The sun shone outside as the giant sat alone in the cold, dark tower. Far below, he could hear the crazed throngs waiting to catch a glimpse of him in his present condition. Any moment now, a castle guard would appear and present him before the rabid crowd. Whatever followed thereafter would be anybody's guess. His heart pounded, and he tried not to think about what lay ahead ... it was too frightening even for a giant to contemplate.
The sound of footsteps on the cobblestone floor drew closer, and when he looked up, a guard indeed stood at the doorway and addressed him. "It is time," he said somberly. "They are waiting for you."
The giant's heart lurched in fear of the unknown as he took a deep breath, and stood up, rising to meet his fate...
Raven, as usual, sat on the windowsill. "Relax, Cranch," he squawked, "It's not the end of the world. You're only getting married."
The tension broke, and Cranch laughed at his own melodrama. "I know, but let's face it... I'm not exactly an old hand at this."
"No, you're just old," the bird rejoined. "If anyone should be scared, it's your bride. And if she hasn't run away screaming by now, you've got yourself a brave woman." Raven enjoyed teasing his friend these days, knowing that the easy humor was genuine. At long last, both he and his best friend were truly happy.
Indeed, once Julima/Graytail and her pack had settled onto Cranch's mountain, his life had taken a turn for the better almost immediately. There were plenty of sick and starving animals for the wolves to feed off of, and the herds were quickly brought back to a more sustainable number, allowing for strong, healthy populations. Without pressure from overgrazing, the plant life rebounded with new vigor as well. Flowers that had long disappeared now burst forth in dazzling, fragrant bloom, and the trees put forth new leaves on their branches, providing shelter for small birds which flocked back to the forests in droves. Almost overnight, Cranch's entire mountain came back to life in a rich abundance of color, scent and song.
The Black Woman made a full recovery, having received the medicine from Raven just in time, and was invited to live in Cranch's castle as well. To nobody's surprise she accepted gladly, eager to leave her nosy, annoying neighbors and their stupid rumors. Upon seeing the run-down condition of the place, she promptly enlisted Cranch, Julima, and her own servants to assist her in scrubbing, sweeping, and scouring every inch of the castle, until each stone sparkled like new. A quintessential professional, she had no tolerance for uncleanliness, even from a giant. She spent the rest of her days as the official castle physician, and also ran a lucrative business as a renowned healer and medicine woman, making house calls in the valley below.
Nobody dared to bother them. Cranch's predictions about Jack and the pigs had been correct, and no one trusted the little girl and her stories again, after she'd killed her grandmother with a bottle of whiskey. The wolves served as guardians of the mountain, and were as fierce in their fighting ability as in their loyalty and gratitude to the giant. Along with the ravens who patrolled the skies, they kept constant watch and were quick to dispose of any intruders.
Perhaps the greatest changes took place in Cranch and Julima themselves. Once the castle and the mountain on which it stood were renewed, Cranch's mood lifted. He began to pay attention to his appearance and was more outgoing towards his neighbors, forgiving them for shunning him in the past. He began to notice the small pleasures in life he'd overlooked before: the red flash of a hummingbird in the morning sun, the warbling of the chilly mountain stream just outside his window, the sweet smell of grass on a warm summer day. And he began to notice Julima.
She, too, had changed. Gone was the crazed and hateful look in her eyes, replaced instead with a soft smile. Although the memory of her beloved mate was ever-present in her heart, she didn't hate humans anymore, actually preferring to remain one herself. She'd taken to combing her hair and wearing a clean dress. She didn't feel the need to be a wolf anymore; her people were safe at last, and Redeye was now in charge of the pack. She had to admit he was a much more capable leader than she'd ever been. Anyway, she would much rather spend her time with Cranch, who was kind, gentle, and made her laugh. The two of them spent many wonderful long hours together working, laughing and learning from each other. And on one fateful night by the fireplace...the very same fireplace she'd burnt herself in, so long ago... he asked her to marry him, and she had no doubt how to answer.
Cranch insisted on inviting all his neighbors to the wedding…as well as friends and family...if only to show them how he'd triumphed in spite of all their hostility. The finest wines from his cellar flowed from crystal decanters, and a sumptuous feast...pie-free, of course... was spread out for all to enjoy. Enormous banners, embroidered with real gold thread bearing his family's coat-of-arms, flew from the tops of the towers, and multi-colored rose petals fluttered through the air. The guests marveled at the giant's great fortune, danced to the beat of the wedding band, sipped champagne, and waited outside the castle in excited anticipation for the ceremony to begin.
"I hear your bride looks incredible," Raven said. "A thousand times more beautiful than any of those wenches from the valley. Who knew? I'm just glad I always told you not to get involved with any of them, and to hold out for true love."
Cranch smiled at him, sharing the joke. "Yeah, you were right, as usual. But the waiting was hard, you know. Real bad. But I guess sometimes you have to do bad things for good things to happen. Or whatever that expression is."
Raven hopped to the window. "Well, good luck, Cranch. It's time for you to see your bride. I'm joining my wife and the little ones in the audience below. We're all plugging for you...you'll do fine. Marriage isn't that bad, trust me." And he was gone.
"Well, it's the beginning of a new life for me," Cranch said aloud. The bright sun shone outside, soft white clouds floating lazily in the deep blue sky. He inhaled deeply, and turned to the guard. "Come on, I'm ready," he laughed. "Let's not keep these good people waiting any longer."
