2 'Freckles'
Start of the morning dawn, the sun has risen and farmers were busy tending their routines. It was this same cycle every morning that Daren witnessed, "Hey you missed the spot on the left." Daren said loudly as if scolding to the man tending to the animals. With a strange language, the farmers talk to each other while busy with their job. "Crazy, I might go crazy if this continued." Daren was suffering from a mental breakdown after discovering that he was reincarnated into a 'Freaking Scarecrow' as what he was phrasing.
The cold wind started to warm from the rising sun. Noises from the animals resounded as they fought for the food served in their pens. Coming out from the house, a boy around 10 years old with some materials inside his basket was running towards Daren while a woman followed him stopping at the door, yelling as if berating the young boy. Daren did understand but he knew the woman was probably saying 'Where are you going again Mr. Freckles.' along that line.
The boy ignored the woman shouting and she could only sigh after the boy got out swiftly and arrived in front of Daren, "Oh good morning freckles." Daren said with joy seeing the panting boy; blonde wavy hair, blue eyes, and a small face with freckles along with his nose and cheek. If his hair would be a bit longer, he would have been very beautiful comparable to woman celebrities in the west. Though his body was somehow frail and scrawny.
Mumbling with words Daren could not recognize the boy smiled lifting his head to greet Daren. In his basket are materials for sewing and other stuff for the scarecrows repair. The scarecrow was tied with ropes in a cross frame made from wood as thick as an arm. A farmers red long sleeve tunic and blue farmer's jumper suit sewn into one with the head; it was full of hay to form the scarecrow, and dead branches to represent the hands while the head was also a cheap cloth full of hay; sewn and formed into a human-like head with big and wide buttons as eyes then thread embroidery to design the nose and mouth. And lastly, with the straw hat as a head ornament.
A sudden surge of aura radiated from the boy then he chanted something newfangled words and made the atmosphere around Daren change; majestically the ropes untied on their own, and Daren floated into the ground gently. It was not his first time seeing the magic but he was still amazed at how mysterious and majestic it was but not only that; It was also his opportunity to again see some other views. "Did you bring other accessories for me again?" Daren saw the basket full of sewing equipment.
"Mr. Scarecrow, how are you, I need to patch you for now because there are no spare clothes at the moment. I apologize on behalf of my family for neglecting you." The boy said and started to patch Daren sitting in the erected wooden support. Though Daren could not understand anything he said, he was happy to see the boy he nicknamed freckles.
Hidden at the lush golden wheat field, the boy was sewing to patch the torn parts of the scarecrow while telling him his experiences. "Those children are strong, and this one here is from that big guy Martin. I was afraid to cause trouble for my family so I did not tell them. It's our secret so don't tell anyone about it." Freckles told him about his knee scratches and some bruises caused by fighting other children who bullied him; though he fought back, he was outnumbered.
With glee, he smiled after finishing the patching then with the same spell, Daren was back in place. "Thank you freckles, I hope that you will visit me soon." Daren was feeling emotional at the moment because the boy was the only friend he has from the time he woke up in this world. Seeing the boy running back home, he felt lonely again. He sighed and look at the golden field of wheat that was about to be harvested soon and thought of the memories he had on the farm.
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On Earth, they till, planted and harvested crops easily using farming machines and vehicles, but the work was still hard so he was curious about how would these people with magic deal with the harvest? "Do they incorporate magic in harvesting?" Somehow, he only saw the boy and other farmers using magic on simple chores like lifting objects but not frequently. They seem to not depend so much on it or there might be limitations like magic exhaustion or they don't have the spell necessary for other kinds of chores, after all, skills/abilities are needed.
"I just hope, I can use also those." He again remembered everything and sighed. He has all the potential to use magic but did not expect that he needed a soul to cast them. "I don't even know if I can age and die." He did not know anymore if he was blessed or cursed. Maybe it was both, "But to suffer in eternity like this is worst than hell."
Feeling empty and alone, the day passed by very slow and a day seemed an eternity for him, without even the slight change. It was already fortunate that the boy visits him now and then but it was simply not enough, he could not blame anyone of the mistake he had and it frustrated him more thinking he could not escape such faith so he tried to surrender his destiny but of course it was hard for him and hope he will not turn crazy.
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"James, why are you repairing the scarecrow?" The woman said in a cold tone to him. His silent father was also waiting for an answer, while his sister ate her meal without concern. It was a simple dinner with bread and vegetable soup, then some fruits while a strange crystal lamp illuminated their table.
"He is my friend." James bit his bread unwillingly losing his appetite.
"Are you crazy? is that the only reason you have? or is it that you just want to avoid the chores." the woman indignantly said, as if she was pranked by someone.
"I will not tell no more, besides you never believe me since then." He dropped his spoon then walked out from the table and into the second floor.
"Wife, you do not need to be harsh on him. He is gro..." The father who was silent since they started the meal spoke gently but he was interrupted by the woman. "Bernard, how can you tolerate him? Because of you, he became spoiled. Look at him now, he is weak and could not even help in farming. All he does is reason out while playing with his toys." The woman was fuming staring at Bernard.
"Stop it, you two. He is a lovely boy, we should just accept that he is unique; besides, the priest told us that he was born with a frail body. His soul energy might have something to do with his different nature." The old man who was still energetic looking said and made the woman stop for a moment.
"But father, if he continues like this. His body might deteriorate and become useless in the future. I am only concern about his future." The woman said in a flat voice.
The plots of land are divided into many parts, and every area; around three to five families will help each other to till the land and produce crops for the kingdom, and in return, they will be provided with essentials and security. That is why every individual in a family; young and old is very crucial to their life, and because of James's weak body, he could not help with farming, so their products might be affected.
Bernard pondered but he was still concerned about James's condition. "Wife, I will double my efforts for James, for now just continue to give him small chores. I will call the priest again soon to check his body."
James's mother died in a strange illness a few years after his birth and the one who always scolded him named Cristine was his father's second wife. Since birth, he had a weak and frail body not suited for physical labor, but his magic was above average. If not for his weak body, he was already recruited to the kingdom and trained to become a mage but requirements are strict, and being frail and sickly is not one them.
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Inside a room which he shared with her sister; was some unknown objects he collected. "Look here my friend, this is your new companion. Be sure to look for each other and don't fight." He said as he showed a black object that seems to a pen in front of the gathered random stuff around his bed, from crude stone, rusty knives, pen, ring, hat, and other stuff. The objects did not respond, but he was enjoying and playing with them without concern. James was simply at his own world at that moment.
"Brother, can I play with your friends?" The little girl innocently entered the room with excitement as she saw another new object. "Sure but, please be careful not to break them," James responded with glee but when the little girl was about to climb in the bed her mother entered.
"Nana, what are you doing? I told you already, you should sleep early and do not talk with your brother at night." Cristine with a cold look on James berated Nana who felt disappointed and has no choice but to walk into her bed. "James, tidy up your toys and sleep now or I will throw those dirty things again and you will never find them this time." With a cold and rude face, he scolded James.
James was shaking in anger but he started to store his things and settled to sleep without looking at Cristine or even saying a single word. Cristine however, smirked and mocked James again. "Good boy, but still useless." She sneered then walked out of the room like nothing happened.
"Brother, goodnight. I apologize for mother." Nana spoke after checking that her mother was out. "Don't worry, I am not angry at anyone at all. I am just disappointed with my body, that's all." James with tears flowing in his eyes, said with a clear voice while facing the wall not bothering to look at Nana. He forced his voice to be normal and it somehow worked and did not alert Nana but he was shaking in emotion while crying.
