Disenchantment Sagas Chapter 50 – Gentle Giantess Part 2
It was early in the morning when Elfo, Tess and Koga stood behind the castle, plotting the next moves in the lie that Elfo had gotten himself into.
"Ok…so as Elfo's "Girlfriend" what exactly am I going to be doing?" Tess asked as she stood with her back against the castle wall. "I don't have to kiss him, do I? I don't want to look like I'm eating him, and everyone in the castle starts grabbing their pitchforks and torches."
"Don't worry, you're not going to be kissing him. Especially a guy who hates baths," said Koga.
"Hey!" Elfo glares at Koga, offended. "I'll have you know I smell just fine, thank you very much!" He said a matter of factually. He would then raise his arm and sniff. His eyes widen, and he cringes. "Ok…maybe one little bath wouldn't hurt…"
"And how long am I going to be here?" The giantess asked.
"Umm…" Elfo began to think. That's when a sudden thought came to his mind. He turns to Koga. "Wait a second. Koga, a royal ball is being tonight, right?"
"Yeah, I heard about it from a few Knights," said Koga. That's when Koga realized what Elfo wanted to do. "You wanna invite her to that snobby ball?"
"It's the perfect idea!" Elfo gleamed. "Tess and I can attend the ball, and it'll show Bean and Luci that I can get a girlfriend, and I wasn't trying to kiss Bean!"
Tess just stared at Elfo in confusion and utter pity. The giantess would go on to ask. "Why not just tell her the truth?"
"Why does everyone keep saying that? Telling the truth never works out for anyone!" Elfo protested.
"Oh my god…" Tess rubs her face. "I can't believe I'm doing this…"
"Come on, Tess," said Koga, smiling at the giant. "A ball sounds nice! You've never been to a ball before, have you?"
Tess looked down at Koga, and her eyes began to wander. "Well…no. I wanted to go to the Giants ball at my old high school, but every guy I asked had got a date, so I never went…"
"Well, this can make up for it!" said Elfo. "We can get you a nice dress, get your hair done, and we can have a lot of fun!"
Tess took in a deep breath and exhaled. Her breath blew a tree branch nearby, and a few leaves fell. She crosses her arms and contemplates the ball. As she thought about it, the idea didn't seem too bad. "You know what…it doesn't sound too bad at all," Elfo and Koga smiled. "But, after that, I'm gone. I don't want any trouble coming from this since I was literally kidnapped."
Later that day, castle maids and workers were busy as they prepared the ballroom for the royal ball. Usually, royal balls held in the Dreamland castle were only for the grunkwitz family and nobles within Dreamland. But this time, Dreamland would have visitors. Tavish had invited Princess Annable of the Skylands Kingdom to the Dreamland Royal Ball. Everything had to be perfect. Or, try to look perfect.
"No, no, not over there, OVER HERE!" Zog barked. "This ball for tonight is going to be perfect! I'm not having you degenerates mess anything up!"
"Yes, your Highness!" said the castle maids.
"I want everyone to look their best! I want all your noses picked and all the crust removed from your eyes! Your heads are on the line!" Zog yelled.
Bean, watching everyone work, rolled her eyes at her father. "Hopefully, you do the same too, dad…" She sighed.
Zog would turn to Bean. "And you, missy, better be on your best behaviour. Understand?" He glared.
"Of course, father," said Bean, smiling innocently. "I'll make sure I won't slap the make-up off that pretty little face of hers." She fluttered her eyes.
"I'd advise if you didn't lay your hands on her, sister," said Tavish, stepping into the ballroom. "Our alliance with the Skylands is crucial. For once, I'd like you to at least act like a real princess sister."
"And for once, I'd like that you wouldn't act like such a snobby kiss-ass. But that's too much to ask for, isn't it?" Bean replied, crossing her arms and staring at her brother.
"Forging bounds and being respectful isn't being a "Kiss-ass" sister. It's helping the kingdom."
"Oh, I want to help this kingdom. I'm going to help in a way that doesn't involve me being a tool," said Bean.
"How so? Being a bigger fool than the Jester?"
"No. Being someone who isn't fake,"
"The both of you shut up already!" Zog shouted. "Seriously, it's every day with you two—the constant arguing and bickering. Whatever happened to the days when you two were always together, side by side?"
"In the past, obviously," said Bean bitterly as she looked away from her father and brother.
Zog sighs and rubs his face. "Look, Beanie, I know you're probably upset that your brother is getting along with Annabel, and you're afraid that you're going to lose your brother-"
Bean, however, snaps her eyes onto Zog, and her jaw drops. "Excuse me, what?" She said, stunned at her father's statement. But Zog continues. "But when Tavish gets married, hopefully, it'll inspire you to be with a man you love!"
"I can't believe what I'm hearing…" Bean messages the side of her head with her fingers. "I need a drink…"
"No drinking today! You need to be at-WHOA!" Zog shouted in shock as he looked up at Tess, who entered the ballroom with Koga and Elfo.
A few castle maids gasped while others looked at Tess in awe. Tess gulps and holds up her hand, greeting everyone. "Hi everyone," She said timidly.
"The ball is going to be in here!" said Koga. "Try not to get lo-"
"KOGA!" Zog roared, walking over to Koga. "YOU OVER HERE BRINGING IN GIANTS INTO MY KINGDOM NOW?"
"It wasn't him, Dad!" said Bean, getting up from her seat and standing before her father. "I sent out some knights to go look for Elfo's girlfriend. And here she is."
"Elfo's girlfriend?!" Zog's eyes widened. He looked at Elfo and then at Tess. "How the hell does that work?"
"That's the power of true love, Dad, duh!"
"Yeah, Dad! Duh!" Koga repeated, which granted him a menacing glare from Zog.
"It is ok for Tess to come to the ball, right?" Elfo asked.
"With the princess from the Skylands coming? Are you all out of your minds?" said Zog, looking at everyone in the room.
"It doesn't matter," said Tavish. He walked past everyone as he made his way to the exit. "Just make sure it doesn't step on anyone." And with that, he left.
Tess blinked a few times. "Did he just call me it?"
"Don't worry about freckles number two. Bean's brother is like that with everyone," Koga informed her.
"Come on, Dad," said Bean. "Imagine how hard it is for these two."
"Yeah…I'm trying not to…" said Zog, shivering. "And now I can't get it out of my mind. FINE! She can come, but don't cause any trouble!" He turns around to see the castle maids standing around. "GET BACK TO WORK!" He yelled, and everyone hurried back to work.
After that, Bean, Elfo, Koga and Tess were in the make-up room as they watched make-up artists tend to Tess.
"By the way, I'm sorry about my jerk of a brother," said Bean as she sat on the floor next to Elfo.
"Eh, it's fine. I'm used to it," said Tess. The make-up stylist's pet fox hops into Tess's wild red hair and chases the wild animals out of her hair. "Although if he calls me an It again, I will step on him purposely."
"By all means, do it," Bean laughed a bit.
"So what's it like being a princess?" Tess asked.
"Eh?" Bean shrugs. "I can do things that would normally get me in trouble. I still get in trouble, but the worst that would happen is getting sent to my room, or my dad would take the curtains away from my bed and yell at me. That's just about it."
"Oh…I see," said Tess, awkwardly.
Tess and Koga looked at each other. "Umm…well, you see, umm-"
"WE MET AFTER I LEFT ELFWOOD!" Elfo blurts out. "I ran into her; it was love at first sight!" Elfo nervously grinned.
"Y-Yeah!" said Tess, nodding. "I couldn't help but fall in love with his cute little charm and cool stylist hair!"
"Aww dear, you're so sweet!" Elfo flutters his eyes at Tess.
Koga snickered silently. A castle maid named Poppy would gently tap his shoulders. He turns to face the castle maid. She was a short girl with light brown hair and a slim body. "Umm…excuse me…umm…uhh…" She taps the tips of her index fingers together. "C-Can I…uhh…may I please do your hair?"
Koga stared at her for a second. "You're not going to cut it, are you?"
"N-No! I just uh…You would look fantastic in different styles…y-you see uh…your hair is so lovely and all…I-I can't help myself, you see…"
"Hmm…fine," Koga gets to his feet. "But if I hear anything, scissors, we'll have a problem."
Poppy squealed and jumped up and down. She takes his hand and drags him along to the back. Soon after that, Bunty stepped into the room. "Beanie! It's time to get you in your dress!" Bean rolled her eyes and sighed. "Coming bunty! I'll see you guys later," She gets to her feet and walks off with bunty.
One of the hairstylists steps down from the ladder and looks up at Tess. "Going on break. I'll be back in fifteen." She would then walk off.
"She's nice," said Tess. She looks at Elfo. "Bean, I mean. She sometimes seems a bit off, but she's not so bad. So, are you going tell her the truth at some point?"
"Ugh, this again?" Elfo groaned.
"Well, yeah? If you like her so much, how will you confess to her when I'm your girlfriend?"
Elfo's eyes went wide. "Oh…yeah…that is true…"
"Yeaaah…" said Tess, tapping her lap with her hands.
"Oh my god, I didn't think about that!" said Elfo
"You didn't think about a lot of things," The Giantess said. "Like, come on, Elfo. Telling the truth is much better than dragging out a lie this far. What's wrong with telling the truth about how you feel?"
Elfo's face twisted, and he whined. He held himself and rubbed his arms up and down. "I…I just…I don't…"
Tess frowned. "Hey, come on…you can talk to me." She spoke softly to him.
Elfo looked up at Tess. She smiled at Elfo. He let out a deep sigh and spoke. "I guess it's just that…I left my elm to start a new life and break away from the routine that I'm so used to. I wanted to be someone different, but I keep still being…me," He stared at the stone floor, remembering his time at the elm.
"Well…what's wrong with being you?" Tess asked, hanging on to Elfo's words.
"Well..I'm small, my voice is annoying, and I look like THIS!" He points to his face. "I'm nothing like Koga. He's tall, has long flowing black hair and muscles, and he can do just about EVERYTHING! And Bean loves him so much-"
"Elfo Elfo," Tess stops him. "Why are you so worried about being someone you're not?"
"Because everyone loves people like Koga!" Elfo whined. "And…nobody likes someone like me. And when I get some affection, I'm called a baby or a little man. I'm always getting billeted in some way."
Tess frowned as he stared at the sad Elf. "Have you tried talking to your friends about it?"
"Are you kidding me? Luci would laugh at me, and Bean probably wouldn't shut it down without talking about it and Koga-" He paused momentarily. "Well…I think he would talk to me about it. I mean, he did help me cover everything up after all…"
"Well…besides Koga, Bean and Luci don't sound like they're good friends," said Tess.
"They are good friends. They aren't so good at certain situations, is all," Elfo chuckled. "Like…me opening up about my feelings."
"You're feeling is very important, Elfo," She said seriously. "Opening up about your feelings is very important, especially in relationships. You also shouldn't keep that stuff away from people. If it continues to bottle up…you'll continue to keep hurting…and you'll end up hurting other people along with you…" She frowned. Her eyes would drift off to the side as someone particular came into her mind.
Elfo looks up at Tess, seeing her saddened expression. "Yeah…yeah you're right…" He said somberly. "It's just…something so hard for me to do…I'm scared of how anyone would react."
Tess snapped out of her daze and placed her attention back on Elfo. "No, I understand. But if they care about you, they will listen and understand."
Elfo was quiet momentarily as he remembered he always looked out for each other. He smiled as the thoughts filled him with a warm sense of happiness. "Yeah…they do care about me."
"Good," Tess smiled at the Elf. "How do you feel now?"
"I…I feel much better. Wow…talking does help a lot," said Elfo. "You know…I didn't expect you to care so much about how I felt."
"Well…feelings are essential. And I hate to see someone struggle with it. I might be a giant, but I have emotions and thoughts like any other person or mythical creature in our crazy world." She giggled.
"Thanks, Tess," Elfo smiled at her.
"No problem, Elfo," She returned the smile. "Also…if you don't mind me asking. What is it about Bean that you like so much?"
"Well…she's pretty, and…well, she can be caring when she wants to be and…" Elfo went silent as he thought. What did she like about Bean? Of course, she's pretty and lovely, but that was on some rare occasions. "Well…I…I have a lot to think about when it comes to that…"
It was after that the stylist had returned with her team. "We're back! Are you ready to continue?"
"Umm…yeah," said Tess.
"You have fun Tess. I need to go for a walk," said Elfo. He leaves the dressing room and walks down the halls.
Talking with Tess about how he felt was something he hadn't done before. It also made him think about his true feelings. He didn't understand a lot about himself either.
Elfo would be in this state of mind to the start of the Royal ball.