In the morning there was joy, after waking up some of the warriors were awake and well, they felt good, they were hungry, but most of the pain was gone. They were happly chatting with their family, they were hugging, happy crying.
Alana was like always in the garden, taking care of ready harvest, she was studying if they could make the wintergarden bigger.
She was still feeling uneasy, her heart couldn't calm down.
"My Lady?? " Rahul was calling her, she was lost in thought she didn't even notice his presence.
"Yes " she said in a low voice.
"You should be resting, there's no need for you to be here.... You look tired..." Said Rahul biting his lips.
Alana smiled. " We still need to prepare food for the newcomers, we may need to enlarge our small garden."
"My Lady, is all fine ... When you rest we move forward from here."
"My Lady...!" Sanya entered the wintergarden almost out breath. " There's something you must see."
"Sanya you are here." Said Rahul surprised only now remembering her absence. "There's so much to talk about...Hmmm your father and brother...they are back"
Sany didn't expect that at all, her mind went blank. "What do you mean, back?"
"They managed to survive and they arrived yesterday, they are inside of the main House. They're still..."
"Can I go see them? " She could barely wait, she wanted to see with her own eyes, understand the meaning of the words "back". Even though she was holding her bow, her hand trembling was still visible.
"Go to them, you can report to me later." Said Alana. Sanya ran over to the main House, she ran as fast as she could like she was afraid that they would disappear at any moment. She frantically asked the whereabouts of her family.
As she stood in front of the door, that she was shown, her hand stopped at the handle, she took a deep breath and push the door open.
Inside sitting on the bed was her father and brother eating a mushroom potato soup. They were both talking when she opened the door. They both look at her, as soon as they realise who she was they jumped up to hug her. They both embraced her as she came down to tears.
"You are back!" She sobbed.
"Yes we are back." Said the father kissing her head.
As the day advanced they started to make preparations to enlarge the winter house , Alana hadn't stopped, so she was helping in all that she could in spite of Rahul objections.
The plans were made, they needed to prepare the structure before starting the process.
They had plants that had rooted inside of the winter garden, medicinals herbs were the very first to root, the doctor was very happy, after some wild berries, beetroot, carrots, gingeroot, and some other that ended spreading to where they felt the heat.
They were lacking of diversity but space.
"Rahul my brother, you have come to see me, I can hear from here how busy everyone is." Said Jakar, he was a big man, he had muscles everywhere, some would call him the "gentle giant", but not to his face noone dared to, because they also knew how terrifying he could be. He could carry only his armer to campaigns and fight with beast hand a hand.
"Jakar my brother, yes it's been very busy outside, we are rebuilding the wintergarten so we don't over use the one that we have, rotating with a bigger one will be easier."
"I see ... they are all in good hands, the Master was right to trust you, leaving all in your hands." Jakar smile was big and bright. However Rahul's face darkened.
"My dear brother I wish it was so, that I had managed to keep our people safe, unfortunately my efforts were all met with frustration, suffering from our people and betrayal."
"Betrayal???" Jakar's gentle face went to terrifying in seconds, his twisted face was exuding nothing but anger and contempt. "Becareful my brother this word has a very heavy meaning."
"Indeed, I would never used it in vain, the Master left us, me and the knights, to take care of his people, he entrusted us, to care for everyone no matter what. But those filthy knights, as soon as they heard the Master had died, they started attacking their own, injuring some, and taking everything they could from the people and from the Master house, even though we managed to chase them away, we were beaten badly, as if that wasn't enough they probably sent bandits to finish what they couldn't, that's how I lost my hand, got injuried in both my legs." Rahul walked over next to the window looking outside.
Jakar's face kept twisting in anger his head veins were visible.
"Even so in midsts of our dispair, there was a small light left by our Master. " Jakar's face slowly softened.
"The Master's light?" Jakar inquired, as Rahul smiled pointing outside to Alana.
"Our lady, she has proven to be worthy, she has taken cared of us, she lead us through hard times, endured our pain, carried our burden, even though..." Rahul bit his lip, seing Jakar's face he continued. "... she will also carry yours."
" ...our pain is too big for us to carry." His face softened into sorrow.
"Brother!" Whispered Rahul
"That beast, was like nothing that we had encountered before. We should have never gone there."