"Hey Aiden, could you go get your father for me, I need his help carrying this back to the house."
That was Aiden's mother, she's 8 months pregnant with her 4th child. Aidens father keeps insisting that she stay inside and rest while he does the chores, but she doesn't listen. Aiden was 7 years old and the second oldest child. He had one older brother who was 16 and a younger sister who was 5. The new baby's gender was a mystery, although his mother kept insisting that it was another girl. She was so excited when her first daughter was born as she was no longer the only lady in the house.
Aiden's father was in the field with his big brother. They were collecting the year's harvest as the autumn months drew to a close. They had to collect every last crop they had to make it through the winter. They would use about 30% of the yield for supplies and the rest would be sold at the market.
"Hey papa," Aiden yelled as he ran towards the field. "Mother said she needs your help carrying the laundry back into the house."
Upon hearing Aidens voice, his father looked up and smiled. "There's my boy, I'll head on over right now. Could you help your brother while I'm away?" He handed Aiden a half full wicker basket.
"It's kinda heavy papa, I don't think I'll be of much help." With the added weight that Aiden had to carry, his posture weakened. His back slouched and his shoulders drooped.
Aiden's father put his hand on Aiden's head and ruffled his hair. "Come on now, you're stronger than I am, this should be lightwork for you." He chuckled and stared his way to where his wife was. "You also wouldn't want that cute girl you like to see you like this would you?"
Aiden's mind instantly went to his best friend (who he secretly had a crush on), and he got serious. He straightened out his back and lifted his shoulders best he could and started to work. His job was to hold the wicker basket as his big brother picked the crops and placed it there. He then would have to carry it to the end of the field and dump it into the Silo.
"You know Aiden, I could carry the basket while you picked the crops if you would like. It would certainly be easier on you; you are only 7 after all." Aidens brother's name was Derrick. He was a rather short boy with long black hair. He was rather slender despite working in a field his whole life. He had a very soft face that was rather feminine since he took after his mother more than his father. Due to this he had been confused as a woman multiple times by travelers passing by.
"No thank you, big brother, I have to be strong so I can be like papa. Papa protects mama and cares for her, I want to be able to do that one day as well. To do that, I have to be big and strong just like papa." He smiled as he said this, he was so proud of his father and that he was his son.
He continued on with the wicker basket until it was full. "Alright big bro, you stay here while I go dump this in the Silo." The wicker basket once full weighed around 90lbs which was more than what Aiden weighed. He struggled to carry the basket over to the Silo and once halfway his brother stepped in.
He lifted up the basket a little, relieving some of the weight that Aiden had to carry. "You know, it's not bad to ask for help sometimes! If you push yourself too hard you might get hurt, then you aren't getting stronger." Derrick helped Aiden carry the wicker basket the rest of the way to the Silo and dump it in. "There, that's one trip done, and we have many more to make over the next coming weeks."
Aidens father returned to the two brothers and picked Aiden up, putting him on his shoulders. "You guys already got a basket in the Silo, you two move quickly, maybe I should have you two do the whole harvest!" He let out a loud bellow that caused Aiden to shake on his shoulders. He was a big man who stood around 6'3 and probably weighed the same as a young ox.
"Papa, how can I become as big and strong as you?" Aiden asked the question that he's been wanting an answer to for quite some time. It took his father off guard as he stopped laughing.
"You want to become as strong as your old man, huh? Well, I've already told you that your stronger than I am so it should be me who should want to be as strong as you." He said while laughing nervously.
"Father...what's wrong? You're not your usual self, is something bothering you?" Derrick seemed to pick up on something that his father was holding back or hiding.
He let out a sigh, "Derrick go see if your mother needs help, I must speak with Aiden alone!".
"But father, I want to know as..."
"I SAID GO!" His father yelled, cutting Derrick off. This was the first time Derrick had ever seen any type of anger from his father. He was surprised and stunned, he listened to his father, not knowing how to respond and went to his mother inside the house.
"Papa, why did big brother have to leave? Is he in trouble?"
"Tell me son, why is it you want to be strong? What is your reasoning behind it?" Aidens father put him back on the ground and knelt before him.
"Why do I want to be strong? So I can be like you and protect mama of course!" Aiden seemed confident with his answer, but his father seemed disappointed with it.
"I see... you're still too young, I shouldn't have expected you to understand what it means to have strength yet. In 5 years, when you turn 12, we will have this conversation once more. If I like your answer, I will give you the means to grow stronger. Now how about we continue to gather this harvest!" he said with a smile.
Aiden didn't understand what his father meant but he was too scared to ask any further.
From what his father said, he didn't know if he wanted to be stronger anymore. "Alright papa, lets continue so that the cold doesn't steal our food."
He and his father went back to gathering the harvest and storing it in the Silo. Soon sunset came and it was time for them to head inside for the day. Derrick did errands for his mother while Aiden and his father tended to the field. Aiden ended up making 30 trips to the Silo and back by himself. He was proud of this because it meant he was able to do it by himself now.
Over the next few weeks, Aiden and Derrick would gather the harvest until it was all gone and stored in the Silo. The baby had been born the week before the harvest was completed. Aiden had another younger sister. This new baby was Aidens favorite, he took every chance he could to be near her.
"Aiden, Derrick! Time to come inside for dinner!" Their mother yelled from the front porch of their house. The two of them ran toward the house as quickly as they could, it was almost as if it was a race. Derrick won of course since he was taller and faster.
"Hey, no fair, you must have cheated! I'm supposed to win." Aiden pouted from the loss until his mother reassured him.
"Don't worry Aiden, when your older and taller you will most definitely be faster." She smiled and it made Aiden smile as well.
"Yeah, just you wait Derrick, I will win one day. Mom said I would!"