Landsbyen -Into the North- An Epic Poem 72

Each of the new deer adjusted quickly to the pace of the ones they had been paired with, and the sleigh tracked smooth and true. The effects of the extra four deer were easily felt by both Lumi and Joulupukki as they pulled the sleigh through the sky with ease. The beauty of the sunrise as they flew higher in the sky was breath taking and they folded the mud guard to get a better view. Instantly the cold wind slapped their faces and they adjusted the comfortable pillows beneath them and wrapped themselves in the blankets. As they flew over the shoreline they watched the birds below them and felt the mist of the clouds as they passed through the growing billows of sun fed puffs. They found it difficult to talk through the wind blowing in their faces but did not want to spoil the view with the mud guard, so, they chose not to talk for the better part of the morning. Joulupukki was concerned that he might lose track of the beacon when the sun rose higher in the sky, but true to his word Gwaldon was right about it being bright enough to see even during the day. He told Joulupukki that when they approached the spot where Erlenkönig slept a beam of bright light would shine down directly on the spot where he lay. They traveled swiftly throughout the day and found themselves traversing another large body of water as the sun lingered in the sky longer than they were used to. They both grew tired and hungry as the sun finally began to set with extraordinary beauty; within their world, they watched as the burning colors passed from right to left until every corner of the sky had been lit by their wonder. As Joulupukki spotted land he decided to set the sleigh down to rest the deer and prepare a meal for he and his companion. They saw no lights from villages nor from camp fires as the sleigh began to slow and the deer started down. Just as before the deer glided the sleigh gently on to a flat area of earth. The temperatures were reasonably warm compared to what they were used to in their northern home. There was a smattering of snow here and there but the deer grounded the sleigh in a field where they found plenty of dried grass to graze. Joulupukki tended to the deer first, removing their harnesses and laying out feed for them to eat. There was a small pond on one side of the field and he lead his team over next to it. They did not seem at all tired but they were very hungry, as was he and Lumi. After they made sure the deer were taken care of, Joulupukki said, “I will see what I can make for evening meal with what we have, if you will keep an eye on the deer.” “Sounds good to me,” Lumi replied. “It doesn't have to be particularly good, as long as you make a lot of it,” he chuckled. “I know. I'm famished too,” added the King. He crawled through the hatch in the back of the sleigh and stood up. His head brushed against the ceiling and he reminded himself to look before he moved. The glow bugs lit the cabin more than he expected and made his search for food quite easy. He gathered a few things together, some dried vegetables and barley and a small piece of dried meat. Some bread and jam and a skin of water. Taking them outside he asked Lumi to gather some wood for a fire. In less than 45 minutes they had a very hearty and tasty soup. As they sat in the field eating Lumi couldn't help but to reminisce about their first meal together. “Ah, but this one tastes so much better,” Joulupukki observed. “I don't know,” Lumi started, “I remember that one being quite full of flavor.” “Do you?” “Yes, it was very hot and I burned my lip when I first started eating it but it was much better than you suggested it was.” “You know what I think,” said Joulupukki,” I think you burned your tongue with that first sip and you couldn't taste anything afterward.” They both laughed at this and Lumi suggested he might be right. They continued to talk until the meal was over and the skin was almost dry. Then Joulupukki offered, “Go crawl into the cabin and I will watch the deer while you get some sleep.” At the mention of sleep Lumi's lips parted and stretched wide in a yawn. “I'll wake you well before the sun comes up and trade places. We should leave here before the locals awaken and before the sun brightens the sky.” Lumi nodded and made his way to the cabin. It wasn't long before he could hear the heavy breathing that let him know that Lumi was asleep. He gathered the cooking utensils and carried them to the pond. He had to break through a thin layer of ice to be able to wash the pots. Walking through the deer he noticed that some were now dozing while others kept watch. He tousled Sprinteren's hair and patted his back as he passed by. Sprinteren kept watch. It was a wondrous night with more lights than he could count in the sky. There was no moon but the bright beacon smiled bright white light down upon him. He sat looking at the lights for a long time, wondering what they were. It seemed such a waste if not one of them contained life. Perhaps we are alone in this vastness, he thought. What a pity. All the more reason for the creatures of this world to get along. When it was time he woke Lumi and they changed places, and before the sun breached the horizon the deer had been harnessed and the sleigh was back in the sky.