Vinden ulte mellom de gamle steinruinene.

The wind howled between the old stone ruins.

Det var julaften, men kulden fikk det til å føles som midvinter.

It was Christmas Eve, but the cold made it feel like midwinter.

Elgspor krysset den snødekte stien, mens grantrærne i den tette skogen sto stille som vaktholdere.

Elgspor crossed the snow-covered path, while the pine trees in the dense forest stood still like sentinels.

Sindre trakk pusten dypt, han kunne føle vekten av ansvaret på skuldrene.

Sindre took a deep breath, he could feel the weight of responsibility on his shoulders.

Sindre, Elin og Kari hadde gått langt for å komme hit.

Sindre, Elin, and Kari had traveled far to get here.

Det hadde vært deres fars siste ønske å få asken sin spredt ved disse eldgamle ruinene.

It had been their father's last wish to have his ashes spread at these ancient ruins.

Det var en familietradisjon, men vei dit var ikke lett.

It was a family tradition, but the path there was not easy.

Snøstormen truet i horisonten, og de måtte skynde seg.

The snowstorm threatened on the horizon, and they had to hurry.

Elin, Sindres yngre søster, trakk skjerfet sitt tettere rundt halsen.

Elin, Sindre's younger sister, pulled her scarf tighter around her neck.

Hun kjente en forbindelse til stedet, til historien.

She felt a connection to the place, to the history.

"Ruiner er vakre," sa hun stille.

"Ruins are beautiful," she said quietly.

Kari, deres skeptiske fetter, sukket.

Kari, their skeptical cousin, sighed.

"Hva er det med disse gamle steinene som er så viktig?

"What's so important about these old stones?"

""Far brydde seg.

"Father cared.

Det er viktig for oss alle," svarte Sindre, mens han så utover den hvite, endeløse skogen.

It's important for all of us," replied Sindre, as he looked out over the white, endless forest.

Han visste at dette var mer enn bare en forpliktelse.

He knew this was more than just an obligation.

Det var et øyeblikk å samle familien, et øyeblikk til å minnes.

It was a moment to gather the family, a moment to remember.

Nær ruinene begynte snøen å falle kraftigere.

Near the ruins, the snow began to fall harder.

Sindre stanset.

Sindre stopped.

Han snudde seg mot Elin og Kari.

He turned to Elin and Kari.

"Vi må fortsette," sa han med overbevisning.

"We have to continue," he said with conviction.

De andre to nikket motvillig, men fulgte ham videre.

The other two nodded reluctantly but followed him further.

De nådde ruinene akkurat da snøstormen var på sitt verste.

They reached the ruins just as the snowstorm was at its worst.

Steinene sto som silhuetter mot den snøtunge himmelen.

The stones stood as silhouettes against the snow-laden sky.

Med frosne hender åpnet Sindre urnen og begynte å tale.

With frozen hands, Sindre opened the urn and began to speak.

"Far elsket oss.

"Father loved us.

Han ønsket å samle oss.

He wanted to bring us together.

Ikke la denne dagen være forgjeves.

Don't let this day be in vain."

"Ordene hans kuttet gjennom kulden.

His words cut through the cold.

Elin gråt stille, mens Kari kikket ned i snøen, rørt av tanken.

Elin cried silently, while Kari looked down into the snow, moved by the thought.

Sammen spredte de asken, vinden tok den og bar den bort, som et siste farvel.

Together they spread the ashes, the wind took it and carried it away, like a final goodbye.

Snøen begynte å lette, som om stormen hadde bøyd seg for deres hjerter.

The snow began to lighten, as if the storm had bowed to their hearts.

De sto sammen i stillheten, bare lyden av fjern ulende vind og snøens myke fall.

They stood together in the silence, only the sound of the distant howling wind and the soft fall of the snow.

Sindre så på dem begge, kjente hvordan tapet deres bandt dem sammen.

Sindre looked at them both, feeling how their loss bound them together.

"Vi har hverandre," hvisket han.

"We have each other," he whispered.

I det øyeblikket var de mer enn søsken og fetter.

In that moment, they were more than siblings and a cousin.

De var en familie, bundet av minner og kjærlighet.

They were a family, bound by memories and love.

Med et tungt, men rolig hjerte, begynte de reisen hjemover, hånd i hånd, mens snøen la seg som et stille teppe rundt dem.

With heavy but calm hearts, they began the journey homeward, hand in hand, as the snow settled like a quiet blanket around them.