At my question, Caerwyn looked at me with his pink skin going white. He looked away. “I do not know, Princess.”

“You lie to me?” I asked him. “You are not good at lying, Sir Knight.”

“Ah Princess…” Caerwyn said with a heavy sigh. “Please do not press me on this...”

I narrowed my oval eyes angrily. “Sir Knight, these are my people. If you know why they did not come, please tell me.”

“I shall tell you when we make it out of here. I promise, and a knight is bound by his word.” He assured me.

I blinked nervously. I didn’t press him; my heart was telling me that I did not want to know the fate of my people. “V-very well…”

I ate the whole plate of food and then crawled over to Caerwyn’s side and sat next to him. He looked visibly uncomfortable and scooted a little away from me.

“Why do giants capture princesses anyway…?” I wondered aloud.

“I do not know… There is a theory that states that humans were once giants, but slowly evolved into intelligent and civilized creatures over time. They still have a desire to gaze upon pretty women, however.” Caerwyn said and winked at me mischievously.

Oh my! And why shouldn’t he! I am the prettiest and most sought after princess around! I am a sweet and innocent thing that needs rescuing and…

I must stop with my childish and inflated ego. I knew he was just trying to cheer me up and boost my confidence after being rejected by so many men for eight years. I knew now that my girlish dreams were stupid and silly. I had to grow up now. No more daydreaming and unrealistic pursuits.

“Eat up and rest, Princess, and we will get moving again when you are ready.” Caerwyn told me kindly.

“I am tired of sleeping, Caerwyn.” I said to him, finding some amount of courage in my meek and passionless heart. “If we are going to go, we may as well go now. Lead on, Sir Knight.”

I stood up and fell back down.

Caerwyn chuckled. “Princess, you must stretch your legs a little more. They haven’t seen much use of late, after all.”

I turned to him and made a face, but obeyed.

Because he could not touch me, all he could do was encourage me to get up. I climbed to my feet again with my vision swimming and stretched my legs, walking around in the small space.

As I walked, I thought of the eight years I missed that I could have spent with my family. I wondered what my little brother was up to—the precious adorable brown moth!—and father who spoiled me endlessly and told me no mothman was good enough for me, and mother…

Mother was so quiet and so poised. So good at mediating father’s rare fights with kingdoms we were allied with. She was a woman filled with quiet passion.

I fell down, hugging my torso, crying like a pathetic child. “I am so frightened. I cannot find the strength to stand. I wish to see my family again, but…”

The templar knelt by my side. “If you really wanted to see them, you would quit whining and stand. Your family must mean nothing to you if you cannot even find the strength to make it back to them.”

I glared at him and climbed to my feet to prove him wrong. I found strength in my legs that I had never found before—even when I was well and happy—I had a goal. A noble goal I wanted to accomplish.

I walked around for a whole hour in that tiny hole and Caerwyn gave me water when I was finished. I turned to him with a smile and asked, “Proof enough for you that I want to see them?”

Caerwyn returned the smile. “Proof enough, Princess. How about your wings?”

I was curious about them, myself. I stood up after a moment and tried to flutter into the air, but they would not budge.

Caerwyn saw the look of devastation on my face. “Let’s not worry about your wings, Princess. I am sure they are fine. Are you well enough to try to escape?”

I was lost in thought about my wings. Why did I have a feeling they would never work again?

“Princess…?” Caerwyn prompted me.

I took a moment before turning to him determinedly. “I am ready.”

Caerwyn peeped out of the hole we were hiding in and my heart froze as a giant stomped by. I screwed my eyes shut with fear.

“Be brave, Princess. I need you at your best and finest.” Caerwyn encouraged me.

He dashed out the hole and down the hall when the giant’s back was facing us and I followed after him. I was falling behind quickly. Caerwyn was simply more physically fit than me.

We heard a giant approaching around the corner of the hall we were going down.

I was sobbing with fear as I ran.

Caerwyn stopped in his tracks and came back to me. “Princess, to the shadows!”

I followed him to the corner between an open door and its frame to our left.

The giant turned around the corner.

This one was smart. He was scanning the floor beneath him and being very thorough.

Caerwyn, who was peeking around the door frame next to me, told me to stand back.

All I could see was his back, and I closed my eyes in fear.

We heard the giant’s footsteps slowly approaching.

Suddenly, a gigantic hand reached toward Caerwyn and I clapped a hand over my mouth to keep myself from screaming.

“Pretty girl!” The giant yelled in English and cupped him with both hands.

I cowered further in the corner of the crevasse between the door and its frame as the giant lifted Caerwyn out and continued fawning over his beauty.

“Prettier than moth girl!” The giant exclaimed.

“Unhand me or I will be forced to act!” I heard Caerwyn yell at the top of his lungs.

I heard the giant stomp down the hallway, and I found courage enough to peek around the door to see the giant heading back toward the dungeon. I could do nothing. I was a worthless and silly girl and I was going to let this poor man be caged. I hugged my knees and wept bitterly. I knew I couldn’t escape without him, either. I was doomed to cower in this corner until another giant found me where I now scribbled hasty words into you, my diary.

But I have no more courage to write right now, diary.