Tummy Rumblies

Phoebe I know I am good at something, I just haven't found it yet Phoebe found herself running out of food much more quickly than she could have ever anticipated...which was very problematic. Of course, she knew why she was. Between feeding the Luxere and all of these new people showing up, the rations she got were spread thin. It made her stomach grumble just thinking about it. Literally though, she was restricring herself to one meal a day now. Of course, there were things to trade for in the market, it wasn't like others were going hungry. But she didn't really have much to trade with, now did she? Just promises that someday when someone they knew was having a baby she would be there to help. Some merchants were more confident in that than others...and they weren't the majority. So today she went into town with her little basket, hoping someone might take mercy on her. She had some of her carefully preparing teas and tonics for healing, some smelling salts and scented oils she had made, hoping someone might want them for comfort or health. Her hopes weren't high though. The blonde paused at one little stall, looking over the produce. Again her stomach grumbled. It all looked so good! But she probably couldn't get much of any of it. Emmett

Emmett had loaded up the cart that morning with the best they had to offer...which in the Deepfrost wasn't much, but through his sisters magic and a lot of determination, they had managed to produce a few crops. He had some meat too, but not much; it didn't make much sense to kill the animals at this time of year, when food was scarce and they could make milk or wool. Everyone had been asleep, so he'd been kind and hauled the cart himself. That was the one advantage of his shift, though he still thought the endless teasing (the word 'ass' was a common one for him) wasn't really worth it. Trading was always good in Deepfrost. Folk had a lot of food to get and were willing to give a lot for it. Emmett was just about running out of things to put up on the stall by midday. He knelt down behind the stall to bring up another box of vegetables and as he brought them back up...oh. There was a very pretty, yet very sad girl stood looking at the food. His Pa had told him he had to stop being so soft, but she looked miserable. He noted just how empty her basket was. "...Hey, Miss. You can have some of the potatoes for nothin', if you're needin' them." EMMETT You think that you're growing, but you're just tall

Phoebe I know I am good at something, I just haven't found it yet Phoebe looked up in surprise when she heard someone speak to her. She definitely didn't recognize him and was surprised to see someone so young tending one of the stalls. Her cheeks flushed as she realized she must look rather foolish standing there, staring longingly at the food they were selling. And then he offered her potatos for free. Her eyes widened in surprise. "Oh...that is very kind of you but certainly you must want something??" she said nervously, looking through her basket. "I don't have much I...I'm a midwife so I've not really things with which to trade but I have some medicines? Things to help with nausea and pain?" she offered, holding out a small bag of sachets of prepared teas. She didn't want to be a burden...or get him in trouble. "Won't you get in trouble if you just give things away?" Even as hungry as she was, she was more concerned about his welfare than her own.

Just for a moment when she said she was a midwife, Emmett thought she was about to give him a baby. The thought made him laugh as he shook his head, still putting out vegetables onto the stall. "It's no problem, Miss. These are the ugly ones, anyway. They'll be kinda small n' hard to chop, but make fine stew. It's a treat." "I'll only get in trouble with the old man, and that's only if he finds out, yeah?" He smiled kindly, reaching over to bundle up a few of the potatoes into a little cloth hammock then passing them to her. "You got anything else? These times are tough for folk, 'specially if you're by yourself." He couldn't afford to give away everything on the stall, but now that he'd given one thing it was easy to think of others. Maybe she'd like some of the smaller onions, or a cabbage? He had plenty of goods from trades behind the stall, so his dad wouldn't notice, he thought. "If you need something else, maybe you can just owe me 'til you're doin' better." EMMETT You think that you're growing, but you're just tall

Phoebe I know I am good at something, I just haven't found it yet Guilt was written clearly all over Phoebe’s face. The blonde worried her lip as he packaged up the ‘ugly’ potatoes. She never understood why that was an issue for some people. Ugly potatoes tasted the same as pretty ones…or at least she thought so. Maybe that was the common-folk taste buds she had showing. ”thank you… she said quietly, still feeling guilty. He still might get in trouble after all! She shook her head when she asked if she had anything else. ”I make these teas and tonics for my patients but…well there aren’t many pregnant women right now. I…don’t have anything tradeable really…unless you have a pregnant woman in your family needed a midwife.” she said, though she knew the answer to that was no. He was young and still referencing his parents. It was highly unlikely he had a spouse or any children of his own yet…and at his age it was unlikely his mother was still having children. Sigh. She was going to be piss poor forever it seemed. An ‘IOU’? For food? Her parents had always taught her that taking on debt was to be avoided but…what if she was running out of food to eat? She worried her lip a moment more. ”What do you want or need? I can’t really predict when I will have more business…expect perhaps come spring…er…flowerbirth.” she said. She was still getting used to these new season names.

She didn't seem too happy to take the potatoes. Emmett chided himself internally: of course a nice town girl like this doesn't want lumpy taters. But Phoebe took them nonetheless and seemed very hung up on just how she was going to pay for them. "I don't know any pregnant ladies, no...but uh...hey. If I ever do get myself a lady and she needs you, I know where to come." "Aw, look..." He gathered up some more things in a basket behind the counter, the smallest or the ugliest of the produce. As much as Vi had blessed them with a good harvest this year, it sure wasn't a pretty one. "How's about this: You only owe me a big smile when you tell me all 'bout the stew you make. Or whatever it is." Truthfully he had only mentioned owing to take the pressure off of Phoebe, so he didn't have anything real to suggest. He looked her up and down as he tried to decide which onion was best suited to her. It was not at all something that should be a big decision, he knew, but he felt an intense need to impress. "I'd love to know your name too, Miss. If you wanna tell me. I'm Emmett." EMMETT You think that you're growing, but you're just tall

Phoebe I know I am good at something, I just haven't found it yet She smiled a little bit as he seemed to try and make a light joke with what she had said. ”Well, I am sure that is more a matter of when than if.” she said with a smile. He seemed nice. And he was rather cute she thought. Gainfully employed too – even in Northwind farmer’s weren’t as looked down on in the common class; you never saw a farmer or his family go hungry so long as there wasn’t a famine or drought after all. ”So when that happens I will of course be more than happy to help.” she said with a pretty smile. Though, now that she had decided in her head that he was cute she was starting to feel a bit more nervous. The last time she had thought someone was attractive they turned out to be a sex-crazed jerk after all. But when he said all she owed was a smile her eyes widened in surprise and her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. A…smile? That seemed…wait…was he flirting with her?? She had no clue if he was or not but…it didn’t make any logical sense why he would just want a smile in exchange for crops he had worked hard to produce! Her heart started to race a little – for no good reason mind you – and she smiled at him warmly. ”That’s…that’s very kind of you, thank you. I’ll try to find a way to really pay you back as soon as possible too…so you won’t get in trouble.” she said with a little nod, accepting his terms for now, still unsure what to really make of them. Oh good grief and here she was again being rude and not introducing herself! He was giving her food for free and she hadn’t even said her name. ”My name is Phoebe. It’s nice to meet you, Emmett.” she said with a smile.

"Well I sure wish it was a when, Miss, but I haven't got your looks." Emmett smiled and cupped his face with his hands. "With a mug like this I'll be old and grey afore some lady takes pity." He was laughing enough that it was clear this didn't really bother him; he had never been too concerned with his appearance. His body was for working on the farm and making things grow, making sure it was pretty got in the way of that. He walked around the stall, holding out the basket to her when he got to the other side. Inside was a couple of onions, some herbs and half a cabbage. Enough for a couple of meals if she was smart with it in addition to the potatoes. "I've never heard 'Phoebe' before. But here you go, Phoebe, this should help you along with those." He nodded to the potatoes in her arms. "Oh-- and it's nice to meet you too. I don't often get to stay around here. I'm busy up at the farm..." Emmett looked up in the general direction of the Outskirts. "...Are you one'a the ones that came from the sky? I heard they were falling in every day a while back." EMMETT You think that you're growing, but you're just tall

Phoebe I know I am good at something, I just haven't found it yet "Well I sure wish it was a when, Miss, but I haven't got your looks." Phoebe's cheeks turned bright red at that. Her looks?! He...he thought she was pretty?? The only other person to compliment her appearance were gay men! This was...this was...well for a moment she was struck dumb. Fortunately for her he continued on, making fun of his own appearance with good humored laughter. It gave her time to return to her senses. "Oh stop that, I think you're quite handsome. And your kind and employed - a girl would be lucky to have you." she said encouragingly with a smile. There was so much in that basket! She took what he offered with another bashful thank you, hoping he wasn't going to get into too much trouble. "It isn't a particularly common name." she admitted with a small smile. It hadn't been unknown in Northwind, but she hadn't ever met more than one other woman with her same name. "Thank you, Emmett...I truly appreciate your kindness. I might be able to have more than a single small meal for a little while now." she said with a light laugh. Someone of her build really didn't have much wiggle room either when it came to missing meals. She didn't exactly have body fat to burn or excess weight to lose. Her delicate build was working against her. "I am sure not. I have a little clinic I live above just up the road a bit." she said, gesturing in the direction of her clinic. "Oh...yes, I'm an Outlander." she said quietly, worried he might recind his kindness. She knew some of the naturals, which she deduced he was, weren't very kindly towards people like her.

I think you're quite handsome, she said, and Emmett responded with a wide grin and a huffed out, quiet laugh. His ma had told him much the same, but it meant something entirely new when it came from a pretty girl. He was glad to hear she'd be able to make good use of the produce, but at the moment even if she told him she was going to wear it as a hat he would have been pleased. "Outlander? That what they're callin' it now? I think that's...real interestin', miss...oh, Phoebe." He hadn't had the chance to meet many Outlanders, his usual routine only involving some farm animals and his family, but he'd always thought them fascinating. Not anything to dislike or fear; as far as he saw it new people just meant new customers for the farm. "Hey.." He said, mustering up all his courage. "I know it isn't all glamorous, but you wanna sit up here with me for a bit? It's quiet 'round this time. I just wanna know more about where you came from, maybe I can help you some more? And oh - I can get you some tea from the guy down there." He pointed with his thumb down to another stall selling hot drinks for the cold weather. EMMETT You think that you're growing, but you're just tall

Phoebe I know I am good at something, I just haven't found it yet ”Ah…I think so? That is what I had heard at least…and that people who were born here call themselves Naturals?” she said a bit nervously as she second guessed herself. Was that not what they were being called? Had she been making a mistake all this time? Or maybe naturals called them something meaner behind their backs? She supposed that was possible…”Interesting?” she said in surprise. That…wasn’t what she had been expecting at all. He…thought it was interesting that she wasn’t from here? ”Hey, I know it isn’t all glamorous, but you wanna sit up here with me for a bit?” Phoebe looked surprised, staring at him wide eyed for a moment. He…wanted her to stick around and…talk? And get tea? This was definitely now how she had imagined her day going when she had decided to go to the market and daydream while window-shopping for food. ”Uh-uhm…” Suddenly, without prompting, her subconscious reminded her what Frey had said. ”Put yourself out there.” Normally she would have shied away from something like this, so out of the blue and impromptu but…that would be the opposite of putting herself out there, right? ”that…sounds nice. I don’t have anything else to do anyways.” she said with a small smile.

"Naturals? Huh. I don't see that you're any less natural than me, but..." Emmett scrunched up his nose for a moment as he considered it, then shrugged. "'Spose there must be a reason for it." People seemed to come up with names and terms in the town weekly without informing those on the Outskirts, and the best thing to do was to learn as quickly as he could and go along with it. Phoebe seemed nervous to accept his invitation. Emmett internally kicked himself. Idiot, girls don't like sittin' with a load of onions. But to his surprise she then softened and said yes. With a grin he stepped back and behind the stall, motioning for her to follow then holding an old wooden chair out for her to sit in. "So where you come from...do you have potatoes? ...No, that's a dumb question." He laughed and rubbed the back of his neck, tried to think of another. "Were you a midwife back there too? I heard of the places were real weird. Does it all...work the same there?" He was not at all shy about reproduction, having grown up birthing calves and doing everything else that came with with farm animals. EMMETT You think that you're growing, but you're just tall

Phoebe I know I am good at something, I just haven't found it yet Phoebe considered for a moment. ”I think ‘Naturals’ because you were here by natural circumstances. You were born here, not magicked here.” she reasoned. It seemed the best explanation of why people called themselves that. ”Why is it that the term is unfamiliar to you? With other naturals I have met they seemed more…I don’t know…banded together against people like me.” she said quietly. Why was he and his perception of the situation so different? Was he really that cut off from everyone else living in the Outskirts? When he stepped aside she came around the back of the stall and sat in the chair where he indicated. Only then did she realize that she had been standing at almost perfect eye-height with him now that she had to look up to see his face. ”I was born in a kingdom called Northwind but had been living in a settlement called Northaven…and yes we had potatoes.” she said, laughing a little as she mentioned the potatoes. ”It isn’t a stupid question! Some environments aren’t good for growing certain crops. I bet there are places where they don’t have potatoes.” Phoebe said encouragingly. Well they did seem to have one thing in common, which was being hard on themselves! She smiled a little at his other questions and nodded. ”Yes, I started training as a midwife when I was seven. And I am fairly certain that everything works exactly the same – I might be from somewhere else but just as you said before, I am just as human as you are.”

"Well I...my family doesn't come down to town much, so I'm not much like anyone else here, I don' think." Emmett said, though he couldn't imagine why the people here would be against Outlanders. It's not like they'd chosen to come, was it? From what he'd heard people had been brought over in their sleep, or completely unawares. "And you don' get a lot of meetings up by the Outskirts...People are scared of the barrier. But if you don' get close, it's fine." She said she'd been born in a 'kingdom', which immediately brought to mind pictures of pristine white palaces with endless bedrooms and flags fluttering in the breeze, the kind of things his sister had read in storybooks from the Atheneum as a child. Emmett felt massively poor and common all of a sudden. "I bet if you lived somewhere fancy like that though, you made more than stews, huh?" He did not have much experience of fine dining, but assumed it involved more than something that could be boiled in one pot. "I guess it's good it all works the same, so you can still work. It's good work, that. Helping people when they need it...one of my sisters died havin' a baby." Emmett looked off for a moment, knowing it was uncomfortable in front of a stranger but unable to stop the second of emotion. "...So I'm real glad you're here." He finally said, looking back to Phoebe with a smile. EMMETT You think that you're growing, but you're just tall