by S E Turner
The wrinkles in his face moved to either side as he smiled and took her hand to plant a kiss. 'Hagen finding you was a blessing for us all, and this little lady here will remain in my heart forever.' He took out a pendant from his pocket and put it round Ajeya's neck. 'A small gift to remind you of me.' His voice was breaking now.
Ukaleq recognised it straight away and smiled thoughtfully.
Thorne nodded his head at the memory. 'I was seeking refuge in a cave after a day's hunting. I was a young man then with strong arms and an even stronger heart. Not bad looking either, by all accounts.' He smiled at the thought of his former self. 'I had caught a few rabbits and a couple of quails, but the winds were howling and a storm was brewing, so I knew I had to find shelter quickly. It was very dark in there. I couldn't see very much at all, so I made a fire to give me light and keep me warm. I also needed to eat, so I prepared one of the rabbits. As the fire took hold, I noticed something gleaming amongst the rocks. So, I went over and picked it up. And do you know what it was?' He looked at Ajeya who shook her head. 'It was a deep golden stone. I had never seen anything like it before. It was beautiful. Brushing it off, I looked at it closer. And encapsulated within the smooth transparent stone was a complete winged insect. I couldn't believe it, how could it be? How could a living creature, however small, become part of a stone? It had one part of a wing missing, even though the other wings were delicate and shimmering, and the bluest of blue that you have ever seen, with intricate patterns like spidery veins, but it wasn't entirely perfect.
'I thought it was a sign from the spirits. That perhaps it wasn't perfect enough and had died in the weeping cave. That the spirits had entombed it to show me that the ancient belief of surrendering malformed babies to die in there was a true and just cause. I took the stone home and made it into an amulet and have worn it ever since.' He touched the smooth, orange exterior.
'But you know what? I was wrong. And I have only just discovered the true meaning within the last few months. And the truth was that the insect was perfect. It was beautiful, and the stone was a sign to show me that everyone is perfect in their own way. That perfection is what you perceive it to be, and you, Ajeya, have shown that to me. So, I have to pass this amulet on to you because you are the rightful owner.'
He handed the child over to her mother and kissed her forehead. 'And your mother will tell you the story of how you came by this amber necklace, and that the great Thorne gave it to you because you taught him a valuable lesson.'
Eujena put a hand on his withered arm and dropped her gaze in a humble appreciation. There were no words left to say now. The camp was stifled into a soul-searching silence.
Hagen shook the great man's hand and looked into the eyes full of experience and wisdom. 'Thank you, Thorne. You are the greatest man I know and have been like a father to me.'
Thorne took both of Hagen's hands in his own and tipped his head in acknowledgement. The tightness in his throat had rendered him speechless.
'Look after Ukaleq for me,' said Hagen. 'She needs you more than ever now.'
Thorne nodded with reverence.
Then Hagen helped his charges onto the front seat of the wagon and shook the reins over the back of his horse. And as they trundled out of the camp forever, Ajeya looked back at the great man waving back at her until she could see him no more.
Chapter Thirteen
As they continued north, the land gave way to flat open plains crossed by rivers and streams of runoff from the great Giant's Claw mountain range. They kept to the valleys for shelter from the elements and were able to hunt for food within the massive reserve of wildlife.
The river was a blue-green ribbon, shining in the morning sun. Reeds grew thick in the shallows along the banks, and Ajeya squealed when she saw a water vole skimming across the surface, spreading ripples as it went. The mountains opened up upon a vista of green fields and stretching out before them were the great grasslands with their bountiful source of life, displaying yet another face of the renewing cycle as the party travelled. Young flowers began to unravel in their camouflaged cocoons while others were already in full bloom, and the waves of softly billowing grasses turned the meadows into a beating heart once more.
Mother nature was at last peeling back her worn outer dermis and revealing the vibrant new life beneath. Trumpets of the earth heralded her return, and the long fingers of the sun's rays fanned across the fields to open up an artist's palette of rich hues, blushed tones, and a blaze of colour. The sweet breath of a westerly wind flew in from the wings of the sun, and the pulse of the earth returned to camp. Birds, bees, butterflies, and dragonflies were increasing in numbers along the flight path of the biggest star while trees released their buds and fruits.
This was the beginning of spring, and with it came renewed energy and an abundance of life.
As they crossed a fjord, Hagen noticed the thunderous swell of grey clouds jostling for position, and within seconds, the calm of the weather was turning into a storm. The force of the wind intensified as Eujena and Hagen surged forward, and though it was just past dusk, the light of the moon was dimmed by moving clouds of dry loose sand, billowing up from the dry ground. Soon they could hardly see their way through the windblown dust while flashes of lightning cracked around them and thunder growled and rumbled over the hills.
In a blaze of light, Coal reared up in terror as a bolt flashed the white of his eyes. Hagen had to get down from the seat and lead the terrified animal by foot. 'We have to find shelter,' he called back to Eujena. 'We will stop at the next crofters lodge.'
Holding the snaffle and shielding his eyes, he battled hard against the gale force wind with a driving dust storm that blackened the sky and came perilously close to not finding anywhere at all.
But these pastures were full of scattered crofters’ huts that offered protection for stranded shepherds, and it wasn't long before Hagen spotted a refuge. The children were ushered inside quickly where they found last season's straw on the ground and a couple of rush mats as bedding. A table sat in the corner with an old wooden bench underneath and very little else.
Hagen unharnessed his horse and brought him inside with them, the precaution was to stop him bolting in terror with the lightning and jeopardising their only means of transport. A grey gloom instantly filled their haven, and made the room appear darker than it actually was. Eujena stood by a window and looked out into the night and the rain. Somewhere above them, a lightning bolt crackled across the sky, brightening the room for a couple of seconds. When a clap of thunder followed some six seconds later, Coal startled and whinnied. The lightning flashed again, and the thunder rumbled after ten seconds. Coal reared but was held back with a secure rope. He tried to bolt but couldn't get away. He pawed the ground with his hoof and nearly sat back a couple of times as his hind legs buckled with fear. Hagen went to the horse to calm him as another streak of lightning raced across the sky and the thunder shook the rain from the storm clouds.
'It's all right, boy. Settle down.' He stroked Coal's soft velvet muzzle and breathed gently into his nostrils.
As another splinter of lightning raged across the sky and lit up the surface of a lake, Coal remained still and composed. He didn't buckle or rear. This time he was hardly aware of the thunder as it responded to the storm's veil of light. Hagen continued to stroke the terrified animal and spoke reassuringly until he heard the thunder rolling away in the background.
'You must have a magic touch,' said Eujena, noticing the instant calmness of the young horse. 'Animals need to be reassured and shown there is nothing to fear. It's all in their mind you know. These magnificent beasts, so strong and powerful, can be the most timid creatures sometimes.' He stroked Coal's ears and patted his long smooth neck.
'You are still very good.' Eujena smiled and thought about her own fears of the dark and how she had to overcome them for the sake of her child.
'The storm will have long gone by the morning, and we can be on our way again. Come, make yoursel
ves comfortable and we will be on our way at first light.'
He brought in a few provisions and a flagon of water that would see them through the evening. A more substantial meal would be sought on the morrow. The new family sat round the table and feasted quietly on chunks of bread and strips of mutton as the distant lightning continued to light up their sparse surroundings. The storm was moving away now, and when Hagen untied him, Coal settled down on the floor. Eventually the storm passed by uninterrupted, and the rumbles were soon several miles away. Coal was sleeping peacefully, and the warmth from his body kept the chill at bay while the family positioned their mats and bedding around him for their first night together.
In the morning Hagen was up early to prepare a light breakfast of field mushrooms and quail’s eggs. Coal was led out of the dwelling where he found a nice barren area and blew the dirt with his nose. Then, when he was sure it was free from debris, he dropped to his knees and onto his hide where he rolled from side to side with his legs in the air and stretched his neck joyfully. Then he stood back up, shook the dust from his shiny black coat, and cantered off to drink from the cool of the river. Hagen watched dutifully as Eujena followed him to the river's edge to bathe. 'Don't go far,' he shouted out, stirring the pan of food over a low fire.
'I won't. I will just sit at the edge to freshen up,' she called back.
The sun danced on the ripples, and it looked like all the stars from the night before had fallen from the sky and had landed in that very river. It sparkled and glistened with a thousand jewels while the current teased it and caressed it and guided it gently along its path.
Hagen watched from his vantage point and smiled with a growing affection. He saw her dip her feet tentatively in the shallows. He could tell that the water was freezing cold when she recoiled quickly with the shock, but slowly and carefully she eased them in until they were completely submerged. The warm sun beamed down on her skin and it felt good to peel back the weathered signs of winter. She closed her eyes and looked up to the orb, feeling the rays warming her face and neck. Breathing in deeply, she embraced the spring air. It made her feel alive—her skin tingled and she felt refreshed. She swirled the water around her legs with the tips of her fingers and wriggled her toes in the folds of silt. Her hands scooped up a palm of water and she splashed it over her face. Tiny fish swam up to her and she giggled like a child. They nibbled her toes and the feeling was actually quite therapeutic, she thought. She watched as Coal moved away from the water. He shook his head and found a mound of succulent grass to munch on. His tail swished from side to side as he moved forward with each carefully placed step to another healthy patch to feed on.
Suddenly, she was jolted back to reality by a piercing cry. 'Someone, come quickly,' she heard the panic in his voice. 'She's choking!'
Eujena hurled herself out of the water and ran like the wind to her child just as she was losing consciousness. 'What happened?'
'She was eating an apple and a piece got stuck,' came Keao's frantic reply.
The remains of the offending culprit was discarded on the floor, though the chunk draining her life still remained lodged in her windpipe. Eujena reacted calmly and quickly, and holding her daughter firmly, she struck her back with a force hard enough to dislodge the obstruction but not to hurt her or damage her small back. Nothing happened. She did it for a second time, then a third. Still nothing happened. Precious life-saving minutes were ticking away now. She picked the girl up, sat down and put her across her lap, then reached into her mouth with a finger to see if she could find the blockage. She couldn't feel it. It had to be trapped quite a way down, so Eujena stood up, turned the girl round and held her around the middle with one arm so that her head and arms hung down and struck her sharply between the shoulder blades. Then, from behind, she put her arms around the limp child and pulled in with a jerk. Still, it did no good. Nothing moved. She was frantic now and desperately trying to keep her composure.
Hagen and Keao clung on to each other, biting down hard on their bottom lips and feeling useless because neither of them could help in this life-and-death situation. By now the little girl had stopped breathing. She was limp and lifeless, and her eyes glazed over. Eujena hurriedly laid the child flat and tilted her chin up to open the airwaves, then, pinching her nose to stop the air getting in, she placed her mouth on top of hers to form a vacuum. Then she began to suck the obstruction out. The minutes were still racing by and Ajeya was now blue. She didn't have long left.
Eujena sucked hard until her lungs could hold no more, and as her suction created a force from above, the obstruction moved. Whether or not the previous attempts had dislodged the offending object, this attempt worked and the offending piece of apple flew out into the back of Eujena's mouth. She spat it out immediately and continued to breathe life-saving oxygen into her child's lungs.
As her chest began to rise and fall, the men could at last breathe again with her.
Eujena held her daughter tightly as she began to cry and took in gasps of life-giving oxygen to fill her lungs again. She wiped her face and hugged her tightly. 'You're all right now, my love. You are safe. You are always safe with me.'
Ajeya's cry had reduced to sobs now, but Eujena cradled her until her breathing settled down again.
'Will she be all right?' asked the ashen faced boy.
'Yes, she will be fine, Keao. Don't worry. She is just shocked that's all. Thank you for calling me straight away.'
'How did you know what to do?' asked Hagen.
'Just intuition, Hagen. Something inside me just instinctively knew.'
'And I'm supposed to be taking care of you both.' Hagen's voice was thin.
Eujena reached up to kiss his hand. 'You do a fine job, Hagen. Don't you ever think otherwise.'
The blockage had gone now, and Hagen led his family back into their hut to eat. He poured Ajeya a soothing drink of nettle tea and sat back on the bench as she sipped on it.
'You gave us quite a shock back there,' he stumbled, clearly still visibly shaken.
'Sorry,' the little girl said. 'I was hungry.'
Eujena pulled her closer into her breast and held her head close. 'Come, Hagen has got the breakfast ready. Let's eat together now, but I will be watching you very closely now, little madam.'
And in the background, Coal was still munching his way along the field, his tail swishing in the breeze and his shiny black coat glistening in the sun.
When the wagon reached a large plain, they saw a variety of deer and aurochs near a river, grazing in a meadow trimmed with various oaks, beech and pine. Succulent vegetation dotted around the perimeter. This land was rich with black soil, with wide slow-moving rivers and hundreds of small lakes that shone like mirrors in the sun. Wheat, corn and barley grew high in its fields. And some distance further, Hagen noticed a large pile of recently felled trees, a dense stand of them with baskets of kindling wood on the ground. Here, the ground was littered with blown leaves, still damp from last night's rain. Coal seemed to like the soft feel of the saturated carpet and bounced his head up and down in appreciation.
'We must be near a clan,' Hagen hailed excitedly. 'Only a clan would live so close to large herbivores amongst woodland and water.'
Eujena was still looking in awe at the Giant's Claw, an impressive mountain that carried the torrents of a thousand waterfalls winding and gushing to the bottom some two miles below. She smiled at his revelation. Of course, he knew best. He always did.
The travellers rolled across the plains towards the camp, and from their elevated position, they could see that the living accommodations were made from wooden slats that reached six foot high out of the ground. Hagen said another two feet was underground for added support. They were solid and sturdy and held together with wattle and daub to fill the gaps. The leader's house was obvious: a big timber hut with a huge wooden roof, with neatly stacked logs arranged outside, and with his own water pump and bowl which clarified his status. There were cook fires all around the settlement
with something burning on all of them: whole hogs, racks of mutton, and a huge wild boar crisping nicely. Eujena winced at the sight of the hideous beast.
People were going about their daily chores: men sharpening wooden spears, youths sparing with timber staffs, young boys were fletching arrows and women smoothing glistening blades. There were girls running errands, babies crying in their mother's arms, and as their wagon rolled into the settlement, a gathering of sheep, goats and geese were sent spinning in all directions.
The door to the leader's hut opened, and a young man with a strong jaw and searching eyes came out to address them. 'Good day, travellers. Welcome to the Clan of the Mountain Lion. My name is Laith and I am the clan leader. How can I help you today?'
'Good day to you too, kind sir,' said Hagen most humbly. 'We are travellers seeking employment and wondered if you could spare some accommodation in return for work.'
'That I may,' said the leader, still searching. 'Have you come far?'
'From the Clan of the Giant's Claw,' said Hagen with his strong voice.
'I know it very well,' responded the young man. 'And I trust that Thorne is in good health.'
'Yes, all is well,' assured Hagen. 'And Thorne still has the heart of an aurochs.'
'Excellent news, that's what I like to hear. Any friend of the great Thorne is a friend of mine. Did he send you to me?'
Hagen looked at Eujena, then at the leader. 'Yes, he said that you would help us.'
'He was right,' smiled Laith.
'Thank you, we very much appreciate your kindness,' responded Hagen.
Laith smiled. 'So, are you going to introduce me to your family?'
'Where are my manners? Please excuse me. I am Hagen, this is Eujena and these are our children, Keao and Ajeya.'
Laith studied them all with a kind face until a woman came out of the entrance and took his attention. Her beauty mesmerised each one of them, and her presence was as breathtaking as the morning dawn on a summer's day.