Blueberry Discovery extended preview.

Blueberry Discovery

Nora scratched at her head as she looked over the contract. “We are hereby ordered to start producing weapons for the Lulvix Alliance? If the people of Terrondale do not produce the product in two months, they will be subject to military service in the Lulvix Alliance.” She sighed and dropped the parchment to the ground. “Why would you accept such a deal, Rensin?”

He turned around. “Look, I did what I had to, ok. He walked to the edge of the field. “It will all work out. Don’t worry.”

She rushed in front of him. “This is a town full of farmers. What do you expect us to do?”

Rensin shrugged as he began to slowly walk away. “Hey, we will figure something out.”

She reached out and grabbed his scrawny arms, and turned him around. “What are you talking about?” He turned his amber eyes towards the ground. “People came here to avoid dealing with the tragedies that Lulvix is inflicting upon others. They won’t want any part of this.

I don’t want any part of this.”

“What did you want me to do? Say no, and have that crazy man come here and do something to our home? I did this to help us. Now let go of me.” He pulled away from her, straightened his leather vest, and walked away.

Nora sighed. “This is a serious problem.” She blinked her green eyes. “What are we going to do?”

“Hey, Nora, can you come and help us out down here?”

She turned her head. “Sorry, Orthis. I have some other matters to deal with right now.”

The young lady emerged from the field.

“Please, this is serious. We need your help right away.” She reached out and grabbed Nora’s hand. “Come on.”

Nora’s eyes widened. “What is going on?”

“You have to see it. I couldn’t explain it to you if I tried.” Orthis shook her tan head. “I think even after I show you what is going on, you won’t understand.”

Nora rolled her eyes. “Just tell me.”

She dragged Nora through dense brush and into a part of the woodland that she hadn’t been to yet. “Here.” Orthis pointed at one of the Benthil cows from the northland, which were usually very large and brown. These specimens though were bright blue and purple. Nora’s eyes went wide. “What happened here?”

Orthis shrugged her shoulders. “We don’t know. Yenthis set up this place so the cattle could rest and not eat the land that we were planning to use to grow cabbage this year. He came back and found them this way. But that isn’t even the crazy part.”

Nora laughed. “Blue cows isn’t the crazy part?”

Orthis walked over to the nearest bovine. “When we discovered them, we did some measurements. These things are much more massive than before.” She crossed her arms. “I don’t get it. Maybe the meat inside them compounded? Or something else, but we are sitting on top of a gold mine.” She turned her head and smiled at Nora. “Terrondale will be rich.”

“I think we need more than beefy blue cows to be rich.”

Orthis laughed. “Yes, but still. This is amazing, right.”

Nora cracked a smile. “Of course, darling.” She reached out and grabbed Orthis’s cheek. “But first, you need to head back to the village and cut a path here.”

“Why?”

“So we can move the cattle easier. Why else?” Nora looked around. “If we are going into this business, don’t you think we should invest in such things?”

Orthis nodded. “Of course.” She dashed off. “Be right back.”

Nora sighed. “Now to look around and find out just what is going on.” She walked up to the nearest blue bovine. “Why, hello there.” She put her hand on the cow. “How are you doing? Enjoying your new blue coat?”

She pulled her hand away and noticed a sticky blue substance dripping from her fingers. “Ugh.” Nora looked the cow in the eyes. “What is all over your fur?”

“Moooo!”

“Well, moo to you too.” She crossed her arms. “How did you get coved in this stuff?” She sniffed her hands. “Ugh, it smells like blueberries. I didn’t even know blueberries grew in this part of the world.”

“Mooo!”

“I get it. Mooo.” Nora threw up her arms. “You are the one thing I don’t like about this place. I can’t stand cows. Huh?” She ran her hand along the side of the animal. “Are you thicker?” She pushed on the cow. “And why are you making a sloshing noise.”

“Nora!” She turned her head to see Orthis rushing back through the brush. “Rensin wants to talk to you.” She put her hands on her hips. “He said it is urgent.”

She pushed herself away from the bovine. “I will be right there.” She rushed over to where Orthis was standing. “The ever blue cow back there was starting to freak me out a bit anyways.”

Orthis waved her hand in front of her face. “Ugh, why do you smell of blueberries?”

“Oh, come now, darling.” Nora laughed. “This whole thicket smells of blueberries and cows. It isn’t me that you are smelling.” She tapped Orthis on the nose. “Think about it.”

“Right. Look, just get to the town hall. Rensin said it was important.”

Nora pushed her way through the brush. “No more important than what he already did this morning?” She lowered her voice. “That slime.”

As she walked through the small village, she couldn’t help but twitch her nose. Not only did the smell of blueberries follow Nora everywhere she went, but it was slowly getting stronger. “Ugh.” She held her hand to her head as she passed down the rows of cabbage. “I hope I am not coming down with something.”

A few moments later, she arrived at the front door to Rensin’s office. It wasn’t so much an office as the town hall, but he liked to call it his office when it wasn’t used for village meetings. Nora pushed the door open and could see him sitting at a desk on the far side of the room as he rummaged through papers. He looked up after he heard the door creak open. “Ahh, Nora.” He squinted his blue eyes. “Ugh, why do you smell like blueberries?”

She walked into the building. “Never mind that.” She closed the door behind her. “You wanted to see me?”

“Yes.” He stood up. “I have some ideas on what we could do to make good on our promise to Lulvix and wanted to talk to you about it.” Nora squinted her eyes as she felt her body tense up. “I think since we are a big farming village, we could work on maybe trying something alchemical based.”

“Hmm, interesting.”

“I know, right. Then we won’t have to do anything radically different.” He turned around and began to go through the books on the shelves behind him. “Look, there are volumes of the plants and such around here. I just need to find the right one.”