Page 115 of Enchanted Crown
Though Malachi had been groaning and complaining about the weather as we left for Rael this morning, I wasn’t mad. Of course, if I got chilled to the bone, I could simply warm myself up. Truth be told, I hated beating the sun awake. But as if it understood the curse of being up early, the terrain more than made up for it, stunning us with its beauty.
The land shifters had left for Rael the night before, but as we neared the outskirts, our team caught up to their camps. The winged shifters slowed their flight as to travel together.
Ready for this?I asked Esta.
I love Rael. I’m more concerned about things in Arava.
I looked to my right to see Avril astride Malachi. Instead of looking terrified like I assumed she’d be, she looked like I had my first trip with a shifter. Like she was enjoying life.
Rael began to come into view, a spiral patchwork of fields, greenhouses, and homes separated by other such fields, all wrapping around a small town in the center. I looked to the horizon and asked Esta,How far is Rael from Keld?
An hour’s flight.
As we landed in the middle of a market-type square, lots of square shaped shops side by side, a man came running over to Esta as she shifted back to her human form.
“Your Grace!” the man huffed. “We did not know you were coming.”
She held up a hand as he bowed. “It was planned but not planned. For security purposes, I came without letting anyone know. Everyone thinks we went to Arava instead.” A pause. “Prince Keiran wanted to see Rael and I decided it had been far too long since I checked in with you all.”
The man considered that. “Your Grace, you do not have to worry about us. Particularly with everything else going on.”
She laughed lightly. “That I know. If the people at Halikaara Keep were half as tough as you all, I doubt we’d still be searching for my traitorous cousin.”
The man seemed to stand taller, clearly pleased with her compliment. “If you need more resources, just say the word.”
“But then we would all starve,” Esta smirked.
“Fair,” he agreed with a laugh before his attention moved to me. He gave me a slight bow. “Apologies. My name is Ronan Slade. Would you like to see the farms? I was just on my way back to my own.”
Esta gave me a little nod, so I told him, “We’d love to.”
“Let me ring the bell signaling your arrival and we shall be on our way,” the man offered.
As he left, walking up a street to where a huge bell sat, Esta explained to me, “They pile up their branches and things which need to be burned in the center of town. When I visit, I take careof the burning for them.”
“Don’t act like it’s a hardship for you,” I joked. “I feel your joy when you torch something.”
“Since they usually bring their burn piles to the center of town to make a social event out of it, doubly so here. Sometimes farm life can be isolating. It’s good that they gather together.”
The large bell rang happily, and within a moment or two, various bells answered, spreading the word, farm to farm.
“Lead the way, Ronan,” Esta said kindly as he came back over. “I will fly a large loop, showing prince Keiran some of the farms.”
I had to admit, I loved the fields. It reminded me so much of the time I spent in Nerede. I could look at them all day. I didn’t fancy myself a farmer, but something about all the growth and dirt made me breathe easy.
There were no politics out here. No ongoing hunt for Morana. It was seeds in the dirt, needing constant sunshine and water. It was simpler. More open.
We landed and the man gestured to his workers, having them come over. It appeared two or three men worked each of these farms. And based on appearance alone, I was guessing one of the men was his son.
I looked to what they had been doing. Their crop outside of the greenhouse, rows and rows of what looked to be various vegetables, was covered in what looked like giant brown sacks which they were now moving aside. They had protected the crop from the frost, I realized. But the amount of time it had to take to put them all down and move them back?
Farming took a patience I did not possess. Depending on the weather for my livelihood was a gamble I did not desire to take.
“May I?” I asked the farmer.
“May you what? Pick a pepper?” Ronan asked.
I shook my head. “I would be a terrible farmer, but I can use my Enchantment and clear those for you quicker.”
