This time I woke up, hearing a melodic bird trill somewhere very close. Better than the tearful melodrama coming from the speakers. I listened in an attempt to guess who it could be, but nothing came of it. The sounds were pleasant, but at the same time completely unlike either the chirping of a sparrow, the sonorous cries of a parrot, or the singing of a nightingale. Trying to recognize the singer, I frowned and only after a few seconds I realized that I perfectly feel facial expressions. The last discovery made me extremely happy. So much so that I immediately opened my eyes, stared at the ceiling, and frowned again. So what is it?

   To my incredible surprise, the ceiling turned out to be wooden. Even if the blinds or curtains were tightly closed, not allowing daylight into the room, because of which the ward was half-dark, I could distinguish the even white ceiling from the huge wooden beams and boards, roughly hewn. Moreover, she never complained about her eyesight. In confirmation of the latter thought, the gaze settled on the protruding bitch. This indicated that the tree did not know the grinder. So to speak, remained almost untouched. Is that a circular saw walked along the trunk, cutting the whole canvas into bars and boards?

   But the wooden ceiling was not the only thing that caught my attention. I was also interested in orange flashes dancing their beautiful dance on it. I have never seen how the reflections of flames play on different surfaces. But for some reason, it seemed to me that I was watching them now. In confirmation of my thought, I squinted my eyes to the side, and then, albeit with difficulty, nevertheless turned my head, staring in amazement at the fireplace. Yes, yes, a real fireplace, laid out of slightly hewn raw stone, in which the fire that was given to him merrily ate firewood. And no, the fireplace wasn't electric and it wasn't a screen saver. I could clearly see the metal grate, the inside of the fire covered with black soot, and the bright red flames dancing on hot coals. I also smelled and heard the soft crackle of burning logs. And then a not-so-pleasant thought came into my head. Namely, the one that cannot have a fireplace in the hospital. At least, if it's not a super-duper expensive elite private hospital. Although, even in this case, I doubt that, for safety reasons, something like this would be allowed to be organized in the ward with patients. And there can be no wooden ceiling, but also gray stone walls.

   Although the light from the cheerful crackling flame in the fireplace was not enough to clearly and fully view the entire room, even what I managed to see was more than enough to start to get nervous. So, where does this take me? And where did I end up?

   It could be assumed that it was my students who made such a joke about me if it were not for the serious condition in which I was now. Despite the fact that I seemed to have woken up, it was difficult for me to move and an incredible weakness fettered my body. It was hard to even turn my head. In addition, it was hard for me to breathe, as if there was not enough volume in my lungs, or they were too lazy to work. It also tickled in my throat, as if I had swallowed dust, which made me very thirsty. I tried to lick my lips, but I realized that not only were they completely dry, but my tongue was as well. So no, despite the fact that my students are still those idlers and merry fellows, take at least the same Tikhonov, but they perfectly know the boundaries of what is permitted and do not go beyond them. And I was clearly in no condition to be played with. And the whole situation did not cause much fun. And that means...

   What exactly that could mean, I couldn't think of. There were no large settlements or even ordinary villages near Zyuratkul. I also have not heard of a forester's house or someone else of that kind built not far from the slope on which our expedition took place. There is no need to even talk about the scientific station. Although several times I proposed to the university administration to set up a small stationary base here, where students of several faculties could practice, and not only our geological, but also mineralogists, biologists, mining engineers, and geophysics. Yes, this base would come in handy for many. But, as always, funding is not enough. 

   Frowning again, I realized I wasn't thinking about it. And yet, where did it take me? And most importantly, how?

   Thinking about all this, I slowly turned my head, examining my surroundings in the hope that I would at least understand something. But the more I could see, the more questions arose. All the walls were made of stone and not plastered with anything, there were no wallpapers or even paintings for you. Unless on the opposite side of me, I saw either some kind of carpet or a tapestry. True, I could not see the picture. And there were no lamps and chandeliers. But there were metal candlesticks attached to the walls, one of which was attached to a cage with a songbird that woke me up. I didn’t succeed in determining who it was, because even though the room was not very large, only fourteen square meters, the cage was far away, and the twilight in the room did not even allow us to see the color of the bird.  

    There was also no particular furniture in the room. Is that the bed on which I was lying, and even noticed two chests and a table? Near the latter, with his back to me, stood, hunched over, some figure in a strange overall and a leather sleeveless jacket. 

   - Heh heh.

   I didn’t know what to say, so I decided to get attention with a slight cough. But it would be better if I didn’t done it, because I instantly felt a cutting pain in my throat, and I also started to cough in fact. Well, at least you got it. The figure turned around.

  - Oh. Lea. Thank the gods you are still awake. Now, now, have a drink.

  Grabbing the handle of a rather voluminous earthenware mug, limping, an elderly woman. to the best of her ability, hurried to me. Slightly lifting me by the shoulders, the stranger helped me get drunk. I greedily drank herbal bitter tincture and I immediately felt better, and most importantly, the cough stopped.

 As soon as I finished drinking, the mug was immediately pushed away from my lips, after which I was gently lowered back onto the pillow. Exhaling heavily, I immediately assessed my condition not only as lousy, but at the level - nowhere worse, because I was instantly tired of this simplest movement. Despite the fact that I fully felt my body, I didn’t have the strength to move. I could only scratch my fingers over the sheets, realizing that the bedding was made of some kind of coarse linen, and all because the texture of the fabric was well felt. So there is nothing to say about getting up or even sitting down on your own. Therefore, the help of a stranger was very helpful.

  - Thank you.

  I did not recognize my own voice, because it sounded soft, almost childlike, thin, and hoarse. And yes, it was quite painful to speak because of the cutting sensations in my throat. But that didn't change the fact that I wanted to know where I was. And all because neither this place in which I woke up nor the sight of a stranger, did not inspire confidence in me.

   - Where I am?

  Despite the weakness of my voice and her, in theory, not the most ideal hearing due to age, the elderly woman heard me and immediately her lips stretched into a kind, but at the same time toothless smile.

   - You are a guest of Ader Ok'Tarner's banneret* and are now in his family castle Durshars. Our master personally saved you by pulling you out of the turbulent stream of a mountain river.

   What the hell is this old woman talking about? From everything she said, I understood that some man saved me by catching me in the river. But I don’t remember that a river flowed near Zyuratkul. Near this mountain, there was only the lake of the same name. And yes, there were no castles here either. Although I admit that the stranger calls the employer's house that way. I took another look at my companion.

    A short, slightly hunched, lean figure. Face covered with many deep wrinkles. Parchment-dry, yellowish-pale skin. Slightly hooked nose. Sparse, gray-dirty gray hair was collected at the top in a kind of bun. Thin lips all the time strangely moving and smacking. Not the first freshness and purity of a dark gray hoodie and a brown leather vest with an inner edge and wooden buttons. If I met such a woman on the street, I would have decided that she was homeless. And if I talked to her, I would still consider her slightly insane. Let's just hope there's someone else in this house.

  By the way, about others. Besides the fact that I wanted to understand where I was, it was necessary to find out what was happening with my students. This is the question I tried to ask.

  - They were with me...

  Before I could finish the sentence, I coughed again, but the stranger already understood what I was talking about. And at the same moment, the smile left her face, from which I tensed inwardly. And my interlocutor, giving me a look full of regret, also shook her head negatively.

   “They got hit by a landslide and they all died. We have not been able to find anyone else or save anyone.

  When I heard the news, my eyes darkened. How did they die? No! Can't be! This old woman is confused. It is clear that she is not right in the head. And then I remembered that Lentil was with me inside the mountain. When the last push came, she had just entered the passage. So there was a chance that she, along with me, was thrown into an internal reservoir. And this means that the girl, like me, could be carried out by the current.

  - And Sveta?

  - Do you need more light? Now I'm going to light some more candles. The weather is still raging outside, so I will not open the shutters. Yes, it's dark in there.

    - No, - I shook my head negatively and, since the woman obviously misunderstood me, clarified. - With me... - khe-khe. - There was ... a girl Svetlana.

  It was getting more and more difficult for me to speak, and shortness of breath appeared as if I was not lying in bed, but running a marathon.

  - Young woman? Did you have a companion?

  Instead of answering, I just nodded slightly. What difference does it make what she calls my student, student or companion, the main thing is that she be saved.

  - I'm sorry...

  The end of the phrase has not yet sounded, but I already understood what they want to say to me. And then tears filled my eyes. How so? They were all so young and took only the first steps in an independent life. It can't be! This old woman is confused.

  From experiences, it became even more difficult for me to breathe, because of which dark circles appeared before my eyes. At some point, my consciousness could not stand it and again plunged me into blessed silence. 

________________________________________________________________________

 Banneret * - a knight who had the right to lead a group of people (often also knights) into battle under his own banner with the image of his own heraldic symbols.