“Time to wake up, boys!”

  Joseph opened his eyes and sat up. “Yes, father.” He said tiredly.

  “Make sure your brothers get out of bed. There’s a lot to get done today.”

  “Yes, father.” Joseph said again as he scooted out of the bed. He stretched his small body before walking across the room and pushed his younger brothers until they woke up. Making sure they were getting out of bed, he went down stairs with them to eat breakfast. A oil lamp in the hallway lit the way as the sun had not yet risen. They went downstairs to find their mother and sisters already up and setting the table. The boys sat down and waited until everyone was at their seat with breakfast in front of them. Joseph crossed his arms as his father did and bowed his head.

  “We offer thanks to our God of Harvest, for this food before us. We give thanks for the land we have to work, and ask for your blessing as we work it, that our effort may bear ample reward.” His father said solemnly. “Lets eat!”

  Everyone dug into the delicious food, the boys shoveling it into their mouths and swallowing almost without chewing. Once they finished, the boys took their plates to the sink and went back upstairs. In their bedroom, Joseph got all three stripped out of their pajamas and had them put on their work clothes. They were just leaving their room when their father appeared at the stairs.

  “Good. We’ve got to look over the cows and sheep this morning before we weed in the afternoon.”

  Josephs younger brother whined. “It’s going to be so hot in the afternoon, why can’t we weed in the morning when its cool?”

  “Because the plants will survive until then, James. The cows need to be fed and milked. The sheep need their wool looked over because we’ll be shearing them next week and I want to make sure none of them are too ill for it.”

  The boy nodded and they all followed the man down the stairs and through the house to the front door. They waved at their mother and sisters who were in the kitchen cleaning. The sun was just peaking over the horizon as they crossed open yard to the barn.

  “We should make time to repaint the barn this summer as well.” Josephs father commented.

  “We aren't going to do that all by ourselves are we?” Joseph asked.

  “Of course not. Just like we helped the Richardson's last year, we’ll ask them to help us. We might have our own farms, but we’re a community.” The father explained. “You help your neighbors.”

  The boys nodded as they helped open the large barn door and entered.

  “What if your neighbors an elf? Or an orc?” Bruce asked as he help light the oil lamps. “Grandma was telling me that there aren’t only humans in the world.”

  “Telling you her tales again, was she?” the father replied as he opened a stall and led a cow out. Joseph had opened another stall and brought out their second cow. “Doesn't matter who your neighbors are, Bruce. Long as they need help, you help. Hopefully, they’ll do the same in turn. Thats the Nightweaver way. Now, come here so I can show you how to milk Betty. You’re near old enough to take charge.”

  Bruce nodded energetically and hurried over to his father. Bryan joined Joseph, and the two of them quickly cleaned and milked Jenny. She was getting on in years, and Joseph didn't want to think about what would happen to her when she stopped producing milk. Once they were all finished, they led the cows outside to their pen. Joseph and Bruce filled their feed trays before joining their father inside with Bryan to look over their two sheep.

  “Now, remember what I told you to look for, any bruising, or hair that seems brittle. That means they’re probably sick and we’ll want your grandmother to look them over and give them one of her potions.”

  “Gross” Bryan commented.

  “Gross is right. Thats why I never get sick.” Their father joked. He noticed Joseph and Bruce coming in. “Could you two get the baskets and lunch from your mother? This shouldn't take long, then we can take a short break before weeding.”

  The two boys nodded and left the barn to head back to the house.

  “What do you think is for lunch?” Bruce asked.

  “I saw them making butter yesterday, so maybe bread and butter? I think we’ve run out of jam until the berries come back.”

  “Jam and bread is the best.” Josephs younger brother said. “Though, maybe there’d be some left if I hadn't eaten so much of it.”

  The older boy laughed. “Maybe. Hopefully there are more berries this year so we can just make more jam.”

  They both entered the home and found their mother and sisters patching holes in some clothes.

  “We’re here for the baskets.” Joseph said.

  “And lunch” Bruce added.

  “Of course, dears. Baskets are behind the door, lunch is in the kitchen. Tell your father I want to see him.”

  They nodded and retrieved the items from their locations.

  “Whats inside?” Joseph asked.

  Bruce looked in the lunch basket. “Dried fruits. Bread. Water. Butter!”

  “Yes~!” Joseph quietly cheered. They continued to the barn and met the other two outside.

  “Sheep are all fine.” Their father said. “Though I might send Joseph to my mother anyways. Jenny looks like she could use a pick me up. Now, what’s for lunch?”

  “Oh, mom says she wants to talk to you” Bruce said.

  Their father grimaced. “Damn. Was she patching holes?”

  The two boys nodded.

  “Ah well. She must have found my nice pants. You boys go ahead an eat. I might as well get this over with.”

  The boys smiled as they watched their father seem to march towards a pending death sentence. They sympathized with him, their mother was loving and caring and took care of them when they’d gotten sick. But she would turn into a demon if they made more work for her and their sisters. They started eating with gusto, but they all winced when they heard her voice shouting from the house.

  They finished eating, not saving any for their father. Despite the shouting, they knew she would feed him, to make sure he’d stay alive long enough for the beating he might get in the evening. Once they were done, they packed away the utensils in the basket and all three head cautiously towards the house to return it.

  They stopped when Adam left the front door. He had a sandwich in his hand.

  “Ah, good. Bruce, take that in, she loves you the most” their father winked. “Joseph, Bryan, lets get started with the weeds. I want to get as much of the field done today as we can.”

  Bruce smiled and took the basket the rest of the way to the house as Joseph and his father and brother walked towards the field. They stopped at the edge of the tilled earth to admire the small wheat shoots that had sprouted recently.

  “What’s the rule?” Adam asked his children.

  “If its not wheat, its beat?” Bryan hesitated.

  “Thats right! We’re wheat farmers first! If its not wheat, I want it out of my fields! One day, whichever of you is fool enough to take over the farm instead of doing something better, can grow whatever you want, but until then, Wheat is King! Now, get to it.” Their father ordered.

  All four of them grabbed a basket and started on a row. Joseph knelt down and picked all the little plants that weren't wheat and put them in the basket next to him. Once he’d cleared an area, he’d move further into the row a little bit and pull more of the little leaves. His brothers worked diligently to either side of him as the sun crested and started to fall towards the opposite horizon from whence it’d risen.

  As the sun touched that far horizon, their father stood up, put his hands on the small of his back and arced. “Well, we got a good chunk done. Tomorrow we can start sooner and hopefully get it all done before the week ends.”

  The boys cheered.

  “Alright. Weeds in the fire pit, then Bryan, Bruce, you put the animals away before dinner. Afterward, Joseph, I do want you to run over to your grandmothers for a potion for Jenny. You may stay to watch, but you have to get home right after.”

  Joseph nodded as they took their weed filled baskets to the ring of stones between the house and barn. All of them dumped the weeds into the depress in the ground before taking their baskets to the house porch. The two younger boys went back to the fenced off paddock and grabbed an animal each and led it to the barn. Adam stopped Joseph just before they went inside.

  “Joseph. Could you go inside and let me know what you’re mother’s doing?”

  Joseph nodded and went inside. He tried to walk quietly on the wooden floor, and soon found his mother and his sisters in the kitchen, making food. They seemed focused on their work, so Joseph tried to sneak back to the front door.

  “Joseph, come here a moment.” He heard his mother said. Joseph sighed and turned back, not bothering to be sneaky anymore.

  He stood inside the doorway of the kitchen while his mother chopped up a carrot.

  “Where is your father?” she asked.

  “Outside.” He answered. He learned long ago it was useless to try to lie.

  “Go get him. I’d like to have some words before dinner.”

  “Yes mother.” He said glumly, feeling as though he’d failed his father.

  “Hey, don’t be sad. You didn't tear a hole in your nice pants. I just need to tell your father he isn't getting dessert tonight.”

  Joseph perked up at the news about dessert, and went outside to get his father. He saw him sitting on one of the chairs, and when he noticed Joseph, he let out a sigh.

  “Well, it was worth a short. Thanks for trying, lad.” He said as he stood up and ruffled Josephs hair. “Going to need to cut that mess you call hair soon, else it’ll get stuck in the mud when you’re weeding.”

  “Yes father.” Joseph said with a smile. His two brothers came up the steps just then and all four went inside. “Boys, go get cleaned up for dinner. Mother wants to talk with me.”

  The boys complied and went upstairs to get out of their work clothes. Joseph and Bruce helped Bryan get into his shirt, which was almost too small for him now. They washed their hands and faces in the sink across the hall before heading downstairs. Their father nodded to them on his own way up the stairs, and they went into the dining room and waited patiently along the wall and out of their sisters way while they set up.

  “That shirt is too small for you” Stephanie said. Joseph older sister set some utensils down and walked over to Bryan and tugged on his shirt a little. “You leave this in the living room tomorrow before you go out to work, we’ll take it apart and make a bigger one for you.”

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  “Thanks.” He said.

  “Now, get in your seats.” She finished before she went into the kitchen.

  The three boys got in their seats, all on one side of the table. Josephs two sisters sat across from them and their mother sat next to the end of the table, whose seat was soon filled by their father.

  Everyone folded their arms and bowed their heads as their father offered the same prayer he’d offered his morning. Then they all ate with gusto. When they were finished, Josephs mom went back into the kitchen and came out with a small cake.

  “Happy birthday, Joseph.” She said.

  The rest of his family joined in a chorus of happy birthdays as she set the cake down.

  “Make a wish” she said, picking up a knife.

  Joseph scrunched his eyes, thinking hard of something.

  “OK” he said. His mother then cut out a small piece, plated it, and handed it to him. “Thanks!”

  After he’d had a bite, she cut and plated enough for everyone else at the table and they had a good time eating the cake and talking about the next day.

  “Joseph, take a slice to your grandmother when you go. Which should be now, its nearly dark.” His father eventually said.

  Joseph nodded and grabbed the plate his mother handed him. He took it carefully outside and headed opposite the barn to a smaller building. It was about the same distance, and he stopped and knocked on the door. He didn't enter, but waited for permission to enter.

  The door opened and Joseph backed up to make sure he didn't drop the slice of cake. An old woman with his eyes stared back at him.

  “Oh, Joseph. How kind of you to show up. Is that cake? Come in, come in.” She rambled.

  Joseph followed her into the much smaller house. He’d been here several times in his life, and it always had new things hanging from the ceiling and on the shelves. Bits of lizard and bugs and herbs in jars. There was a clear space in the floor that had a star carved into it. He set the cake on the table where his grandmother directed.

  “Whose birthday is it? You know, I love your mothers cake. She does a great job.”

  “Its mine, grandma.” Joseph answered as he continued to look around the studio.

  “Well, happy birthday. How old are you, nine? Ten, eleven?” she said, taking a seat in her padded and worn chair.

  “I’m thirteen” he answered, puffing his chest out a bit.

  “Thirteen, eh. You know thats an important age for a Nightweaver.” The old woman said seriously.

  “Is it? I thought I became an adult at 17?” Joseph questioned, tearing his eyes away from a large, stiff looking lizard hanging from above the fireplace.

  “That is true. But at thirteen, Nightweavers take a test to decide their future. Would you like to take this test?”

  “I already know I’m going to take over the farm. Dad says so.” Joseph said.

  “Of course he would. I don’t think he wants you to take the test.” His grandmother said, sadly. “And I know how he feels. But it’s your right as a Nightweaver.”

  Joseph shuffled his feet.

  “You talk to him about it, Joseph. Now, is there anything else you need from me? Heavens know thats the only reason people see me these days.”

  “Right!” Joseph exclaimed, remembering the other reason he’d been sent to see her. “I need a potion for Jenny. She’s not looking too good.”

  The old woman chuckled. “And right she should, she’s nearly as old as me!” she stood up and shuffled to a desk covered in bowls and glass jars. “Take a seat, and I’ll whip something up.”

  Joseph took a seat on a nearby stool and watched his grandmother work, as she picked herbs and liquids and mixed and heated them. He couldn't see everything she did from where he was sitting, but he did watch as she picked up a round bottle with a long stem, filled with a green liquid. She put it in the middle of the star. She grabbed a gnarled cane and tapped the star with it. It suddenly glowed, nearly blinding Joseph who hadn't been prepared.

  “Ah!” he exclaimed. “What is that?”

  “Oh, a bit of magic. Take a look.” The old woman said cheerfully. Joseph watched as she walked over to a point and held the cane in front of her. A small ball of flame appeared at the point. Joseph watched enraptured as a fiery mist broke free of the floating ball and snaked its way towards the flask. The liquid bubbled momentarily before calming as the fire disappeared.

  “What was that?” Joseph asked.

  His grandmother walked to another point, and a contained ball of wind grew into the size of his kick ball. A controlled breeze wafted into the liquid, causing it to swirl and spin until all the wind had gone into it. “I’m doing magic. I’m imbuing the potion with the elements to give it a bit of kick.”

  “Magic? Is that good for cows?” Joseph asked as he watched her move to the next point.

  The old woman laughed. “Magic is life, Joseph. Of course it’s good for cows.” She answered as she finished and moved onto the next. “Would you like to learn?”

  Joseph continued to watch as she finished walking around the star, and the saw the potion turn into a clear liquid. “Yeah. That was cool”

  “You’ll have to ask your father about the test.” She said, picking the bottle up and putting a cork in it. “Take this to him too, it’ll help Jenny until he can get a new cow. He’ll know how to use it.”

  Joseph nodded, suddenly unsure of himself. He took the bottle and let his grandmother lead him out of her home. It was dark now, and he walked carefully towards the light of his home. Nothing stopped him and he quickly entered the safety of the large house. He checked the kitchen, but found both his parents in the dining room.

  “I have the potion.” Joseph said.

  “Ah, thanks. Set it on the table and join your brothers in bed. I’ll be up there in a couple minutes.” His father said.

  “Uh, dad. Grandma said there was a test I could take to decide my future now that I’m thirteen.”

  His fathers face darkened. “Did she, now?” he wiped his face with his hand and took a deep breath. “Sweet heart. Could you tuck the boys in? Joseph and I need to talk.”

  “Of course, love.” His mother said, kissing his cheek and heading past Joseph towards the stairs.

  “Joseph, come take a seat.”

  Joseph cautiously walked into the kitchen, taking a seat across from his father, who was rubbing his chin as though he had a beard like their neighbors all had.

  “This is hard for me, Joseph, so I’m sorry if it doesn't make sense.” He started. “We are descended from a long line of wizards, there is one in every generation. Around thirteen, we take a short test to see if we are that generations wizard. I didn't want to test any of you, because my brother was the wizard of our generation. He died in some war far away, and I’m still mad about it.”

  Joseph nodded, though he didn't really follow. “Does that mean you think I’ll die in a war far away if I’m a wizard?” he asked.

  “No, of course not. I’m just being selfish. You should take the test. I let your sister, and it wasn't her.” His father nodded. “Yes, we might as well. You’re great grandfather won’t let me hear the end of it if he finds out I didn't test you. Alright Joseph. Go to bed, we’ll do it tomorrow.”

  Joseph nodded, still confused. “Does that mean I might not take over the farm?”

  His dad smiled. “It might, but that doesn't mean you couldn't come back and help like your grandmother. I’ll never say no if you want to come help us weed”

  Joseph finally laughed, feeling better. “OK. Thanks dad.” He got up and left the room and headed up the stairs. His mother was just leaving the room he shared with his brothers.

  “Hey Sweety, can you tuck yourself in?”

  “Of course, mom.” He said.

  “Thanks. Dream well.”

  Joseph got into the bedroom and put on his pajamas.

  “What took you so long?” Bruce asked.

  “Grandma did some magic and dad said I might be a wizard.”

  “What?” Bryan exclaimed from his bed. “I want to be a wizard.”

  “Well, when you’re thirteen you can take the test too. Dad said we’re going to test me tomorrow so you’ll get to see.”

  “Go to bed you three!” their mom said through the door.

  Joseph smiled with his brothers and put his head down on his pillow, trying to calm the excitement he felt from his brothers. Soon enough, dreams found him.

  ~

  “Wake up! Get dressed.” Joseph heard his father say, feeling him jostle his shoulder. Joseph sluggishly opened his eyes and saw it was still very early.

  “What?” Joseph asked slowly.

  “You need to get dressed and get breakfast. You’re spending the day with your grandmother, and she wants you now. The old witch, always making things difficult.”

  Joseph slowly rolled out of bed and grabbed his clothes out of his chest. It took him a minute to realize he’d been trying to get both his legs into one pant leg, and then he fixed himself. He shuffled down the hall and nearly stumbled down the stairs. At the landing he went into the kitchen and sat down in his chair. Josephs mother put some oatmeal in front of him.

  “Eat up, dear. I hear magic uses a lot of energy.”

  He nodded and blew on the hot porridge before shoveling it into his mouth.

  Once he was done, more out of habit than anything, he put his bowl in the sink and stared at the doorway while he tried to get his brain to start working.

  His father appeared in the doorway. “Are you ready?”

  Joseph nodded.

  “Half asleep. Well, the walk will wake you up.” He said, walking in and herding his son towards the front door. He opened it and Joseph shivered against the cold breeze that blew in. His father walked with him to his grandmothers house. He knocked on the door and waited with him.

  The old woman opened it up quickly.

  “Welcome, welcome. Thanks Adam. I’ll take him from here.”

  “I want him back at noon. Weeding needs doing.”

  The old woman nodded. “Of course, of course. Come inside, Joseph.”

  Joseph looked at his dad, who smiled encouragingly and pushed him slightly into the small house.