Margit Sandemo - The Ice People 17 - The Garden of Death

Shira sighed. “I wish you would tell me everything now. I’m groping in the dark.”

Irovar said that he would have to wait until they were sure. Otherwise she might try to influence developments too early and make terrible mistakes.

“Excuse me for breaking into your conversation,” Daniel said cautiously. “Vendel mentioned Shama. Can the two of you tell me more about him?”

“Yes, I can,” Irovar said, as he began to clean the fish. The two others helped him while he spoke. “You must remember that this is something, that concerns only the Taran-gais. It has nothing to do with our creed, and I can only repeat what my wife, Tun-sij, said. As you know, the Taran-gais come from the east and are probably of Mongolian origin. In ancient Oriental religions, they reckoned with five elements instead of the four, that the rest of us are familiar with. It so happened that the gods of Taran-gai were very diffuse; they were simply forgotten. Their messengers took over instead and it’s them, more than anybody else, that the Taran-gais worship. And they were the five elements. We know the four elements – Earth, Air, Fire and Water. The fifth was Stone – Shama. And Shama was beyond the reach of the gods. He’s not death in a direct sense but the god of abandoned hope, the god of unexpected death.”

Daniel thought that was pretty much what people thought about Tengel the Evil: that he had entered into a pact not with the Devil but with Shama, agreeing that Tengel’s successors were to provide beautiful young flowers for Shama’s garden. Black flowers – the young people whom Tengel’s successors had killed out of cruelty. In return, Tengel the Evil would be given the right to eternal life. Daniel mentioned this to Irovar, who nodded. “This is also what I believe and so did Tun-sij. The fate of the Ice People is inextricably linked with Taran-gai.”

Daniel straightened his back. “I mentioned that I had two tasks while I’m here: one was to search for Vendel’s daughter and see that she was all right. I’ve fulfilled that mission. The second task was to try to find what Tun-sij called the source of life.”

He could hear Irovar’s deep sigh. He continued: “We suffer a lot because of this curse that Tengel the Evil brought upon us. I’ve come here because I want to lift the curse. We believe that the answer to the enigma lies in Taran-gai.”

“Let’s go inside,” Irovar said. They rinsed their hands and Shira placed bowls with food for all three of them.

“By the way, where’s your son, Ngut?” Daniel asked.

“He married a woman from another tribe,” Irovar answered. “He doesn’t live here any more. He’s a great hunter now. A shaman. Wealthy.”

Daniel could not help feeling slightly relieved. Vendel’s description of Ngut had not exactly tempted him to get to know Ngut any better.

When they had eaten, Irovar took a deep breath and said: “My friends: the moment has come sooner that we expected. This is what we’ve been waiting for. My dear Daniel, your task coincides with Shira’s.”

“Are we to leave for Taran-gai now?” Daniel asked excitedly.

Irovar sighed. “Taran-gai isn’t what it used to be. Fate has been hard on its inhabitants during this past year. Not many are left up in the mountains.”

“Why not?”

“Armed men arrived from Vorkuta. They wanted to destroy this people blocking the way between east and west. The few remaining inhabitants of Taran-gai have withdrawn high up among the cliffs and they’re protected by the Mountain Guardians.”

“Who are they?”

“Of course, I’ve only heard rumours because one enters Taran-gai only reluctantly, and now even more so than before. They say that there are five terrible men under the leadership of someone by the name of Sarmik. Nobody wants to fall out with the Mountain Guardians. They’re ... bloodthirsty!”

“Sarmik? The Wolf? The one that Vendel spoke about?”

“Yes. Precisely,” Irovar nodded.

“But Vendel talked of him in a cordial way.”

“Yes. Sarmik was a fine young man in those days. But many years have passed since Vendel was here, and hardship hardens many men. I don’t know who the others are, but one of them is certainly the cursed child you mentioned yesterday. That child whom Vendel had heard about.”

“He’s not so young any longer.”

“No, certainly not! They say he’s the most horrific person you can imagine. Shama’s vassal is what they call him. The face of death, or death personified.”

“That doesn’t put me off. Back in Norway, we have Ulvhedin, another one who’s cursed. He looks as if he’s just risen from hell, but he became my best friend. My mother is also cursed, and she’s as beautiful as the rising sun.”

Irovar smiled wistfully at the young man’s eagerness and his clumsy attempts to make himself clear in their language. He spoke it surprisingly well but he did not know its intricacies so he had to make long detours to say what he wanted.

“These five men really make life unbearable for all those who try to enter. The question remains, however, how much longer they can hold their ground, and how long it will be before the Russians find out and send reinforcements.”

“I thought the Russians came from Vorkuta?”

“No, those were just captives who had run away. Crude men who had heard of wild Taran-gai and its population of wizards and witches and who found a target for their wanderlust and cruelty.”

“Are there many of them?”

“There were to begin with, about fifty. Now the Mountain Guardians are bound to have dramatically reduced their numbers.”

“So it’s twice as dangerous to move about in Taran-gai now? First, you have to be careful that you don’t come across the intruders, and second, there are the Mountain Guardians.”

“Entering Taran-gai has always been dangerous. Vendel could tell you about that.”

Daniel nodded.

“But right now, it’s outright reckless. Nevertheless, this is the route that Shira must follow. Now!” Irovar said.

“She mustn’t go on her own. I’ll join her.”

Irovar smiled gratefully. “I knew you would say that. You’re just as open and frank as Vendel. And, of course, I’ll go with you.”

“You don’t have to. You’re a Samoyed!”

The old man straightened his back. He reached Daniel almost to the shoulders. “But I’m the one who knows!” he said importantly. Daniel acceded to this statement.

Now Shira said something. Her beautiful voice sounded light inside the tent. “In a way, I feel relieved. I sense that there’s an unknown power in me – and for all these years I’ve felt as if I’m wasting my time.”

Daniel regarded her in the light from the hole in the top of the tent. So small and delicate – but with no trace of fear. Only certainty about a destiny, that had been decided for her – and a slight hint of sadness that there was nothing she could do about it.

He tried to comfort her. “It has been said that we of the Ice People have tremendous protectors. That our noblest ancestors stand behind us when we’re in danger.”

“I can well believe that,” she smiled. “But your ancestors aren’t mine. We have only Tan-ghil in common and I doubt that he’s on our side now.”

“No, but I also have another protector. I’ll lend it to you.”

He unbuttoned his shirt and took out the mandrake. Irovar whistled softly when he saw it, and Shira touched it respectfully. Daniel spoke briefly about its history. Irovar nodded several times. “It’s very powerful, Daniel! You can be proud of it! However, it’s true what your mother told you: it’s linked to you. Keep it, you may need it in Taran-gai.”

“You’re probably right,” Daniel admitted, placing the mandrake around his neck once again. “Anyway, it’s nice to know that it’s with us, isn’t it?”