And here is the next chapter! We now have Knox POV (srry, don't worry he grows a lot by the end of the book). Hope you enjoy it!

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OO OO OO OO

Silence filled the air for the first time in hours.

Knox looked up, wondering at the sound… or well… lack of sound.

There were no buildings collapsing, no primordial roars, no screams of fear and pain. There were none of the sounds of dragons wreaking havoc.

Only silence.

Knox looked around the room, wondering if the others had noticed.

The room was large, part of the Museum of Gigantic Achievement. It was in the lowest level, filled with mismatched furnishings from all throughout giant history. They were made in all different styles, in all different colors, with all different materials.

A blue spine-covered couch. A deep green snakeskin chair. A hammock made of shining grey fabric. A chair of white wood. A sunken couch as tall as a house filled with fluffy cushions.

So many styles.

And then there was the wall covered in taxidermied animals—horse, cow, elk, tiger, boar—pinned and labeled like insects. There were even magical beings, a young dragon, a creature with fangs and claws and covered in fur he didn't know, a large fairy, a centaur.

Tess didn't like the Fairy up there. The satyrs were side eyeing it as well. Knox thought it was kinda cool.

Of course, they weren't entirely comfortable, being the only small people in a room filled with Giants would do that.

Off to one side, a young giant girl cut the final pieces of an apple. The apple was as big as Knox's whole body, and she fed the slice to a young giant boy who was crying softly.

She crooned gently, petting his hair and whispering assurances.

A matronly giant, her hair bound in a scarf, cradled an infant in one arm, clearly having noticed the silence like Knox did.

Dust no longer fell from the ceiling.

The giant woman glanced at the other children she was caring for, then looked at the elderly giant on the (large, curled headboard, deep blue sheets) bed.

"Are the dragons taking a break from trashing the town?" Newel muttered.

"Setting a trap, more likely," Doren declared. "Hoping to lure careless satyrs topside."

"I'm not sure we're a priority," Knox said. "If they knew we were down here, they could dig us out."

"Watch your mouths," the matronly giant hissed. "Many dragons have excellent hearing and hunt best in silence."

"A valid point," Doren whispered.

"Sounded like the whole museum came down," Newel mused. "The demolition might be over, with us under a pile of rubble."

"I'm hungry, Nesha," whined one of the giant children.

Knox eyed him, he barely reached the boy's knees. Hopefully he didn't decide Knox was a good meal.

"Tighten your belt, lad," the matronly giant replied. "I'm no magician. We've eaten what we brought, we need only wait."

"Don't get any funny ideas," Doren said warily, clearly as concerned as Knox. "We're guests of the queen. Plus, we're gamey."

"Too many bones," Newel agreed sagely.

"They won't eat us," Tess chided, standing next to a four-year-old giant girl three times her height. "We're friends!"

"The wyrms will come," croaked the old giant on the bed. "They have a- a score to settle, ma-rk my words. They'll ferret us- us out one by one."

"Shut up," the matronly giant hissed. "You'll frighten the children."

Newel tugged Knox back as the old giant propped himself up on one elbow with a wheezy chuckle.

"No use for that- no use for coddling them now, their folks are dead, dead dead dead. We'll soon follow I imagine… our days of feasting are long gone. Now- now we're the meal, the dragons food. The wyrms- they'll have us-"

A couple of giant kids began to cry.

"Shut up," the matronly giant scolded, flinging a wooden saltshaker at him. "Now look at them! The giants have definitely heard us now."

The old giant dropped back down with a snort, "Let it be over- I'm done- Better a fast death. This is the cost- the price- of making the beasts bow to us. It's our turn to be burned."

Knox shuddered at the memory of the dragons. It had been ugly in the streets.

They'd come into the city expecting it to be secure, like when they'd first gone. It was under the protection of Humbuggle and his Wizenstone after all.

Instead the sky giants guarding the Humburgh side of the passage informed them that the defenses had crumbled, and the city was under attack.

The Big Side, where the giants dwelled, was the target, but the rest was paying the price as well.

A giant guard named Morgana had taken Knox, Tess, Newel, and Doren to the safe room in the museum. They'd been carried in a cage for transport, tucked under her arm like a football.

It had taken mere seconds for them to be attacked by dragons.

First a two headed dragon covered in jagged purple scales. It caught a glimpse of them and opened fire, literally. Flames had bathed the street and only Morgana's quick actions to hide under a doorway and raise her shield had protected them.

Thunder boomed, and lightning flashed but they were safe.

The dragon continued on, apparently just sweeping attacks, and so did Morgana.

She ran over red-hot cobblestones, passed crumbling buildings, burning carts, and the bodies of dragon and giant alike.

The group of them had been petrified by dragon fear and were left to watch as the battle raged around them.

Dragons roared, clawing at the chains holding their companions prisoner. Buildings shook as they unleashed their rage, destroying countless buildings. Giants shouted orders over the crackling flames and booming thunder. Mist filled a street, Giants fleeing from it with their skins changing color. Smoke filled the air, a giant screaming as a dragon spat acid at it.

Dozens of dragons approached the city, their forms visible in the sky.

They'd been furious.

They'd been elated.

They'd been free.

Knox had never been more afraid.

Dodging around a corner had revealed more conflict, with a greenish-gold dragon was being flogged violently by a broad-shouldered giant with a bushy beard. The dragon was harnessed to the cart the giant was sitting on, trying desperately to escape.

Even as they passed a maroon dragon with black markings swooped down in a blur of claws and teeth. It bit through the arm holding the whip, jerking its head and tearing with a sickening crack. The giant screamed, swaying back as the dragon dropped the arm and spat a glob of orange gel on the giant. His screams raised in pitch and he tumbled off the cart, choking on his breath as he did.

The speckled giant destroyed the restraints, freeing the greenish gold dragon. The newly freed dragon twisted and pounced, claws flashing as the giant attempted to rise.

Knox looked away as the dragons converged on the figure.

The giants were unprepared for the attack, and though there were some draconic bodies on the ground… they had been well out numbered by the number of giant bodies.

The giants were strong, but the attack would end in a massacre. The barriers were gone, and the giants had not expected the power and fury the dragons held.

They had been swept away into the Museum of Gigantic Achievement before they could see anything else.

It was a grand stone building, with three domes held up by statues of giants, arms upraised. The marble façade was blackened in places and there were only charred remains of flags and banners, but it was standing.

Morgana had slipped in through a side door, hurrying down a flight a stairs and down a hall before arriving at the iron door where the safe room was located.

A brief shouted conversation ended with Morgana handing the cage through to the matronly giant before she left once more.

He wondered if she'd lived.

The clamor had continued since they'd been delivered here, only now being silenced.

"I think it's over," Knox said softly. "The dragons don't need to be subtle."

Doren nodded thoughtfully, then raised his finger.

"But consider, they may have decided it easier to let the stragglers come to them rather than to dig for us."

"Go have a- a look, if you so desire," the old giant coughed. "Better you- you lot- than any of us."

A young boy tugged on the matronly giants skirt.

"I don' wan' the dragons ta eat the little goatboy."

"I'm not holding anyone captive," the matronly giant declared. "If they wish to leave they may."

"I'll pop my head up," Newel decided, moving to the door. "If trouble is there, I'll hurry back."

"And lead them right to us," the old one griped. "Once you- you're out, you better stay out."

"Pipe down," the matronly giant snapped. "This is my nursery. You're here out of my kindness, not to bark orders."

"I could, would, crush the lot of yo-" the old giant broke out in a coughing fit.

Knox raised an eyebrow as the matronly giant shook her head.

"Don't mind him, I want to know what the quiet is about. Check it out if you wish, but don't lead trouble back to us or I'll make sure you're squished good and flat. If you survive undetected, return and report."

The old giant cleared his throat, "If I were- were in my prime, I'd tie those dragons, they'd be in knots."

"Be glad you're here," the woman scolded. "I'd wager plenty of brave giants met their end today."

Tess leaned against Knox, frowning a bit. Knox wondered if they were brave for enslaving the dragons, or if that was stupidity.

"What brave giants?" snorted the old man. "That was my- my father's generation—" he coughed "—mark my words, we had it coming when we stopped- stopped honoring the Earth right. Those dragons- beasts of storm—we should've put them down rather than—" he coughed more.

"That's enough," she scowled at him. "You, satyr, go if you're going."

"I'll be right back," Newel assured quickly.

"Be careful," Knox said. "And do a special knock when you come back!"

"Oh, that's a good idea," Newel muttered. "How about—" he knocked on the door twice slowly, then three times quickly."

"Clever!" Doren said. "They don't call him Knox for nothing."

"I'm off now," Newel said.

"Stay safe," Tess called after him.

"I've got a knack for dodging trouble," Newel assured, heading towards the door.

"Also," Doren whispered to Knox and Tess. "Dragon fear fries my thinking, and I don't feel any right now. Based on that alone I'd bet my horns they've gone."

Newel unfastened the latch he could reach, letting the woman giant unlatch the rest, and then waved.

"Good luck!" Tess called once more as he disappeared.

Doren hurried over, "I'll wait outside, just to hear things better."

The giant let him leave, then closed the door and rebarred and bolted it.

"Don' worry," the young giant boy announced. "I 'ill fight the dragons!"

Tess leaned against Knox as the giant woman checked over the kids again.

"They'll be okay," she whispered.

"Sure," Knox agreed. "They know how to take care of themselves."

One hand stayed on his stomach, on the Giant Queen's crown hidden under his shirt, but his other hand landed on his sister's head.

His fingers tightened on the crown and he wondered if anyone had noticed the crown going missing.

Did the dragons know? The giants? Were they looking for it? Had any giants survived there?

Knox didn't know what to do with the crown. He'd grabbed it hoping it could help, but how could it help? He didn't want to risk bringing it up when others could hear, they might try to take it.

Was it needed for them to pick another monarch? Would there be some reward if he returned it?

Maybe they could find someone to wear it? He had retrieved it, but he wasn't a giant so probably couldn't wear it.

If he did would it turn him into a giant? Would he be considered the king? He wondered if he'd be a good king.

He wanted to help. He wanted to show how much he could do for them. He didn't want to keep being the one to make mistakes.

But what was he to do?

He hoped that Seth or Kendra returned soon, he figured they'd know what to do. He wanted to be the one to make the decision, but he worried about the consequences.

He didn't want to be killed by the giants for it. And he didn't know what to do with it.

There came a knock on the door, one, two, then one-two-three.

"That's them!"

The giant undid the locks then opened the door enough for the satyrs to slip inside.

"All clear," Newel declared. "It's pretty filled with rubble, but it can be navigated. You giants might have a tough time though, there were some tight spots."

"Did we drive them off?"

"The skies are empty, and I didn't feel any dragon fear. Big Side is leveled and scorched, and the rest of Humburgh is damaged, but standing."

"Tried to tell ya," the old giant griped. "This is it- the end of the road for us."

"For you, maybe," the matronly giant snapped. "Any giants moving about?"

"Not yet," Newel said carefully. "Hopefully they're hiding."

The giant looked away, letting out a slow breath.

"What if the giants come back?" Tess asked softly.

Knox pressed her closer.

"They'll roast you and eatcha," the old giant declared.

"Shut up."

"We should take advantage of the break," Newel said. "See if we can get supplies or learn anything in Small Town."

"You're free to leave if you wish," the giant women informed them. "But if you venture out into the open, don't return."

"Good riddance. Let us—" he coughed "—mourn the death of all in peace."

"Would you shut up?"

"Let's go," Knox said. "I want to find out what happened."

He took Tess' hand and led her to the door, the four of them waiting patiently for the giant to unlatch it once more before slipping into the rubble filled hallway.

OO OO OO OO

Next look at the cousins will be Tess' POV

What do you think of the subtle changes I've made? I didn't change too much here, but did my best to elaborate on the scene and show more family aspects.

I'll be posting a second chapter this week (maybe Tuesday) since this one is so canon based.

Come yell at me on my tumblr: FairyPrincessOfTheDragons
Come chat with me on discord: h-t-t-p-s : / / / TYe6zbm