The Rowan Tree: Chapter 5

***Six years later***
Rowan ran as fast as she could through the forest, doing her best to weave swiftly in and out of the trees as her long, curly blonde hair blew in the breeze behind her.  She could feel the ground shaking from the heavy footsteps thundering behind her.  She did her very best to quicken her pace, but she knew it was to no avail; she couldn’t outrun him, he was far too big.  She would have to hide somewhere, and quick.  He was right on her tail, she could feel the shadow of his looming presence slowly closing in behind her.  It was then that she spotted a large hollow log in the near distance.  If she could just manage to scramble into it, she would be out of his reach!  With one last burst of speed, she made a mad dash for the log.  She was almost there, she was going to make it!  A few steps before the entrance to the hollow, she leaped forward to dive into safety.  
“Yes!” she cried to herself victoriously.  Just before she could tumble into the safety of the darkness of the log, Rowan found herself caught mid-air by something rough and calloused; a giant hand.  She let out a squeal as she desperately attempted to scramble out of her captor’s hand.  It was all over, he’d caught her!  “No!” she cried out.  She panted heavily and her heart hammered in her chest as she felt herself slowly lifted up into the air, watching the ground below her shrink.  
“Fe, fi, fo, fum!” a deep, gruff voice boomed loudly as Rowan suddenly found herself face to face with a pair of enormous emerald green eyes with a wicked gleam in them.  Below them, a large mouth bordered with rust-colored scruff was twisted into a wile smirk.  The menacing-looking face of the giant was fixed directly upon the tiny human girl in his hand.  Rowan knew it was all over now as she gazed up wide-eyed at the huge face.  “I smell the blood of a lass who’s just lost again!”  Seamus then gave a hearty chuckle as he rose up to a standing position from where he’d been stooped down to swipe Rowan up from the ground, lifting her up even higher into the air with him.
“That isn’t fair!” Rowan whined as she wriggled defiantly in his grasp before folding her arms and pouting at him. “You didn’t give me enough of a head start!”  
“Ah come now, lass,” Seamus said with a roll of his green eyes.  “Sure I gave ya a full fifty-count, did I nae?”
“Fifty isn’t enough!” the seven-year-old insisted in a huff.  “You’re at least a hundred times as big as me, you have to count to at least a hundred!” The giant just gave a heavy sigh.
“So now yer gonna resort to faultin' me for being big, are ya?” he said with another cock-eyed grin.  “And every time ya lose, ye always raise the count!  Sure, it used to be only ten when ya were a wee bairn!” he said with another hearty chuckle as he poked a giant finger softly into the little girl’s middle, making her giggle despite her poutiness as she attempted to push the finger away.
“Aw come on, Shay! Just one more round!” Rowan pleaded.  “I’m sure I can beat you this time!” she said.  In truth though, all the intense running from playing hide and seek tag with a giant for the third time that day had her exhausted and breathing heavily.  She wasn’t sure she’d even be able to outrun a snail right now, let alone the enormous Fomorian.  But she was a stubborn and determined child who rarely accepted failure of any kind.  Seamus just shook his head.
“Ah not right now, love.  I’m far too knackered!” the twenty-three-year-old Fomorian said as he gave a big, exaggerated yawn and sat down on the ground before lying back with the little girl still cupped carefully in his hand.  
“What are you talking about?!  That was barely a few steps for you!  Walking!”  Rowan protested as she climbed down onto Seamus’ huge, broad chest.  “There’s no way you can be tired!”
“Sorry, lass.  But it seems winning all the time takes a lot out of ya, not that you’d know!” he teased playfully with a smirk and a wink to the annoyed child on his chest before he folded his hands behind his head and closed his eyes.  “And as a reigning champion, I think I’ve earned meself a nap at the very least.”
“No you haven’t!” Rowan whined, growing increasingly agitated as she made her way up to her guardian’s large face, grabbing onto the tip of his nose and pushing it upwards.  “Seamus!  Get up!” she grunted as continued pushing.  But the Fomorian just made an exaggerated snoring sound as he swiftly, but carefully, rolled over onto his side, sending the child sliding down onto the ground beside his face with a startled little yelp.  
Rowan bristled as Seamus continued his phony, open-mouthed snoring.  She could feel his warm breath washing over her and blowing her long blonde curls about as he did so.  Stubborn as ever, she climbed up onto the side of his head and called into his large pointed ear.  “Seamus!  I know you’re awake, you big dope!”  His ear twitched a bit, but the giant still didn’t react in any way.  Still undeterred, Rowan jumped to his slightly open mouth and grabbed onto his bottom lip, digging her heels into the ground as she tugged at it with all her might.  “Seamus!” she grunted.
Just then, the little girl felt a huge gust of warm air rush from the enormous mouth, sending her stumbling backwards and falling onto her bottom.  “Hey!” she cried out in annoyance as the giant laughed heartily before opening his eyes and scooping her up into his hand once again.  He then rolled over back onto his back and placed her onto his chest.  Rowan could feel it bouncing her up and down as he continued to laugh at his own trick.
“Seamus!” she huffed scowling at him.  “That wasn't nice!”
“Forgive me, lass, but I could nae resist!” the giant chuckled as he put one hand behind his head and gently cupped the other around his little charge as he smiled at her warmly.  Rowan just harrumphed as she pushed his fingertips away and folded her little arms, still scowling at him.  “Aww, dun be poutin' at me now, little one!” he said with an exaggerated frown, pretending to be hurt.  “G’wan, give us a smile, will ya?”  But the young girl just stuck her tongue out at him.
“Oh, so it’s like that is it?” Seamus said as he raised his red eyebrows.  “Right then, guess I’ll just have to get ya to smile meself!” he added with a mischievous smirk before he attacked Rowan with his giant hand and tickled her little body all over with his fingertips as she shrieked, fell back, and erupted into a fit of laughter.
“Ah!  No!  S-stop it, Shay!” she squealed in between giggles as she wriggled and squirmed helplessly under her guardian’s giant hand.  Seamus laughed along with her.
“Ah now, there’s my girl!” he said with a satisfied smile as he finally ceased his attack and leaned back once again, folding his hands behind his head as he grinned at the child on his chest.  After taking a few minutes to catch her breath, Rowan rolled over onto her stomach and rested her chin in her hands as she smiled at him, unable to stay mad at when he looked at her with that big goofy grin of his.
“You’re so silly, Seamus!” she giggled.  She then felt the deep rumble in Seamus’ chest underneath her as he chuckled.
“Sure as yer born, love,” he said as he let out a deep, contented sigh.  Rowan then heard another, much louder rumble behind her, making the Fomorian chuckle again.  “Ach, boy am I starving!” he said as he rubbed the growling slight pot belly he’d grown over the years of caring for the little girl.  
“You’re ALWAYS starving!” Rowan said, giggling again as she rolled her eyes at him.
“Well, what can I say?  Running around after you all day works up quite an appetite!” Seamus said with a wry grin as he reached out to playfully tussle her golden curls with the tip of his index finger.  “What say we go home and get some supper eh?” he said.  
“Okay,” Rowan said.  “But tomorrow, we play again, and this time, I’m gonna win!  You’ll see!” she said confidently.  Seamus just smiled and shook his head in amusement.
“Sure ya will, lass,” he said as he carefully scooped her up in his giant hand and sat up, placing her onto her usual perch on his shoulder before standing up and heading off back to their hut.
Back at home, Seamus had started a roaring fire and was busy preparing a hearty stew for himself and Rowan.  Over the years, he’d managed to customize the small hut for the little girl so that she could move about it relatively easily and with access to everything.  This was mainly done through a series of several shelves that he had put up along the walls of the hut which all connected into a kind of separate walkway for his miniature charge.  He’d also built several small ladders which he’d set up at various spots along the walkway so that she could climb up and down between it and various counters, ledges, and tables throughout the hut.  Finally, he’d also placed a few boards that served as ramps for her to cross between certain surfaces, like from the kitchen counter to the table.  
In addition to making the hut Rowan-proof, Seamus had also managed to creative several pieces of furniture and other practical objects for her out of wood, including a small bed, a miniature table and chair of her own which he’d placed atop his own kitchen table, and a few kitchen utensils including some plates, bowls, and cups of her own.  He was thankful that, although he may not have been the best Fomorian warrior, he’d certainly excelled at carpentry and wood carving during his formative years.  Making things like clothes had been a bit more difficult for the young giant since sewing was a woman’s trade and therefore, not something he’d learned from his clan.  However, he did recall the many times he’d spent sitting with his mother and watching her sew clothing for his family.  Using what little he could remember of how it was done, he’d managed to begin to teach himself how to sew several miniature dresses for Rowan out of animal skins and woven cloth.  His efforts were crude at first, but he’d gradually improved over time and was now even starting to teach her to sew herself using a tiny needle he’d fashioned for her.
Naturally, Seamus also showered Rowan with plenty of toys that he’d make from all kinds of things.  He realized from early on that she was a fan of playing with toy weapons, probably due to growing up with seeing him use his own weapons to hunt and from listening to the many Fomorian tales of warrior and conquering heroes he told her that had been passed down through his clan for generations.  One day, she had even made the assertion that when she grew up, she too would be a strong and brave hero who would conquer many foes.  At hearing this, Seamus couldn’t help but feel a great sense of concern in his heart and found himself repeating his mother’s sentiments to Rowan.  
“Maybe ya wil be, lass.  But remember, being a hero isn’t always just about fighting and physical strength.  Ya have to be strong enough to show mercy and kindness as well,” he’d said.  He remembered how Rowan had seemed confused by this as she blinked her wide brown eyes and tilted her little blonde head at him with curiosity.
“What do you mean, Seamus?” she’d asked.  But Seamus had chosen not to go any further into the matter.  He still hadn’t told Rowan of how she’d come to be in his care, or of all that had happened beforehand, or even of his brother who still resided on the other side of The Glens but whom he hadn’t encountered in several years now, when she was still too young to remember.  All he'd told her was the partial truth that the other Fomorians that he once resided with in The Glens had "left" the land long ago.  
 Thankfully, it seemed the child was still too young to ask such questions, but the young giant knew that with her naturally curious nature, it was only a matter of time before she would begin to wonder about certain things, like why she was so much smaller than him, or why the Fomorians from his stories had all left.  As Rowan grew older, he dreaded this day more and more because truth be told, he had no idea how he would even begin to explain everything.
Nonetheless, Seamus indulged Rowan’s curiosities and desires as much as he could.  He fashioned a small wooden sword for her so she could play warrior and even a miniature bow with a round-tipped arrow so she could “hunt” just like he did.  Her favorite toy, however, was a tiny doll he’d painstakingly sewn for her on her third birthday complete with a green dress and long red hair.
“Oh Shay, she’s beautiful!” Rowan had squealed with delight as she hugged the doll tightly.  “Does she have a name?” Seamus had been a bit taken aback by the question at first as he hadn’t thought to give the doll a name.  But he knew right away what to call her when he thought back to whom he’d modeled her green dress, red hair, and soft face after.
“Aye…her name is Aoife…” he’d said softly.  
“Aoife, that’s a pretty name!” Rowan had said as she beamed happily at her new toy before hugging it tightly again.  From then on, Aoife was Rowan’s favorite playtime companion and her constant bedtime one.  She refused to go to sleep without the doll clutched tightly in her arms.  Even now as Seamus stood stirring the stew, she sat perched up on part of the shelf pathway above the fire carefully fixing her beloved friend’s hair and humming a little song to herself.
“Is supper ready yet, Seamus?  I’m hungry!” she piped up after a while.
“Almost, love,” Seamus chuckled as he smiled up at her.  “G’wan and fetch me a few cubes of salt, will ya?  Then it’ll be ready to eat.”  Rowan immediately got up and scampered along the shelves until she reached the one that had several jars of various spices, herbs, and other cooking ingredients on it.  She stood on her tip-toes to carefully reach down into the small jar that contained the cubes of salt, grabbing two before returning to where Seamus stood over the pot.  She then dropped the two cubes down from her place on the shelf into the stew below her.
“Cheers, darlin’!” the giant said as he stirred them into the stew.  He then took a small spoonful and brought it up to his mouth, blowing on it carefully before holding it up to Rowan.  “Here, see what ya think,” he said.  The child put her small hands onto the edge of the large wooden spoon and carefully pressed her tiny lips against it, taking a sip of the hot stew.
“Mmmm!” she hummed with a satisfied smile.
“Grand so, let’s eat!” Seamus said as he carefully scooped Rowan up off of the shelf and brought her over to the table for dinner.
After they’d finished eating, Seamus sat reclining in his large chair in front of the fire, rubbing his full belly as Rowan sat on the arm of the chair.  “Ah, that hit the spot, eh?” he sighed contently as he patted his round belly which was starting to creep out a bit from under his shirt.  The little girl giggled as she climbed down from the arm of the chair onto the giant’s thigh.
“I think you need a new shirt, Shay!” she teased playfully as she poked at his exposed tummy with her tiny finger.
“Hey now!” Seamus chuckled as he ran a hand over the spot where she poked.  “What are ya saying exactly, huh?”
“You’re getting fat because you eat so much!” Rowan said with childish bluntness as she pressed her little hands against the soft fleshy surface.  Seamus gave an exaggerated gasp at this.
“Me?!  Fat?!” he said, feigning offense as he frowned down at his belly and gave it a little shake for emphasis.  Rowan giggled at this which made him smile.  In truth, he knew that he was no longer the same fit young Fomorian warrior that he once was.  Though he was still rather young, the years of caring for the little human girl had added fat to his midsection and even a few strands of gray to his red hair.  He didn’t mind it though; after all, it’s not like he had anyone around here to impress anyway.
“It’s okay though, Seamus.  I like your big belly!” Rowan assured him.  Seamus couldn’t help but laugh with surprise at this.
“Oh ya do, do ya?” he said as he raised a red eyebrow at her and folded his large hands atop his rounded paunch.
“Yeah!  It’s soft and warm and really comfy!” she said as she spread her arms and pressed herself against his belly in the best ‘hug’ she could give him.  Seamus smiled fondly down at her upon hearing this as he felt her nuzzling the side of her face against him, her curly blonde hair tickling his tummy ever so slightly.
"Oi, easy there, that tickles!" he chuckled, making his belly bounce under her.  Rowan just laughed more at this as she mischievously ran her tiny hands in a fluttering motion all over the wall of flesh in front of her, poking at his bellybutton as she continued her 'attack.'  All Seamus could do was laugh and squirm helplessly under her relentless little fingers.  "Ah, ya little devil!  Is this payback for earlier, is it?!" he gasped out between hearty chuckles.  The little girl nodded with a smile of satisfaction up at him.
"I like how it bounces when you laugh too!" she then added, still giggling with amusement, before finally deciding to cease her tickle torture, much to her guardian's relief.  He then gazed back down at her with adoration and smiled upon hearing her words.  They just reaffirmed what he already knew; Rowan loved him exactly as he was.  He didn’t have to change for her or do anything to impress her.  He would always be her hero and idol no matter what, and that was a priceless feeling to the giant who’d always felt that he’d never quite fit in with his own kind.  He sighed happily as he cupped his hand lovingly over Rowan, gently pressing her into the softness of his belly to return her 'hug' and softly stroking her hair with his thumb.
“Thank you, love.  ya always know just what to say,” he rumbled softly as Rowan turned her face to look up at him, returning his smile with her chin resting on his tummy.  After a few minutes Seamus began to feel weary from both the heavy meal and the long day of playing with the child.  He gave a mighty yawn and stretched his arms up over his head.  “Right, I think it’s time for bed.”  His little charge immediately frowned at this.
“Not yet!” she whined with that little pout of hers that the Fomorian found both adorable and heart-wrenching.  But he stood his ground nonetheless.
“Oh yes,” he said insistently as he gently scooped Rowan up into his hand and heaved himself up off the chair.  “It’s been a long day, and it’s getting late.”
“But I’m not tired!” the child pouted in his hand as she folded her arms in a huff.
“Well I am,” Seamus replied with a wry grin as he lightly tapped her atop the head with his index finger.  “Come on now, lass.  Sure, I’ll even tell ya a story if yer good.”  He could see that Rowan’s interest was clearly piqued at this; there was nothing she loved more than listening to his stories after all.
“Alright…” the little girl agreed at last.  “But it has to be a good, long one!” she said resolutely.  Seamus chuckled and rolled his eyes at her stubbornness.
“Aye, it’ll be a good one, love.  I assure ya,” he said as he carried Rowan to the bedroom and placed her gently down on the little bed he’d made for her that sat on his nightstand as he lit a candle.  Once he’d changed and helped the child into her little nightgown, Seamus laid back onto his own bed with a weary sigh as he got comfortable.  Rowan immediately grabbed Aoife and scurried across the small board that served as a bridge connecting his nightstand to his bed so that she could get to him if she ever needed him during the night.  Once she was on the bed, she clambered her way atop his belly, where she always preferred to sit whenever she listened to one of Seamus’ stories.
“Okay, I’m ready!” she said as she sat cross-legged and at attention, clutching her doll tightly to her.
“Alright, but straight to sleep after this, yeah?” Seamus reminded her gently as he pointed a large finger at her.
“Yes!  I promise!”  Rowan assured him as she bounced up and down a bit atop his belly with excitement.  “Tell me the story!”
“Oh aye, settle down now, little one!” Seamus chuckled as he put one hand behind his head and rested the other on his chest.  He then cleared his throat and began the tale, the child perched on his belly listening intently.  “Once upon a time, there was a magical land far out in the middle of the sea.  In this land, the sun was always shining and the sky was always blue.  It was covered in thousands of beautiful flowers, orchards full of fruit trees, and forests dripping with honey.  This land was called Tir na Nog.”  The giant could see Rowan’s wide brown eyes sparkling with wonder as she listened intently to his story.  He always made sure to go into lots of detail and change his voice up for her when he told her stories to make sure he put on the best, most entertaining show that he could.
“In Tir na Nog, there was no sickness, no pain, and no sorrow.  Everyone who lived there was happy all the time.  But the real thing that made it such a magical place was that no one ever grew old there.  They all just stayed young and beautiful forever,” Seamus continued.  Rowan gasped in amazement at this.
“Wait, they NEVER got old?!” she asked, starry-eyed as she stretched out onto her stomach.
“Never!” Seamus confirmed with a wide smile, amused at how mesmerized she was by the story.  “One day, a brave young warrior named Oisin was hunting in the hills when he saw a majestic, snow-white horse.  Riding the horse was the most beautiful maiden that Oisin had ever seen.  She had a pale blue dress all covered in stars and long golden hair.”
“Like me!” Rowan said excitedly as she pointed to her blonde curls.  Seamus gave a rumbling chuckle.
“Aye lass, like you,” he said.  “But this wasn’t just any maiden, ya see.  Her name was Niamh, and she was a princess; her father was the king of Tir na Nog.  She told Oisin all about her magical kingdom, about the sun, the flowers, the fruit trees, and the forests dripping with honey.  She also told him about how no one ever pain or sadness in Tir na Nog and that no one ever grew old.  She told him that if he came with her to her kingdom, he could live with her happily forever.”  
“Well, Oisin loved his family dearly, and he didn’t want to leave them.  But Tir na Nog sounded like such a wonderful place, and he quickly fell in love with the beautiful Princess Niamh.  So he promised his family that he would return soon bid them farewell before leaving with her to live in magical land.”
“And then they lived happily ever after, right?” Rowan interrupted.
“Not quite!” Seamus said, raising a finger.  “Ya see, Tir na Nog was every bit as magical and wonderful as Niamh had said, and even though Oisin was very happy living there with her, he missed his family.  So one day, he decided he would return home to visit them.  Princess Niamh gave him her white horse to make the journey, but she warned him that he had to stay on the horse the whole time.  If his feet touched the ground, he would never be able to return to Tir na Nog again.  Oisin promised he would and rose off to return to his homeland.”
“And then what happened?!” Rowan asked anxiously.  Seamus could see that she was on pins and needles as she hugged Aoife tighter to her.
“Well, Oisin hurried back to his homeland, excited to see his family.  But when he got there, everything was completely different.  He couldn’t find any of his family, friends, or fellow warriors.  His family house was also completely crumbled into rubble and overgrown with weeds and vines.  He couldn’t find anyone or anything that he recognized.”
“Finally, he came upon some old men.  He told them about his family and friends, asking them if they’d ever heard of his father, Fionn Mac Cumhaill, or his fellow warriors, the Fianna.  But the old men just laughed and told him that Fionn Mac Cumhaill and the Fianna weren’t real, they were just legends from long.  Oisin was so shocked to hear this that he fell right off of the enchanted white horse and onto the ground!”
“No!” Rowan cried out in horror as she clapped her little hands over her face.
“Yes!” Seamus replied with much fanfare.  “And as soon as his feet touched the ground, he instantly grew three-hundred years older!”
“What?!” Rowan gasped with disbelief.  “That’s impossible!”
“Oh no it’s not!” Seamus countered with a grin.  “Ya see, while Oisin thought he had only been away in Tir na Nog for a few weeks, three-hundred years had actually passed back in his homeland!”
“Oh my gosh!” Rowan gasped again, her brown eyes as wide as saucers and her little mouth agape.
“Aye!  So all of poor Oisin’s family and friends had actually died many years ago, with nothing remaining of them but the legends and stories that the old folks still told,” Seamus said.  
“Poor Oisin…” Rowan said as her little face fell into a sad frown.
“Indeed,” Seamus agreed sympathetically.  “And naturally, no one believed him when he told them about Tir na Nog.  And so, now a blind, frail old man, Oisin spent the rest of his days wandering the world over, searching for the magical kingdom of Tir na Nog; the land of eternal youth, beauty, and happiness.  For he knew that if he returned to this enchanted place, he would be young again and would be reunited with his beloved Niamh…living in beauty, freedom, and bliss…forevermore…”
“So…did he ever find it and return?” Rowan asked after a few moments of silence when Seamus finished the story, but the Fomorian simply shrugged.
“No one knows,” he replied simply.  “He was never seen or heard from again.”  The little girl frowned, clearly unsatisfied by this.
“Well…then that means that he could’ve found it and stayed there with Princess Niamh forever, right?” she asked Seamus with a hopeful look in her eyes.
“Aye, I suppose he could have,” he said with a consenting smile, hoping not too discourage Rowan too much.  At this, the child appeared to go into deep thought, her little red lips pursed together as she stared off out the small window next to the bed.  Seamus then let out another big yawn and his eyelids began to feel heavy as he felt himself slowly succumbing to his exhaustion.
“Seamus?” Rowan said at last.
“Yes, darlin’?” he replied, forcing himself to keep his eyes open to look at her.
“If a beautiful princess came along and offered to take you to Tir na Nog, would you go like Oisin did?” she asked.  Seamus chuckled softly at the childish question, but he could tell that his little charge was expecting an answer.  
“Hmm…no, I dun think I would, love,” he said as he smiled and shook his head.  Rowan looked at him curiously.
“Why not?” she asked.  “Wouldn’t you want to be young and happy all the time, forever?”
“Well, I dunno about being young, but I’m already happy” he said as he gently laid his hand over Rowan and brought her up to his chest, beaming down at her adoringly.  “Because I have you, my little one.  Yer all the magic I need.”  The little girl looked up at him and seemed to be in deep thought again.
“Well, what if we went together?” she suggested.  “That way, I would never have to grow up since no one grows older and we could just be together forever just like we are right now!”  At hearing this, Seamus felt small twinge in his heart, one that often occurred whenever he remembered one particular inevitability.  Rowan was growing up, and fast.  He couldn’t believe she was seven years old already when he still remembered the day he’d found her and his life changed forever like it was just yesterday.  In only a few more years, she would be an adult, and then what?  
He remembered the vow he’d had to make to Cillian seven years ago, about how she could never leave The Glens.  So far, this had worked out fine as she was still young, but what would happen when she got older and no longer needed him to care for her?  Would she still be content to live with him there for the rest of her life?  She was such a curious and adventurous child by nature, so would she want to go and see the world beyond The Glens?  Or worse, return to the human world of her birth?  Thoughts and questions like these plagued the Fomorian constantly, and not just because of his brother’s threat to kill her if she left and rejoined the humans, but also because the idea of losing her and being left alone here was too much for him to bare.  This little human girl he’d taken in on a whim was all he had, his entire world, and he couldn’t even imagine life without her, nor did he want to.  She gave him a sense of purpose and filled his life with such joy and bliss the likes of which he’d never known before.  The thought of her leaving him on her own volition broke his heart, almost more so than the thought of her being taken from him.
Seamus forced a weak smile at Rowan, not wanting her to sense his unease.  “I suppose that would be alright then…” he said softly to her.  She returned his smile.
“But even if we don’t ever go to Tir na Nog, we’ll still always be together forever, right?” she then said after a moment, looking up at him with those wide doe eyes.  Seamus was slightly taken aback by this.  Had the child somehow sensed what he was thinking?  She was quite intelligent and perceptive for her age.  But he couldn’t help but smile happily as his heart swelled at her words and her hopeful little face.  Rowan wanted to stay with him, forever.  She seemed to have no desire to grow up and leave him to explore the outside world that she knew nothing of.  He knew that this could just be because she was still young and that her feelings could very well change as she got older, but he figured he might as well enjoy it while it lasted.
Touched by her words and overcome with joy and pride, Seamus gently brought the little girl closer to his face and nuzzled her affectionately before carefully planting a soft, loving kiss on her small body.  “Aye me darlin’ little lass, we’ll always be together.  I promise ya,” he said as he beamed down at his precious little girl.
“Forever?” Rowan verified.
“Forever and ever,” Seamus confirmed.  The child then finally appeared satisfied as she smiled up at her giant guardian before reaching out to wrap her arms around his smiling face in another little ‘hug.’  
“I love you, Shay,” she said as she planted a tiny kiss on the tip of his nose, making him blush a bit and smile even wider.
“And I love you too, my Rowan.  More than you’ll ever know,” he rumbled happily in return as he watched her give a tiny yawn and curl up on his chest, finally starting to succumb to the sleep she needed.  She laid right on top of his heart, which he knew was her favorite spot because ever since she was a baby, the sound of it beating always lulled her to sleep.  Most nights she slept in her own bed, but there were occasional nights like this, if she was feeling scared or upset about something, or even just wanted to be near him, where she slept with him on his chest, and it was those nights that he cherished the most.
Seamus gently laid a large hand on top of Rowan as she drifted off to sleep, forming a kind of blanket for her.  He smiled again as she wrapped an arm around his thumb, hugging it tightly to her while still clutching Aoife in the other.  For a moment, the giant just watched as his little charge closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.  He’d always found it an adorable sight when she slept, looking so sweet and so peaceful.  He gave a contented sigh as he held her close to his heart, wanting to keep her there forever.  This child meant everything to him.  She was his world and his reason for living and nothing else mattered but her.  What had seemed like a crazy thing to do and maybe even a mistake at first seven years ago had turned out to be the best thing that had ever happened to him; a blessing in disguise.  No matter what happened in the future, he knew that as long as he had her, everything would be alright.  She was his one and only little treasure, one that he'd given up everything he knew for, and he would never let anyone or anything hurt her or take her away from him.  She belonged there, with him, nestled right against his heart, forever.  
Finally, Seamus carefully leaned over to blow out the candle on his nightstand, doing his best not to disturb the peacefully slumbering Rowan.  “Goodnight, my sweet little angel,” he whispered softly before closing his eyes and drifting off to sleep himself with a wide smile still on his face.