Chapter 33 *Dreamscape* 2
Flange Orphanage, City: Three Prongs Fork, Republic of Shantu, Continent: Barat, the Year 2022, Planet: Grimoire
Thoroughly bummed out because he hadn't managed to get anything of use out of that encounter, Grifton was angry and frustrated. He grunted, trying to get comfortable and finally settled after managing to get off his right side and onto his stomach.
Now that felt more comfortable, and he wasn't being prodded by elbows or feet or fingers either. Grifton sighed and fell into another deep slumberous state. Maybe in the next area, he'd learn something more about his current circumstances that would give him further clues. He was somewhat startled about the setting.
An agricultural field? Well, this was a fine change of events, he supposed. This time Grifton sat with some others. Much to his relief, it appeared to be his siblings. They were all in good health too. He merged into the dreamscape, curious to see what this one would reveal about the future.
Brilliant azure skies dominated the plains and that was golden with wheat, corn, oats, and other high-standing crops. They would soon be ripe for harvesting. Grifton noticed this time, they were all clad in rough clothing only fit for outside work. All of them had callused hands and feet, and scars suggesting they'd been in fights of some kind as well.
Only today it appeared they were working in the fields to harvest crops. Interesting, now what else could he see that would tell him of the newest location.
To the left of the huge fields holding various grain crops as far as the eye could see, was a deep shining blue-green lake that branched off into several gleaming blue-green rivers.
Grifton shaded his eyes and stared as far as he could to follow what was else in the eye's view. The rivers eventually ran into a narrower valley. Behind that valley rose a shadowy dark mountain range that towered over everything.
A chill ran down his spine, making him frown with anxiety. Why was he no longer feeling rested and happy? It was there that dark threatening clouds wreathed the perennial whitecapped peaks. Not once did they lose the frozen white chilly aspect.
Grifton shook his head. No, he didn't want to speculate about what that storm presaged. He looked to his immediate left, right, and across from him. Ah, this was something wholesome.
A group of four adolescents sat beneath a lone tree that had far-flung limbs spread out beneath the sunlight. They were eating a small meal. Next to them sat various implements used for hoeing dirt and spreading fertilizer, and two scythes for cutting the ripened crops.
It appeared that they'd taken a break to eat a midday meal and study for lessons during that time. Thus, making sure they maintained good grades evidently. Grifton felt that was encouraging. He listened to the conversation curiously. It had been going on for quite a while, but only now was he able to listen in and make comments as well.
"Marlayne, how are you doing with the latest set of lessons in the foreign texts?" A brown-haired boy inquired of the slimmer of two girls sitting with Grifton who watched them without comment.
She blinked light hazel-grey eyes at him. She pushed aside a stray tendril of light blue-green hair from her face. There were scaled patterns of purple and red all across her face and body. "I'm quite well-versed in this language, Calico. Have you not mastered this section yet?" Marlayne mocked the other one. She tapped a section that he was gesturing at with a scowl.
"No, I haven't, and isn't as if I haven't tried either." Calico shook his head. "I worked with a few others, but they were unable to assist me." A sigh escaped him. "Unlike you three, I have no fear or ease of learning languages, dancing, or even music."
Calico shrugged wryly. "I'm also the only one who enjoys puddling around in this type of area." He gestured to the fields. "I want to have my own large field like this one. Only I would own it, not have to lease it as others do."
Unlike the colorful Marlayne, his coloration was composed of earthen colors, and his eyes were a greyish-brown hue, and he was simply all shades of brown and black. He was the tallest of them all at five foot nine inches in height. Marlayne yawned. "Well, it isn't like I didn't practice." She frowned at Calico. "None of those things that you've mentioned came without hours of practicing." She shrugged. "I'm not a so-called genius either. I just work damned hard to master what I'm doing." The second girl stirred, "Honestly, I think we all have niches. So, I'd appreciate it if you, Calico would stop provoking Marlayne," She frowned at both of them, and they hunched their shoulders and averted their gazes. "Sorry, Amberlyn," Marlayne murmured. "I forgot what we're out here to do."
Amberlyn shrugged. "You're forgiven this time." Her attention turned to the stubborn Calico who merely glowered in response.
Amberlyn returned his glower with a ferocious scowl. "As for you, Calico, this needs to stop because it is boringly foolish." She spoke tersely. "Especially when it comes to studying different subjects."
Amberlyn was visibly disturbed at the bickering between the other two. "Regardless of if any of us are geniuses or not in our chosen fields of study, we have to complete our quota of harvesting." Because he didn't want to get into the middle of what was obviously an ongoing argument, Grifton dusted off his clothes, picked up a scythe, and headed to the nearest field. He surveyed the rows and found a color that matched his scythe's handle and began working with zeal. The last thing he wanted was a huge scolding from any of them for loafing about.
Now this type of scenario Grifton could sink his teeth into happily. While he didn't really resemble his siblings, he wasn't out of place with them either. It was pretty obvious they'd managed to have a good life thus far into their early teens if he wasn't mistaken.