ate a rich and hearty stew: chunks of meat, potatoes, carrots, celery, and seasoned with herbs.
“Eat it down,” said Johanna sitting down to join them. “Nothing special in it other than three squirrels that gave up their lives for your benefit. You need a good hearty meal as strength for the journey.”
Once they finished, Elijah moved to the door and held it open. “Best be going now. I’ll walk with you a ways to keep you on the straight and narrow.” As they were leaving, Johanna moved quickly to the cupboard and reverently opened it. Elijah whispered something to his wife. Her shadow moved from the cupboard to the fireplace and back. Soon the same perfumed smoke aroma arose. Elijah closed the door, turned, knowingly raised an eyebrow and said, “A little extra help for your journey.”
In the light of day Ulrik saw the dreariness of the area—colorless with the random patch of brown-green left by some plant struggling for life. “I can’t remember if I thanked you for your hospitality.”
“None needed. We did what needed to be done. Johanna baked a few potatoes for you. You’ll find them in your packs. They’ll be cold but they’ll push the hunger aside when they need to.”
“There’s not much around here,” commented Barty, looking around “I could never live in such a God-forsaken place.”
“How do you know the Almighty has forsaken this place?” Elijah replied. “Looks can be deceiving.”
“But why do you live here?” Ulrik’s curiosity was aroused.
Elijah’s face turned to stone as he stopped and looked hard at the young prince. “We live here because we weren’t wanted elsewhere and here we’re left alone. No more to be said.” His look softened as he added, “This is as far as I go. You shouldn’t have any more problems getting to where you’re going, wherever that may be.” Elijah turned and began walking home leaving the distinct impression that he knew more than he was letting on.
CHAPTER SIX
The potatoes pushed the hunger aside like Elijah promised they would. The miles passed rapidly under their feet as though a special blessing carried them along.
“Exactly where are we going?” Barty asked after they had walked for several hours.
“Elijah said that the path between the great stones would take us where we needed to be,” answered Ulrik.
“Those stones?” said Edgar as he pointed off across the moor to the east. A pair of tall, narrow menhirs rose from the flat moor, leaning towards each other as if they were whispering a stolen secret. The leaning stones framed the rocky hills that lay on the horizon. Large white birds flew above and beyond the hills.
“Edgar, you’ve done it again.” exclaimed Barty, slapping him on the back. After a pause, he added, “You really did save my life, didn’t you?.” He looked up at Edgar, seeing him for the first time. “Thank you.”
Edgar smiled, but then broke the moment saying, “We go now.”
“Yes, let’s get out of this place as quickly as we can,” said Barty.
By the time they passed between the tilted boulders, Ulrik smelled the sea. Even though he had never been to the ocean before, he couldn’t mistake the smell. The freshness of the salt air quickened their steps and their spirits, and like mountain sheep they effortlessly clambered over the rocks until they reached the sea.
The three stopped on the hill’s crest at the same time. As one, they inhaled deeply, feeling the life of the ocean’s depth pouring into them, refreshing them. Like many landlocked folks who meet the ocean of the first time a strange yearning stirred within: the sound of the waves’ soft rush upon the rocky shore, the sight of the ocean’s vastness before them, and the scents of distant shores combined to make their hearts ache to stay, to be absorbed into the sight and sound and aroma.
Their reverie broke when one of the gulls dropped a special welcome on the top of Ulrik’s head. Edgar saw it, and tried to
“Eat it down,” said Johanna sitting down to join them. “Nothing special in it other than three squirrels that gave up their lives for your benefit. You need a good hearty meal as strength for the journey.”
Once they finished, Elijah moved to the door and held it open. “Best be going now. I’ll walk with you a ways to keep you on the straight and narrow.” As they were leaving, Johanna moved quickly to the cupboard and reverently opened it. Elijah whispered something to his wife. Her shadow moved from the cupboard to the fireplace and back. Soon the same perfumed smoke aroma arose. Elijah closed the door, turned, knowingly raised an eyebrow and said, “A little extra help for your journey.”
In the light of day Ulrik saw the dreariness of the area—colorless with the random patch of brown-green left by some plant struggling for life. “I can’t remember if I thanked you for your hospitality.”
“None needed. We did what needed to be done. Johanna baked a few potatoes for you. You’ll find them in your packs. They’ll be cold but they’ll push the hunger aside when they need to.”
“There’s not much around here,” commented Barty, looking around “I could never live in such a God-forsaken place.”
“How do you know the Almighty has forsaken this place?” Elijah replied. “Looks can be deceiving.”
“But why do you live here?” Ulrik’s curiosity was aroused.
Elijah’s face turned to stone as he stopped and looked hard at the young prince. “We live here because we weren’t wanted elsewhere and here we’re left alone. No more to be said.” His look softened as he added, “This is as far as I go. You shouldn’t have any more problems getting to where you’re going, wherever that may be.” Elijah turned and began walking home leaving the distinct impression that he knew more than he was letting on.
CHAPTER SIX
The potatoes pushed the hunger aside like Elijah promised they would. The miles passed rapidly under their feet as though a special blessing carried them along.
“Exactly where are we going?” Barty asked after they had walked for several hours.
“Elijah said that the path between the great stones would take us where we needed to be,” answered Ulrik.
“Those stones?” said Edgar as he pointed off across the moor to the east. A pair of tall, narrow menhirs rose from the flat moor, leaning towards each other as if they were whispering a stolen secret. The leaning stones framed the rocky hills that lay on the horizon. Large white birds flew above and beyond the hills.
“Edgar, you’ve done it again.” exclaimed Barty, slapping him on the back. After a pause, he added, “You really did save my life, didn’t you?.” He looked up at Edgar, seeing him for the first time. “Thank you.”
Edgar smiled, but then broke the moment saying, “We go now.”
“Yes, let’s get out of this place as quickly as we can,” said Barty.
By the time they passed between the tilted boulders, Ulrik smelled the sea. Even though he had never been to the ocean before, he couldn’t mistake the smell. The freshness of the salt air quickened their steps and their spirits, and like mountain sheep they effortlessly clambered over the rocks until they reached the sea.
The three stopped on the hill’s crest at the same time. As one, they inhaled deeply, feeling the life of the ocean’s depth pouring into them, refreshing them. Like many landlocked folks who meet the ocean of the first time a strange yearning stirred within: the sound of the waves’ soft rush upon the rocky shore, the sight of the ocean’s vastness before them, and the scents of distant shores combined to make their hearts ache to stay, to be absorbed into the sight and sound and aroma.
Their reverie broke when one of the gulls dropped a special welcome on the top of Ulrik’s head. Edgar saw it, and tried to
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