The large man was clearly startled. “Refreshement you say, you wee thing? I haven’t time enough to provide hospitality.”

“Ah, then considering how busy you are I will provide the hospitality for you, but just this once. Tell me, have you a cup with which I can fetch water from the river?”

He looks at her amazed, ties off the sack he’s just filled then points to a rope at the wall.

“Use that pulley to bring a bucket up from the stream, if you’re able. I’ll no help you.”

Aine wanders to the wall and notes the rope is large enough she has to wrap both arms about it.

“Husband,” she hisses under her breath, “if there was ever a time I’d be grateful for help….”

“As if I’ve no’ helped you enough this Samhain,” he says as he appears on the other side of the rope. With a wave of his hands, the bucket rises. “I donna ken how much longer I can stay, Aine.”

Aine nods at this, and uses a smaller dish to fill the giant’s mug partway. She carefully drags it across the floor, waits for him to slack his thirst with the half mug of water, then repeats the task.

“Who are you?” she asks as he hefts the second mug.

“Here comes to be ground all that men begrudge of each other,” he replies. “I grind the grains for the local populace, but the rest finds a path to the west.” He swallows deep, and the words he has spoken land like a rock in Aine’s stomach.

After gulping down the water, he runs the back of his hand over his beard and grunts in satisfaction.

“You have helped me when tis I should have helped you,” he says to her. “For that you’re deserving o’ something. What would you take from this place?”

Aine thinks of her husband, but realizes there’s nothing she could do for him.

“I have already taken knowledge from here that I dinna have before,” she tells him. “All I am lacking is the sword given to me by the father o' my husband. Twas lost during me journey.”

The giant thrust his hand into the pile of weapons, and pulled out her blade. “Tis yours,” he says simply.