---

As Chanyeol and the others look at the painted cow, his eyes instantly widen as he realizes where they actually are.

"--!" he exclaims, stopping in his tracks.

"Woah, what happened?!" Jongin asks, throwing his hands up defensively.

The others stop walking and quickly look up at him. And Luhan already looks scared about something, so Chanyeol figures that he probably also knows whose territory they've just stepped into.

"Yeah, what's wrong?" Minseok asks, looking from him to Luhan and back. "Are you two like afraid of cows or something? Like, if you are--I won't judge but like--seriously, why do you two look like that?"

"I-it's not the cows themselves," Luhan replies, huddling a bit into himself. "I-it's the runes painted on them and what they signify."

"Hm? And what do they mean?" Minseok asks, eyebrows furrowed.

Luhan looks up at Chanyeol, who nods, before looking back at Minseok. "They mean that we're in a giant's territory."

The others immediately chorus out a What?! at that.

"Yeah like--" Chanyeol adds. "--it's far off in the distance right now but if we get too close, well uh, let's just say we'd be better off fighting daedra aheh." He then ruffles his hair a bit in frustration. "Ugh, I can't believe I forgot about this place though--damn."

Kyungsoo lets out a confused hum at that and Chanyeol continues.

"I mean like, back when I was travelling with Ruby--uh, that's my old dragonborn friend--she and I would come back to Whiterun for supplies and stuff like every once in a while. But, from the other side. So like, this is the first time I've gone this way to even get to Whiterun, so it took me a minute to even realize how close we were to this 's spot."

"So...what do we do then? Like how do we get past the giant?" Jongin asks.

Chanyeol blinks in surprise as everyone then turns to look up at him. He's not used to being the pseudo-leader. "Um...so uh, we're just gonna hafta sneak by and hope it doesn't sense us. And if it does--which hopefully does not happen--then we're just gonna have to make a run for it."

Luhan looks even more scared at that though and Chanyeol continues. "Hey--hey, it'll be fine though--once we're near the stables, the giant wouldn't wanna chase us anymore. I mean, if that somehow does happen--which again, we shouldn't let happen. Like at any cost."

The others take that in for a moment before Minseok asks, "So, wait...are you saying you can't fight a giant?"

And Chanyeol almost drops to the ground from how hard he laughs at that. "Ha...hahaha! Me fighting a giant?! Ahh hahah--" He wipes a tear from his eye. "--that's funny, man--good joke hahaha."

"But, it wasn't a joke."

"...Oh."

"Like, is it impossible to fight one or is it just 'cause we're not all expert fighters like you?"

"Um, both?" Chanyeol replies, much to the others' chagrin. "Seriously, like there's no freakin' way we can defeat a giant with only like me actually hitting it and you doin' what--freezin' its feet?" He turns to the other three. "No offense. Like we'd need an archer if we even wanted to attempt that . But like yeah, we're just gonna have to go the long way around, you guys--trust me on this. Please."

"Okay," Minseok responds with a frown.

And Kyungsoo sighs. "Alright--lead the way then."

And so with a relieved smile, Chanyeol does just that.

-------

The 'long way' turns out to be them going so far away from the edge of the right-hand plains that they're almost touching the stones and rocks that line the first entrance to Whiterun Hold. Just as they reach the stables unharmed though, Kyungsoo and the others freeze when they feel a stomp suddenly reverberate from the ground behind them.

With wide eyes, they all whip their heads towards the sound and Luhan lets out a yelp as they see an angry ol' giant (that's about twice as tall as Chanyeol) looking down at them just at the edge of the plains.

Fortunately, they're not in the giant's territory so they're safe, for now. But the glare that it's giving them, its aggressive stance, and its big, wooden club that drags on the grass is enough to scare the living out of everyone. So, the five of them end up running past the stables, past a few curious Hold guards, past the gate, and then slow down with relief as they head towards the doors of Whiterun Hold that's guarded by two Hold guards.

As they near it though, the Hold guard at the left of the doors suddenly steps forward and tells them to halt. Kyungsoo and the others quickly stop in their tracks at that.

"State your business," the Hold guard says, stance firm.

"Um...we're here to trade and such?" Kyungsoo responds, surprised at even being asked this.

"Hm, here to trade what?" They then take another step forward and Kyungsoo's shoulders tense up a bit. "...Alright, I'll need to see your packs to make sure you're not here to stir up any trouble."

Kyungsoo furrows his eyebrows at that and then looks up at Jongin--his husband's expression mirroring his. He knows that Holds are special areas and would have extra security, but the way that this Hold guard's treating them (and glaring at Luhan through that ugly helmet of theirs) makes Kyungsoo think that there's also some ridiculous prejudice to this.

And he's just about to ask the Hold guard why they'd have to do that when Chanyeol suddenly speaks up. "Hey, uh that won't be necessary," he says, voice deeper than usual.

The Hold guard turns to look up at him. "And why is that?"

"Because...I'm the Thane's Housecarl."

The Hold guard goes quiet for a moment before they let out a laugh and the other Hold guard does the same. "Impossible haha! The Thane's Housecarl died in battle against the great evil two years ago!"

Kyungsoo's eyes widen and he looks up at Chanyeol. That's some new information.

"Well hah, hate to break it to ya but I-I lived--am living, I mean." Chanyeol then messes with his own hair a bit. "Like can't you recognize me? Is it 'cause I cut my hair? Like, I know it's not fire red anymore but it's not like my face changed in two years!"

The Hold guard just stares at him for a moment before they let out a gasp and take a step back.

The second Hold guard then speaks up. "I-it can't be...We all heard that you were dead! O-our Thane even orchestrated a burial for you. Y-your ashes weren't found she said, but you'd died to the great evil's fire!"

The first Hold guard then steps back again and turns to ring the alarm bell near the door, but before they can, Minseok quickly freezes their hands (and the other Hold guard's hands too). Kyungsoo then looks frantically from a sheepish Minseok to a scared Jongin and Luhan and then to Chanyeol, whose eyes have gained a strange spark in them.

"Hey--hey, how about we just all just calm down, huh?" Kyungsoo blurts out, looking from Chanyeol to the Hold guards. "No need to start a fight that'll get us all killed." He then turns to the first Hold guard and removes his pack to open it. "Here, please check our packs. We've got nothing to hide."

The first Hold guard just meekly looks into his pack, still probably in shock, and then the others' packs (after Kyungsoo widens his eyes at them) before telling them that they can go inside. Then, Minseok quickly removes the ice from the two Hold guards' hands and apologizes like a thousand times while Chanyeol's the first to head past the doors--his shoulders still tense.

Once they're all past the doors and the Hold guards close it behind them, Kyungsoo lets out the breath that he didn't even know he was holding. Then, after they cross the small entrance bridge, he turns to glare up at Chanyeol, who blinks and gives him an awkward smile back. The Hold guard guarding the door at this side curiously watches them but keeps quiet.

"Alright, what the was that?" Kyungsoo asks, crossing his arms over his chest. "You died?"

Suddenly, a resident that was passing by looks at them with raised eyebrows before doing a double take when she sees Chanyeol.

"Oh my--t-the Thane's dead Housecarl?!" she exclaims.

Chanyeol's eyes widen. "Holy--y-you recognize me?" His lips curl up to an almost maniacal grin and he moves to shake her hand. "Nice to meet you or well, re-meet you! Man, I knew I still looked recognizable hah