Jakob spent the day digging people out of cellars.  Few were afraid but most accepted the giant with open arms.  By the time Jakob, Erik and Ansel finished helping people; Erik’s wagon was completely full of displaced villagers.  Some of the children feared the giant while others were curious of the large creature that had saved them.  Hilda’s son Hans became attached to the giant as Jakob let him ride in the pocket of his knapsack.  The little boy laughed when he realized that Jakob’s strides were faster than that of the horses pulling the wagon.  Jakob smiled.

Maria feed all the hungry villagers just outside her kitchen.  Jakob returned Hans to his mother and went to seek out his sister.  Being around small people all day made Jakob long for the companionship of another giant.  Marta was the only one who made Jakob feel not so out of place.  Much like his sister, Jakob had become introverted after living alone for so long.

“She went to take a nap in the barn,” Maria said to Jakob as she served some stew.

“Thank you Maria,” Jakob just quietly said and started his way down to the barn when Maria stopped him.

“You must be starving.  I made an extra pot for you,” Maria said.  She gave Jakob a compassionate gaze.  Maria has felt sorrow for the two giants residing in her brother’s barn.  Maria knew what it was like not to fit in.  She was considered an old maid at the age of sixteen since she refused the suitors her father found for her.  It wasn’t until he died and Erik inherited his wealth did Maria feel truly free.  Maria smiled when she saw the giantess coming.  Jakob turned around to find his sister.

“Jakob, you made it back alright,” Marta said as she took him into her arms.  Tears fell from her eyes as she was unaware of the people sitting on the long benches staring up at the two giants.  Jakob returned her embraced, grateful to see the one person who made him feel right.

“I told you that I would protect him with my life,” Erik said, walking out the open kitchen door.  He smiled up at Marta and gave her a wink of his eye.

“Erik,” she said as she picked him up and held him in a hug.  She was gentle when she did this as she held back her strength.  Erik snuggled into her embrace as he rested his head on her soft breast.  Her long golden lock blanketed him.

“I am happy to see you too, Marta,” Erik said with a smirk and some of the villagers laughed.  Marta blushed but still kept her hold on Erik.  She shifted him so that she cradled him in her strong but slender arms.  Erik didn’t want her to put him down.  He had grown quite fond of the shy and beautiful giantess.

“Can we go to the lake?” Marta asked Erik.

“My horses are exhausted, my dear,” Erik said as he enjoyed being held by his giantess.  “Of course we can go, if you don’t mind my being a burden,” Erik then said with a smile.  Marta returned his smile.

“I don’t mind,” Marta said shyly and kissed his forehead.  “I need to refill my cask anyway.  What is another load for someone as strong as I?” Marta then said and Erik laughed.  Marta then carried Erik to the lake with her and a cask that strangely refilled itself on the walk there.  Marta knew the responsible party, the witch of the rainbow house.  The water was that of The Black Forest.

Erik bathed while Marta sat at the edge of the water.  She was lost in her thoughts as she held a stick and drew random shapes in the dirt.  Erik smiles up at her as he scrubs himself clean and splashes water all over himself.

“What are you thinking about?” Erik asks the giantess.

“Home,” Marta said as she thought about the forest she left behind.

“You are home, fair lady,” Erik said but he knew what home she was thinking about.  Erik had grown to love both the giants.  Jakob had opened up to him today and now thought of him as a friend.  He loved Marta as much as his beloved deceased wife, Elisa.  The shy giantess stole his heart like no other woman other than Elisa could.  She frowned at him.

“I miss the forest,” she said quietly.  “The village is far too small for Jakob and me.  We feel right in our old home.”

Erik stepped out of the lake and behind some greenery.  Erik felt he had to be a gentleman towards the shy and naive giantess.  He knew that she had never seen a man nude much less lay with one despite the fact that at eighteen she is considered old.  Erik groomed and dressed himself out of the sight of the giantess.

“I wish to go back soon,” Marta then tells Erik.  Erik’s heart drops at the thought of not seeing his giantess again.  “Jakob and I have heard of others as ourselves.  We wish to seek them out.”

“Marta, will I see you again?”  Erik asked as he stepped out of the greenery.  He looked up at Marta beautiful and fair face.  She looked deep in thought.  Erik is never going to get that face out of his mind.  Her full lips and small turned up nose, the way she blushes when she is shy or embarrassed.  Erik is going to miss her.

Marta gently gathered Erik into her arms and cradled him onto her lap.  As much as she loved Erik, Marta knew in her heart that this was not how it should be.  Marta then started to weep.  Erik should be the one holding her and cradling her in his lap.  Erik should be the strong one, not her.  He should be the one protecting her from all that is bad and evil; instead she is the one with the size and strength, not him.  “I do not know,” Marta finally answered, afraid to look down at the man on her lap.

“My heart will break if I cannot see you again,” Erik said in a clam yet quiet voice.  This caused tears to come out of Marta’s eyes.  She knew her heart would break as well.  Marta had fallen in love with Erik in such short time.  “I understand you and your brother’s need to leave but I cannot go until the village is repaired,” Erik then said, this caused Marta to turn her teary gaze to him.

“Y-Y-You would be willing to come with Jakob and me,” Marta sobbed.

“Maria and Elisa too,” Erik said, giving the giantess a small smile.

“Erik, you know you cannot come back.  At least not the way you left,” Marta said as she gently cradled her little man once more.

“I am well aware of that, besides it’ll mean I can hold you instead,” Erik said.

Just then the water began to glow and shimmer.  It wasn’t the moonlight but a light much brighter.  Marta held Erik closer to her as the water changed shape.  It spouted up and formed into a beautiful and fair maiden, a maiden that Marta knew well.  It was the good witch.  The witch smiled warmly at the unusual couple.

“Love’s first kiss will make you as you should be,” the witch said and mysteriously disappeared as quickly as she appeared.  Erik and Marta looked at each other for a moment.

“What do you suppose she means?” Erik asked the giantess.

“I do not know,” Marta said looking down at Erik.

“Maybe we are supposed to kiss?” Erik shrugged.

“Maybe,” Marta responded while Erik crawled off her lap.  “I don’t know how we are to do this?”

“We will make do.  Just try to level yourself with me,” Erik said.  Marta got down on her hands and knees.  She lowered her face to where she was eye level with him.  Erik put his hand under her chin and raises her lips to where they would be level with his and began to kiss the soft tender flesh of her lips.  Marta closed her eyes as Erik nipped at her much larger mouth.  Marta ignored the awkwardness of the kiss and let bliss cross her mind. Marta had grown to care about Erik and his unusual family.  Marta didn’t care that Elisa wasn’t her daughter but she had grown to love her in just short time she has had with the girl.  Maria seemed smitten with Jakob and even though Jakob was silent, Marta knew he felt the same.  The kiss all the sudden felt right despite their size difference.

Nothing changed.  There were no fireworks or magic, Erik and Marta appeared to be unchanged.  Marta was still a giantess while Erik was still human.  Marta frowned at the revelation.

“Maybe we are not meant to be?” Erik said in a sad tone.  Marta gathered him up in her arms all the same and walked him back to his house.  She then joined Jakob in the barn where she slept restlessly.