Gerta took Ansel’s hand and just as promised, Ansel took his wife to see their children.

“Since when did you find time to build another barn?” Gerta asked as she spotted the ornately carved building.  Ansel put his finger to his lips to hush his wife as he reached the doors of the old barn.  Ansel still couldn’t get over how small his wife is to him now.  Before, Ansel only stood a few inches taller than his wife, but now his perspective was so much different.  Gerta seemed child sized to him now.

“They are sleeping, Gerta,” Ansel whispered as he looked down at his healthy wife.

“Ansel, why are they not in the house with us?” Gerta asked as Ansel peeked in on the two sleeping giants, making sure his wife couldn’t see past him.

“Gerta,” Ansel said as he took his wife’s small hands into his very big ones.  Ansel wasn’t sure how he was going to break this to his loving wife.  He let out a sigh as he had his back to the closed door.

“What is wrong, Ansel?  Did our children get enchanted too,” Gerta said, looking up at her extremely tall husband.  She reached up and ran her small hand through his think hair.  Ansel just looked down at her but Gerta could read her husband well enough.  “It doesn’t matter, Ansel.  I love will them the same.  I didn’t mind standing on my stool this morning to kiss you.  I love my big husband even if he isn’t that same old man that left on a journey and came back a giant.  The same goes for our children.”

Ansel grabbed Gerta’s hand and kissed it.  “Their enchantment is much deeper than my own, Gerta.  The Black Forest has completely spoiled them and there is no way of changing the enchantment.  I must warn you of this before entering,” Ansel said with deep concern for his family.

“I don’t care so as long as we can be a family again.  I will love them all the same,” Gerta said.  Ansel practically doubled over to kiss his wife on the forehead.  Ansel then took his wife’s hand and carefully opened the large barn door.

Gerta stood frozen by the sight of a giant and a giantess sleeping in the barn.  The giantess yawned and blinked awake.  She then smiled at Gerta.  “Momma,” the giantess moaned.  “You are well now?”

“M-M-Marta?  Is that you, my little one?” Gerta said as she stepped into the darkness of the barn and then came another loud yawn coming from the other side of the giantess.  The giant sat up and stretched his long arms.  “J-J-Jakob, my son?”

“Momma, so nice to see that you are well,” the giant said in a deep voice.

“My children…” Gerta muttered silently.

Gerta knew that her children had grown up but not quite like this.  Both were very slender and very pale despite their great size.  Jakob had some muscle to his slender frame that showed he had worked hard all these years.  He quickly slid his tunic over his naked torso, slightly embarrassed to have his mother see him like this.

Gerta just stood there silently studying her now adult children.  Jakob was handsome indeed and there was no denying that he was Ansel’s son.  He had the same dark curly hair and strong chin but instead of the brown eyes Gerta remembered, Jakob’s eyes were now a pale blue color.  Marta turned out to be very fair just like her golden hair.  An oversized angel came to Gerta’s thoughts, especially dressed in her gown of natural fabric.  Just like Jakob, Marta’s eyes had changed from green to the same light blue color as her brother’s.  Gerta even noticed that both the giants winced at the light pouring through the barn door.  Ansel quickly shut it.

“They are sensitive to daylight,” Ansel said to his petite wife.  “Living in the forest caused it.”

“Momma,” Marta said with a smile that Gerta remembered.  “It is really us.”

“I see that, my little one.  It has just been far too long,” Gerta said with a warm smile.  She promised herself and Ansel that she would love her children no matter and now here she is keeping her word as the reunion with her children went well.  Gerta wanted to embrace her two long lost children but wasn’t quite sure how you hug a giant.  Marta sat up and delicately pulled her mother into a hug, lifting her off the ground.  Jakob then did the same.  Gerta knew in her heart that the two giants were hers.  They were the same creature she had given birth to and in every way, Gerta was proud of her two giants…

Exhausted from her reunion, Gerta went to take a nap.  She still coughed and wheezed from the sickness but it was very little now.  Ansel helped her to bed.  Ansel kissed her as she went to sleep.  Ansel then decided he needed to tend to his chores and that is exactly what he did.

Erik visited Ansel that afternoon.  Erik still couldn’t get over his friend’s size and youthfulness.  Ansel knew that he was now much stronger than before he left on his journey.  Erik laughed when he saw his friend pulling a plow like a mule would.

“The damn beast tired and so I thought I would give it a try.  Don’t know what that animal’s problem is, that plow barely weighed a once,” Ansel told Erik and Erik laughed.

“Let me give it a try, friend,” Erik said, jokingly.  Erik put the harness around his neck just as Ansel had and started pulled.  Erik barely made it a foot and he was spent.  Ansel laughed and so did Erik. “My friend, you have the strength of an ox,” Erik then said and Ansel laughed.

“So why have you come, Erik?  It is not to make a pathetic attempt at plowing my field?” Ansel said.

“Nay, I wish to see a fair lady,” Erik said with a smile.

“Gerta is napping now.  She has had a long morning,” Ansel said.

“Not Gerta, the other fair lady that resides here.”

“There are no other fair ladies here,” Ansel said defensively.

“I met your fair daughter last night, my friend,” Erik said with a warm smile.

“Marta?  Where?”

“By the lake.  I was taking my nightly walk when I crossed her path.  Not to worry my friend, your secrets are safe with me,” Erik said as he motioned to the old barn.

“Erik…” Ansel mumbled.

“I will not tell a soul, Ansel,” Erik said.

“But Erik…”

“I don’t care that she is not as I.  Just in our short meeting, she has stolen my heart, friend.  No woman has been able to do that since my wife,” Erik said honestly.

“Her and Jakob plan to search for others as themselves,” Ansel then manage to say.  Erik frowned.

“I don’t care about that.  I wish to see her,” Erik said and Ansel could see that Marta deeply affected the blacksmith.  “I haven’t told a soul about her, not even my sister,” Erik then said with his blue eyes afire.

“Papa,” Ansel heard Marta’s voice coming from the barn.  “It is alright.  I want to see Erik too.”

“Alright child, I shall show him to the barn.  There is still too much daylight for you and Jakob,” Ansel responded to the soft voice.

Erik followed the unusually tall man to the large barn.  Erik couldn’t get over Ansel’s long strides as he did his best to keep up.  Once to the barn Ansel turned around and looked down at Erik with a father’s protective gaze.  “Not a soul, Erik,” Ansel finally said.

“You have my word, friend,” Erik said with his hand over his heart.

“Very well,” Ansel said as he opened the door…

Ansel went to check on Gerta while Erik was in the barn with Marta and Jakob.  The little man had poured his soul out to the carpenter.  Ansel didn’t know what to make of this.  Marta and Erik were from two different worlds.  It was odd.

Gerta had woken up from her nap looking even better than before.  Ansel kissed her cheek and took her hand but there was something different about Gerta. 

“My sickness is gone.  I can’t explain it but that it’s gone,” Gerta said.  Ansel had one more goblet to give his wife and then the elixir.  He had to do as the witch told him even though Gerta was feeling better.

“One more goblet just to be sure,” Ansel said as he poured the last of the water from the cask.

Gerta’s hands touched Ansel’s once again as he handed her the goblet.  There was something different about her touch that he didn’t notice earlier.  Ansel still had no idea what it could be…