Host, say, protected by brave person (6)
I believe the answer is:
legion
'host' is the definition.
('legion' can be a synonym of 'host')
'say protected by brave person' is the wordplay.
'say' becomes 'eg'.
'protected by' means one lot of letters goes inside another.
'brave person' becomes 'lion'.
'eg' placed into 'lion' is 'LEGION'.
(Other definitions for legion that I've seen before include "Countless" , "Large military force" , "Roman battalion" , "Body of Roman or French soldiers" , "Roman military body of men" .)