Big Family, Big Woes

In response to his greeting, His Father nodded, his mother smiled warmly and his father's other consort acknowledged him with a polite nod.

"His siblings' reactions varied-Indifference, warmness, coldness, disdain, envy.

all sorts of reactions flashed across the large table from his siblings, but as usual Michael paid them little mind.

since childhood, some siblings had always sought to scorn and bully Michael due to his difference, believing him to be lesser.

He ignored their scorn as if unbothered, but those who tried to bully him found themselves swiftly defeated-even some of his elder siblings.

For a race as warlike and hierarchy ingrained as the Giants, noble descendants especially, Michael-who neither looked as "distinguished" as them nor possessed the Fire Giant elemental affinity- defeating them was an eyesore.

Of course Michael didn't feel adversely to his siblings due to this.

Pedigree, bloodline lineage purity and certain physical traits were so ingrained and standard in Giant culture that he also didn't know why he was strange and broke the usual convention.

And he saw their antics as youthful banter.

In the end, no matter, they were still his siblings.

This composed reaction even after so many times always made Az admire this son of his.

For one so young to possess such temperament and mental fortitude.

And although he didn't show it, how could his Wive consorts and some shrewd, particularly elder siblings not notice this thoughts of his.

Many things could provoke resentment, sometimes, without any intent, simply existing as oneself could be enough.

For Michael his strikingly handsome features, his not excessively dominating, and partly reserved but equally powerful Aura did provoke some.

Combined with being shorter than other Giant nobles yet possessing more raw power than his peers, breaking an Ironclad rule of the Giant race.

Some really didn't find Michael pleasing to their eye, even in the same family.

And with their father's usually appreciating although hidden gaze, even they his siblings felt sour.

Although he had witnessed this countless times, Al felt a shiver run down his spine.

Every family had its woes, let alone a large family of warlike giants where not all children even shared the same Mother.

As a brother from the same Father and Mother, he had a deeper blood relation with his Michael, but even after so many times, feeling the stares and hostility of his other siblings towards this elder brother of his always made his blood freeze cold a bit.

If he was the object of such attention and scrutiny, Al couldn't say he wouldn't crumble under the weight of it .

looking to his brother at his left , who was still composed as always and eating his food with even more gusto than even some of his bigger and larger other older brothers, Al couldn't help but admire this brother of his.

Did he not feel it too?

His didn't think his brother was oblivious, Michael was intelligent.

Just always in control of his emotions, well almost.

Why did he think so, why almost, because when he had too, when he felt like, Michael always reacted.

Fierce when he had to, composed otherwise.

This black sheep of their family, hate him, scorn him, despise him, you couldn't disrespect him.

Al respected him and admired him.

But of course if his temperament was all Michael had, he wouldn't be able to command such respect, in a strength-oriented race like Giants, such temperament without the power to back it up would have been crushed.

The rest of the meal continued in silence, for two hours, maids and servants kept serving the family massive quantities of food, and all the family did in simple terms was eat, eat and eat.

Giants had huge physiques and powerful physical constitution with also large appetites.

These maids and servants were also giants, otherwise they wouldn't have been able to carry such massive amounts of food or serve in a palace of such scale.

The only person that ate normal proportions was Michael and Al's Mother Tania, she ate elegantly and her plates, filled with moderate amounts of food enough for her pure human physiology.

After the large meal Az first stood up, then his Consorts , then the rest stood up according to their ranks and followed behind him.

this rank wasn't according to age but their established power levels.

This also strength oriented social relations, If Michael hadn't visited other civilizations, he might have thought this was how the entire Cosmos was, but it wasn't so extreme in other places.

Though this didn't mean that Giants were babaric.

They had technology, science, arts and other necessary elements of civilization. they just esteemed strength first and to them any other thing was secondary.

Usually after their meal the whole family under the leadership of Az all brawled and trained their combat techniques in the large family arena, but today was different.

Tomorrow marked the beginning of the grand birthday celebrations of the Fire Giant King Ra Fire, and the beginning of a new Fire Giant 5 year cycle when all Royal descendants, nobles went to pay homage to the Fire Giant King, contemplate matters, and shuffle ranks.

Hence there was no fighting in the usual family arena today, they had to travel to the Fire Giant World.

Sighing in his heart Al followed too, according to his rank.

He wasn't really looking forward to this occasion, that according to giant tradition was battle or " honor " filled.

To be honest Al couldn't wait till he came of age and could be allowed to leave the Fire Giant world to see other worlds and live his life or as the Giants would say "pursue" glory.

Just that his interest in the pursuit was different.

If it was up to him he would want to become a Scientist or technologist, not a "fighter". But this kind of thing cannot be spoken out to others lightly.

The only people who knew these wild thoughts of his were his Mother and elder brother.

To the rest of the Giants only strength came first.

Checking through, he wasn't the only one anxious.

In fact this period was an important one for the entire Fire Giant race, it was a period of competition for those of age and a day when their " Ranks " would change again.

Al tried to calm his anxious heart to no avail only to feel a familiar hand pat his back.

Seeing that warm smile on the familiar face of his elder brother, Al felt his wildly fluctuating heart calm down.

Not even his Dad could put him at peace like this!

Maybe because Az was father to them all, and being a royal Prince, he had a very noble persona was also straddle with responsibilities,hence a bit estranged.

But Michael was first brother to him, then to others.

He somehow felt a deeper bond.

To Al, Michael was that hand that could prop up the sky for him, that warm shade for him.

he was always there.

" Be cool ", Al heard Michael say to him , then turn back and leave the large hall.

Taking a deep breath, he followed behind.