Margit Sandemo - The Ice People 10 - Winter Storm

But Villemo had scrapped the dark, oppressive canopy bed and instead had a bed installed that was built into the wall. Dominic couldn’t see anything modern about it. On the contrary. The style was rustic, albeit in the style of a wealthy farmer – but he had to admit that she had arranged her room very tastefully. The colours in the woven carpets matched the walls of light wood, and the chairs were in a light, Spanish style. The bed was built into a beautifully carved wooden panel. Villemo pointed at the top of the bed.

“This is where I want to have an inscription,” she said excitedly. “And some decorative ornaments, of course. I think I want it to say: ‘This is where the happiest person in the whole world sleeps.’”

“My word,” murmured Dominic, who could hardly keep a straight face. “Is that such a good idea? Think of those who’ll be sleeping here after you! What if one of them were a terribly unhappy individual? Then the words would seem like a mockery.”

Villemo bit the knuckle of her thumb. Then her face brightened into a smile, “I know, I’ll write this instead: ‘Here sleeps the happiest person, Villemo Kalebsdatter Elistrand of the Paladin and Meiden and the Ice People kin.’”

Dominic couldn’t see that the addition was an improvement. “You could become unhappy yourself,” he reminded her.

“I’ll never be unhappy,” she assured him.

“You possess all the traits of being unhappy.”

“What do you mean by that?” she asked him, offended.

“Your disposition. You’re happy now. But you get fully engrossed in everything that you do, which means your sorrows will become just as great as your happiness.”

Villemo turned serious. “That was what Grandma Liv also said. You seem awfully wise,” she continued reproachfully. “You predict like a bird of ill omen. What should I write instead then?”

“Well ... why not a quote from the Bible, which is the normal thing to do.”

“A quote from the Bible? Why should I use a quote from the Bible?”

“Well, there are several you could choose from. For example, ‘Love is the greatest thing.’”

“Yes!” she shouted enthusiastically. “That’s good! That’s what I want!”

Then she became thoughtful. “You don’t think it is too shameful in any way? Over a bed, I mean?”

“I don’t think the writer thought of that kind of love,” Dominic said with shining, yellow eyes, and Villemo blushed with embarrassment.

“Let’s go to the big hall,” she suggested with exaggerated enthusiasm. “I’m sure Dad will be back soon.”

Let’s hope he will, she thought. So that I can be my natural self again.

Young Tristan stared bewitched at the charming girl in front of him. Gudrun handed him the woollen peasant’s coat with a sweet smile and quickly hid the rash on her hands before he had time to see it.

“I found it in the barn, but I wasn’t sure who it belonged to.”

As a matter of fact, she had hidden his coat so that he would have to come back and fetch it.

“I’ll follow you some of the way, sir,” she said softly and began to walk slowly next to him. Tristan pulled the horse after him and found it difficult to stop looking at Gudrun. She had her hands down in the pockets of her skirt, swaying lightly as she walked. She made a very delicate impression, in her white blouse and a black pinafore dress and with a multicoloured woven band around her golden hair.

Tristan was totally unaware that her hatred of his family was sincere and passionate.

“This evening, I’ll be up in the mountain pasture to fetch a few things that must be brought home before winter sets in,” she sighed. “Me of all people, and I’m so afraid of the dark.”

“Does the mountain pasture belong to the Black Forest?” asked a surprised Tristan. “The one which is so high up?”

“The ridge is higher,” she said with a loud laugh. “The mountain pasture isn’t far from here.”

“Why don’t you go up there when it’s light?”

“That’s when I’m working, sir. Ugh! I just don’t like the thought of tonight.”

Tristan thought for a long time. His mind moved ever so slowly.

“I ... er ... might go with you?”

Had he been too impetuous? This delicate creature of the forest might take offence.

“Oh, but I can’t possibly ask you to do that! I’m just a simple peasant’s daughter. That wouldn’t be suitable, sir!”

Tristan became eager, just as she had expected. “No, I assure you that I’d be most delighted to help. And please don’t call me ‘sir.’ It makes me feel embarrassed. You don’t need to be afraid of me, Miss Gudrun. I have the noblest intentions. I just want to accompany you so that nothing happens to you in the wilderness.”

Gudrun had to bend over to hide her laughter. Afraid? Of that little pup? What a ridiculous, puffed-up little count! Imagine hurting him for life! But it would have to take place in the dark. Daylight was no longer her ally.

“If you insist, then all I can say is thank you very much,” she said, dropping a deep curtsy. “Now I’d better be on my way back.”

They agreed where they were to meet. Tristan wanted to take leave of her by kissing her hand, but she quickly tore herself loose and ran home like an animal of the forest.

Tristan rode home to Elistrand, his heart bursting with joy.

Villemo was restless. Dominic had returned to Linden Avenue, and the afternoon was dragging along.

“For heaven’s sake, Villemo. Stop walking about like a brooding hen,” Kaleb said. “Can’t you sit quietly for just one moment?”

“No, I ... I think I’ll walk the dog. He needs to run about a little in the meadows.”

“Just don’t let him chase wild boar!”

“The dog? I’d like to see the day he actually manages to kill a wild boar.”

The old Norwegian elk hound sauntered quietly next to her as she walked across the meadow up to the edge of the forest. She roamed to and fro for a couple of hours, from vantage point to vantage point, until dusk forced her to return home.

“Villemo,” Kaleb said with a smile as Villemo walked in the door. “The poor dog is totally exhausted!”

The dog had flopped on the floor like a sack.

“It was a longer walk than I intended,” she admitted.

“You sound so discouraged. Why?”

“Me? No, I’m just tired. I think I’ll retire for the night. Where’s Tristan?”

“He’s gone out again. He mumbled something about having to help a friend. And that he might be late.”

“Oh, I see. I had no idea that he had a friend here. Is it Niklas?”

“I don’t think so. But then he has been here several times.”

“Yes, that’s true. Well, goodnight, Dad!”

“Goodnight, my little darling!”

In her room, Villemo cast a glance at the bed. All things considered, Dominic was probably right. It might not be so wise to put: ‘The happiest person in the world.’

Happiness isn’t a constant state, she thought. Happiness is probably just a pang in the heart now and then, an exhilarating joy which threatens to make you burst. And which disappears just as swiftly as it came, until it comes back once more and tricks you into believing that life is the most wonderful thing that exists. Now her thoughts seemed to move in circles. She crept into the bed which she’d designed herself, breathing in the smell of newly cut timber.

She was seventeen years old ... and her heart was filled with secret dreams, which nobody, nobody was to know anything about.

Tristan tried to meet Gudrun’s eyes in the darkness. How had they arrived here? The small cabin in the mountain pasture was cool, but the hides in the bed were warm, and the girl’s skin was even warmer.