Land of the Giants: A Love Story

By JR Thomas

 

Chapter Three: Trois Femmes de Brobdinia

 

 

Captain Burton tried his best to read the huge document, spread out as it was before him like some gargantuan tapestry.  In order to read the giant print he had to stand fully erect and walk below each line reading a phrase at a time, and it was a slow and tedious process.  Some of the items listed were fairly obvious and straightforward, like the giants’ need for a more efficient material to conduct electricity.  Some others, however, he didn’t have a clue about, like the one asking for help with the unified field theory.  A Mark Wilson question definitely.

 

After the initial meeting with the Archon, Sylvana had taken Steve to her private suite in the west wing of the mansion.  It was a spacious four-room apartment that Sylvana had told him she often used to work on special projects for the Archon, or when she needed to stay overnight.  With some time to kill before the reception, Obek thought it would be a good idea for Captain Burton to go over a list of their needs.  Sylvana had left him on the desk in her private study to read the list while she retired to her inner sanctum to prepare for the reception. 

 

It had taken Steve nearly thirty minutes to read half the sheet, and he found himself getting bored and restless.   Steve suddenly heard water running, and turned around to face the bedroom door.  It was Sylvana taking a shower, he thought.  His mind’s eye momentarily glimpsed the giant woman in the nude standing in the shower, and he thought he could feel his heart skip a beat.  Steve shook his head.  It’s amazing what strange thoughts can sometimes enter one’s mind. 

 

By now his concentration was totally broken, and Steve figured it was useless to try reading the giant document further.  Why not explore a little?  He ambled around the desktop, checking out the various personal items of Sylvana’s.  She had the obligatory radio, the difference being of course that this one was the size of a small van.  It looked like something out of pictures he’d seen in history books of Earth back in the 1960’s, with huge knobs and a thick mesh grill.  Next to it stood a large gold plaque.  He walked up to it and read the inscription: “Sylvana Noor, Secretary of the Year”.  “Hmmmm”, he murmured softly.  She did strike Steve as being highly intelligent, efficient, and personable.  It was probably a well-deserved award.

 

Steve walked up to the lamp which she had turned on for him to read by.  It was as tall as a medium-sized tree.  He looked it up and down, and then noticed something out of the corner of his eye that really caught his attention.   At the back of the desk and up against the wall was a bulletin board.  He hadn’t noticed it before because his view had been blocked by the huge radio.   Prominent on the board and level with his eyes were three photographs around five feet tall.   He walked up to them and crossed his arms.  The first on the right was a picture of Sylvana, and she was playing what looked like a small portable harp-like instrument that was lying horizontally on her lap.  He suspected after the little serenade she had given him on the way here that she was musically inclined, and this picture left no doubt.  Steve had always liked women with musical ability.  To his way of thinking it conveyed a degree of sensitivity and intelligence in the woman’s character.  Gosh, Sylvana is pretty, kind, smart, a musician; to bad she’s as tall as a four-story building!  He sighed. 

 

The next picture was of a boy and girl who looked to be in their late teens or early twenties.   The boy was a handsome, academic looking young man with glasses and wavy brown hair, and the girl was very pretty and had long dark hair.  There was something vaguely familiar about them.  He rubbed his chin while looking closely at the photo.  They must be Sylvana’s children, he thought.  The girl especially had her mother’s beautiful blue eyes.   Steve wondered if Sylvana was married.  He didn’t think he’d noticed any ring on her left hand. 

 

Steve turned his attention to the next picture.  It was a beach shot, and Sylvana looked great in a one-piece bathing suit.  It also helped that due to the size perspective of the picture she looked about Steve’s size.  Unfortunately, there was also this big, brawny guy standing next to Sylvana with an arm wrapped around her shoulders; obviously her boyfriend or husband.  He was very tan guy in his 50’s and sported muscular arms and a hairy chest.  Sunglasses and moustache gave him something of an aging “Joe cool” look.  He was not uncomely for a guy, but he had a conceited and brutish look about him that brushed Steve the wrong way.  The really odd thing was, however, that Steve felt himself getting jealous thinking of this man making love to Sylvana.  Disbelieving his own thoughts, he shook his head and backed away from the bulletin board. 

 

Steve returned to the giant memo at the center of the desk, but after a few moments gave up for good and started pacing again.  He walked up to the edge of the desk and panned the giant room that to him was the size of a large concert hall.  He looked down at the floor looming better than thirty feet below.  Whether out of boredom or curiosity, he suddenly got the urge to take a walk.  “I wonder”, he said to himself.  He returned to the lamp at the back of the desk, and getting behind it, found what he had expected to find; a power cord trailing down to the electrical outlet on the back wall just above the floor.  Steve figured that there’d be no harm in exploring.  He could most likely be back on the desk before Sylvana returned, and if he wasn’t it probably wouldn’t be a big deal.  He turned around and faced away from the edge.  He bent his knees until his body was in a crouching position, and grabbing the cord tossed his legs over the edge and shimmied down to the floor.  

 

The carpet he landed on was very thick, and Steve’s feet sunk a little into it as he walked away from the wall.  He passed under the desk chair, and in a few moments the carpet ended and he found himself standing on a dark and shiny obsidian-like floor.  With the mild light coming through a window on the far wall, he could make out his very blurry reflection on the clean floor. 

 

Steve spied a bookcase off to his right next to the bedroom door, and he strolled up to it.  He recalled how back on Earth whenever visiting someone’s house he always liked to check out any book collections on the premises (at the odd times that they had them, that is).  You could learn a lot about a person from the books they read.  It was a two-shelved bookcase, with the bottom of the lower shelf starting about four feet off the ground.  He put his hands on his hips and looked up.  Steve could see business-related texts, and next to these were a series of what appeared to be secretarial journals; nothing terribly interesting.  He backed up a few paces so that he could see the upper shelf, and after reading a few titles noticed them getting more interesting.  One book was called “Knights of Brobdinia”.  Another was the “The Matriarchy of Queen Maeve”.   Interesting, she must be a romantic history buff.   He walked along the bookcase a few paces until he noticed a title that really caught his attention:  “Dressing to Please Your Man”.   He folded his arms and smiled.  Steve thought that he did like the way Sylvana was dressed this morning, what with her long denim skirt outfit that accentuated her nice figure, as well as her sexy shoes. 

 

Suddenly the bedroom door opened, and the giant secretary bolted into the room catching Steve completely by surprise.   He turned to his left just in time to see her huge sandaled feet coming straight at him.  Sylvana’s footsteps echoed loudly on the hard surface, and the floor shook beneath him like a minor earthquake.   Her right foot passed within a few yards of Steve, and he instinctively dived to the ground in the direction of the bookcase, narrowly missing being crushed by her left foot.  The thunderous sound of her giant footsteps subsided after she passed on to the carpet near the desk, and Steve remained motionless where he was, momentarily stunned.

 

“Steve?  Steve?  Where are you?”  

 

Sylvana’s voice helped rouse him from his stupor, and Steve slowly got up and dusted himself off.  He looked up in the direction of the desk, and what he saw left him speechless.  Steve had to react so fast when she had entered the room that he didn’t get the chance to see her clearly until now.  He viewed her from behind as she moved things around on the desk searching for him.  She was wearing a tight fitting one-piece black dress that brought out her extremely curvy figure, and the hem of the dress ended well above her knees.  Steve had thought when he first met her this morning that she probably had nice legs, and now he knew this for a fact.  Sylvana was wearing very sexy strappy silver sandals, and her nude legs tapered up from her shapely ankles in perfect symmetry.  Steve momentarily reminisced about how he had always admired attractive 40-something women back on Earth.  They tended to fill out a bit at that age, and the few extra pounds often added very nice contour, especially to the legs.  Sylvana was a classic example of this, he thought.   Although the thought of this giant woman almost crushing him beneath those sexy sandals brought him back to reality a little, he still couldn’t help but admire what he was now seeing. 

 

She continued searching around the desk.  “Come out, come out, wherever you are, little man.”  Sylvana said this in a slightly teasing manner, and it made Steve smile.

 

The tiny Earthman started walking in her direction.  He stopped at the edge of the carpet, cupped his hands over his mouth, and shouted to get her attention.  “Sylvana!  I’m down here!”

 

He was close enough that she heard his call.   She walked up to within a few yards of him.  “Why Steve, what are you doing down there?” 

 

The first thing he noticed was her delicate toes with nails painted a light pink, as well as her classy dress sandals that were very complementary to her shapely feet.

 

“I felt like taking a walk around the block”, he replied jokingly. 

 

She grinned and shook her head.  “You should be more careful Steve, why I could have stepped on you!”   

 

He crossed his arms and smiled.  “I can think of worse ways to go, Sylvana.”

 

She didn’t quite make out what he said, and she peered down on him with a puzzled look.

 

“Nothing”, he said. 

 

“Oh”.  She licked her lips. 

 

Much to his surprise, Sylvana started rotating her body in place.  “How do you like it Steve?”   He felt a light breeze generated by the circular momentum of the bottom of her dress, and the hem of it came up enough to where he thought he could see something.  He quickly averted his eyes in embarrassment.  She continued speaking as she rotated.  “I forgot to bring nylons, and the silver sandals don’t quite go with the black dress”.

 

Sylvana stopped and looked down at him, resting an elbow on her hand and a finger to her cheek.   She was obviously expecting some kind of critique on her appearance.

 

He moved his head back.  “Sylvana, you are the most gorgeous woman I’ve ever seen on this planet.” 

 

Sylvana gave him her by now usual big smile.  “Oh Captain Burton, you are so sweet.”  She kneeled down, and gently picked the tiny Earthmen up in her left hand and brought him up to her face.  “We’ve got a few minutes yet before the reception.  Why don’t we have a chat.” 

 

“I’d like that”, Steve said.  As she carried him over to the desk, he thought that he was really starting to enjoy being held by this giant woman.  Her soft hand felt like some kind of safe and protective loving embrace; not at all like the brute coarseness he usually experienced when being handled by the giants.  Never mind that those soft and warm fingers were bigger around than his legs! 

 

Sylvana tenderly set Steve on the desk and sat herself down in the chair.  She propped her elbows on both sides of the little man and placed her hands under her chin. 

 

“Tell me about your homeworld Steve?” She asked, seeming genuinely interested. 

 

He looked up at Sylvana, looming as she was no more than a few yards from him.  Her sensuous, full lips were recently painted with lipstick.   Her makeup was immaculately applied, and complimented her flawless complexion.   The sweet scents from her smooth, clean skin filled the air. 

 

“Well Sylvana, other than the size thing, Earth is really not much different from your world, except perhaps in the fact that our technology is roughly two or three decades in advance of your own.” 

 

She gave him a perfunctory grin.  “What about your little women Steve?  How do they dress?” 

 

It was evident to him that she was more interested in hearing about personal matters of the people of Earth than any global, political, or scientific issues.  

 

“They dress much like you do, except the clothes tend to me more mod-looking and intricately woven.”  This seemed to pique her interest.  He continued.  “When we left Earth short skirts and boots were very popular.” 

 

Her face brightened at this.  “Oh really Steve?”  She started stroking her hair with her left hand, and he admired the semi-solid gold bracelet around her arm that was as big as a truck tire.  A bang of her beautiful reddish-brown mane dangled within a few feet of him, and he found himself wanting to reach out and stroke it.  “I love short skirts”, she added somewhat sultrily. 

 

“So do I”, Steve responded.  They both chuckled at this, and Sylvana smacked her lips.

 

“Tell me Steve, are you married?  Do you have a family?” 

 

He started pacing slowly in front of her.  “No Sylvana.  Never been married, and no children.” 

 

Her eyes widened.  “I’m surprised Steve.  You are a very handsome man.  I would think the women of your world would be all over you.” 

 

He found himself very flattered by the compliment from this giant woman.  “Thank you Sylvana, you’re very kind.  Actually, I did have a girlfriend back on Earth, but I’ve been stranded here for three years now, and she’s probably given me up for dead.” 

 

“I’m very sorry Steve; maybe some day”, she said wistfully.  Steve was impressed by the fact that she seemed truly sympathetic. 

 

“How about yourself Sylvana?” 

 

She hesitated for a second, as if reticent to discuss the subject.  She sighed.  “I’ve been divorced for eight years, and I have two children from that marriage.”

 

Steve stopped pacing.  “Yes, I saw them in the picture on your bulletin board.  You must be very proud.  They look like they’ve grown into fine-looking adults.”

 

She laid her hands down on the desktop directly in front of him.  He momentarily allowed his gaze to drift to her perfectly-manicured red fingernails.

 

She continued.  “Yes, Gard and Tarla are my pride and joy; both studying at university.” 

 

Steve found himself strangely warming up to this giant woman.  “Well Sylvana, they couldn’t ask for a better, more caring mother.” 

 

Her face brightened considerably, and Sylvana found herself subtly inching her hands closer to the little man. 

 

She moved her face nearer to him.  “Thank you Steve, you are so nice.”  After a moment she backed away, and the glow on her face was replaced with apparent sadness. 

 

This puzzled Steve.  “What’s wrong Sylvana?” 

 

She sighed.  “Oh, it’s nothing Steve.  It’s just that why doesn’t my Tor ever say nice things to me like you do.” 

 

“You mean the man with you in the beach picture?” 

 

“Yes Steve, that’s Tor”, she said with some mild annoyance. 

 

He tried to comfort her.  “Give him time Sylvana.  I’m sure he’ll come around.”  Steve didn’t really mean to lay it on too thick with this giant woman, but she was definitely sparking the more sympathetic side of his nature.  He peered straight into her deep blue eyes.  “Sylvana, if we were the same size, I’d treat you like a queen.” 

 

She gasped at the comment, and her frown was replaced with a huge smile.  Her perfectly aligned, clean white teeth could be seen prominently.  Before she could respond, however, the phone on the desk rang.  She picked it up.

 

After a moment she spoke to the person at the other end of the connection.  “Yes Archon, we’re ready.  We’ll be right there.  Bye.”  She hung up the phone.

 

Sylvana again placed her elbows on the desk and her hands underneath her chin.  She moved her face to within a few feet of him and smiled.  “Well Steve, we’ll have to continue this conversation another time.  The guests have all arrived and are waiting for you.  Would you like to accompany me to the party?”  She said rather playfully.

 

Steve bowed.  “I would be honored Miss Noor.” 

 

She picked up the tiny Earthman.  Steve sat in her cupped hands as she took him out to the reception area. 

 

Later on that afternoon while Steve was occupied with the other guests, Sylvana returned to her office suite to get the notes for the Archon.  While rummaging around her desk, she noticed the picture of her and Tor at the beach.  A sad look came over her, and she ripped the picture off the bulletin board and threw it in the garbage.      

 

                                                                                                            **********************

 

Captain Burton stood on the bar separating the kitchen annex from the reception room.   Four giant scientists and engineers hovered around him, sipping their drinks and arguing over scientific minutiae. 

 

One youngish, academic-looking man wearing glasses and a cardigan sweater reproached an elderly gentleman. “I’m sorry my dear Professor, but with all due respect I have to disagree.  What we need most from the Earthmen is help with the conduction of subatomic particles across a less resistive alloy.”  Steve noticed the giant’s severe overbite as he spoke.  He thought it gave him a rather geeky appearance. 

 

The aging professor hovered close to Steve as he responded to his colleague.  “That is far too theoretical at this point, young man.”  He wasn’t watching what he was doing, and some of his drink spilled out of his glass as he moved.  Steve quickly jumped aside, barely missing being doused by the alcoholic beverage as it splattered over the bar top. 

 

Steve looked up at the man in irritation.  “Hey, watch it, will you?” 

 

The giant man forced an apologetic smile.  “I’m sorry Captain Button.  I will try to be more careful.” 

 

“Professor, its Captain Burton, if you please!” 

 

“Yes, yes”, he replied, barely seeming to notice the tiny man.  He then continued his debate with the young scientist.  “That’s the problem with you new crop of researchers being cranked out of the university these days.  No practical sense.”  The professor looked at him self-righteously.  “I tell you, what we need most of all is to have the little people look at our prototype Bambleweeny Submesson 57 brain.  That could have direct, immediate, and practical applications.” 

 

Steve rolled his eyes.  In fact, he was surprised to find that thus far the reception had been largely a waste of time.  Many of their questions he just didn’t have the technical knowledge to sufficiently answer, and more often than not they would argue over priorities as they were now.  Further, some of the giant scientists had seemed skeptical that people so small could actually be of any help to them.   Worst of all though was when they got in to heated debates as academics and scientist-types are wont to do, Steve’s small size made it impossible for him to get a word in edgewise, even when yelling at the top of his lungs.   He sighed.  I can see that we’re going to have our work cut out for us.

 

Steve suddenly heard a familiar woman’s voice accosting the scientists.  “Excuse me gentlemen, do you mind if I borrow Captain Burton for a little while?”  He turned around and saw that Sylvana had joined the group.  Saved by the bell, he thought. 

 

The scientists suddenly went sheepishly quiet and awkwardly fawned over the giant secretary.  The young scientist in the cardigan smiled at her with his big toothy grin.  “Ah, Miss Noor is it?  I’m Grond Harko, senior graduate research coordinator at the University.” 

 

She cautiously offered him her hand, which the young man proceeded to slobber all over.   “Yes, pleased to meet you, I’m sure”, she uncomfortably replied as she withdrew her hand.  “Now if you gentlemen will excuse us, I have some other guests who want to meet Captain Burton.” 

 

Sylvana cupped her hands and laid them down in front of Steve.  He walked on to her enclosed palms and crouched down on his knees.   As she moved away from the bar, Steve spoke to her.  “Thank you Sylvana, you arrived just in the nick of time.” 

 

She looked down and smiled at the tiny man in her hands.  “Was it that bad Steve?” 

 

“Worse”, he replied. 

 

She shook her head and smiled.  “Well my little friend, I think you will enjoy the people I’m taking you to now.”   He smiled back, and thought how he loved the feel of her warm breath blowing lightly against his face.

 

                                                                                                **********************

         

Captain Burton stood on the coffee table, in total awe of the spectacle before him.  Sitting around the table were three beautiful giant women, staring at him with alternate glances of wonder and admiration.  They were all wearing skirts or dresses, and he found himself having a difficult time keeping his eyes off their extremely shapely legs.  He recognized the journalist Bertha Frye sitting cross-legged on the chair to his right, and she was the first to break the silence. 

 

“How nice to see you again Captain Burton.”   She lowered her head slightly, resting it on her right hand.

 

Steve folded his arms.  He walked in her direction so as not to have to strain his voice too much in speaking with her.  “It’s nice to see you again too Miss Frye, and may I say you are looking as lovely as ever.”   To say the truth, she looked much as he remembered her from last year’s ‘Deadly Dart’ affair.  She still kept her thick dark hair cut to a point just above the nape of her neck, and had the same quivering, sensuous lips and doe-like eyes that he had remembered. 

 

She smiled at his comment and reciprocated.  “Thank you Captain Burton.  In spite of my outward hostility when we last met, I actually thought you were very handsome then, and still do now.” 

 

Steve beamed at the journalist.  He allowed his gaze to shift a little to his left in the direction of Sylvana sitting on a large love seat.  She had her nude legs pulled up onto the seat perpendicular with her body, putting the contour of her shapely calf muscles in sharp relief.  Her legs tapered off at those sexy silver sandals which had nearly crushed him earlier.  He shook his head at the thought. 

 

Sylvana leaned forward slighty.  “Steve, allow me to introduce Dr. Dektora Lefay.” 

 

Steve faced the giant woman sitting off to his left and bowed slightly.  “Pleased to meet you Doctor.”

 

She nodded without speaking, and forced a slim smile. 

 

Interesting one, this Dr. Lefay, Steve thought.  She had a very haughty, almost vain look about her.  She wore dark silky nylons and an extremely short skirt exposing enormous thighs.  This was interesting considering she looked to be about Sylvana’s age; somewhere in her early 40’s.   She had on a lot of makeup, almost too much, especially the rouge and lipstick.  The most noticeable thing about this giant, however, was her long, golden hair.  It flowed down well past her shoulders, and was practically a golden forest that he could get lost in.  She wore shiny black high heels, and Steve could make out part of a very ornate design on the back of her colossal shoe dangling in front of him no more than five yards away. 

 

Bertha addressed the little man.  “Steve, please forgive my behavior when we last met.  I had temporarily succumbed to the anti-little people hysteria.  I know that I was spreading many lies about you little people on my radio show at the time.” 

 

Steve turned back in her direction.  “No apologies necessary, Ms. Frye.  I understand the adverse circumstances prevailing at that time, and I consider it water under the bridge now.”

 

She smiled.  “Good, thank you Steve, and please do call me Bertha.”

 

Steve nodded.    

 

Ms. Frye continued.  “I applaud what you are doing Steve; agreeing to these negotiations led by Archon Obek.  I hope they are as profitable for you and your people as they are for us.” 

 

Before Steve could reply, the mysterious Dr. Lefay finally spoke up.  “Tell me little man; is it true that the people, animals, and plants of Earth are exactly the same as on our world, except for our vastly larger size?”  

 

Steve faced the blonde woman, and reflected on how the haughty tone of her voice and the manner in which she had phrased the question confirmed his initial impression of her.  He also found it curious that she would refer to him as ‘little man’, in spite of the fact that his name had been given by Sylvana.  “That is true Doctor.  We have yet to see a life form on your world that isn’t mirrored on Earth.”

 

She rested her long, bright red fingernails over her knees and leaned forward slightly.  “Yes, and I am also curious about your supposed advanced technology; something that I am not at all convinced of.” 

 

Steve thought he detected a trace of pride and defensiveness in her voice.  He crossed his arms and walked a few paces along the edge of the coffee table.  “Well Doctor, if it wasn’t at least partially true, then we wouldn’t be here having this conversation, now would we?” 

 

Dektora frowned, and thought to herself that these were awfully big words coming from someone whom she could reach over and swat like a fly if she wanted.

 

Sylvana sensed the conversation going in a bad direction, and she intervened to diffuse it.  “Now look, Steve, Dr. Lefay, we’re supposed to be relaxing this afternoon.  There will be plenty of time for tech talk later.”  Bertha Frye nodded in agreement.

 

Sylvana’s diplomatic intervention apparently worked, as Dr. Lefay seemed to lighten up a bit.  “I’m sorry Captain Burton, it’s just that I’ve spent ten years of my life at university studying you little people, and there is so much I would like to know about your kind and your world.”

 

“Of course Dr. Lefay, all in good time.  I look forward to it”, Steve replied.

 

Bertha Frye crossed her long legs in his direction and folded her hands in her lap.   “Tell me Steve.  Forgive me for prying, but I’m curious.  You are such a handsome little man.  Do you have any girlfriends here or back on Earth?”

 

Steve was actually quite taken aback by her bold question, and Sylvana for her part looked at the journalist with much surprise.      

 

“Thank you Bertha for the compliment, but to answer your question, no on both counts.”

 

“I am very surprised Steve.  You must drive the little women wild, and, I might add, some big ones too.”  She had been sipping on a drink throughout the conversation, and Steve wondered if the journalist wasn’t getting a bit tipsy from the alcohol.  

 

Sylvana, Bertha, and Steve laughed at her risqué comment.  Dr. Lefay grinned but otherwise said nothing, although Steve couldn’t help but notice her start to rock her huge ornate high heel on her toe directly in front of him.

 

Something quite curious that Steve now kenned was that all three of the giant woman seemed to have very subtly hiked up their skirts in the course of the conversation, to the point now where everywhere he turned he found ample amounts of giant thighs directly in his line of vision, exacerbated of course by his tiny perspective, standing as he was on the low coffee table.  And Dr. Lefay, whose skirt was already very short, well, we won’t go there, he thought.  Although these thoughts made Steve feel a bit strange for a moment, he had to admit that he was after all a man despite his tiny size compared to them, and he found himself rather enjoying this leg show.

 

Bertha leaned over and whispered something into Sylvana’s ear, and Steve could see the secretary return a scandalized look and say “No!” under her breath.  The two women giggled and exchanged naughty glances.

 

Much to Steve’s surprise, Bertha reached down, and slipping off one of her high heels placed it on the coffee table right next to him.  “Wha…..what?”  Steve exclaimed.  He turned around and glanced at the sexy shoe that to him was at least eight feet long!   He backed away slightly and looked up at the journalist with extreme annoyance.  “Hey, what’s the big idea?” 

 

Sylvana and Bertha immediately burst into laughter, and even the heretofore reserved Dr. Lefay now joined in the merriment. 

 

After a moment the three women settled down, and Bertha Frye spoke.  “I’m sorry Steve.  I didn’t mean to embarrass you.  It’s just that there is something incredibly cute about a handsome little man who is smaller than my high heel!”

 

Steve put his hands on his hips and shook his head.  “I hope someone is driving you home after the reception, Miss Frye.” 

 

A strange compulsion suddenly came over the tiny Earthman.  The three women seemed to be enjoying a cheap thrill at his expense, and he decided that he was going to play their game to its ultimate conclusion.  Now it was their turn to be shocked, he thought.  Walking up to the giant high heel, he raised one foot and then another over the instep, and then sat down in the shoe. 

 

He raised his arms up in their direction and shouted at the top of his lungs.  “Is this what you wanted to see?  Are you happy now?”

 

As he expected, three sets of jaws dropped and three sets of eyes popped out of their heads.  The women started to laugh, and this time they were so loud that the scientists talking at the bar looked in their direction wondering what was going on.  He stood up inside the shoe, and after a moment joined the three women in laughter.  It was such an absurd situation, and he couldn’t remember laughing this hard since he’d left Earth. 

 

All at once the women went quite, and Steve heard Archon Obek’s voice.  “Sylvana, Miss Frye, Dr. Lefay.” 

 

Steve jumped out of the shoe, and Ms. Frye quickly yanked it off the coffee table and slipped it back on her foot. 

 

Moments later the kindly politician was standing before them.  “Well, I guess you all must be enjoying yourselves,” he said rhetorically.   He took a gulp from the drink he was holding, and then peered down at Steve.  “Are the ladies keeping you entertained, Captain Burton?” 

 

He lifted his head back to better see the giant’s face.  He was still a bit nervous from the shoe incident, and couldn’t think of anything more descriptive to say than “Yes Sir.” 

 

The wily Obek looked around and sensed something mischievous about the three women, but figured that what ever it was, it was harmless.  He looked back down at Steve.  “I’m glad to hear it Captain Burton.”  He continued, looking at no one in particular.  “Well then, ladies and gentlemen, my better half tells me that dinner is served.”

 

“Great, I’m famished”, Steve replied.       

 

Sylvana picked Steve up off the table, and the three women followed Obek into the dinning room.  Steve had by now fully regained his composure, but the really odd thing was that he had actually kind of enjoyed sitting in Bertha Frye’s shoe.   He shook his head.  I must be losing it, he thought. 

 

**********************

 

Although not a sophisticated and sumptuous affair, the late lunch/early dinner was formal enough for Steve.  He was situated on the table directly in front of Sylvana, and from his vantage point he could see all kinds of giant salads, hors d’Ouvers, finger foods, meats, vegetables, soups, and of course plenty of wine.   He sat in sort of a lotus position, eating from a plate that was nearly eight feet in diameter.  When he wanted something, Sylvana would usually cut a tiny portion from her plate and set it on his. 

 

The trouble was; he had nothing to drink out of.  Oh sure, the Archon’s servants had set a tiny cup next to him, but at his size it was still the size of a barrel.  He tried cupping his hands and lapping some wine out of it, but it was awkward and messy. 

 

Dr. Lefay, who was sitting to the right of Sylvana, noticed this, and reaching into her purse pulled out a tiny drinking glass.  “Here Steve”, she said.  “Try this.”  She reached over and handed him the tiny glass wedged between her huge thumb and index finger.  He stood up and reached for the glass, and as he did so couldn’t help but notice her long and meticulously polished nails.   Her hand lingered for a moment close to him, and then she slowly withdrew it. 

 

“Thank you Dr. Lefay”, he said appreciatively.  Steve dipped the glass into the huge cup, and then took a big gulp of the very sweet wine.  He hadn’t had alcohol in a while, and he could feel it immediately going to his head. 

 

“You are most welcome Steve.  Consider it a goodwill gift from me to you”, she replied graciously.  Steve noted that she seemed to have warmed up to him considerably after their earlier near-confrontational conversation at the coffee table. 

 

He peered up into her huge face, admiring her long golden blonde tresses.  “You are very kind Doctor.  Where did you find it?” 

 

She smiled, exposing large and prominent teeth.  “It came on one of your ships that crashed here years ago.  In fact, I have quite a collection of Earth artifacts at my house.  Maybe I could show it to you sometime.”

 

“Yes Doctor, I would like that”, he replied.

 

 “Oh Steve, please do call me Dektora”, she said somewhat sultrily. 

 

He lifted his tiny glass to her in acknowledgment.  Steve’s gaze momentarily turned to Sylvana, and he thought that if he didn’t know any better, it appeared to him that she had a slightly jealous look on her face.  He quickly brushed the thought out of his mind as being total nonsense.  Walking back to his plate, Steve passed Sylvana’s wine goblet that was a nearly a head taller than he was.  

 

Sylvana reached for the glass, and Steve admired the enormous gold bracelet on her bare forearm.  He watched her drink from the goblet, and in a couple of sips she drank probably close to twenty or thirty gallons!  He reflected on how it always was kind of unnerving to see the giants eat and drink.  Steve observed Dektora finishing off a piece of meat the size of his body in several bites.  The thought made him very uncomfortable, and he quickly put it out of his mind. 

 

Bertha Frye, who was sitting to the left of Sylvana, spoke to her.  “Sylvana, please pass the salt.”   The secretary’s armed again jutted out past Steve, but the salt shaker was a bit out of her reach. 

 

Steve looked up at Sylvana.  “Allow me.”  The two women glanced at each other in surprise as Steve walked over to the four feet high salt shaker.  He wrapped his arms around it, and with great difficulty lifted it off the ground.   He slowly and awkwardly made his way towards Ms. Frye, and as he did so the three women smiled at each other.  Bertha Frye giggled. 

 

When Steve got to within range, Bertha reached over and grabbed the salt shaker.  He let go just in time to avoid being carried up with it. 

 

“Thank you Steve”, Bertha said.  “You are quite the little muscle man, aren’t you?”  She winked at him, and the three giant women chuckled.  Steve grinned embarrassingly, as he was aware that the three women knew he had done it to impress them.  Now Steve thought he was really losing his grip on the day!

 

Archon Obek was sitting with his wife at the head of the table.  He stood up and addressed the party.  “Well ladies and gentlemen, and honored guest from Earth, I would like to propose a toast to the future success of our negotiations.  May they prove fruitful for the people of Earth as well as Brobdinia.” 

 

The Archon raised his glass, and the guests followed suite.  Steve raised his own tiny glass and acknowledged his host.  “Cheers”, he shouted.  The twelve guests sitting at the table touched their glasses with the people on either side of them.  The three giant women then looked down on the tiny man, and Steve immediately sensed that they wanted to do the same with him.  Sylvana was first, and she did so very gently to avoid knocking the tiny glass out of his hand.  She gave him a big smile as their glasses clicked together, and he reciprocated in kind.  Bertha Frye was next, followed by Dr. Lefay, who had to reach over a bit farther to reach Steve, and as she did so not very subtly allowed her ample and enormous cleavage to hover over him for a moment.  Steve looked up into the giant crevice and thought he felt his heart miss a beat.  Sylvana, sitting as she was directly in front of Steve, watched this with extreme prejudice.  She tutted her tongue and turned away in annoyance.

 

At the conclusion of the toast, Archon Obek addressed his guests again.  “I know we need to be wrapping things up here soon so that we can get Captain Burton back to his ship, but in closing this afternoon I thought it appropriate that our very own Sylvana Noor sing us a song.”

 

The guests responded enthusiastically, Steve included. 

 

Sylvana looked rather reticent and embarrassed at first, but after some more goading from the Archon and the guests got up from the table and walked out of the dinning room.  In a few minutes she returned with the harp-like instrument that Steve had noticed in the picture in her office.  Sitting at a chair away from the table, she put the instrument in her lap and plucked at for a few moments to make sure it was in tune. 

 

Without any introduction she went right into a song.  The alien instrument sounded totally wonderful to Steve.  To his ear it seemed like a concert harp with mysterious Celtic and Middle Eastern overtones.  The beautiful chords echoed off into the air, and Steve found himself closing his eyes and concentrating on the enchanting music.

 

After the instrumental introduction, the giant secretary started to sing, and Steve was totally enraptured by Sylvana’s beautiful alto voice.

 

I await my love, from across the seas, across the sky.

Someone to sooth my heart, ease my pain. 

I will await you, until the end of time……

 

Her singing was magnificent, Steve thought.  The rest of the audience seemed to agree, as everyone remained totally silent while listening to Sylvana’s beautiful voice.

 

………when my love comes, I will hold him close, never let him go.

My spirit reaches out to you, across the infinite.

I await my love, from across the seas, across the stars.

 

Steve opened his eyes after the last line.  “Across the stars?  Hmmmm.”

 

After another short instrumental sequence, Sylvana concluded the song. 

 

The guests enthusiastically clapped their sincere approval of Sylvana’s performance, and she got up and took a bow. 

 

Steve set his drink down and started clapping and shouting as loudly as he could.  “Bravo!  Bravo!” 

 

As the applause from the other guests stared to subside, Sylvana noticed tiny Captain Burton on the table, still clapping and shouting his approval.   Sylvana walked up to him, bowed again, and to everyone’s great surprise offered him her huge hand.  Steve put his tiny hands around her little finger and kissed it on the tip.   The guests looked at each other in astonishment; some clapped, and others laughed in a good-natured way. 

 

Archon Obek looked flabbergasted, and his wife Honoria tapped him on the shoulder.  “They make a cute couple, don’t they dear?”  She winked at him, and the Archon shook his head in disbelief. 

 

Steve by this point was thinking that the Sylvana was totally awesome and could do no wrong. 

 

Sylvana wondered if Steve knew the song was meant for him.

 

Dektora Lefay looked on silently, thinking that she would have Captain Burton all to herself, no matter what the cost.   He would be the capstone to her collection of little people artifacts.   It also crossed her mind that the little man might be kind of fun.

 

**********************

 

Steve and Sylvana were a little behind schedule returning to the park, and by the time they reached the rendezvous point the sun had set completely.  Steve had radioed ahead to the Spindrift, and they were sending Fitzhugh and Barry with the cart to help lug the food back to the camp. 

 

Sylvana reached the park bench, and reflected on how so much had happened since she had arrived there only that very morning.  She unsnapped the purse cover, and reaching in gently wrapped her fingers around the little man and slowly lowered him to the ground.  Steve reflected on how he now actually sort of looked forward to being held in the giant embrace of this woman.  Sylvana squeezed his tiny body lightly before setting him free, thinking how much she loved the feel of his tiny muscles.  She allowed her mind to wonder what he would feel like without his clothes on.  But that was ridiculous.  Or was it?   She brought herself back to reality, and reaching back into her purse pulled out the food package she had prepared and placed it on the ground next to Steve.

 

Steve took in the cool evening air.  Looking up at the giant woman before him, he basked in her immense beauty for one last time that day.  As he gazed up, he also noticed the stars coming out, framing the beautiful giant against a sparkling, sable backdrop.  He thought that although a world of difference separated them, that those beautiful stars were the same to the giants as they were to him. 

 

Sylvana peered down admiringly at the tiny man at her feet and let her hands fall to her sides.  “Steve, I just wanted to say that I really enjoyed meeting you.  I had a great time today,” she said softly.

 

Steve reciprocated, with interest.  “I really enjoyed meeting you as well Sylvana.  You are the nicest giant I’ve ever met.”  After a moment’s pause, he continued.  “Sylvana, I loved your song.  It was the most beautiful music I’ve ever heard.  I envy your boyfriend.”

 

Steve was still feeling a little tipsy from the wine, and it did its part to embolden him.  Without speaking, he walked over to the side of Sylvana directly adjacent to her right foot.  He put a hand on her foot just above the front sandal strap, and lowering his body placed a passionate kiss on her skin.  He allowed his lips to linger for a moment on her soft, smooth, and sensuous flesh.     

 

A moment passed, and then Steve slowly stood upright and backed away, surprising even himself at what he’d just done. 

 

Sylvana opened her mouth wide with awe and astonishment, and she clasped her hands together in front of her chest.  “Oh Steve”, she said passionately.  “I’ve never had a man kiss my feet before.” 

 

Steve lifted his neck back and looked up at her.  He felt a bit awkward after his amorous gesture, and it showed in the nervousness of his speech.  “Well Sylvana, I guess you’d better go.  My crewmembers will be here shortly, and they won’t approach if they see any giants in the area.”

 

She quickly shook her head up and down.  “Yes, you are right Steve.  Good night.” 

 

“Good night Sylvana.  We’ll see you again in a few days.”

 

The giant secretary addressed him one last time.  “Steve.” 

 

“Yes Sylvana.” 

 

“Thank you.” 

 

Steve smiled and waved goodbye.  She slowly turned around and walked up the park path.  He stood in place watching her as she departed, listening to the sound of her footsteps receding in the distance.  As ridiculous as it seemed, he thought that he might be developing very strong feelings towards this giant woman.

 

As Sylvana drove home, she thought that as ridiculous as it seemed, she might be falling in love with the little man.   

 

Steve sat on the food package waiting for Fitzhugh and Barry to arrive.  He continued to peer up into the beautiful night sky.