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It was getting late on into the day - the sky was painted a lovely shade of orange purple and crimson - and from the quaint farmhouse smoke was billowing from the chimney that was connected to the stove where her mother was preparing dinner. Since her father was still working out in the field, it was Rinee's job to watch her newborn brother.

It was such a fine day that the freckled girl thought it a waste to stay inside, and so she'd placed her little brother in one of the baskets she'd made (one made specifically for the little bundle of joy before he was even born!) and carried him with her outside. It was there she found a patch of grass with a divine view of the sunset to sit. It was just Rinee, her little brother, and her basket weaving supplies.
Although technically she was bound by birth to be a farmer, basket weaving had become a hobby of hers. Her tiny little twelve year old fingers could weave the wicker tight. Her goal was to make a basket tight enough to hold water. Boy wouldn't that be something! Rinee often wondered what would be said if she tried to sell her baskets. Would people get mad and say she didn't have the right to do so since she was bound to being a farmer? They probably would... Oh well. Her talent didn't go to waste! There was always need of some sort of container around the farm! Father never really got on to her about the basket weaving (when she could of course be doing other more pertinent things!) because it did help after all.


"Hmmmm~" she sighed. "I wonder how much longer until dinner..."

Rinee's ears caught the noise that certainly didn't belong to her or her baby brother. Not wanting to be rude, she stifled her giggle and turned to look at the passing boy with a smile of greeting.

"Seems I'm not the only hungry one around here." Hmn, his face wasn't familiar to her. Then again, Rinee had a horrible memory usually equated to that of a fish - no joke. "My name's Rinee. Yours?"

Rinee put down her basket weaving and turned to face the boy, smoothing out her dress modestly.
"Well, you probably can't see it from here but to our west is the forest, so going that way is just gonna get you more lost, so your best bet is to go east and you'll hit the circle pretty quick."

Rinee tried to picture the town in her mind. Really she wasn't the best one to ask for directions from. Generally they consisted on 'You'll pass this bush that looks like a duck, and there's this fencepost-' As much as she loves to help people, she really just...wasn't that good at it.

"Hmn," Rinee didn't say anything for a moment as she put her supplies in the basket with her little brother - carefully of course! - and stood, baby basket in hand. "How about you come eat dinner with me and my family. Momma should be done cooking soon, and daddy should be able to give you better directions...plus you sound pretty hungry."

All this was said with a smile, though she did worry what her parents would think of her bringing an outsider into their home 'to ear their food.' Her dad could be pretty stingy.

"I'm pretty sure I learned somewhere that being hungry can be bad for your since of direction anyway!"

"Are you sure? Well,..." Rinee's brows furrowed slightly as she tried to figure out how she could help the boy, "At least follow me home so daddy can give you some good directions." and she'd slip him a bit of bread too. She'd feel even worse if she didn't!
"How's that work for you?"

She could understand why he might not want to accept the dinner invite. It must have been just as scary for him to be in such a hostile-to-newcomers environment as they were of him! So she wasn't going to push it too hard. But darn it! Ghenza would just have to learn! With them on the map now they were bound to get an influx of outsiders.

"We're farmers. The work really never ends around here. It's been double since momma had the baby," Rinee looked down at her little brother who was sleeping comfortably.
Rinee had never minded the work however, as she did 'live to help' some would say.

"So...where were you headed to anyway?" knowing that usually helped when giving directions. Doh! Why hadn't she asked before!? Oh well...

Hmn, glass crafting. Rinee couldn't remember the last time they'd had to purchase anything of the sort. The glass jars in which they preserved many of the vegetables they grew seemed to regulate themselves pretty well - by the time the harvest season came around the jars from the previous one was empty. Occasionally though one would break.

"Thank you. I know daddy sure was proud to have a boy in the family finally. So umm, where are you from?"

"Ah," She nodded. "I've often heard that the middle child tends to be such. At least you're getting to visit new places!" Rinee was sure she'd be too scared to venture out of Ghenza...just leaving the farm was adventure enough sometimes.

"I guess so. I tend to not recognize people I've met unless I'm around them often, so leaving the farm is like a journey to a new place every time, though the sights stay pretty much the same!"

They were nearing the farmhouse. Rinee could see the smoke from the stoveplace billowing into the darkening sky. And there walking parallel to them was no other than Rinee's father.

"Daddy!"

Her father was a rough looking man - skin tanned from many endless days in the sun, hairline receding and a mix of red and gray, and a permanent furrow to his brows. Carried on his shoulder was a rack of wood.

"Who's your friend?"

Rinee's father was not a very welcoming man.