Freedom Fighter

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.