Laugavegur, A Hinterland Journey

Chapter 33 - A Home For All

As the sun began to set and the chill of the evening crept in, the refugees reached the ruins of the village of Skogar. Though many of the homes had been destroyed when the Huldu had been driven out a decade before, several still stood and the army took refuge within them. Within a few hours, hearths were once again lit, giving off a soft light and rejuvenating warmth. Skari, thoroughly exhausted, settled himself in a chair next to one of the fires and drifted off into a deep and well-earned sleep. Above him, Veld preened his feathers in the rafters, delighting in the warmth of the fire.

Just east of the village, the river that was born of the floods from Miredale Mountain poured over a great precipice and crashed to the valley bottom. Though sore and weary from the day, Tokki was drawn to the river's edge and he sat, watching the cataract. The thunder from the falls was so loud that he didn't notice his sister approach until he felt her sit beside him. They sat quietly together.

After a few moments, Tokki broke the silence. "Have Kiran and Njall decided on a plan? Where to go from here?"

"It seems many want to rebuild the settlement here. Skogar, a village for all peoples," said Anja.

"I like the sound of that," said Tokki. He was silent for a moment. "Anja?"

"Mmm?"

"I so wish that our parents were here. I would have liked to have known them, to have learned from them."

Anja put her good arm around her brother. "Me too. I know they would have been proud of you today."

"It's so hard," said Tokki. "To start over again... We've started over so many times with so many different people. And now Fjallabak, the only place we ever called home, is gone."

Anja stood up. "Come," she said. "There is something I want to show you."

Together, Anja and Tokki, brother and sister, climbed a winding sheep trail up the cliff beside the giant waterfall. Near the top, Anja broke from the trail and walked out onto a rib of land overlooking the falls.

"Look," Anja said.

Tokki looked at the falls as they thundered over the edge of the cliff. He thought of all they had overcome to be now in Skogar. He felt tiny droplets of water land on his face and in his hair. Only then did he see what his sister had wished to share with him...

All along the slope next to the falls, flowers were bursting forth with lupine faeries. Tokki sucked in a breath.

"Oh Anja, they are beautiful."

The faeries danced and twirled in the fading sunlight. They swept up on the drafts and rained down like a gentle mist, embracing the two siblings.

"We are Huldu," said Anja.

"Yes," said Tokki. "And we are home."

By witch of might the land is burned!

The aged queen's last return?

Beyond the dome of raven beak.

All hurtful words in ash they speak.

Small shelled life of blue and gold,

In flawless glass, deep water hold.

Set upon the Miredale ice,

an unexpected sacrifice.

Rising rivers foretell the flood

As beasts bathe the land in blood!

To sleep in ice once again

The end...

The end?