The wind is gentle this morning. A slight chill. The first taste of the Harvest season as the hotter Nascent months come to a close.

  My heart is heavy. Tears stinging my eyes. Half the village is standing outside the north gate, giving their goodbyes to our guests from the Holy Order. Thanking them for their help during the storm.

  As for me. Mother, Mr. Thorpe, and I are out in front next to the large armored carriages that the Holy Order uses to get around. The other holy soldiers either settled inside their convoy's wagon or on their own horses. Leo is dressed up in traveling clothes and a cloak to help keep him warm. Although he tried to tell Mother he would be fine in the carriage, she wasn't having it. She hasn't let go of him since she grabbed him 10 minutes ago. Clutching him as if he were about to fall off a high ledge. But Leo is being a good sport and letting her fuss with him more. Not that I am much better, as I am right with them, my hand tightly gripped onto the side of his tunic.

  I tried to keep it together, but my emotions just weren't having it either. I cried so much this morning, and it's taking all I've got not to start sobbing again.

  "Mama, you've checked through my rucksack more than eight times now. I think I've got everything." The teenage boy finally interjects with a light smile, gently grabbing his mother's hand and giving it a squeeze.

  Mr. Thorpe smiles from behind as Mama frowns at Leo but nods slowly. "I...I'm sorry...I thought I'd prepared myself for this moment, but with all the stress it..."

  Leo quickly brings mother into a tight embrace. With her unable to see the pained look on his face. "I'm sorry, Mama..."

  She is quiet for a moment before squeezing him tightly. "You had best be..." Her lip quivers, biting down on it to stifle a cry. "Never worry me like that again."

  Leo buries his face into her neck briefly. "I promise, Mama." Holding her like that for a few moments longer before pulling back to smile again. The sound of armored boots approaching from behind as Paladin Roy and Syren finish inspecting the small convoy.

  "We've got to start heading out. We are on a tight schedule and will likely have to ride harder than anticipated if we want to make it to Berxley in time for the teleport." The Paladin says with a slight apologetic tone.

  Leo nods to him before finally turning his attention to me. My chest tightens almost painfully, and my grip tightens on his tunic. His hand lowers to rest on my shoulder. My expression contorts some even as I try to keep it together. "Y...you heard him...you have to go...you'll be late." I stutter out, my eyes shifting down and away from his gaze.

  Leo chuckles. "Yeah..." He mutters simply before he leans down and hugs me. Pulling my face into his chest. One of his hands latches onto the back of my head while the other arm is wrapped around me. I can feel them shaking. His voice shakes just as much. "I know what you've been feeling. But you are not worthless..." He says quietly. "I mean...I'm supposed to be the hero here, and you had to save ME from my own stupid decisions."

  My throat tightens, and I bite my lip. Leo pulls back some so that he can look at me. Fresh tears streaming down my face. "Liore...you are MY hero."

  Unable to hold myself back, I slam myself into him, wrapping my arms around his neck tightly. Not wanting to let go. "Don't do anything stupid...don't get lonely...make sure to make friends..." Sobbing into his chest, my words just become more incoherent as he holds me close. Chuckling at my simple worries.

  "I promise. I'll take care of myself. Make friends. All that. I swear." He assures me with a smirk that makes me give him a light punch into his side, causing him to flinch and laugh. Setting me back down onto the ground. Mr. Thorpe comes over carrying an old sword with a heavy, wide blade with a red wrapped handle and sheathed in a black leather scabbard. Leo's practice sword.

  Old Guard hands the sword over to the teenager. "Don't suppose you'll need this where you're going, but you can at least use it while you're on the road."

  Leo purses his lip as he accepts the sword and looks it over. "Uh...well, Paladin Roy already said he would give me a spare." He answers honestly. "And I'd much rather leave this part of me behind...just bringing up bad memories now," Leo admits. Mr. Thorpe nods in understanding.

  Leo's eyes glance back to me again before he smirks and, to my complete shock, hands the sword to me. "I know you can't actually use it. But can you hold on to it for me?"

  My eyes widen as I look over the sword, and Mama doesn't look too pleased with the idea, but she doesn't say anything. Swallowing hard, I reach over to gently take it. Leo let it go and then immediately catching me by the shoulders as I did not expect it to be THAT heavy. "Whoa! Yeah, be careful, it's pretty heavy. So you can probably use it for weight training if anything, since you'll need to bring that strength stat up when your class awakens." He chuckles. "Either that or just hang it on the wall or something."

  Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

  After a bit of readjusting, I am able to hoist the sword up in both of my arms. The sword is just a little longer than I am tall as I wrap my arms around the scabbard and clutch it to my chest. "I'll make sure to...hold on to it until you can come visit," I say, pouting my cheeks at him.

  Leo gives me a thumbs up as he stands back up. "I'll take you up on that. And when I come visit, you had better be the best [Farmer] in the world. I will accept no less." Flashing me a grin that makes me groan. The others laugh at the exchange.

  Leo finally turns to all of us and the others from the village as he gives a wave. "Keep up the good work! I'll try to come visit as soon as I can!" The village gives shouts of encouragement and waves back before he finally turns to Roy and Syren.

  The Paladin leads him towards the open door of the armored carriage and calls back to us. "I thank you all for your gracious hospitality. And know that I will bring your concerns and the severity to the village heads in Llanercost and Berxley. I swear this upon my honor as a Paladin of the Holy Order."

  Mother gives him a serious nod, letting her hopes go with him. I have not heard all too much of the issues going on in the village. But now I am starting to get the idea that the soil issue might be much worse than I had heard before.

  And with that, Roy climbs into the carriage, and the coach tugs quickly on the reins before the convoy starts to move with haste down the northern path. The wagon and a half dozen soldiers on horseback follow up behind. Some of the soldiers are pulling up to the front and along the sides.

  We watch them go for several minutes. Getting further and further away. The other villagers disperse back behind the palisades gradually. But Mama looks like she wants to wait until she could no longer see them. Mr. Thorpe stays with her as well while I hold her hand.

  Eventually, she loosens up and sighs, arching her neck back to look upwards to the morning sky. Giving my hand a welcome squeeze before she tilts her head down to smile at me with a warmth I haven’t seen in a few weeks now. "Mama has a craving for some raspberry pie...wouldn't that be nice dove?"

  My stomach growls the moment she mentions it, which makes her laugh. Mr. Thorpe laughing along with her, which just makes me blush brighter and pout at both of them. The old man is scratching the back of his neck. "Wouldn't happen to have an extra slice for me, would ya, Yara?"

  Mama narrows her eyes at her old friend, giving him a stern stare before turning up her nose. "I suppose there is. But don't start thinking I've fully forgiven you yet. You are still a reckless arse." She answers back sharply before turning and tugging me along by the hand, leaving Thorpe to catch up. The aged spearman trails behind with his head down like a scolded dog.

  It doesn't take but a few minutes to get through the north gate and over to our cottage. Although it's a slight struggle for me as I carry the old training sword in the crook of my right arm while my other hand is occupied clutching mothers. Who seems adamant not to let me go.

  Eventually, we end up in the entrance way of the cottage, kicking off our muddy boots. Mr. Thorpe and Mama are heading into the kitchen while I head to my room for a moment so I can drop the sword off.

  Pushing my way inside my room, and with a grunt, I lift and lay the sword onto my bed and give an exasperated exhale. Already sweaty under my blue dress. Giving myself a few minutes to catch my breath.

  While doing so, my eyes linger on the sheathed steel. The thing is pretty big. Leo said it's technically a short sword, but the blade is very wide and thick. Heavier than usual, as it is meant to train your muscles for swinging and other maneuvers.

  Still as a statue. My eyes are transfixed on it more than I care to admit.

  My curiosity eventually gets the better of me as I reach out, gently wrapping my fingers around the grip. The tattered red cloth wrapped around the handle feels surprisingly comfortable. My hands are smaller than Leo's. I would figure the grip would be worn down to fit his palms, but my fingers find the slight indentations where my brothers must have sunk into over several years. How tightly he must have gripped it. But strangely...it doesn’t feel unfamiliar like I thought. As if trying to wear someone else's well-worn shoes. But instead, the grip of the weapon accepted mine perfectly as if it had been waiting for me.

  It is...unnerving...how right this feels.

  I have tried to hold weapons before. Just to try it. And just like everyone else who isn't a combat class has experienced, it always makes my mind feel fuzzy and unfocused. Like, I didn't know how to hold it. Or as if I wasn’t meant to...

  But that was all before that book. And right now. In this moment. I feel like I know exactly how to hold it. Where my feet should be. And how best to compensate for my lack of strength in order to swing it optimally.

  I didn't realize I had moved away from my bed. I never felt myself pick up the sword fully, nor go through the process of unsheathing it.

  But now here I stand in the center of my room. The sword gripped appropriately in my small hands. My feet planted in the perfect spots to compensate for the weight.

  I should put this down. I shouldn't be holding this. It's dangerous. I'm not a combat class. I'm a [Farmer].

  Aren't I?

  And before my brain can catch up, my arms raise the sword above my head and bring it down in an overhead strike. The weight of the weapon pulls me forward with enough force to send me tumbling head over heels. And in any other circumstance, I should have. But as if anticipating the imbalance, my feet shift stance automatically to account for the overextension of my arms caused by the weight, and I manage to stop the blade before it strikes the floor. As well as keeping me from somersaulting into my dresser.

  My arms and back ache from the strain put on them. I should not have been able to do that. And yet I did.

  My eyes are wide. Unblinking. Drying up as I consider what just occurred.

  My attention is pulled towards the open door to my room. Where Old Guard stands. Watching with as much of an unblinking stare as mine.

  "Your mother said to come get you. The pies warmed up." He says flatly, still staring at my stance with the sword.

  It takes me a few moments to register what is still going on as I finally let the tip of the sword touch the floor. My arms are throbbing in discomfort from holding the sword up for so long. "Uh...right..." Dragging the sword back to my bed to hoist it up onto the covers and slide it back into its sheath.

  I give it a lasting stare before I turn around to head out of my room, stopping to meet Mr. Thorpe's gaze. Registering the recognition in his eyes.

  Anticipating now a lengthy conversation about this later.

  But for now...PIE!