"My child, I am so elated! You have finally fallen in love, you should’ve seen your father’s face, it lit up with joy!"
"Yes, Mother, I’m glad it makes you happy."
"Have you sent him a letter?"
"I have just mailed one."
"Hmm, and what about him? Has he sent you any?"
"He is a very busy man, and far away from the kingdom, when he writes it takes more than weeks for it to reach me."
"Oh, my daughter, such sadness, but do not be disheartened. Soon, he will return and you will be able to be together."
"Yes, I’m longing for that day. Now I must go; I am heading to the fields to check on the grapevines."
"Be careful, and bring back some bunches so I can make some jam."
"Yes, ma'am!"
I leave the house, exhaling the breath I didn't realize I was holding and run to the stables to prepare Emerald for a ride. Emerald is my mare, a gift from our neighbor who owns a large stud farm on the eastern side of the kingdom.
Ready to go, I climb onto her and we set off for the fields. A few minutes later, we arrive. I tie her to a tree and wander through the grapevines, picking beautiful bunches when I hear noises nearby. I decide to investigate, reasoning it could be someone hurt or an animal. I put down the basket and follow the odd sounds.
From a distance, I can see a young couple; they were completely nude. I couldn’t comprehend why the young man was pressing his body against the girl's, it’s odd... perhaps he’s hurting her! If not, why would she be screaming like that? I decide to intervene.
"EXCUSE ME? IS EVERYTHING ALRIGHT?"
They stop what they're doing and in a panic dress quickly. As I move to approach, they run off.
"DON’T RUN, I WON’T HARM YOU!"
It's no use; they leave me there without answers. Going back to where they were, something white is on the ground, some kind of slimy liquid, what could that be?!
I decide to leave it be and return to what I was doing, picking grapes! Later, I will tell my father what I saw, and he will explain it to me.
After picking the fruit, I head back home.
..
"Daughter! You’re back."
"Good afternoon, Father."
"Good afternoon! Ray of sunshine, tell me how is the vineyard looking?"
"It’s splendid, the grapes are looking quite luscious as you can see. I even brought some bunches for mother to make jam!"
"Ah, let me taste them."
He plucks some grapes from the bunch and tastes them.
"Mmm, they’re delicious, sweet, sweet!"
"Yes, perhaps the sweetest yet."
"None will surpass those of 1970. My child, none!"
"Yes, haha."
"Oh, but you two stop eating my grapes, there won’t be any left for the jam! Give me that basket, young lady!"
"Haha, sorry, Mother, we were just tasting."
"Sure..."
She takes the basket from me and heads to the kitchen, followed by my sisters. Father and I sit on the couch to continue our conversation.
"Anything else?"
"Yes, I’ve also found quite a few pests in some bunches along row twenty."
"Pests? But we’ve sprayed this month already."
"Maybe they forgot to treat that row?"
"No, my daughter, we spent over two hundred thousand cruzeiros on pesticides, such an error cannot happen."
"I really have no idea then."
"There’s something you must learn, my child. There are wicked people in this world, and when you own something of great value, they will do everything to snatch it from you. Be wary of the rats that hide in the hem of your pants or dress, haha."
I remember what I saw in the fields and hesitate to tell him...
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Updated 88 Episodes
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