“On the fourth day of meltwater, old Rowannik’s time came. Rowannik has already exchanged eight full circles and three shares of the ninth—few people have lived that long. Rowannik’s married daughters set tables in the courtyard of their father’s home in the morning. They brought in food from the cellars and put out an intoxicating liqueur made from wine berries. The villagers came up one after another, modestly treated themselves, bowed to the Rowanberry sitting motionless on the porch, and went about their business. At what hour the time would come and how it would come, no one knew, not even the Seer, who named this time. However, there was no doubt that Rowannik would die today before midnight. The seers have never made mistakes. And if it was said, “Your due date is on the fourth day of melting water,” then exactly on that day your due date came...”