Day 016: Secret For A Secret
Summary: Tuan comes out to the farm to talk to Chesa and make a trade for vegetables.
Date: 28 May 2016
Related: None
Tuan Chesa 


Chesa's Farm

Down from the orchard, tucked away near the smaller branch of the river used for irrigation, lies lands that make up one of the most prosperous farms of the clan's village. A wagon path twists it's way towards a grassy clearing where a small house and barn sit, home to the farm's residents, both four and two legged.

During warmer months, dandelions, daisies, and clover add sprinklings of color to the small open field of grass near the barn that continue to grow thicker within the pasture that remains for the animals. The rest of the land sees the evolution of the growing seasons - plowed and planted come spring, fields growing and thriving come summer, with fall seeing the harvest picked from the plants not already done with their bounty. Winter brings quiet, the land resting beneath blankets of frost and snow, preparing for the next season.

Like green and golden waves, the various plants flow over the shallow hills and around the house and barn. The wide open sky above hosts the occasional cloud, the terminator of its shadow racing with the breeze over the ground below. Birds fly low as they glide from the treetops surrounding the clearing, searching for a meal hidden away within the plants, while other animals steal nibbles of fresh plants and vegetables grown.

Day 16

It's late afternoon, and things are somewhat winding down on the farm. One might find Chesa at the barn where she's sining to the horse she's brushing down after it's long day of work in one field that was being plowed, then hitched to the wagon for a quick trip into the village to deliver some vegetables picked earlier that morning to Oxfor and others. One might note, the farmer has a beautiful voice as she works alone, her brother gone on a hunt, and parents currently inside washing up and preparing for dinner.

Tuan has made his way down towards the farm from the village proper through the afternoon. There had been discussions earlier in trade between his sister (Ginia) and Chesa's father that has resulted in him carrying a pack over his shoulder down the trails. It is the sound of the singing that catches his attention, and a small smile touches his lips, as he heads towards the barn and peeks his head in to see just what might be happening. The Trikru teen does nothing to make his arrival secret, making plenty of noise as to not spook Chesa with all that has been happening about the area of late.

Lost in thought, Chesa doesn't immediately hear Tuan's approach, not till he's at the barn doors peeking inide. Only then does she jump a little, the singing coming to an abrupt stop, and a blush heating her cheeks, "Who's there?" She calls out, coming out the stall to peer towards the doro, and once she spies him, she offers a smile, "Good afternoon.."

"Afternoon Chesa." Tuan greets, a smile creeping onto his lips as she spots him, that smile that has come easy to his lips his whole life. "Ginia was hoping to get some vegetables for us, and I was hoping to get any berries you might have? I brought fish I caught this afternoon for trade, of course if there's anything else you might need we can figure it out." He pauses then adds, "And why don't you ever come sing in Coesbur at the gatherings?"

"I've got plenty, though no berries just yet. Strawberries will be in a few more weeks, not till June really. And most other berries towards the end of summer." Chesa offers before closing the stall gate, and giving the horse that peeks out over the door a pet, "But I have plenty of vegetables - greens, tomatoes, onions, cauliflower, and radishes. Asparagus and artichokes should be along next week." The run down is given before she is stammering, blushing a good bit more at his question, "I can't." Stagefright.

Tuan nods his head and shifts the satchel he is carrying from one shoulder to the other. "I'm sure whatever you have right now would be great. I was mostly asking for the berries for myself, y'know. So I don't have to sneak around and pick them while you aren't looking." He says it with a sheepish, teasing grin before adding. "And you can. You should. What? You don't think we'd all love it?"

"I'll put together a mess of things for you to take back.." Chesa looks at him, then hmmphs, "Well, don't go picking them just yet, because they're still green." Even the strawberries are only starting to get a little red on them! Setting aside the brush on a hook, she turns back, shaking her head, "I can't sing in front of people.. I.. I get too nervous." Yep, stagefright.

He doesn't say much for a few minutes before Tuan smiles at Chesa, a natural grin when she looks at him. "So right now, you couldn't sing if you wanted to? Even though it's just me? Someone you've known as long as both of us can remember?" Tuan folds his arms a bit and quirks a brown while grinning. "I used to put frogs in your buckets so they'd jump out at you when you would flip them over in the morning. And you're nervous around me?"

Chesa frowns just a touch as he teases her, hand moving to brush a bit of dirt from her pants before she finally looks at him, "I am, yes. Animals don't judge you.. " No doubt, there is a story there somewhere's if she would tell it. "Come.. let's get you those vegetables, and send the fish in to mother.." Ducking her head, the tall farmer heads out of the barn, giving him a brief glance as she passes him, cheeks still flaming red.

Tuan frowns, ever so slightly himself when she blushes but does move to follow her. "You know, well, at least I can speak for myself. I'd never judge you. For singing that is." As he follows, he adds a bit, "I might judge you a bit for your bad juggling?" Tuan attempts to make a joke while walking and pauses. "Besides the food for Ginia, I was hoping to get a few other items for… myself."

"Others might… I prefer to keep my audience to the four-legged variety." It would take a lot of work to get her to agree to sing for a person, or group of people, it would seem. Turning then, she pauses, "What sort of things?" The question asked with an air of curiosity as she looks him over, studying him quietly. Her mother, having heard the voices, comes out of the house, offering a greeting to the hunter, "HE's got some fish for trade, mother, if you want to take them inside?" With agreement, the fish will be taken from him before she goes back inside to take care of them if need be, leaving them alone once again.

He hands the fish over to Chesa's mother so they can be taken before his attention returns to the farmer girl and he blushes. This is a very rare thing, Tuan blushing, considering he is known to have very little shame in life. "Something that would be appealing to someone, something that …" He trails off. "I cannot, there is no way to speak of this that won't get me into trouble I suspect."

As he begins to blush, Chesa lifts a brow, waiting for him to speak up. "Won't… get you into trouble?" Okay, he's got her attention, stance shifted slightly to better face and look at him, "What are you talking about, Tuan?"

Tuan sighs, running a hand through his hair. "It is the Sky People. We cannot trade with them but I was … there is…" Again, he blushes. "There was one, she had an apple. Had never had one before and…" The word 'she' is glossed over before he shakes his head. "I keep your secret of singing if you keep my secret?"

A girl. That tends to be the root of all evil - soeone of the opposite sex. "They haven't had a lot of things we have." Chesa answers before she peers at him, "What are you wanting exactly? I can't go against Oxfor.." Still waiting to hear what he wants! "I met a few of them that came to the village. One was excited over turnips." Of all things to get excited about!

Tuan nods a bit, "Anything like that. Like turnips or a califlower? Just fresh things. Small, nothing to much. Really it's…" He trails off as he realized his tone was getting excited. "I know this sounds weird. But I want to help form a connection with some of them I guess. I don't trust them, and I want to. So if I can do this maybe it'll help me trust.

Chesa ponders this for a moment or three, though she says quietly, "I do not trust them at all either. And the talk of them having guns and all tha would get us all in trouble with the Mountain Men, has me wary. The fact that they are all criminals doesn't help matters either." That said, she sighs softly, "I will give you a few things. What /you/ choose to do with them, is up to you." And that's her story and she'll stick to it if Oxfor questions her!

Tuan nods his head to Chesa, "I appreciate it." The sincerity in his voice is there before he looks off in the direction of the forest beyond which lays the Sky Dropship. "Criminals. Kids younger than us. Guns and disease. Every part of my head tells me we should be wary, if not outright hostile to them." He glances to Chesa then, "But something still tells me other. I am hoping that maybe by exchanging some of this food I can get a chance to talk to a few of them, learn some more."

"Just be careful, hmm? There's no telling what they might do once you bring them food though… fresh food. I heard none of them had even eaten meat before coming down here. " Chesa states quietly before she tilts her head, "I'd hate for you to get hurt over a few vegetables because some of them fought over who should have what little I give you." There's no way she could give him enough for everyone at the camp to have. Her stuff is only /just/ starting to come in, and there's a village who's waiting for those fresh vegetables after winter.

"I will be very careful. I.. I'm not even convinced I'm going to do it yet. I may end up just eating it myself. Like Ginia always says I'm going to eat the village out of food anyway so maybe I'll get an early jump on it this spring?" Tuan smiles at Chesa then, pausing and frowning, "You think it's a bad idea?"

"I'm uncertain. I wish to help them learn about farming, to perhaps give them some seeds and the knowledge to grow their own food in due time, once Oxfor and the Commander make their final decisions about them.." Chesa is always open to help people learn about farming! "The only issue I can see is if one or two people have fresh vegetables in their camp, and others want them.. there could be a fight. And it could spill over towards us? I know those that came here, are aware of the farm, of our food sources.." But it may be different for such to show up in their camp, and there not be enough to go around.

Tuan nods a bit towards Chesa, "If they get hungry before then, they may well go that route anyway. I do not want another war, I do not think I have fully recovered from the last." He bites his lip then and looks at Chesa steadily, "You are right I think. I think my eagerness needs to be weighed against what is best from Staheda and Heda."

Chesa offers him a quiet smile of understanding, "You have a good heart, Tuan. You wish to help. Same as many of us, but there are things that lie between us. Things that need to be worked out before we can truly extend the hand of friendship to them. Let the talks continue between the leaders. It will hopefully all be figured out in good time." That said, she says quietly, "If nothing else, show her some of the wild vegetables within the woods. Things that she could bring back to her camp that are not from our village?" There are wild greens, herbs and tubers, things that could be used by the Sky People if they don't know of the plants.

Tuan grins a bit at Chesa and tilts his head at her, "I think that is a good idea. But it doesn't change the fact I might try to sneak a few extra things for myself." He pats his stomach some. "It is much easier to just talk to you to get them rather than sneaking here at night time and trying not to wake your family."

That brow lifts upwards a little more at his words, Chesa to snort, "You best be careful or I'll sic the dogs on you if you keep that up." Yeah, the aging dogs she's got that help keep the occasional animal uot of her fields, and tend to just stare at people instead of barking when they come to the cabin. "It is /far/ easier to just talk to me. Might keep you from getting sick, or ruining the plants, if you talk to me first." Let her tell him what is ripe and not ripe and the like!

"Just don't let Ginia know that I come and talk to you too often. She will begin to get ideas." Tuan warns, his tone half teasing half serious as he does so. "Do you need anything? From the village or any place else? I figure you don't get to leave the farm too often."

Mention of how his sister might take thir converations has Chesa suddenly blushing a good bit. Oh yeah, that. "Don't worry, I won't tell her." She says in the end before considering, her gaze shifting to the nearby field, "I.. do not think so. Of course, whatever fresh meat you can spear for the vegetables.."

Tuan nods his head, "I'll try to get a few extra rabbits or fish each time I go out. I thought I heard your father say once he liked the fish because he could put the scales in with the gardens. Of course, when I think I heard that I was eight and trying to steal some beans from him."

Chesa laughs and nods, "He can, yes. Just about anything can be composted to provide nutrients to the plants as they grow. " A fact there, though some do prefer bits of fish with the seeds if sch were to be spared.

The man nods his head, "Interesting. I'll have to remember that for sure then." Tuan glances up the path towards the village then back to Chesa. "Our secrets right? Your beautiful singing? My stupid thoughts?" He bites his lip, "No bribing, I promise."

Chesa smiles, nodding her head, "Certainly. Your secret is safe with me, as long as mine is with you." A hand is held out to shake between - at least she doesn't spit on it or anything!

Tuan extends his hand and shakes Chesa's in turn. "Good." Another glance is given to the path then the waning sun. "I should start back to the village soon, before it gets dark. Otherwise I'll have to sneak in and last time I did that… well, like I said, I don't want to start rumors about me sneaking back from your farm at night."

Chesa offers a firm handshake, and following his gaze, she chuckles, "Yes, let's not have that, hmm?" One might take a little offense to his words, but she doesnt show any such emotions. "Take care, Tuan. " At some point, he would have gotten his choice of vegetables to fill his bag up after handing over the fish.

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