Chapter 18: A New Partnership

"Avaron!"

Avaron snapped her eyes open at the sound of Claus' booming, gruff voice and the sound of porcelain getting set down next to her.

"Slackin' off again?" Claus asked.

"N-no, Claus!" Avaron stuttered.

"Got some more dishes fer ya. Now back to work!" He walked out of the kitchen. 

Avaron shook the water off her gloves and rubbed her tired eyes. She had been struggling to stay awake, considering that she had spent the entire night helping fix up the farm. "Ugh..." she groaned. "Why does this keep happening...? I'll never get out of this sand pit at this rate."

She continued washing the dishes, with much grogginess and slowness.

******************************************************************************************************

At the end of the day, Claus presented her with her pay: two radishes and 1 egg in a small burlap sack.

"Ya did a mighty good job today," Claus said.

"Thanks, Claus." Avaron took the sack and walked out. She didn't head back to the farmhouse however. She went around to the back alley of the tavern. 

When she arrived, she was greeted by a wiry, tall man, a tiny curled mustache resting on his upper lip. He was dressed in fine clothes, more fancy then the typical brown and worn rags the townspeople wore. Atop his head nestled a royal red hat with a feather sticking out from the black hem.

"So," he began. "Are you Miss Avaron Moon?" He looked her up and down. "I've heard word of three unusual women being taken in by that old farmer and his grandsons. I never imagined that I would get to meet one of them.

"Yup!" Avaron leaned against the wall casually, with a hint of confidence, the dimples of her smile creased into a shady smile. "And you must be Binde Hoovins, the second mayoral candidate?"

"Indeed." He tipped his hat courteously. "Now, as said in your message, you will get me elected mayor, correct?"

"Yes. But you have to give me a cut of the village's funds."

"How much do you want?"

Avaron thought about it. "How about I receive one-hundred eggs, two-hundred thirty-one pounds of vegetables, two-hundred seventy pounds of meat, four-hundred fifty eggs, and one-hundred fifty-one gallons of cactus juice?"

Hoovis pondered the conditions. "Well, an acceptable deal, Miss Moon. However, there is also one thing that I would like as well."

"And what would that be?" 

"I would like you to give me some shares of the farmland."

Avaron's eyes widened. "How much are you asking for?"

"I'd like to take control of half of the fertile lands."

"Half of the lands?" She couldn't possibly agree to that.

But the deal of getting out of this forsaken desert was far more important then staying and having to work off her debt.

"It's a deal." She extended her hand.

"A wise decision, Miss Moon." Hoovins took clasped his hand around hers and shook it. "Now, how about we discus the obstacles of funds?"