Author's Note: Please review!!!

Sir Stephan never stopped talking. It was actually pretty annoying.

At night, we stayed at little inns. I got my own room, as did Ella. At night, I'd look out the window. None of the inns had gardens as grand as the one at the finishing school. Yikes. If I'm going to go back to New York, I've got to start thinking normal thoughts again. I mean, "as grand as?" I'd never have said anything like that before. That finishing school did have a negative effect on me I think.

Anyway, every time I looked out the window at the gardens, I missed Rupert. Sometimes, I'd find myself actually thinking he was waiting for me out there. I think I might be losing my mind. I wonder if all those people in the insane asylums were once transported to this place, got back home, and told everyone about their adventures? Or maybe they, like me, actually started to go crazy at this place and couldn't go home until they were totally whoo-hoo. I really, really, want to get home before anything like that happens to me.

I'll be smart enough not to tell anyone what happened.

So, things started to get bigger as we went on, or maybe it was just all in my head and another sure sign of oncoming craziness.

No, they really were getting bigger. Well, I suppose either that or I was just getting more psycho.

But at eleven o'clock, there was a pumpkin that was as big as the carriage we were in. Ella gasped. I sighed contentedly. She'd seen it too. I wasn't totally crazy.

By noon, we met a giant. A giant if you'll believe it! It was the strangest thing I ever saw. It was just as wide as a normal human, but about three times as tall. It was quite ugly.

"Hello!" Ella called, "We've come to attend the wedding of Uaaxee's daughter. But are we too late?"

"You're just in time!" the giant answered, "I'll lead you there."

Two hours later; two long hours, I might add, and we finally reached the farm were the wedding would take place. Who has a wedding at a farm?

Giants, I guess.

"Is Uaaxee expecting you?" the giant asked.

"No," Ella answered, "will she mind?"

"Mind? She won't be able to thank you enough for coming. Giants love strangers... and friends, too. Lots of friends and strangers will be there."

Who would want perfect strangers at their wedding? That's just plain weird.

Eventually, Koopooduk (that's the giant's name... creepy huh?) announced that we were at the house. It was huge.

My hands were sweating and my stomach was knotted so tightly, someone might have to do an emergency surgery to take it out and un-knot it. Home at last. Right?

We walked to the door.

Another giant opened the door; this one was a girl. She smiled at us. She could have swallowed us whole with a mouth that big.

"Hello!" She lifted Sir Stephen right off the horse. It looked for sure that she was going to eat him. No wonder giants love strangers so much. They love the taste of strangers I'll bet.

Then she saw me and Ella.

"Three people!" she said excitedly, "Welcome to both of you! Welcome! The wedding will be in a little while. Udabee! Look whose here!"

Udabee was another giant. I was feeling pretty overwhelmed by this time. I only wished they'd eat us fast and right away so I didn't have to keep thinking about it.

"I can't stay madame. I just brought these young ladies to find their father," Sir Stephan said.

What?

"Her father?"

"Sir Peter of Frell," Ella told her.

I looked around. The giants were too big. If I bolted, they'd surely catch me.

"So this is his daughter! He never said a word... Where is he? I'll find him. He'll be so glad you're here."

"Please don't!" Ella cut in, "I want to surprise him."

How could they be acting so relaxed when we're about to be eaten? First by ogres, and now by giants! I wish I home! Only, now I'd never get there!

"Surprise! I love surprises. I won't tell."

I had just about peed my pants by now.

"I must go," said Sir Stephen, getting on his horse, "Goodbye Sasha, Ella, madame."

Goodbye... it sounded so final. But how was he getting away so easily? Perhaps he'd been working for the giants all along and brought us here to this trap! I was supposed to go to some wedding were a fairy was! Not a wedding where I'd be the main course!

"But how can you leave the party? You didn't even come in!"

"Madame, it grieves me to go," he said. "Only a matter of the utmost urgency could take me away." He winked at us, "Please don't be sad. I'll only be able to comfort myself if I believe you are happy."

The giant smiled through her tears. Undoubtably, they were tears because she was losing a meal.

"At least let me give you food for your journey."

Then she left to go get more food. Maybe it was more people. I'd love to be the food she gave Sir Stephen... I'd be saved! I could go back to Rupert!

When the giant came back out I could only stutter; I was so scared.

But she gave Sir Stephan a hamper. Perhaps the food she gave him was a dead body. I swallowed.

"Let us go then," Ella said to me and we went through the door. There were creatures of all sizes there... and they all seemed to be enjoying themselves. Maybe we weren't going to be eaten after all. But then again, maybe they were trying to lull us into a false sense of security.

There was food there for us. It was either for our benefit or just to fatten us up. At any rate, the food was huge. A green bean was three feet long! Even if I liked green beans, it'd take me weeks to eat that thing!

I didn't eat anything, even though Ella did. Well, she tried to.

Then a gong sounded. What did that mean? That is was time for the giants to feast?

Everyone marched outside. Ella jumped behind me. I looked up. There was Sir Peter of Frell.

Then we all sat in stands and watched the wedding. Perhaps I could hide under the stands and the giants would miss me. Then, I could sneak out.

The wedding was very boring, but I watched it anyway. It made me think of those dumb science movies we had to watch in school every then and again. I sighed. What I'd give to watch one of those boring movies instead of this right now...

Anyway, at the end of the wedding it started to rain. Figures doesn't it? Anyway, then, suddenly, there was a crash and beings in the stands thundered down to the newly married couple. Were the people giving their lives willingly or something? I was glad I hadn't bothered to pay attention to the ceremony. Maybe they put some kind of spells on the people that were watching or something.

Before, my fear had been somewhat diminished, but now it sprang up again. Maybe I could slip away then. But Ella didn't move. She had been watching it.

So I watched the people. If Ella started to go forward, I'd grab her and be out of here in the blink of an eye.

Then something interesting happened. Everyone started to move back and the giants that had just been wed looked as if they were crying.

A beautiful woman (So beautiful I wanted to throw something at her) looked all smug and was trying to look sympathetic. Who was that, anyway.

"Lady..." Ella called. I didn't pay her any attention. I marched right up to her; pushing through the crowd.

"What is going on here?" I asked menacingly, "Why are they crying?"

"I have no idea why they should be crying," the lady said cooly. Her voice had a sing-song sound to it. Then she disappeared in a puff of smoke.

I jumped; who could just disappear like that?

How had she done it?

I turned. She couldn't have gone far. I intended to find her and get to the bottom of this. The giants hadn't eaten me yet anyway, so I would help them if I could.

I quickly found Ella again.

"That was Lucinda!" She told me.

Lucinda. That was the fairy who might help me get home! But...

We both scanned the crowd.

"There are her friends!" she said.

We hurried towards them.

Lucinda materialized right in front of them.

"Ha!" I said, "There she is!"

But Ella had already seen her.

"Wait!" She said; thrusting her arm in front of me so that I ran into it and stopped.

"Wait? There's my one chance to get home!"

"Just... this won't be easy. Let - let's go more indirectly."

I sighed, but I could see the sense in her plan.

"I won't waste my breath telling you how wrong it is to disappear and reappear as you do," the man she was standing next to told her, "I hope you don't plan to do it again in the middle of his crowd.

"No, Cyril. How could I leave the scene of my greatest triumph?"

"What horror did you visit on this poor couple?" he asked.

"No horror, a gift!"

"What gift then?" the lady asked.

"Ah, Claudia. I gave them companionship and felicitous union."

"How did you accomplish that?"

"I gave them the gift of being together always. They can go nowhere without each other. Isn't it splendid?"

Trade harsh.

That would be horrible!

Their conversation continued until...

"...Wenches!" Lucinda cried suddenly, turning to us, "What are you staring at? I mean you!"

"They're probably more supplicants," Cyril said, "come to beg you to take away gifts you gave them at birth."

"Don't turn these into squirrels! I can't bear to watch it." Claudia grabbed Lucinda's wrist, "You can't know squirrels lead 'charming, contented lives.' I'm sure they prefer to be human maidens."

A squirrel? Geez... this lady was MEAN.

"I don't understand Kyrrian," Ella said.

What?

Lucinda said, "I'm sorry, my sweet. I asked you why you were staring at me."

Huh? Nobody switched languages or anything... something weird was going on.

"You're so beautiful." Ella said.

What? Ella said that?

"What a darling child! What are your names dears?"

"Elle," said Ella, "and Asha."

"Asha? I've never heard that name before. It's sweet. But beauty isn't important, dears. Only what's in your hear is important. Do you understand that?"

She was treating us like we were stupid, and Ella was encouraging it... why?

"Yes. We're sorry we stared." Ella said.

"No need to be sorry, sweets. You did nothing wrong." She smiled.

"Thank you lady." Ella curtsied. I followed suit.

"You may call me Lucinda."

"They would not have me say so, [she looked at the two friends of hers] but I am a fairy."

"A fairy! That's why you're so beautiful."

"My friends-"

"Are shopkeepers," Cyril said firmly, "We sell shoes."

"For tiny feet." Lucinda laughed.

"For children," Claudia said.

"Oh," Ella said, "Well we don't need shoes, but we need help, magical help. Can you help us Lady Lucinda?"

"You don't need her help," Claudia said, "You should leave her while you still may."

"But we need help!" I cried.

"I'd be delighted to help you. You see, Claudia, they do need us. Tell me, Elle."

"I want mettle, if you please, lady. Whatever anyone tells me to do, I do, whether I want to or not. I've always been this way, but I wish I weren't."

"I knew how sweet you were the moment I saw you. Obedience is a marvelous gift, Elle. Sometimes I give that gift to little babies. I certainly won't take it away from you. Be happy to be blessed with such a lovely quality."

"But..." Ella started, "Thank you! Thank you, lady! Thank you!"

What?

"What did you do to her?" I asked angrily.

Lucinda ignored me.

"Now run along Elle," she said and then she turned to me.

"And what is it you want?" she asked. Ella ran off.

"What did you do her?"

"I didn't do anything to her."

"There's something wrong with her!" Now Lucinda scowled at me.

"Look, are you just here to insult me?"

"No! No... sorry," I said quickly. "I actually came asking for a favor myself.

"Oh? What?"

"Well, I was hoping you could help me get home."

"To Ayortha?"

"No! Not anywhere here... in a place called... New York City."

"Never heard of such a place."

"I don't imagine so... I'd never heard of this place before I got here."

"How did you get here?"

I explained to her. She seemed genuinely perplexed.

"I'm sorry dear, but I don't know where New York is... I can't help you."

No! She was my last hope! My only chance!

Tears sprung in my eyes.

What now?

I had to get home!

Author's Note: Please review!