Oak and his family returned to their farm with a heavy heart, their harvest had died under the yoke of disease. They had to pay a fine or languish behind bars. They had to put together a plan to solve this problem.
They abruptly opened the door and entered the house. They sat down at the solid cedar table without taking their shoes off.
John Quercus hit the table again with his fist. * Bang*
"Oak, you were responsible for watching over the fields during the downpour and ensure that no disease would spread. You will have to get us out of this mess, you are responsible for everything.. " He said icily.
Oak bit his lip then shrugged, a few drops of water from his white coat falling onto the table. " Sorry…. I don't know what to do ... I'll work harder on the farm.... "
John winced at the sight of the water spilling over the massive cedar. table. He pressed his foot hard on Oak's who gave out a faint cry of pain * Aargh *
"I want you to pack everything up, leave and find work in town. I do not want to see you again until you gathered the sum of a thousand floraux. And if you dare show up empty-handed, I will kick your ass."
"Forgive me Dad. It's only through forgiveness that you solved your quarrels, you and mom. She re-educated you, now everything's almost perfect. ForgRiveness solves everything."Oak said without smiling, sadness showing in his eyes.
"Maybe, but I failed in your education, you will have to re-educate yourself, will you succeed?" John said before getting up from his chair, opening the door and motioning him to leave with his hand.
Oak got up from his chair and before leaving, approached his wife and daughter. He kissed them on the forehead.
" I love you." He said, stopping for a few minutes beside them as his impatient father John stamped his foot with the door wide open.
"I love you too, my beautiful Oak," Jasmine Blossom said as she hugged her husband. "Come back to me safe and sound, I'm expecting you for the new year."
"I love you too daddy, I hope everything is going well ..." his daughter said hugging him tightly.
"Don't be worried my dear. I'm gonna find a solution. Things always work out on their own." He said, giving her an embarrassed smile as John, tired of waiting for Oak, abruptly closed the door. h The iron hinges shook under the impact.
* Bang, Tang, Tang *
"There you go. You have nothing more to do here. His father said, approaching him and squeezing his shoulder violently.
"Okay," said Oak who walked on the dusty carpet and turned the doorknob. He crossed the threshold. his head bowed, his gaze fixed on the floor, consumed with shame. He did not even have time to see his son waving goodbye to him.
Oak walked through the entire valley passing through many fields of tomatoes, lettuce, soybeans, beans, carrots and cabbages. He finally stoped at a large lake with aqua marine waters on which was built a bridge made of solid oak. The bridge served as a border between the fields and the town of Oakvalley. Town which was located at the foot of a snow-capped mountain. Oak could see from where he was, soft snowflakes falling on the city, creating a micro winter climate. In a place which should at this time, have an autumn climate.
He crossed the bridge and arrived in town, his hemp shoes wedging in the snow, getting slightly wet. * Ploc, Ploc *. He nevertheless continued to walk with difficulty. He crossed the narrow streets of this town of sixteen thousand inhabitants. The streets were filled with ochre-coloured terracotta houses with snow-covered roofs. A fine cottony snow fell on his clothes and formed clusters in his leafy hair.
"Ah, damn snow, gotta find shelter. " Oak thought, reading the many signs that hung on the roofs of the houses.
He saw one marked with "Sewing workshop". He followed it and stopped in front of a house door. From this house, billows of black smoke escaped from the chimneys.
He knocked several times on the steel door * Toc, Toc, Toc *. He was greeted by an old tree lady with white bark and hair filled with red leaves.
"Come in, come in," the Mrs. said, realizing Oak's poor clothing, mistaking him for a hobo who needed a place to stay.
He entered a large workshop with red walls and walked on the floor which was covered with several rolls of fabric. In this room, there were wooden tables. On these tables were located a few needles and some coarse cloth made from cotton and wool. Next to these tables were looms on which were stretched some fabrics.
Next to these looms were standing a few Arbolarbres workers, weaving cloth.
"How much is a worker here paid, say for a day?" Oak said, standing in the doorway next to the lady.
"About fifteen floraux if you do a good job. I could show you, we're out of arms… "the lady said, motioning for Oak to follow her to a loom.
Oak and the lady stood near a table. "Do it like this," the lady said, showing him how to use the loom. Several hours passed where Oak observed the process.
"Now it's your turn," the lady said, forcing him to repeat the movements.
Oak put some fabrics on the loom and propped them up there but as they got ready to weave, he tore the fabric
" What did you do! This fabric cost me an arm and a leg, get the hell out of here, don't come back here, incompetent! " the madam said, gesturing for her workers to get up and kick Oak out.
Oak threw his hands up in exasperation." But ma'am, you can at least give me some clothes."
"No job, no clothes." The workers said, grabbing Oak hard by the waist and throwing him out of the facility.
In the night, Oak walked into the snowy city where the streets were lined with closed shops. With desperation, he wandered for several hours. He encountered nobody but the snow that sparkled white in the moonlight, blown by the winter wind . * Brr, Brr * * Clack, Clack, Clack * did Oak, shivering from the freezing winter winds. His teeth clashed together.
Heat ... heat, Oak thought when he finally caught sight of a yellowish light at the end of the high street he was walking. He followed it and came to a crossroads between a street and an alley, all lined with pines.
"Right or left… right, * Brr, Brr *" Oak wondered as he followed the light. The street branched out into a small alley where a church stood. His feet froze with snow creeping into his shoes, melting into cold water.
He took a few more steps down the alley and then fell to the ground.
* Brr, Zzzzz, I'm sleepy all of a sudden ... * He thought, leaning his body in the cottony snow, ready to let go of everything. His fingers full of frostbite traced the shape of his hand in the snow.
* Ah, it's hot, all of a sudden… we're so comfortable in the snow." Oak thought as the blood began to flow faster through his veins. Making him lose even more heat and bring inghim to the gates of death.
"Bu…rn….." Oak tried to say as he undressed in the snow, stripping off his white clothes and black stockings. He wallowed in the snow, letting himself be dragged asleep .. to death. ...
* Zzzz, Zzz *. * Zzzz, Zzzz *
An Arbolarbre dressed in a heavy white wool chasuble, a red beanie, and heavy winter boots came out of the church with a blanket. He took Oak in his arms and put him in it. He brought him in a Gothic-style church made entirely of water-resistant white marble.
He entered the church and placed Oak on the altar in front of the many rows of wooden seats. The altar was located just under the church's dome. The dome housed the body of a crucified treeman on the ceiling, along with a painting of a Holy Tree.
"God, Cupressus, Palm," give me your grace and bring him back from the dead." He said, taking a cup of red wine from the altar and pouring it into Oak's mouth.
* No reaction*
The priest, in despair, shook Oak's body in the blanket for about forty minutes to warm his body….
"But where am I?" Am I alive or in paradise? " Oak said sharply opening his eyes, looking at the priest who had saved him and then staring at the ceiling.
"No, you are not in paradise, but in my church," said the priest as he left to fill his cup with water.
"Thanks for saving me ... But who's this guy?" Oak said, pointing to the treeman who was crucified on the ceiling.
"A carnivore ... A criminal ..." the priest said, returning with his goblet which he returned to Oak's hand.
"What was his name?" Oak said between sips.
"Sylvain… He was working for King Xidor until he decided to go on his own, smuggling bird meat." the priest said, making the sign of the cross. "May God have mercy of his soul"
" How did he die? Not on the cross I hope, "Oak said, looking at the body with a serene expression.
"Yes on the cross. He deserved it, " said the priest, grinning wildly.
* Glug, Glug * Oak said, hardly swallowing his water after the priest's comment.
"You can't do that… carnivores deserve forgiveness, they're people just like us." Oak said, raising both fists in the air.
"On the contrary, they are worse than animals. The death penalty is the perfect sentence." said the priest, glaring at Oak while removing forcefully his blanket.
" Why" said Oak, glaring at the priest.
"Why I saved him" thought the priest, ignoring Oak while walking to the door of his church. He opened it, letting the cold winter wind seep through. * Shh, Shhh*
"You're lucky that I saved your life, you don't deserve it, OUT OF MY CHURCH." He said, motioning for Oak to get the hell out of the institution.
"But you can't do this, you're a priest and I need help, you gotta help me…" Oak said, hiding behind the altar to stay warm.
"A self-respecting priest." the priest said running over to Oak who was standing behind the altar.
Indeed, the priest was right. In the Arbolarbre religion, the Vegetal Faith, the clergy had two missions. First, convert non-Arbolarbre peoples to vegetarianism, by word or sword. Second, to execute the Arbolarbres who fell into the sin of carnivorism.
Oak dodged the priest and knocked the altar down on him. He then took off the priest's red beanie and winter boots, which he put on after picking up the blanket.
* Aargh, Aargh * "I will kill you, infidel!" said the priest, crushed under the altar. He watched Oak flee through the door with the woollen blanket on his back, winter boots in his feet, and the red beanie on his head.
He walked around the city, warmly dressed. After many detours, he found an inn micro-brewery made of brown clay and equipped with a chimney. The chimney was used to evacuate the byproducts of beer production.
He entered the establishment with brown walls and red brick floor. He saw a few people, sitting at the bar on stools. They turned to him and gave him disapproving looks, muttering:
"Ah, that's him.",
"Innkeeper, I wanna two beers, I worked hard today." Oak said as he sat down at the counter, his blanket over his shoulders.
The innkeeper answered him.
"" Ah, you must have had a hard day, um… wandering.. I would like to have days like yours. You look so tired. You could join those youngsters, they know how to lighten the burden of men."
Then he turned around and walked through the door just behind the bar. He entered the warehouse where the beer was brewed.
A treeman sitting at a table spoke to Oak who stood at the bar.
"Ah yes, I love to lighten the burden of men with heavy feelings."
Another tree-man discreetly pointed a purse that clinged to his belt. "Yes, look at those beautiful feelings, Joaquim. They make my heart heavy. "
"Thank you for wanting to help me ". Oak said, smiling at the two bandits. The bandits were dressed with two black hoodies that hid their hair. They also wore two pairs of gloves made of black leather.
Oak sat down at the table with the other two treemen as the innkeeper returned. He held two beers which he placed on the table, right in front of Oak, while giving him a laughing smile.
"A brown and a blonde"
"What if we bet a hundred floraux?" Joaquim said, placing a few coins on the table and admiring the beautiful red beanie Oak wore on his head.
"Okay," Oak said, drinking the lager.
They started to flip a coin,
"Heads or tails?" Joaquim said, plunging his gloved hand into his pockets.
"Heads"
Joaquim withdrew a denarius from his pockets and spun it in the air, the coin fell heavily on the table.
"Face, you lost. Give me my hundred floraux. " He said putting his fist on the table.
* Bang *
"Huh, don't have the money for now. But I promise that I'll pay you once I have it." Oak said, getting up from his chair to leave the tavern, placing his lager on the table.
The thief stood up and grabbed Oak by the collar.
"I want my money, where's my purse?"
"Got nothing. I swear." Oak said, taking Joaquim's hands off his neck.
"Lies. A poor man wouldn't have that beanie" he said. He gestured for the other bandit to remove the beanie from Oak's head, which he did happily.
Then Joaquim pressed his dagger to Oak's neck.
Suddenly, a treeman with a handlebar moustache, an impressive shoulder span, all dressed in chain mail and iron pants stood up. He walked over to Joaquim, his armour rattling. *Ting, Ting *
"Let him go, you know that gambling, just like eating meat, is forbidden by His Highness, Xidor Cèdre. " He said, showing his teeth to Joaquim "Don't force me to teach you a lesson!" he added, brandishing his iron glove-covered first.
Joaquim's companion stood in front of him. "We played honorably; you have no right to interfere."
He got closer to the table and seized the coin, turning it both ways. "Honourably, my ass, your game is rigged, tails and oh... Tails. Get the hell out or I call the royal army, they'll be glad to arrest good-for-nothings like you."
The two brigands scampered off leaving Oak alone with his benefactor.
"I'm Yvard. Tell me why you're gambling, a youngster like you should not hang out with the cesspool of Oakvalley. You can become whatever you want so why a bandit?" Yvard said, putting his hand on Oak's shoulder in a fatherly gesture.
"Don't know what to do. I must gather a thousand floraux to pay my fine or languish in the King's jails. Was thinking that if I was gonna end up in jail anyway, I could try all or nothing and quickly gather the sum.. Oak said, picking up the coins Joaquim and his companion had left on the table.
"Prison is not worth it ... I speak from experience ... A good guy like you doesn't deserve to go."
"A good fellow? Look at me, never toiled. Ah, what should I do?" Oak said, shrugging his shoulders.
"Work always seems harder when you've sat on your ass your whole life. I just have something to offer you. Tomorrow morning, join me at the forge. I'll show you how to master fire and a make a man out of you." Yvard said before going to sleep in his room on the second floor of the inn. "
Oak returned to the innkeeper, "You said it right, they know how to lighten men's burdens... but not this time ..." he said, standing straight in front of the bar.
"Hahahaha, a room?" replied the innkeeper laughing.
" Sure!" Oak said before digging into his purse and handing some coins to the innkeeper. The innkeeper accompanied him upstairs to show him a room. Oak fell asleep on the goose-feather bed. * ZZZZ *
He left the hostel the next day at 7:30 am and arrived at the smithy at 8:00 am, a smithy located outside the city, near a forest. He walked in and swept his gaze across the dark brick walls dimly lit by a furnace fueled by a fire. Then, he approached Yvard who was standing next to an anvil and a few buckets of coal.
"You're late. I told you 7 o'clock. Never again, I want you here at 7 o'clock every morning," said Yvard, giving him an accusing look.
"Wasn't 8 o'clock? Understood 8 o'clock yesterday, you must be wrong."" Oak said, suppressing a grimace of disgust.
"I'm never wrong let's start working. You see this furnace? I want you to fill up with coal continuously. The fire mustn't go out."
"Fine."
"Today, we'll start with the basics, which means, handling the furnace and making a dagger. Look at me."
He poured a coal bucket in the hearth and activated the bellows. Then he put a big lump of steel and a lump of iron and heated them in the furnace. He then covered them with blacksmith flux. The lumps heated up for a while and the blacksmith removed them with tongs. He hammered them on the anvil until he obtained a dagger."
"Take care not to overheat the metal when you forge or it'll go to shreds. Always take care to cover the lumps with the blacksmith flux so they don't oxide. Do not let any acid enter your eyes or you'll turn blind." He said, pointing to a flask that contained the flux, a white, powdery substance.
"Alright, I'm all ears. I gonna do everything that you ask me."
Oak said before going to get a bucket of coal.
Oak filled the earth with coal and injected too much air, the fire burned like a thousand suns. He did not notice despite the stifling heat and overheated the metal.
"Look, you didn't listen, the iron lump is making sparks and is turning to dust like fine sand. Start again." Yvard said, picking up the ruins of what would have been a dagger.
Oak started again, but ignored and failed to dip the metal into the blacksmith flux. A large patch of rust appeared on the thin metal.
"Still making mistakes, start again!"
Oak started again and continuously made mistakes.
He arrived the next day at the hour requested by his boss and worked until nightfall. He made fewer mistakes than the day before.
"You worked well today but you make a lot of mistakes. I'll accommodate you in my house and feed you until you become better. But, I won't pay you until your work has reimbursed the expenses that you create."said Yvard, beckoning him to work.
He repeated this process for six month, always arriving early, stopping only for meals. He worked from dawn to dusk, all without interference from the priest that he hurt before.
Nevertheless, he always made a lot of mistakes, and half the work could not be sold.
He was at the forge when Yvard snapped open the door. The yellow light dazzled Oak who was concentrating on forging a sword.
"The clients are starting to grow weary, your carelessness, you couldn't-give-a-damn approach already cost me too much. I helped you tremendously and gave you several chances. I give you a week to fulfill the order of the Peasant Association of Oakvalley. Said Yvard, spitting on the floor, * Pup, Pup *
"And what do they want? Oak said, clenching his fist, suppressing an urge to hit Yvard. He held an almost perfect sword in his hands.
"Ain't worked hard enough? .. Never enough for him" He thought.
"They want 5000 nails and 30 wheels for their plow, by Monday. If you succeed, I'll pay you for the whole sum of the contract. Otherwise I'll have no other choices than to fire you." Yvard said, pointing to a document signed by Yvard and the head of the peasants' association.
Oak sighed as he read the contract. * Pff * "Understood. gonna make you proud. Ain't making the same mistakes again."
"You better," said Yvard who abruptly closed the door behind him, * Bang * leaving Oak alone in the dark forge.
Oak's heart was pounding, how could he fulfill such an order in such a short time, without making mistakes?
Time was running out ..