Secret Safety

Naomi counted her breaths, trying to figure out how much time was passing. It seemed like Finn had left seconds ago, even though a few hundred breaths had come and gone. 

Was she hyperventilating, maybe? 

No, she had plastered a comforting smile on her face for Gabriel's sake and breathed deeply and slowly, trying to exude calm. 

"It's not working. I know things are bad," He rolled his eyes. She grimaced. Usually she was very good with children, but he seemed in a foul mood… and no wonder. 

"I don't know how bad they are," Naomi admitted. "But I'm glad you're here to protect me." 

The corner of Gabe's mouth tipped up slightly. "I'm supposed to protect the babies. You're an adult. Shouldn't you be able to protect yourself?" 

"Oh, that's true, that's true." She nodded seriously. "Perhaps I can be your assistant and protect the babies with you?" 

"All right." He agreed, though he seemed to be humoring her. "I hope Finn–" 

The door to the pantry opened and Gabe's sister returned. Roland smiled at them, kissed the babies, and departed, leaving the group in silence for several seconds. 

"What happened?" Gabe clearly could stand his curiosity no longer. Naomi heard some sort of shifting in the kitchen. Was the table being moved? Or something being moved from it?

Finn, Gabe, and Naomi each held one of the babies. Thankfully, they slept, and so voices were kept at a low volume to maintain that state. 

"The battle right outside the home is over," Serafina gave an encouraging smile. "Roland has gone to finish the battle at the City Hall." 

"Finish the battle?" Naomi asked. How could Finn know that his actions would stop it?

"It should hopefully all be over soon," Finn said simply. 

"You're hiding stuff from me again." Gabriel complained. 

Finn scooted closer to him and put one arm around his shoulders. 

"Not to be mean. I told you I want to help you stay carefree and young as long as I can." She said kindly. 

"Finn. I'm almost nine." He told her sternly. "And this is already the second war of my life." 

Naomi watched bitterness creep into the boy's face. Finn closed her eyes in silent pain for a moment. 

"You're a very brave boy, Gabriel." His sister said after a moment. "I'm very thankful you're my brother. All too soon you will be a very brave man, off to save the world, no doubt. Please let the adults try to save it without your help, at least one more time." 

The granite in his face softened a little, and he looked down at the baby he held. 

"All right. Last time." He conceded. 

Naomi's eyes misted watching the display, and Roen stirred lightly in her arms. Finn began to hum a lullaby, and the pantry settled back into a little bastion of peace amidst the roaring blizzard of war. 

________________

Riley looked into Shayn's eyes. Eyes too young to see what was happening around them. Nobody should have to see such sights.

Though he had initially cowered at his brother's scrutiny, Shayn straightened his shoulders and lifted his chin. When had he started growing up? Riley frowned. 

"All right, Kid, stay with me. Behind me if you can. You obey all orders immediately and without question, do you understand?" Riley's tone shifted to the one he used for reprimanding subordinates. 

Shayn's eyes hardened when Riley called him 'kid,' but that was what the elder wanted. Anger and determination to drive out the terror of the moment. 

"Yes, Sir!" Shayn saluted. 

Though Shayn's official training had begun only a few short days ago, Riley had spent time before that passing on the sword skills that his father had given to him. Shayn would not be completely useless as long as kept his wits about him and stayed back from the worst of the fighting. 

Riley nodded tersely in approval before turning back towards the battle lines… which had come closer over the last several minutes. The humans were losing. 

The ground shook, and for a moment Riley worried that the flooding of the tunnels had destabilized the city. It shook again, he looked up. And up. 

A giantess was walking towards them. Lumbering, really. She looked badly injured. When the mass of goblins came into her sight, she hesitated. 

Riley tried to recall all the information Roland had relayed about the giants. Most of them were killed off by goblins, right? Though the hearts of the soldiers around him seemed bolstered by her presence, it did not encourage Riley much. 

"Stay back." He said to Shayn. 

The boy nodded tightly, gripping his sword with both hands. 

The giantess's hesitation gave way to anger as a gargoyle flew directly into her eyes. She swatted it away in anger, and then began to vent her fury on the goblins before her. 

Leaning, she ripped a tree up by its roots that spread in the middle of the square, and began waving it forward like a club with one arm. Her other stayed pulled tightly to her side as if nursing an injury there. 

Roland's words about being covered in giant's blood echoed in Riley's mind. 

Arrows flew at the giantess, glancing off of her skin at first. Finally, as she continued to lay into their lines, one found its place into the corner of her eye. She screamed, and Riley feared that the goblin's poison was enough to take her down as well. 

With a few staggering steps, she passed over the perimeter of battle. Her first step crushed a number of goblins, and the human soldiers fled, barely making space for her to gingerly place her foot. 

"Does… he need my help?" She gasped in a whisper. A very loud whisper.

There could only be one man she meant. 

"Roland!" Riley dashed towards the City Hall. A glance over his shoulder let him know that Shayn wasn't being left behind. The boy huffed as he ran to keep up. 

Riley bounded up the steps two at a time, ignoring the guards and banging his armored fist on the door three times. 

Several agonizing seconds later, the sound of it being opened finally met his ears, almost covered up by another crack of thunder in the ongoing storm. 

"Your giantess is here, Roland! She says you might need her help??" 

If she had merely meant to help in the battle, she would have done so. Stepping over the battle lines must mean Roland had some other use for her. 

The man's face appeared in the doorway, a mixture of hopeful and grim. He held the box in his hands that Riley had seen brought up from the tunnels. 

"Where is she?" 

Riley pointed the short distance away. She was doing her best to inch closer to them without stepping on any people. 

"Whatever you need, you'd better hurry. I don't know how fast goblin poison works on giants, but she's got some in her system." Riley said quickly. 

Roland nodded, looking down into the box he held. Pushing it into Riley's arms, he grabbed one of the items from it. 

"Keep this safe, and if I signal you, bring it over," He said seriously. 

"Peter's more of an errand boy than I am, but sure, I'll do my best," Riley quipped as Roland took off running towards the giantess.

She had settled into a sitting position on the ground, panting heavily and throwing things at the enemy when she could. The soldiers around her gave way for Roland when Judah appeared in front of him with a low hiss for anyone in the way. 

Riley watched as Roland yelled up at her, unable to hear over the wind. He handed the object into her great palm, and she pressed her hands together, straining with the effort. 

With a disappointed look, she put the unbroken object on the ground, raised her foot, and stamped her heel onto it. The earth shook, and a great dent in the square was made. Hopefully, she raised her foot and peered into it. 

With a heavy look, Roland walked into the depression and picked it up. 

The giantess exchanged a few more whispered words with him before he trotted back to Riley. 

"It's no good. I need to destroy these things, but I've no idea how." He said anxiously, taking the box back. 

"Blow them up?" Shayn asked. 

The two elder men considered him quietly. 

"The explosives were all rigged to flood the tunnels," Riley said. 

"Gwen didn't really give any clues either…" Roland said. 

"That Fae? What DID she say?" The Captain was surprised to hear that the beings had finally involved themselves in the conflict. 

"That they are sacred to the Fae, and to destroy them would be a sacrifice." The Prince frowned. 

"Be one or take one?" Shayn piped in again. 

"Will you stop interrupting?" Riley turned on his brother. "I know you badly want to be helpful, but follow orders." 

"Following orders got Kyler hurt, maybe killed." Shayn lifted his chin with hurt in his eyes. 

The older brother tensed with outrage as he met Shayn's defiant gaze.