Part Four
I will not bore the reader with the details of his time at Amleth’s home. It was a comfortable year. The first in a long time if Gunner was honest with himself. Many days he found himself working in the garden beside Ellinor. He watched her hands as they worked the soil. The brown clots caking to her lovely dark skin. He found it memorizing. Ellinor would laugh when she caught him staring. Her sisters refused to go near Gunner. Since he was usually found beside Ellinor, it meant the sisters couldn’t even spend time with her. They hated that greatly, for they hoped if they could talk to her privately, she would change her mind. Gunner had tried changing her mind. Like a mountain, she stood firm and proud. Nothing could move her mind from beginning his wife. For once the soldier found himself at the mercy of another. Ah but I lose myself. I promised not to speak about this year and so I shall move on to his leaving. He had set the family down to inform them he was moving on. The sisters rejoiced, Amelth was saddened by the news. Ellinor spoke first, a fury burning in her eyes.
“When do we leave?”
“I must go alone.”
“Why?”
Ellinor voice wavered a bit but she stood firm. Gunner felt the ice gripping his heart melt upon watching this courageous woman. He becokend Ellinor to follow him outside. He waited until she was beside him. The sisters watched in horror as their beloved sister walked beside Gunner.
“She treats the beast as an equal,”
Asta whispers her hands rubbing together as her nerves got the best of her. Adele lip quiver but she refused to cry.
“Worse,”
Ellinor took Gunner’s hand into her own. Their fingers intertwining. Ellinor looked up at Gunner and she seemed to glow in the morning sun.
“What could be worse than-”
“Ellinor loves him. God help us. She loves him.”
Adele voice broke, but only a single tear was allow to slip past.
As Ellinor walked beside Gunner, he told her his story. From becoming a soldier in a never ending war. He speaks softly almost afraid of his brothers who fell beside him. He speaks of coming home. The unwelcomed return, the hardness he felt turning him against his own kin. He talks of the devil and their deal.
“Twas a blessing,” he whispers. His hand tightens a bit, and she squeezes his fingers in turn.
“If he hadn’t come. I would have given up on life. Then-”
He looks at her for the first time. Ellinor smiles and brings their entwined hands to her lips.
“How much you would have missed? How many lives would go untouched? I would not know love could be so sweet.”
Ellinor finishes for him. Gunner cannot find the words he wishes to shower upon her. It catches him off guard. Ellinor tilts her head and the fire is back in her voice.
“If I am to be your wife then I shall also share in your burden. Until you return there will be no laughter for me. No smile shall grace my face. My heart will turn to ice in the presence of happiness. On the last legs of your journey I send my soul with you. May God and I be your strength.”
Gunner got down on one knee. He slipped out of his pocket a beautiful golden ring. He somehow easily broke it in half. Perhaps because it came from Lucy’s pocket? He gave one portion to Ellinor. The other he held close to his beating chest.
“I shall return not as bearskin. I shall come to you as the husband you deserve.”
Gunner promised. Ellinor kissed him sealing the deal. When he parts from her, a heavy sadness fills both their hearts. She waits until he is gone from her sight to return home. Her face holds no smile. Her steps are no longer light. Even the garden seems to dim. Asta and Adele follow her into her room. She undresses out of her bring yellow dress into a muted gray. They plead with her. She says nothing as she ties her half of the ring onto a black ribbon.They beg her. Ellinor tells them she loves them dearly.
“He needs me now more than ever. Please understand.”
She says as she veils her face in mourning. They hold her and weep.
Part Five
Gunner makes the agonizing walk back to the forest of his youth. The last year seems harder than all the previous ones. His body feels heavy as if he is wearing lead clothing. He wishes he could remove his fur cloak. His hands wander to the fur opening. He remembers Ellinor’s laugh and finds it in himself to stop. When he passes by a roaring river, a sudden heat engulfs him. He wants to shrug off the clothes and bathe himself. He runs forward the idea of being clean, clouding his mind. Her lovely brown hands caked in soil clear though. He stops right on the edge of the river bank. He whispers her name and finds the strength to deal with the onslaught of heat. Somehow without even being by his side, Ellinor gave him the strength to carry onward. Many times Gunner almost submitted to the temptation of being clean. Of being human again. If not for Ellinor’s love he might have lost. In the end after what seemed a lifetime to poor Gunner, he finally made it to the clearing. Sitting on the stump with one leg over the other. A very upset and haughty Lucy waited. His finger were drumming his crossed arms. His face was pinched and looked like a dried out prune. He sniffed as way of greeting when Gunner approached.
“Clever boy,”
He growled under his breath. Make no mistake Lucy is a VERY sore loser. Yet he does so love clever minds. Which may be why he didn’t throw a temper tantrum at having lost. Lucy stood a with a shaky jolt.
“You have vanquished the villain and may now go back to being the man you once were,”
Lucy rolled his eyes and made a circle motion in the air with one long clawed hand.
“Now then i’ll take my fur cloak and be on my way.”
Lucy held out his hand awaiting the heavy cloak.
“No. Not yet.”
Lucy face screwed up tight with building rage. His eyes and nostrils shot out flames. With a quick hand, Gunner grabbed Lucy around the neck. He pulled him close and brave the heat radiating off him.
“You shall have your jacket and fur cloak back,”
Gunner promised. His eyes narrowed. His voice seemed to become chiller with each word spoken.
“After you have bathe me, shaved and cut my hair, clipped my nails, and brushed my teeth. You will work hard to make those seven long years of filth vanish from my body. Then and only then are we done.”
A violent shiver racked Lucy’s body. As meek as a church mouse, Lucy went about cleaning Gunner. He worked all day long and even longer into the night. By the next morning Gunner looked like himself. No that’s wrong he seemed more vibrant. As if something had transformed inside of him, that was shining out. Lucy snatched the two items and fled from the woods as if hounds were on his trail. They might be, for all dogs hate Lucy with a burning passion. While I may not like them, I do have respect for any creature that hates Lucy. Ah, where was I? Oh now that Gunner was changed there was something he had to do. He went home. Rather he went back to the town he had been born and lived a long time in. He stopped by Liam’s mother’s house. She was startled by the appearance of Gunner at her door. Gunner saluted her. He stood rigered for two heartbeats. His or her’s I can’t image. I do know by the shaking in his knees. The sweat glistering his palms. He was nervous. He was scared. Yet like any great soldier he soldiered on. He lowered his hands and with a deep breath he began.
“Liam used to make us laugh. In the dead of night when all we could hear was the cracking of guns and the raining of cannons. He would tell us jokes, and personal stories. Anything to make us remember better times. Once he,”
Gunner could feel his throat tightening. He coughed. He blinked a few times and breathed deeply.
“He was seven and wanted nothing to do with Sunday prayer. You promised him however, that if he kept his good clothes clean he would get a desert. Oh he was so excited that he did his best. But on his way to church he saw this family of frogs playing in the puddles. So, he gets this bright idea. He runs up to the church and offers to holds the church doors open for the pastor. The pastor is delighted and goes inside with everyone else. Liam is the last to enter. Then from the door way he shucks all his clothes off. Before you can react he’s running outside and jumping into the puddle. By the time you arrive, Liam has this biggest smile on his face,
‘See mother,’ He says. ‘I went to church and even kept my clothes clean. I’d like my desert early tonight.’ He finished. And he says as an afterthought. ‘Here I was being all clever, and I never did get my desert.’ We all laughed. Even our commanding officer.”
It’s soft at first. Then it became a roar that engulfed Gunner’s heart. She was laughing. Her hands are on his arms and she was laughing. Her laughs break down into racking sobs. Gunner holds her, his eyes already betraying him.
“Liam. Oh my sweet laughing boy,”
She says in between sobs. Gunner holds her for a long time. Next he went to John’s father’s. The door was slammed in his face. This did not stop Gunner from speaking.
“John was given the nickname Doc, because he was always helping us with our injuries. Soldiers.Civilians. Enemies. It didn’t matter, John believed all life was sacred and should be protected. The entire time we fought together. He never took a life. Even if it meant he would live. He refused.”
The door opened. John’s father Albert was the first to embrace him. He could hear choked sobs behind Albert.
“He always only wanted to help others.”
It was Albert who spoke right beside Gunner’s ear. Gunner held the man close.
“He did.”
It was like this for Hugo’s parents and for every other family member of his fallen comrades. His parent’s were the last. No words were exchanged. They merely engulfed him in their arms. No one in this town had known the price these brave soldiers had paid. Now that they knew, it felt like a heavy weight had left their hearts. This was especially true for Gunner. The town prayed for Gunner as he took off toward the nearest town. This was the first town he helped rebuild. It was flourishing. Many folks were shocked when they laid eyes on Gunnner. The children were the first to greet him. They were all disappointed he no longer had his bear coat. The adults were pleased with the transformation. A feast was held in Gunner honor and he regaled them with his tale. The next day when he left to leave. They gifted him a fine horse.
“After all,”
The mayor said when Gunner tried to refuse him.
“You can’t keep a wonderful wife waiting forever.”
Gunner agreed. In the next town, it was much the same only they gifted him with a new uniform. Each town he had helped was flourishing and wished to repay the kindness. It took more time than he wished to return to Ellinor’s side. A year later than he had promised, he finally found himself on the pathway to Amulth’s home. The garden once lush with blooming roses and pretty bluebells was withering away. The roses drooped. The bluebells seemed to shrink. The garden despite the sister’s work had taken on the same vow as Ellinor. By the tulips Asta was weeding away with Ellinor by her side.
“Look Ellinor, the tulips will wither without your careful touch. My own hands do a poor job of gardening.”
Asta pleaded. She took her spade and tried to wrap Ellinor’s hand around the handle. Eliinor’s hand would not tighten. It hung loose in Asta grip. Asta sighed a deep bone weary sigh. She let go of her sister. Asta stood and turned around to be greeted by the sight of Gunner. She gasped. Before Gunner could speak she ran into the house. Gunner took the opportunity to approach Ellinor.
“Ell-”
He never got a chance. Before he knew it two pairs of arms wrapped around his own. He was dragged into the house by the older sisters. The two were talking over each other so much, he had no idea what was being said. They sat him down at the table. Amelth greeted him warmly into his home.
“Thank you old friend.”
Gunner greeted taking Amleth’s hand into his own. A wide grin broke across Amleth's face. He knew the man his daughters were gushing over was his own bearskin.
“Adele go grab Ellinor. This man has some news to share.”
Adele while reluctant to leave, she did as was asked and brought Ellinor into the home. The girls took their time to settle. After all none of them realized the handsome man who wandered into their home was once called bearskin.
“My name is Gunner, and I am here to discuss a wedding.”
Adele and Asta squeal in delight. Ellinor stood rigid. She thought her ears were playing tricks on her. The two older sisters ran upstairs worried about their appearances. After all they both agreed one must look her best when being proposed. Amelth chuckled while pouring out his drink.
“I haven’t seen my girls so spirited in a long time. Not since our beloved Bearskin left us.”
Gunner mouth twisted much like his guts as a wave of guilt hit him. His eyes took in Ellinor who resembled a dying flower. Gunner slipped his half of the ring from his pocket.
“Kind sir, my throat is so dry. Please pour me a drink.”
Ellinor soft voice caught both men’s attention. Gunner nodded. An idea took hold of him. In an empty cup he dropped his portion of the ring. He then filled the cup and handed it to Ellinor. She watched him do all this. A spark of heat bloomed in her chest. She quickly gulped down the water until all that was left was a ring in her cup. She dropped it into her hand. She placed it beside the ring that hund about her neck. It matched. This Gunner was her Bearskin.
“The only husband I want is one who shall be my equal. My equal in misery and in joy. My strength and my laughter. I ask for the man called Bearskin and the man know as Gunner.”
Ellinor rich voice filled Amleth and Gunner with mirth. She threw off her veil and her brown eyes seemed to glow with joy. Gunner came round to her side. He took her hands in his own. His voice was as steady as steel. Though the rest of him shook.
“My wife was my strength when I was at my weakest. She found me when I felt lost. I am ashamed I brought her such despair, when she has given so much to me. I am honored to say she is far superior than myself and humbled that she thinks me worthy. I find myself a truly lucky man if she would marry me.”
“I do!”
Ellinor wrapped her arms around Gunner and soundly kissed his worries away.
On the stairs dressed in their finest garments. Asta and Adele watched the love confession and the kiss that followed. They were torn between shock and happiness. For before their eyes, Ellinor, their beloved little sister seemed to shine with life again. Once the two pulled apart the sisters rushed forward and engulfed her in a fierce hug. They smashed kisses upon her laughing cheeks.
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