Compassion and empathy shone in Ulla’s forest-green eyes as she glanced up at Laudine.
Cardin is coming home, Lukaz. You’ll finally get to meet your famous father. I pray the Goddess melts his hardened heart. And helps me to reunite the two of you at long last.
“Well, perhaps your Papa will come home soon. Maybe even for the Yuletide season.” Laudine bent down to hug Lukaz around the shoulders as he continued to pet the wolf. “I’m heading back to the castle now, to prepare my herbs. Lady Ulla will give you your first archery lesson. And bring you out to the castle stables to meet her horse, Nåde. You can show her the coltPapihas chosen for you. The beautiful black Friesian. Maybe Lady Ulla will let you ride Nåde with her when she goes hunting with her falcon, Finn.” Laudine searched Ulla’s face and smiled with relief when the healer nodded in confirmation.
Lukaz rose to his feet and hugged Laudine around the hips. “Thank you for bringing me here,Mamie. I like Lady Ulla and Vill.”
Laudine’s heart soared like a lark. She smiled at Ulla. “Will you please bring him back to the castle when the hunting lessons are done?”
Ulla nodded as Laudine kissed Lukaz’ smiling, dimpled cheeks.
With a fond farewell and friendly wave goodbye, Laudine left the cottage and headed back across the castle bailey towardle Château de Landuc.
****
Ulla observed the dark, wavy locks of the little boy’s bent head as he stroked Vill’s fur.
He longs for the father who rejected him at birth. He’s lonely and vulnerable, with few friends. His Uncle Bastien and Aunt Gabrielle have taken him into their loving home, but he’s too young to play with his older cousins, Gunnar and Haldar. And too big to play with three-year-old Vidar and the babe Ylva. Like me, Lukaz doesn’t fit in and feels closer to animals than people. Well, I’ll introduce him to mine. And perhaps help him lessen the pain.
Ulla motioned for Lukaz to follow her into the kitchen where a wild plum tarte that she’d prepared just for him sat enticingly upon the wooden counter.Laudine told me it’s his favorite dessert. We’ll have a slice later, when we come back from the hunt.She showed Lukaz the nearby bowl, which was filled with Vill’s food. Rasing her eyebrows and gesturing with her hands, she asked the delighted little boy if he’d like to feed her wolf.
“I can feed him?Merci beaucoup, Madame! Thank you, Lady Ulla!” He gratefully accepted the heaping bowl and sniffed at the contents. “Smells like rabbit. Is that what Vill eats?”
Ulla ducked her chin and replied with a friendly smile. She whistled for her famished wolf, who leapt to his feet and dashed into the kitchen, eager for his morning meal.
Lukaz set the dish on the floor. And Vill dove right in.
Ulla walked over to the oak table where Laudine had laid the finely crafted yew bow. She lifted it up, held it at arm’s length in her left hand, and nocked one of the arrows to get the feel of Lukaz’ new weapon. Lightweight, but strong. The yew wood was supple and flexible. Perfect for a budding young archer. She handed Lukaz his weapon with a hearty nod of approval.
Pride of ownership illuminated his youthful, innocent face.
Vill, who had devoured every last bite in his now-empty dish, sat on the kitchen floor, contentedly licking his chops.
Ulla fetched her own bow and quiver of arrows, chuckling silently as Vill perked up, instantly alert. He knows we’re going outside. He can’t wait to romp in the forest.
With a whistle for Vill and a beckoning gesture for Lukaz, Ulla led them both out the back door of her cottage.
And into the dense Breton woods.
****
Ulla stood behind Lukaz, helping him stand perpendicular to the target she had made and attached to a sturdy oak about five yards away. She demonstrated how to properly hold the bow, nock the arrow, and pull the string back tautly at the level of his eye, keeping his forearm parallel to the ground.
After a few failed attempts, Lukaz released his arrow straight and true, whooping with joy and leaping into the air when it made its mark with a loud, satisfyingthwack.“I did it, Lady Ulla! I hit the target!” He threw his arms around her waist, hugging her with gleeful abandon.
As she held the jubilant little boy, sharing his unbridled joy, Ulla’s spirit soared through the sky like her peregrine falcon Finn.He is so proud of himself. Archery may very well be exactly what he needs. I am delighted to teach him my skills.
When Lukaz successfully hit the target several times in a row, Ulla ended the triumphant lesson with silent, positive praise. Clasping Lukaz by the shoulders, she gave him a gentle, encouraging shake, eager nods of approval, and a hearty smile of genuine satisfaction. She then led him up the stone steps into the cottage kitchen, where they left their two bows and quivers of arrows against the wall near the back door. With a grin, she strapped her leather falconry gauntlet to her left wrist, grasped Lukaz by the hand, and dashed back outside to whistle for Vill. When the wolf came bounding through the thicket to join them, she and Lukaz scampered across the castle grounds toward the stables to fetch her Friesian, Nåde.
“Bonjour,Ulla! Argant will saddle your horse, so she’s ready to go. Is Lukaz riding with you today?” Quentin, the Master of Horse atle Château de Landuc,tossed his sandy hair over a shoulder with a freckled, friendly grin. He kissed her hand in greeting and tousled the boy’s thick, wavy locks.
Ulla nodded, smiled down at Lukaz, and placed a reassuring hand on his small back.
“Would you like to show the Lady Ulla your foal, Lukaz? The magnificent colt that your grandfather has chosen for you? I’m sure she’d love to see him. He’s a black Friesian, just like Nâde.” Quentin chuckled at the lad’s enthusiastic response to his suggestion. To Ulla, he chortled, “Right this way. The foal is with his mare.”
Quentin led a curious Ulla, an exuberant Lukaz, and a cautious Vill to a stable where the Friesian mare nursed her young black foal. The Master of Horse puckered his lips and made reassuring sounds to comfort the mother horse.
“That’s my colt, Lady Ulla!Papigave him to me.” Lukaz beamed up at her, pride shining in his big blue eyes as he flashed Ulla a gap-toothed grin amid dimpled, chubby cheeks.
