After Camara listened to her little sisters kicks for another few moments, I gently lifted her head as I said "I'll make us breakfast soon; for now, go back to your training. I'll be over in the garden."
Nodding, both Camara and Rhefia watched as I moved towards the small little plot of land that I called our 'garden'; it was about six by four, with four long rows of four separate 'crops'.
I was growing leeks, sage, rojaberries, and nettla leaf, with each one giving me quite the yield every few days.
Like any normal plants, I needed to tend to them, be it watering, pruning, or weeding; I had to do it all.
Thankfully, I had access to a system to pretty much make this easier than anything else I've ever done so far; I knew when they were adequately watered, how much I needed to prune, and where the weeds were.
Besides that, I had crafted a canteen out of curiosity, which had almost floored me.
When near the pond, I could fill it with water in my system interface; however, no water appeared to leave the pond.
Which meant...
Technically, I had an infinite source of water!
So, I was debating the idea of creating a bunch of canteens and then creating a barrel or other large container to fill; that would either be storage or a bath!
Either way, this discovery was very important, since I could likely never go thirsty as long as I found a source of water!
Groaning as I crouched inside my little garden, I glanced around at each plant, smiling to myself.
I really enjoyed maintaining a garden; at least this small one.
There was a peace found here, surrounded by things I grew and nurtured, as well as the amazing aromas each one released!
The leeks were earthy and provided us with a good source of food.
Next, the rojaberries let out a faint floral scent that matched their vibrant red coloring, and I quite liked their tart taste.
As for the nettla leaf, it was the basis of our meals; I used it to make salads for us to eat, as it was filling and paired well with other things.
Finally, the sage was something Rhefia had stumbled upon, and I was so relieved when she returned with an herb; it made eating the meats a little more interesting.
Also, I have to admit that I rather enjoyed sitting here and smelling it's crisp scent...
Anyways, I set about pruning the plants first, slicing off any excess branches or the like from the plants, making sure they didn't grow to far into a certain direction.
I didn't want them competing for sunlight, and so far they were getting enough water and nutrients from the earth, so that wasn't a problem.
Next was pulling up the small little weeds that sprouted all around the bushes, ensuring the soil was free from any unneeded competition.
After I had the small pile of weeds beside me, I placed them in my inventory to be used in lieu of grass, before withdrawing a canteen.
Unscrewing the cork on the top, I splashed a little water over each plant, evenly watering each mound of soil that they sprouted from.
Those canteens contained a lot of water, and I had a few in my inventory, waiting to be used.
Taking out the next one, I continued watering the crops before getting up, a smile on my lips.
It was nice getting this all done, and after nodding to myself I turned away, moving back towards the house.
Refilling the used canteens first, I then entered the house and set about making some light salads; I giggled to myself as I could already imagine Rhefia's conflicted look.
She disliked eating just greens, usually wanting meats as well, but after the first time I sternly told her no, she eventually, and reluctantly, settled for the salads.
After all, most of our meats are being smoked and stored for winter, and I have my own stockpile in my inventory.
Going back outside, I handed my girls there bowls and cups, smiling gently as I watched them finish everything quickly.
Rhefia gave me a deep kiss, while Camara pecked my cheek before returning to the center of the clearing, going back to their training.
This was how the remaining two weeks passed; Rhefia and Camara did quite a bit of hunting for the first week before easing off as I approached my due date.
They would hunt quite a bit, bringing back a large amount of meat, pelts, and other materials for us to use, before Rhefia insisted that only she go hunting, leaving Camara with me as both a protector, in case any monsters return, and as insurance that someone would be with me should I give birth early.
Besides that, when I was capable of doing more than just sitting around I was in my garden, welcoming the distraction from Aethisia's incessant kicking.
Getting a large amount of food to prepare for the long winter, I was feeling better as time passed by, my worry slowly easing up.
I had already decided that, for now, two daughters was enough; when this little devil was born I was going to use my {Closed Womb} skill to ensure I wasn't going to get pregnant.
Though, how long that determination will hold under Rhefia's intense lovemaking, who knows.
Besides that, I was also wanting to expand a little more, get some better materials for our house, and create some heavier clothing and blankets for the winter.
However, my main concern right now...
Gritting my teeth, I let out an annoyed and pained growl as I bit hard on a thick stick, attempting to push Aethisis out of my body.
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Next chapter is Aethisis!
Besides that, I had a question for you the readers; would you prefer Astra to remain more of a neutral, reserved person even when it came to fights all the time, or should I lean heavily into the 'mama bear' attitude for her; meaning she would be normal most of the time but if someone threatens or hurts her daughters...
Well, a slip in sanity or a deep pit of unending cruelty sounds entertains for those instances, no?
Anyways, was just curious what people felt, and just know that, like my other books, this will be more character/relationship focused with a side of combat and fighting.
I mean, there will be fights, sure, but as you can likely tell, there is a lot of fun to be had with just Astra being with her family.
Also, if you like the novel so far, consider leaving a review, be it in the comments as a little thing telling me what you like or dislike, or in the actual reviews section!
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