Erik and Jakob loaded up Erik’s wagon with tools and blankets, everything needed to help out neighbors and friends.  Erik took his place on the wagon and held the reigns.

“You sure you still want to do this Jakob?  It is hard to know how the villagers will react to a giant,” Erik said as he looked up at the giant.  It was hard for Erik to see from his view of the giant but Erik could have sworn that Jakob seemed a bit taller than when he first met the giant.  Then Erik remembered that Jakob is still young and still in his growing years.  The giant was still naturally growing.

“Aye, I do.  Can we go back to our home first?  I’d like to see if my tools survived,” Jakob said with a boyish grin and eyes that seemed older than his twenty years.

“I want to see if Ansel and Gerta made it through the storm.  That was to be our first stop anyway,” Erik tells the giant.  Marta came out of the barn and hugged her brother.  Erik could see that his Marta was still the same as the night he met her so he was relieved to see that Jakob’s growth was only natural.

“Be careful, Jakob,” Marta said as she put both her hands on his cheeks.  “Run away if the villagers can’t accept you.  I’ll find you.”

Jakob took her hands into his and gave his sister a serious look.  “I will be alright as long as I’m with our friend.  I trust Erik,” Jakob said as he gazed down at his sister.  Jakob could tell that he just had a growth spurt recently.  Marta seemed a tad shorter to him but they were both still propionate to each other.  Jakob still wondered if there were others out there like him and Marta and if so, are their attitudes and demeanors the same?

“Oh Jakob, I’m glad,” Marta said and gave her brother another hug.  Marta then kissed Erik on top of his head again.

“I’ll protect Jakob with my life, my lovely giantess,” Erik said with a smile and off the two went, the giant and the human…

Jakob and Erik made it to the small patch of land that Jakob has called home recently.  The giant picked up his stride making it difficult for Erik’s horses to keep up.  Erik understood Jakob’s haste.  The giant worried about the ones he loved.

Jakob frowned when he saw half the barn that he and Marta were staying in was half blown down by the wind.  Jakob also let out a grateful sigh knowing that they weren’t in there during the storm.  He also sighed when he saw that the mud and thatch house still stood.  In the darkness of night Jakob could see things that no one else could.  His eyes were used to the dark after living so many years in it.  He smiled when he saw Ansel and Gerta ducking out the door.

“Jakob!”  Gerta exclaimed as she ran to her son and hugged his leg for all it was worth.  Jakob crouched down and blanketed his mother with his hand and slightly held her closer.  Gerta stood as high as his knee while Erik was nowhere as high as his knee.

“We are all right, momma.  I’ve come to see if you and papa are safe.  Erik and I are going to see if others need our help,” Jakob said and Gerta gave her son a protective gaze.

“Is that wise my son?” Gerta asked.  Jakob just smiled.

“Erik promised to protect me with his life,” Jakob said and Ansel laughed.

“That sounds like a true friend to me.  I will protect you too,” Ansel said amused.

“Ansel!” Gerta said.

“What woman?  Am I not bigger and stronger than I used to be?  I will go with you,” Ansel said giving his son a fatherly glance.

“What shall I do then?” Gerta asked.

“Maria and Marta are going to nurse the injured, perhaps you can help?”  Erik said to the tall woman.

“I am bigger and stronger too.  If Maria can get others to help maybe Marta and I can work with the boys,” Gerta said with a playful smile.  The men all laughed.

“Perhaps you can,” Erik responded, knowing that Gerta is stronger than he is.  Erik has come to accept the giants in his life, big or small.  He knew that Ansel was now the biggest and strongest man in the village after his journey to The Black Forest.  Gerta made all the men look like children with her recent visit to the village so needless to say her strength had to compare.

“Help the women my wife, the men might not like being around a woman that is much taller and stronger.  You know how fragile the male ego can be,” Ansel said, giving Gerta a wink.  Gerta knew that her husband was right and so she went to Erik’s stately home instead…

Gerta hugged her daughter much like she did her son.  She was so grateful to see that her children were safe.  Marta fixed the hole in the barn wall as the women waited.  Elisa attached herself to Marta unafraid of her new giantess friend.  Marta held the small tot in the palm of her hand and Elisa giggled as Marta tickled her with her long slender finger and played games with the little girl.

“Papa likes you.  You’re pretty,” Elisa tells the giantess and Marta blushes.  “I like you too.  You make me a good mommy.”

Marta didn’t know what to say.  She had grown quite fond of Erik and his kindness.  He didn’t look at her like she was a monster but just another person.  Marta liked that most of all.

“I want to be big and strong like you,” Elisa rattled on with a child’s fascination.  “You a really big lady.”

Marta had a thought at that moment.  Maybe Erik would be willing to go back with her to the forest and they can start a new life together with little Elisa?  Maybe the forest will claim them just as it had claimed both her and Jakob?

Marta gathered firewood for the hearth while Elisa helped her out by picking up twigs.  Marta smiled as the tot did her best to put the twigs in a small pile.

“I help you get wood like I do papa,” said the little girl.

“You are doing a fine job, Elisa,” Marta said as she yawned.  Marta stayed awake well past dawn and fatigue was starting to take over.

“You need nap.  Maria makes me nap when I do that,” Elisa said.  Marta looked down at her with a warm smile and an armload of firewood.

“I’ll nap after I put the firewood where it needs to go,” Marta tells the little girl and puts down the firewood.  Marta didn’t want to be delayed by Elisa’s pace so she offered the tot the warm pocket of her apron.  Elisa thought it would be fun and she fit just perfect.  Marta gathered the firewood and headed back to the house where she stacked the wood near the kitchen of the stately home.  The aroma of Maria’s stew lingered in the air making Marta feel a little hungry but Marta knew that the stew was for the displaced people of the village.  Then Marta realized that both her and Jakob are now displaced themselves since Gerta told her about the barn.  Of course Maria told Marta that she and Jakob are welcomed to stay in Erik’s barn for as long as they like and if Erik has a problem with that, Maria will take full care of it.

“That was fun,” Elisa giggled while Marta carefully deposited the little girl next to her mother.  Marta stretched and yawned.  Maria gave her a kind smile.

“The barn is yours.  Sleep as long as you like,” Maria kindly said.  “Gerta and I should be able to take care of whoever comes.”

Marta smiled kindly down at Maria before heading back to the barn she and Jakob now call home.  Marta lies down in the nest of straw and quickly falls asleep.  She had a strange and vivid dream.  She dreamt of Erik and Elisa.

Erik had made the decision give up his home and life in the village and sunlight to come live with the lowly giantess.  Marta never thought herself as beautiful much less pretty.  She could never figure out what it was about Erik that made her weak.

In the lucid dream, Jakob, Marta, Erik and little Elisa made the journey to the enchanted forest.  Erik lived with them in their normal sized cabin.  Elisa cried at first but enjoyed living with the big people.  The dream kept jumping time.  Marta watched as Erik and Elisa slowly change with each passing day.  Growing bigger and stronger to match her own size.  Erik’s eyes becoming a lighter shade of blue and Elisa’s never really changing.  The happiness Marta felt in her heart of the family she always wanted.

Then the dream changed again.  The tall blond woman that Marta knew as the witch of the rainbow house appeared to her.  The witch gave her a kindly smile as Marta realized she was no longer giant.  The witch embraced her and kissed her forehead.

“Sweet Marta, I have come to tell you that love is about making decisions.  I cannot make you as you once were before entering the forest but the forest can give you what you most desire.  The choice is yours,” the witch said as she faded and Marta awoke.  Marta sat up in the lonely dark barn.  She then realized that her and Erik needed to speak of their future.  She didn’t want to trick Erik in joining her on the journey back to her rightful home but she hoped he would accept this and let it grow into a love so true.