Hamish POV:

Day 1:

I wake up with a shiver. Nobody has come to wake me up yet, but I felt my hands getting cold and got scared of freezing to death. With my shivering hands I grab the hem of the blanket covering me and wrap myself up completely inside it, all the while trembling from the coldness.

Regardless of my initial fear, the cold quickly subsides. I wait a few moments to be sure but there does not seem to be a problem with my body. After testing out the waters by gradually lowering the area the blanket covers, I finally sit upright. At that time Hemilia comes into my room.

<<That is unusual for you to already be awake, father.>>, she says with a smile.

How loud would her voice have been for me to properly hear her? I find myself saddened by the weakness of my body.

<<Is something the matter, father?>>

Her concerned question tears me away from my thoughts.

<<It’s nothing. I was just in thought for a second>>

I mumble my usual short answer and signal her to help me get up and prepare myself. Together we go to the dining table.

I sit on one side of the table, Haja has made himself comfortable on my lap.

<<Hey grandpa, it’s been a while since we went out together. Can we go do a picnic, pleaase?>>

He makes his typical puppy eyes while asking me. Most of the time I would give in, when he did that but I couldn’t today.

<<We can’t do that this week, little Haja. Did you forget what I promised you before?>>, I ask him.

He scratches his cheek while trying to remember what the promise was about before shouting

<<Ahhh! The Cactuus! I almost forgot that?>>

Meanwhile Razeff and Hemilia are sending me confused gazes. After directing Haja’s attention towards them he kindly explained to them about our little promise to ask Raylon about the plants behavior of reproduction around itself.

<<I know, that plants spread, but I don’t know how they do it either >>

My son, the Herbalist, reacts with intrigue and skepticism. He is skeptic about me claiming that a merchant knows more about the plants’ behavior than him but he keeps his mouth shut.

<<Oh, what a nice idea! It is nice to see that you can be useful from time to time, father>>, my daughter reacts with a sarcastic joke.

She probably thought about teasing me a little but as a result I now feel very depressed. I know how much of a burden I am on them and I don’t want to worsen things by making them attend to me because I have a bad day or something.

Luckily no one noticed my inner thoughts.

Today, Haja and I spent our entire day at home, playing games and waiting for Raylon to make his appearance. The day is coming to an end and I go back to my bed and back to my sleep

He didn’t appear today.

………………………

Day 2:

Since I preemptively clad myself inside my blanket, the cold sensation I felt last night wasn’t as bad this time.

I wake up and our family goes along with their usual morning routine. Today, little Haja and I went up on a slightly protruding dune close to the village entrance. I was sunbathing while Haja told me about his day. There were mostly irrelevant things he told me about but I just kept smiling and listening.

Thus another day had gone by and Raylon was nowhere to be seen.

That’s alright. Tomorrow, he will surely be here.

………………………

Day 3:

Waking up was a real challenge this morning. I heard my daughters voice multiple times and she had to shake me quite often but it still felt like ages to me before I found the strength to open my eyes.

By this point, Hemilia has noticed what is going on with me. I motioned her to wait until after dinner so we could talk about it without the others noticing.

Here we are, Hemilia and I sitting together at our dining table. Luckily for me, Haja and Razeff had an expedition scheduled for today. After I had promised Haja, that I would ask Raylon our question in Haja’s stead, he begrudgingly accompanied his father.

In front of me, Hemilia is making an explicitly tense face in anticipation of my next words.

I take a deep breath and tell her the truth:

<<I don’t like to admit it, my daughter, but I think that my time has almost come.>>

Her facial features are at the risk of crumbling together but she keeps herself collected and asks:

<<I knew the day would eventually come.>>

She pauses for a second, suppressing a whimper.

My heart aches at her appearance and I try to comfort her by embracing her in my shaking arms.

<<You don’t have to be sad, Hemilia. I am happy enough with the life I have lived.>>, I say while patting her head.

With that she breaks up in a series of sobs. I just hold onto her and let her cry her heart out.

After a while, she manages to catch herself and sits herself back down on her seat.

I continue:

<<I had planned to prolong this as much as possible but since we are already at this point, I want to share with you, what I have prepared for my family’s future.>>

With that I explain to her, what I did for the last 8 years of my life and what she had to do, when that day would inevitably come.

Hemilia kept calmly listening to my instructions and before the other two returned, the two of us had prepared to hide our conversation from little Haja for as long as possible. I was told that she would divulge my condition to Razeff, later in the night.

I have such a wonderful daughter. Now only you are missing, Raylon.

………………………

The next two days went by without any accomplishments or misfortunes.

The atmosphere in the house had sad, melancholic feel to it. Even little Haja was disturbed by the adults acting. He looked worriedly around our faces and when he noticed that something was wrong he wasn’t able to ask us and instead went outside to help the other villagers like he usually did, when he didn’t have anything better to do.

I wish, we didn’t have to put him through this at such a young age. I am sorry little Haja. At this point, I can only do one thing. Please Raylon...

………………………

Day 6:

I actually have a great sleep. I dream about my childhood. My parents have always been so nice to me, their youngest child.

<<…>

I dream about the day, I confessed my love to my wife, Theresia. She was the dearest person who had robbed my heart. I feel at peace.

<<Ha...>>

I dream about me, while I was holding my daughter in my hands. She was so cute in my arms back then. I am glad to have gotten you, Hemilia.

<<Haja!…!>>

Finally I dream about another Baby I was holding in my arms. Surprisingly he did not resemble his parents all that much.

Hemilia always had a round nose an a light brown skin color and a relatively puffy facial structure.

In comparison Razeff’s skin was very tanned through constantly being under the sun. He had very delicate facial features except his nose. Razeff had a very long nose.

<<He isn’t waking up!>>

On the other hand Haja had a very innocent face. He had a perky nose, wide and curving eyes and a skin color similar to chocolate. He reminded me of my Theresia, when I first saw him. I am definitely going to give him a present he will never forget…

<<GRANDPA!!>>

My eyes jolt open. My breathing is very ragged and I am looking at the ceiling from my bed. In the corner of my vision I see the faces of my children. In my chest-region I hear a strong sobbing sound.

I look down to see a sobbing Haja crying while tightly holding onto me.

I finally realize what is going on.

This could have been my last nap without me realizing it. I hold the crying Haja tightly in my cold arms and let out a tear.

I think today is my last day.

___

Since Razeff and Hemilia were already in the loop, the three of us first prioritize Haja’s feelings.

After he sufficiently calmed down, I begin to tell him my current situation.

Needless to say, Haja was in shock, the entire time throughout. To him it feels like the safe space which he calls his home just broke down.

<<YOU’RE LYING! THIS ISN’T FUNNY!! I HATE YOU!!>>, with those words he runs outside the house.

Hemilia tried to run after him, but she was stopped by Razeff.

I can’t quite make out, what he actually says to her, but she seems to have calmed down a bit.

Even though I knew, it would be hard on little Haja, I am still sad to see him in pain.

After a short pause I turn towards Razeff and say in a resolute tone:

<<In the back of my dresser, there is a blue box. Inside it is a large bottle of whine.>>

I didn’t say anything else. Razeff quickly understood and brought the wine bottle over onto the kitchen table. He took out three wine glasses from the kitchen drawer and filled them up with the precious liquor.

<<Come to think of it, I remember back when little Haja was but a baby, you would always reprimand me, when I was drinking this stuff.>>

I noticed he was saying something, but couldn’t properly hear it. Thus, I just continued.

<<Well, this time, you seem to be right. This will be my last drink that will send me over to the other side.>>

In the corner of my eyes I see Hemilia breaking down in tears.

I am sorry, little Haja. At least you won’t need to watch me die. Please live a happy life.

I grab the cup with shaking hands and direct the liquid into my mouth but before I can drink anything, I hear a shout from the entrance.

<<GRANDPAA!>>, surprised I drop the glass and the liquid sips over the table.

In comes a crying Haja. On his left hand he is holding Sir Karal, the wind spirit reader by the hem of his clothing. In his right hand he is holding a cloth draped over his shoulder.

Once he sees me, he drops what he is holding and embraces me into a hug.

<<I Am Sorry, Grandpa! I Don’t Hate You! I Love You, Grandpa!>>, he shouts while sobbing onto my chest.

At this sight, I also start crying.

I was a foolish man. Trying to run away from our confrontation is just to unfair to this boy.

Thank the spirits of success and fortune, my little Haja doesn’t hate me.

The three people other than us keep standing around us, warmly smiling at this sight.

<<Since you told me that you were feeling cold in the night, I asked the old tailor couple for advice and they gave me this.>>

After we had sufficiently cried ourselves out, the still slightly sobbing Haja rolls out a large blanket with the thick fur from a healthy dune wolf and says this.

<<I also asked Miss Lepaf and she said that if you don’t want to be cold in the night, then you should eat a lot of food. That makes it easier.>>

Lastly he gestures Sir Karal to come to the front and he Karal explains:

<<Mr. Altwald, I cannot do much, but please allow me to alleviate any pain you might have in your sleep by holding a protective ritual in front of your bed. So please rest at ease for the night.>>

I notice that he is trying his best to speak very loudly and clearly by the fact that I don’t get any problems hearing him speak.

Then Haja goes up to me and says:

<<I have asked so many people and with this much help, you can surely become better again, right Grandpa?>>

This melts my heart and I give him a large hug while loudly sobbing.

…

Our family has done the very best to prepare me for this next night.

I am sitting under a warm blanket, my room has the smell of a balsam and I feel a warm wind lulling me to sleep. I have eaten a lot and talked a lot to my family.

At the end of the day, I wish everyone a good night before finally being left alone under my new cover.

In the end, you didn’t make it in time, Raylon. I would have loved to see you once more.

I think about all the things that my family has done for me over the years. My eyelids become heavier and heavier as I drift into my sleep.

I am happy, I think to myself while drifting away.

Razeff, Hemilia, Haja… I love you.

…

Day 7:

Name: Hamish Altwald

Age: 76 (October year 256 RPT – August year 333 RPT*)

Cause of death: Old age

He went away with a smile on his lips.

*RPT timeline after the Rakdalian Peace-treaty