Lugh went looking for Oatey after the not so honorable Martel Jones had left.  The party was over, but there were still folk cleaning and straightening.  Polite directions and sly smiles followed him as he wandered from server to cook to reveler to chambermaid and at last through passages, dark and narrow, to a low doorway, curtained, and beyond it, a dark chamber.

“Oatey?” He called softly, not wishing to disturb folk behind other curtains in the nearby rooms.  He glanced about for another helpful source of direction, but finding none he pulled aside the curtain and called into the room, “Oatey? Might I speak to you?” There was no answer from the small chamber and no light to reveal it.

A fine fix, he had little enough confidence that he could find his way back out and none that he could find the girl, thought Lugh.  He hovered in the doorway wondering if he should feel around in the dark for a place to sit or a light or just go.  This is my chance to be rid of her and her giant killing.  Martel Jones does have a point about Oatey Moss and Peace being mutually exclusive.

“Its considered rude to hover in doorways, Lugh,” said Oatey Moss. 

He might have jumped, but Oatey didn’t seem to notice.  She slipped past him and reached up inside the doorway for a candle and a chemical match which she struck against stone and brought to the taper.  “Welcome to my home, such as it is.  I went looking for you and heard from a few that the blond youth was asking for me.”  She slipped inside, drawing aside the curtain so he could pass into the cramped space beyond.

The place was small, there was room for a bed and not much else.  The tight quarters were made tighter by stacks and stacks of books that covered nearly everything but the bed and a narrow path that led to it.  “It’s cluttered,” said Oatey, suddenly embarrassed, “here, sit on the bed.”  She slipped by him on the path and found a book stack to perch on.

Lugh sat on the bed and looked at the girl, she was flustered, here in her home, when before leaders, warriors, and giants she was supremely confident.  Lugh wondered how both of those women could be Oatey or indeed which was the real one.  “I didn’t know where you were.  I really don’t know anyone here either, except you.”

She looked up at him in dismay, “Oh my, I didn’t think about that.” 

Before Lugh could recover from the shock of her clear innocent embarrassment Oatey Moss, giant killer, burst into tears. 

She was always doing that, surprising him.

Hunter heard the old skald telling his stories to the children of the tec.  He had noticed that the man liked to test out new material on the young, sharpening it with a few trial tellings to those young ears before he presented it to the tec at large.

Hunter had decided that this was a wise practice and something good he would carry away from an otherwise frosty relationship with Barnen.  Hunter was happy about being back in the warmth of Winter-hold.  He’d gone a bit mad alone in the wild.  Things were good, for the most part, Hunter had one enemy however, and that was Barnen the Skald.

The old man was focused on his audience and didn’t notice Hunter, “OH, the man was fae, no doubt of that, and most likely mad, but he could sing like a bird, play harp even better, and I can confirm what you’ve heard, he talked to the elves.  The children’s eyes were as big as saucers.

“How did yo meet him?” a bold little boy in front asked.

“Oh that?” Why I was telling the Rig a tale in the great hall, it was the black of night and the wind was howling.  BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! there was a fierce pounding on the door.

“More and more interesting,” thought Hunter, “he’s turning the children against me having failed with the adults.  Hunter Wilde slipped back into shadow.

Barnen was warming to his tale.  Each time he said boom the children jumped, “Boom, Boom, Boom went the door like a war drum, Old Lars fell off his chair getting to it before it got knocked in.  Lars throws open the portal, Who knocks at portal of Murchadh, says he? The door swings wide and there stands a man, it seemed, twice the size of Bran the champion and white as snow!”

“Hunter Wilde ain’t even as big as Bran” said the boldest child.

“You’re right there, not half as big, but that snow giant in the doorway stepped once, and again, and fell flat on his face! By that time, Lars was back with the axe he’d forgot in his hurry to open the door. But by then there was nothing but a big pile of snow on floor so Lars shrugs and shuts the door.”

There was a buzz among the children, Barnen drew there attention back with a flourish. “It was warm in the Tec, a fire roaring to keep out the chill, so it wasn’t long until the snow melted away and there on the floor. . .”

“Hunter Wilde?” the children chorused.

“Who knew?  There was just a heap of rags.  It was strange, a rag bag walking about, but strange things do happen.  So a couple of slaves were going to pick through it when one thinks he sees a wee animal amongst the sodden rags.  He reaches in and pulls on a tail, but instead of a fox, out comes Hunter Wilde!”

“Was that his beard?” the children laughed.

“No no,” said Barnen, “Hunter Wilde is most likely part elf himself and he can’t grow a proper beard at all, that’s why he wears a fox tail for a moustache.”

“And why he talks to elves?” a big eyed little girl asked.

“Oh no, that’s not why.  Hunter is a strange one sure enough, but he serves a purpose.  He’s too small for a warrior, he’s not so very smart either, but one thing he does do is he takes bad girls and boys with him and he gives them to the elves to teach them manners.  So you better get off to bed or you’ll be liven in the trees and eating flowers and moss.”

“Come on Barnen, tell us more. . .”

Hunter stepped out of the shadows behind the Skald letting his last two footfalls thump hard on the floor, “Who’s hungry for flowers and moss!” he shouted.  The children shrieked and ran for their beds.”

Barnen, the old skald laughed, glancing back at Hunter he said, ”I never liked you Hunter Wilde, I’m glad you’re going, but I expect we’ll be old friends when you’re gone.”

Smoke sat and thought about what he would do with this new life.  He wanted to at least say goodbye to Gospels before he left and perhaps he could impose for another night, with directions and a nights sleep.  Another sigh escaped, he did not relish sleeping again on a stone bench, but at least it would keep the dew off of him.

So engrossed was he with his plans that he didn’t hear the end of the monks chanting nor did he notice as Gospels approached. 

“I’m sorry my friend, I abandoned you.”

Smoke must have jumped, Gospels approached more slowly not wanting to cause alarm. ”No no, as soon as I heard the Psalms I knew what had happened.  Before the Golden One set I saw the town.

“At least now I can offer you a bit more hospitality,” said Gospels. 

“Will we share a stone bench or will I have one all to myself?” quipped Smoke.

Gospels laughed, “No, I shall have my old stone bench and you will have a bed, the best we have, though that isn’t saying much.  There is a guest house.  Hospitality is important to this order.  Though there is no evening meal for the brothers, you and I are being offered a repast, you as our guest and I get to share it for company and on account of my fast.”

“Thank you Gospels, I accept.  Will there be bird egg and moss gruel? I have to confess a growing fondness for it.”

“Perhaps if you must, that can be arranged tomorrow.  Tonight I think we will dine on more common fare.  I hope you will like it.”

“Common to you or to me, Gospels?”

“Come and see.  I don’t think you saw our hospitality at its best on the Skellig.  The larder was a bit bare.  All we had was not very much I’ll grant you.” Gospels turned and walked down toward the buildings. “I’ll show you the guest house.  I think there may be water for washing along with the dinner.”

Smoke followed, “I’m sorry I teased Gospels, I’m pleased to be free of that isle.  I pity those poor monks who took our place.”

“Just ahead here. See? There is light from the doorway.”