He didn't reply right away. Didn't even move, or seem to have heard it. But he did.

He couldn't quite shake the heavy, almost painful grip on his heart. The grief, surely. Mostly. But something else. Almost a relief.

He'd done much in his life alone. The fact that he wouldn't for the rest of it, whatever little was left....

He cleared his throat, and nodded slightly. "... Long as there's some good, rich earth," He said, voice fulls of stones.