Chapter 6
A Quiet Victory
Gruzdas and Musmere attend the public hearing where Klisto challenges the deed. With Birute's testimony and Gruzdas's heartfelt speech, the county board upholds the conservation agreement. The land is saved, and Gruzdas finds belonging with Musmere. They share a quiet evening at the millhouse, ending with a kiss and a promise of tomorrow.
The thirty days passed like a slow river, carrying Gruzdas and Musmere through a season of waiting. They spent the time together, walking the forest paths, tending the millhouse garden, and sitting in the pottery studio while Musmere shaped clay on her wheel. The days were full of small gestures—a cup of tea left on the porch, a hand on the shoulder, a shared silence that needed no words.
On the morning of the hearing, Gruzdas woke early. The sky was clear, and a light frost had settled on the grass. He stood at the window, watching the sun rise over the treeline, and felt a calm he hadn't expected. Musmere came downstairs, her hair tied back, wearing a simple blue dress. She handed him a cup of coffee and smiled.
“Ready?” she asked.
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