The road to the big tract was freed from stones for a week. I helped the workers as best I could, with my strength I split large blocks into small parts, so that it was easier to remove them. When we got to the goal, it was gratifying to see that the main way to the nearest cities is gradually being cleared by those who live nearby.
After all was over, I called the living servants, thanked them from the bottom of my heart and told them the bitter truth:
"For many years you have faithfully served my mother and my house, but at this time I must admit the obvious: everything is destroyed, everything that I owned was lost, and I became poor. There is almost nothing left of me, and there is nothing for me to pay your loyalty from now on. Take what you want, in memory of me and go to the surviving cities, where you will find ways to feed yourself."
After that I went to my room and tried to plunge into the work, not wanting to hear how I was left alone, as those who I had known for many years left. Only in the evening I went downstairs and saw an unexpected picture: near the stairs in silence the servants were waiting for me. I saw almost everyone before me and stopped, not understanding why they stayed and why they were waiting for me. Tammar, as usual, came forward.
"Sir," he said, "we will not go anywhere, our fate is to be near to you. We understand everything, we do not want to die by starvation ourselves, and you do not want to be a burden. You need to learn and serve, and not burden yourself with cares about our food."
"What do you want, Tammar?" I still did not understand what he was trying to tell me. Tammar sighed.
"If you like, if your mentors will allow you .. Pay us back, sir. Any form of non-life give us whatever you want, and we will keep your house and the graves of your ancestors for many years to come. We really want this, Mr. Aranthir. In Erisha it is now difficult to be alive, and in an unlife it is unlikely that we will remember the famine and our troubles. And Ahid will stop shedding tears about the lost garden, and Kais may still stand on both feet, if he does not suffer from pain, and my own heart will finally subside. Half of me died with the mistress, so let the other die also ... And you, in fact, will once and for all need to learn to interrupt life in order to make the soul stronger in an un- life. If even something does not work out for you, we all will prefer a quick death from your worthy hand to the agonizing death from hunger."
"I still need to ask permission in Nar-Ankara, Tammar," I said hesitantly.
"We know, sir. We will wait for you. We will try to wait. Will you fulfill our request?"
I gathered my heart and looked at my faithful.
"I give you my word," I said.
To be continued
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