15
ELENA
When evening came, Andreas called me to a small table set up in the inner courtyard. We were strangely alone. There was no one around except for a few soldiers. They were on guard duty far away. Questions swirled in my head: what was the reason for this special setting?
As I approached the table, Andreas was holding a wooden cup. On the table were wine, bread, cheese, and a plate of boiled meat. He gestured for me to sit down with a brief, silent motion. I sat down across from him, feeling tense.
My father wasn't there. He probably preferred to eat in his room.
We didn't speak for a while. Even Delma avoided talking to me while the food was being served.
There was no politeness between Andreas and me, nor was there a fight... We were both waiting in a wordless tension. I
