0 comments/ 8731 views/ 1 favorites Freedom Fighter Ch. 2 By: VikingLass The night was dark and the wind howled as we made our way through the dark streets carefully and slowly to avoid detection. There were still German patrols that made their rounds through the town streets, even at this hour. Dreng froze as he saw a German sentry light a cigarette and he pushed me into an alleyway where we huddled until the Germans passed by on the main street to our left. Cautiously we made our way north out of town. As we walked on the side of the road, close to the tree line, Dreng put his arm around my waist. "Aase, I am sorry that we have to leave like this. I know that you liked it at your aunt's home. Believe me, this is my fault. I should never have run off. The Germans were waiting for us. We picked up some weapons at the Swedish border and as soon as we dropped off the weapons they were waiting for us. Jens and his wife Ulla were captured. Now I have brought you into this thing." He spoke softly as we made our way north. After an hour we left the road. It was 3 A.M. when we found a clearing. I was very sleepy and cold as Dreng cleared an area for us to rest. He quickly and efficiently cut some spruce boughs and formed a lean-to to protect us from the driving wind. "What will we do now?" I asked. "In a little we will continue and meet up with the rest of our group in the mountains. I must make sure that all is clear. As soon as it is light we will travel cross country to the cabin where we can both get some sleep." He said. "I am so tired." I said and slept soundly as he wrapped a protective arm around me. I felt something hard on his side. "What is this?" I asked and patted his side. "A gun." He answered. I became afraid. Violence was something that I wished to avoid, especially since there was a new life developing inside of me. "Dreng...why does this have to be?" I asked. "Why can't we find a peaceful life and wait until this is all over." "Aase...that is hard to answer. But I think you know the answer. Our families demand justice. Our people must be free." He said softly to me. "Yes. But I can't stand the thought of ever losing you. Dreng I love you so much." I said. Tears were flowing as I spoke. "We must live each day as it comes. I have no intention of being without you. We must survive and resist. We will come through this together." He said and held me a little tighter. I must have slept. For the next thing I knew Dreng was gently calling my name. "Aase. It is time to move. It is 6 A.M. I let you sleep longer because I knew you were tired. Now we must go." He explained. I stood and stretched my arms and yawned. "Your body is changing." He said, then added, "Your breasts are becoming larger as the child grows inside of you." I detected the wonder in his voice as he spoke these words for me to hear. I stood a little straighter, for him to see my developing body. He stood and put his arm around my shoulder and kissed me. "We must go. We will be there in time for breakfast." He said and took my hand. We headed west into the mountains that overlooked Ryukan. Within 90 minutes we found a small stream. I knelt down and drank from it. The fresh running water refreshed me. "We are almost there Aase. Another twenty minutes. This stream is fed from a small lake. The cabin is there. It is well hidden in the woods." He explained to me. I am very glad that Dreng knew exactly where we were headed. I never would have found the cabin on my own. He told the truth when he said the cabin was hard to see. We were within ten meters of it before I realized that there was a cabin in front of us. Dreng knocked on the door, three times. A woman answered and allowed us inside. "Dreng. I am glad you are here. Olaf and Bjorn have left to pick up the wireless unit from the Colonel. Would you light a fire?" She asked. "Ja. Ragnhild, this is my wife Aase. She is the reason why I left last night. Bjorn said that it would be all right for me to bring her here." Dreng said to the woman. "He told me. Aase, I am Ragnhild Lofton. Welcome to your new home. Dreng has told me you and he are newlyweds. Congratulations!" She said and took my hand and led me inside of the cabin. "You must be tired. If you wish, you may sleep a while longer. I was going to make some breakfast." She offered. "No. I can always sleep later if need be. I will help you with breakfast, Ragnhild." I offered. "Takk. It would be nice to have the company of another woman. I was the only one here until you came, that is." She said and smiled. Two more men returned within an hour and I served them some food. Fried potatoes and biscuits. They returned with more flour and some fresh eggs. I was introduced to them. Bjorn Lofton was Ragnhild's husband. He had also been a Sergeant in an elite Norwegian unit, the King's Guards from Oslo. Bjorn was in his late twenties and his wife was my age. They had just married before the Germans invaded and had planned on using this cabin as their honeymoon site. Bjorn had helped our King escape to England, but had returned to be with his wife and to carry on the fight with her. Bjorn was a large man with black hair and a long beard and I thought he looked exactly like his name. For 'Bjorn' in Norwegian means 'bear'. He made me feel at home immediately and soon had us all laughing at his humor. He was a natural leader and we all looked up to him as the head of our small family. Olaf was quiet. He was my age, barely over 19 and had been a conscript who was never able to report to his unit because of the quickness of the German response when it took over our country. Oslo had been quickly captured and sealed off, as was much of the southern coast. Olaf was from Ryukan, but had remained in the hills north of his town until he met up with Bjorn, Dreng, and some others from this group. He told me that he knew my aunt and uncle. I learned that there were three different cabins that the group was using. Only one third of the group was here where I was. There were nine more housed in the other cabins within a kilometer of where we were. I leaned my head on Dreng as I listened to each one as they spoke, joked, or commented on something or another. It was Bjorn who finally changed the subject. "Tonight we set up the radio and make contact with our people in London. Dreng, I need you and Jon. We will be gone for three hours. Once we have our orders, we'll return. Aase you will remain here. I'm sorry but it is very cold outside and Dreng tells me you are going to have a baby next year. I imagine you will appreciate the extra sleep." Bjorn said. Ragnhild got up from the table and began clearing away the remains of our breakfast. Bjorn grabbed her waist and set her on his lap. "Raggie. I think it is time for us to plan a family." His voice boomed. Ragnhild blushed, but her eyes softened when she looked into his face as it grew tender. "Ja. I think that would be just fine. Once you have a job and stop traipsing all around the countryside hunting Germans and being a general terror to our peace of mind." She said. Bjorn laughed uproariously at this and let his wife get back up to finish her chores. I got up to help her. Dreng took my hand and told me to remain seated. "We need to talk to you. There are certain protocols we have to discuss." He said. Ragnhild and Olaf were busy doing the dishes and preparing the small cabin for the day. Beds needed to be stripped and sleeping pallets put away. The house would be cleaned and aired out. "Aase I know that this is something that you are not prepared for. Last year you were a schoolgirl and now you are a wife and soon to become a mother. I understand that your family is gone or scattered. We are now your family and we will make sure you are safe. I feel very bad for Jens and Ulle. They were captured yesterday near the Swedish border. Ulle has family in Sweden. Perhaps she can persuade the Germans that they were only trying to cross the border into Sweden illegally. I would hate to even consider the alternatives. Aase, we will remain in this cabin for another month at the most. From here we will move to another. If we remain in one place too long, we will surely draw attention to ourselves. As the time draws closer for you, I will find a place for you and the baby to stay where you will be safe. Now today and tonight you will remain here in the cabin. You will prepare our meals and something for the three of us when we go out tonight. I must ask you to help Ragnhild with the housekeeping. Making beds and so forth. There are two bedrooms in this cabin. You and Dreng will have one of them. This will give you and your new husband some degree of privacy. Just as I want privacy with my wife. Are there any questions Aase?" Bjorn asked me. "No. That you for welcoming me into this house. Dreng has told me much about all of you." I replied. "Good. Now if you wish, I will show you your room and later Ragnhild will show you where everything is." Bjorn said and stood up to show me around the cabin. After I had helped Ragnhild clean the house and went through the lists of things that needed to be done, Dreng and I went outside to be alone. The wind has ceased somewhat, the air had turned cold. An artic front had passed during the night. "Soon the snows will come." Dreng commented as we sat on the ground not far from the shoreline of a small lake. "Yes." I said and laid my head on his shoulder and added, "And our child in the spring." Dreng brightened, "Aase, I just thought about it. The baby is due about the same time as when we met in the back of the German lorry." I counted the months. Dreng was right. I was three months pregnant. In six months I should give birth. Around April. "Yes. An anniversary of many things. Both good and bad." I replied. Dreng held me. Now I have not, up to this point, described Dreng as I remember him in those days. As I have said, he is one year older then I am. Dreng had always kept his light brown hair longer then most. He was an avid skier and winter hobbyist. He was just over six foot in height, he had a body that was strong from working on his parent's farm year round and occasionally working on a friend's father's fishing boat. Dreng's solid and compassionate eyes are what I had always found most attractive about him. Now he was my husband and soon to be the father of my child. Words could never express the joy I found being at his side, a part of his life. I, on the other hand, had been raised in a sheltered home. My father had been the parish pastor for the state church, which was the Lutheran Church. I had never really thought about my looks or how I compared to the other girls my own age. I was 5'5" tall. Slender build, now becoming larger due to my current state. I had always worn my hair long. It reached my shoulder blades, but I always tied it back in a braid behind my head. My breasts, now becoming swollen, had always been about average. In short, I was a normal Norwegian woman, the daughter of a Lutheran pastor who was not accustomed to this new life I was living. Dreng was in bed with me. He had left before I went to bed, and returned when I was asleep. The first rays of the new dawn shone in through a window, lighting the loft where we slept. I stretched and sat up. Dreng stirred next to me and rolled over. I slipped on my long coat and went outside to relieve myself. Going inside after I finished, I went back up to where Dreng was and crawled under the covers. He turned to me and smiled. "Good morning." He whispered and kissed my nose. I smiled back and wrapped my arms around his head and snuggled closer to him. Our bedroom consisted on an open area overlooking the downstairs, main room of the cabin. Our bedroom was to the left and Bjorn and Ragnhild's room was to the right. Our room was barely two meters squared, but it was ours and we had a certain degree of privacy, a large canvas sheet was tacked into place, blocking our view of the downstairs area, and more importantly blocking the downstairs from looking up. These arraignments were rather primitive, when compared to what we had given up when we lived with my aunt and uncle, but I was here with Dreng. That was the important thing. Dreng kissed my head as I nuzzled closer to him. I breathed in his scent and grew warm as he held me close to him. His hand went to my thigh and he rubbed me. I looked up at him and smiled. Sitting up I pulled my long cotton nightdress up over my head and lay back down on the bed. Dreng pulled off his thermal shirt and squiggled under the bed as he removed his bottoms. We lay side by side kissing and touching each other's body. "Aase I have much to tell you, yet I cannot speak about them just yet. I am sorry now that we left the safety of your relative's house. But I am not sorry. I must do what my people and King asks of me. Does this make sense to you?" He asked me. "Do not speak of these things now, Dreng. I need you. My body needs you." I whispered to him. My request was urgent, and to illustrate my point I took his penis in my hand and rubbed it gently with the other. Stroking it, and touching it lightly with my fingertips, I soon had him aroused. "Aase, you certainly know how to change the subject. I want you too." He whispered in my ear and began to kiss my body. I began to respond immediately and soon pulled his body over mine. I spread my legs and as he held himself over me, supporting himself by his forearms. I grasped his penis and rubbed it back and forth over the opening of my vagina, this stimualted me. For two or three minutes I did this until I felt that my body was ready to receive him into me and my natural wetness was beginning to flow from me. I placed the head over my opening and soon my body began to envelop itself around his organ. My hips twitched involuntarily and he was drawn into me deeper and deeper. I gasped at the sensation and held him tightly to my bosom. Dreng began to thrust into me and soon we were moving in unison. My breathing became ragged as various sensations began to build up inside of me, deep inside of me. My legs wrapped around the small of his back and I pulled his body still closer to mine. "Dreng! Oh...oh." I gasped his name as he began to stimualte that spot deep inside of me. I could feel the first stirring of release beginning to build up. His thrusting became more focused and deeper he drove into my womb. I knew that he would soon climax for now he was grunting softly. Opening my eyes, I looked into his eyes. They were fixed on mine and we kissed as the first wave of pleasure gripped me. I lifted my hips to meet his quickening thrusts. A second wave of pleasure followed and I was moaning softly as he covered me with his gentle kissed on the face and neck. He pushed hard against my loins and his whole body shuddered, his teeth clenched and his breath blew out onto my neck. I felt the warmth of his seed being injected into me. It was a most pleasant sensation and I held him tight to me as he began to slowly collapse on top of me. The warmth of his seed calmed me. I was satisfied. We lay motionless for a few moments, and Dreng lifted his head and looked into my eyes. "Aase. I can never get enough of you." He whispered into my ear. He was still inside of me. I smiled; it was a smile of complete satisfaction. I was complete now, at this very moment. "I am yours whenever you wish Dreng. I too can never receive enough from you. I think it shall be that way my whole life." I spoke softly to him. Bjorn, Ragnhild, and Olaf were up. We could hear Bjorn's booming voice as he laughed and greeted his wife, then Olaf. Dreng and I did not wish to get up, but we did and soon joined the others. "Ah Dreng! Good morning lovely mother to be!" He said to me. His voice was cheerful and his mood light. We greeted Bjorn and the others. I went in to help Ragnhild with the morning meal preparations. "Aase, I need to talk to you and Dreng after breakfast." Bjorn said to me and sat down at the table. I wiped my hands on a towel and nodded that I understood he was talking to me and continued to help Ragnhild make the breakfast cakes we would eat for breakfast. As the men came into the small kitchen table and sat down to talk, Ragnhild and I set down the food. Bjorn gave a prayer of thanksgiving and asked for God's protection. It was the first time in many months when my thoughts turned to God. My whole life had changed so drastically. Ragnhild and I joined our men and we all enjoyed our meal. As the last cake was eaten, and the last drop of elderberry syrup was sopped up, Ragnhild stood to begin clearing away the remains of our meal. I stood to join her, but Bjorn motioned me to sit. I took Dreng's hand and waited for Bjorn to speak. "Aase. Last night Dreng, Jon (you have not met him yet) and I went into the mountains north of here and set up our radio. We notified London that we were ready to receive any orders. My instructions were to send two people to Kinsarvik on Bergen Fjord. I understand that Dreng has a cousin who is a doctor there." Bjorn said. "Yes. I remember him now." I said to Dreng. I had met him at Dreng's Gymnasium graduation. My father always went to each graduation to congratulate the members of his congregation. Dreng's cousin was a doctor, just as Bjorn had said. "I am asking that you and Dreng go there. I have already given Dreng the message to relay to the leaders there. You will travel as newlyweds who have gone back home to Kristiansand only to discover that your family is gone. Good cover stories, right?" Bjorn laughed at his poor sense of humor. It was true so far, everything he had said. It was not as much a cover story as it was the bold truth. "Word is being sent to these leaders to contact this cousin and find out where true sympathies are right now. With Dreng there, I can set up a network of people willing to relay information to London about the movements of German troops, aircraft, and naval units. Dreng will remain in Kinsarvik and find work. I am sure that you will appreciate that, with a child on the way and all. You will enjoy a home for awhile, Aase." Bjorn spoke in a hushed, conspiratorial tone. I was overjoyed! A chance to leave this vagabond life behind and live in peace while my husband and I set up house and watch as our child comes into being. "Yes! I would like that very much!" I said and looked at Dreng beaming with joy. "I knew you would. That is why I convinced Bjorn to let me have the job." Dreng said. "Good. You will need to prepare three days worth of food and Dreng tells me that you have eighty-five Kroner between the two of you. That will be enough. Leave as soon as you have your food prepared. Dreng, leave your pistol here. If the Germans discover that you have a weapon, you will be shot immediately. I do not know if there will be many Germans along the road, but be careful. You have good papers and you should not be bothered at all. Take care. Aase I hope to see you again when that child is born. Take care of yourself and have a healthy baby." Bjorn said, then patted my hand. We were on the road within an hour hiking northwest along the road. The wind had picked up a little as we were at a fairly high elevation. In a few places the snow began to flurry, but we were warm as we walked at a brisk pace. We spent the first night tucked away in the woods. Dreng had built a small fire and a small lean-to protected us from the cold. The second day on the road we came to the town of Vinjesvingen and was able to find a youth hostel just as the snow began to pick up. We walked around the town holding hands and thinking up names for our baby when we found a bakery, which was making fresh bread. The smell was delicious! I was willing to just stand there and savor the aroma but Dreng took my hand and led me to the bakery. This was before the hard times, when food was still available. Freedom Fighter Ch. 2 "One loaf of bread and...some of that pastry there." Dreng pointed to the apple tarts that had been on display. The girl behind the counter placed our goods inside of a piece of newspaper and then into a bag. "Two Kroner." The girl said. Dreng handed her the money. "New in town?" The girl asked. "Yes. We are on our honeymoon and going to my cousin's in Kinsarvik." Dreng replied. "You need to show your papers at the police station. The Germans require it. If we all comply they won't bother us much." The girl said. (The keeper at the hostel had failed to mention this when he gave us a small room with two old cots in it. We had our sleeping bags, so it would suffice for the night, even though I could not have his skin next to mine, I could place the cot next to his.) Dreng picked up our purchases and we walked across the to the police station. We walked inside and a Norwegian policeman greeted us. "How may I help you?" He asked politely. "We have just come into town and we were told at the bakery that we need to show our papers." Dreng explained. "Ah, yes. Thank you." The policeman said, still maintaining his cheerful tone. Dreng took out his papers. They were the ones he had been issued at the refugee camp the day we were married. I reached into my coat and handed mine to Dreng. The policeman examined them. "Married?" He asked. "Yes. At the camp where we had these papers issued to us." Dreng replied. "And how long are you staying here?" The policeman asked. "Until tomorrow. We are headed to Kinsarvik." Dreng said. "I see. But you are from Kristiansand." The policeman said. "We have lost our families. I have family in Kinsarvik. An older cousin. He is my only remaining relative." Dreng said. The policeman nodded sympathetically. "Yes. We have lost many countrymen this year." He stamped the papers with vehemence and handed them back to Dreng. "That is all. Enjoy Vinjesvingen." He said, then added, "There is a bus that will take you to Laatefoss. From there you can take another to Kinsarvik. The price from here to Laatefoss is five Kroner each person. The bus leaves at ten in the morning." "Thank you Officer. We will take the bus. It will be much easier." Dreng said. "Then you have enough money for the bus?" "Oh yes." Dreng said and waved as he touched my shoulder and steered me to the door. "Now Aase we find some cheese and some pickled herring to go with our bread!" I had already pulled an apple tart from the bag and was eating it as we stepped onto the street. After having bought our food, we retired to the hostel. Dreng counted our remaining money. "After we pay for the bus, Aase, we will have spent twenty-two Kroner. That leaves us with sixty-three. That should last us for some time. We must be frugal though." He put the money away as I was eating my third tart. "Dreng, I can't believe how much I eat!" I said. We had bought some goat's cheese and a large tin of pickled herring, some dried fish, and some ham. Dreng had already finished. He was full. "Aase you eat for two." He said and lay back on his cot. He was deep in thought. The wind howled outside and the snow was falling steadily outside. We were warm in our small room as I continued to eat a nibble here and another nibble later. The bus ride Laatefoss was uneventful. I had slept most of the way. There were three others on the bus with us. A woman with a baby, and an elderly couple who were going to stay with their daughter. Their home had been in Honefoss and had been destroyed. It was dark when the bus pulled into Laatefoss. German troops were everywhere, headed south. They were from one of the mountain units that had seen heavy fighting up north. As we entered the terminal, policemen were busy checking our papers. A German supervised their every move. As Dreng handed his papers to the policeman, the German came over and took the papers from the policeman. He took mine as I offered it to the policeman. "You two will come with me." He said. Our rucksacks were taken from us. Dreng looked stunned and I had to hold onto his arm for support. So many things went through my mind as the German led us into a room in the back of the bus station. "Wait here." He said, still holding our papers and closed the door. In a few moments the door opened and Dreng was taken out. I remained alone in the room. Only a few seconds passed and the door opened again. A German in a black uniform walked inside with my papers in his hand. "You are Aase Larsson?" He asked in perfect Norwegian.. "Yes." I replied, "I am she." I spoke in German. His face brightened and he smiled. But his eyes remained cold and piercing. "And you are married to Dreng Larsson, the man that was with you?" He asked. "Yes. I am his wife." I said. "Now, you will tell me where you are headed and for what purpose. I see these papers say you are from Kristiansand, in the south?" He asked. "Yes. Our families were killed in the fighting. British bombers bombed the city trying to destroy the docks. We are headed to Kinsarvik. My husband has a cousin there." I replied. "And this cousin. What is his name?" The German asked. "Doktor Harald Larsson." I replied, still speaking in German. "Ah. Now tell me. Really. What is your real reason for traveling to Kinsarvik?" The German asked. His temperament changed immediately as he slammed his hands on the table that I was seated at. I jumped. My eyes opened wide in terror. "I have told you the truth." I said. "Very well. We have all night to find out the real truth." He smiled and added, "I too can play games, Frau Larsson!" He spat out my name. A hand reached across the table and grabbed my throat. "I do not believe you. Frau Larsson, I believe that you are going to Kinsarvik for perhaps some other reason. Perhaps to escape with your husband to England. Ja?" He asked. "No!" I said as emphatically as I could. He let loose of my throat and stepped back. "And why not? If my country had been invaded I would want to run to fight again." He said. "I do not want to join the English. They killed my mother. It was their bombers that bombed our city. Not German." "Ahhh...so you side with the Germans. Yes?" He asked. "I side with no one. I am neutral. As my people were neutral before the British and the French drew us into the war!" I said, remembering what Dreng had told me so long ago. "Yes. That is true. Just as the Germans were forced into the war by them. Ja." He smiled and patted my hand. He began to pace the room then turned towards me. "You will take off your clothes. I must check them for contraband." He said and stood away from me. I took off my jacket and set it on the table. "Your sweater, shirt, shoes and pants." He said, "On the table so I can examine them." I complied, standing only in my long thermal underwear and stockings. He looked over each item. Checking the seams and examining for hidden papers, and so on. "The rest of your clothes." He said. I stood there stunned. Not wanting to comply. His hand reached out and struck me hard across the face. "NOW!!Frau Larsson." He screamed at me. I was knocked backwards and hit the wall hard and collapsed on the floor, sobbing. "I am waiting and you will obey." He said as his hand reached to his holster. He pulled out a pistol and cocked it. "You see, I have no problem putting an end to all of this fuss right now!" He leered. His eyes gazed at me with evil intent very plain for me to see. I stood and removed my socks and placed them on the table. Next I pulled off my long thermal shirt and laid it out. He looked at my breasts and smiled. As I removed my long thermal underpants, he nodded at my nakedness. "Yes. I can see why you are married already. You would make a good-looking wife for a German soldier." He said as he inspected my underclothes after he holstered his pistol. Satisfied that I was not carrying any weapons or contraband, he touched my face. "You are a newlywed, Ja?" He asked. I nodded. Tears were rolling down my cheeks. "Then perhaps I should make it my business that you bear our beloved Fuhrer a child for the German cause." He suggested. I trembled as he turned me around until the table where my clothes were, was at my back. He pushed me backwards and I was laid out roughly on top of the table. With his hand over my throat, he undid his pants and allowed them to drop down. When he had exposed himself he roughly spread my legs apart and pushed himself into me. I bit my lip to stifle a scream. I was certain that he had no problem slapping or beating me. As he pumped against me, the pain was unbearable. I was not ready for this invasion into my body. Within a few seconds, his whole body trembled as I felt him empty his seed in me. I sobbed softly as he stared down at me. "That is much better. Yes?" He asked me. I turned my head away from him. Not wanting to show him the hatred in my eyes. He let loose of my throat and grabbed both of my hands and raised them over my head until they lay either side of my head on the table. He bent over and kissed the cleft between my breasts. All of this time, he was still inside of me. I could feel him grow harder inside of me and soon he began to move against of me as he raped me again. Much to my shame, my body betrayed me. I began to breathe faster and I even heard a moan escape from my lips as I was taken against my free will. When I climaxed, I had to bite my lip to keep from crying out. Again the German climaxed inside of me and his demeanor towards me became a little less threatening. I lay still; sobs wracking my body as I silently cursed him and myself. He pulled up his uniform pants just as the door opened and in walked another German in a black military uniform. "Ah Heinrich, I see you are interrogating a prisoner." He smiled at my tormentor. "Yes Herr Hauptsturmfuhrer." My tormentor replied. "Is she dangerous, Heinrich?" He asked. "No Hauptsturmfuhrer, she is now neutralized and about to be of great service to our Fuhrer and Fatherland, Herr Hauptsturmfuhrer!" "Ah. That is good. Let me have a look at our fair patriot, Heinrich." The second German said and walked over to where I lay spread out on the table. I sat up and covered my breasts with a piece of clothing. The second German scowled at me and slapped me across the face. As he did so I sprawled across it, dropping my covering. As soon as I covered my face, he grabbed me by my hair and lifted me up. As I screamed, a fierce punch was landed in my stomach. My wind was knocked from me and I went limp. The next thing I remember was being roughly flipped over onto my belly so that my back was exposed to him. My head was pushed roughly into the pile of my clothes. I tried to breathe, but my head was held down. A shoe dug into my cheek and my mouth was filled with my thermal underpants. I retched and gasped for air. I heard the two Germans laughing and joking as I was held down on the table. Then I felt him enter into me. I was being sodomized! His handsands dug into my shoulders, as the fire in my backside raged out of control. I could not breathe and thankfully my consciousness faded away. I was huddled in the corner of the room sobbing, covering my breasts with my coat when Dreng found me. "Aase!" He cried and came to me. Sitting on the floor next to me, he tried to pick me up but I tried to rake his face with my fingernails. He drew back and grabbed my hands. Gently he pulled me towards him and said, "Aase, it's me. Dreng!" He spoke softly to me but I could detect who it was that was talking to me. I looked up at him. "Dreng?" I asked. Then I recognized his face. "Dreng...oh Dreng!" I sobbed. My shame was complete. We spent the night at a hostel in town. The bus would leave for Kinsarvik in the morning. I do not remember much of that night, nor of the bus ride to Kinsarvik. But I do remember the terrible stomach cramps I had on the bus. By the time we reached Kinsarvik, I was doubled over in pain and I was bleeding from between my legs. When the second German punched me in the stomach, he killed the child that was developing inside of me. Dreng would have to find his cousin quickly. My life depended on it. To Be Continued... Freedom Fighter Ch. 3 The child I carried was lost. By the time the bus reached Kinsarvik my pants were covered with blood. Dreng only managed to get me to Harald's office in time because of the town's people who made a litter and helped him carry me there. For three days Dreng, Harald and his wife, Marianne, tended to my body, ravaged by fever, and weak from the loss of blood. On the fourth day I was allowed out of bed and given my first solid food. When I was finally able to recount the events of my rape to them, I could see that Dreng's view of all Germans had changed. To him, they had defiled his wife, placed her life in jeopardy, and killed the child he looked forward to and there was no more room for tolerance towards them any longer. He viewed all of the losses of loved ones in his and my life, up to this point, as the cost of war. A war in which we, the Norwegian people, had been forced into reluctantly. But this incident, this was the act of arrogant criminals who had no regard for the lives of the people, which they now ruled by force. We were nothing to them. Before, Dreng had only passively participated in the resistance as an agent and as a relay. Now he was going to play an active role. He would become a warrior for his people and king when the time came. For the next few weeks my body healed. I remained in Harald and Marianne's home. Finally my monthly cycles returned and by February I decided that I should find some sort of work to keep me busy. Harald suggested that I could work at his clinic as a secretary. I knew how to type and I knew how to keep books. My father often asked me to type his Sunday sermons when he was busy on church business, and my mother who kept the books, showed me her system so I could fill in for her if she was busy. With this job, for which Dreng and I were given a room in the back of the clinic, I forgot about what had happened to me in Laatefoss, and soon I realized that I needed Dreng's touch and his full affection. Up to this point, he had been very patient and had not insisted upon his 'husband's privileges'. Nor had I wanted a man between my legs, even if it happened to be my husband whom I loved very dearly. But my emotional scars slowly healed and I realized that I needed Dreng much more then he needed mine. I closed the clinic every night at 5 P.M. Harald often left at 4 P.M. That gave me 1 hour to finish the books, any typing, or filling in appointments for the next day. Dreng would be home at 6 P.M. every day. That night, when Dreng came home from his job, I had dinner ready and candles lit on our dinner table. The food was the best I could obtain. Harald allowed me forty minutes for lunch. I would often shop for food then for the evening meal. I could tell that Dreng was tired. Dreng had a job at the German supply depot north of town unloading trucks. He was paid well, but that was not the reason he took the job. These supplies were bound for German bases and each truck that was loaded or unloaded told him something about each destination they were either headed or came from. (For instance, one truck carried only 188-mm cannon shells and was headed to Bergen. It was unloaded at Kinsarvik and would be shipped by coastal freighter to Bergen. One could surmise that Bergen had 188-mm anti-aircraft batteries inside of the city. Another time crates of torpedo fuses was unloaded and its destination was Trondheim. Again, one could surmise that the Germans either had U-Boats or surface ships that carried torpedo, near it. All of this information was recorded and passed on to agents that could radio the news to London.) I had borrowed a dress from Marianne. It was the first dress I had worn since Dreng and I had left Ryukan six months ago. As I greeted him with a loving kiss and took his coat and cap, he looked somewhat stunned at my appearance. After I kissed him the second time he had no difficulty understanding my intentions. For dinner I had prepared mackerel in cream sauce and boiled potatoes. For desert I had made small sweet pancakes covered with elderberry sauce. I took his hand and led him to the table. As I dished up his meal, he asked me; "what is the special occasion, Aase?" I smiled at him and replied, "Because you are a good and loving husband, Dreng. You have cared for me and loved, even when I was not able to care for myself. I love you Dreng." I set our plates down on the table and sat across from him. With my eyes I drank in his weather burned face, now covered with a beard. He was still as handsome as ever. I hoped deep inside that I was still desirable to him. "Aase, I only did it because you are my wife. I love you no less now then on the day that I married you. Remember, we promised our whole lives to each other then. What happened in Laatefoss was not your fault. You did nothing to merit that attack. Those Germans were criminals in Schutzstaffel uniform. They are the worst kind of soldier, the S.S. for they say they are Hitler's body guards but they kill for no reason, other then to satisfy some sick desire. No Aase, I love you no less now. Probably more because you have the strength to carry." He reached out and touched my cheek. I could see the tender love and concern in his eyes. "Thank you Dreng. You have no idea how much I needed to hear those words from you." I said. A tear rolled down my cheek. "Let us give thanks for this food, then we shall enjoy it." He said and bowed his head in prayer. As we ate our meal, Dreng could hardly keep his eyes to himself. As I have said earlier, it had been a long time since he had seen me in a dress. But now, I felt like the most feminine creature on the whole earth. "Aase, I must admit that you look very lovely tonight." He said as we ate our desert and drank our tea. "Thank you. I wanted to look nice for you tonight. Dreng...I has been a long time and you have been so very patient. I was hoping that we could try to..." I was having a hard time telling him what I really wanted. "What is it, my love?" He asked gently, setting down his fork and taking my hand. "I would like for us to make a child. Dreng...I have thought long and hard about this. If anything should ever happen to you, well there would be nothing left. A child is a man's heritage. That is what my father told me once. He was so very proud of Tryggve." "That is so. Aase you don't know how many times my heart has been heavy since you were hurt and lost our child. It is something that haunts me everyday but there was no way I could explain it to you. You were so badly abused." "Ja. It broke my heart too. But please believe me, I never once blamed you for any of it. Dreng I knew that there were dangers involved from the very moment that I went off with you. But I wanted to be with you and I chose these dangers because I loved you. You knew that the moment we first met in the back of the German lorry. I know you did." My hands were shaking. "Ja. I sometimes thank the Germans for bringing us together again. I thank the British pilot for setting us free. Ja Aase, I do want you to have our child but only when you are ready." Dreng said and kissed my hand. "Dreng...I am ready. Now." I said and stood up from the table still holding onto his hand. He stood also and I drew him to me. We kissed long and sweetly. My mouth opened slightly as his tongue played with my lips. "Come with me. I need to feel like a woman again. A living woman who craves for the touch of her husband and lover." I whispered to him and led him to our marriage bed. We stood just inside of the door to the bedroom. Dreng took me in his arms and we kissed. Our hands went to the other, frantically grabbing and removing the other's clothing until we were naked. As he led me to the bed and guided me back onto it, the feelings of our wedding night came back to me. The need to be held, touched and explored. These necessities of life had long eluded me. For my hurt, depression and anger I was brought back to a gentler time when all that mattered was the universe that consisted of only my lover and I. His head went to my belly as he kissed, licked and nibbled my flesh. My sighs and moans filled our room as I cried out my desire to him. "Dreng! Fill me. Fill me now." I cried out to him. My whole body demanded only what he could satisfy me with. My hips bucked as he rubbed my mound and with his finger he tickled me to my very core. As my feminine moistness flowed freely from me, his finger, then fingers were sucked into my depths as I begged him to go deeper and faster and harder. His mouth went to my breasts and he teased them also. I cried out my desire for him to put an end to his taunting but he would have no part in putting an end to this delicious ecstasy, just yet . My legs went further and further apart as I gave him greater access to my hidden parts that only were exposed to his touch and his gaze. As the first climax gripped my whole being, I pushed hard against his hand and pulled him to me as I whispered his name in an unknown tongue, for only he held the key to it's translation. Only after he allowed me to collect my thoughts did he hover above me as I inserted his stiff member into my pulsing moist and ready womanhood. As I felt him drawn deeper and deeper into me, yet another mind shattering wave of ecstasy gripped the very core of my being. As his movements in and out and back into me became more and more determined, for a third time the wonderful feeling of release again claimed my whole soul and mind. Finally I felt the end was near, I sensed it, his breathing became faster and faster until with one mighty exhale and moan he pushed deeper then he had been before and I was filled to bursting as he collapsed on top of me, drained. Holding him and whispering my undying love to him, we fell asleep. His manhood still sheathed inside of my womb as my abdominal muscles milked the last drop of his love offering to me. Never in my life had I been to so high a height as I was then at that moment. It was then that the pain of the past was forgotten forever. In the morning we again gave of one another as my body became his in yet another round of unrestrained lovemaking. It was our day off, Sunday and we spent the majority of the day entwined as one entity. As I fed my husband his breakfast that morning in November, word came to Harald that the Germans were about to make a very bold move very soon. We would have to warn our men quickly. Harald was a faithful Norwegian. As a doctor he had contact with every man, woman and child throughout the district. Harald was originally from Kristiansand, just as we were, and as his wife was also. When he was allowed to set up his own practice, the state convinced him that he was needed here in Kinsarvik because their doctor was about to retire due to ill health. He had already been in practice for two years. He and Marianne were married just before they relocated to Kinsarvik and their daughter Lina was born in that town. Now nineteen months old, she was a delightful child. She had her mothers beautiful blonde hair and her father's eyes, steel blue as the cold North Sea they were. Being that Harald had contact with everyone in the area, he was the natural collection point for information from patriotic Norwegians who wished to get intelligence to the west. It was my job to see to it that the appointments were arraigned such that no one would suspect that we were gathering any information and sending it on to the next level before it was reached in London. Many times a patient would claim that he had an earache or a sore throat that needed to be looked at before it got worse. This was usually a code that information was to be given. "Aase, please prepare the saline solution for me. I must rinse out Herre So-and-so's ear, or, I must have Herre So-and-so gargle his throat." Would be his response. I would run some cold water and place a tablespoon of salt in a pan and bring it to him. Once this was done I would go back out to the front and make sure there were no eavesdroppers. If I ever felt that something was not right or if there was someone who happened to drop by unexpectedly I would go back and open the examination door. This would let Harald that now was not the time to receive the information. (After the war we were told that our little operation was one of the most successful. It had warned the Allies of many things they would not have otherwise been prepared to deal with. I was proud of what we did for the cause.) It was at this time that word had leaked out that the Germans were recruiting Norwegian men, some involuntarily, into their army. Many of them would be forced into the S.S. Their deceit knew no bounds, for they were promised that if they served that our country would become a little freer and that in time, Norway could regain it's complete freedom and join Germany in it's Thousand Year Reich. Harald was visibly shaken by this news as he received it from his source. For it meant that many of our countrymen would have to fight on the side of Germany against their will. For he had come to understand the empty promises of Hitler. Within a week of receiving the news, German recruiters came to Kinsarvik, the third week of March 1941. All men between the ages of 18 and 35 were to assemble in the town square by proclamation. Only 15 showed up out of an estimated total of 120 eligible males. The German recruiters were furious! Dreng and Harald had decided that all of us should go for a week long skiing vacation in the mountains at this time, so technically we never saw the proclamation, yet we knew of it's existence. It was early February when we packed to go to his cabin in the mountains. While 'on holiday' I began to have sickness in the morning. Harald also received news that his wife Marianne was pregnant and their child was due at about the same time for we both had our morning bouts of sickness together. With our holiday gone, we started back to town hiking the trails as we returned. As we approached the outskirts of town, it was apparent that there were several soldiers conducting a search house by house. One of Harald's patients, an older woman, saw us as we neared the eastern edge of town. She hurried towards us, motioning us to stop. "Herre Doktor...the Germans are arresting all the men of Kinsarvik who are of military age. You must leave! Hurry before they see you!" Harald looked at Dreng. Dreng shrugged and said in the slow country drawl that I loved so much, "Looks like our vacation is not over yet. Aase...Marianne...go back into town and pick up some more food. Empty out your packs, we will pack your belongings into ours. Buy as much flour, dried fish, tea, sugar and dried fruit as you can." Dreng looked at Harald for support. Harald nodded and said to Marianne, "Do it. We will wait up there. By the stream. You know the spot." Dreng kissed me, as Harald kissed Marianne and we headed into village to purchase provisions. Our flight from Kinsarvik had begun. We quickly returned to the cabin where we had been on holiday. But we knew that sooner or later there would be a search for Harald and Dreng. For Dreng worked for the Germans and he would come under suspicion when he did not return to his job. Dreng felt that we had three days before we would be missed, but Harald insisted that we needed to leave the next morning. Marianne and I prepared as much of the food as we could. Bread was made. Biscuits and food was repacked into our haversacks. That night we discussed our destination. Dreng said he would go find his contact and ask for instructions. Dreng returned by the morning. He had been gone all night and I could tell that he was exhausted. As he slept for a few hours, we readied our skis and checked the cabin one last time. Harald would carry Lina in a carrier he had fashioned. She would be safe strapped to his front while Marianne was free to carry only her share of the food and her clothing. It was snowing heavily as we left. We waited until Dreng woke up and ate some food. He had slept until noon. As we closed the cabin door, Harald asked him; "where to cousin?" "We head inland to Gol. From there to Trondheim." Dreng said. Harald whistled. "Dreng do you realize what lies ahead of us?" Dreng nodded. "Ja. It is not going to be easy. Especially for Lina. There are warrants out for our arrest. One of your patients talked to save his son from being taken by the Germans. We will be shot if we are captured. You, Aase, Marianne and me." Harald sat down on the snow-covered ground. He needed to think for a few moments. "All right. To Gol. Do you have any idea where that is? I don't." "Ja. I have an old army map in my pocket and a compass. Let's head north. The Germans won't be out in this snow. They would rather remain in their warm billets." We headed northeastward. The next town we reached in two days. It was a small town called Haugestol and we were able to purchase more provisions. After spending the night at a safe house, we pushed northward. By noon we reached another small town called Geilo. Again we were able to spend the night warm and safe under the care of fellow resistance people. The next three days we were snowed in and unable to leave our haven near Geilo. But Dreng and I were able to occupy ourselves. When at last the weather cleared enough, we went on our journey. At each safe house we stayed at, we were told whom we were to contact in the next town. The resistance had anticipated our next step for us. Two days later, after having left Geilo we made our destination. Gol was a very small village. Mostly farmers. We were moved from house to house so that Marianne and I could rest from our strenuous journey due to our present conditions. As we prepared to leave the kind folks of Gol, Dreng was given his instructions for our next stop Fagernes, then to the next town and the next town and so on until we reached Trondheim. We began our journey in late March. Buy the time we reached Trondheim it was early May. The journey had taken us over 800 kilometers in forty-three days. Marianne and I were now certain we were pregnant. We were entering into our third month as we finally came to a farm high in the mountains above Trondheim. We were at our new home. The family who had owned it had died and their eldest sons fled to England. We were issued new papers and a new identity by the resistance. We would now be Georg and Hanna Vaerlagan, and Harald and Marianne became Lars and Julia Vaerlagan, the names of the two sons now in England. We posed as the wives of brothers who had returned back to their parent’s home after they had died. Marianne and I cleaned up the old farmhouse until it sparkled. Dreng and Harald began clearing the fields and the spring planting began. Cabbage, squash, and a field of rye were all planted by the end of June. One of the farmers even gave us three goats for milk. Every morning Marianne would milk them, her daughter Lina needed the milk, as did her and I for our unborn children. Little by little the old farm looked like any small farm in the area. Harald's hands became hard and callused and he even looked like a country farmer by the middle of June rather then the doctor he really was. Our new home was tucked away on the gentle slope of a mountainside. The pasture area and crops were below the farmhouse. I would spend many hours looking out my kitchen widow as Dreng and Harald worked the fields below, acting as a look out. That whole summer was peacefully spent. The crops matured, and were harvested. Marianne and I sold what we could in town and bought what necessities we needed for winter. News of war with Russia now occupied the airwaves. Hitler now owned all of continental Europe. (We had a radio receiver hidden and we could listen to the BBC broadcasts from London.) Freedom Fighter Ch. 3 Winter came earlier in this area then it did in the south. By late October snow was already on the ground and the winds blew hard on our little house. Marianne and I were entering our final month of my pregnancy when the snows first fell. On November 25th I gave birth to our daughter. Harald delivered my baby. Three days later, he delivered Marianne's. She had a son, which they called Dag, after her father. Dreng wanted to call our child Hanna, after my mother. "Nei." I told him, "Liv. It is appropriate we name her Liv." Liv meant "life" in Norwegian. Dreng kissed my forehead and said, "She is Liv. She is the life we both wanted to have." He was right, this was the manifestation of our love, brought forth in the form of a beautiful new life. We listened to the radio by the fire that night. It was early December. I was nursing Liv in the corner of the living room, a blanket covered me discreetly as my child fed from my breast. I rocked as Dreng and Harald played cards, it had been a spirited game of Whist. Suddenly they fell silent and listened to the radio. Harald understood English far better then Dreng did. I understood very little (we were listening to BBC, the English broadcast). Harald turned pale, then smiled. "America is in the war." He said. He stood and paced the room. "The war will be over by next Christmas. America is very powerful. Hitler is kaput." He said. Dreng looked over at me, "Aase, we can go home soon." We truly believed that with America now on the side of England and Russia, the war would be over in the next year. Our life in Trondheim changed quickly in the springtime. The Germans had brought in their largest battleship and hidden it in the Fjord. The British needed to know where it was so they could sink it. Orders were issued to the Norwegian underground to help them locate the Tirpitz, the battleship that was a sister to the long since sunken Bismarck. Dreng left the second week in January. He and three other men went into the mountains to gather intelligence about the German forces in the area. The British had sent a convoy to Russia and it had been badly mauled by German aircraft. Harald, Marianne and I remained. When Dreng returned two weeks later, he brought with him another man. "Aase, I have someone here you have not seen in quite some time." He said. I looked to the doorway, the other person had his back to me, and he was removing his heavy jacket. He turned to face me. It was my father! "Papa?" I said, then I knew. His face became tender and he held out his arms to me. I put down Liv into her crib by the fireplace and ran to my father. "Papa...oh Papa!" I cried as I kissed him and held him to me. "My darling baby." He said as he held me. Tears flowed freely as we were reunited. The resistance had hid my father for almost two years. He had held Sunday services in barns, homes and in the woods for the faithful. It had been impossible for him to return south and when word had reached him that I was missing, he feared the worst. He had not known that Dreng had found me and that we were safe. He also had not known that he had a granddaughter until I presented Liv to him. "Poppa, this is Liv. She is your granddaughter. The Justice from Aa married Dreng and me at a refugee camp. We have been married for nineteen months. He helped me escape from the Germans when they came for you. Momma is dead. So is Triggie! Poppa...I am glad that you are well." I said. My tears still fell. His eyes grew sad and he patted my hand. "Aase, I am very happy for you. Everyday I grieve for your mother. I wish I could have been there for her. But I wasn't." "Oh Poppa, you mustn't blame yourself! You were needed up here! Your mother needed you!" I said. The reason why my father went to Trondheim was because his father had died and he was going to get his mother and bring her down to Kristiansand to stay with us when the Germans attacked. As soon as he had his father's affairs in order travel became impossible and he was stuck up north. "Bestemor is also dead." He said. "Bestemor (grandmother) died last winter. I think she just missed my father too much." My father sat down next to the fire. I stood behind him as he looked at his granddaughter sleep. "She is beautiful, Aase." He said quietly. "Takk, Poppa. We have called her Liv. It is because there is so much death all around us." I told him. "Sir, you will stay with us. This is now your home." Dreng said. Poppa turned to Dreng, "Takk. I am home, my son." His face was weary he felt his losses deeply. Throughout the next summer our small farm prospered. Other farmers had divided their livestock among themselves to keep the German troops from carry it all away . We now had two cows for milk, and ten sheep grazing in our pasture. The hard times were setting in but our little family was all healthy and fed. Germany was being bombed daily day and night by the allies. Stalingrad had fallen and the Russians captured over 100,000 men. The battle of the North Atlantic raged fiercely as ships and men perished in the cold dark waters and Norway descended further and further into darkness but we were able to ride the tide safely. The Germans came to our farm looking for food to take. The Poppa, Harald and Dreng saw them well before they drove up to our farm and hide safely in the woods. Two blacks uniformed German officer’s came to the farmhouse. Soldiers scattered and began to herd the sheep and the cows towards the trucks. Marianne went out to see what was going on and tried to plead with the Germans. "Please!" She cried, "We have two babies and no men folk to provide for us!" She cried out. One of the Germans in the black uniform stepped foreword and saluted her. "Very well Frau, we leave you one cow for milk. German soldiers are dying in the east and our supplies are short here in Trondheim. But we will leave you something for your babies. You have another woman here also? You said that there were two babies? Ja?" "Yes. My sister. She also has a child my age." Marianne said. "Have her come out here." "Hanna!" Marianne cried, using my alias. I came out and froze, cold. This was the same man that had raped me in Laatefoss. His eyes met mine, but he did not recognize me. "Frau. I am sorry that we must requisition these animals from your farm but there Germans who are hungry and I have orders to take only what is needed from farms in the area." He said. "But you take all of our sheep." Marianne said, she instinctively knew that I was scared. "Very well. I leave you two of them." He said and gave staccato orders to his men. Two of the sheep were pulled from the truck and let loose back into the pasture. That was the end of it. He saluted and returned to his truck. The small convoy left and we were safe. I was shaking as Marianne took my arm and led me back into the house. "Aase. What is wrong?" She asked. "The German that you were talking to. He was the one...in Laatefoss." I stuttered in a barely audible voice. "I am sorry you had to see his face again." Her words comforted me. Our men returned shortly after the sun had set. Marianne and I had to prepare them for the news, our present food supply would not sustain us through the winter. They received the grim news stoically but Dreng assured us that we would survive. He also sensed that something was troubling me and asked me about it. I chose not to tell him and replied that I was concerned about the coming winter and how we would fair through it. "Aase. You worry yourself needlessly. There is much game in the woods. Deer, pheasant, ducks. If we need to we can snare rabbits. I will provide for you." He said and wiped away my tears. "Ja Dreng, you will, I know. I do worry needlessly." I said and kissed him. Still the German from Laatefoss, his image burned in my mind. Winter came and went. The year 1943 was now here and Liv was one year old and crawling around the house with her cousins Lina and Dag. We did survive the winter fairly comfortably. Dreng hunted and lay out a trap line, snaring hare and shooting wild birds with a shotgun he had acquired. The war was going badly for Germany, but it still raged across Europe. Even with America against him, Hitler and his criminals still held an iron grip on all of those of us who were occupied by him. The German Battleship Tirpitz was finally sunk by British bombers and many of the security troops who had been in Trondheim now departed for the east. But when they left, a reign of terror descended on Trondheim when they had learned that the resistance had supplied information as to the whereabouts of the Tirpitz. Farms were put to the torch in the night. Women were raped and left out in the bitter cold to survive on nothing. Word came to us that the Germans were working their way up the valley to our farm. At dark we fled with our children into the night into the forests and the safety of the mountains in the dead of winter. Dreng and Harald both had Mauser rifles. German rifles. They vowed that they would use them. We made our way to north to safety. The resistance was strong in the north. They had openly fought the Germans there and the Germans were weary about venturing very far beyond the safety of their garrisons. The second day out a blinding snowstorm halted us. We had been traveling on skis. We were able to make ten to twenty kilometers a day in the past. But now, with the rugged terrain and the deep snow, we were helpless. Dreng huddled all of us on the leeward side of a hill. He built a small fire. "I'll be back as soon as I find some sort of shelter. Eat and keep warm." He said and kissed me on the cheek then skied off to the north. The four of us made the children as comfortable as possible. Harald built lean-to as my father cut spruce boughs to lay down for the babies. I was nursing Liv. Even though she was now one year old, I had not allowed my milk to dry up. Marianne and Harald had convinced me that it would be best for her if I continued to breast-feed. We did not have any bottles and nipples for the children and I had been able to eat a good diet. Now I was glad that I had milk available for her. She was cold and hungry. It would be hard for her to eat dried fish and stale biscuits. My father sat down next to me. "Is she all right, Aase." He asked, obviously concerned. "Ja Poppa. She is cold, but she is hungry." I said. I had covered myself with a sleeping bag and had pulled up my sweater and underclothes to allow Liv to nurse. She was very hungry. "Soon, Poppa, I will have no more milk to give her." I said. I lay next to my cold child and warmed her body as she slept. My father and Harald kept the fire fed and it was barely sufficient to keep them warm. Marianne lay next to me. We did our best to keep the three children as warm as possible. The wind was howling loudly and the wind was now blowing from the north, straight at us. 'We are going to freeze to death.' I thought, 'Dreng, please hurry.' I pleaded to him in my mind. Harald returned with two hares he had trapped, cleaned and skinned. We ate the steaming meat. It sustained us for the night. The next day was worse. Snow fell heavily around us. Our little stand of trees did little to shelter us from the driving wind. Harald and Poppa did their best to make a snow house. But by nightfall the wind had blown it away. We dug down into the snow and lined it with our sleeping bags. The children were fussy, but they had remained warm. I began to worry about Marianne. I knew she was slowing succumbing to the bitter cold. No matter how hard we tried, she shook bitterly. Warm food was given to her. This helped. But we had no more. Six dry stale biscuits were all we had between life and death. Harald went out to hunt again. At nightfall, about 4 P.M., he returned. Nothing! Marianne broke down and cried when she realized that there was nothing to eat. But we all knew that our bodies consumed most of our calories just to produce heat. Up to this point she had been very brave and had remained silent. Now it was just too much for her. Harald held her tightly and tried to keep her awake. But I think that he had begun to give up all hope. It was night. The wind had not ceased it's howling. Harald made sure that we remained awake. Marianne was brave. She held Dag close to her and fed him. But the bitter cold had drained her of all energy reserves and her body did not produce any more milk. Little Dag whimpered and tried feebly to cry, but even this taxed his small body. I must have fallen asleep. For suddenly I was warm. I heard Dreng's voice, then Bjorn laughed and said, "And how is my pretty little mother fairing?" It was all so very surreal, I was lifted up. My body flew and then was bound. "Dreng...Dreng, what is happening?" I mumbled to the image of him in my mind. I could not see him, my vision had failed me. It was pitch black. I thought I was blind. My baby was taken from me and I cried out. "Aase. I have Liv. She is safe." It was Dreng. They returned for us long after the arctic sun had set. Dreng somehow had found Bjorn. We were set in sleds and brought back to the town of Nordli, very near the Swedish border. Marianne and I had been given lukewarm baths by several of the town's women, followed by hot broth and tea. When our circulation returned, Harald gave us all a physical examination. "Ladies, I am very happy to announce that you are fine. Even the children are stronger then I would have guessed them to be. Dreng, we all owe our lives to you." Harald said. Dreng smiled but would not play the hero. "I headed north for the day. I followed the rail line and came here. At nightfall after I had eaten and gathered two men to help, guess whom I run into." "Who?" I asked him. "Bjorn! He got a team together quickly." Dreng said. "I told them that there were very important people out there. This town has resisted the Germans very well. They have sent patrols here. They do not return. The Swedes stop them they we come to the border after we have already crossed it. We have an agreement with the Swedish commander." Bjorn said. "Thank you all. Bjorn. This is my father. He is a Lutheran pastor. Where is Liv?" I asked. Dreng sat next to me. I was wrapped in a blanket, sipping some tea. "She is with Ragnhild. Ragnhild is a mother now, Aase." Bjorn replied. I nodded. "Takk Bjorn." I said, grateful for his concern. We remained in Norli until the end of 1943. No matter how hard I may have thought that year was. The worse was still ahead. There would be great gains and bitter losses. As the Thousand-Year Reich began to disintegrate, so did my country. Vengeance was wreaked upon it savagely. Hundreds, thousands would die. Some of them very close to me. Some I loved very dearly.