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glasses, and someone was just making conversation.

      Andreas lost at “Tower” and sat down at the next table where they were playing dice. He picked up a bottle and offered Karl a top-up of wine. Karl handed him the glass, but out of habit, he said nothing where everyone would normally say “thank you”. In general, Andreas never felt the desire to make friends or establish close contact with Karl. He categorically did not share the views on life that distinguished Karl. Andreas considered Karl’s habits and manners too outdated, harsh, and sometimes downright reckless. For him, Karl was a man who had no opinion of his own and blindly followed the laws inherited from his ancestors. Despite the lack of any sympathy for Karl, he still tried to be patient and at least occasionally have even the most trivial conversations with him. Andreas understood that this was necessary if he wanted his son to marry Karl’s daughter. He liked Penelope and fully approved of his son’s choice, believing that this girl would become a wonderful wife and mother.

      However, Karl already had a friend in Martin, who respected his conservative morals and severity of mind. Plus, Martin hated Penelope, and after noticing several times how Karl raised his voice to his eldest daughter, he began to respect him even more. Sometimes Martin thought that if his neighbor did not have such a pretty daughter, then his son would not be in the clouds, dreaming that one day he would definitely marry some princess of unearthly beauty. He believed that such thoughts were very harmful, since because of this, Ian risked starting a family too late than he should have, or, even worse, being left without offspring at all.

      – We need to finish the harvest quickly so we can get to the crops – said Gustav, finishing the rest of his wine.

      Gustav was fifty-one years old, which made him the oldest in the village. Formally, he was not the head of the settlement and did not have the right to vote, but he was considered the unofficial head among the elders. During his life, his father, Henrik, commanded respect from the entire village and was a great authority. He was revered as a wise man with vast life experience, and each of his advice was of great value. When Henrik passed away, Gustav for some reason decided that his father’s authority would be passed on to him by inheritance, and he did not need to try to earn such an attitude from those around him by his own efforts. However, it was never customary in the village to appoint the chief among the elders. Every issue was decided by voting. But nevertheless, Gustav consciously tried to convey to everyone the idea that he was the chief here and his opinion should not cause objections. No one demonstratively ignored him, and they allowed him to try on the role of leader only out of respect for the deceased Henrik.

      By the way, Gustav also had his own reasons for hating Karl’s eldest daughter. The reason was that when his youngest son, Konrad, offered to court Penelope, she resolutely refused him. A certain flare of hatred also swept over Andreas when Gustav found out that Penelope was being courted by Erikson. Thus, Gustav came to the simple conclusion that, in Penelope’s opinion, his son was worse than Andreas’ son.

      – We’ll make it – German said confidently at the next table. – The harvest is going according to plan, so there will be enough time.

      – I wouldn’t be so calm. The weather has already surprised us once this year.

      Herman didn’t answer, because everyone understood how stubborn Gustav was in his rightness. He spent several more minutes citing a bunch of arguments in favor of his opinion, and Herman thought about how much Gustav was dramatizing everything. Herman himself was the exact opposite and preferred to look at any problem as a matter of time: it’s worth making a little effort and there won’t be any problem. And now, having lost in “Tower”, he said to Thomas in a confident tone, energetically waving his arms:

      – So, let’s do it again. The glass is empty, so now nothing will interfere with me.

      These words greatly amused Thomas.

      Martin glanced at everyone present, weighed everything one last time and finally risked saying:

      – Okay then. I see that no one wants to talk about it, then I’ll start. – Everyone immediately looked at Martin. Putting his left hand on his hip, he continued speaking without the slightest tremor in his voice: – We must face the truth. The harvest this year is meager. There will definitely not be enough such reserves until spring. Maybe it’s time to discuss the alternative.

      Gustav was the first to answer:

      – I wouldn’t say, Martin, that everyone here is avoiding this conversation. Everyone understands everything. We just need to finish harvesting the wheat to assess the final volume of provisions.

      – It seems, – Wilhelm began, – that this option does not bother you at all.

      – We are simply realists – Martin retorted.

      – You are simply crazy – Thomas objected.

      – Be careful with your expressions, – Gustav insisted.

      Thomas forgot about the game, put his glass down on the table, stood up abruptly from his stool, pointed his finger at Gustav and said reproachfully:

      – It’s easy to talk when you don’t have daughters.

      Raising his voice a little, Gustav replied:

      – What does that even mean!? Are you trying to say that I’m a ruthless bastard!? Or maybe you think it’s my fault that I have three sons!?

      – I don’t care what you think – Thomas continued. – Many of us have girls older than ten, and we’re not going to listen to such talk from those who risk nothing.

      – How dare you!? – Martin shouted, slamming the table. – In addition to my sons, I also have a daughter, but I try to accept the will of fate, and not avoid responsibility.

      Herman wanted to stand up and call for everyone to calm down, but Thomas shouted another remark:

      – What are you saying!? You have a daughter!? Wilhelm has four, of which only one is not yet ten! How does he feel hearing such things!? If you were in his place, I don’t think you would have the courage to start this conversation!

      Suddenly Andreas jumped up from his chair, stood between two tables and shouted at the top of his voice:

      – ENOUGH!!!

      There was a silence in the barn that was louder than a cannonade of cannons.

      Andreas may not have made everyone calm down, but at least he made everyone sit down. He remained standing and began to lay out his proposal:

      – Many of those present here have daughters. First of all, we must be understanding of their opinion and not act as if we were discussing the fate of some animal. In any case, it is too early to consider this option. We have not yet gathered all the harvest and have not done the counting. In any case, we can hunt. In the end, we can slaughter a little more cattle, then we will replace part of the plant provisions with meat and at the same time reduce the harvest consumption for the maintenance of animals. So, first of all, each of us needs to work our brains, – then Andreas looked at Martin, and then at Gustav, as if addressing his words to them, – and then suggest something like this.

      Martin could not understand Andreas simply because he had three sons and no daughters. Gustav was sure that Andreas was worried about his offspring, who had already found himself a bride among the local girls.

      Whatever it was, this topic was closed. At least for a while.

      Having finished his glass, Wilhelm got up from the table, getting ready to go home. Andreas and Thomas offered him a game, but he politely declined. With each passing day, he tried to leave Ava alone less and less, fearing a premature birth, as had happened once before, when Astrid was born.

      Soon Wilhelm crossed the threshold of the house. Usually he went straight to the bed, where, before closing his eyes, he pressed himself tightly against Ava, who at that stage could no longer sleep on her stomach and had to lie on her side.

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