Ria sat on Hikari's shoulders, giving her a good view of the column of soldiers marching to the estate.
Their rugged cloaks, patched over many times.
Bandages showing on their arms and chests.
Yet, their faces seemed washed, clean shaven even.
The RazenHeir flags they flew appeared were new.
Replaced on the way back but nevertheless gave the image of marching with their heads held hard.
A heavily armoured horse escorted by a group of knights rode at the head of the column.
He broke formation and rode towards Hikari.
With one hand, Hikari lowered Ria onto the ground.
The man dismounted his horse.
Runium plates interleaved with his fur coat.
A great sword strapped to his back.
Scars on his face that Hikari didn't remeber was there.
"You have returned. Father."
He bent down and opened his arms,
Ria ran up to him, giving him a warm hug.
"Ria! It's been so long, look at how you have grown!"
His voice was coarse. He lifts his daughter up.
"It's good to see you. I see the frontline hasn't been kind to you. But here you are. Alive and well."
Ria could feel the unevenness in his breathing and the trembling in his hands.
"I'm glad to see you too. Look how you have grown. I heard from the drill master you could wield a rapier and a musket now. Care to show me sometime?"
"He's not wrong. I can indeed hold a rapier in my hand and a musket in another. But beyond that, I'd rather not embarrass myself with my poor form."
"Haha! If you can get used to their weight, getting the form is not far off. Besides, it means that your body is well developed. Soon you will find a man to carry our house's name."
"I'm thankful for the encouragement. But I have thus far been met with nothing but rude comments about my dreadful lack of interesting features."
"Hahaha! Not to worry, my dearest daughter. You still have a good number of years to grow, and if that doesn't work, the druids or the priests of light would have a solution. And if they don't, just pad your chest like your mother did. Hahaha!"
The Lord RazenHeir laughed heartily as Ria threw him an annoyed look.
"Hikari, would you mind giving the honorable Lord RazenHeir a good slap across the face. Just be sure he wakes up within the week."
"My Lord, you're being rude."
The Lord RazenHeir looked up. He struggled to tilt his head backwards enough to meet her eyes.
"Holy Silora's bottoms. I think a slap from you would end in more than me just being unconscious for days."
He studied the giantess from top to bottom.
"It's been a while"
"I could have sworn I matched the level of your hips with my helmet since I last set off. You have grown so much too Hikari. "
Hikari knelt down and embraced him like a toddler.
Her massive arms.
He stiffened at first.
The twin moons of the RazenHeir house envelopes him.
A gentle squeeze.
"Ah… this is quite the welcome. Hehe.. Hehe.. Hehe.."
His nose bled.
A maid hands him a napkin.
"Ahem! 'My Lord', the soldiers are staring."
Ria said with an even more annoyed look on her face.
"Oh! Get moving! We have a feast today! Go back to your barracks and wash up unless you want to miss it!"
He barked.
The officers hasten to carol the soilders towards their barracks.
"Ah it feels surreal to be back at the estate again. I'll join you in a bit once I get myself out of this stuffy armour. Meanwhile, I'll leave the feast to you."
"Have a good rest, my Lord."
The maids escort him back to the mansion.
Ria turns back to Hikari.
"I could have sworn I picked a less suggestive outfit for you. But I suppose after so long at the front, they are quite starved for fun. If the stares are too annoying for you, we could retire."
"I'll allow it."
"Thanks"
The maids laid the table clothes.
The men lit the camp fires.
Then, the good stuff came.
Whole pigs, fully grown and fat, skewered onto a roast.
The flames sizzled as the men spun the roast and fanned the flames.
Evening approached.
The latterns were lit.
The campfires burned even brighter.
Barrels were rolled out of the cellar.
Cheers and laughter filled the air. The bards sang to the plucking of the ukulele,
Who is the greatest beauty in the land? Where oh Where oh could she be?
The top of the hill, behind the tree, inside the tent, behind the inn.
Where oh Where oh could she be?
The wyvern came, drank all the mead, but off goes its pointy head.
The greatest beauty in the land.
There she is, the one who slays, the one who towers, the one who charms.
The men she charms, sees her blossoms, gets on their knees and wets their pants.
Oh where Oh where is the greatest beauty in the land?
The men gather around Hikari, waving their beers in their hands, singing, dancing and drinking until their mugs drop.
Hikari tore a full piece of roast pig and stuffed it into her mouth.
A barrel of ale in her other hand.
She pops off the lid with her thumb.
Chuck! Chuck! Chuck! The men cheered.
She lifts it above her head downed the whole barrel, to the roars of cheers below.
"Your turn."
The men rushed for the barrels, filling their mugs.
At a count of three, they chucked down their mugs.
"Last man standing gets a hug."
Cheers from the men.
They jeered and taunted each other as they refilled their mugs.
Round after round.
They began wobbling.
But they kept their backs straight and knees knocked in place.
"Be careful what you wish for. hic*"
Chuck! Chuck! Chuck! The onlookers cheered.
A more dozen rounds had passed, or was it two.
The contestants were starting to drop.
Three left, another chuck of the mug, all three remain standing.
Another chuck, another one hits the deck.
The remaining two.
One chuck, two chuck, they remained standing, the last chuck, the barrel was empty.
Yet they remaining standing.
"Ten! Nine! Eight!"
The crowd begins counting.
They wobbled from side to side.
But as long as they stand, they are not out.
"Three! Two! one!"
"A tie."
Half conscious, the two winners looked up as round balls of muscle and wool came down onto them.
Their faces were each smothered under one moon.
Loud cheers and gasps of envy filled the air.
Hikari got up before they really suffocated, leaving them with a nose bleed and wet pants.
Ding! Ding! Ding! The bell rang.
Lord RazenHeir stood on a wooden podium. "Gentleman! I hope you are enjoying the feast!"
His coarse amplified voice reverberated across the encampment.
"While we celebrate the fact that we are still alive. We should pay heed to those who have fallen so that we may still stand for another day. Now, we will begin the sending off ritual."
The laughter peters out.
The bards stopped playing.
The men bowed their heads.
The urns were opened, the wind blew, scattering their ashes into the night sky.