2nd/Spring/518 AV
Aster hadn't meant to end up near the walls of the Alvadas, and she certainly hadn't meant to end up on her knees in the dirt; but Alvadas was funny like that.
She'd heard that the new farms were seeking help with ploughing and planting, but she'd never paid much mind to it; until that morning, when her walk with Navi had lead her to the outskirts of the city, and subsequently the farms. Aster had zero experience with farming or even gardening, but when one of the farmers had greeted her with an offering of chilled tea and asked if she was there to help, she'd given in easily.
In all honesty, it seemed like it could be fun, and a good experience; the Eth was used to getting dirty with far worse things than soil in her line of work, and she'd had the occasional daydream of someday starting her own herb garden, so it didn't take much to convince her.
Aster accepted the tea despite not needing it, enjoying the sweet taste as the farmer explained what was needed to her. Aster listened quietly but intently, though her gaze was on Navi. The mutt was in her glory, bounding through the grass and chasing a handful of squawking, indignant chickens, barking happily.
"We have tools for you to use, since you don't seem to have your own," The man chuckled. Aster nodded as she finished the last of the tea and handed the cup back to the farmer with a smiled thanks; sure enough, Aster didn't even have her coin pouch on her, not having intended to do anything but stroll around the city.
The man took the cup, leaving briefly to fetch Asterope the necessary equipment. She whistled sharply to Navi, calling the large dog over in a reprimanding tone of voice when she heard a particularly angry cluck from one of the chickens. She didn't want to have to apologize for Navi eating one of the birds, or deal with her having her eye pecked out.
"Behave," She scolded the dog, who simply lolled her tongue out and wagged her tail harder as she looked up at Aster. The farmer chuckled, overhearing the exchange as he returned with a small trowel, a watering can, and a paper bag.
"Don't you worry about your beast," He reassured Aster. "We have plenty of animals running around here. She's free to do as she likes and have her fun, just so long as she don't go digging up anything."
"I'll keep an eye on her," Aster promised, taking the offered tools.
"I'm sure you will. That should be all you need really; that there's some radish seeds. They need to be planted over there," He nodded towards the far end of the field. "I have some more, if you still want to help once you're done those. Oh, and if you find anything while you're digging out there that you think is worth keeping, feel free to nab it." The farmed grinned, shooting her a wink.
Aster nodded with a faint smile, bidding the man farewell before heading over to where he'd pointed, Navi bounding along beside her. There were a few other people working the fields. It was a pleasant morning, not too hot, with some clouds and a cool breeze fluttering Aster's dress around her legs.
She reached the area of the field where the farmer had motioned her; the land was already tilled, the soil ready for seeds. Aster settled down at the far end, tugging the skirt of her dress up above her knees before kneeling in the soil so she didn't get the fabric too dirty. Rolling up her sleeves, she tied her loose waves up in a messy bun before getting to work.
It was quite a picture; the otherworldly woman on her knees, glassy lavender and jade horns curling around her head and her skin shimmering in the faint sunlight, her delicate hands streaked with dirt as she dug a trowel into the soil. Asterope was out of place, like a diamond sitting in a pile of sand, the ethereal among the mundane; but if she realized this, she paid no mind to it, instead focusing on digging out a hole for the seeds while Navi ran around behind her.
She'd heard that the new farms were seeking help with ploughing and planting, but she'd never paid much mind to it; until that morning, when her walk with Navi had lead her to the outskirts of the city, and subsequently the farms. Aster had zero experience with farming or even gardening, but when one of the farmers had greeted her with an offering of chilled tea and asked if she was there to help, she'd given in easily.
In all honesty, it seemed like it could be fun, and a good experience; the Eth was used to getting dirty with far worse things than soil in her line of work, and she'd had the occasional daydream of someday starting her own herb garden, so it didn't take much to convince her.
Aster accepted the tea despite not needing it, enjoying the sweet taste as the farmer explained what was needed to her. Aster listened quietly but intently, though her gaze was on Navi. The mutt was in her glory, bounding through the grass and chasing a handful of squawking, indignant chickens, barking happily.
"We have tools for you to use, since you don't seem to have your own," The man chuckled. Aster nodded as she finished the last of the tea and handed the cup back to the farmer with a smiled thanks; sure enough, Aster didn't even have her coin pouch on her, not having intended to do anything but stroll around the city.
The man took the cup, leaving briefly to fetch Asterope the necessary equipment. She whistled sharply to Navi, calling the large dog over in a reprimanding tone of voice when she heard a particularly angry cluck from one of the chickens. She didn't want to have to apologize for Navi eating one of the birds, or deal with her having her eye pecked out.
"Behave," She scolded the dog, who simply lolled her tongue out and wagged her tail harder as she looked up at Aster. The farmer chuckled, overhearing the exchange as he returned with a small trowel, a watering can, and a paper bag.
"Don't you worry about your beast," He reassured Aster. "We have plenty of animals running around here. She's free to do as she likes and have her fun, just so long as she don't go digging up anything."
"I'll keep an eye on her," Aster promised, taking the offered tools.
"I'm sure you will. That should be all you need really; that there's some radish seeds. They need to be planted over there," He nodded towards the far end of the field. "I have some more, if you still want to help once you're done those. Oh, and if you find anything while you're digging out there that you think is worth keeping, feel free to nab it." The farmed grinned, shooting her a wink.
Aster nodded with a faint smile, bidding the man farewell before heading over to where he'd pointed, Navi bounding along beside her. There were a few other people working the fields. It was a pleasant morning, not too hot, with some clouds and a cool breeze fluttering Aster's dress around her legs.
She reached the area of the field where the farmer had motioned her; the land was already tilled, the soil ready for seeds. Aster settled down at the far end, tugging the skirt of her dress up above her knees before kneeling in the soil so she didn't get the fabric too dirty. Rolling up her sleeves, she tied her loose waves up in a messy bun before getting to work.
It was quite a picture; the otherworldly woman on her knees, glassy lavender and jade horns curling around her head and her skin shimmering in the faint sunlight, her delicate hands streaked with dirt as she dug a trowel into the soil. Asterope was out of place, like a diamond sitting in a pile of sand, the ethereal among the mundane; but if she realized this, she paid no mind to it, instead focusing on digging out a hole for the seeds while Navi ran around behind her.
