"We're back!" Zilian called.

Farame swayed back and forth in his rocking chair on the front porch, eating his favorite fruit - dried hapers.

The eldery man lifted his head up and called back, "How them goods sell?!"

Zilian came in front of him.

"We made five-thousand Semps!"

His eyes looked like they were gonna pop out, "Five-thousand? How ya get them to buy?"

Zilian said, "Business gonna open in the market, tomorrow is Ferdan Festival at the city."

The moment he mentioned the festival, Farame faced dropped. He knew something else that Zilian missed, Farame turned to Erica, who then seemed to be staring with a pleading look in her eyes. Farame's only response was rsing from his chair and step inside the house. Tthe door closed with a creak and loud double thud.

Zilian clearly missed something, that was just all awry.

"What was that all about?"

Erica gave a simple depressed reply, "He doesn't want me to go. He never said it, but he never does anything, so I can not go."

Zilian asked, "Why?"

"I don't know."

Erica walked inside the house with a somber look in her eyes. Leaving Zilian outside by himself, with all the work left to him alone.

Zilian cried out, "Don't worry! I'll put the crates away!"

~---~

Zilian grunted laboriously, as he tried to unhook the plow from the bull, with a final clink the plow fell to the ground. Zilian wiping the sweat from his brows, taking deep breaths.

"Want some some juice?", a voice called from behind him. He looked back and sees Erica walking through the open barn door with a jug of fresh juice.

Zilian replied, "Yes please!"

After leading the bull to a post and tying a leash aroundf it, Zilian took the cup of juice Erica handed him and gulped it down in a couple of sips.

"Careful, you gonna get yourself the hiccups if you gulp it down that fast." Erica said.

He sighed relievingly.

"Sorry, just that it is harder than what it looks to unhook that plow."

Erica then poured more juice in his cup, "Then have some more." Erica said with a smile.

"Thanks!" Zilian drank his second serving in a couple sips just as before.

Zilian gave the cup back. He grabbed the bull by the leash, led the bull to his pen. After settling the bull in his pen, Zilian walked to a bench in the barn and sat down, Erica came over and sat with him too.

"So, about that... You know, about the festival. Did Farame say anything else?" Zilian asked.

"No." Erica replied flatly.

Zilian thought he made a mistake asking, "Sorry, I didn't mean..."

"No, it's ok.", Erica cut him off, "Honestly, I need someone to talk to. I really, really want to go, I just don't know how I can convince Ferry, maybe it would if I knew what the problem is."

Zilian didn't know what to say, he sat there quiet for a minute, "You know what I always wanted?"

Erica looked at him in the eyes, "No, what is it?"

"I always wanted to travel, actually I want to go everywhere and see things nobody has seen before. Where I lived before, I couldn't do it."

"How is that suppose to help me feel better? Looks like you can't do it here too."

"It shouldn't. Except, I'm going to get you to that festival.", Zilian ran out and impulsively towards the house.

"No, wait, ZIlian!...", Erica chased after him, but Zilian was already at the front door.

"Farame!", Zilian called once he ran into the house. Zilian saw Farame sitting in a chair in the diving room.

"Farame, can Erica and I go to the Ferdan Festival?!"

Farame lifted his head, gave a solid impression in his face, then turns his gaze to Erica who came running behind Zilian.

He answered, "Sorry, we got plenty of work, when the Festival is over, there's work ya gotta do. When them sales are sold at them stores after the festival, them gonna need restocking."

"Ok, but if we get everything done early, can we? I'll take care of Erica if that's what you're worried about." Zilian said.

"No, no, no, too much work, ya got work, ya don't have time!" Farame said firmly.

"If we get all done early, there'd be nothing else for us to do, so if we..."

"No! Ya not going! Now ya stop asking!" Farame declared standing up straight from his chairs.

"But..."

"Enough! Now, if ya got the time to meddle in business that is not worth meddling, the cows are needing milking."

"Ok, if I finish..."

"If ya know what good for ya, ya be quiet and do what need to be done."

If we was not clear before, it is certainly now. There's no reasoing with him.

"Ok." That is all he could bring himself to say.

Zilian looks at Erica, sees a look of not dissappointment to him, but to her grandfather, he exits the house heading towards the Barn. He is grateful for everything Farame did, letting live with him, gave him a sense purpose for life. However, he is also extremely grateful to Erica, she found him and she rescued him, nursed him back to health from the fringe of death.

I'll get Erica to that, festival, I owe a lot to Farame, but I also owe a lot to Erica.

~---~

Walking in through his bedroom door, he collapsed on his bed taking in deep breaths. After his little commotion with Farame, Farame gave a mountain of farm chores for him to do. He knew it was paypack or to keep him busy so as not to ask him again. Even though he is exuasted, he feels like he is ready to run over and back from a mountain top. While he was weeding the farm, after milking the cows, he finally came with a solution how to get Erica to the Festival. If I can't convince Farame, all I need to do is convince Erica, He thought.

Drifting off into sleep, his mind floated off to how happy Erica will be when she's at the fair. Next thing he knew was him opening his eyes as the sun burning down on his face from the window. He jumped straight up.

"Good thistle weeds, it's already sunrise!" He quickly changed his clothes and ran down stairs. He saw Erica and Farame finishing up breakfest, he walked into the kitchen, grabbed a piece of bread from a top shelf and an apple from the fruit bowl on the table. Then walked to the chores board, pulled on a piece of paper with his name on the top of it.

Farame said, "That be ya chore for the day. I know it be lot, but if them done early, that be good."

Zilian folds the paper in his pockets, "Will do, I'll be sure to get it done soon."

In seconds he is outside. He takes a deep breath, feeling the breeze, hearing the the trees whistle. There's a certain calmness, as he peers in the trees and the fields right next by. Shoving aside these feelings, Zilian has to start on his chores and get his plan into motion. He remembered what was on Erica's list - knowing that she always does her chores starting from top to bottom of her list - he will try to meet her where his chore coincides next to hers. Heading to where the haper fields is at, he stood by the edge waiting for Erica to pick apples from the trees near by.

As he waited, he gazes at the hapers, wondering how anyone could eat that stuff. Most people typiclly ate them dried, which at such point are almost hard as rocks, they have to suck on it for awhile before it finally breaks down. On the bush it grows from, it really did have the most peculiar features, the bush is mostly branches with leaves growing just at the ends, the roots give off a purple-ish color, while the branches give off a sparkly red glow. Then there's the hapers themselves, that pop from flowers with drooping petals.

Not too far off the distance he hears footsteps on the dirt path. Knocking the dirt off his pants, he meets up with Erica, she was pulling the apples from the trees.

"Erica!", Zilian called.

Startled, she was not expecting to see him.

"Oh it's you Zilian. Is there something wrong?"

"No, but I have a plan how you can get Farame to let you go!", Zilian said excitedly.

"And how? Giving him a pot of gold?", she said sarcasticlly.

Ignoring her sarcasm, "No, but if we get all of our chores done early. You need to confront your Grandpa again, but this time you alone and you need to be more convincing."

"How should I do that? You know, sound more convincing?"

"I don't know. He's your Grandpa, not mines."

"This is your plan? For me to figure out a plan myself? Say something like, 'I am not a little girl anymore.'"

"Yeah, that'll work!"

Silence.

"Fine, I'll do it. But you're gonna pull me out if it doesn't go right. Ok?"

"No problem, wouldn't do anything less for you. Or better said, 'them sound good to me for ya.'" Zilian teased.

Erica pushes him lightly away, "Don't ya talk bout my Granddaddy like that." Pitching in the joke too.

"Ok, got to go now. I have to get to harvesting the hapers and marillas, then milk the cows, aftewards reorganize the barm. It's a lot, but not what I can't handle."

Continued with his chores away, he grabbed a basket that is near them to harvest the hapers. As he walks away, he knew what Farame was going to say. That is why he planned to tell his Plan B to Erica after Farame turns her down. He was going to convince Erica to sneak away this one time, so that she can enjoy herself. She would never say yes until she was rejected. He will show her how he did things when he was back home, in a word, teach her 'rebellion'.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

~---~

After a long day, from harvesting, milking and organizing the barn. Zilian walks up the front porch, feeling heavy on his feet, exuasted from all the work he did that day. He knows his energy will come right back, that is if all goes well when Erica makes one last aproach to her grandfather.

Farame saw him walk in from the front door, "There ya be, how them harvest been?"

Zilian replied, "Great, I got all the hapers and most of the marillas. The rest of the marillas need another week before picking. We'll need to wait for start of Budsprout for the hapers to regrow. And also we have another cow pregnant, in a couple of years, we can sell the older cows!"

"Good work, As for them cows, more ya have, more ya profit. Don't lose mind of the barn ya have to do."

"Oh, I almost forgot to say that. I already finished the barn, everything is in it's place. I had enough time to patch up a few holes on the walls and ceiling. So shouldn't have problems with leaks next time it rains."

Zilian stood proud as he sees Farame lift his head up in surprise. In that same moment, almost too soon. Erica walks in, holding a basket of marilla apples.

Erica said, "We have plenty of apples for ourselves, I'll make marilla pie tomorrow!"

Farame turned his head to Erica pleased, "That sound fine, ya did great Erica."

Zilian knowing what Erica has to do now, walks out of the room, but is stopped by Farame's call.

"Zilian."

Zilian winced, worried that Farame guessed guessed another confrontation is to appear.

Farame started, "Now, before ya pester me again. I have something to say..."

"But..." Zilian interrupted. But Farame did not allow him to interrupt.

"Ya gonna ask about that festival. Whatcha gonna do if I say no? Leave without me knowing?"

Zilian felt his heart pound against his chest at that moment, he was in fact planning to do that if Farame said no again.

"So," Farame went on, "After thinking a bit, maybe we can check younger brother tonight?"

Zilian didn't know what to think. Was he being serious? Or was trying to hint something?

Erica jumped to hug Farame, "You're the best!"

"Don't ya worry about that."

Zilian said, "Wait, we're going for real?"

"Ya are right. Course, I've gotta go check on little brother. Been a long time, ya can go do those festival stuff while I'm talking."

Erica just hugged her grandfather harder.

Zilian walked up stairs, "I'll go get my stuff."

Truth is, Zilian felt hot with embarrassment. Farame may think Zilian wouldn't really have rebelled going anyway, but he wasn't too far off. He is first time ever ashamed that he was going against, his adoptive father.

And to think, all it took, was a bit of persistance.