Chapter 22
The flight to Ape lake only took about twenty minutes and most of that was taking off and landing again.
The owner circled around until they saw Freya emerge from the forest to wave at them.
He waggled his wings in reply and settled onto the calm lake to cruise near the rocky shore, where Freya was standing with a big smile on her pretty face.
When the passenger side float graunched slightly against the shore, Roger grinned at the owner/pilot and said, "Curbside service, I like that!"
They shook hands and the owner said cheerfully, "I'll be back in two days, around three P.M. Don't be late!"
Roger grabbed his overnight bag and stepped out and onto shore.
He pushed on the side of the floatplane to help it move out onto the lake's surface and watched until it had taken off again.
Roger turned towards Freya and they embraced, as he held her, he felt his shoulder getting wet.
Freya was crying.
When they separated a bit, Freya sniffled as her tears flowed freely, then she exclaimed, "Ye great bloody fool ay a man! Ye huvnae idea ay hoo Ah worried aboot ye, when ah learnt ay yer scrape wi' th' drug laird, Ah was sae frightened fer ye an' Ah cooldnae speart wi' oniebody aboot me fears!"
Roger smiled at her and replied softly, "I'm sorry I scared you so much, it was never my intention to make you worry. I sent you home to protect you because I didn't know what really to expect and didn't want you in harm's way."
He pulled her back into his arms and he held her tightly for a long moment.
They separated again and with hands joined, set out for the tiny village of giants hidden deeply in the Canadian woods.
Freya took a more direct route this time and they arrived at the tiny hamlet shortly after dark.
Roger got a thorough going over by the great guardian wolves and nearly perished in Gudrun's immense bosom as she hugged him fiercely.
Sigurd laughed and offered him an ale, which Roger gratefully accepted.
Dinner was laid out and Roger sat with Freya as he devoured Gudrun's cooking and listened to her family talking to each other.
When Roger told his tale of adventure and near misses while dealing with a balky airplane, they all sat quietly, taking in every word.
When he and Freya entered her bedroom to sleep, he no sooner lay down on her guest bed, when he dropped off to an exhausted slumber.
It was early afternoon when Roger finally woke up, Freya was out and about so he washed up got dressed and made his way into the kitchen where he encountered Gudrun slicing up a hunk of elk meat into bite sized gobbets of flesh.
These were added to a large iron cauldron hanging over the cooking fire in the great fireplace.
Swinging the cauldron back over the fire, Gudrun smiled at him and said, "Och, sae yoo're finally awake! Ye slept loch th' dead aw nicht an' half th' day away."
Roger smiled at his towering hostess and replied, "Yeah, I was pretty tuckered out. I didn't get much real sleep while I was in Brazil and last night, it kinda caught up to me."
He glanced around and asked, "Where's little bit?"
Gudrun raised one reddish eyebrow and asked, "Little bit?"
He grinned at her and replied cheerfully, "'Little bit' is kinda my nick name for Freya, even though she already much taller than me now."
Gufrun smiled at him and replied, "She's ootside, payin' 'er respects tae 'er granny. Ye might wanter tak' a wee stroll doon tae 'er cottage an' fetch 'er."
Roger smiled and thanked her then left to go visit Induna, Freya's grandmother and living repository of Jotun lore and history.
After passing though the small hamlet and exchanging pleasantries with several of the giants, all busily making things, tending small garden plots or fruit trees while talking to their children about the wide world beyond their forest.
Roger approached Induna's cottage and saw her sitting outside at her loom, weaving the cloth she used to make her own clothing.
Freya was sitting beside her and reading aloud from one of her grandmother's ancient books written in the mysterious runes, the Jotuns preferred to write in.
Roger smiled at the memory of glancing at one of Freya's note books and seeing the pages covered with her neat runic script and sketches of things she'd seen.
Lying on the other side of Induna was Astrid, her long time guardian wolf companion.
The aged wolf looked at Roger with sightless eyes, the cataracts of age having robbed her of her vision.
Although her incredibly sensitive nose still recognized him by his scent, and her great tail wagged slightly in greeting.
Induna smiled at him as he knelt beside Astrid and gave her a gentle ear rub and caress while saying softly, "Hello again old girl, it's good to see you!"
Astrid tilted her great gray head up and licked him on his face and he laughed as he said, "Hey now! You'll make all the other girls jealous!"
Straightening up again Roger stepped closer to Induna and received one of her immense hugs, he briefly enjoyed the feeling of warmth he got from her and reluctantly stepped back again.
She smiled at him and said, "It's guid tae see yer again, Freya has tauld me aw abit yer adventurin' doon in Brazil."
Roger grinned at her and replied, "Yeah, it wasn't as bad as some I've been in, but I wouldn't want to repeat the experience!"
Induna chuckled and remarked, "It's th' experiences 'at makes us wise in uir auld age."
"Provided we live through them!" quipped Roger with a grin.
Induna merely smiled at his comment and resumed her weaving, the rhythmic motions of her loom making cloth, one thread at a time.
Roger watched her at work for a few more minutes and said, "Gudrun is making up a large pot of stew for dinner and Old Harald is coming over with some ale to wash it down with. Would you like to join us?"
Induna smiled at him and replied, "Ay coorse Ah'd loch tae join ye, yoo're one ay me fav'rite wee fowk!"
Roger smiled at her and said cheerfully, "I'm gonna go help Gudrun after I invite Old Harald to dinner."
Induna laughed and retorted, "Clever man, invitin' fowk afore th' scran is ready!"
Roger grinned and waved goodbye as he walked towards Old Harald's cottage.
Following the smell of beer brewing Roger made his way over to Old Harald's cottage.
There he found the giant with a tankard in one hand, supervising a younger giant who was adding ingredients to a large brewing vessel.
Roger called out brashly, "What does it take to get a drink around here?"
Without missing a beat, Harald grinned at him and retorted, "First, ye ask p'litely, then ye say please"
Roger laughed, picked up one of the sampling tankards and replied, "May I please have a drink? For I am thirsty and hear you make a fine ale!"
Harald beamed and said, "Noo 'at's maur loch it!" he took the tankard from Roger, filled it to the rim and handed it back with a impressive grin.
After that they raised their tankards and said, "Tae fine ale an' guid women!"
Roger knocked back about a third of his tankard in one mighty sup and nodded his approval of Harald's latest batch.
Harald smiled at him and asked, "Did me grandniece keep ye aw tae 'erself last nicht?"
Roger grinned back and replied, "Actually, it was the sandman who defeated me last night. Freya had nothing to do with it!"
Finishing his tankard, Roger asked, "Would you like to have dinner at your niece's house tonight? I have to go back after tomorrow and would like to see all of you together. I'm sure your ale will be most welcome."
Old Harald grinned at his small visitor and replied, "Wa, Ah'd loove tae visit, Ah'll bring a firkin ay ale wi' me."
Roger smiled and replied, "I'll see you at six!"
He returned to Gudrun's kitchen and announced, "Induna and Old Harald have accepted my invitation to dinner. Now, how can I help?"
Gudrun laughed and said while handing him a folded cloth, "Ye can start by settin' th' big table ootside."
Roger smiled at his towering hostess and grabbed up a jotun child sized broom that had been Freya's.
He went back outside and clambered up onto the huge feasting table to sweep it off before covering it with the tablecloth Gudrun had given him.
Next, he laid out twelve places for the family and a couple of extras for unexpected guests. Freya's brothers, Olaf, Erik and Leif came out of the house lugging the stout wooden chairs that went with the great table and set them in place.
Olaf and Erik then went off to assist Freya with Induna while Leif and Roger set up the side board and stand Old Harald would be using for his firkin of ale.
Leif grinned at Roger and said, "Noo, we fetch th' tankards!" and the two of them trooped into the house to get the tankards in question.
Sigurd came out of the house and set up the iron tripod he would be hanging the great cauldron from, then between the legs, he placed a circular iron tray that would hold the coals from the fireplace to keep the cauldron warm.
Sigurd, with a critical eye, looked over the table that Roger and Leif had set up.
After a long moment, he nodded his approval and said to Leif, "Run alang noo an' help yer stoatin uncle wi' his ale."
Leif grinned at his massive father and trotted off to Old Harald's cottage.
Sigurd chuckled and remarked, "Me yoongest lad loves tae help 'is stoatin uncle wi' 'is ale brewin'."
He smiled at Roger and said, "Come an' 'elp me wi' th' cauldron, ye can bring th' coals fur th' warmin' tray."
Roger grinned and followed his giant host into the house.
Inside the kitchen, Sigurd lifted the cauldron off the iron hook while Roger scooped up some of the coals and put them in a metal bucket.
Going back outside, Sigurd hung the heavy cauldron with great care then stepped back while Roger spread the coals in the tray and adjusted to keep it close to the cauldron's rounded bottom.
Induna arrived with assistance from her stalwart grandsons Olaf and Erik, while Freya carried the lap robe and blanket she would wear draped around her aged frame.
Walking painfully alongside was Astrid, the aged great wolf.
Roger ran into the house and grabbed an old blanket for her to lie on.
Induna smiled at Roger as he carefully arranged the blanket for Astrid and guided her to it.
Old Harald came up the pathway, leaning carefully on his youngest nephew Leif.
Behind him trudged his assistant brewmaster who trundled a stout cask of his ale in a wheelbarrow.
Freya's boisterous aunt Barbara arrived carrying a basket filled with her amazing berry pies for their dessert.
She set the basket on the side board and swept Roger up in one of her legendary hugs, nearly burying him in her immense bosom.
Roger stepped back afterwards while Freya momentarily bristled over her aunt's temerity in being so forward with her Roger.
Gudrun chuckled at her sister and commented, "Dinnae be sae rough wi' 'at wee man, he's nae match fer ye!"
Barbara laughed and replied, "Ahm only showin' me affection, Ah loch heem, he's a guid man."
Roger smiled and muttered softly, "Remind me to never piss you off!"
With both Sigurd and Gudrun serving up the stew and Old Harald serving up the ale, everyone was soon sitting at the great feasting table, happily eating and drinking.
Roger had made a bowl of food for Astrid and the elderly wolf was enjoying her own meal while everyone else noshed.
Feeling much like a child again while the grownups talked, Roger realized that he was now the smallest person at the table even though he was not the youngest, that distinction went to Freya.
Talk around the table was that Harald, the eldest son was now expecting a baby from his wife Iona, it was their first and they were very excited.
Sigurd smiled at the prospect of becoming a grandfather and talked of wanting to travel to see his oldest boy.
Gudrun politely reminded him of his own parental responsibilities right at home, and he merely grinned and took another sup of his ale.
Eventually age and a good meal, took its toll and both Induna and her brother Old Harald, excused themselves from the table and asked to be assisted home.
Induna asked Roger and Freya to escort her home, and soon he was walking slowly with Induna leaning on him for support while he held onto Astrid's fur to guide her.
Freya carried Induna's lap robe and blanket under one arm and carried a small basket with a clay pot of stew and a whole berry pie for later on.
At her door, Induna said, "Wait haur a bit, Ah huv a present fur ye Roger."
She went inside followed by Astrid and returned with a folded cloth bundle, handing it to him, she said, "Ye ur a guid man Roger Tate an' Ah wish tae show me appreciation."
Roger opened it up and realized it was a hand made coat for him to wear.
He tried it on at once and exclaimed, "It fits me perfectly, this is amazing, thank you so much!"
He hugged Induna and she chuckled softly and said merrily, "Careful noo, ye'll make me granddochter a wee bit envious."
Roger laughed and replied, "She has nothing to fear from you, I'm happy right where I am."
Walking back to her parents house, Freya took his hand and said softly, "Thenk ye fur sayin' yoo're happy bein' wi' me."
Roger smiled at her and replied, "Well, it's all true, I am happy with you."
The table had been cleaned up and almost everything was already put away by the time they returned from seeing Induna home.
Freya's brothers had already returned from helping their great uncle get back home with his nearly empty firkin of ale.
From the looks on their faces, Roger figured they had polished off the remainder of the ale before returning home.
The next morning, they enjoyed a good breakfast and after saying goodbye to everyone.
Roger and Freya returned to the lake to wait for their pick up.
Just before three in the afternoon, Freya spotted the floatplane as it made its approach, it soon landed smoothly and motored up to the rocky shoreline.
Roger quickly opened the passenger side door and said, "Good to see you again! This is Freya, my companion."
The owner grinned at her and said, "Pleasure to make your acquaintance miss."
Roger pushed the plane away from the shore, heaved their luggage in the back and secured it, then got into his own seat and buckled in.
A few minutes later, they were flying back to Bella Coola airport and the scheduled local airliner that would take them back to Vancouver, Canada.
The rest was a whirlwind of customs agents, boarding a big jet liner and flying south then landing in Portland, Oregon.
Another whirlwind of customs agents and finally getting out of the shuttle van that had pulled into their driveway.
They were home again after almost two months.
Roger looked at his youthful giantess companion and said, "Our trip took a lot longer than I had anticipated. Your grade point average probably took a real bad hit from your lengthy absence...Sorry about all this."
Freya smiled at him and replied, "It's okay, Ah wrote me journal loch ye asked me tae. Ah can gie it tae me teacher thes Monday at school."
Roger smiled and remarked, "Why not? It couldn't hurt!"
He took her hand and said, "Shall we go inside?"
Freya smiled at him, squeezed his hand and nodded a 'yes!"