Chapter 5: Tess
Asher took the yams from grandma Tess and bit into them directly. He didn't even care to peel them first, not minding the bits of ash on them.
In the condition that he had been staying for the past three days, a bit of ash on the yams was nothing for him.
They were one of the only two crops that grew in the Crude Lands due to how hardy they were and as such were the main staple of all those that lived here. This was one of the reasons the area was named as such.
While it had plenty of water, the land itself was barren. With its low fertility, only the hardiest of the crops could grow here. This was also why only the unwanted of the society lived here.
It was all those that either had no other place to go, or had been driven out.
"Slow down. You don't want to choke on it." Tess spoke, patting the back of Asher.
She could see his condition under the light of the torch and saw the sunken cheeks.
'How did he even last this long?' Tess wondered, tears threatening to stream down her eyes.
But she knew better than to cry here. She could not be weak in front of her grandson, because if she was weak, how could her grandson, who had withstood it all so far, justify it?
'This kid… He really took my words to heart.' Tess thought to herself.
After Asher was taken away, Berk had gone to see Tess right away and told her all that had happened. Tess's heart had almost stopped upon hearing it all, and could barely manage to stay calm.
Thankfully, it was Asher's own well being that allowed her to hold on.
She tried to think of a way to get him out, and Berk helped her too, but both of them were unable to come up with anything substantial.
Going to the Overseer to ask for pardon for Asher was simply useless. Both of them knew it and there had been cases in the past that only ended up with those pleading ending up in prison as well.
Tess couldn't let that happen, as it would mean Asher would have no one to rely on outside. The same could be said for Berk, who had his own family to take care of. If he got into trouble, his family would be helpless as well.
"How did you… get in here?" Asher finally asked, after he had scarfed down two entire yams. "Don't tell me you sneaked in?" he felt worried about the two, as it would be quite dangerous.
"No, we didn't sneak in." Tess shook her head.
"Then how…" Asher furrowed his brows, wonder how they would be let in.
"We paid the guards." Berk finally spoke.
"Paid them!?" Asher was surprised. "With what?"
"Your share of the payment for the ore," Berk replied. "Along with some that Tess had saved up." He added.
"They let you have it?" Asher was surprised.
"Well, the overseer didn't, but the clerk did after I went to him later." Berk replied. "Looks like there was at least someone who you managed to convince on some level." He added.
Asher remembered the meek man that worked with the Overseer. He too had been a resident of one of the Camps but had managed to work for the Overseer due to the fact that he was good with accounting and other clerical work.
No one knew how he knew all this, but his skills seemed to be good enough for the Overseer to pass on the work.
"He… he did that?" Asher didn't know what to think of the man who almost went ignored most of the time.
But then again, the Overseer's personality was quite 'big', which overshadowed all others around him. Thus, it was easy to ignore the others that were with him as well.
It was easy to forget that while there were many that worked as miners, there were still a handful of smarter people from the camps, that did other skilled jobs. But became there were so few of them, most didn't even know they lived or at least used to live in the camps too.
"Yes, he did." Tess spoke. "Everyone has good in them, even if it may be little. When it comes out is unknown, but when it does, it can change the world." She repeated the words she had told Asher many times.
It left Asher speechless but at the same time made him feel a bit sad.
"And what did you use, Grandma? I don't think we had any savings." He asked, as he sure as hell hadn't seen anything in their tiny hut.
Asher knew better than anyone that they had nothing saved up, as there was simply no avenue to save up. They lived hand to mouth, and might have perhaps a day or two's extra food left if Asher mined extra one of those days.
"You don't have to worry about that." But Tess didn't intend to answer him. "You just need to focus on yourself and what's to come." She said, changing the topic.
"Yes, the coming days will be important." Berk joined in.
"How exactly? I don't think they are letting me out, are they?" he asked.
"They are letting you out of here, but nor freeing you." Berk replied, making Asher confused. "They are… Sending you to mine number fifty." He revealed, making Asher's eyes go wide.
"Mine fifty… But that's… The slave mine." Asher said with difficulty.
"It is… but it is also the only way you can get free." Berk answered, before looking at Tess.
The old woman held Asher's shoulders and made him look into her eyes.
"Listen to me… You have to escape from here." Tess stated firmly. "Leave the Crude lands and never come back."
"Leave the Crude lands? Leave you?" Asher repeated. "No! I can't!" he rejected.
There was no way in hell he was going to abandon his only family.
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone