The morning dew has brought a refreshing start for Milena Ferlin's day. She prepared golden toasted bread, fluffy scrambled eggs and avocado to crown of their toasts —enough to feed her family.

Milena calls out for her Grand Aunt Dawn, who is chasing a loose chicken, tiring already her weary back. Milena couldn't help but watch this amusing scene from the kitchen window as she washed her hands. Milena calls out for Alena that appears to be already at the foot of the stairs, with drowsy eyes, yawning as Alena asks, "What's for breakfast?"

Milena gives a soft smile and replied, "I made avocado toasts and eggs for today." Milena continues with a teasing tone, "is there something to complain miss?"

"Nothing else to complain but my worms are complaining already!" Alena replies with a morning groan immediately dragging herself to the chair ready to consume the food Milena just made.

"Wait! We must call for Grand aunt who is seemingly too occupied in chasing that darn chicken." Milena peeks through the kitchen back door, waving at Grand Aunt Dawn to draw her attention.

"Granny Dawn, if you let that chicken wander a while longer, it'll find its way home!" Milena gives out a big smile.

Grand Aunt Dawn turns around with one hand pressed against her sore back panting from the tiresome chase, "This hen is carrying eggs in her belly, I must keep her safe at all cost." she replies flustered and breathless.

"Well, if you don't hurry then the toasts will lose its crunch!" Milena teased and gave out a bright smile.

"Alright, alright." Grand Aunt replied, with her breath still heavy as she waves her hand dismissively.

Grand Aunt Dawn finally surrendered the chase, trudging her back toward the cottage arriving with a sigh. The comforting warmth welcomed her, as Grand Aunt Dawn stepped inside with the air fused with the scent of toasted bread and eggs.

"Finally!" Alena grinned seemingly ready to devour her meal as she counts Grand Aunt's steps.

Alena reaches for the golden toast and Milena sets a plate for Grand Aunt Dawn, "Eat now Granny Dawn, before your meal turns cold."

Grand Aunt eased into her chair rubbing her back with a quiet groan, "That chicken's got more energy than I do." She muttered before taking a grateful bite.

For a while, the room is quiet and filled with clinks of cutlery and occasional hum of approval from Alena.

In between bites, Milena said, "Granny, I think I must visit the orphanage later." Milena looks at Alena, and Alena nods signaling to tell Grand Aunt Dawn to say more, "and... Alena wants to come along." Alena turns her eyes to Grand Aunt Dawn with a smile awaiting for approval.

"A kind of thought." Grand Aunt paused softening her expression, "I'll permit Alena to go with you once she finishes feeding the chicken."

Alena's eyes rolled and looked at Milena as she munches her toast. Milena grins and looks at Alena, "I will help." She whispers.

Milena continues to speak to Grand Aunt Dawn, "I want to bring something special for the children. Perhaps—"

"Eggs?" Alena cuts off Milena.

Dawn chuckles, "If that hen of mine would let me, I would may have given you. But now, we are collecting eggs for the Duke."

"I understand." Milena replies with a smile, "we'll bring strawberries, cabbages and potatoes for now." Milena continues as she finishes her meal.

The room was filled with soft laughter and a brief of warmth of their comfort, despite the troubles that was caused by a mere chicken earlier.

After breakfast, Milena grabs her wicker basket and stepped outside of the cottage. She hummed along the way to the cabbage fence. Staring into the lazily gloomy sky, Milena hardly realize she has finally arrived at the cabbage crop.

Milena went in and knelt among the rows of cabbages, reaching for a firm green head —its outer leaves are thick and sturdy. But as Milena brushed her fingers in between the leaves of the cabbages —it felt soft and mushy.

Milena frowned and peeled the leaves one by one.

A slimy rot clung into Milena's fingers and black patches that are in the cabbage's core

Her breath hitched, and started to reach for another head —it's still the same —a third one is far more worse. Milena searched each cabbage in each row, and all of them were the same, the edges started to blacken and the odor became sour.

"How did it come to this?" she whispered to herself.

Milena stood up and ran back to the cottage, wiping her hands off the apron, eagerly to tell Grand Aunt as she swallows her unease.

Thinking to herself —the crops had been struggling for weeks, but this time... it's different. The duke's men are specially expecting shipment by the end of the day, the farm cant disappoint them.

"Grand Aunt!" She shouts from a distance looking for Dawn.

Milena enters the cottage, expecting to hear Alena's cheerful chatter or Dawn's hum, but both aren't home yet. The house was too quiet.

"Alena? Granny Dawn?" She called, her voice echoes against the wooden walls. No, there was only silence from the room.

Without a moment wasted, Milena rans back out and goes for the root cellar with a tightened and rippled chest.

Reaching for the cellar door, Milena hears a familiar distressed voice from the cellar —it's Granny Dawn.

"Granny..." she looks at the potatoes faster than catching the glance of her Grand Aunt's eyes.

"Milena... The potatoes had gone bad. It's now poisonous." Grand Aunt said with a stressed tone, looking each of the potato with a tight chest.

"The cabbages had gone bad too." Milena says as she drew closer to comfort Grand Aunt.

"My goodness." Grand Aunt pressed her fingers against her forehead. "All crops must've gone bad, I must immediately have the people check it." She continues as she reached for a stone chair trying to relax from the situation.

Milena looks down unto the potatoes that are in a sack, reaching for one, "The Duke's men will be disappointed if we give them the news."

"What are we going to do?" Milena murmured with her breath shortened.

Grand Aunt said nothing, and her silence was an enough response for this situation.

"We can't give this one to them." Milena said firmly dropping the potatoes back to the sack. "Maybe... Maybe we can salvage a few good ones left, there must be good one's left."

Dawn shook her head, "I already checked, the rot has gone far enough." she said wearily.

Milena got more worried thinking without these potatoes —and the crops failing —their next shipment might be dangerously light. The Duke doesn't care the weather or the spoiled food... Nonetheless he cares for the results.

"We'll figure something out..." Milena reassures Dawn. "I must figure something out."

Hurriedly, Milena covers the sack thinking what she can do with this crisis. She stood up straight and stared at the potatoes. She couldn't help but wonder how long they have left before the Duke's patience ran out.

Later that afternoon, Milena sat on her Grand Aunt's study grabbing a quill and a sheet of parchment. She writes with a steady handwriting but her fingers tense.

To his Grace, Duke Laurus de Venstein, she began.

We are truly heartbroken to inform you that our harvest had lost due to sudden spoilage. The reason is still unknown, however we are willingly to investigate for the basis of this outcome. Moreover it would be delightful if your grace will support this investigation by summoning an expert that will solve this problem. By then on, we will do anything in power by doubling shipment by the next few weeks.

Milena knew that she started her words weak, the Duke wouldn't like a such news. He hated failures —no matter how much explained.

May this humbling letter alert your concern for the Ferlin Farm, and may this respectful offering treat your household well, Milena added as the finishing touch to the letter.

Nervously, Milena slips the paper onto the envelop and seals it with a wax.

Milena sighs hoping the Duke accepts this small offering.

By the time the Duke's men arrived, the sun has started to dip low casting a dull orange on the horizon. Two armored men alighted from the carriages near the gate.

With sharp looks, the armored men looked at each sack judging their worth.

"This all you got?" One men asked, grunted, as both men stared at the pitiful collection of harvest.

Milena ignored the word and reaches the letter to the men, "Please deliver this to the duke, it's urgent." She voiced out calmly.

The man snatched the envelop and puts it in to his leather satchel without saying anything. His companion nudged one of the crates as they scoffed.

"The Duke won't be happy by this." He turned around and went on to his horse.

Milena watches the men ride off concerned how would the duke reacts to this news, she felt chills wanting to be in bed already.

The words "The Duke won't be happy by this."sticked to her knowing that soon, she feared, that the duke would make that very clear.