In which Princess Kendria fixes a cauldron.

Kendria, princess and only child of King Marius of Poltaken, shouldt done anything particularly wicked for years. The princess should have put two and two together. No marriage proposals was the perfect opportunity for an act of evil.

That act came in the form of a giant, which appeared in the township Kendria had been sent to, because her step-mother was in sudden need of a pot only crafted there. Kendria had been annoyed at being sent on such an errand, but was glad for the chance to get some time away from the castle. She had just made the purchase when the giant appeared.

After pillaging the town it captured her. Like a proper princess, with the proper training, Kendria screamed. She screamed good and loud as they left human civilization behind. Then she was thrust in a sack, along with all the good the giant had collected from its raid. She remained silent until they reached the giantYou are a prison of the Dobbilan, Princess," he bellowed, looking rather imposing. "Do not try to escape, or you will be punished." Then he smiled, finished with the formalities, and added "Sorry about the rough ride princess, I know it

"Yes, I heard you had retired!" said Kendria. He did look older than she had expected, and worn out from such an easy pillaging job.

"I owed your father a favor. Though I didn't expect him to wait so long to finally ask it of me!" explained Dobbilan

"It was not my step-mother who requested my kidnapping?" She had been so sure.

"I do recall his majesty mentioning that this was not his idea," chuckled the giant. "But I thought it a good one, it's been a long time since we've had a proper company. We still get the occasional thief. They used to come like clockwork every three months, but, since I stopped pillaging, people seem to have the impression I don't accumulate treasure anymore."

"I can't imagine you never get visitors!" said the princess.

"Oh, we get visitors. Mostly relatives. But royalty, not so much."

A loud knocking resounded around them.

"Let me guess, relatives?"

"Either that, or someone is trying to knock down the door," said Dobbilan, getting up to answer the door, lingering long enough to add "You know, I sort of hope its the latter."

Kendria wasn't alone for long, through a side door burst in a giantess. She was adorned in a flour covered apron, she was also splattered with what looked like pink frosting. The giantess looked very distraught, then spotted Kendria on the table.

"That wasn't the door was it!?" she asked.

Kendria nodded.

"Oh dear, of all the times for him to finally arrive the day he said he would; of course it had to be this one!" the giantess exclaimed.

"Who?" asked Kendria.

"My nephew, Mettarid! You must be Princess Kendria of Poltaken, welcome to our home, I am Ballimore."

"I am honored to meet you," replied Kendria. "Why is his being on time a bad thing"

"This morning, just after Dobbilan left to fetch you, my cauldron of plenty started to malfunction. It wasn't an issue when it was just the three of us for dinner, since I could simply use the normal pot."

"I am surprised you don't stock enough food for one more giant," noted Kendria.

"Of course I do dear, but Mettarid has twelve heads! And I strongly suspect that each has twelve stomachs! Without the cauldron, he'll eat us out of house and home!"

A twelve headed giant!? Kendria had never heard of one before. How did that even work?

"What is a cauldron of plenty?" asked Kendria.

She loved magical items. Her mother, before she died, had taught her some magic. After she died, her father forbid her from continuing her education. He never knew that she bribed the court mage to give her lessons.

"It's only my prized possession!" declared Ballimore, "It makes an almost infinite amount of whatever I desire!"

"How does it know what you want?"

"Once I've cooked a particular dish in it, it knows it forever, and all I have to do is wish for it and add a little water and heat!" explained the giantess, then she looked pained, "But it's broke! Everything comes out burnt or raw!"

"May I see it?" requested Kendria.

Ballimore stepped closer to the table and looked down at her curiously. "Knowledgable about enchanted cookware are we?"

"Do you want to find out?" goaded the princess.

"You can't make it any worse I suppose," said Ballimore, picking Kendria up and taking her to the kitchen.

The first thing she saw was a lit stove, and a very ornate pot the resting on it. Next to the stove was a simple black cauldron, much larger than the pot. To Kendria's surprise, the counter was occupied by all sorts of desserts, most notably, a beautiful five layer cake with pink frosting.

"How did you make all this without the cauldron!?" Kendria asked.

"I didn't," sighed Ballimore "For some reason, it is able to make dessert now. Never did before."

"Why?"

"So many questions," said Ballimore. When Kendria looked concerned, she added "That's a good trait, one should not take things at face value in this world. When I first got the cauldron, I let Dobbilan attempt to make dessert. I shouldn't have, he had no idea what he is doing. He can't tell sugar from salt!"

Kendria laughed; Ballimore smiled.

"Anyways, for some reason he tried to make mint custard, and sour-cream and onion ice-cream! Not only did he fail, he burnt it. I tried to teach it other recipes, but it never worked."

"Sour-cream and onion ice-cream!?" Kendria said in disbelief, "You're kidding."

"I am not. But now it won't make any sort of proper food, and for the life of me I can't figure out why!"

"Maybe I can, put me down next to it," Kendria instructed.

Ballimore did as she requested. Kendria walked right up to the cauldron. She could feels it's magic before she touched it.

There was definitely something wrong. The magic was, broken? Incomplete? She didn't know enough about how magic worked to really assess the problem. However, she thought she knew how to fix it.

Placing both hands on the cauldron, Kendria whispered a few words, a simple magic boosting spell. The cauldron shook, and Kendria was blasted with a jolt of magic. The force would have sent her flying had Ballimore not caught her.

"My dear! What happened!?" Ballimore asked, kneeling next to her.

Kendria shook herself. That shouldn't have happened. It had rejected her spell! It was like it didn't like the spell. Or maybe, it didn't like her trying to perform magic on it.

"Ballimore, I need you to be touching the cauldron while I try again!"

"Are you sure you want to do this again?"

"Yes, I think you're cauldron is just... Not accustom to others using it."

"It works for dragons, I've lent it out to them before."

It did not surprise Kendria that Dragons, being some of the most magical people in existence, did not evoke the same reaction she had done. From the tales she had heard, they were immune to most enchantments not designed with them specifically in mind.

"Well, I'm not a dragon."

"I suppose not," and Ballimore placed a hand on the cauldron.

This time, when the cauldron rumbled, it was different, and it didn't send back the spell.

"Do you think that did it?" Ballimore asked.

"Only one way to find out," said Kendria.

Ballimore gripped the sides of the cauldron, and picked it up. It didn't fit on the stove, but she had a large fireplace in the opposite wall; she placed the cauldron there.

After pouring some water in and starting the fire, she started to stir.

It was immediately clear Kendria had been successful, the smells coming from the cauldron were intense and amazing, and not dessert. With Ballimore clearly occupied with her current task, Kendria walked back to the dining room. A ladder was set up against the table, leading to her seat, so she climbed back up.

A few minutes later Dobbilan returned, followed by an enormous giant with twelve heads. Each head was identical, and when it spoke, each one said one word.

She greeted them both.

"A princess uncle? I thought you had retired?"

"This one is special," Dobbilan smiled.

"She certainly is!" proclaimed a happy voice belonging to Ballimore.

She came into the room with platters of amazing food, gracefully placing them on the table.

"This one just repaired my cauldron! Just imagine Mettarid, if not for her, you would have starved tonight!"

It took a few more trips, but eventually all the food was brought out and they enjoyed a wonderful meal. Ballimore had been right, hew nephew ate almost half the food, and still had room for many of the desserts.

When everyone had finished Ballimore cleared the table.

Dobbilan requested that Kendria dance for them. She obliged, having expected the request long before now. After being sufficiently entertained, Dobbilan showed Kendria to her quarters.

It was clearly a room built for captive princesses, Dobbilan was much to big to enter the room, but still extremely large. Even the furniture was a bit oversized. The giant suggested she look out the window. It overlooked the courtyard, which was full of beautifully cut hedges and an impressive variety of flowers.

"There is a washroom through that door," said Dobbilan, who was looking into the room, and pointing at a door inside. "And a closet through that one."

"Thanks," said Kendria, "I didn't expect do be so well accommodated!"

"There's a reason many were sad to hear of my retirement princess. I was not known for being sloppy or uncaring,"

The giant was cut off by loud, indiscernible shouting.

Dobbilan cringed "That would be my wife, we shall see you in the morning. I wish to hear you sing!"

"I hope I do not disappoint!" said Kendria cheerfully, "Goodnight."

Before going to bed, Kendria washed up. The closet was well stocked with nightgowns of all sizes. She selected a light pearl one that was especially soft.

It was very stunning, for a nightgown, and she could not resist admiring it in the mirror.

The pearl of the gown complimented her honey-blond locks, which shimmered as it fell around her rosy cheeks.

This was all so exciting, being the captive of a giant. She was sad it might not last very long. But this was all to find her a husband. Some prince or knight would come to rescue her. It might take a few, but eventually one would get past Dobbilan, and perhaps Ballimore as well, and win her hand in marriage.

It was the only way. A rescuer got more than just her hand. there was a substantial reward involved as well with this sort of arrangement, a reward worth much more than any dowery would have been.

And she had done her part; screaming loud enough to make sure the news of her capture was spread fast.

She sighed, removing her thin golden crown, placing it on a nightstand. At least I got to have one adventure before it was too late, she thought, extinguishing the lights and sliding under the covers of the canopy bed.

It was an hour past midnight when she was woken by a strange noise. Blinking she looked around the nearly pitch-black room. Her eyes adjusted enough for her to see a figure moving around.

Someone was in her room! And it didn't sound like a prince.