Chapter 15: The Victory and Farewell

Now it seemed as if the entire Hardanger community had heard of Lilli and the others journeying to the island to find the ibis to cure Tintin. When the ship had arrived back at the docks, Tintin and Lilli, along with the others, found themselves welcomed by a huge throng of people. They applauded cheerfully as they got down from the ship. Perhaps they were happy to hear that Tintin no longer had the Norway fever, and he was finally alive and well.

"I have to admit it, it finally does feel good to feel better at last," Tintin told Lilli. "Well, I'm glad we were able to save you," Lilli said as she petted Snowy. "I didn't know what I would do without you," Tintin said. "I would never imagine a world without Snowy, or anyone else, in particular." "We wouldn't either," Thomas said, patting Tintin on the head.

Evan was happy to find his van still together as he walked to it. After John and Rosalyn managed to climb on, Evan called out to Thomas, saying, "You three need a ride somewhere?" "Yes," Thomas said. "Come, you two." As they all got on, Evan asked Thomas, "Where to?" "The restaurant we went to the other day," Thomas replied with a smile. "Tintin still needs to eat." "I do?" Tintin asked. "Yes, you only ate a piece of bread while we were on the ship," Lilli said. "Okay," Tintin said shyly. "Guess I needed more than enough food to fill me up." "Oh Tintin," Thomas said, ruffling Tintin's hair.

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Soon after a few minutes of driving into the town square, the van had finally pulled up to a place that Tintin found oddly familiar. It was the Sveidheld's Pub, the same restaurant and pub that he and Lilli went to with Thomas on the day of the Falling Stars Festival. It still looked better as it was before. As soon as the three had gotten off the van, Thomas told Evan, "Thank you for everything." "Anytime, Mr. Syvertson," Evan told him. "Well, we got to go. Still have to make it back to the office." He then drove off, with John and Rosalyn waving from inside.

After the van had driven off, Thomas turned to Tintin. "Now then," he said, "you still hungry?" "Um…I guess so," Tintin said. "Still have to keep up your strength, eh?" "But," Tintin asked, "I doubt that they'd even let me inside wearing these." Tintin stretched out his pajama shirt. "Oh, don't worry," Lilli said as they proceeded inside. "You'll be fine."

As they walked inside, they were welcomed by the restaurant attendants applauding cheerfully. "Um, why are you all clapping?" Tintin asked. "You didn't think we would miss this day?" one man asked. "Why, we're clapping for you!" another man said. Two burly men both raised their glasses in happiness. "We knew you had the Norway fever since you came here," the bartender told Tintin, "and we just knew that the ibis should work for you. We're all happy to see that you're still alive and well!"

As the three sat down at a nearby table, Tintin shuffled his feet around nervously, tapping his fingers on the hard surface. Nobody seemed to regard his clothes or even criticized the way he was dressed. All seemed perfectly safe.

After a few minutes, a waiter appeared before Thomas and Lilli, bringing in a rather large platter of food. "Here you go, Tintin," Thomas told Tintin, handing him a plate of roast with potatoes and carrots, along with a bowl of soup. Lilli then proceeded to serve herself, while Thomas served the drinks. But just as Tintin was about to eat, he noticed Thomas and Lilli bowing their heads. "Um…is something wrong?" Tintin asked. However, he decided not to question it and he bowed his head in silence. Then, he softly muttered, "Violet Goddess, thank you for…for saving my life."

Soon, the family was able to eat. "That was one crazy adventure I would never forget," Thomas said. "Just seeing the poor boy dying from a disease really gave me quite the scare. But at least we were able to bring him back to life." Lilli smiled. "And now we're here, back home, and eating supper with you," Lilli told Tintin. "This feels so good," Tintin said, biting into a piece of bread. "I can never imagine having this much fun with a family like you." Thomas beamed with pride.

After taking a brief moment from eating his food, Tintin then reached for his glass. Thomas and Lilli saw this and began to copy him. So did the other attendants of the restaurant. "To the Violet Goddess!" Tintin exclaimed. "To the Violet Goddess!" Thomas, Lilli, and the others shouted. As Tintin brought the glass to his mouth, he slowly took a short sip of his beverage. After putting down his glass, Tintin sighed with relief. "Hic!" Tintin exclaimed. "Hic! Hic! Hic!" "And you still manage to get the hiccups!" Lilli laughed. "What are the odds?" She and Thomas, along with the others, began to laugh. Tintin laughed as well, but as broken gasps and hiccups in between.

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After the meal, Lilli and Thomas, along with Tintin and Snowy, managed to get a ride on a lorry returning to the farm. After riding a few moments on the lorry, the three continued the trek up the path on foot. As they arrived back to the farm, Thomas smiled in anticipation. The farmhouse stilled stood, and it looked better as it was before.

"Good to finally be back on the farm again," Thomas said. "Now everything is back to the way it was before." "I do feel as if the farmhouse really felt like home," Tintin replied, happy to finally relax for once. "Okay then," Thomas said. "Lilli, I think Tintin here should be cleaned up again, eh? Go to the barn and give Tintin a bath. He has to look sharp for when he returns to his country later on today." "What?" Tintin asked, a bit surprised. "Well, don't you have other things to do back in your country?" Lilli asked. "Oh, right, I forgot about that," Tintin said, shrugging.

Inside the barn, Lilli immediately strode over to the wash basin to get the water started. "Tintin, can you…" Lilli started to say, but Tintin cut her off, saying, "I know, go over to the stalls and take off my clothes, right? I knew that." By then, Tintin went to the nearby stall and closed the door behind him. Now he didn't mind taking off his clothes in front of the animals. As Tintin took off his shorts, he watched to see if any of the animals would stare. Except for the chickens, who were peeping at him.

After taking off his clothes, Tintin then managed to get inside the basin to bathe. Snowy began to run, but Tintin grabbed him in time. "Hey, you need a bath too, you know," Tintin said. As he put Snowy in the bath, he began to rub Snowy's fur with water as Lilli began washing his hair. "This feels so nice," Tintin told Lilli. "Especially now that I'm finally cured of my illness." "At least you're better now," Lilli said, smiling. Snowy, meanwhile, was fumbling around in the water when Tintin splashed gave off a protesting woof as Tintin laughed.

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Minutes later, after coming back inside the house and drying himself off, Tintin was back in his room, dressed in a brand new shirt and trousers. As he was busy putting his clothes in his suitcase, Snowy bounded into the room as Lilli came inside. "You are packing already?" Lilli asked. "Have you finished yet?" "Yes, I'm almost done," Tintin replied. "Good," Lilli said. As Tintin closed the suitcase shut, he turned to Lilli. "Close your eyes and follow me," Lilli told Tintin. "Dad and I have a surprise for you in the kitchen."

Tintin then shut his eyes and took Lilli's hand as she led him downstairs. "No peeking," Lilli said. "Oop, stairwell!" "Ow!" Tintin exclaimed as he bumped his waist against the stairwell. "You know, you're not a very good blindfold guide." He then began nursing his bruised waist as he continued down the stairs. As soon as Lilli and Tintin were at the kitchen, Lilli left Tintin standing by the doorway.

"Okay, you can open your eyes now!" Lilli said. "Okay," Tintin said, opening his eyes. "But just what is that you wanted to show…?" Tintin paused mid-sentence and gasped, for he saw Thomas and Lilli unfurl a large, beautiful tapestry embroidered with elongated knot designs, and flowers in different shades of purple and gold. But at the center of the tapestry was an embroidered image of Tintin holding hands with the Violet Goddess. Both had their eyes closed, with the violet ibis between them at the center.

Suddenly, Tintin began to cry silently. Big tears welled up in his eyes as they rolled down his cheeks. Lilli noticed this and grabbed Tintin gently by the shoulders. "Tintin, what's the matter?" Lilli asked. "What's wrong?" "Oh, I'm *sniff* I'm fine," Tintin said, wiping his eye. "That tapestry is so beautiful." "So…does that mean you like it?" Thomas asked. "Yes," Tintin said softly. "I love it. It's the best gift I've ever gotten."

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A few hours later, Thomas and Lilli had driven Tintin to the Oslo harbor, since they heard there was ship that would be departing for Brussels. Tintin had tucked the folded tapestry safely in his suitcase. As they got off the truck, Tintin took a moment to reflect with Thomas and Lilli before the ship left the port. Thomas even got a passenger to take a photo of him with Lilli, Tintin, and Snowy for him to keep.

"Tintin," Lilli said, "I just wanted to thank you for all your help back at the farm. It really felt as if our family were complete again. I wish you could stay a little longer." "It was no trouble," Tintin said. "I wish we could stay too. But we have to take care of things back home. Snowy here will really miss you guys." Snowy whimpered sadly as Lilli gave him a hug, which made him feel a little better. Tintin then wore his blue crystal ibis necklace round his neck. As he embraced Lilli, Lilli told him, "You have a safe journey home."

Tintin then turned to Thomas. "Well," Tintin said, with tears in his eyes, "I guess this is where we part ways." "Tintin," Thomas said, caressing Tintin's face, "way before you came here, my wife…she always wanted a little boy, for Lilli to love. And you, Tintin…you've always felt like a son to me. To Lilli, you were like the brother she never had." With tears rolling down his cheeks, Tintin embraced Thomas for a long time. "I'm going to miss you," Tintin sobbed. Thomas rubbed Tintin's back gingerly, saying, "Don't cry. We'll keep in touch someday."

Suddenly, an old Norse bugle horn sounded off from nearby. "All aboard!" the ship steward shouted. "Last call for all passengers to Brussels!" "Sounds like that's for you," Thomas said, sending Tintin toward the ship. "Goodbye," Tintin said as he began walking up the steps to the ship, with Snowy tagging along.

As the ship rumbled to life, Tintin began to wave goodbye to Thomas and Lilli as they ran along the docks to say farewell. Snowy barked a farewell to them as the ship casted off toward the horizon. As Tintin gazed at the sky above him, he smiled. Being sick made him realize he was that close to a near-death experience. But now that the violet ibis had endowed him with its incredible healing powers, he was happy to have been cured from an untimely fate. As Norway was beginning to grow distant, Tintin felt happy that he had been saved by the power of the Violet Goddess.

The End