‘What’s going on?’ I ask Björn in dismay.
‘Oh no! Not now!’ He throws his head back.
We both stare, turning this way and that, watching the reindeer, who have stopped walking and are dropping one by one to their knees.
‘Come on, keep moving. Come on! Yah, hey!’ Björn has put the brake on the sled, jumped off and tied it to a tree. He’s now in amongst the herd, waving his hands. ‘Yah, yah!’
‘Björn, what’s going on?’ I call, spinning this way and that.
‘They’re lying down! The reindeer have decided to lie down!’ He holds his head.
‘But . . . What? No, they can’t! Not now!’ I start waving my arms too. ‘Come on, let’s go! I’ve got to get to the wedding!’ But they don’t budge. In fact, the more we move amongst the herd, the more they drop to the ground with what sounds like weary sighs.
‘Please, it’s just a little further.’ I find myself pleading with them. ‘It’s really important I get to Björn’s place and find my bag. There’s a wedding today. Two people who really love each other are getting married. I need to get their wedding rings to them!’ But the reindeer don’t make eye contact with me. I look at Björn. He throws up his hands.
‘Once they decide to lie down, there’s no moving them until they’re ready.’ He shakes his head. ‘They clearly feel they need to rest.’
‘How long will that be for?’
He frowns, frustrated, and pushes up his shoulders. ‘Can’t tell. Could be hours, or even . . .’ he looks like he daren’t say it, ‘days,’ he finally finishes.
‘No! This can’t be happening! I have to get to the wedding at two o’clock. Please, Björn, do something.’
Björn surveys the resting reindeer herd. ‘I’m sorry. There’s nothing I can do. They won’t budge.’
I look around. He’s right. They’re not going anywhere. What with the storm and then the attack, they’re probably exhausted. I should be too, but actually I feel like I’m firing on all cylinders. I have to get to the hotel with the rings, finish the job. And then of course there’s the promise of Björn’s kiss. The blood surges round my body and I feel like I’m on fire.
‘Now what am I going to do?’
‘We could just sit it out, put the tent up again.’ Björn grins, and my whole body screams ‘Yes, please!’ but I can’t. I have to get to that wedding ceremony. I can’t let them down. ‘But I understand if you don’t want to . . .’
Suddenly I realise that he’s worrying his suggestion might be unwelcome.
‘I want to do that more than anything,’ I say, walking up to him and sliding my arm around his waist. ‘But I have to deliver those rings. I can’t stand in the way of someone else’s happy-ever-after. I promised that nothing would stop them making their vows to each other for everyone to see.’ I look up at him and he looks to the sky. ‘I know what it feels like to find love. And when you do, you need to hang onto it as tight as you can. We’re lucky if we get one chance at happiness in life, let alone a second . . .’
‘Okay, let’s make sure the path of true love runs smoothly,’ he says with a resigned sigh.
‘Oh, so now you do believe in finding true love?’ I tease.
He smiles, a lopsided smile. ‘Let’s just say someone helped restore my faith in it,’ and then he bends his head and kisses me all over again, and I wish it would go on forever.
Finally he pulls away.
‘Come on, Cinderella, let’s get you to the ball,’ he says, reluctantly letting me go. ‘You need to be there. And you need to make sure you still have a job,’ he reminds me.
‘But how?’
‘Looks like I’m going to have to trust you,’ he says and starts to walk towards the dogs. ‘Think you can do this?’
I bite my lip, remembering how I nearly lost the dogs last time. I nod. ‘I can do it. I promise.’
‘On your own?’
I nod again.
‘You’re not scared?’
‘I am. But being scared is what reminds us we’re alive, right? It’s part of the journey.’ I find myself smiling. ‘I can do it, Björn. Trust me.’
It seems both of us have come a long way from not trusting each other or even ourselves when we set out.
He sets up a smaller dog team while Lucas watches on, howling and baying to be allowed to go on the trip.
‘No, you have to stay here and rest, like the reindeer,’ Björn tells him, and strokes his head.
Finally the sled is ready.
‘Do you have everything? Knife, lasso, torch?’ He makes me check, and then explains how to get to the farm. It’s not far from the hotel. I’ve come an awfully long way to get back to where I started, I think.
I step up nervously onto the back of the sled, behind my four-dog team.
‘Look after my dogs!’ Björn says with a smile, and then his expression becomes serious, ‘and look after yourself!’ He takes my face in his hands.
‘I will,’ I say, my breathing shallow, and he leans in and kisses me deeply, as if making sure I’ll never forget him. And frankly, I don’t think I ever will.
With my lips still tingling, I turn to go. ‘And you’ll be okay, you know where to go? If you have any problems . . .’
‘I know. Just follow the brightest star, it’ll get me home!’ I smile and he shakes his head, smiling and steps back. I give him a final smile then turn back to the impatient dogs, release the brake and call, ‘Hike, hike!’ and the team respond, pulling forward into the soft snow. I don’t look back. I can’t. I can only look forward. I have to do this on my own, and although I’m scared, I feel very much alive as we cut through the freshly fallen snow, like putting words onto a brand-new page of a book, starting a whole new chapter.