ball of dough in one bowl with her ingredients. The pie dough ball was as big as a boulder when he finished mixing the butter, flour, and salt. Using a smooth, sanded tree trunk as a rolling pin and a healthy dusting of flour, he rolled out the pie crust ball into a very thin sheet as wide as a collapsed market tent.

Leida walked around it, inspecting the thickness, “That looks just about right.”

She went for her piles of pie pans and began setting them upside down in rows across the sheet of dough. Once she had them positioned, Twillow stepped in, flicked her fingers and each crust was cut just outside the pan. Another flick sent them all flipping over to cradle the crusts. The left-over dough Kendrick kneaded back into a ball. He of course stole a sizable chunk to taste.

“Hey! I saw that.” Leida scolded his snitching.

He chuckled, licking his lips, “Good luck stopping me...that’s tasty even unbaked.”

“Well, if you keep that up we won’t have enough for the tops. So quit it!”

Kendrick laughed gently and brought over the apple slices, albeit they weren’t diced finely enough. That was to be Sig’s job. Sig was excited to try a new “cutting” spell he’d practiced on trees.

“Um, Sig, dear? Are you sure you should try that here?” Leida asked with slight hesitation.

The young wizard nodded with confidence, “Of course! I only messed up those two times with the firewood. I’ve got this.”

“That’s what I’m afraid of.” Leida murmured.

Kendrick tipped his head, “What are you afraid of?”

But before she could explain, Sig held out his staff, spoke several quiet incantations, and then struck one of the apple slices. A light flashed and suddenly apple pieces exploded everywhere. Kendrick, Sig, Leida, and Twillow were all splattered with applesauce, Sig bearing the brunt of the wet shrapnel. He seemed frozen in place; a stunned statue made of applesauce.

“What in the seven Hells was that?” Alec asked with worry upon hearing the strange noise.

“Um...apple exploded?” Kendrick sounded baffled.

Alec seemed confused.

"Sig! Oh, for goodness sake!” Leida moaned, picking apple out of her hair. “We’re making apple pies not applesauce!”

“Oops. Sorry everyone.” The wizard apologized sheepishly, wiping a layer of apple from his face. “Guess I did something wrong...?”

After the stunned silence came the laughter. Sig looked ridiculous but he wasn’t hurt. Kendrick laughed, wiped apple shrapnel from his shirt front.

“Might try that again, oh great wizard.” Kendrick laughed.

“[Sigh] Sorry for the mess...” Sig apologized again.

Twillow landed next to Sig with a laugh and waved a hand in front of his body like she was wiping a window. In an instant all the apple on Sig’s clothes followed her hand and congealed into a floating ball. Sig marveled at the magic trick. He still was sticky with juice but at least he wasn’t chunky anymore.

“I think you’re overcompensating. The Amethyst Well is boosting your magic power so you hit the apple too hard I think.” She giggled as she discarded the ball, “Gentler.”

“Oh. Ok.” Sig nodded, taking up the pose again.

He chanted a moment, the staff glowed, and he touched the next apple slice softer. A light flashed and this time the apple fell into neat little bits.

“There you go!” Twillow congratulated him. “No applesauce.”

Sig breathed a sigh of relief. He hated it when he messed up his spells in front of everyone. It had been infuriating in the Parliel Realm when he tried to be of help and none of his magics worked. Hugo had told him it was because some denizens of the Parliel Realm were immune to certain magics so it would take a more powerful spell to affect them. He’d felt a bit better knowing that...but only a little. The fae wielded magic so effortless and naturally it seemed unfair to the hardworking wizard.

But...at least he got it this time.

Sig used the spell to finish dicing the remainder of the apple. After it was diced, Kendrick helped put all the pieces in a big bowl and Leida instructed him to add the cinnamon, vanilla, and sugar. He mixed them for her and then Twillow and Sig began filling the empty crusts. Leida then had Kendrick roll out more dough to cut for the tops. Magic and giant power combined to shape each pie until all one-hundred were lined up on the flat plate of iron that would serve as the baking surface. With little more effort than Leida would give to placing one single pie in her brick oven, Kendrick placed the army of pies in his stone oven.

“Now we give them time to bake.” Leida wiped flour from her apron.

Twillow dusted off her hands, “I can start taking them out with my magic whenever you want.”

“That won’t be for another hour.” Leida remarked.

“Well, would you like to see the garden?”

Leida nodded, “Yes! I want to see this tree house Kendrick made you.”

She glanced over at the bed where Alec was still sitting. Her children were climbing on his lap and jumping down onto the soft blankets over and over again.

“Do you mind if we go outside a moment, Alec?” she shouted over.

Alec shook his head, “No. No. Everything is fine over here. Go on.”

Kendrick washed his hands, dried them, and then offered them to the humans, “About time I showed you what I did with those seeds.”

“Oh! Before I forget. Here’s this pie I wanted you to try.” Leida remarked, pulling out a pie wrapped in a cloth.

Kendrick grinned, “Bring it along. I’ll have it in a moment.”

The wizard and his wife hopped into his offered hands.

“Be back shortly, Pop.” He called over his shoulder.

Alec waved amiably.

Kendrick walked slowly down the tunnel that led to his garden before gently pushed through the curtain of hanging ivy to divulge the green, gargantuan garden he’d so tirelessly tended all these years. Sig and Leida were amazed as an entire valley teeming with garden plants was revealed hidden behind Kendrick’s mountain home. They grew mostly berry bushes of such size, but they’d never seen an apple tree grown to that scale. They’d seen the apples of course but the trees themselves were staggering, dwarfing even Kendrick himself. Below they could see the immense, broad leaves of squash and zucchini plants bursting with enormous shining produce. Green carrot tops, green beans, peas, potatoes, sweet potatoes, broccoli, cabbages, and even a few rows of corn formed a veritable forest. Berry bushes of every mammoth size bordered the bases of the trees. And there was even a large swath of wheat that bordered the entire edge of the valley into the distance.

“You...planted all of it.” Sig marveled.

“Yes. They grow remarkably fast, just as you said, and they only go dormant in the winter. They actually come back on their own in the spring.” Kendrick explained.

“All of them?”

Kendrick nodded.

“The magic potion seems to change more than just the size it seems.” Twillow mentioned, flying nearby. “You came up with a very effective potion, Sig.”

“Th-thank you.” Sig was still in awe.

Never did he imagine his potion would be used to such effectiveness...and certainly not by a real giant.

“See, Leida! This is the house Kendrick made me!” Twillow darted over to the first apple tree with a point.

Following her lead, Kendrick approached the tree and held his hands near the porch to let Leida off. Twillow helped her until they were both on the porch.

But Sig waved at Kendrick, “How about we let the ladies check this out. I want to see what’s over there...and maybe wash this apple juice out of my clothes.”

Kendrick chuckled, “Sure. There’s a lake beyond the orchard.”

“Ok. Have fun.” Leida waved.

While Twillow and Leida entered the house for the tour, Kendrick walked down the path between his row of apple, pear, and peach trees.

“I just...I just can’t believe how beautiful it all is.” Sig marveled, head turning all around.

Kendrick gave a small smile, “Guess it was just Fate that we met...otherwise this never would’ve come to be.”

Sig grinned, “How...how did you do this before those seeds?”

“Oh. I grew human-sized produce...but it was much more difficult to tend and harvest. I took up a lot of this valley with wheat alone.” Kendrick explained. “Your seeds allowed me to take up less area but make ten times as much.”

He did leave out the part where he received placating offerings of food from some human towns near and around his forest and his raids of farms from time to time. Despite the fact that he never felt guilty about doing such things, he felt his pride stung. He didn’t like the idea of relying on humans for his needs. That’s why he learned how to grow things and tend crops so earnestly.

It was but a short walk for Kendrick to make it to his lake, where he then knelt on the bank to allow Sig access. The wizard left the pie behind and hopped out of his hand.

Sig stripped down to his underclothes and dunked his shirt and pants in the lake slapping it against a rock. When he was satisfied with its cleanliness, he draped it on a warm rock in the sun to dry. Meanwhile he sat on another sunny rock to warm up.

“So, this is where you come to bathe and wash your clothes?” Sig asked the giant.

Kendrick shook his head and gestured to the water, “I can wash things, but this lake just isn’t deep enough for a bath. I have another lake deeper in the forest for that. This one feeds my crops since it is constantly refreshed by a river. So, it’s always clean and fresh.”

The wizard nodded, taking note of the pristine beauty of the area. Tall pines, huge rocks, clear crisp water; a veritable mountain paradise.

Kendrick, meanwhile, was unwrapping the pie Leida had given him, which to him was about the size of a coin, “Well, guess I’ll try this pie your wife made me.” He smiled, “Sweet of her.”

He gave it a cursory smell. “Hm...not a fruit pie. Smells like meat...like...that chicken you gave me and something smokey smelling.” He mulled.

“It’s a chicken and pork meat pie.”

Kendrick flicked his brows and ate the pie gently, gathering a flavor profile from the morsel as he spread it over his tongue.

“Mm...now that’s very nice. Salty...a bit buttery...savory. Heh! Almost tastes like...” he stopped.

Sig waited for him to complete his sentence but the giant gave him a funny look and just swallowed, smacking his lips.

“Very tasty.” He concluded.

“What did it taste like?” Sig asked in a prompting way.

“Delicious.” Kendrick quipped.

“Well yeah...but you were about to say what it tasted like. What does it taste like?”

Kendrick eyed the wizard and shook his head with a withdrawn smile.

“Oh, come on, Kendrick.” Sig prompted, “We’re friends aren’t we? You can be honest with me.”

The giant sighed with a lifted eyebrow, “It’s because you’re my friend that I’d rather leave it at that.”

Sig squint his eyes at the response.

But then a dreadful thought occurred to him and spilled out, “Wait...you-you don’t mean it tasted like...a human?”

Kendrick blinked at him, sighed deeply, and then gave quick smirk, “Kinda, yeah.”

Sig’s eyes got wide, “What? Are you serious?”

“I told you to leave it alone.” Kendrick stated in ‘told you so’ tone. “See? Now you smell nervous.” He observed as he shook his head, “You’re just too damned curious, Sig.”

It was exceedingly hard to hide any sort of emotion from Kendrick since his keen sense of smell seemed to be able to detect minute changes in his body chemistry. It really was an extraordinary ability. He scratched the back of his head. Sig definitely had reservations about asking his next question but his curious brain refused to be silenced.

“Do...all humans taste that way?”

Kendrick shrugged and shook his head, “Some have.”

“Some? You mean there’s different flavors?”

Kendrick gave him a perplexed look, “I’m surprised you’re persisting with this topic.”

The young wizard gave an almost uncomfortable laugh, “Kind of a morbid thing to talk about, I guess?”

A silence reigned for a bit before Sig’s curiosity couldn’t stand it anymore, “Did...Helia taste like that?”

Kendrick snorted a quick laugh, ”Damn, Sig.”

“Sorry...sorry.” The wizard apologized, waving his hands.

Deep down his curiosity wanted to know, but his more reserved side scolded him ferociously for even bringing it up.

Kendrick laughed in his chest some more. He’d keep that little detail to himself.

“So...do you...like the taste?” Sig inquired.

Kendrick laughed again, floored by the wizard’s inquiring audacity. It was perfectly clear where Leon got his boldness in questioning from.

“Most humans don’t have the most pleasant taste. But...there are exceptions.” he shrugged, “Anyway, I don’t do it for hunger’s sake. If that was the case, there would be a lot fewer humans around here.”

“O-oh.” He sounded nervous but still the wizard persisted, “Then... why do you do it?”

The giant’s eyebrow cocked again. Twillow had asked the same question of him, and he’d answered truthfully. However, she wasn’t human, Sig was. Part of him was doubting the wizard would be so accepting of a truthful answer since it pertained to the deaths of his fellow men...and very nearly him at one point.

He decided to be short, “Makes humans think twice about invading my territory.”

The man nodded, seeming to accept the concise explanation. Even though the wizard was the one who brought it up, Kendrick could faintly smell Sig’s nervousness.

He sighed deeply, gave his next words some thought and then said, “Since we’re on the subject…I don’t know if I ever said it but…I’m sorry I tried to eat you. I’m glad I didn’t.”

Sig looked up at him, “Really?”

Kendrick nodded.

“Well…thanks, Kendrick. That means a lot.” Sig smiled.

Sig drew a couple designs in the sand until he decided to ask another difficult question.

He sighed and then asked, “Humans blinded your father, didn’t they?”

Kendrick glanced down at him then nodded silently.

Sig frowned, “I thought as much, the way he answered that question so vaguely. I’m…I’m sorry that happened.”

“You didn’t do it.”

“I know. But I’m sorry my kind had a hand in it.”

Kendrick grunted, not really knowing what to say. It’s not like Sig was even born when that happened. Apologizing for something his species did ages ago was pointless, especially when he had nothing to do with the attack. But…he guessed it was supposed to be a kind gesture to smooth down uncomfortable feelings. However, a scar can never be smoothed down.

He gently tapped Sig’s back with a finger, “Well, let’s gather the women and check up on those pies.”

Sig nodded and put his damp clothes on before he climbed back into Kendrick’s hand. He could finish drying off in front of the cooking fire. Or maybe there was a spell for that? Kendrick walked back through the orchard trees until he came to Twillow’s tree house. She and Leida were talking whilst sitting in the hammock on the porch. They saw Kendrick and Sig returning, whispered something, and giggled together.

Sig looked up at Kendrick, “Are your ears burning too?”

The giant gave a perplexed look, “Huh? My ears?”

“Oh. Human saying. If someone’s talking about you then your ears are supposed to burn.” Sig explained, forgetting Kendrick didn’t always have a good grasp of human idioms and euphemisms.

“Ah.” He saw the women still laughing together, “Probably.”

When they reentered the mountain to check on the pies, they heard Alec speaking. Only when they drew closer did they realize he was telling a story whilst Leon and Fina sat on his thigh, listening. Kendrick gently set Sig and Leida on the stone table, listening as well. He knew the story his father was telling: the story of the first giants, Storvalak and Heymela. It was a story older than even Alec and his father before him. Kendrick smiled as the nostalgic memories of hearing the traditional story told every winter came flooding back.

Alec’s deep voice spoke gently but engagingly as he retold the ancient story:

“Long ago, when the world began and long before humans existed, we giants were created when the landmasses split, and the oceans filled their gaps. A mountain that now lays low in the depths of the ocean cracked in half and from it was born the first giant Storvalak. Some believe his very will to be freed set in motion the splitting of the land masses. He stood taller than any giant that ever lived and the very earth shook whenever he decided to move. Where he walked, his footprints formed the lakes. Where he slept valleys were pressed into the mountain ranges. And where he decided to throw rocks into the ocean, islands grew.

But despite his power, Storvalak was lonely and yearned for a companion. And so, he searched the world for a very long time until he had nowhere else to look except the sky. In the heavens, from where he stood, he could see a bright star traveling across the sky every night. So, in his loneliness, he called out to the star and found that when he lifted his great voice, it would slow its journey across the sky. From then on, every night when Storvalak saw the star he would call out to it, pleading with it to come closer so that he might embrace it. And every night the star seemed to travel slower and come closer to the earth.

Until finally, one night, it came so close that he leaped up and caught the star in his powerful arms. When he brought it down, he was so strong that he split the star in half with his embrace. And from the star came the beauty Heymela, the first giantess. Heymela had lived in the sky for eons and had also been searching for a companion. It is said, her tears shed from her loneliness are what fell to the earth and filled the oceans. When she heard Storvalak’s voice she would pause and listen to him try to woo her from her starry home. But she was shy and would disappear until the next night. That is until she finally came close enough for Storvalak to catch her.”

“He caught a star? Wow!” Leon marveled.

“Yes, he did.” Alec confirmed.

“Did they get married?” Fina surprisingly asked.

Alec smiled with a nod, “In a way, yes. And from their union all other giants were created.”

“Where do they live now?” the boy asked.

Again, Alec smiled and shook his head, “No one knows what truly became of them. But some believe as they laid together in their final hours, Storvalak became the mountain ranges of the earth and Heymela became the precious ores and gems of the earth.” he seemed to “look” over at Kendrick, “Hence, that is why we giants like to live in mountains and horde valuable ores.”

The two children seemed amazed by the story, as did the others who had never heard it before.

Twillow affectionately stroked Kendrick’s ear as she sat on his shoulder, “So that’s why you made wishes on falling stars?”

Kendrick gave a slow smile, nodding. As a teen he figured if it worked for the great Storvalak then perhaps his own star would come down from the heavens to be with him. Ironic that he too was granted his wish.

Twillow leaned into his neck, petting that certain spot she knew he liked. He shivered and held his breath momentarily so as not to show his ardor in front of anyone.

After a while, the pie crusts were finally a beautiful golden brown. Twillow easily levitated them out like a well-organized parade and loaded them onto the wooden racks in the back of Sig and Leida’s wagon to cool on the way home. Much to Alec and Kendrick’s delight there were a few “rejects” that got a bit darker than Leida wanted to serve so they “disposed” of them in a few quick bites.

“Mm. Marvelous!” Alec complimented, downing four at once, “I’ve never had such a delicious apple pie.”

Kendrick nodded, “And now I know how to make them. My plan was a success.”

Leida smiled and shook her head with sarcasm, “I guess you outwitted me. Oh, curses.”

“Thank you very much, Leida. I am grateful for your talents.” Alec stated as he brought Leon and Fina to her, “And thank you for entrusting me with your children. They are wonderful.”

“Well thank you for occupying them for the afternoon.”

“My pleasure.”

Once everything was loaded up, Sig and his family said their goodbyes and departed for home with their pies and some leftover meats from lunch.

“Delightful, family.” Alec mentioned to his son.

“Yeah. They’re very kind humans.”

“Perhaps there are more just like them?”

Kendrick frowned but shrugged.

I doubt it… Sig and his family were exceptional in the human species.

“Well, Son. Can you see me home?”

“Sure, Pop.”