บท 754: Chapter 754: Giant Prince
Chapter 754: The Giant Prince
Good news came from the Kingswood outside King's Landing.
After a pregnancy of thirty-six months, the giant queen Eda Mae Hend Tully successfully gave birth to a giant prince.
His father, the giant king Mag Maz Tundo Tully, kept vigil day and night by his son's side, fearful that he might come to harm. Even the dragons that dwelled in the Kingswood were not allowed to draw near.
Of course Mag was not worried that the dragons would injure his son. After all, they had lived together for so many years. Rather, he feared that the great beasts might accidentally trample the babe. This was the last of the giant kind.
Save for the three adult dragons who took no interest, the five young dragons all gathered round, craning their heads curiously from afar to observe. They were most intrigued by the human way of bearing children, though to their eyes giants were no different than humans - merely "tall shrimps" as it were.
"Oo-ta-na-gan."
The voice of the Giant King rumbled as the Children of the Forest gathered to observe as well.
To the giants, these "shrimps" posed no threat. Moreover, their gentle hearts put Mag at ease enough to let them draw near.
In the Old Tongue of the giants, "oo-ta-na-gan" meant "squirrel folk".
While dragons bred through eggs and the Children through mysterious means (legend held the weirwoods as their mother), the child of the forest Snow was also curious about the origin of life. Leaf had spied on human breeding during her travels through Westeros.
Together, they used their magic to sing blessings for the young giant prince.
The giant birthing became the greatest event amongst the neighbors dwelling in the Kingswood. And as the children sang, a mass of black fog suddenly billowed forth not far off.
Whoosh~~ Boom~~
The Giant King Mag instantly tensed as if facing a great foe, seizing a large tree in readiness as the muscles in his arms bulged.
Yet as the black fog swirled open, he glimpsed a figure garbed in splendid gold-threaded robes stepping out from its midst, the darkness draining back into his being.
"It's you."
"Viserys."
Seeing the visitor's face, the Giant King mildly relaxed, setting his weapon down.
"Aye, congratulations to you, Mag."
"I heard Eda had borne a child and came to see."
Stepping forth from the dark mist, Viserys spoke calmly in the Old Tongue once used by the First Men and giants.
Due to his outstanding gift for learning, what was most overlooked about Viserys was his scholarship. The breadth of knowledge contained in his mind nowise paled before that of a maester of the Citadel. Photographic memory granted him mastery over the books he read. By now he had grasped numerous languages - the Common Tongue of Westeros, several Valyrian dialects, the Old Tongue of the First Men, the True Tongue of the Children, Dothraki, and more.
"My thanks."
Upon hearing Visery's words, the Giant King nodded slightly. With heavy steps, he moved aside to open the way, turning back towards his wife and child.
At this time, his queen "Gentle Eda" bared her bosom without modesty, suckling their babe. Lacking human concepts of shame, the naked giants were untroubled by this. The Children still knelt, singing softly on the ground.
Viserys' pale violet eyes shimmered faintly. The rhythms of magic in the forest trembled visibly before him. The power of the Children had grown tremendously, perhaps owing to the inexorable return of magic to the world. This elder race, long faded into twilight, now regained its vitality.
When the Children finished their song, Leaf and Snow rose from the earth and greeted Viserys.
"Viserys, you've come!"
Delighted to see him, Leaf extended her three-clawed hand to clasp Viserys' own in the fashion she had learned from humans. Ever vivacious and open-minded, her curiosity towards the outside world ran deep. On the other hand, the shy Snow still harbored some trepidation towards Viserys despite dwelling in the Kingswood for years. She blinked uncertainly without a word.
"I've come to see the babe."
Viserys nodded slightly in response. With the young giant prince now fed and slumbering heavily, his mother Eda showed no fear of Viserys either. Trustingly, she cradled her child and held him out.
Naturally Viserys bore their child no ill intent - else he would not have granted this haven for their kind to dwell and thrive. She and her husband could live undisturbed by mankind here in the Kingswood.
In the end giants were but a species of hominid, not men themselves. Yet the same held true for humans. Only when at ease and free of anxiety did either race choose to bear offspring. Eda's pregnancy and labor evidenced that life in the Kingswood had brought genuine peace of mind to the giants.
Viserys reached out to take the babe from Eda's hands into his own.
In truth, infant giants did not appear so hideous as their elders, lacking the thick body hair and exaggerated proportions. Save for the flattened face, they differed little from human babes in size.
"What have you named him?"
Dappled sunlight shone through the lush foliage upon the simple wooden hall of the giants' construction.
Cradling the fragile life in his arms, Viserys' pale violet gaze gleamed as he asked.
"He has no name yet."
The giant father Mag's voice rumbled in answer.
"I possess little learning."
"I would ask you to name him, Viserys."
Exposure to the world of men had broadened the perspectives of the Giant King. He now understood well the value of tools and the depths of human knowledge. Hence giants who never built shelters now raised their own wooden hall, while those who never wore clothes now possessed personalized armor commissioned from Viserys.
Yet Mag's mind was not clever enough to grasp such complex matters. His hopes now rested upon his son instead. Long before Eda's pregnancy, Mag had hoped for Viserys to name their child. He had not expected Viserys to take the initiative.
"Name him?"
Cradling the babe, Viserys' splendid robes draped over the ground as he pondered briefly before replying.
"Atis then."
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