"Hey you!"
There are plenty of people here…
"The white-haired freeloading sob-story!"
Yeah, maybe she means me…
"Look kid, the fields here aren't gonna plow themselves, and you blew your shot at a rent-free stay when you made the chicken coop disappear, now get your lazy bum down out of that barn and get to work."
To be fair, I made her a new chicken coop. Sure it didn't come with the 20 chickens she lost, but it does have a built-in heating enchantment.
"Why do you peasants have to wake up so early, the sun isn't even up yet."
"Cause the seeds don't care what time of day it is, they need to be planted before it's too late, and even with your shaky hands on the field, pa broke 'is leg last week and it'll be at least another 2 before all the fields are ready, and we only got 1. Now get your butt outta that loft and bring the plow out."
"Your pa broke his leg last week? Why didn't you say so! I'll go fix him up so you can stop waking me up before the sun sets!"
"Hol' your horses shorty, —"
"Hey—"
"—last time you 'fixed 'im up his knee bent the wrong way. We 'ad to take him to doc B, and he had to call the church for a priest, and they had to call in a favor with the guilds to get a healer in 'fore pa would never walk straight again, so less mouth and more plowin', 'fore I get Jake in here."
It's not my fault you elves are so finnicky, nobody told me that your mana starts breaking down enchantments as soon as they're on. Not like knowing that would be important or anything when I'm Enchanting his Leg!
"Fine, but only cause your cute."
"Say it again and you'll have a new eye socket."
"Geez take a compliment every now and then. So which field do you need plowed today?"
"Pa wants us to do the 3 closest fields to the stables today. And use the ladder 'for we have another broken leg on our hands, ya might be young but it don't mean your invincible."
"Bah, leave it girl. Go put on Benny's harness, I'll be over with the plow in a minute."
"Tough talk for a kid, if you can't move it don't come cryin' to me."
What is it with that woman, it's like she hasn't seen me throw this thing 50ft or catch a tree before it could crush the roof of her house! Well leave all those thoughts for later and focus on what you're doing, faster you get this done, faster you get back to practicing magic and finding your sister. This goes here, pin in the hole before we leave, watch the loose board over the door, don't trip in the drain ditch, and boom, plow's where it needs to be.
"Show off."
"I did say I'd do it didn't I? You never really doubted me."
"… Hook 'er up to the harness 'for I change my mind 'bout you."
"Jealous?"
"Less Yappin' more workin'"
Killjoy, wouldn't hurt you to loosen up once in a while. So how did this go again, pin through here, one through there, set the blade and… Done! Should hold.
"Okay! Rigged and good to go, now get a move on Debbie"
"Not so loud you idiot, you'll spook the horse."
"Right Right, so which field's first?"
"That one there, next to the fence."
Don't know why they won't let me use my magic to plow for them, be so much easier, just a little touch here and there, but no, we have to use the horse and plow, the stupid things.
"So what is it like living this far from the big city?"
"I'm not the one to ask, I've been out 'ere my whole life. I can't complain, it's quiet, my belly's full and I've got a roof over my head. Ain't to much more a girl like me could ask for."
"Sure there is! Haven't you heard of the magic colleges, or the theatres?"
"Sure have, heard they cost more than I'll make in my life to get into. I don't think it's really worth the time."
"Says the girl that can barely start a fire when it's cold out."
"Says the whimp who can barely even get his magic to listen to him."
"Hey, it listens to me, I just… I have trouble figuring out what I'm telling it to do."
"Oh, so it is your fault then."
"Now hold on, I never said that."
"I don't know, sounded a lot like you were saying you aren't handling your magic right to me."
"… Anyway how are the new chickens you got?"
"They're alive, better than the last bunch.—"
Ow.
"—But I do have to say, the heating enchantment will make it a lot more tolerable come winter. Might even stay in there and read a book, ought to be warmer than the house, even with the fire going."
"Oh my, was that a compliment from Debbie, I never thought I'd live to see the day."
"Shut it haystack!"
"Haystack?"
Why is she blushing?
"Well, you've got all the hay in your hair from where you slept, it felt like a fitting nickname."
"I see your point, but you usually stick to loser, city-boy, idiot—"
"I get it."
"— no-brain, lazy-bones, stinky—"
"I said I get it, shut up about it already!"
"Oh, is somebody mad?"
"Keep it up and you'll do the rest on your own."
"Jeez woman, this is a very one-sided relationship we have."
Rosey-red cheeks again, what did I do?
"…"
"Did I say something stupid again, like when I called your father a pagan?"
"…"
"You know what, I think I will just shut up now."
"Idiot."
What is it with this woman! What did I even say? Did I find some new curse I didn't know again? Thoughts for later. Back to work. Watch for holes, make sure the horse doesn't get distracted, check the blades on the plow… Field one done.
"Where to next princess?"
"Call me that again and get a finger broken."
"Talking again, are we?"
"Not for long at this rate, be hard to without teeth."
"Why is it always violence with you? Never 'Watch it or you'll be doing an extra field' or 'Remember who convinced pa to let you stay in the barn'."
"Would you prefer me to threaten to throw you out."
"No, but I would expect it given that you know you can't beat me in a fight."
"*Unintelligible whispers*"
"Repeat lady, I don't have super hearing, only everything else."
"Not everything else, you certainly run out of energy quick."
"Hey, stop spinning the conversation on me, I was asking what you said before."
It's back again. Why do her cheeks keep flushing, is she getting a cold?
"Why? Are you afraid of being the topic of conversation? Since I know so much about you?"
"That isn't the point, and you know it. What was it you said before?"
"…"
Come on, I'm getting tired of the silent treatment here! And she's red again!
"Are you getting a cold? You keep turning red, that's something you elves do when you turn ill right?"
"What? No I'm not sick…"
Back to silence. That didn't take very long, did it? *Sigh* Doesn't she know it's rude to just stop talking in the middle of a conversation and not say why? It's like she never even learned proper manners. Wait a minute, do they teach proper manners this far out in the country? Most of the people I've met around here have barely ever been to town, and the good majority of them only know 20 people or so by name. What do they even do out here, it has to get boring being out here alone for so long… I wonder of any of them have a magic hobby. It's a fun way to spend your spare time and it can help with their overall production. Saves time and money, what else could you—
"Debbie to loser, come in loser."
"Really? Loser?"
"Yeah, really, it's almost like you spaced out or something, again. I said there's a storm rolling in, so we better get this done quick."
Now that she mentions it, this is gonna be a bad one, lightning, wind, there's even supposed to be a twister a couple farms down, no place for a lady.
"Why don't you go inside, this one's got a twister in it."
"Hey, don't go treating me like some stuck up damsel in distress. I can take care of myself in a little stormy weather."
"Did you not hear me say twister. Like, the big ice cream cone looking tunnel of wind that will tear your house off the ground if you don't have a windbreaker. You know what a twister is, right?"
"Of course I know what a twister is haystack, if anything I'm surprised you do, bein' from the city and all."
Sound logic, but I didn't exactly say what city.
"Either way, there's no point in having both of us out here risking our necks. Well, not that it's much danger to me when I can catch just about anything it could throw, but my point stands, your pa would kill me if you got hurt on my watch."
"I could explain it."
"No, you couldn't. That man would wrestle a bear if the bear ate your sandwich, broken leg or not, I don't wanna be on the receiving end of whatever it is he does to people that get his baby girl hurt."
"*Sigh*. The only thing about you I trust is your ability to seemingly predict the weather. Finish up the second field before you go in, I'll let pa know we couldn't make the third."
"Sounds good, I'll be in soon."
Just finish up the second field, without magic, in 30 min before a storm hits. Piece of cake, what could possibly go wrong. Just me and Benny off to risk our lives in a thunderhead plowing fields I could finish in 5 minutes if they let me use magic. What is it with Debbie's vendetta against magic anyway? she acts like it's evil half the time. She still appreciates it whenever I use it for her (at least when I do it right), so why is she so against me using it when I ask? So many questions for later, so much work to do now. If I don't get a move on the storm will get here before I'm done. Okay, watch for holes… Make sure the horse doesn't get distracted… Storms just about here.
"Just one more row bud, then you can get back into the stables before the rain gets too bad. I know, it sucks, it's cold and miserable outside, but you'll be fine, I'll have you in before it gets much worse, now come on."
Benny is the most likable guy on this farm, never talks back, never gets red without explaining, doesn't beat around the bush when he talks to you about something. He really is the perfect working buddy. Now, make sure the horse doesn't go too far and mess up the path and… Done.
"Just a minute Ben, I know you wanna get inside already, wind has you a bit antsy, but I have to unhook you first. Just a little longer and me and you will be nice and warm in our haystacks, but I'm not sleeping anywhere near your stink. Hold still while I get this thing off ya."
Unpin this, Unhook this, and–