Hollie collapsed in the grass, her back slouched against the wall of the barn and her legs splayed out in front of her. Her chest rose and fell with quick, heavy breaths. Ash took a seat beside her, panting away as well.
“That was—truly—the most—”, Hollie puffed out her words between breaths.
“Tiring thing ever?” Ash tried to finish her sentence. “Exhausting? Difficult?”
Hollie turned to him with a fatigued but happy grin on her face.
“It was one of the most rewarding experiences ever.”
He arched an eyebrow in disbelief and she laughed.
“And exhausting! Obviously! I don’t remember ever feeling so tired before. But I’m tired in a good way. I wonder how much [Energy] I have left.”
Hollie slipped the Codex out of her backpack and opened to the front page. Ash looked over her shoulder at the book.
image [https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53932412495_51f5e2ee81_h.jpg]
“You’ve only got [15 Energy] left!” he said, shocked. “And that’s even with the boost from the elvenstar tea! You’re really not used to hard labor, are you?”
Hollie tilted her head.
“I guess not. I mean, I’ve only been in this world for just over a week. Wherever I came from, I don’t recall having to worry about [Energy]. At least, it seems a bit of a new concept to me. How much [Energy] do you start with every day?”
“Oh, I’m at 400 when I’m not sick. Or if I haven’t stayed up past midnight. That always drops me down a good bit.”
“[400 Energy]!” Hollie exclaimed. “How do you have that much? I start out at 100 every day, and even the elvenstar tea, which makes me all jittery feeling, like I’ve got a few beehives swarming around inside of me ready to burst out any minute, only gets me to 200.”
“Well, I think there’s a few things that could explain it,” he answered. “For one, all halflings start out at [200 Energy] from the moment they’re born. We eat a lot,” he patted his stomach affectionately, though it was quite flat compared to his father’s. “Which I think contributes a bit to that. And then, not only am I a [Cottager], and a Level 4 at that. I’ve got the [Farmer] specialty, and that’s an extra [100 Energy]. And then, when I officially came of age, I got another [100 Energy] as well.”
“Came of age?” Hollie asked.
“Became a full-fledged adult halfling. Every species works the same. When you come of age, you get a boost of some sort, be it [Energy], [Magic], or [Health], depending on what you are.”
Hollie had forgotten that all of the species in Balnochy aged at different rates. She eyed him curiously.
“So, exactly how old are you?”
Was he an old man, she wondered. Could he be fifty or sixty years old?
And all the while I’ve been acting like a fool, thinking he’s cute.
He grinned at her, and there was a knowing twinkle in his eye that made her worried he could tell what she’d been thinking.
“I’m only twenty-three,” he said. “I just came of age this past year. Humans and halflings aren’t too different in regards to age, and if I were human, I'd be about eighteen myself. How old are you?”
“Seventeen,” Hollie answered.
“Ah, so not too different from me. Humans come of age at eighteen. And when they do, they get an additional [50 Health] and [50 Energy]. When’s your birthday?”
Hollie thought for a moment. “Actually, I don’t know when my birthday is.”
She picked up the Codex and turned to the blank pages in the middle.
“Codex, do you happen to know when my birthday is?”
Ink swirled around on the page, then coalesced into words.
According to Balnochy’s official calendar, your birthday is on the 14th day of the month of Amber’s Crown in the season of Fall. What this translates to in the world you’re from, I’m not exactly sure.
“Thank you, Codex. You’ve been helpful as always.”
Of course, Hollie. Never a bother. Oh, but please do eat soon. You don’t have much [Energy] left, and you still have to travel back to Spritespring Hollow.
“Will do,” she said, gently closing the book.
“Wow!” Ash said, his eyes wide with wonder. “I’ve never seen a book that answers back to anyone! Where’d you get it?”
“It was just laying in the cottage when I found it.” She squinted her eyes, trying to remember. “No, wait, it was in my backpack! And my backpack just appeared out of thin air.”
“Out of thin air?” Ash asked, confused.
“Yes. Like, one minute the mantle above my fireplace was empty, and the next, there was a backpack. It just appeared out of nothing.”
Ash shook his head. “Balnochy is full of all sorts of magic,” he said. “But us halflings don’t have much to do with it. We’re a more practical sort of folk. We try our best to stay out of it, leaving it to those more magically inclined. Elves and gnomes and such. And wizards.”
“So, you don’t use magic at all?” Hollie asked.
“Nothing more than buying a few potions from the apothecary if we need. Or maybe a tool that’s been enchanted to make the farm work a bit easier.”
“Well, that plow of yours certainly isn’t magical!” Hollie said, rubbing her hands together. “That was a lot of work, keeping it down and tilling the soil. I’m pretty sure I’ll end up with a few blisters, despite wearing the gloves you gave me.”
“Aha!” Ash raised a finger and smiled. “You’d be wrong there. We bought the gloves from the Muddlebrushes. Even though they’re halflings, half the stuff they make they enchant in some way. All the gloves on Brambleburr Farm are blister-free gloves, guaranteed by an enchantment that Flora Muddlebrush herself concocted!”
“Well, that’s good at least,” Hollie said. Just then, her stomach let out a long, grouchy rumble.
“Sounds like you’re due for dinner, eh?” Ash asked. “Let’s head on in. I’m sure my mum has rustled up something nice to eat by now. And knowing her, you’re in for something good. She always goes above and beyond when we have a guest over.”
----------------------------------------
“Mrs. Brambleburr, you really didn’t have to do so much!” Hollie exclaimed as the little halfling woman set down a huge platter with a roasted goose next to another huge platter that held a roasted turkey. Besides the two cooked birds, there was also a spiral ham, a couple of lamb shanks, bowls filled with beans, peas, carrots, and mashed potatoes, a plate with sliced apples and pears, a small saucepan filled to the brim with brown gravy, and four round loaves of sourdough bread. “This is an all out feast!”
The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.
image [https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53932207258_6d5f02109f_h.jpg]
“Ha, you ain’t seen Tansy whip up a real feast!” Mr. Brambleburr laughed. “This is just our normal fare for when we’ve got company over.”
“I told you,” Ash said with a wink.
“And I’ve got a few pies that are still cooking in the oven. Blackberry, cherry, and apple,” Mrs. Brambleburr said as she poured a golden liquid into Hollie’s cup.
“What’s this?” Hollie asked.
“That would be Amber Mead from the Frothy Oak Brewery,” Ash said.
image [https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53932412405_000eb7c16e_b.jpg]
“It’s their finest stuff,” Mr. Brambleburr said as he took a long swig from his tankard. “Wouldn’t you agree, Tansy?”
Mrs. Brambleburr nodded enthusiastically across the table as she brought a cup to her lips.
“Go ahead. Give it a try,” Ash urged.
Hollie gave her cup one more glance, then took a sip. It was light and smooth and sweet, with a hint of honey and a scent of orange blossom. She swallowed and nodded approvingly.
“It is really good!” she said.
“Just don’t drink too much of it at once,” Ash warned. “Especially if you’re not used to it. It might make you a bit tipsy like.”
The four of them enjoyed the evening, sitting around the table, talking and laughing and sharing stories as they ate. The Brambleburrs were curious to know more about Hollie, but since she couldn’t remember anything before waking up in the glade in the woods, there wasn’t much to tell. The bit about her quest and the magic storm seemed to unsettle them for a moment, but Ash put on a brave face and shared a word of encouragement.
“I’ve got no doubt that you’ll be able to handle it all,” he said confidently. “It was a strong sort of magic to bring you into our world, and however it happened—whoever did it—I’m sure they knew exactly what they were doing. And you should have seen her out there today,” he turned his attention to his parents. “The way she handled Oats and Barley, the grit and determination she showed working with the plow. And she’s never done anything like this before. She’s really something else.”
The way he looked at her, with such admiration and faith, filled her with pride. At the same time, she didn’t feel she deserved so much praise. She’d only barely managed to do what Ash and his family, and all the other farmers in the valley, did every day.
“So how much did you get finished?” Mrs. Brambleburr asked.
“About three quarters of the field,” Ash answered. “More than we thought we would. Tomorrow we’ll finish it off and start the planting. And that’ll go much more quickly. We’ll most likely be finished with everything by this time tomorrow.”
Mr. Brambleburr raised his eyebrows.
“Impressive,” he said. “Quite impressive!”
The familiar tingling sensation coursed through Hollie’s body, and then the air lit up with glowing words.
[New Skill: Farming - Specialty: Cultivation
Level: 1
Perk: All cultivation activities require 25% less energy]
[Cottager XP Gained: 20
Points Needed for Next Level: 75]
The words faded quickly, and the Brambleburrs clapped and congratulated Hollie.
“Well done, dearie,” Mrs. Brambleburr said. “All of that hard work is paying off. Now, how about we celebrate with some pie!”
----------------------------------------
By the time Hollie and the Brambleburrs had finished their lavish dinner and she had set out for home, the sun was starting to sink behind the hills and the sky had turned the burnt shade of orange that signaled dusk was drawing near.
“Are you going to be okay heading back to your cottage this late?” Ash had asked as he walked with Hollie to the road.
“So long as thunderwolves only come out when it’s storming,” she gave a nervous laugh, “I should be fine.”
“And you’ve got the [Energy] to get there?”
“After your mom’s dinner, I’m nearly back to 100! It doesn’t take too much to get back home, and the walk’s not more than an hour.”
Ash nodded and slid his hands into his trouser pockets, hesitating for a moment. “Okay then. Well, my mum should be sending you over some leftovers, so you won’t need to be doing any cooking for a good while. Just check your box when you get home and it should all be there.”
“That’s very kind of her.”
“Well, that’s halfling hospitality for you. We don’t do much magic, but we’ll give you more food than you can digest in a week!” He flashed a nervous smile. “So, I guess I’ll see you tomorrow morning?”
Hollie looked at him closely. Was there something there? Something more than just friendliness? She couldn’t tell for sure, but the thought that there could be filled her stomach with the sensation of a thousand fluttering butterflies.
“Yes,” she said, her voice more timid than she’d intended it. “I’ll be back. You can count on it.”
He waved goodbye as she left the farm and took to the road.
Hollie had decided to walk around the village rather than through it, and to take the path that wound southwest to the brewery, and from there, loop back to the northern road into town she was more familiar with.
She’d passed the MacBain farm—it was quite a bit larger than the Brambleburrs’, and with a lot more sheep—and was approaching the Frothy Oak Brewery when she saw two figures approaching in the distance. One appeared to be a man, his face concealed in shadow beneath a hooded cloak, black as pitch, but the other was none other than Isobel Bowens. Or, as Alice liked to refer to her, “that vile little tart!”
image [https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53931964666_72570380fd_h.jpg]
Hollie didn’t relish the idea of a confrontation. Her day had been too wonderful, and she was sure Isobel would manage to put a damper on the good mood she was in. There was a small copse of oak trees just off the road to her left. Quickly, Hollie ducked behind one of the trunks and hid. The trees were large, and between the shadows they cast and the waning light of the evening, there was no way Isobel and her companion would be able to see Hollie.
She waited quietly, and soon the sound of Isobel’s voice drifted towards her.
“I don’t have the patience, like, to be waiting around for something to happen. I need to make it happen. We need to make it happen. And fast!”
As unpleasant as Isobel had sounded when Hollie first met her, there was a sharpness to her voice now that made her sound all the more cruel. She was glad she had snuck away before she’d been spotted.
“Relax,” the cloaked man said. His voice was low and smooth as silk. “These things can’t be rushed. Magic, done properly, needs the required time and circumstances.”
What could they be talking about, Hollie wondered. Whatever it was, it didn’t sound good. Hollie took a deep breath to quiet her beating heart, then leaned in as close as she dared to try to get a look at who Isobel was speaking to.
image [https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53931964741_e37e1353fe_h.jpg]
“Well, you better deliver. If you don’t, I’ll get it done my own way. I’ve got what I need stowed away in my quarters, and I’ll—”
As she edged closer, Hollie’s foot caught on a tree root, and she nearly stumbled into the open before catching herself on the tree trunk. The noise was enough to make Isobel and her companion snap their heads in her direction.
“Oy, who’s there?” Isobel shouted angrily.
Hollie pressed her back against the tree, hoping that she hadn’t been seen. The sound of hurried, approaching footsteps echoed towards her. Should she run? Did she even have time to escape? And where would she even go?
“Show yourself you little sneak!” Isobel called again. “You’ll be sorry you—”
There was a slight commotion, the sound of a minor struggle.
“We must go!” the man growled.
“But—”
“Now! Or I’m calling this off!”
Isobel let out an angry sigh, and soon the sound of footsteps began to recede.
“I’ll find out who you are!” Isobel shouted from a distance. “And you’ll be sorry for it!”
Hollie held her breath for as long as she could. When she could no longer hear Isobel’s and the cloaked man’s footsteps crunching along the dirt road, she let out a relieved sigh. Her heart was still racing fast, and she was surprised to feel her legs shaking. She didn’t know what was more frightening: coming face to face with the thunderwolf, or this!
She waited a few more minutes before leaving the refuge of the trees. The sun had dipped below the hills, and dusk had made its twilit appearance. Hollie’s eyes were slowly adjusting to the darkness. She glanced down the dirt road in both directions and was relieved to find it empty. And while she couldn’t say for sure which direction the pair had fled, she guessed that it was southward, toward Brambleburr Farm, as that was the way they had originally been headed.
“Thankfully not the way I’m going,” she whispered to herself.
She pulled the straps of her backpack tighter, and with one last deep breath to steady her nerves, set out on the road once more.
Night had fallen now, and the sky above was a vast and cloudless deep and velvety blue. Dozens of stars had begun to appear, dancing and twinkling like fireflies caught in an invisible net. The moon was only a small, silvery sliver. If not for the lampposts that bordered the road, Hollie wouldn’t have been able to see the path ahead of her.
image [https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53931964626_2b7bb0815b_h.jpg]
She cursed herself for not thinking to bring a lantern, or even a simple candle. Not that she thought she’d be making her way home in the dark—or that she’d overhear some sort of sinister plot being discussed. Hollie could still hear Isobel’s threatening voice ringing through her head.
“I’ll find out who you are! And you’ll be sorry for it!”
A shiver ran down her spine, and Hollie suddenly felt quite cold. She’d stumbled upon something serious, something dangerous, and she wasn’t quite sure what to do about it.