When he returned to the campsite Rose was still up and watching over Rigmor who appeared to be peacefully sleeping. She watched him as he walked over and sat down on the stump opposite her. Rose noticed the weariness in the way he sat with head bent down and asked, “Are you okay? Was the temple there, and what about the people who made that trip before you, did you find anything about why they were never heard from again?”
Then she softly spoke to him, “I am sorry, you look exhausted, what happened, were you injured?” He replied quietly, “The pilgrims who had made that trip all died on the mountain. Frost Trolls and cold likely, I had to kill two trolls on my way up to the temple.” Rose replied, “So it was there? There’s a temple on top of that mountain?” He reached into his shoulder pack and set down between them bags of gold and a single rose still in bloom.” He spoke to her, “This is your share.”
She looked at the gold and then studied his face and asked, “What about the rose, what’s that for and how did you find one in bloom so high up on the mountain?”
He replied, “I believe it was meant for you, a message from the ‘Mother of Dusk and Dawn.’” She paused then said, “I can’t believe everything was there as told, this will help me to get a new start. What about you, what will you do once we are done getting Rigmor back on her feet and to where she needs to go?”
He sat there in shadow, then said, “As I said, whatever my personal plans may be, life often has other things in mind for me. So, I think I’ll just go with it for now. How’s our girl doing?”
Rose replied, “I think she might begin to get up before too long. Her rate of recovery is amazing considering all the injuries she had. I remember saying that I would have to think of a way to pay you back, you look weary, why don’t we retire to my tent? Let me take care of you tonight.”
He looked up then and said, “Rose, I did this because you deserve it for being so kind and for everything you’ve done for Rigmor, and for me. I would never take advantage of you. So, to bed, yes, I am weary, in need of sleep, and that pilgrimage has worn on me.” She smiled, stood up and walked towards the tent. She turned her head slightly towards him and said, “Come on let’s get some sleep. Tomorrow will be a new day. I’d like to go into town while you rest and recover so I can check on the cuirass.”
He followed her to the tent where he watched her remove her quiver, bow, and hunter’s knife. She knelt, crawled into the tent and into the bedding laid out on one side. She then told him, “Come on, there’s plenty of room in here. I promise tonight we will sleep. You just roll under the covers. Get a well-deserved rest.” He did so after removing his quiver and bow, two handed and long sword and set them near the tent. Once he rolled under the covers, the silence of the night overcame him. The last thing he remembered, was someone holding him as if to say, “I’ll never forget you, your kindness, and how good you were to both of us.”
His rest was peaceful. However, at some point he had a dream he had gotten up to check on Rigmor. He recalled seeing himself kneeling before her lean-to, and that same misty light swirling around him that he had seen in the temple.
He felt the mist reaching out to touch Rigmor. A binding was taking place between their spirits. He thought he heard a whisper, “Here Rigmor is your guardian, know that he will be there when nothing else can reach you.” The next thing he knew he was waking up to someone calling out to him.
He heard them say, “Hey you in the tent, can you wake up, I need to talk, to ask some questions.” He looked over and saw that Rose was not there. He immediately crawled out, stood up and looked at the empty tent before him.
