[Seasonal Event] Back To Work

Well. Dead family, broken ribs, girlfriend problems or not, Emmett still had a farm to run. He had worked out a way to lay out the fields to compact the whole operation, make it easier for one person with limited strength to handle it, but it was still going to full days of work nearly every day. Luckily for him, he was well used to waking up in the early hours of the morning to go to the fields. Humming to himself, he took a bucket of seeds from the cupboard in the barn and headed to the fields. Doing work, he could forget all that had gone wrong. It was just another day under the sun with a job to do. He gave Chris and Milly some drinks and a few toys between them and keeping them in eyesight, began to plant. The dirt was always hard right after Longnight, so he chose tough plants, ones that could grow in about any condition the world wanted to throw at them. Potatoes, of course, went in, several so he could sell and use them for meals for him and his family. After he'd planted several rows of crops, promising mounds of dirt all in a neat line, he went to sit with his young siblings and take a break, dirtying the mug he'd placed water in with the mud on his hands. For a second, all of them sat there on the Flowerbirth grass on a sunny day, it felt perfect; just jokes and smiles as a family, none of the angst that practically oozed from the Palmer cottage. Emmett You think that luck has left you there But maybe there's nothing Up in the sky but air And there's no mystical design

Maea Big dreamers shoot for open skies One thing Maea had learned at an early age was that as a farmer you never had time to spare. There was always something that needed to be done, old ways and habits that could be improved upon and new problems that required solving. A farm was a living thing, full of living creatures and as such, always a system on the verge of collapse. But, she had also been taught that some things were important enough that you had to set aside certain tasks and focus on more pressing issues. For example, looking in on your neighbors after a storm, when you knew tragedy had struck. Then it didn't matter that your own house was empty, or that you spent every second swallowing back tears over your own personal tragedies, or that maintaining a machine on your own that required a full cred was animpossible task in the long run. 'Without each other, we are lost, Maea lass' her grandfather used to say, and she could hear the words ghost through her memory as she made her way up towards the Parkers house, dragging a small cart behind her. At a glance it did not look like a disaster though, Maea thought as she waved and called a greetings to the small family that sat gathered in the sunshine. It was only when she got closer and could see the young children, and the still too young man with them, and realized that there were no parents around that the weight of knowing truly settled in her stomach. They were just as lost as her, and knowing that brought her nothing but pain.

Emmett was helping Milly mop up a fresh juice stain on the blanket they were sat on (because she was 3, and tended to spill just about anything he gave her; how had his parents kept her so clean?) when he became aware of movement from the corner of his eye. Looking up he saw Maea, a pale figure in the sun coming up the road towards the farm. Immediately he wondered if she was alright; people did not often come up here in harvest time, too busy themselves, and she seemed like she could burn easily. Telling his siblings to stay put he stood and ran over to her, waving as he went. "Hey!" Emmett shouted when he got closer, stopping with hands on his knees before Maea and taking a few breaths. "D'ya need some help with that? Or anything else?" He nodded to the cart, unaware of the tragedy she'd spotted in his own life. If anything he was excited to deal with someone else's issues for a while, not his own. Emmett You think that luck has left you there But maybe there's nothing Up in the sky but air And there's no mystical design

MaeA Keeping the smile up as Emmett came rushing was probably one of the harder things she had done. The impulse to offer condolences out of the blue was strong, but Maea also knew how deep it could cut. So she smiled and waved ord his concern - though really, she did need help, with about as many things as he did - and gestured towards the cart. "Sure, if you don't mind. It's for you and your family anyway. There were quite a bit food left from the Longnight, so I thought I'd share some of it. There's flour, some smoked mutton, apple preserves and such... I hope you have use for it." No doubt he would; a glance towards the kids on the blanket told her enough about the mouths he had to feed, and before the first harvest came in, life would always be lean. "How are you holding up? I heard... someone told me what happened. I'm so, so sorry, Emmett." The sympathy in her eyes was heartfelt, a mirrored pain that pleaded for him not to ask why a house as large as the Palmers suddenly would have food left. you're so cold, but you feel alive.

"Oh, for us? Well, that's mighty nice, Maea. Thank you." He knew better than to refuse food when he really needed it, so Emmett took the handles of the cart and began to pull it up to the house, smiling and nodding at his siblings who jumped up excitedly and asked if it was for them. For just a moment everything was normal, pulling the cart and thinking about where to plant the rest of the crops...then Maea had to go and say she was sorry. Instantly Emmett took a sharp breath and felt the world crumble around him. He couldn't stop the tears, taking a hand from the cart to swipe at his eyes. "Uh, sorry, I...I just..um. It's a lot." He whispered out through the sobs that threatened to choke him, the inevitable glance through the window of the farmhouse to the bloody kitchen a final blow to his shot nerves. Placing the cart down beside the wall he pressed his hands to his forehead and tried to force himself to breathe slow and calmly. "I don'...know what to do. 'Cept plant the new crop." Emmett You think that luck has left you there But maybe there's nothing Up in the sky but air And there's no mystical design

Maea Big dreamers shoot for open skies No questions came for her, only tears. Questions would have been better, those she could handle, somehow. Maybe. Or maybe the would just have reacted like Emmett, because the hurt and the not knowing was exactly the same. The only thing she did not have was the vivid memories of loved ones torn to pieces, and that... for that at least she could be grateful. But tears were different, she could not handle tears and Maea quickly averted her gaze, out of respect for his grief and because her own eyes vad begun to burn. "I know. My family too..." But she broke off again; no need to add more to his burdens, they were heavy enough already. "Is there... I have some time, so if you need help with anything, I'd be happy to lend a hand." What else could she say, what could she do? A hug, a par on the shoulder, empty words that made no difference? From what Maea had understood Phoebe already provided for that, and it was just as well because the blonde goddess of a girl seemed better at it than herself. All Maea could do was offer what she had of time and hands and understanding, and hope that it would be enough. It had to be.

Maea darted her eyes way, something Emmett was both grateful for and immediately felt embarrassed about. Had she not expected him to be upset? But then...she had experience with his herself. My family too... Immediately he felt a sort of kinship with her, an understanding. And she was here and still standing upright...maybe he could too. "Well uh, I'm just plantin' down some new crops. I still have some t'do...would ya help with that?" Emmett walked to where his siblings sat on the blanket and pointed to each of them. "This is Chris, and Milly. They're uh...helpin'." This lie seemed to help keep the kids still, even though it was obviously false. Little wooden toys were scattered about them, discarded dolls and tiny carts and dresses. By the children there was a group of bags of seeds, each marked with a different ink symbol. "So uh, I need these evenly across the second field." Picking two of the bags up, Emmett nodded over to the field opposite the one he'd been working in. "Could ya help with that? It'll go faster with two sets a hands." Emmett You think that luck has left you there But maybe there's nothing Up in the sky but air And there's no mystical design

Maea Big dreamers shoot for open skies She practically leaped at the chance to do something. Inactivity had become the enemy, downtime and leisure where throughts were free to roam an evil to be avoided at all costs. Especially when the mood was so ripe for the difficult kind of conversations, where you compared your bruises and took measure of the others cuts... as if talking about the bad stuff somehow would make it hurt any less. "Of course, whatever you need me to do." Maea grinned and waved at the kids, somehow producing an apple for each of them from some hiding place within her clothes. Snatching up a bag of seeds as a fair exchange, she let it rest over a shoulder and followed Emmett out to the field. Keeping pace was not easy; her legs were short and be seemed to share that long legged efficiency in his step that every farmer ever had possessed. But Maea was used to it, and somehow managed to keep up a conversation as she fell into the rhythm of the familiar work. Sow with hands, fill in the rows with feet, one step at a time. "There was a gathering at the Settlement recently. Seems like there will be an attempt on the Spire soon, and people have begun to talk about what might happen if the barrier comes down."

Emmett smiled as Maea drew out an apple for each of the kids, making them jump up with excited yells and grab them from her, happily sitting to eat. It would distract them for a while as Emmett worked. He appreciated every bit of help he could get with the little ones, finding looking after them along with everything else exhausting. "Thank you. Let's start over here." Passing Maea the tools she would need he began to plant, easily kneeling and placing each crop in front of her. Her mention of the attempt on the Spire wasn't quite news to him; he'd heard of it but not thought much about it before, his mind too preoccupied with his own issues. "Well...even if it does come down, I still got a farm to run. I can' leave right now. 'Sides....a bunch of Outlanders at the Spire? I don' think they have much of a chance." Emmett You think that luck has left you there But maybe there's nothing Up in the sky but air And there's no mystical design

Maea Big dreamers shoot for open skies A hum in quiet agreement, giving voice to the quiet disbelief in the wisdom of such a ventured she had held back on when Jigano confirmed it. "I know... But they seem determined, and someone mentioned what might happen should others come from outside and want things. Land, our farms, out people." Shifting the grip on the bag, she filled her palm with more precious grain and let them sift through her hands, down into the waiting soil. Blessed be Frey, may he grant bountiful harvest this year. "It had me thinking... Maybe we ought to start planning for the eventuality. You know, so we dont end up losing everything to some outsider." Her suggestion of a leadership within the Hollow had bitten down hard, and would not let go. She felt a bit foolish to say it aloud, but... Emmett felt harmless enough. Normal enough; if he laughed then everyone would, and if he took it seriously... then maybe it had merit.

Emmett didn't really know what exactly Maea meant by a plan, but it didn't sound like a bad idea. Truthfully concerns about the Spires, the Outlanders...they all felt far away from him, distant ideas far removed from his mind, but it was good to be distracted for a little while. He scattered some seeds and covered them as he considered. "What kinda plan do y'mean? I don' know what we can do, really...they don' seem to want to listen. I'm..not really a fighter, 'n' I'd wanna think it wouldn' have to come to that." He patted the ground gently, as if reaffirming this to himself. With a glance over to his siblings to make sure they were okay (eating apples and giggling at something, they seemed fine) he sighed and shrugged, looked up to Maea. "I have no idea how t'keep the farm up right now, never mind...alla this. But...sometimes I wonder...the monsters at Longnight. What if they were worse this year...because a'the Outlanders?" Emmett You think that luck has left you there But maybe there's nothing Up in the sky but air And there's no mystical design

MaeA Well, at least he wasn't laughing. It was encouraging, and as she worked, spreading the seeds in even rows, Maea elaborated on what had been said at the meeting. "Well, we don't really have anyone in charge here. It wasn't necessary before, because everyone was the same... but now that's not true anymore, and with all the outlanders running about it might be time to change the way we do things. They aren't going anywhere, but I was thinking... if we make a leadership with a bit of everyone; some Naturals, some Outlanders, some who the gods listen to and some farmers... Maybe then it would be possible to keep from fighting at all." At least it could be contained to words and give everyone a voice, unlike now. Not everyone could run to the settlement every day; plenty of people were like Emmett, too occupied with work to do much else. His voiced concern had Maea sigh however. That too was an attitude she had come across more and more often, and it was worrying. Because it might be true, and because of what it would mean for the outlanders if the mood got any more tense. "Don't think I haven't thought the same" she agreed. "But you know it's not their fault, right? There have always been Outlanders coming in, and none of them have ever come willingly. I'd worry more about who opened the portals for them, and why. The gods have been more active than before too..." She paused to straighten her back, grimacing as something popped in the spine. you're so cold, but you feel alive.

Anyone...in charge? Emmett scrunched up his face as he considered what she was saying. He had not particularly felt a gap at the top of their systems, because he had never known a leader. But it might be a good idea to have someone they could all gather under as one, someone to organise more controlled discussions and give every person a say...he could see the potential benefits. "...Well, yeah. It ain' their fault. But...I'm just worried it's all connected, somehow." He shrugged, digging a hole for the seed he was planting a little more aggressively than before. Emmett watched her straighten up, sympathetically cringed as he heard her back pop. "And...who would you want the leader t'be? Would they be an Outlander or a Natural?" Emmett You think that luck has left you there But maybe there's nothing Up in the sky but air And there's no mystical design

MaeA It probably was connected. Most likely he was right, but there was something about how happy Emmett seemed to be at pushing all the blame onto the Outlanders that made her refrain from saying it. Was it the grief talking, or did he actually mean that? Even though it had soundedbon Phoebe like there was more to their relation than friendship? But that was none of her business, and Maea was none too interested in the complications that came with romance. She had never been in love and did not look for it, did not want that kind of thing... at least that was what she told herself. "Both, actually" she replied, forcing her voice into something more cheerful as she continued with the work. Upbeat, positive; anything to break the gloom that emanated from the boy, whether he knew it or not. "If we choose people from our side and they choose some from theirs... then we leave the talking and bickering and headaches to them to sort out. If everyone then agrees to do as they all decided, don't you think that might work? Since its people we trust, and they would be agreed." Maea smiled, trying to think whom she might trust to decide things for her. Rory maybe, or Jigano from the outlander side. Not Evie, definitely not, but.... Amalia was sensible, even if the woman made her want to scream and punch something. "What do you think?" you're so cold, but you feel alive.