[Novnarwen]

Something was touching his cheek, gently, like an early morning breeze. Liquid of some sort was being forced into his mouth, and it ran down his throat. It tickled. He smiled weakly, and sighed. It had given him a wonderful feeling; it had grasped him like a firm hand. He felt warmth streaming into his body, spreading. As it ran through every vein in his body, it was giving him new life, a new existence. It was as if he had never felt warm before. It was a new feeling, which he enjoyed to the fullest. He moved his head from his resting position, getting the impression that it was light as a feather as his strength was slowly starting to come back.

Suddenly, something cold seemed to stir him from this wonderful dream. He opened his eyes wide. The strength of the light that met him, made his eyes burn in pain. All of a sudden, he knew what it was. "Nonna," he said, his voice willed with anxiety, "Nonna." He continued his mutterings until his eyes had gotten used to the yellow rays that pointed directly at him. Finally being able to fully open his eyes, he was at once filled with disappointment when he discovered that it was not her. Was it not she who usually lit up his day like nothing else? Who was it then if not her? Desperately, he looked around, searching for her amongst the few men that stood in front of him closing about him. He tried furiously to rise to his feet but it was all in vain. His body didn’t function; his limbs were still stiff and cold, frozen and immovable. He grabbed the blanket that covered him from top to toe and pulled it over himself completely. What was this? Who were these men that slowly surrounded him? He hid; he was invincible. No one could harm him, no one.

"He is awake! Uther, he is awake!" A man jumped down from his horse, eagerly coming towards the newly awaked man.

Hurriedly, someone tried pulling the blanket off him, but Ingemar held tightly. How come they still knew that he was there? Horrified by this thought, he started crying. They were monsters! They had to be. How could they else see him, if he was invincible? He felt the strength of a man pulling from the other side of the blanket overcome his own; in a second he lost his grip and the blanket was ripped away from him.

Ingemar stared wildly around, not certain about what to do. Flashbacks of events he recognised, but could not place into time or date, made him cry out in despair. He grew silent as the pictures from his past started rolling around in his head. Norna, his sister, with a basket of fruits and meat, was visiting in his cabin. They were playing, and he was laughing. All of a sudden she was gone, replaced by odd figures whose heavy boots made the ground tremble. They were screaming, squeaking, and making noises like hungry wolves. They bore lit torches. Smoke, heavy dark smoke, like clouds, surrounded him. They embraced him like a friends, performing magic. His cottage was gone, gone behind the reddish curtain.

The man was interrupted; the images in his head disappeared. Someone was grabbing him, holding him firmly by the arm, shaking him madly. A pair of grim eyes stared at him, as if trying to read him like an open book. "What is your name?" the man, who was staring at Ingemar, asked.

Politely, yet hesitating, Ingemar answered; "Innemaa."

A smile appeared in the middle-aged man's face. "My name is Uther."

"Uthee," Ingemar copied.

"He seems a bit lost, probably due to the cold night he has spent outside, or he's had too much beer for one night." There was a roar of laughter, but it was quickly silenced.

"Let's bring him with us. When he's perking up, I'll question him."