Chapter Five
"No, I have everything I need right here," she said, waving at a field. The field was separated into four parts. With each part having different things. The largest field having wheat, while the others held vegetables.
It was just a field. Nothing about it was important. She could leave this behind with little worry. The village would likely keep it going to feed everyone for winter. "Wheat?" I asked, tilting my head a little.
"I'm the baker. I bake almost all the bread in the village. This is my field where my husband and I grow it. Once we have kids, they will help grow it too." She said, I hummed along. Settling down in one place, having kids. I've seen it done so many times, but still felt like a foreign idea for me.
If I fail the Academy test, will this be my life? Will I go back home and settle down? Who with? I had never really looked at anyone twice. Abby and I only thought about making it to the academy. "Your brows are scrunching up. What are you thinking?" Ethel asked.
"I'm going to take the Magic Academy test. I hadn't really thought about what I would do if I failed. Going back home wasn't ever part of my plans." I answered, feeling a pit in my chest. Why had I never thought about what would happen once all this was over?. Even if everything went well, I thought Abby and I would travel together.
Ethal crossed her arms and frowned. With a sigh, she stated, "Young people these days… So you're comparing my life to a future you don't know. I can tell you now, you aren't suited to it."
My face felt stiff from the frown changing from one of sadness to annoyance. "What do you mean?"
"Don't take offense. Look at you, traveling to a place you've never been before to chase a, maybe. Doing the same thing every day, in the same place, just doesn't sound like something you'll enjoy. If it was, you wouldn't have left." Patting my back. The gesture was friendly and felt like I was talking to my dad again.
I guess she's right. I hadn't thought about ever settling down and farming. Even my dad's job of hunting seemed more fun than playing with the dirt. With a huff, I answered, "You're right. I wonder what I'll do…"
"You'll fail at this rate."
"Huh?"
"You're already thinking 'What will I do after this?' Like you know, you'll fail. Keeping that kind of mindset will make you fail. If you don't struggle with everything you have, you won't succeed."
"That…" I had nothing to say to that. What was there to say? I had worried as we were getting closer to the test. Every day was making me feel more nervous about this. Remembering the day Mom and Dad sat me down and told me 'there was a high chance I wouldn't be able to' and it haunted me now. After all this time, that I would fail has been sneaking up on me. "OOOF!" a hand slammed into my back.
"Cheer up, the best things in life make you nervous," she laughed.
"You're really mean," I laughed along with her. It wasn't long before she needed to go back to work.
Walking back down the path, I saw how things differently. They hadn't changed really, just become a little more interesting to me. The path had tiny little white flowers growing along it, with yellow centers. Near some homes, they planted tulips and irises. Ivy climbed the walls of both houses and the brick fences. The village was so green and pretty. Even the trees had taken more shades of green. I don't think I could even paint them all.
"You look happier," Ellis said as he walked over to me. The house is near us with the cute blue windows and a blue door. Looking now, I saw it was one of the few houses without the red roof. The roof was covered in green moss.
"I got some good advice. How was your day?" I asked, not feeling as annoyed with him.
"Good, I'm glad you're smiling again. Your brother was really worried about you," He said, smiling. I didn't mean to worry him. I hadn't realized that I stopped smiling. A hand rested on my head. I glared up at Ellis, who smiled. "Don't worry so much. We've got your back."
I smacked his hand away from my head. "You are still a jerk." I muttered, storming past him. Ellis turned, trying to keep up. Seeing that, I made a break for it. Running down the path. Ellis chasing after me. He cussed under his breath as I stayed in the lead.
Back at the house, I burst through the door. Looking around for Evan. Wanting to ask him about returning the favor to the woman that helped me. Evan and I talked about maybe getting a bit more bread for the road. He said that it would be difficult to move it as it would go bad quickly. I wished there was something I could do to thank her for everything she had done. I needed that little confidence back.
"We're leaving in the morning. Seven people from this village will join us. We will double up in formation with one person walking behind the wagon." He told us. We nodded alone, happy for the fresh faces. Someone to share stories with that hadn't been there to see it.
Evan still had us not talked too much while walking. He didn't mind small chatting but anything that got louder than a small mummer.
"Evan, why don't you like talking?" One of the new members asked. He was tall, blond, and built. I suspect he thought he knew better. We had all been wondering, but trusted Evan to know what he was doing. He had been traveling for a long time.
"If you are busy talking, you won't notice a monster or bandit getting closer. That kind of thing will get you and others killed. If the loud noises don't lead monsters straight to us," Evan answered. The guy smirked at the answer.
"Let them come. I'll keep us safe." The brat answered.
"Evan, mind if we stop for a moment." Ellis asked. His hands were gripping at his bracelet. That wasn't a good sigh.
Evan sighed. "Don't take too long. I want to stay on schedule."
Ellis nodded, turning to the brat. "would you Ike to challenge me or Lora?" He asked. Why was he bringing me into this? I didn't know where the idea that I was some kind of crazed person came from, but I don't like it. I was going to strangle the person who started it.
"Hahaha, you think you can beat me?" The brat asked.
"Pick," Ellis said, "Unless you think you'll lose to one of us."
"Why am I added to this?" I muttered.
Morgan leaned in. "Remember that time you broke a tree in half?"
"I didn't mean to! That tree was old anyway!" I answered. Morgan gave me a look that read like she didn't believe me. I looked at someone else from my village, but they weren't looking at me. I sighed in defeat. It was a tree that was weak and about to die, anyway. That's the only reason that my shoving had any effect on it.
"Sure I'll take you on. But don't cry at me when you can't walk." The brat said, walking around to the front of the wagon. I watched with everyone as the brat took out his blade. Ellis didn't bother taking him out of its sheath. But lifted it up to the block.
The brat ran forward in the most embarrassing way. His stance was off, his sword waving as he ran, and he held it above his head with one hand. I almost laughed at him, but held back.
Ellis didn't have the same idea. Out right laughing at him. "Are you serious?" He asked, after blocking the terrible strike.
The brat's face burned, "You're laughing?!" He asked. I turned to Evan, who was trying not to laugh.
"Evan-"
"I know. This will not end well." He answered, cutting me off. There was no way the brat would not have his ass handed to him. But there also wasn't a way that he was going to leave this, having learned his lesson.
Ellis won the match without really trying. At one point, he even put his sword and sheath back on his hip.
"You should have done that," I muttered, getting close to Ellis.
He leaned closer to me. "I know. I shouldn't have laughed. But you saw him. Your dad would have had my head if I ever tried attacking like that."
Ellis was training to be a hunter. It was one of the more dangerous jobs because of the chance to run into monsters. You have to protect yourself as well as your prey. So Dad forced the hunting team into learning how to fight against them. Being an Ex-Adventurer made him the expert.
My Dad made Abby and I join in the training too. Something about traveling to the Academy and men. I wasn't sure what he muttered at the time. Though Mom just laughed. When I did learn, I both felt relieved and annoyed about it.
"So, what's the plan now?" I asked, crossing my arms. Really, this was going to get out of hand. The brat is still glaring daggers at Ellis.
"I could walk him back to his village and catch up later." He said, pouting. There was a good chance of that failing, too. The brat would fight the entire way back.
"We'll leave it be for now. He's be put in his place. Another out burst and we'll leave him here. I won't travel with people putting others at risk." Evan said. He sighed, knowing that it was going to be rough for a kid like that to learn.
"With his skills, I don't think he'll live. We could tie him up and drag him along," I offered.
They looked at me strangely. "You're right about his skills…" Evan said, looking away. I looked at Ellis, who was also looking away. What did I say that was so strange?
As expected, the brat didn't behave after being embarrassed. He was quiet for most of the walk. Until Ellis was walking next to him in the rotation. Then he was huffing and spouting nonsense.
"Why are you going to town? Was there nothing better for you to do? Do you think you can make a name for yourself there? Honestly, you could if you worked on your looks a bit." Ellis ignored the comments. Which had him amping up his attempts to make Ellis react. By the time we stopped for the night, everyone was tired of him.
Ellis and Evan worked on settling the wagon for the night. Making it less of a target. Hiding any goods that smelled like food high in the air to stop monsters and wild animals from trying to eat them.
I got firewood on duty. Happy to get away from the brat. "So you didn't get to tell me. What are you traveling for?" I asked the ones with me. One of which was from my village. I already knew he wanted to be an adventurer, but the other two were mysteries.
"We want to be adventurers." They told me, smiling.
"That's cool. Are you starting your own party?"
"We are. Us and Sue are going to be the wild wind!" They laughed.
"I'll remember the name. I can't wait to see what you three do."
"What about you?" The brat asked, sitting by the fire.
"I'm traveling to take the Magic Academy test." I answered. He started laughing, clutching at his waist.
"YOU? Please be real? What could a nobody like you do there?" He asked, still laughing.
"I would stop if I were you." Ellis muttered.
"I know that most people don't get in, but I will." I answered, still smiling. I would not let this brat tell me what I can and can't do.
"Sure, sure. Show us then. What can little miss witch do?"
"It's forbidden to use magic before taking the Magic Academy test-"
"You're just afraid you can't do it. What a joke. Go back home and do what good little girls do."
"What would that be?" I hissed.
"Obviously, be a wife and have kids."
"How charming." He smirked. "Now I know why you are traveling."
His smirk faded. "What's that mean?"
"Obviously, you ran off all the girls in your village. I bet not a single one of them wants to marry you. Must be so sad to have to travel to a different place just to have a chance at finding a wife."
"You BITCH!" He yelled, leaping up. His hand raised.
"STOP!" someone yelled. His form was all over the place. Grabbing his arm, I twisted, throwing him over my shoulder. Holding him on the ground by his arm. While my knee was on his side.
He glared up at me. I tightened my hold on his arm, making him gasp, "Careful, I might just break your arm." Putting a little more pressure on it. I tilted my head and asked, "If I'm a bitch, what does that make you?"
He didn't move or answer me. I put more weight on my knee, resting on him. "I asked you a question."
He hissed from the pain. Blinking up at me. There were tears in his eyes. "I- I don't know!" He answered.
"A brat that doesn't know his place. Ellis has already made a fool of you. It's only thanks to the kindness Evan has that you are still here, and not wandering back to your village. For the rest of this trip, I expect you to shut up and do as you are told. Do. You. Understand. Me." I asked, twisting his arm just a little more. It wasn't enough to break it, but he would feel it. The warning on his nerves gives telling him to get away, making him wiggle in my hold.
"Yes! Yes!" He yelled. I let go of him. His arm pulled back to his side. He breathed hard and didn't look at me.
"Sorry about that Evan." I said, spinning around to the others. Those from my village just looked unimpressed, while the others looked scared.
"You calmed down with age. I remember you actually braking that one kid's arm." Ellis said, handing out bowls of food. It was carrot stew tonight.
"I don't remember that…" I said, looking away. Ellis laughed, smacking my back. While the others tried to make conversation. It was still awkward as the new people didn't know how to react.
"They should learn some self defense." I muttered to Ellis.
"Sure, says our village monster."
"What does that mean?" I huffed, crossing my arms. I wasn't the village monster. That was someone else. I didn't pay enough attention to know who, but it wasn't me.
"If you don't know, you'll never know," Evan answered, while stirring the stew a little more. I pouted at that. What did I do wrong? He was going to hit me. All I did was defend myself.
The next morning, the brat was quiet. He walked without complaining. For once, we had a relaxing walk again. However, anyone that walked next to me was stiff. Making their back straight and marching.
"Hold," Ellis said, holding up his hand. It was his turn on the wagon. He faced forward, glaring into the forest.
Follow his sight, I saw another group heading our way. They weren't waking with a wagon. Which wasn't a bad thing. It was just a strange group of people heading our way with weapons. Evan started the wagon again. HE had us all going slower than before. Myself and one other taking the left side.
Evan waved at them when they rounded the corner. They did the same. Careful to keep my head faced forward, we passed each other. Once they were further away, I sighed. "That was tense," I said, stretching my arms above my head.
"It's a shame you don't want to be an adventurer or an escort." Evan said, laughing.
"Ellis might. He seems to like all this," I said, poking Ellis's back.
"It's refreshing, and I was just going to be a hunter back home, anyway. It's not all that different." He muttered, but the back of his neck was turning red.
I hope he was having fun doing this. Ellis should get a world of good things. He's a good guy, after all. He went on a journey just to help his friend feel better about letting his little sister go. I would not tell him that. Instead, I smacked him on the back.
The rest of the walk was nothing to talk about. The trees blew int he wind, making a few people flinch now and then. I would have laughed if it wasn't getting annoying. They were all so scared to be walking through the forest that I was honestly wondering what the problem was.
"Lora," someone called. I turned to see one of the people that wanted to be adventurers. "You and the others from your village are so calm. Why is that?"
"Rather, I think you are all skittish. Why's that?" I asked back. I couldn't think of a reason that they would be so worried. They looked at me, just as confused.
Evan laughed from his seat. We all looked up at him. Confused why he laughed now. "Sorry, the Mythenal village takes turns babysitting the kids. Everyone learns how to do everything. Even if they will be just farmers in the future, they know how to hunt and fight." Evan said.
"Why?"
"Your village doesn't do that?" I asked. It was common for someone to be watching us. If it was our own parent or not. That was part of the reason Zack's betrayal was so bitter. Margret had never thought that it would happen like that. Isabel was also at fault for doing such a thing to them.
"No, our moms watch us until we are six. Then we go to school." They answered.
"That's weird. What happens if there's a landslide or something?"
"What do you mean? We clean the area and hope no one got hurt."
"What if someone did? Like the hunters?" Ellis asked.
"We go for a while without meat. But we have enough to deal with a lean season."
Ellis and I looked at each other. It wasn't the best plan in our eyes, but they had more people. Maybe they make so much excess food from farming that it works. We shrugged, figuring that it was fine. They know their village and how it works better than we do.
"So, are you all still scared of me?" I asked, smiling. They shook their heads.
"They are. They just don't want your wrath," Ellis muttered.
"I heard that, you jerk!" Kicking his heel to make him stumble a bit. Evan and the others were trying to hold back their laughter, but I still heard it. The muffled giggles making me smile as well.
"Good, you were supposed to!" He argued back. I was going to hit him. I swear it.