Dear Readers,
With my new snowman entourage, I decided to ring the bell again.
The gatekeeper greeted with their usual jolly manner. I said we seeked an audience with the forest god! They said they were Godtender Brown and asked who we were.
I said I was Empress Astra and I was with my imperial advisor Eimhin and my herald, Harold. The trumpet snowman honked and Brown asked if it was a glundinhorn. I said a what now? and they said they played glundinhorn back in their school days!
I said what a coincidence! They asked if that one was cursed too and I said "What?". They explained that glundinhorns hold the curse of eventual death for all who play them. I said really? and they continued, adding that there was extreme misfortune for all who heard them. The trumpet snowman honked again. The padlock snowman said it was shocking. I said "Yeah. You're kidding, right?".
Godtender Brown said they would never kid about the curse that took daddy away. The padlock snowman said ugh... daddy in disgust. I told Godtender I was sorry to hear of their father's death. They said it was his gludinhorn that they played and that they shared the doom of eventual death, which was something to share indeed. The trumpet snowman honked again.
Godtender Brown then said but praise the forest god. In the church they found a new family. Trumpet snowman honked happily. I said that was lovely. They said they weren't seeking to replace their father, but they had made so many friends. They were Father Carmel, Father Perpa, Father Patience Forget-Not-God... and I said urk... Then padlock snowman said sorry but could we talk about how no one should use the word daddy.
I then said to Godtender Brown that in recognition of the family they found when their family was gone, that may we bring out cares and curses to the forest god? They said we shared the curse of this horn, which had taken so much, and would take more still. They said we may pass! I thanked them and they formed an ice bridge across the gap!
Godtender Brown then said to cross onto the holy mountain!
Padlock snowman said that went ok and trumpet snowman honked happily.
I crossed the bridge and Godtender Brown stopped me again, saying wait! They were truly sorry, but we couldn't see the forest god this Longest Night. I asked why not? I, or rather we already came so far for an audience! They said the truth was, and I had to keep this a secret, but the forest god was sick. They were old and dying. And they couldn't see me. It might upset them and they couldn't risk that. I said "Sick?" and asked how a god could be sick? They said they didn't know, if only they knew what was happening! They said that Godtenders were tasked with caring for the forest god, but this sickness they had never seen its like. Not in the 700 years of records kept since Saint Cecil began tending god. I said oh no.
Godtender Brown said they thought when the peace came, all would be well. I said the peace? and they said that centuries of conflict with her have weakened them and not long after, they became ill. I said her? and asked if they meant The Huncher, which I said in darker text.
Godtender Brown then got jarred, telling me not to say her name here. Their heart was broken over their god being sick and old. They said they didn't know what their life would be without them. I said sorry. They said there was nothing I could do, addressing me as empress. They said as representative of the forest throne, they said that no power of the forest god shall bar our way this Longest Night. As for her, I was at the mercy of the most dangerous creature in the forest. I thanked them and they said to go, and to take a blessing with us. The screen flashed and I was back in the previous area.
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