My Sixth Birthday

The city in the afternoon was alive with energy. The sun hung low in the sky, casting its golden rays across the cobbled streets and illuminating the colorful buildings that lined them. The air was filled with the sounds of laughter and chatter, and the scent of sizzling meat and baked goods wafting from the open doors of inns and eateries.

I made my way down the bustling main street towards Isadora's store, my heart beating slightly faster with each step. I had been looking forward to this moment for weeks. Not only was I eager to sell my herbs to the herbalist, but I was also excited to deepen our business connections and learn from her expertise.

As I stepped through the door of the shop, I was immediately enveloped in the familiar scent of dried herbs. The aroma was a mix of umbrifila with a hint of something earthy and mysterious that I couldn't quite place. Isadora stood behind the counter, her eyes brightening as soon as she saw me.

"Good afternoon, Isadora," I said, bowing slightly in greeting. "I've come to sell my herbs, as promised."

"Darian!" she exclaimed, her smile widening. "What a pleasant surprise! I was wondering when you were planning to show up. You're becoming quite a regular customer here."

"I'm glad to hear that," I replied, feeling a sense of accomplishment at her words.

"This time, I don't have any umbrifila; it seems I can only collect them once a year. But I managed to get some other herbs," I added, hoping that Isadora would still be interested in my offerings.

Isadora nodded, her eyes flickering over the bag of herbs I had brought with me. "Well, that's true. Umbrifila takes a whole year to grow," Isadora said, her face filled with thoughtfulness. "Usually, when a herbalist or a hunter ventures to the forest to gather herbs, they only gather a few umbrifila at a time. This is why it's even more surprising that you're able to collect so many at once. It's extraordinary by itself."

I nodded, feeling a sense of pride and satisfaction wash over me.

"True herbs take a long time to grow and are very challenging to find for most people. The more potent and rare herbs can take several years to fully mature. That's the reason why they're so expensive and in short supply."

"And also a reason most people can't afford even the most basic of medicines," Isadora said, her tone serious.

Hmm, so that is the reason why Isadora always reacts so surprised every time I bring her herbs. I thought it was a normal amount, but apparently, it's not. I guess around the city it is a lot difficult to find them since there are a lot of people looking for them.

The only reason I'm able to gather them in such quantities is because in our village nobody gathers them except for me. It was true that gathering herbs was a difficult and time-consuming task, but it was a task that I had become quite proficient at.

I need to use this advantage and gather even more of them before I leave the village! I thought seriously

"But these herbs, which you brought, are also useful."

"They are not as effective and sought after as true herbs like umbrifila, but they have their uses too. They can help with stomachaches and pains, among other things. They are used in many medicinal concoctions and elixirs." Isadora mentioned

"Thank you for your kind words, Isadora," I said, feeling a sense of gratitude wash over me.

"You have brought 23 herbs, all of excellent quality, so I can give you 2 copper marks for them. That will be 46 copper marks in total."

Such a huge price difference! Even though they look similar, umbrifila is more than double the price of these regular herbs. No wonder everyone looks for them around the city. For the first time, I was glad to be living in such a backwater place where I had all the herbs to myself.

"Thank you." I finished the transaction and exited the shop since it was getting late and I promised Aunt Ingrid I would be back before it got dark.

I didn't have the time to look around the market further, but I was not discouraged since I will have a whole day tomorrow. Sooner or later I will have to disclose my herb-gathering business to my family, but I want to wait until I'm older and they are more comfortable with me traveling to the woods.

I need to be more low-key and not draw too much attention. I already do too many things other kids my age wouldn't even think of doing. But I can't wait until I'm an adult because, by then, my poor villager's fate would be sealed and I would lose all opportunities to advance my status.

I returned to my uncle's house to spend the night happy in the knowledge that I had learned many useful things today.

The next day, I woke up before the sun had even risen, excited about the day ahead.

Today, we were heading to the market to buy what we needed before the crowds arrived. It was always wise to get there early, while the stalls were still being set up and the merchants were eager for business.

As we walked through the market, I scanned the stalls for the goods we needed.

I did a mental calculation in my head and figured out that we wouldn't be able to buy much with the money our father gave us. With our father unable to work during the harvest season, we didn't have much money left.

I decided to splurge slightly and use some of my money to make the difference just so that we wouldn't have to eat plain porridge all winter. I'd tell my parents I had managed to get some favourable deals if they asked.

But even with that, we will have to be quite frugal this year. I couldn't be too reckless with my spending. I had to be careful not to arouse any suspicions about where I was getting the money from. I made sure to keep my purchases modest and within reason.

Once we had finished our business at the market, I went to sell my rabbit hides to the tannery. Rolf was overwhelmed by the hustle and bustle of the city, but he was slowly getting used to it. We headed back to Uncle's house for dinner before returning to our village the next morning.

The rest of autumn was filled with preparations for winter. My parents were pleasantly surprised by everything we had managed to buy, and my father looked at me with a proud smile. It seemed that from now on, I would be in charge of all future purchases.

As my sixth birthday in this world approached, I didn't expect any grand celebrations or lavish presents. Given our circumstances, we had to be grateful for what we had—each other's company and good health. I was content with that and looked forward to the future with optimism.

Winter was harsher and colder than I was used to, but we managed to withstand it. Huddled around the hearth, we waited eagerly for the first signs of spring and the new beginnings it would bring.