Page 37 of Trapped in the Christmas Cabin

Theyonly paused once, at the very first fringes of the green and purple trees.

“Removeyour boots, warrior.Weare treading on holy ground,” the priestess said to him.

Wordlessly,Klausbent and removed his boots.Heleft them in the snow and followed her into the shadows of the trees.

Onwardshe walked, down a path that wound through the tall trees with their purple bark and green and purple leaves.Klausdidn’t know where they were going until they came to a clearing and he saw a tall statue looming over them…the statue of theGoddess.

Atlast the priestess spoke.

“Iwill leave you here,Warrior.Bestill and wait for that which will come.”

Sheglided silently into the trees, leaving him to stand before the statue, wondering what in theSevenHellshe was supposed to do.Thegrass was cold under his feet and the statue’s face was beautiful but remote.Thelast time he’d been here was ten years ago, when he’d made his vow.Avow so filled with bitterness and anger that it grew like a hedge of thorns around his heart, thicker and stronger every year until it seemed impossible to ever break it…

“Youare thinking of the vow you made,”a warm feminine voice spoke from somewhere above him.

Lookingup,Klausrealized it was coming from the statue—its face had come to life and it was staring down at him!

“Goddess?”he croaked, barely able to get the word out.

“Yes,Iam she—theMotherofAllLife,”the statue said.Itwas almost too beautiful to look at, thoughKlausknew he would never be able to describe it in a million years.TheGoddess’sbeauty was that of every woman that had ever lived—it defied description.

“Goddess,” he said again.“I…”Buthe couldn’t speak, couldn’t tell her what he needed to say.

“Isee what is in your heart,Warrior,”the statue said to him.“Iknow when you made your vow to me it was made from sorrow and hate.”

“YoutookMirandafrom me!”Klausaccused her, his voice raised in agony.“OfcourseIwas angry—and yes,Ihated you!”

TheGoddessdidn’t seem upset by his admission.Thestatue’s features remained beautiful and calm.

“Idid not take your wife,Warrior—it was simply her time to go.Muchthat you cannot understand will be revealed when the veil is lifted.Butfor now, know thatIgrieved with you when she passed to the other side.Iknew of your sorrow andIshared it.”

Thestatue’s eyes were suddenly filled with tearsandKlauswatched in surprise as they dripped down theGoddess’smarble cheeks.

“Ididn’t know,” he said hoarsely.“I…Ihated you.”

“Asyou hated yourself.Youvowed never to love again, and now that love has found you, you feel you must push it away and refuse it,”theGoddesssaid.

“Yes!”Klausnodded.“BecauseImade the vow andIcan never take it back!”

“Yourvow was one of hatred…Irelease you from it andIcommand you to replace it with love.”

AstheGoddessspoke,Klausfelt a change happening all around him.Thoughit had been freezing cold a moment ago, a warm wind started blowing.Itswirled around him smelling of sunshine and blooming flowers—the scents of spring and life and new growth.

“Goddess,” he said hoarsely.“Doyou mean it?Areyou serious?”

“Thereis one who would love you, if only you will let her,”theGoddesssaid.“AwomanIset aside, just for you.Goto her,Warrior.Begher forgiveness.”

“Iwantto love again,”Klausadmitted.“But…I’mafraid,Goddess.Whatif…what ifKellidies, too?Whatif she leaves me, likeMirandadid?”

“Ifshe will give you another chance,Iswear to youWarrior, that both your lives will be long and happy,”theGoddesstold him.“Thisis my gift to you, for the sorrow you bore these last ten years.Nowgo—make things right and remember to honor her always.”

Then, as suddenly as she had come, theGoddesswas gone.Klausstared at the statue’s face, but it was only marble again—still and unmoving.TheMotherofAllLifewas no longer there with him in theSacredGrove.

Heblinked his eyes, feeling like a male waking from a dream.Hadhe imagined all that?Hadsome kind of vivid hallucination?

Butno…the trees surrounding the statue were covered in flowers and they hadn’t been before.Theywere blooming as though it was spring—sending a delicate fragrance into the air from their hundreds of big, white blossoms.

Klausstepped up to the trees and began gathering flowers.

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