CHAPTER 9
Cole awoke to the sound of a woman singing. He sat up quickly and looked around. Had he slept the whole night at Arlana’s? As wonderful as it sounded he knew he should have left as soon as she fell asleep but he couldn’t bring himself to do it. As he looked around he realized that he was not in Arlana’s cabin. He was in a dark room that smelled of fire and cooked meat. Where could he be? “Ah you are finally awake. Hans thought you might pass on but I told him such a strapping young lad was too full of life to let the cold weather bring you down.” The woman peered at Cole with big blue eyes. Her hair was a golden brown color and she appeared to be middle aged. Cole looked at her dress hoping it would tell him where and when he was. He was surprised to find her in a dark green dirndl made from what he believed to be cotton. The bodice had velvet embroidery on it. As Cole searched his memory he realized that he was somewhere near Bavaria or Austria but he had no idea how to tell what era he was in.
“I apologize for inconveniencing you and Hans and am grateful that he was wrong about my health. Perhaps you could tell me where I am?” He asked feeling very out of sorts.
The woman laughed, “My you really must have hit your head. You are near Steinach am Brenner in the Austria-Hungarian empire. Hans found you out near the river. What were you doing so far in the mountains with no supplies? Oh I forget myself I am Inger and Hans is my husband. He is out cutting wood and will be home shortly. Are you hungry?” Inger said with a warm smile.
Cole couldn’t help but smile back. She was so full of energy and did seem to like to talk. “Yes, I am. Can I help prepare something?” he asked as he moved to get up out of the bed he was lying on.
“You stay put and I will bring you some food.” She said quickly as she rushed out of the room.
Cole stared after her bewildered. He wondered why she fled the room so quickly. He pulled the blankets down and discovered he was completely naked. Ah, he thought, that would have been awkward. Cole rubbed his head and looked around the room. It was a simple room with just the bed and clothings chest in it. The sheets were made from a warm and scratchy material. His clothes were not in his visual range. Cole sighed and pulled the covers back over him. How did he not realize he was naked? What had Diokles done to him? Did he transport Cole naked? Why did he do it when he was sleeping? Cole’s mind wandered to what he believed was last night. In such a tragic moment he felt pure happiness when he held Arlana. Had she really said she loved him? Well, not exactly but there was love in her heart for him. He had to get up and leave this place. He needed to find her as soon as possible. He paused, my clothes he thought in a panic. His brooch was with his clothes. Had Diokles really gone back on his word and transported them without any clothes? How would he find Arlana?
“Here you are. I am sorry it is not much but it will definitely warm you up.” Inger said with a smile. She seemed relieved to see him still under the covers.
“Thank you Inger. By the way my name is Cole. I honestly can’t remember how I ended up here in Austria but your kindness is appreciated. I, uh, I was curious where my clothes were.” Cole asked awkwardly. He wished this woman’s husband was here instead of her.
“Oh, yes, ha, ha, they were wet when Hans found you so he took them off you when he brought you here. They are hanging outside drying. I will go check on them and see if they are ready.” Inger responded and rushed out the door.
Cole sighed in relief. He hadn’t transported naked. Hopefully his items were still with his clothes. Now he could focus on eating. Inger had brought him a plate filled with ham, cheese and bread rolls. He was grateful for the hearty breakfast.
After he ate Inger brought him his clothes and other belongings. He quickly put them on and searched for the brooch. He found it in his jacket pocket along with the coins. The photos were nowhere to be found. He quickly searched all his pockets but he did not find them. Cole was not pleased by this but had to get moving. He walked out of the room and entered a larger room. It was warm and cozy. There was a large fireplace in one corner of the room with an iron stove in the opposite corner. There was a thick wood table located closer to the stove but a bit more central in the room. Around the table were six sturdy wooden chairs. In front of the fire place were two cushioned chairs and a rocking chair. It was a very humble room but it gave him the feeling of home.
Inger was at the stove pulling out a pan of baked bread, it smelled heavenly. She placed the pan on top of the stove. Cole cleared his throat so that she would know he was there. She turned and smiled. “You are up! That is good! Hans will be glad to see you are well although he will have to concede that I was right and that you were not at death’s door.” She said with a laugh.
The door opened and a man as tall as Cole entered. He was wearing what Cole believed were a longer version of lederhosen; bundhosen was what he wanted to call them. They were brown, perhaps deerskin. He had a cream colored top on with a brown jacket over it. Although Inger had said he was near Steinach am Brenner in Austria he had not realized that it was in the Alps until he saw the man’s outfit. He wracked his brain trying to remember when men started wearing bundhosen and when they stopped wearing them. He assumed he was in the 19th or 20th century but was not confident in that assumption.
“Ah he lives!” the man said enthusiastically. He then turned a wry look at Inger, “Yes dear you were right as always.” He said and gave her a wink. “I am Hans. Welcome to my home. Seeing that you are dressed I take it you have met my lovely and wise wife Inger.”
“Thank you. My name is Cole. Yes she has been very kind. I am sorry to have imposed on you as I have.” Cole replied.
“Nein I am happy we found you. What were you doing out on the mountain with nothing but the strange clothes you are wearing? Forgive our intrusion but Inger and I noticed that you only had some money, a brooch and an odd painting with you. Were you robbed?” Hans asked in a concerned voice.
“You saw the photo?” Cole asked hopefully.
“Nein I do not know what is a photo. Inger did the paintings dry?” Hans turned to Inger. She wiped her hands on her apron and walked to the table. Cole hadn’t noticed before but there was a book on top of some cloth on the table. Inger removed the book and opened the cloth. The pictures of he and Arlana and Arlana and her family were under the cloth.
“It was damp so I thought I would use the cloth to soak the moisture. They are very strange uh, paintings? It reminds me of the daguerreotype that Hilde has of Karl but there is color on this one and it is much thinner then Hilde’s. The girl is very pretty, is she your wife?” Inger asked.
“Um it is a new type of um artwork. Uh the artist uses the equipment used to make daguerreotypes and combines it with his skills as a painter. This was his first one. She is not my wife but I care for her dearly. She is lost and I am looking for her. I, uh, heard a rumor that she was in the Austrian Alps. I had a guide but somehow seemed to have gotten lost. He had all of our stuff. This is very confusing.” Cole replied trying to sound as convincing as the lie did not.
Hans and Inger glanced at each other. It seemed as though they were having a conversation with just their eyes. They turned and looked at Cole. “I have heard of dishonest guides. I am sorry for your misfortune. Where are you planning on going next?” Hans asked.
Cole had to start looking for Arlana. Where was she he wondered. At that moment Cole felt he needed to go south of his present location. He could not say how but the brooch was reaching out to him. It was a strange sensation. “I am not sure. Maybe south? Is there a road nearby that heads that way?” Cole asked.
“Yes. They say this is the easiest Pass in all the Alps. I will show you the way but first we must stock you up with food. Inger has been baking all day in anticipation. I will give you one of my older jackets. Your clothes seem too thin for the cold weather. I wouldn’t want you to die just after we saved you.” Hans said with a hearty laugh.
Inger prepared a bag of food and flask of water for Cole. Hans’ jacket fit quite well
. Cole was grateful that a man as large as himself found him. “Are you sure you don’t want to stay one more day? You only just awoke after three days of sleep. Perhaps you are too weak to go yet.” Inger said with concern.
Three days! Cole hadn’t known he had been out for so long. He had to find Arlana. What if she ended up somewhere awful and was in pain or worse. “Thank you for your concern and generosity but I really should go.” Cole said as he pulled one of the gold coins out of his pocket. “Please take this as a thank you for caring for me when I was ill. I am truly grateful for your help” He held the coin out to Hans.
Hans looked at the coin and then at Cole. At first he seemed offended but then his gaze rested on Cole and seeing the earnestness in Cole’s face he smiled. “Nein it was our pleasure. If we cannot help a man in need then we are not worthy of the life our lord has given us.”
Cole pocketed the coin. “Thank you. I will remember your kindness always.”
Cole left the quaint cottage with Hans. Hans led Cole to the road that led to the pass that would take him south. If Cole remembered his geography he was heading towards Italy. He had wanted to ask Hans and Inger the date but he didn’t know how to approach it without sounding feebleminded. He figured he would find a town with a paper and get his bearing there. He felt he could manage until that point.
“Thanks again Hans, I really appreciate your hospitality.”
“I hope you will find much more along your way and I hope you find this special girl you are looking for. If you keep heading in that direction you will find the village of Vipitano by nightfall. My brother owns the inn there, his name is Ludolf, tell him I sent you and please give him this letter from me.”
Hans handed Cole the letter. “I definitely will.” Cole smiled and shook Hans’ hand then they both went on their separate ways.
As Cole walked down the mountain he noticed trees all around. There were many tall evergreens and also clusters of trees with orange, gold, and red leaves and he realized it must be fall. He felt it must be close to the end of fall because the air had a cold bite to it. He stuffed his hands deeper into the pockets of the jacket that Hans had given him. He felt something odd in one of his pockets and pulled out a cloth sack. When he opened it he saw that it was filled with coins. At first he thought that maybe Hans had forgotten it there and started to turn back. Then he noticed a small piece of parchment sticking out from the sack. On the paper he found a little note. It said:
This is for you, please take it. Inger and I once had a daughter who was very ill. At this time we didn't have the means to get her the medicine she needed. I didn't ask for help because I was too proud and when I finally decided to go to my brother it was too late. By the time I got back she was already gone. Use this money to find your girl. When you find her and she is safe send me word. That will bring me great joy. Please do not turn back.
Hans
That was all that the note said and Cole decided not to turn back. Even though he felt bad taking anything without earning it he knew that Arlana needed him and he did need to get through the mountains before the heavy snows set in. He sincerely hoped he would be able to send Hans word that Arlana was found. The more he thought about her the tighter his chest felt and he knew that it wasn't just the walking and elevation. He felt a serious pull with each step he took, it was like he could feel gravity pulling him closer to her. Just how far away was she, he wondered. He wondered if he would have to cross continents or oceans to find her. He was so glad that he had given her the ring, it was his best chance of finding her. He wondered if the pull would get stronger if he was very close. As he walked the evening began to cast its shadows and his toes were beginning to feel a little numb. He bent down and squeezed his boots where his toes were trying to bring the feeling back. He walked a few more paces and noticed some buildings at a distance. They were at the base of the mountain surrounding a lake. He figured that must be Vipitano. As he got closer he noticed several small buildings with a larger building in the center. There was also a building with a steeple on it that he thought must be a church. It was a quaint little village and even though he wanted to keep going he was afraid his feet couldn't go on much further. As he passed some stables he had a thought, he wondered if the money that Hans had given him would be enough to buy a horse. He decided to find Ludolf first and settle down for the night. He also wanted to ask Ludolf’s advice on what would be a good price to offer for a horse. He still wasn't sure what the exact time period was.
He finally came to a building that said Inn. He knocked on the door. A man who looked a bit older than Hans answered. He was fairly tall but Cole was still a good couple of inches taller. The man smiled at Cole.
“How can I help you? Would you like a room?”
“Yes please. Are you Ludolf?”
“That's me. How do you know my name?”
“I was just at your brother’s house and he asked me to give you this letter.” Cole handed him the letter and a smile spread across Ludolf’s' face.
“How do you come to know my brother?”
“I seem to have run into some trouble and he and Inger helped me out.”
“That sounds like Hans.” Ludolf smiled again. “Well come in, come in, it looks like it is going to rain again. Let’s get you settled in a room. Ludolf took Cole down the hall and opened the last door. There was a large bed and a fireplace in the corner with some wood beside it. “I'll let you settle in but if you would like some stew I have some heating up on the stove, it should be ready in about one hour. Now I'm off to read my letter.”
“Thank you, I just might take you up on that.” The first thing Cole did was to take off his boots. He noticed his socks were a little damp and decided to make a fire and dry his socks off. After making the fire he laid across the bed and before he knew it he was fast asleep. He woke to a soft knocking on his door and the sun shining through his window. He got up quickly and scampered towards the door.
“Sorry to disturb you, from Hans’ description of your situation I thought you might want an early start. I made some breakfast if you would like before you go.”
“Thank you that would be great. I'm sorry I missed your stew last night.”
“That's ok, there was more for me!” Ludolf said with a laugh rubbing his protruding belly.
As they sat down for breakfast Cole decided to ask about the horse. Ludolf said he had a few horses of his own and was looking to sell one. He told Cole the price he wanted but let him know it was fine if he wasn't interested. “No, that would be great, thanks so much; I also need to pay for last night’s stay and this wonderful breakfast.”
“Oh, Hans already paid for your stay; it was in with his letter. You were fortunate to come upon Hans, not everyone is so friendly throughout the mountain passes. I think it is good you are getting a horse, you will be able to cover ground much more quickly.”
“Please thank Hans for me, he has done too much. Is there a store you would recommend where I can pick up some supplies for my journey?”
“Just down and to the left Greta and Lars have a supply store, they have fair prices. I did want to warn you about something, I don't mean to scare you or deter you from your journey but I thought I should let you know.”
“What is it?”
“Hans said that you are heading south. There are some folks down this pass that have fallen on hard times. It's not the best place to be if you are a stranger. There have been more than a few occasions over the past several years where I have had visitors stay with me then travel on in that direction. A few months later I hear word that the person never returned home and they have family or friends inquiring for them. You seem quite alone here; I don't know who would come looking for you. And then there's the snow coming, probably three weeks at the latest. Be careful, you may want to purchase a weapon while you are there also.”
Cole pondered this; if anyone tried to attack him they wouldn't know what they got themselves into until it was too late. Still
, he didn't like the thought of any more obstacles on his way to Arlana, there were already too many. “Thanks for the warning, I appreciate it.”
Ludolf led Cole out to the stables. There was a chestnut horse with a long black mane and tail. His chest and neck were thick and muscled. At Cole’s first glance he surmised that he would be a strong animal, good for climbing and descending the mountain passes. Ludolf led Cole towards the horse.
“Go ahead and talk to her, let her get to know you. She is a Noriker; she has been good and faithful to me through the years. She doesn't require a lot of extra food; she should be fine grazing at night and maybe a stop for water here and there. I'll give you a sack you can tie to the saddle and I'll put a few apples in it for you to give her.”
Cole reached for the horse and patted her head gently. He whispered softly to her. The horse seemed to respond to him, turning her head the horse looked at Cole. Cole was thinking about how in all this time almost nothing had truly felt like his. His home was Diokles, he watched over Diokles family, he ate the food that Diokles gave him, the only things that really felt like his were the few things he had from before he became an immortal. Something about purchasing this horse felt so good. Something that would be truly his. “Thank you, she is perfect.”
“I am glad you like her, take good care of her. If you are all ready lets head down to the store.”
“Ok, I'll grab my stuff and meet you out front.” Cole went inside and realized there was really nothing to get. He had already put everything he had in his pockets. He headed back out and made sure the saddle was secure and then he led his horse to the front where Ludolf was waiting.
Ludolf led Cole to the store and he exchanged a few words with Greta who was running the store that day. He then said goodbye to Cole and went on his way. As Cole was looking through the store he found a medium size leather satchel, he thought it would be perfect to put his supplies in. He also purchased a small knife and some food supplies. He purchased three thick blankets and a thick wool shirt and a pair of wool socks. He decided that he would drape the blankets over the horse as they rode.
He found some rope and a fishing line that he thought could be of some use. After getting his supplies he put them all into his satchel and spread the blankets across the horse under the saddle. As he was just about to leave he remembered he needed to find a paper that would show him what year it was. Looking back in the store there were a stack of newspapers. On the top of the paper the date was listed-November 14th, 1869.