Chapter 102

Mid Winter's day dawned to an over cast sky, snowfall was imminent according to the weather reports.

Like he had done before, Roger went out and readied the bonfire pit by carefully assembling the wood for the night's blaze.

After setting up the tinder and kindling, he carefully arranged the firewood into a roughly conical stack, leaving a small opening for access to the kindling deep inside the stack.

Next, he and Freya set up the tables and chairs for their guests, in the hope the weather would hold off for the night's festivities.

Around four in the afternoon, Lorna Yamada showed up in her mom's elderly Honda sedan.

Lorna being slightly older than Freya, had already gotten her driver's license and readily took advantage of her new found liberty.

She grinned at them and called out, "Come, give me a hand here!" as she opened the trunk of her mom's car.

The trunk was chock full of her contribution to Freya's annual Winter Solstice observation.

"Here you go," she said with a grin, "Lorna's Legendary Nabe pot, this year I'm making a Momiji Nabe with venison!"

Freya grinned, she loved Lorna's hot pot recipes and always looked forward to trying her latest concoctions.

As Lorna handed them the various food containers, they carried them over to the heavy table and set them down.

Finally she reached into the car's trunk and brought out a battered old cardboard box, almost reverently she carried it over to the table and opened it up with great care.

Lorna reached in and lifted out a cast iron nabe pot, "This was my grandmother's special nabe pot. It was given to her on her wedding day by her mother."

Putting it back into the box, she grinned, "I'm the third generation to use this pot and I always think of my grandmother when I use this. Someday, if I have a daughter of my own, I will give it to her on her wedding day!"

Freya smiled and said wistfully, "Ah miss yer grandmother, but Ah'm glad she's wi' yer grandfaither noo."

Lorna smiled, "I miss her too, she always got such a kick out of seeing you enjoy her secret recipes and she so looked forward to coming here during winter solstice."

She sighed, "Yeah, I'm glad she's with him too. She never really got over his passing before her, she so wanted to grow old with him like her own parents did."

Leaving them to their musings, Roger went over to the smaller fire pit, set up the tripod and hung his large cast iron pot from it.

Beneath the round bottomed pot, he arrayed the kindling and the firewood to be ignited later on.

First, he had to round up the ingredients.

Following the girls inside the big house, he saw Freya and Lorna nattering at each other while they chopped up the ingredients Lorna had brought.

Like always, Silky had made herself scarce while visitors were present.

Opening the pie safe, he reached in and took out a haunch of smoked elk meat, several large potatoes, some carrots, a bunch of celery and a couple of large yellow onions.

He was planning on making a hearty stew, much like the one's Gudrun made for him when he was visiting Freya's parents.

With the ingredients gathered together, Roger lugged a bucket of water out to the fire pit and after pouring it into the pot he reached into his coat pocket and released Salamander into the stack of wood.

Salamander wriggled into the freshly laid pile and began to glow, soon tiny flames were flickering along his flanks and reaching out to the wood all around it.

The wood soon caught and as the flames grew, Roger gave out a low whistle. Moments later, Salamander emerged from the crackling blaze and ceased glowing.

A few moments later, Roger took up the now cooled off Salamander and slipped him back into his coat pocket.

As a treat he gave Salamander a slip of apple wood and soon, the fiery amphibian was happily noshing on his chewy treat

Roger smiled and said softly, "I'll let you have another feast later on, for now I'm putting you back in your fireplace to relax a little bit."

Salamander snorted a tiny lick of flame and continued nomming on his treat.

Once back inside the house, Roger released Salamander back into his favorite place, the front parlour's fire place.

The fiery amphibian snuggled amidst the glowing coals with his slip of apple wood and happily nommed.

Roger chuckled and murmured, "I'm gonna have to get you some more of that at the barbecue store."

He placed a few more pieces of firewood around the glowing salamander and headed into the kitchen.

He smiled when he saw the two friends happily nattering away while preparing Lorna's nabe pot ingredients.

Lorna was deftly slicing the venison into very thin strips so they would cook very quickly; the way she was wielding her knife told Roger she was very experienced at this.

What she was blissfully unaware of was her audience of tiny sprites.

With the kitchen being generally the warmest room in the house, the tiny creatures would gather there during the cold winter months and so long as they didn't get on Silky's nerves, they were allowed to stay.

To help them stay out of Silky's way, Roger had built a long shelf that was divided into individual compartments, each one large enough for a bird's nest.

He mounted it up high against the ceiling and away from the huge stove.

Silky approved of it and so did the sprites.

Roger smiled to himself as he mused over the changes in his life since the first time he saw Lorna and Freya working in the kitchen together.

He took up a butcher's knife and began cutting up the haunch of smoked elk loin while pondering the most recent events.

Last night's encounter with the Horned god and his dark lady had been the most unsettling, that they had escaped unharmed was miraculous in every sense of the word.

His clearing out the old oak tree and subsequent encounter with both the Green woman and the oak tree spirit was yet another report to be written up and sent off to his boss down in Arizona.

His hearing Lorna exclaim, "Oh! Here's some cream, we can put that in our coffee!"

Interrupted his musings and he glanced over to see Lorna taking out one of Silky's bottles of heavy cream, the kind she loved the best.

He gasped and blurted out, "Woah! Not that cream, we're saving that!"

Lorna paused and said, "Sorry, I didn't know..." as she hastily restored the bottle of cream to its place.

Roger smiled and quickly replied, "Not a problem, dear...Here, use this one..." He said as he took out a bottle of half and half and handed it to her.

With a twinkle of merriment in her lovely eyes, Lorna asked, "Would you like some coffee too?"

"Yes I would, we've got a long day ahead of us." He replied to Freya's oldest friend in Portland.

Returning to his labors, Roger cut up the potatoes, carrots, onions and celery while Lorna dosed up a generous mug of coffee for him and set it within easy reach.

Covering up his coffee mug to discourage any spritely pranks, Roger took his cut up ingredients outside and added the meat first to the boiling water.

He would let that cook a spell, then he would add the rest of the ingredients in another half hour or so.

Carrots and potatoes usually went in first as they were the crunchiest, the celery and lastly the onions and any spices would be added.

With the meat cooking nicely, he took a few moments to add a few sticks to the fire and adjust the coals with a long poker.

Glancing up at the darkening sky, he noted how dense the clouds were getting.

The latest forecast had called for heavy snow during the course of the night.

He hadn't really needed to hear the weather reports to know it would be cold and snowy, the kitchen and front parlour had sprites huddled in clusters for warmth even with the cheery fire crackling merrily.

Roger briefly thought about the wild sprites they had encountered at last summer's Renaissance faire and wondered how they were dealing with the cold.

He hoped they had some old hollow tree to cluster in, although he didn't recall seeing any near the faire grounds.

He smiled to himself as he wondered how tiny Maribel, the renfairy he had met at faire, was enjoying being a sprite hostess now.

He seemed to recall that Warren had mentioned she would be coming to their now annual Winter Solstice observance and could be expected later that evening.

Glancing at the clock, Roger took the rest of the ingredients and added them to the bubbling pot before he rearranged the glowing coals and added wood as necessary.

Setting the heavy lid in place on the pot, he went back inside and rinsed out the metal bowl.

Freya and Lorna had finished cutting up their ingredients and neatly arranged them on serving platters.

Half the appeal of Japanese food was in the presentation and Lorna knew exactly how to arrange the platters to look their best.

To keep things fresh while waiting for the others to show up, they placed the platters inside the pie safe that was kept at cellar temperatures without needing any refrigeration.

During the summer months it came in handy for storing root vegetables, smoked meats and Roger's ale firkins.

Lorna took her late grandmother's nabe pot back out of its box and carefully washed and dried it.

She also got out the long chopsticks used for cooking and washed them too.

She smiled at Roger and Freya and said cheerfully, "Bring on the guests!"

Out of curiosity Roger asked, "So who got invited this time? I know that your parents will be here Lorna, and Warren indicated that Maribel will likely be here."

Lorna smiled and said, "My auntie Meiko will be here, she's visiting us for a couple of weeks and I think she'll like seeing this."

Roger smiled and said drily, "Well, we'll have to be on our best behavior then, wouldn't want your auntie Meiko getting the wrong impression!"

Lorna just grinned in reply.

"Ah've invited Ildico an' Phillip, Deirdre an' 'er family an' Christina an' 'er family."

Roger whistled softly and muttered, "Assuming they all show up and including us, that's nineteen people. I hope we'll have enough food for everyone."

Freya grinned, "Christina's fowk loove scran, troost me, they'll be bringin' some ay their ain tae shaur."

Roger chuckled and remarked, "Perhaps we ought to set up a couple of more tables and chairs then?"

"Perhaps..."

They went into the dining room and began setting up another couple of tables for just in case it was snowing, when Warren with Astrid in tow, came into the house.

Roger grinned and immediately drafted him into helping out with the tables while Freya and Lorna set out more chairs.

When they were finished Warren observed, "I see a table but no chairs for it, is there a reason?"

Freya smiled and replied, "That's whaur we're gonnae sit up th' scran brooght by uir guests."

"Ah"

Glancing out the window at the darkening sky he muttered, "Do you think many people will show? They are calling for snow after midnight tonight."

Roger shrugged and replied, "We'll find out soon enough...We're here and it's going to happen, regardless of who shows up."

Warren chuckled and ruffled Astrid's furry rump to her great enjoyment, "We'll see who the true pagans are, that's for sure!"

Warren sniffed and murmured, "Something outside sure smelled good!"

Roger grinned, "Thanks for reminding me!"

He trotted outside and lifted the iron lid from the bubbling pot, took up the stirring stick and gave the bubbling mix a few turns with it.

Replacing the lid and stirring stick, Roger added a few more sticks to the fire and carefully rearranged the glowing coals with the fire poker.

Coming back inside, he grinned at Warren and said, "Don't worry, there's a dish of killer vegetable lasagna with your name on it in the small oven, Silky made it just for you today."

Warren smiled, "I'll have to leave some fresh cream on the mantelpiece for her then."

Roger smiled, "Yep, she'll like that."

Looking out the window again, Warren commented, "This is a night for mulled cider."

He grinned, "With a jolt of spiced rum added to it!"

Roger chuckled and said, "Well, what're you waiting for, a note from your mommy? You know where everything is."

Warren grinned and scurried into the kitchen .

An older VW van came puttering up the road, slowed for their driveway and pulled up alongside Roger's high top van before shutting off.

The Shannon's had arrived.

Roger went outside to greet them.

Tom Shannon waved at him then opened his door and stepped out.

In keeping with the occasion, he was dressed in a hooded, hunter green woolen cloak that reached down just below his knees and covered his Renaissance era clothing.

Paul, his son and Maeve, Deirdre's parents wore color matched woolen cloaks.

His being hooded like his father's and hers being an Irish Kinsale cloak, also hooded and the two dyed in navy blue.

In one hand Maeve carried a wicker basket.

Deirdre wore a Kinsale cloak in real red in keeping with her fiery red hair.

Exiting the van right behind them was a huge, shaggy, Irish wolfhound.

Deirdre grinned and said brightly, "I wanted Cormac here to meet Sasha and Golden Eyes!" She ruffled her giant dog's coarse fur and smiled.

Roger grinned at them and said, "Hail and well met!"

Gesturing towards the house he said, "Come with me, we're not quite set up just yet and there's a cheery blaze in our front parlour to warm your bones by!"

He grinned, "Although by now, it might be a little crowded what with the wolf family sprawling in front of the fireplace!"

Maeve glanced over at the heavy pot hanging from its tripod and said, "Somethin' smells gran' waaat is it?"

Roger replied, "It's kind of a Jotun stew made from smoked elk haunch and some root vegetables we had on hand, pretty basic stuff actually."

He smiled, "Lorna Yamada brought her grandmother's nabe pot and she's making a Momiji Nabe with venison. Rumor has it that Christina's parents, assuming they show up, are likely to bring some of their Filipino food as well. In short, no one will go hungry tonight."

Maeve smiled and nodded her head in approval and patted her wicker basket, "I clap me mulled wine 'ill be a failterespite from al' dat gran' grub!"

Roger laughed and quipped, "Warren's mulled cider is going to have some competition then!"

He grinned, "Of course it's going to be fortified with a shot or three of rum to help it go down!"

With Roger leading the way, they entered the house and soon, Cormac was making his acquaintance with the pony sized wolves.

As big as he was, the wolves made him look like a mere pup by comparison and before long, he too was stretched out on the floor alongside the giant wolves of Wolf Hills.

To Roger's surprise, Maeve noticed the sprites.

She had set her wicker basket in the kitchen and taken out her pot of mulled wine when she looked up and said softly,"Me goodness, yer 'av sprites in 'ere!"

"So you can see them then?" he asked.

"Aye, oi can clap de fae, that's part av de call we 'av Cormac, yer man scares away de brutal ones."

Roger smiled and remarked, "They prefer to be called 'neighbors' actually and yes, I can see them too and so can Anita Larsen and Freya. Our wolves also serve to scare away the boggarts and other night nasties."

Maeve smiled and replied,"I'll 'av ter mind ter call dem 'neighbors', instead av fae den."

Roger smiled at the tall red head and said, "Were you born with the 'sight'?"

"Aye, it pops up in me family from time to time. Dierdre doesn't 'av de 'sight' but 'er kiddies might 'av it."

At that point Paul Shannon came into the kitchen, "There you are." he grinned, "You like this kitchen?"

Maeve smiled at her husband and replied,"Oi chucker loike dis kitchen pure much, but oi wus noticin' de sprites most uv al'."

Paul glanced around the kitchen and remarked, "I'm not surprised this old house would have sprites living in it. After all, it was built for a retired circus giant couple and that makes it pretty special!"

Maeve grinned at Paul and remarked,"Oi tart whaen oi married yer an' lef Oirlan', oi wouldn't be seein' de 'neighbors' anymore. 'Oy wrong oi wus!"

Paul smiled and said, "So we're calling them 'neighbors' now?"

Roger replied, "That's what they prefer to be called apparently and considering how this house has 'neighbors' living in and around it, I'm cool with it."

Maeve looked at the huge cast iron stove and remarked, "De 'neighbors' 'av naw troubles wi' de iron in dis cooker?"

Roger could only shrug and reply, "I've wondered about that too, although I have noticed that Silky never touches it with her bare hands. She either wears gloves or uses a pot holder when working in the kitchen. She's perfectly fine with copper cook ware, but that stuff is gawd awfully expensive!"

"Who is Silky?"

Roger smiled and replied, "Silky, is our house keeper and in some cases our house's protector. Woe unto any who would enter this house without permission!"

Maeve looked at him and asked frankly, "Is she 'uman, or is she fae?"

He chuckled and replied, "She's a 'neighbor' who came to live with us after I had recovered from a gunshot wound. It seems she was once a bean sidhe whose family had died out and she came to live here after she had become a silky."

He grinned, "Naturally, she never speaks but that doesn't mean she can't communicate. She has her ways, that's for sure."

When Maeve looked around, Roger muttered, "You won't be seeing her tonight, even when it's just us at home, she's still quite the shy one."

"Aye. Gaff 'ard tack are loike dat."

"Anyhoo, if you want to keep the mulled wine nice and warm, the stove does have a couple of warmer burners and you can set the pot on one of them"

Glancing over at the massive stove, Roger commented, "Just put it next to Warren's mulled cider pot."

Maeve smiled and set her mulled wine pot next to Warren's contribution to keep warm.

"Chucker yer alwus tell vistors aboyt yisser gaff spirit?" She asked as they exited the kitchen.

Roger smiled and said, "Not ordinarily, but since you have the 'sight' I figured you'd enjoy knowing that."

He grinned, "And we have a salamander living in our front parlour's fireplace!"

Maeve grinned and said, "Chucker yer nigh, may oi clap it?"

As Roger led the way, Paul muttered to Maeve, "I think you can tone down the 'Oirish brogue' a mite, we're not at faire."

Roger overheard Paul's comment and remarked,"I live with a Jotun maiden and a wood wife, an Irish brogue is no problem."

Maeve laughed and said, "Would you be referring to Dena Greenwood? I remember her from the faire, such a little cutie!"

Roger paused and said, "I'm guessing her dream spell didn't work on you?"

Maeve smiled and said, "Was that what it was she cast? I sort of wondered, as neither my husband or my daughter could remember seeing her there; though I remembered her quite clearly."

He shrugged, "It might be something to do with your having the 'sight' that would make you immune to that sort of a spell."

Roger smiled and said, "There is a likelyhood we'll be having 'visitors' tonight during Freya's event. Just letting you know so you won't be too surprised."

"Gotcha!"

Upon entering the front parlour Roger said cheerfully, "And here is where you will find us most evenings after dinner."

Maeve chuckled at the sight of her Cormac lolling about, completely at ease among the gigantic wolves, also lolling about.

She said, "I'm guessing a lack of dignity is a common canid trait then, they certainly look relaxed!"

Deirdre smiled at her mom and said, "Aren't these guys the coolest? They just accepted Cormac and made room for him in front of the fire like he was part of the pack or something."

Paul chuckled and commented, "Not at all surprised, this room feels so...Homey. The wolves sleeping on the carpet, the cheery fire at just the right size to give off plenty of warmth and light. I could easily see myself nodding off in here after dinner and a pint or two."

Roger chuckled and muttered, "It does have that sort of an effect on a tired man. Believe me, I've conked out in here quite a few times by now!"

Maeve was squinting at the fire and she muttered, "What is that I see among the coals? It looks like some sort of fat lizard or something."

Roger smiled, "That would be Salamander, he was given to Freya by her mom when he was just an egg. He likes this fireplace the most and he pretty much lives here, although he does let me use him to start fires in other places. This is his preferred 'residence', so to speak."

Maeve just started laughing and she said, "I had no idea this house was so full of wonders, and Deirdre never thought to tell me about it!"

"That would be my fault, " replied Roger, "Freya and I rarely let our guests see these sorts of things, of course you having the 'sight', changed most of that. We cannot hide them from you, you can see them."

Maeve smiled and said, "Do you think I'm going to tell anyone about this house? They'd think I'd gone balmy, or worse!"