Chapter 11: Leaving 224Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZsaGR5wPqG
It was Wednesday, harvest day! A big harvest. Of the potatoes that were leftovers, they were planted. A single potato in a natural setting could quintuple or sextuple, sometimes even more. A full line of potatoes (planted in a row) could lend a healthy harvest, todays harvest was a full row.
“Expected Harvest?” Asked Greater Fair Lady to Zar who was handing out rakes.
“We should be getting about, given all the factors and the success of our last harvest. At-least more than 150 potatoes. Our last harvest was 60 from a mere 6 potatoes – a miracle may I add. Of which 10 were eaten, 30 were stored (and eventually eaten), 20 were left over. We planted the 20 along this single file. 20 multiplied by 5 is 100, but our potatoes before gave us 10 from one fairly consistently. I expect therefore upwards of 200 potatoes give or take.”
“Not bad, that will last us many times longer. But I am to assume from the plans I had recently heard that you will be taking a portion of them to be traded for grains, correct?”
“Yes, but I will also attempt to acquire other crops which grow many times faster than these tubers, such as cabbage and leafy-greens.”
“Oh, that would be something!” replied Fair Lady excitedly.
“I must say Fair Lady May, you are looking rather beautiful today – the Sun is really capturing your essence.”
“OH, ZAR! YOU- Me? Ha... *ehem*… I should go and har- AHH!” May fell over...
“Oh, I got ya’ Maygiath.” Zar caught May...
“Thank you Grand Elder.” Replied May thoughtfully and with incredible shyness. May begun walking away clearly thinking about something interesting. Zar not quite understanding what happened proceeded handing out rakes and other tools for harvesting the potatoes.
Once all was finished, the potatoes were collected and counted on the ploughed soil by the Greaters with the help of Tar.
“How did we do brothers?” Asked one of the villagers.
Tar took the lead of the conversation and replied. “We done absolutely incredible. These potatoes, just one could feed a grown man, this is nothing like I have ever seen before. We ensured to compost the flowers from before for soil nutrition. But this, could you call these potatoes? These should be classed as a new vegetable!”
“You have a way with words...” Replied Zar sarcastically as the surrounding Greaters laughed in unison. Tar growing embarrassed by his own previous excitement. But everyone agreed, these potatoes. They were... Large. Too large... Tar got up and cornered his Brother for a private conversation.
Tar began... “Do you recall our Oldman's previous words? A cabbage could fill a man!”
“Hmm, yes... This is quite alarming. The previous potatoes were huge as well, but these have grown even larger?”
“Zar... This Mineral Qi, it must be doing something to the soil as well. Or, well, I don’t know. But this is a huge deal and should be kept a secret. When you go as a wandering trader to the other village, act as though you are selling a potato variety that you came across in the wild on your journeys. Do not draw any attention to this village.”
“Right Brother Tar, right. I will keep this in mind. With the size of these potatoes, they could more than likely feed one person for an entire day. This will prove immensely useful for our well-being for the coming months.”
“Indeed Brother Zar! Indeed.” Replied Tar excitedly, “I haven’t even addressed the sheer quantity of them, this will last us, if consumed once per day, well, a significant amount of time, at-least short of a month but only by a hair!”
“A month's worth of food only from a line of 20 potatoes huh... There is much I must experiment with when I finish this task.” Zar said thoughtfully.
“Well Brother, we will finish here, you go and get ready since I was told Pam and Lam are finished, when you come back, we will give you some potatoes to carry to the Ploughing Sect, I am excited to see your disguise.”
Zar agreed and left, but for the lake. This was to make himself smell a little more appropriate for the job. After he finished bathing, he returned to Pam and Lam who were awaiting his presence outside their new and improving clay-brick home. “Zar you’re here!” Said Pam excitedly, Lam simply smiling. They all walked inside and Zar saw a wheat-yellow well-designed set of clothes. It indeed gave the impression of a wandering man who only had nature as his wardrobe.
“Incredible!” Zar stated, “simply incredible!”
“Lam worked the hardest, but I designed these simple shoes and the conical hat.”
“Thank you both for your sincere and hard work, Tar is waiting for me, I must put these on and leave. Does may hair look a healthy orange?”
“Yes, you are a bright orange, as in, your hair.” Replied Pam, “you look fine and more than likely will not even need the hat. But I suggest you at-least wear it on your back with the strap, it is unusual for people to walk around without protection from the sun unlike us Giaths.”
“Wise Pam, wise.” Replied Zar with Pam nodding in the background.
With that, Zar got ready, looking rather dashing and left for Tar.
“Brother, everything is here. You look brilliant. The guards are always watching over there at the north gate, so you should go over to the east gate and wrap around those pesky guards, find some kind of commuter's pathway, blend in and make your way into the village.” Whilst Tar was briefing Zar, he was placing the heavy potatoes in his basket which was definitely weighing Zar down a bit, he closed the basket with the lid. Zar jumped a little to reposition the basket on his back and prepared himself. “Good luck Brother Zar, we wish for your success.”
End of Chapter 11.
(Author here! Sorry for the short chapter (ㆆ ᴗ ㆆ) - hope you are enjoying reading!)
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