Normal days filled with hearty laughter and grit, dirt under the nails but a full belly had been replaced with a somber silence and eerie idleness. Even the crickets became suspicious. It's been almost a week since the Copper Stream stopped flowing, food was becoming scarce and what was once lush crops, now withering and dying. The little water that was stored is long gone and dehydration was setting in, along with desperation. It ran so deep in some that they up and left, despite knowing the closest village was a several days walk and a certain death. Those that remained scoured every inch of unoccupied homes and the outskirts of Ambra. Scavenging what they could. Vesless was lucky for awhile, finding a few pouches of water and a couple of handfuls of berries. She's been trying her best to ration what she had between her and her mother, but her mother wasn't doing well by any stretch. Without some proper food and water soon she would, like the plants, wither.
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Everyday the villagers would meet in the middle of town to talk about their options and to share what they've scavenged. They were tight knit and this has only brought people closer together, for now. Desperation, though, can turn the most kind soul into a demon. Vesless normally stayed in with her mother when she wasn't picking through bushes and shrubs. She wasn't much for socializing and her neighbors knew that, so a few would stop by through out the day to check in. Mainly two older women with fitting names, Mossly, who always wore draping green dresses and Rose, who's hair was about the same color. Vesless' mother use to help sort out situations like this in her youth but lately she couldn't sort out what day it was. Ves was forever thankful for Mossly and Rose, even if she could only really manage to squeeze out a "hello" and "bye" to them with the occasion held back teardrop and a fleeting but heartfelt hug.
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The villagers luck was about to change with what the wind was blowing in. The elf trader called Wind rode into town on his horse, pulling behind a small carriage, like he always did but instead of being met with brimming faces of hopefulness and wonder, it was defeated eyes and a heavy atmosphere. That changed the smallest amount when the villagers noticed Wind. They almost looked relieved, like he was a messenger bringing news of an ending war or god themselves bringing salvation but in the back of their mind they knew even if the small cart he towed behind him was fully stocked, he wouldn't come close to having enough food or water for everyone and even if so, it would only be a temporary solution. It didn't stop them from stampeding up to him.
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Vesless saw from her window and she saw Wind as a savior, grabbing the few crowns to her name and rushing out. Bast, The Burly Prince, still laid in his bed unable to move at all. His wife Etnis, she stepped out and stepped up, almost like a leader and talked for the village. She told Wind all of their troubles, ordered some to run back home and grab their crowns. Said what they wanted and needed. Wind didn't have much but they bought what they could and what they couldn't, Wind gave away. His heart was oversized and mushy like that. Vesless got her hands on a whole loaf of bread and a pack of berries, plus a few pouches of water. As happy as everyone was, Etnis knew it wouldn't last long. They had only prolonged the inevitable, having enough supplies for maybe 3 more days before they were back to where they were. Etnis wasn't thinking of the villagers, though, she was thinking about Bast. That was her only concern.
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Etnis wasn't quite what you would call beautiful. Her blonde hair was growing grey at the roots and her face held wrinkles like that of bark of a tree, weaving and deep. Her beauty, though, was her strength. Her arms looked as if she could lift an ox but even if not her stern voice could convince an ox to lift itself. It wasn't her wrinkles, nor grey hair that made her not so beautiful, no. It was her heart, partly blackened and mostly wicked.
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As the villagers all gathered around Wind and celebrated a small victory with sips of water and tiny bites of food, Wind had an idea. Vesless was already back home, giving some of the water to her mother but she could hear though her opened window the voices riding along the coming autum breeze. Wind suggested a monster slayer, a Witcher. They didn't come very cheap but some can be haggled with and Wind heard rumor of one staying in the next town over.
A town named Kirkwall.
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Supposedly on another contract hunting a wraith. The idea set for only a few seconds in everyone's heads before outright blooming into something alluring. "That could be just what we need". Etnis thought before commanding to gather up what little crown was left from everyone. Vesless came out without even a single one to share. All together the villagers gathered up a measly 58 crowns. Etnis was frustrated and disappointed and she even let a little of that show. She eyed the crowd with a squinted look of discovery, setting her gaze upon Vesless. She proclaimed Ves, being young and somewhat pretty, should be the one to travel to the town over and find this Witcher. Another reason being she didn't provide a single crown to go towards hiring the Witcher. Most leaders, or even decent people, wouldn't have spoken their mind with a thought like that, but Etnis did. Whether it be a cold heart or heated survival instinct corrupting her judgement, she said it out loud. Ves was shocked, speechless and it wasn't in her to face confrontation. She instead mostly carried the weight of guilt alone, silently. Wind assured her she could do it, saying they'll travel together. On horseback it won't take no time to get there.
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Etnis presented Ves a small pouch containing the 58 crowns with not so much as a thank you or good luck and Ves climbed up onto of the horse. Her head was still swimming, her heart raced as wildly as her thoughts but she was in a state of shock, numbness. Both Mossly and Rose came up to the horse, patting Ves' back, saying not only are they proud but her mother would be as well and assured they'd look after her mother while she was gone. Ves had left the bread and all but one pouch of water on the table at home, she hoped it'd be enough until she got back. Maybe she could even return with more, somehow.
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Wind and Ves rode off.
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