Lara nodded by the fire, half asleep now. The shadow gently placed more wood upon the blaze so it would not go out, and then disappeared into the darkness. Lara started awake. She had no idea what had roused her, but everything seemed to be fine. The fire was burning high, and she could hear Og’s snores coming from their tent. She smiled, thinking how wonderful it was to be free of Enda and Durga. What foolishness to believe having children of her body could end a curse placed upon them by a faerie queen! She had no magic, although Og said she merely lacked the knowledge of how to use it. But if she were interested in this alleged magic, who would teach her how?

She was glad for the fire, and surprised that the night had grown very cool. After the heat of the day she would not have thought it. She watched the quarter moon make its journey across the skies. She had now seen three of Hetar’s four moons; the pale blue moon of the City and the Midlands, the light green moon of the Forest and finally the copper-colored Desert moon. She had heard that the coastal moon was a warm butter-yellow. Of course, in the Outlands, one could see all four moons at once-but each shone a silvery white on that side of Hetar. The moon before her was now ready to set. Rising, Lara went into the tent and wakened Og.

He rose sleepily, giving her a warm smile. “You will sleep again,” he said. “We will remain here today, and then tonight we will go north. I think we will find some sort of settlement to the north.” Crouching, he shook out the furs for her.

“How can you travel so far with each step you take?” Lara asked him, laying down again. “Your legs are long, but certainly not long enough to go a full league with each step that you take, Og.”

“It’s my magical boots,” he said. “I asked Durga’s grandfather, who found me in the Forest, if I might make myself some boots. I was only eight at the time, and had been barefoot all of my life. I told him my feet grew cold in the winter months, and if I lost my feet I should be of no use to him. He liked having the only surviving Forest giant for his own slave, and so he said he would have boots made for me, for what would a boy know of making boots? I was grown when he finally died, and without anyone else’s knowledge I then made my own boots according to the knowledge I inherited from my people. No one noticed that the boots I wore were different. I walk normally, except when I tell the boots they must walk a league. Then my stride lengthens, and I can cover great distances,” he explained.

“Why didn’t you run away before?” Lara wondered.

“There was no reason to,” he told her.

“But the Forest folk were not kind to you, Og,” Lara protested.

“Nay, they were not, but they were all I had, faerie girl. For better or for worse they were the only family I possessed,” he told her. “But now you need me. You are young, Lara, and you have no idea of the powers within you. Until you learn how to access those powers, and use them wisely, I must be there to protect you. In my mind’s eye I remember the faeries of the Forest. Your mother was surely one of them. The Forest giants were the faeries’ allies. It is my duty to keep you safe for this part of your journey. Eventually you will not need me, but now you do.”

She smiled up at him. “I want you with me forever, Og,” she told him, and then closing her eyes, she fell asleep. She did not see the love he had for her in his pale eyes.

Lara slept until the afternoon. Og had slept beneath the shade of the palm trees near the pool. He woke to see Lara entering the water. She splashed about, calling to him to put his big feet into the water again and cool them. He did, smiling down at her. They ate a loaf of the bread he had taken, and an apple each. They filled the empty wineskin with cold water from the well. Og took down the makeshift tent, reconstructing the knapsack once again. He replaced the furs, but this time with the tanned sides up. Lara had repacked her few possessions in her shawl. She would use her cloak tonight if she felt cold. Og’s remaining loaves and Lara’s apples went into the knapsack along with the skin of water.

“Ready?” Og asked her, and when she nodded he picked her up and set her back into the knapsack before strapping it on his shoulders once more.

“Which way did you say we would go?” Lara called to him.

“North,” he answered. “I just have the feeling that we will reach a village of some sort if we travel north tonight.”

“By the morrow?” she wondered aloud.

“Mayhap, but if not, the next day. If we have not found a settlement by the time the sun is high,” he told her, “I will set up the tent, and we will just sleep the day away. We have enough water for several days if we are careful.”

Og walked across the Desert all the long night. He used the great star, Belmair, which was always in the northern skies, as his guide. Within the safety of her transport, Lara did not sleep for she was more than well rested. She lay on her back looking up at the black skies with its twinkling stars, and then as the stars faded, the copper-colored moon. As the night began to wane Og saw great cliffs rising up from the Desert floor ahead of him, and at the bottom of the cliffs, a settlement of black tents. He was vastly relieved.

“Lara,” he called to her, “we have found some sort of civilization, but I would have you remain hidden until I am certain these people are friendly. It is not quite dawn yet, and I see no one stirring. I will sit down and wait.” He sat down atop a sand dune.

“Very well,” she answered, “but please don’t be long. I want to get out of this sack and stretch my legs.”

“There seem to be some shepherds stirring,” he told her. “I will ask them who is their leader,” Og said.

The shepherds gazed openmouthed at the giant, but they were not afraid. It was rare that strangers came into the Desert, for there was nothing in the Desert of any worth. No valuable ores, or gemstones. No fertile fields. It was a barren place where to the amazement of the traders and the Midland Merchants, beautiful horses were raised. How they did not know, nor did they care as long as they might purchase and resell the beasts at a great profit.

“I am Og,” the giant said. “I am peaceful. Can you take me to your headman? I would ask his permission to pitch my tent among yours.”

“I am Umar,” a young man said, coming forward. “My father is headman here. I will take you to him.”

Og followed Umar, who introduced him to his father, Zaki. Og made his simple request of the headman who asked, “How will you earn your bread, Og? We are simple folk, and have naught to spare for the idle.”

“I carry my mistress in the sack on my back,” Og said. “She is a fine seamstress, and I can bear heavy loads for you. We ask no charity.”

“Then pitch your tent on the edge of the settlement,” Zaki told Og. “We can use your strong back.”

“Do you have a prince?” Og inquired.

“Of course,” Zaki said. “He is called Kaliq, and his palace is in the cliffs above our settlement. He will not mind you joining us. He is a good man. You are a Forest giant. I had heard all your kind were dead.”

“They are. I alone represent my race,” Og said.

“What happened?” Zaki asked curiously.

Og shrugged. “It was before I was born. My mother survived into my childhood, but she never spoke on it. It made her too sad.”

“Well, and I should think so,” Zaki replied. “Go on then, and welcome,” he said.

Og found a sheltered spot on the edge of the tent village and, lifting Lara from her place, he tipped the pouch out, and set up the tent once more. The settlement was beginning to stir now. Og examined the furs, and then took one of the fine robes.

“I’ll trade this for some things we will need,” he said, and hurried off. When he returned he had an iron cooking pot, several implements for setting the pot up over the fire, a large spoon, a knife, five cushions, a piece of cloth and a basket of food and spices for cooking. He was very pleased with himself.

While he had been gone Lara had made beds for them with the remaining furs, and set their belongings next to each mattress. She took the cloth he brought and strung it across the little tent to give the illusion of privacy. Settled, they sat down to dine on bread, new cheese and water from the oasis.

“I will now go out, and seek work for us,” Og said. He returned with mending that the village women didn’t wish to do, but that needed to be done. In just a few days Lara’s reputation as a fine sewer spread. She did not venture much from the tent for fear that her beauty would be discovered. When she did go out she covered her gilt hair, and her face as well. The villagers considered the seamstress modest and respectful, and fully approved. But they were curious as to whether she was young or old, and where she had come from. Since she spoke to no one but her giant servant they could not ask. It was very intriguing.

Then one day, one of Prince Kaliq’s servants came to Lara’s dwelling, bringing with him a pale gray silk robe and a basket of fine threads. “My master wants to know if you could embroider this garment for him?” the servant said.

“I can,” Lara replied, “but it will take time, for it is fine work. Is it for a special occasion? Is there anything he particularly wants in the design?”

“It is for the horse breeding festival in six weeks,” the servant replied.

“Come back in a moonspan,” Lara told the servant.

Og was delighted. “Your reputation for fine work is spreading. What will you design on the robe? Zaki says this festival is a very important one.”

“I wish I knew what this prince looks like,” Lara said.

“He will be blue-eyed and dark-haired like all the Desert people,” Og responded.

Lara laughed. “I suppose it really doesn’t matter,” she said. “He will pay well if my work pleases him, and we will be comfortable for months. We might even purchase a real tent from the tent maker. His wife told me he has one that would allow you to stand up instead of always crouching.”