Martha was gazing at him with a gentle smile. “Really, I look at you and I see your parents in you. You remind me so much of them … How I miss them, especially your mother. She was an amazing woman.”
“I miss them a lot too …”
“Oh, forgive me, that was really insensitive of me! I didn’t want to bring back sad memories.”
“Don’t worry, they’re not sad memories.” Lasgol lowered his gaze to the pendant his mother had given him, which he wore around his neck and which produced the strange visions. He had not tried it for a while, and felt a touch of guilt. He had been so concentrated on his missions that he had neglected trying to find out more about his parents. He would have to do it soon. “I’ll always treasure the time I spent with them. I carry them in my heart. They’ll always be there.”
“Very well said. Your parents would be so proud of you. I know it.”
“Thanks, Martha, that makes me feel good.”
She smiled. “I’m not saying it just for the sake of saying it. You’re a grown man, a Ranger. More than that, a Specialist, with his own familiar.” She glanced down under the table, where Ona was watching her in silence. “Your father would be so proud of what you’ve achieved, and your mother to see the kind of man you’ve grown into.”
“What kind’s that?” Lasgol asked. He did not exactly know what she meant.
“A good one, with a noble heart.”
Lasgol went red. He had no idea know what to say. “Thank you … I try to do the right thing as best I can.”
“That does you credit. Never change. I know it’s what your mother would want.”
Lasgol nodded. “I’ll try. So, how’s it been? How was the war for you?”
“It was a difficult time. People have suffered a lot.”
“I can imagine …”
“But we’re a strong people, the people of the snow, we’ll get over it and pull through, just as we always have.”
Lasgol nodded. He thought so too. “What do you know about Ulf?”
“That crosspatch? I’d like to say not much, but he often comes to make sure everything’s all right here. I think it’s because I cook him a few good meals which otherwise he wouldn’t get.”
“That’s almost certainly the reason,” Lasgol said with a smile.
“Don’t take any notice of me. I pester him a lot, but I know he comes to make sure I’m okay and that there aren’t any problems with the estate. I’m very grateful, to tell you the truth. All the village men were out fighting with Count Malason, and the rest of us were defenseless. Ulf came every day, then he’d patrol the village as if he were the Chief. All alone, with his crutch in one hand and his sword in the other. They wouldn’t let him join the Count’s militia because of his age and his wounds, so he nominated himself as acting Chief. It was very handy for us, because there were a lot of outlaws and deserters lurking around.”
“That’s very like Ulf,” Lasgol said, feeling proud of his old friend.
“What shall I make for Ona?” Martha asked with a puzzled look. “It’s the first time I’ve seen a panther so close. Don’t think I’m not in awe of her, because I am.”
“She won’t do anything to you, she’s very good. If you have any salted meat, that’d be perfect.”
“Wouldn’t you rather I made her a stew?”
“I’m afraid she doesn’t appreciate cooking like we do. She likes her meat raw if possible, but I guess you’ll have it salted for keeping.”
“You guess correctly, my young master.”
“Salted meat, then.”
“I’ll take some of the salt off for her.”
“Thank you, Martha.
She smiled. “Of course, it’ll be a pleasure.”
A little later, Ona and Camu were eating delightedly by the warmth of the kitchen fire, and Lasgol was immensely enjoying that moment in his own home. He wished that it could last forever, even though he knew it could only be brief.
“By all the frozen winds of the north!” a voice thundered outside. “Will someone open the door for me!”
Martha and Lasgol exchanged glances and burst out laughing. They both knew perfectly well who it was.
Chapter 8
“I’ll go,” Lasgol said to Martha, with a smile of anticipation.
“Master …”
“Less of this ‘master’…” He waved his hand to make light of this.
She smiled sweetly and went on cooking. “All right.”
Lasgol opened the door. In front of him appeared none other than the unmistakable Ulf, as big and ugly as ever. Once again Lasgol felt as though he were in the presence of a mountain bear, one-eyed and with one leg missing. He had not changed a bit, either for better or worse. He was exactly as Lasgol had seen him the last time he was with him, as if he had been kept preserved in ice.
“Lasgol! You never warn me! Don’t you have pigeons, or ravens, or whatever you blasted Rangers use, to give some warning of your arrival?”
Lasgol smiled. “I’m happy to see you too, Ulf.”
Ulf’s shouts startled Ona, who came to stand protectively beside Lasgol
