108 Isha Reques

"Ah Jayde, do you have a preference for what you want to grow?" he asked.

He had already decided that he was going to take over running the farm. From as far back as he could remember he had always loved to grow things, he enjoyed working with the land, feeling the soil, nurturing the plants and watching them grow, it filled the emptiness inside him.

Jayde had been staring at the lake when Isha voice interrupted her. Turning around she looked over at the farm plots Isha was talking about. Tapping her chin she thought about what she wanted to grow.

"I guess some wheat, sugar cane, vegetables, herbs for cooking, I should also set-up some rice paddies as well."

"Excellent, I will arrange it," Isha said enthusiastically.

'Er... Jayde would it be okay if I built myself a place around here?" Isha asked hesitantly. He had never had his own home. The other trainers in the artifact where lucky as they each had their own space, but Isha had never been given that opportunity.

He had always been envious of them, and seeing Jayde wonderful cottage had filled him with a deep desire for his own place. His heart pounded as he waited for Jayde answer.

"Of course you can Isha," Jayde answered casually "You can build it wherever you want."

Smiling with delight Isha immediately started making a mental list of what he wanted. He didn't want to be too close to Jayde cottage, but he loved the view of the lake, looking around he found a perfect spot further up the lake, where the forest touched the edge of the lake.

If he built his cottage there, the surrounding trees would give him a sense of privacy. Pointing to the spot he said: "There that is where I want to build my home."

Jayde looked at the spot where Isha was pointing too.

"Perfect."

"If you need to use any points, then just go ahead as use them," Jayde offered generously.

She knew that while she had been cultivating Isha had been hard at work selling herbs, he had already told her that he had sold all of the Afeaso, as well as all of the mid-level herbs that had been ready to harvest. With the mid-level herbs, his profit had been over 4500 points. As far as Jayde was concerned Isha deserved those points.

Pity those mid-level herbs took ten years to grow in the herb garden. So Jayde would only harvest them once a year. I shouldn't be greedy, Jayde thought, she had already made a fortune in points selling all the herbs stored in the herb garden shed.

Unfortunately from now onwards, they would have to rely on selling only the herbs that they could harvest from the herb garden, and most of those herbs required between five and ten years to harvest, with Afeaso being the exception — but Afeaso wasn't worth much.

Gaping at Jayde generous offer, Isha was about to turn down her offer when she interrupted him.

"You have earned them Isha, so don't even think about turning me down," she said sternly when she noticed the look on his face.

"Ah, okay. Thank you Jayde," Isha said sincerely. Then turning in the direction of the Pavilion Isha rushed back. He was so excited that his hands were trembling. Finally, he was going to have his own home. He couldn't wait to get started.

Walking to the edge of the lake Jayde opened up her spatial ring and removed fifteen Lily pods plugs that she had kept. She had run out of Lily pod water a while ago and had wanted to visit the river in the Dark Forest to collect more, but she didn't think that she would get the opportunity.

After she and Yinxin had finished destroying the worm colony, Jayde would have to leave straight away for Aeris to take the Damonia Institute of Magics assessment test.

Jayde had already spoken to Reiko about it, as she was worried by the time they had destroyed the colony, she wouldn't have enough time to reach Aeris. Jayde and Reiko had decided that if that happened, then he would fly her directly to Aeris, with Reiko speed it would take them about two days to reach Aeris.

After throwing the Lily Pods seeds into the lake, Jayde found a comfortable boulder to sit on. Retrieving her fishing rod from her spatial ring, Jayde baited the hook, then tossed her fishing line in.

For the next two hours, Jayde kept her eye on the little wyrmlings who were playing with each other, while she reeled in her fish. After Jayde caught eighteen large fish, she called the wyrmlings and returned home.

Walking over to the large barbecue, Jayde removed the cooking grill, then retrieving a bag of charcoal from her ring, she emptied a third of her bag into the bottom half the charcoal grill. Retrieving her flint Jayde set the charcoal alight. Storing her bag of charcoal and flint in her ring, Jayde cleaned the fish that she had caught.

Once the fire was ready, Jayde placed the fish on the grill, every now and then she would base the fish with some lemon butter. As soon as the fish was cooked, Jayde removed them from the grill. Storing seventeen of them in her ring, she then removed large chunks of meat, which she spiced and placed on the grill to cook.

While the meat was cooking, Jayde broke up the one fish she had left on the side into small pieces and fed the wyrmlings. The little guys loved the lemon flavored buttery fish, and they were quick to lick Jayde's fingers clean with their tiny tongues after each bite, not willing to let even a single drop of the delicious lemony butter go to waste.

By the time the meat was done, Reiko and Yinxin were flying back to Jayde house. Landing outside Jayde went to greet the two. Jayde could feel the exuberance radiating from the two.

"Having fun?" Jayde asked grinning widely at the two.

Reiko just nodded his head, he was exhausted from all his running and flying around. He just plopped down onto the ground, panting slightly.

[It's wonderful here, Jayde] Yinxin said, her voice filled with joy.

Yinxin couldn't remember the last time she could just fly and not worry about being hunted. For the first time, she felt safe. Thinking that her children would be able to grow up here, she thanked the gods for allowing her to meet Jayde. Hopefully, her children would never know the bone-chilling fear of being hunted, nor would they ever have to experience watching their mother cut down in front of them, and butchered like she had to.

"I am sure the two of you must be starved after all that exercise," Jayde said cheerfully.

She was in a wonderful mood, her friends were safe and happy, she finally had her dream home. Even though she knew that Yinxin and herself faced a pitched battle in the next couple of days, but right now she just wanted to enjoy a wonderful meal with these two.

[Food! Barbecue!] Reiko shouted out joyfully.

[Geez Reiko is that all you can think off?] said Yinxin teasing the poor Shadowbeast.

[I'm starved, see you can see my ribs showing,] Reiko complained, sucking in his stomach. Only thing is no matter how hard he tried to suck in his tummy, no ribs or bones showed.

Yinxin and Jayde burst out laughing at the foolish Shadowbeast.

Seeing the pitiful look in Reiko's eyes, Jayde stopped teasing him and retrieved the meat and fish from her ring, as well as a couple of throw blankets, and a barrel of water for Yinxin.

The three of them sat down and enjoyed the small feast Jayde had cooked, feeding the three little wyrmlings small pieces of meat and fish.

After everyone had eaten their full, Reiko curled up and fell asleep.

Yinxin wanted to go to her cave and settle in, but the three wyrmlings finding that Jayde wasn't going with them, grabbed onto her clothes with their tiny teeth refusing to let go.

"Ah Yinxin, let them spend the night with me, the bed is big enough for the four of us," Jayde begged, she also didn't want to part from the small guys.

Shaking her head at the four pair of pleading eyes, Yinxin agreed. Besides, it would give her time to set up the cave. Earth dragons like herself could command the earth to shape into any form she wanted, and Yinxin wanted to create a proper nest for her and her children.

[Okay, only tonight you hear,] Yinxin said firmly to her three rascals.

[Yes mama] three sweet little voices responded simultaneously.

Knowing her three children were safe, Yinxin ran and leaped into the air, and flew to her cave.

Smiling Jayde carried the three wyrmlings to her room, settling them on the queen size bed, tired out from their active day, and with their tummies full, the three curled up and fell asleep.

Walking into her bathroom, Jayde ran a hot bath for herself. Gods, it is wonderful to have modern amenities again, she thought.

Adding some scented oils, Jayde undressed, then climbed into the tub. Leaning back with her arms relaxing on the edge of the tub, Jayde closed her eyes and felt the tension draining from her body. When the water started to cool, Jayde quickly washed, then climbing out of the bath, she retrieved a towel from her ring.

Drying herself off, she dressed in a long shirt that she had made for herself when she was Telia. Switching the lights off, she climbed into her new bed. The mattress and pillows were so soft and comfortable that Jayde couldn't help letting out a deep sigh, closing her eyes, she quickly fell asleep.