“Hold still Elisa while I put your dress on,” Maria said after she bathed her niece in the creek.  Jakob sat close by to keep both the humans well protected in case bandits showed.

“I holding still, Aunt Maria,” Elisa declared.  Maria had noticed that her niece seemed to be growing lately but she hadn’t noticed that the growth wasn’t all that normal.  Maria thought Elisa was going through a growth spurt like most children but Jakob noticed the signs as he kept a tight lip.  It had been close to a week since the giants and the three humans started on their journey back to the Black Forest.  It was about the same amount of time Jakob and Marta lived in the forest when they started noticing their change.  Jakob cursed to himself when he realized what Marta had done.

Jakob watched as Maria struggled to dress Elisa in the tight garment.  Maria frowned and started going through her knapsack.  She struggled to pull the dress back off of Elisa and dressed Elisa in a blouse she had packed.  “This will just have to do,” Maria said to the tot.  “You are having one growth spurt Elisa,” Maria said, exasperated from her struggle of dressing a three year old.  Elisa giggled while Maria rolled up the sleeves.

Erik now stood as tall as Marta’s waist and took to walking on his own as he found he could almost keep up with the two giants.  Erik’s growth seemed to be quickening as the days went on.  He barely noticed Elisa’s growth which seemed to be helped along with the water.  Maria watched her brother’s ever expanding height.  Sometimes his growth could be seen.  Erik even noticed his expanding stride as they walked through the woods.  Everything began to appear smaller.  He only wore one of Jakob’s tunics as he had to discard Ansel’s garments.  By the end of the day, Erik stood as high as Marta’s breasts.  This made Erik smile as they sat up camp.

“Here soon I will be looking you in the eyes, dear one,” Erik said as he put his arms around Marta’s waist and looked up into those two blue pools.  Marta smiled down at her little man with his oversized tunic and pants.  Erik had been walking with bare feet since he had outgrown everything.  Jakob’s garment made him appear boy like to Marta.

“The way you have been growing, I guess by morning.  It is like your body can’t wait to hold me,” Marta quietly said the last sentence.  Erik smiled up at his blushing giantess.

“That is because I can’t,” Erik responded with a smirk that made Marta giggle.

“Your eyes already look like mine and Jakob’s but you still seem to take the sun better than we can,” Marta said while Erik let her go.

“Maybe it is because I am not growing in the darkness like you and Jakob have,” Erik said as the two sat down by the fire where little Elisa lies fast asleep dreaming of her new giant world.  Erik gently kissed his little girl’s forehead as she slept.  Marta’s heart skipped a beat at the sight of the giant father with his little girl.

“We should probably sleep too.  Tomorrow we will be in the Black Forest.  I noticed the trees are starting to get taller,” Marta said.  “That is a sign we are getting close.”

Erik yawned and lay next to his daughter while Marta lay down next to him.  Marta took Erik’s little hand into her own as they lay there.  “Goodnight my love,” Erik said and kissed the giantess’s hand.  Marta blushed and fell into a slumber.

Jakob woke up his sister.  It was still dark and the humans were fast asleep.  Jakob noticed that Erik’s lying form seemed to slowly expand.  He shook his head and thought it only an illusion.

“We need to talk sister,” Jakob said in a serious tone.  Marta wiped the sleep from her eyes knowing that Jakob had something important to tell her.  “Not here.  Someplace private,” Jakob whispered as Marta stood up.

Marta followed Jakob away from the camp.  Being a giant meant that Jakob and Marta were beyond the reach of Erik and Maria.  Jakob stopped and looked at his sister with a furious gaze.

“What are you doing to Elisa, Marta?” Jakob barked out, upset with his sister.  “Can’t you wait till we are back at our cabin?”

“I’m doing it for Erik.  I want him to be able to hold her like he should,” Marta said, upset with her brother for yelling at her.

“Has it ever occurred to you that Maria cares for the girl while Erik provides?  The poor woman can barely lift her and besides, we need at least one normal sized human traveling with us.  Maria can’t do that too well if she’s hurt.  Who’s going to distract the humans for us?” Jakob spat out, concerned for his human lover.  Tears filled Marta’s eyes.  Marta never realized her ignorance of practical matters, all she thought about was her lover.  Jakob realized how hard he was being on his sister as she broke down crying.  He put his arm around her.  “I should have never raised my voice like that.  The damage is done.  I’m sorry, Marta,” Jakob then said in a softer tone.

“I understand Jakob,” Marta sobbed out.  “I should have never given Elisa the water.  I should have waited just as you are with Maria.  I’m sorry.”

Jakob sat down next to his sister with his arm still around her.  Jakob pulled out a cloth and handed it over to his sobbing sister.  “You are going to have to tell Maria first thing in the morning.  She needs to know Marta.  She will know by then anyway.  I figure Elisa will be twice as big as a child her age should be.  Maria will know for certain,” Jakob gently tells his sister and Marta nodded.

Erik woke up the next morning staring at the face of his love.  Marta’s braid coiled in front of her sleeping form.  Erik reaches over and moves some stray locks from her closed eyes.  He catches a glimpse of his hand as he does this.  Marta’s peaceful face seems small.  Erik sat up and noticed the sleeves of the tunic seemed to have ridden up during his slumber as well as the legs of his pants.  He then looks down at the sleeping form of his daughter.  He holds his hand over the child to see that she could easily fit in his palm.

“I am giant,” Erik whispers to himself as he looks down at his newly enlarged form.