Yngvild and the Forest of Dreams

First Night

Noren and I went out for our customary after dinner walk. I carried a blanket with me as we walked up the hill to the highest point on the island. We were going to watch the sun finally set over the sea to the West of Straven. As we approached the trees the ravens' caws echoed round the island, the birds flapping round the copse. We carried on up the hill, others followed behind us, and I could see a few could already on top of lookout hill.
'I suppose we'd better bring a few branches up with us.' Noren said as we got to the trees.
'That one there looks like it might keep us warm for a bit.' I pointed out a fallen branch, leg thick, that had splintered away from a tree. 'Did you bring an axe with you?'
'Yes.' Noren drew a hand axe from his belt and with a few swift strokes cut the remaining splinters and freed it from the tree.
I gathered up some fallen sticks from close under the trees and bunched them in my overskirt. We'd need kindling.
'I think that will do. Let's go up.' I said.
Noren carried the large branch over his shoulder to the top of the hill. It barely slowed him down.
'Tha'll need to chop it a bit dwarf, we're not firing the whole hill!' Arne said when he saw us.
Arne and Alwilda were already at the top of the hill and had started to build a fire with wood they and their children had brought up. It wasn't lit yet, that would come later.
'What about mine?' Yngvild asked.
'Put yours here, dear. They're just right for the next layer.' Alwilda said. 'Would you mind keeping the children away from Noren's axe?'
'Of course.'
Noren dragged his half-tree sized bough out of the path and set to it with his axe. Pieces of wood chip flew off like the first blizzard of the winter.
'Tha could play a tune to your chopping, dwarf' Arne said.
'Did you bring your pipes up?' I said.
'Do fish swim in the sea?' Arne took a step and picked his pipes off the a blanket. The music was a jaunty one that Noren's chopping accompanied well.

Old Bjorn and Helga the Red were coming up the hill at a stately pace. They alone of the others on the path between the houses and the top of Lookout Hill had empty hands. Everyone else was bringing wood, food, drink, musical instruments or something for the party.
'Sun will be down soon.' Noren said. Behind him was a sea of wood chips, and a neat pile of logs the length of his forearm.
'You chopped that fast!' I said.
'It was only a small tree.'
'Come, let's get a space and sit together.' I picked up my blanket then grabbed Noren's hand to tow him to the southern side of the hill.
'Here looks good, not too far from the fire.' Noren said.
I took the blanket by the corners and shook it out before letting it billow down onto the grass. Noren sat down first, and I sat next to him, burrowing in under his arm and putting my arm round his back. I rested my head on his chest as we watched the others come up the hill.
The whole community assembled on the hilltop. Erik the Dark had brought a barrel of beer up. Freya some bread and cheese, Birgitta had made some cakes. Gunnar and Olaf had brought the lamb. They'd cooked it earlier or it wouldn't have been ready to eat before dawn. It would go back on the fire when we lit it.
'Gather round! Gather round!' Arne stood next to the fire he'd built and waved people to assemble. 'Sun's on the horizon.'
Everyone stopped what they were doing and formed a loose horseshoe round the fire, facing the sun. Parents carried their smaller children, and the older ones were pushed to the front.
Old Bjorn, as the boat captain and community leader, stood with the sun to his back facing the fire at the mouth of the horseshoe.
'People of Straven! We gather to celebrate the return of the dark of night. And to make homage to Malfin, our Lady of Darkness.' Bjorn turned to face the sun.
We all watched the sun drop below the horizon. Old Bjorn lead us in praying to the Gods.
As the last part of the sun fell below the horizon Arne struck sparks on his flint and the fire breathed into life. Arne prayed to Aeolf, the Goddess of Flames, and the fire grew rapidly to a huge blaze. I could feel the heat on my face.
Slowly the sky darkened and we were able to make out the other fires from the other settlements. Gunnar and Olaf lifted the lamb onto the spit assembled on either side of Arne's fire.
Noren and I sat on the blanket I'd brought up, drank beer and ate some scones. We enjoyed the short night, it wouldn't truly be dark for long.
'Look, out there, another light.' Noren said, pointing to the South.
'Isn't that out on the open sea?' I asked.
'Yes, it must be a ship.' Noren said.
I wasn't used to the summer ale Erik had brewed for the festival. I snuggled into Noren and let the drowsiness overcome me.

~

Wide gnarled pillars support the verdant sky. Skeletal brown fingers and arms rise out of the leaf litter. Nothing moves, except the dappling shadows. A sussuration of leaves in the wind provides a backing to invisible birdsong. The forest smells damp, yet fresh, a feeling of reassuring calm.
I walk through the wood. Stepping round fallen branches and patches of bracken. There are deer somewhere in the woods. Also a bear. I can't see any of them, but there are tracks on the ground, and there's a sense of a benevolent watcher. There are no branches with leaves below my head height. So I don't need to duck and I can see a long way ahead.
Nothing moves, yet I am aware of someone behind my left shoulder. Turning, I see a dark skinned woman with lustrous straight black hair. Her eyes are totally black, the pupils expanded past colour. Her eyes suck in my gaze. She smiles. I feel a thrill that sends shivers through me.

~