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 new.
Replaced on the way back, but they still gave the image of marching with their heads held high.
A heavily armored 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 remember.
"You have returned. Father."
He bent down and opened his arms,
Ria ran up to him and gave him a warm hug.
"Ria! It's been so long, look at how you have grown!"
His voice was coarse. He lifted 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 hold a rapier in one hand and a musket in the other. But beyond that, I'd rather not embarrass myself with my poor form."
"Haha! If you get used to their weight, the form won't be 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 plenty 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 as 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."
The Lord RazenHeir looked up.
A booming voice he hadn't heard in more than a year.
He struggled to tilt his head backward 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.
"My lord."
"I could have sworn I matched the level of your hips with my helmet before I marched to the front. 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 enveloped 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 soldiers 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 armor. 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 tablecloths.
The men lit the campfires.
Then, the good stuff came.
Whole pigs, fully grown and fat, skewered for roasting.
The flames sizzled as the men spun the roast and fanned the flames.
Evening approached.
The lanterns 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 went 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 see her blossoms, get on their knees and wet their pants.
Oh where, oh, where is the greatest beauty in the land?
The men gather around Hikari, waving their beers, singing, dancing, and drinking until their mugs drop.
Hikari tears off a full piece of roast pig and stuffs it into her mouth.
A barrel of ale in her other hand.
She pops off the lid with her thumb.
Chug! Chug! Chug! The men cheered.
She lifts it above her head and downs the whole barrel, to the roars of cheers below.
"Chug."
The men rushed for the barrels and filled their mugs.
At a count of three, they chugged their mugs.
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.
"Chug."
Hikari let out a loud hiccup.
Chug! Chug! Chug! The onlookers cheered.
A dozen more rounds had passed, or was it two?
The contestants were starting to drop.
Three left; another chug of the mug; all three remained standing.
Another chuck, another one hits the deck.
The remaining two.
One chug, two chug; they remained standing; the last chug, the barrel was empty.
Yet they remained 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!"
"Tie."
Hikari hiccups.
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 nosebleed 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 we may stand 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.