27 My Seventh Birthday

As the harvest season approached, life in the village took on a frenzied pace. My playtime with Myra and Helga in our garden was relegated to the background as everyone focused on the harvest.

The sun beat down on the village mercilessly, but the villagers had no respite. The crops needed tending, and everyone was expected to make sure we had enough food to last us through the long winter ahead.

My father's work as a blacksmith was in high demand during this season. His work was primarily for the Vogt, who placed many orders regularly, mainly for horseshoes and repairs for his wagons, and my father worked tirelessly to fulfill them.

In exchange for his work, the Vogt provided him with all the iron he needed, which he then used to take orders from the rest of the village. Most of the villagers were poor, so they paid him in crops rather than money.

As a result, even though we did not have to labor in the fields, we still had to process and preserve the produce we received from others. We then had to sell any excess goods at the market in the city so that we had some money to buy other things.

I was getting older now, and it was time for me to join in too. I helped out with various tasks around the house and in the smithy, assisting my father and my older brother Rolf. It was tedious work, but it made me feel useful, like I was doing my part for the village.

As the days passed, we worked long into the night, driven by the urgency of the season. The smell of hay and the sound of a hammer filled the air. And though we were exhausted, we knew that the bounty we were creating would sustain us in the months to come.

Yet amidst the frenzied activity of the harvest season, I could not help but yearn for simpler times, when the sun shone bright and the days stretched out endlessly before us. I missed the carefree moments spent with Myra and Helga, the laughter that echoed through the garden, and the sense of ease that enveloped us.

But I knew that such moments were fleeting, like the petals of a flower that withered away with the passing of time. And so I continued to toil, each day bringing us closer to the end of the season, and the respite that would follow.

As the last crops were harvested, the entire village gathered on the village square for the annual harvest feast, a time of revelry and joy after months of toil.

And so it was with great pleasure that I put down my tools and joined my family in the celebrations. We had been invited to dine with the Vogt and his family at their table, which was an honor for us, and one that filled me with a sense of pride.

As we sat together, the priest gave a sermon about the gods and their benevolent hand in the harvest. He blessed the gathered crops, praying that they would last the whole winter, free from rot or decay. I listened intently, wondering if these blessings held any true power, or if they were simply a custom passed down through the generations.

Despite my doubts, I could not help but be swept up in the fervor of the moment. The villagers around me were rapt with devotion, their faces shining with faith and joy. And so I decided to leave my judgment open, content to believe in the blessings for the time being.

With the formalities over, we feasted on the bounty of the land, filling our bellies to the brim. The tables were laden with roasted meats, steaming vegetables, and crusty loaves of bread, all prepared by the skilled hands of village women.

As we ate, we chatted long into the night. Our conversations ranged from the hardships of the season to the latest gossip and news from the city. I thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

I found myself eagerly anticipating the journey to the city for the autumn market. It was a rare opportunity to escape the confines of the village and experience the sights and sounds of the outside world.

This year, it would be just my father and I making the journey. Rolf had opted to stay behind, preferring the quiet solitude of home to the bustle and hustle of the city. So we prepared our cart and our goods for sale.

And we set off early in the morning, joining the group of villagers making their way to the market, eager to blend in with the crowd. Since there was safety in numbers.

The journey was long and arduous, the wheels of our cart creaking and groaning beneath us as we made our way along the winding road. But despite the fatigue and the sweat, I felt a thrill of excitement building within me, a sense of anticipation for the adventures to come.

As we finally arrived in the city, I gazed around at the towering buildings and bustling streets.

But it will be just a short visit this time, so I won't get an opportunity to explore.

We walked directly to the market, and I helped Father with the purchases since I can do math much better than him. After that, I told him I still needed to sell my rabbit hides at the tannery. Because I already knew my way around the city, my father let me walk alone and continued ahead with our cart to my uncle's house.

The overpowering stench of the place made me feel sick to my stomach, and I hurried through my transaction as quickly as possible.

But there was no time to rest. I still had herbs to sell.

As I walked through the bustling streets of the city, the scent of spices and fragrant herbs filled my senses. The sun beat down on me, casting shadows across the winding streets and alleyways. My heart raced with anticipation as I made my way toward Isadora's shop.

Today I only visited there to sell my herbs. I needed to get back to my uncle's house before dinner so as not to arouse any suspicions about my whereabouts. Therefore, I didn't have time to ask any questions about the herbs. But I think Isadora has started to become fond of me, which is an excellent sign because I need all the help I can get.

Getting such a prestigious apprenticeship without being related or without a recommendation is unheard of. If I were to tell my parents I wanted to be a herbalist, they would never believe that I had any semblance of a chance to get it. But I think I have a chance here. All I need to do is continue to be persistent and show Isadora that I'm a hard worker.

I managed to obtain a little over 3 marks of silver today. This means that, if I put all my savings together, I'm probably already the third richest person in our village after the Vogt and the Priest.

Even my father wouldn't dream of making that kind of money I had stashed under my bed.

I was wondering why he decided to settle in such a small frontier village. This is given that he originally came from the city, another mystery waiting to be unraveled, but I don't want to ask him directly because he never talks about his past.

I stepped through the door of my uncle's home just in time for dinner, but the atmosphere inside was quite different from my last visit.

My uncle's serious expression was apparent the whole time, and I couldn't help but wonder what was troubling him. After we sat down to eat, the tension lingered. However, it was only after dinner, when we gathered around the flickering warmth of the fire, that I finally found out what was weighing on his mind.

"Gorn, you and your family should be extra careful," my uncle said gravely. "In the capital, there's talk of a Red Fever spreading. Some are even calling it an epidemic. It's only a matter of time before it reaches here."

My father's expression turned serious, and I knew this wasn't just idle gossip. "Hmm, that's bad news. But I think we're quite safe in the village. We don't get many visitors there, and hopefully, by next year, it will have run its course."

But my mind was racing. What was Red Fever? I thought, from the sound of it, it was probably some kind of disease, but I had never heard of it.

I didn't want to interrupt the adults while they were in the midst of a serious discussion. Therefore, I decided to wait until it was time to retire for the night before asking.

"Father, what is this Red Fever? I never heard of it?"

"It's a nasty disease. You get a high fever for weeks and blisters all over your body, which often burst and bleed, hence the name."

"There isn't any effective cure for it. For the nobles, it's different; they have their wizards, who can cure them with magic, but us poor folk, especially those who can't afford even the basic medicines, are hit the worst, and many don't make it."

Hmm, that sounds like an unpleasant disease, but my father is right—we are quite isolated in our village, so hopefully, it won't affect us.

I woke up early in the morning, eager to return home after our visit to the city. The journey was long and tiring, but finally, we made it back.

The air felt different here, fresh and crisp. As we approached our village, I couldn't help but notice the golden hue that surrounded everything around us. It was as if the harvest this year had brought prosperity and abundance to our land.

"We have plenty of food for the winter season, Darian," my father said, his voice filled with contentment. I felt relieved knowing that we would have enough to eat in the cold months ahead.

Together, my brother Rolf and I helped our father gather firewood. My mother and sister Helga worked hard preserving food and stocking up the house before snow and ice arrived.

As winter approached, I celebrated my seventh birthday in this world. Mother made me quite a feast this year, perhaps as compensation for the meager celebration I had the previous year. And I felt grateful to have such loving and caring parents.

The rest of winter passed uneventfully, just like the previous ones. I spent most of my time huddled around the warm fireplace, practicing my magic, and dreaming of all the things I wanted to accomplish in the coming year.

The long winter nights were perfect for exploring my abilities, and I worked hard to hone my skills, eager for the new adventures that awaited me in this realm.