On their way to Brightfield, Cailin turned to her friend,  "tell me Petra, why do you like Marren so much?  I mean, you say he's a good man and just needs a chance to prove it... but let's face facts, everything I've seen so far tells me otherwise.  I realize you've known him much longer than I, so tell me, what made you stick out your neck for him?  What is it about him worth risking anything for?"

"It be a long story, love,"  Petra replied,  "but we have time.  Perhaps the the tale will help you see the real man, not the one you think you know now."  Adjusting herself in the saddle to get a little more comfortable, Petra began,  "I told you how he attempted to bed me his first night in town... at first, it gave me the same feelings toward him that you be havin' now.   Then somethin' happened in town changin' the way I looked at Marren from that day, forward."   "What happened that caused you see him in a new light, Petra... what did he do to change how you felt about him?" ,Cailin inquired.

"Well, it was the mornin' of the Winter Solstice and I was havin' breakfast with me lads from the smithy and stables... a little somethin' I did for them every holiday to show me appreciation fer their hard work, when one of the local farmers, who had had a bad harvest that fall and he and his family be on the edge of starvation because of it, bust into the tavern hollerin', 'He's real!  It ain't a children's story, he's real!'  Of course, everyone be looking at the man like he'd gone mad.  He began tellin' folk how he opened his door that mornin' and found a huge crate wrapped in ribbon settin' on his doorstep."

Petra paused a moment, then continued,  "when he opened the crate, he found it be full of smoked and salted meats... venison, boar meat and pheasant along with plenty of vegetables, sacks of flour and other foods, all neatly wrapped in butcher's paper, each package and sack tied with a ribbon.  On top of the packages there be three pair of children's sized buckskin boots, each boot filled with fruits, nuts, candy and sweetcakes.  The boots be also bound with ribbon in pairs, each pair havin' one of the children's name on it.  That's when he said he also found a small leather pouch and opened it, inside there be twenty gold pieces and a note sayin', 'Even in the darkest of days, The Light will never forsake you' ,signed Greatfather Winter.  All of us in the tavern were amazed somebody had given the farmer and his family so much, and without askin' for anythin' in return."

"After the farmer left, everyone in the tavern began askin' who might have done such a selfless deed?  I never said a word... but I knew... Marren did it", Petra said with a smile.  "How did you find out, Petra?  Did Marren tell you... wouldn't put it past him to take credit to impress people," Cailin quipped.  "No darlin', Marren didn't tell me... I saw him do it that night,"  Petra responded, "watched him drag that heavy crate down the road to the farmer's doorstep, then take an evergreen bough to sweep away all the tracks."  Smiling, Petra added, "he never suspected that somebody might be up that late, watchin' the falling snow from their darkened window and reminiscin' about her childhood home in the Whitecap Mountains."

Petra brought her horse to a halt, causing Cailin to do the same.  Looking into her young friend's eyes and in a serious tone, "what Marren did that night was the most selfless thing I've ever witness anyone do... and he never really knew those people.  He makes his livin' from huntin', Cailin, he could have made a very tidy sum from the meat and hides he gave that family, not to mention the money and other things he also left.  All Marren saw was a man, his wife and three young children suffering and came to their aid... and he did so without any thought of reward or recognition.  How could I NOT like him and stick up fer him?  If as ye said about me being his only friend be true, then it be me honor."

"He must never know that I and now ye know what he did that night... promise me ye'll never say a word, Cailin", Petra pleaded.  "You have my word, dear friend", Cailin assured her, "yours and Marren's secret will never leave my lips."  At that moment, both women turned in the saddle and gave each other a hearty embrace before turning again to flick the reins and begin the trip into town.  As she rode down the road, Cailin began to consider her friend's tale...
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