The East Wind by Margit Sandemo

Author:Margit Sandemo
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Jentas A/S
Published: 2017-09-07T11:48:47+00:00

Chapter 8

Vendel spent the day familiarizing himself with the terrain and exploring the possibilities of escape. Because he considered leaving here as an escape, even from these friendly people. Tun-sij’s willpower was immensely strong and enclosed him like an iron ring. The young Sinsiew was just as reluctant as he was and they made a point of avoiding each other. Her brother, Ngut, was more open but he did not speak Russian and furthermore he had his mother’s frighteningly intense eyes, so he and Vendel did not establish a closer relationship.

It was clear to Vendel that he could not get away by boat. The pack ice was still closed to the west. But would he be able to slip between the jutting Ural Mountains and the frightening, jagged cliffs by the sea? His prospects weren’t good there either. In that case he’d have to climb a low plateau of tundra, and this was where evilness prospered, they said. Whatever that meant.

But what if he could get hold of some weapons?

Later in the day, a frozen fog settled across the cliffs to the west, concealing the rugged tops. Vendel was busy helping Irovar repair the fishing tackle and used the opportunity to ask, “Is it really possible for people to live over there?”

Irovar answered slowly, “I wouldn’t call them people. But, yes, they live there.”

“But that was where you found your wife?”

“Yes, I did,” Irovar smiled warmly at the memory. “I shot her with a harpoon.”

“You did what?”

“She had lost her boat and was drifting on a chunk of ice; she was also injured. I thought she was a seal and shot her. Afterwards I took care of her. But the ones who live over there have dreadful creatures among them and once something terrible happened there, I’m not sure what exactly. At any rate they are, and always have been, our enemies. The only consolation we have now is that they are so few. They wouldn’t dare attack us.”

“What about Tun-sij, doesn’t she long to go back home?”

Irovar looked over at the mountain that was shrouded in fog. “She’s never mentioned it. I think it pains her that her ties have been broken.”

“That’s only natural.”

Vendel noticed once more that even though the sun wasn’t shining over there, it seemed as though there was a pink glimmer on the big glaciers. He mentioned it to Irovar.

“Yes, that’s true, “ he answered. “The mountains are called Taran-gai – The Land of Red Snow. I tried to discover why when I was courting her but the snow just has a red gleam to it. Tun-sij thinks that flowers grow in the snow.”

Vendel smiled. But Tun-sij may not have been entirely mistaken. There is, in fact, a kind of algae that can sometimes grow in snow.

Vendel glanced over in that direction again and shuddered. He didn’t understand how people could live in those steep, wild mountains. Suddenly it was as though a feeling of tremendous sympathy filled his heart, it was just as strong as the feeling he got from weeping.

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