Feathers of the Hawk Chapter 16

Those names I used in the last chapter really exist, but I won’t tell you what language it is – no need for you to know what language I use if I need a strange sounding name.

As I promised, I will tell you about their religion now. Their religion is based solely on an Underworld, namely the seven hells. There is one leader of the hells, Djävul. He takes on a roll which is like the one Hades has by the Ancient Greeks. Their country is called the Seven Hells, with capitals, because there were six difficulties to overcome. The seventh hell is a heaven-like place. So, Djävul is the king of the (seven) hells in the Underworld, but when they talk about the capitalized Hells, they talk about their country.

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“Doesn’t he know about the passages,” Eyolf whispered.

“Oh, I don’t doubt that he knows about their existence,” replied Kahu, “but he doesn’t know where to find the entrance. I’ve always guarded the secret, so that I might come and go as I please. He was quite angry when he discovered I did know where to find the entrances.” Eyolf chuckled softly. Kahu smiled too and grabbled around on the dark floor.

“What are you looking for?”

“The matches and candles I always keep here. I’ve found that it is quite useful to have those when one has to enter quickly, even though I can get around without the light, I prefer seeing where I’m going. Ah, here they are. Come.”

“By the way, what were those terms he used?”

“Believe me,” Kahu said, her face lightened up by the candle flame, “you don’t want to know.” Eyolf believed her and they went on, through a maze of corridors and stairs, before Kahu squatted and looked at a section of the corridor that looked, to Eyolf, just the same as the rest of the passages.

“How the hells did you ever find your way in here?”

Kahu smiled. “Some thread that I fastened just inside my room, or with chalk. If you’d look closely, no doubt that you’d find some traces of it. But be silent, I need to concentrate.” After a while, she managed to open another panel, somewhat bigger than the one in her room. When they had climbed out, Kahu led the way to the kitchens.

“Before I forget,” Eyolf said, “we shouldn’t depart tomorrow – it will rain heavily in the afternoon.”

Kahu stopped dead in her tracks and turned around. “What?”

Eyolf cowered. “We shouldn’t –”

“Yes, I heard you. Sorry, that’s not what I meant. What do you mean, it will rain heavily?”

“It will start raining tomorrow morning, not too much to leave, but as the afternoon wears on, it will rain too heavily to go on and we’d have to make a shelter in the trees.”

Kahu studied him intently. Eyolf had the feeling that she was looking for something. “How do you know?” she finally asked, softly.

“No idea. I just know.”

Kahu looked at him again. “Very well, I will be able to put up with Niall for another day. When will it stop raining?”
“Are you asking me?”
“Yes. Even your guess would be quite correct, I think.”
“Err, okay, I’d say somewhere during the night.

With one last glance, Kahu strode on toward the kitchen. When she stood looking through her windows the next morning – Eyolf was still asleep in his room – it rained. Not very much, but as the day wore on, it grew heavier and heavier, until she couldn’t even see the stables, which were pretty close to the house. As Kahu watched, Eyolf stood next to her, his arm around her waist, neither of them speaking.