Chapter 140: When He’s Not Panicking
Koda;
I sit with Mother in front of her hut, as we discuss plans and adjustments for the goddess’s festival coming up. Initially, I’d leave all this to Mother and Hilda, but given the fact that I intend to propose to Elian soon, and have a small wedding with him on that day.... Mother is carrying me along with the planning.
I stare at Elian, who’s in the distance, chatting with Hilda as she teaches him how to make garlands. I smile at his crouched form and little hands working the needle and thread as he chats away happily with her.
"His happiness is contagious", Mother says beside me, and I turn back to her.
Her golden eyes are fixed tenderly on Elian. The wrinkles around them deepen in magnetic detail as she smiles, and I just study her.
"I hope this wedding will let him know how much he means to you." She adds, and I turn back to Elian.
I stare at him, and I can’t stop the curious question that comes to mind.
"Ma, why do you like Elian? It was so easy for you to accept him." I speak, as I look at her, and her smile deepens.
Not her usual, polite smile. No. This is a real smile. The deep kind that makes her eyes twinkle.
"I see him." She replies before finally looking up at me, and my brows crease.
"Through his chaotic energy, through his loud mouth... through his impulse and loud front... I see what he truly is." She adds, and I tilt my head as I stare at her.
"And what is that?" I question, and she smiles again. However, this time it doesn’t reach her eyes.
She looks back at Elian and, with a sigh, replies.
"A broken child."
The reply causes my heart to skip, and I look back at Elian.
"Don’t you see it?" She questions, and I stare at Elian, who’s now laughing at something.
"The way his eyes linger on you after he’s done something. Like he’s scared of a scolding... The way he jumps lightly when someone speaks too loudly around him... The way he always craves company over solitude... the silent gratitude in his eyes whenever the smallest bits of kindness are shown to him." She continues, and I feel my heart begin to tighten with her words.
She looks back at me and reaches out a hand to touch me. She gently caresses my cheek with one hand as she speaks to me.
"I’ve always been here for you. Always loved you... always supported you... You had your mother with you your whole life, and every time I look at that boy, I see the lack of a mother’s warmth. I accepted Elian, because I can tell he needs a mother, and I do not mind being a mother to the boy my son loves." She whispers, and I blink at my mother in silence.
She smiles at me again as she gently pinches my cheek, and just then, from the corner of my eye, I see Hilda rushing towards us.
"We’re done with the garlands, Your Grace!" She announces, and Mother and I look up at her.
I spot Elian beside her, struggling to hold up a basket of flowers and already-made garlands, as he tries to catch up to her.
I get up and move quickly over to him. I take the weightless basket from his arms, and I am stunned by how light it is.
This is what he was struggling to hold??
He really needs to eat more. How was this heavy??
"Look at all the garlands I made!" He pants proudly as he points into the basket, and when I look into it, I raise a brow.
Every garland is one colour. He made garlands with only one colour of flowers.
Why? Does he not like mixing colours?
I look into the basket on the floor, which is obviously Hilda’s, and then back up at him.
"You used only polygalas??" I question in confusion, and he nods absentmindedly as he dusts his hands on his pants.
"Uh-hun. I like purple. Besides, it’ll pop against your skin." He says as he takes one of the garlands and throws it over my neck, and I just blink at him as he adjusts the garland.
Did he make only purple garlands because he thought they’d look good on me??
His eyes and cheeks suddenly light up as soon as the garland settles around my neck.
"Ah!! It’s perfect! Come. Mom must see how good a job I did. I told her I would be of help!" He says excitedly as he grabs my arm, and before I get the chance to protest, he starts pulling me back to my mother.
We get to Mom, and I watch him bounce excitedly as he makes to tell her of his glorious achievement. I can’t stop smiling at how adorable he is. Mother notices his excitement and smiles at him.
"Yes, dear? What is it?" She questions, and Elian grins as he moves behind me and pushes me forward like I’m a piece of art he’s showing off.
He peeks at Mother from behind me and then looks up at me. I stare into his big, red eyes, and he smiles proudly at me.
"Aren’t the garlands I made pretty?? Hilda taught me, and I caught on really fast, like I was born with a needle and thread in my hands. I just might take up a profession in garland making." He says proudly, and my brows knot.
Profession?
Mother is about to speak when she’s cut off by one of the guards.
"Your Highness, I’m sorry to interrupt, but this is a matter of importance." He says, and I raise a brow.
I watch Mother’s brows crease, and I slowly set down the basket of garlands.
"Speak." Mother orders, and the guard bows.
"The farmers. They’re complaining. They are at the storehouses, and it’s a commotion. Although in the past weeks we have harvested more than we’ve ever recorded in a long time... We have lost about 40% of all that harvest to moulds and rot." The guard explains, and my heart falls.
"40%??" I demand in shock, and he nods.
That’s higher than we’ve ever lost. We usually only lose about 20% of our harvests.
"Yes, Alpha. The people have started panicking, saying maybe the goddess doesn’t give her blessing to the festival this year. Some are calling it a curse" The guard replies, and my gaze drops to the floor.
I feel Elian’s hands hold mine, and then his voice follows.
"How... were these crops stored?" He questions, and I stare at him, wondering what is going on in his head.
"We keep our crops in secure, well-secured storehouses, Master Elian." The guard explains, and Elian shakes his head in negation.
"No. Not that. I mean... in these storehouses, how are the crops stored?" He questions further, and the guard looks up at me for a brief second before replying.
"Well... They are stored in neat piles and boxes, Master Elian." He replies, and Elian scoffs.
"...It’s not a curse," He whispers, and I raise a brow.
"Huh?" I question, and he looks up at me.
"It’s not a curse." He says matter-of-factly this time as he looks up at me, and I stare at him in confusion.
"How do... How are you sure?" I question in bewilderment, and he sighs.
"Where is Gravemaw located?" He questions with raised brows, and mine crease.
What kind of question is that? And what has it got to do with the issue at hand??
"Gravemaw is located in a valley. We’re surrounded by higher ground..." He answers his question as he looks at us, like this explanation ought to spell everything out to us... But I’m still lost.
"I... I don’t understand." I confess, and he takes a deep breath before turning to Mother.
"In the evening, at night, and early hours of the day... dew falls. Now, because we are located in a valley, this doesn’t dry out as quickly as we’d think it does. The moisture stays trapped here." He begins as he starts pacing, and I listen with close attention.
"This causes the air to be humid... what’s the word... uhmm... Wet. Water remains in the air." He adds, and I raise a brow.
I’m still lost.
"O...kay?" Mother replies, and I can tell she’s trying her best to understand Elian’s point.
"What I’m saying is, because the air here is mostly always humid, you can not expect the stored crops to dry properly or in time if you keep them on moist soil, cold floors, or barely breathing heaps. You need... uh... racks. Shelves. Enough spacing and room for the crops to dry properly. That ought to significantly cut back on the mould and rot. Don’t you think?" He concludes, and my jaw drops as I stare at him in bewilderment.
How... have we never thought of... or noticed this?!!
"Elian, you’re brilliant!!" Mother exclaims in awe, and I chuckle in amusement as I stare at him.
He is brilliant!
"Why haven’t we ever noticed this!? We’ve grown so used to losing some of our harvest, we didn’t even bother to see that there could be a way to stop it!" Mother adds as she stands, and for some reason, pride coats me.
My Elian is quite intelligent... Well... when he’s not panicking about something.
He just permanently altered our harvest, trade and storage system for good. I think we give him way less credit than he deserves...