Chapter 41 - Chapter 40 - Guiding Hands, Steady Hearts

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As they ate, conversation flowed naturally, weaving through the quiet hum of the gathered villagers. The soft clinking of wooden spoons against bowls, the occasional chuckle, and the distant crackling of the fire created a familiar, grounding atmosphere.

Lara and Kali spoke about their day, mentioning how they had activated the watering system and turned the bricks—tasks that had become part of their daily rhythm.

"The bricks dry well," Kali noted between bites. "Faster than before. Maybe because it hot in day."

Lara nodded. "And the fields look better, too. Less standing weed, just soft soil now."

Their voices carried a sense of pride in their work, a quiet satisfaction in seeing tangible progress each day. Others chimed in, adding small observations or brief remarks about the village's ongoing changes.

The fire flickered, casting long, dancing shadows across the gathered group, its soft glow illuminating tired but content faces.

For a while, no one was in a rush to move.

Tonight, they simply ate, talked, and rested, sharing a simple yet meaningful moment of warmth and community.

The evening stretched on in quiet companionship, the golden glow of the fire dancing across their faces, flickering softly against the encroaching night. The scent of smoked fish and herbs still lingered in the air, mingling with the crisp coolness of the evening breeze.

Kali sat with her flute in hand, her fingers hovering uncertainly over the instrument, brows furrowed in concentration. As she carefully adjusted her breath, a hesitant note wavered through the air—faint, imperfect, but growing steadier with each attempt.

Athan sat beside her, his voice low and patient as he offered quiet encouragement. "Slower. Let the air flow, don't force it." His fingers gently adjusted hers, guiding them into the right placement.

Kali pursed her lips, trying again. This time, the note rang clearer, a soft yet true sound beneath the quiet murmur of the fire. A small flicker of excitement passed through her eyes, barely visible but present in the tiny smile that pulled at her lips.

Nearby, Lara sat close to Rael, her attention fully absorbed in the bark-sheet book the older woman had been writing in. The pages, filled with carefully recorded symbols and illustrations of medicinal herbs, fascinated her.

She traced her fingers lightly over the sketches, her lips moving slightly as she sounded out words, slowly but determinedly. Her green eyes, usually sharp with mischief, now held focused curiosity as she tilted her head, absorbing every detail.

Every so often, she glanced up at Rael, a question forming before she even spoke. "This one—what does it do?" she asked, pointing at a drawing of a slender-stemmed plant.

Rael, seeing her enthusiasm, smiled slightly before answering. She reached into her pouch and pulled out a dried sprig of the herb, rolling it between her fingers before handing it to Lara.

"Smell it. What do you notice?" she asked, watching as Lara brought the leaf closer.

Lara inhaled deeply, her nose crinkling slightly at the sharp, earthy scent. "Bitter. Kind of strong."

Rael nodded. "Good. That one good for the stomach. Too much, though, and it makes you sick."

Lara nodded, committing the information to memory. Occasionally, Rael would make a small correction in the book, refining a description or adding a note when she realized a detail could be made clearer. Lara watched her hands move across the page, the smooth flow of her writing a testament to how quickly she had adapted to the skill.

The night continued in a comfortable rhythm.

The fire crackled, sending small embers swirling into the dark sky, its shifting light casting long, flickering shadows across their faces. The soft, uncertain notes of the flute wove through the night air, blending with the low hum of quiet conversation.

There was no urgency, no rush.

Just the simple warmth of being together—learning, growing, and strengthening the unseen ties that bound them, little by little, into something more.

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The next morning, Athan woke feeling noticeably better. His body, having finally had a full day of rest, felt lighter, the persistent aches and exhaustion of the previous days beginning to fade. Yet, a dull stiffness lingered in his limbs, a lingering reminder of the strain he had put himself through.

He stretched slightly, testing his strength. His muscles tensed in protest, not painfully, but with a noticeable sluggishness. Then, a low growl from his stomach interrupted the quiet—a sign that his body was finally regaining its normal rhythm.

He turned his gaze toward Rael, knowing better than to act without permission.

"Can I get up?" he asked, keeping his tone careful, measured—not wanting to risk another firm refusal.

Rael, who had been sitting nearby, set down the wooden book she had been writing in, her sharp gaze shifting fully onto him.

She studied him closely, her eyes flicking over his face with practiced precision—checking his color, the steadiness of his breath, the clarity in his expression.

For a moment, she said nothing. Then, after a quiet sigh, she relented.

"Alright," she said, though her tone carried a clear warning. "But no work today. You can walk around, watch—but no lifting, no building, and no overexerting yourself."

Athan nodded, relief washing over him. Just being able to move, to step outside and see the progress made in his absence, to feel the fresh air fully against his skin, was enough for now.

He knew she was right—pushing too soon would only set him back.

And as much as his mind itch to resume his tasks, today, he would listen.

For now.

Satisfied to finally step outside, Athan stretched slightly, relishing the simple freedom of moving without restriction. Though his muscles still carried traces of fatigue, he felt lighter, stronger, the worst of his illness behind him.

He drew in a deep breath of the cool morning air, letting the crisp freshness settle in his chest. His body, though not at full strength, felt alive again.

Naturally, his feet led him toward the construction site—his mind already drifting to the last conversation he had overheard before falling ill.

Two days ago, the men had discussed assembling the frame of the house.

Now, as he approached, his steps slowed, his breath caught in quiet surprise.

The full frame stood before him.

What had once been a scaled-down model in his hands had now taken shape in full size, standing tall and structured, exactly as he had envisioned. The sight of it—real, tangible—built by the hands of the people he had guided—sent a quiet surge of pride through him.

Nearby, Ok, Wade, and Yun were deep in discussion, their voices blending with the steady rhythm of work. Taking turns, they hauled freshly cut logs from beyond the village walls, stacking them in preparation for the next steps of construction.

It wasn't long before they noticed him.

"Athan!" Wade called out first, a broad grin spreading across his face. "Good to see you up."

Ok, ever straightforward, gave a short nod of approval. "You better? Not fall again?"

Despite the teasing tone, the underlying concern was genuine.

Athan gave a small nod, a reassuring smile on his lips. "Yeah, much better," he replied. "I just wanted to see how everything was going."

Yun clapped him lightly on the shoulder, his expression relaxed yet pleased. "You came at good time. Frame done, next steps soon."

Athan's eyes roamed the completed structure, his mind already whirring with ideas for the upcoming phases. Even while he had been forced to rest, the work had continued. Seeing it all come together so seamlessly only fueled his excitement.

Not missing the opportunity, the men turned to him for guidance.

Having followed his plans to the letter so far, they were eager to hear what came next.

Wade gestured toward the standing frame, his tone expectant.

"Frame done. What next? We build walls? Or roof first?"

Athan took a moment, glancing between the stacked materials and the sturdy framework, considering the best course forward.

"First, we check all the connections—make sure everything is solid before we move on." Athan's gaze swept over the structure, his mind already anticipating potential weak points. "Then, we add rafters to the roof, making sure they fit well and hold strong. Once those are in place, we use the planks to finish the roofing."

The three men exchanged glances, Yun's brow furrowing slightly.

"Rafters? What that mean?"

Athan paused, realizing that the concept was unfamiliar to them. Rather than explaining outright, he crouched down, picked up a small branch, and began drawing in the dirt.

"Rafters are the beams that go across the top, like this," he said, sketching a simple framework of the roof. "They support the weight of the roof and keep everything stable. Without them, the planks wouldn't have anything to hold onto."

Ok studied the drawing, his head tilting slightly before he gave a firm nod.

"Ah. Roof need bones, like house need frame."

Athan's lips quirked in a small smile. "Exactly."

He tapped the drawing with the end of his branch, reinforcing the point. "If we don't add these first, the roof won't hold up properly. We need to cut slots in the main beam, then fit the rafters in so they don't move."

Wade crossed his arms, his gaze shifting toward the stacked materials nearby.

"How many we need?"

Athan's eyes flickered back to the structure, mentally calculating the spacing.

"We should have at least eight on each side for a solid support, but more wouldn't hurt if we have enough wood."

The men nodded in understanding, already shifting their focus toward the next task.

Despite his mother's strict orders to avoid work, Athan felt a quiet satisfaction settle over him. Even if he couldn't lift the logs himself, guiding the project forward, ensuring every step was done right—it was enough.

Using the smaller model, Athan began carving and adding the rafters, carefully placing each thin wooden beam into its designated slots. The three men watched closely, their expressions intent as he demonstrated how the pieces would fit together.

"I will repeat myself since those are important, these beams—called rafters—will support the roof," Athan explained, running his fingers along the small wooden framework. "Without them, the planks will have nothing to rest on, and the roof will be too weak."

Wade glanced at the pile of logs and gave a small nod. "We cut enough. We start soon."

With the rafters properly positioned and wedged, Athan stepped back, satisfied that the men had understood the process.

"Once the rafters are done, we cover them like this," he explained, ensuring each plank overlapped slightly.

As soon as all the plank place on it, he poured a small amount of water over the model's roof. Most of it slid off the sides, but a small trickle seeped through the center.

Frowning, he picked up a narrow wooden piece, shaping it into an inverted V before securing it along the peak.

"This ridge will stop water from leaking through the middle," he said.

Wade inspected the adjustment. "Good. We do same."

Satisfied with the roof's design, he moved on to the walls, showing how additional planks would be fitted and secured. Lastly, he crafted a small double-hinged door, modeling it after the one used on the settlement wall, and attached it to the miniature house.

With the miniature house complete, Athan handed it over to the men.

"Now you have everything you need to build the real thing."

The three men examined the model, their fingers tracing over the joints, wedges, and reinforcements.

Ok gave a satisfied grunt. "We make same. No mistakes."

Yun, always focused, simply turned toward the unfinished structure, ready to begin.

Athan, stretching slightly after spending hours working on the model, took a step back.

"Good luck with the rest," he said, watching as they gathered their tools to start the full-scale work.

Even without lifting a log, he had done his part—and soon, the first house would stand completed.

Once the miniature model was handed over to the three men, Athan turned and made his way toward the fields, his steps steady but unhurried.

To his pleasant surprise, he found that the girls had continued to water the soil diligently in his absence. The ground still held a faint darkness of moisture in many places, and the young plants looked healthy, their stems standing tall and firm. The narrow channel he had dug early on had done its job well—distributing the water evenly and leaving far fewer dry patches than before.

In Field One, he paused.

Several flowers had bloomed over the past few days, dotting the sea of green with splashes of orange and yellow. Their delicate petals swayed in the morning breeze, catching the sunlight like tiny flames dancing among the leaves.

His eyes fell on a familiar stem—the first flower he had noticed earlier that week. But now, something had changed.

At its base, a small bulge had begun to form. Its surface was smooth and pale green, still soft, not yet firm—but unmistakably the beginning of fruit.

A smile tugged at his lips.

This wasn't just a flower anymore. It was becoming something more. Something they could eat. Something they had made grow.

He crouched slightly, leaning in to examine it. His fingers hovered just above the stem, careful not to disturb it, while his gaze lingered in quiet satisfaction.

It wasn't just a fruit—it was proof. Proof that their effort, their patience, and their care were paying off. That even in this wild, unpredictable land, they could create something lasting.

And for Athan, that small, growing fruit meant everything.

In Field Two, the plants were slightly smaller, but just as healthy. Their leaves were a deep, vibrant green, and many had already begun forming tight buds—the promise of blooms to come.

Across the middle of the field and beyond, delicate purple flowers now speckled the dense tangle of vines, their soft petals curling outward like stars. The vines, having long since climbed the stakes Athan had provided, now clung to one another, intertwining as they continued to reach upward.

It had been over fifteen days since they had reached the top of their supports, and yet they still strained higher, curling around anything they could grasp. With nowhere left to go, they had begun to weave themselves together, forming a loose canopy above the stakes—a living roof of twisting green.

Athan watched in silence, half in awe, half in thought.

These plants were doing exactly what they were meant to: reaching, stretching, expanding, even when space had run out.

And still, they weren't done trying.

All throughout Field Two, the vines had begun to produce. Beneath many of the blossoms, thin green stems had started to swell—small, pale, and still tender, but clearly the beginnings of fruit. These early signs were scattered everywhere across the field, not just in isolated clusters. The transformation had begun.

In Field Three, the upright stems had grown to knee height, forming small, dense tufts spread evenly across the soil. Each plant rose in a tight cluster, its long, narrow leaves shaped like pale green blades. Some reached straight toward the sky, crisp and determined, while others drooped gently to the sides, swaying in the breeze with a soft, whispering motion.

At the base, the stems were noticeably thicker, as if they had anchored themselves more firmly into the ground—a quiet strength, built to support what was still to come. When Athan brushed his hand against one, he felt a faint roughness, a dry, almost scratchy texture, unlike the softness of herbs or the slickness of fruit-bearing vines.

There were no flowers yet. No visible fruits. Just supple, slender foliage, each with a central core that seemed almost ready to spring upward—as if it held something back, waiting for the right moment to emerge.

These grasses held none of the scent of herbs, nor the fragility of blossoms. Instead, they gave off an impression of quiet resilience, their presence steady and self-assured. They did not rush—they endured.

Athan crouched down, letting his fingers trail gently along one of the fresh shoots. He was careful not to disturb the roots. Beneath the simplicity of the plant, he saw something deeper—a promise. Each of these stalks, still modest and silent, carried the potential to feed the tribe, to ease the hunger that had once defined their days.

Turning his gaze toward Field Four, Athan felt a familiar pang of disappointment.

The soil there remained still—untouched, unmoved, as if nothing had ever been planted. No shoots, no buds, not even a hint of green broke through the surface. It had been a long while since they had sown seeds in that section, and yet, not a single sign of life had appeared.

He stepped closer, eyes scanning the surface for any hint of movement or cracking earth. But the field remained silent.

Like the others, he didn't even know exactly what had been planted there. The seeds had come mixed, unlabeled, part of a batch gathered during their early days. Whatever fruit or vegetable lay buried beneath, it remained a mystery—and for now, a stubborn one.

Still, a part of him held onto hope. Even if just one stem, one leaf, one sign emerged, it would be enough. Enough to prove that the field wasn't wasted. That the waiting had meaning.

With a quiet breath, he stepped back from the edge.

Field Four was silent... for now.

Athan lingered a moment longer, a faint crease forming between his brows. "Come on," he murmured under his breath, half to the seeds, half to himself. "Just one... show me you're in there." The silence in the soil felt personal now, as if the ground were holding its breath along with him.

In Field Five, the plant formed a discreet, almost timid tuft, spreading low across the soil. From a sturdy base, several slender stems emerged, each bearing unusual leaves—small, soft ovals arranged in clusters of four. They were neither sharp nor round, but something in between, with a calm, balanced shape and a muted matte green that didn't shine in the sun.

It was a plant that seemed unsure of itself—torn between climbing and crawling. It didn't grow tall—barely two palms above the ground—but it was thickening steadily, as if choosing to root itself more deeply before deciding what came next.

There were no flowers yet.

No scent.

Just a quiet presence.

And yet, something stirred.

Near the base, where the first branches nearly kissed the soil, there was a subtle tension in the air—a kind of potential gathering in silence, like the breath before a whisper. The stems didn't reach upward. They curved toward the earth instead, as if listening to it.

From a distance, the plant drew no attention. But as Athan crouched to examine it more closely, he could feel it:

This wasn't a plant growing toward the sky...

It was a plant looking to the ground.

In Field Six, the plant rose with quiet confidence—tall and slender, like a young spear pushing its way out of the earth. From its central stem unfurled long, narrow leaves, supple and graceful, arching downward under their own weight in broad, sweeping curves.

They formed a natural fan, vibrating gently with every passing breeze. The green was dense and glossy, each leaf lined with strong veins that ran from base to tip, accentuating their structure.

There were no side shoots yet—no flowers, no sign of fruit.

But the plant's posture said enough.

It wasn't sprawling. It wasn't creeping. It was climbing.

Each day, a little taller.

As if whatever it was reaching for lay far beyond the field.

In Field Seven, a tiny sprout had just emerged a couple days ago—frail and upright, like a single thread of life pulled from the earth. Two small, rounded leaves, perfectly symmetrical, opened slowly, like sleepy eyelids adjusting to the light.

They caught the sun without trembling, and along their fine surface, a soft down clung to the morning dew, shimmering faintly in the breeze.

At this stage, there was no hint of what this plant would become.

No shape. No scent. No direction yet.

But beneath its simplicity lay a quiet strength—

The kind that comes from a seed that still remembers it holds a secret.

In Field Eight, the small plant had broken through the earth with surprising force. Two wide, round leaves stretched outward horizontally, like arms reaching for the sun. They gleamed faintly in the light—smooth, flawless, untouched by time or weather.

Between them, a tiny bud had begun to form, hinting at something more to come—something more textured, more wild.

This plant wasn't reaching upward.

It was spreading—expanding across the ground, as if its purpose was to cover the soil, not rise above it.

Everything about its posture whispered the promise of a future crawler.

But for now, it was in no hurry.

It would take its time.

Athan smiled faintly, watching the plant's slow stretch across the soil. "Just like us," he thought. "No rush—just growing where we can."

In Field Nine, just at the edge of a tiny crack in the earth, a small bud was rising. At first glance, it seemed hesitant, fragile even—but it carried a quiet strength within it. Two tiny, folded leaves trembled softly in the light, as if they were trying to understand this world they were only just beginning to see.

The sprout was thin, but its anchor was firm.

It looked like neither grass nor shrub.

It emerged slowly, with the quiet confidence of things that are in no rush.

And beneath it—hidden from view—something might already be taking shape, thickening in the dark soil, preparing for whatever came next.

The boy stood up and drew in a slow, steady breath. The fields weren't just growing plants anymore—they were growing hope.

Lost in thought and absorbed in the quiet pride of what he'd seen, he hadn't noticed, until just then, that his mother, Rael, was in Field Ten. That plot had remained untouched until now, aside from the occasional weeding Lara and Kali had done to keep it clean.

She was kneeling in the soil, her hands moving with deliberate care as she worked. Sometimes she planted seeds, other times roots, and occasionally small, living shoots. Each was placed with intention, forming loose but distinct rows. It was clear this wasn't guesswork—Rael was organizing the plot in her own quiet way.

She had said before that she would use Field Ten to experiment with medicinal plants. And today, without fanfare or announcement, she had begun.

Smiling, the boy left his mother to her experiments. If she had questions, he knew she would come to him when ready. For now, he let her be.