The Seed Thief

On the promised day, Ervandas did not return. Lulu stood amidst the falling snow, waiting for him until dawn painted the sky with a pale light. But as the sun rose, there was no sign of him, no footprint disturbing the freshly fallen snow.

At first, she thought she might have miscalculated the days. However, as the circles on the paper surpassed 40, the truth became impossible to ignore. Er wasn’t coming back.

Panic wormed its way into her heart, twisting her insides with worry. Was he unable to return? Or worse…did he choose not to?

‘He said he was going to see his family…’

Images of Ervandas returning to his own life flashed through her mind. He had told her stories of his home—a sprawling estate, bustling with life. His parents, brother and wife, their children, and numerous servants.

Unlike her small house in the woods, where only chickens roamed, his home had countless sheep, cattle, and horses. Books lined the shelves, and paintings adorned every wall.

“You’ll never be bored there,”

he’d assured her, sensing her apprehension.

Back then, she’d listened with amusement. But now, thinking back on his descriptions… Would he miss a place like this, after returning to such a vibrant and exciting life?

There was nothing here. Just the forest and the stream, their scenery changing only with the seasons.

Her gaze swept over the familiar landscape. The vibrant world she’d known since childhood suddenly seemed monotonous, almost suffocating.

Would he miss this place? This tiny, quiet life, compared to the warmth and grandeur of his family estate?

Despair crept in, slowly consuming her. Day after day, she did nothing but sit on the porch steps, her eyes fixed on the empty forest path.

The food Ervandas had prepared was almost gone. Still, Lulu neglected the garden, her magic untouched.

The thought of using her dwindling magic filled her with dread, and she had lost all desire to eat. When the hunger pangs became unbearable, she would force down a few bites of the remaining dried fruit or jerky, but even those were becoming scarce.

Her limbs grew thinner, her skin sallow, the healthy glow replaced by a sickly pallor. Yet, in stark contrast, her belly continued to swell with each passing day.

Lulu no longer drew circles on paper. As the numbers increased, her heart grew more torn, and she no longer remembered Ervandas’ expression that she used to draw.

She was alive, but barely. Food and movement held no appeal; she simply existed.

The golem and the bone crow remained steadfast by her side. Even the scarecrow, usually content to wander the forest, would visit her occasionally. He would drop a twig, laden with dried berries the birds had missed, onto her lap.

He would hop around anxiously until she finally ate a few, only then did he relax before disappearing back into the forest.

Meanwhile, the forest embraced the fullness of winter.

‘So cold…’

Lulu rose from her bed and exhaled warm breath into her cold hands. Even inside the house, her breath formed white puffs in the air. Slowly climbing out of bed, Lulu momentarily cradled her belly and crouched down.

“Ugh…”

A wave of dizziness washed over her, with a pulling sensation in her muscles and movements inside her belly.

As her body grew thinner, the baby’s movements became prominent. At first, the sensation had frightened her—alien and strange. But now, she welcomed each kick and shift, a reassurance that she wasn’t alone.

She couldn’t touch the golem, the bone crow, or the scarecrow. Her unborn child was the only living thing she could feel, the only one that reminded her she was still alive.

“Were you cold?”

It wasn’t a question she expected an answer to. But as if on cue, the baby responded with a firm kick.

“I know, I know. Let’s get you warmed up.”

A flicker of a smile touched her lips. For a moment, it felt like they were having a real conversation. Quickly, she dressed and went outside.

“Help me with this.”

The golem, its head dusted with snow, eagerly followed after her. It had been a while since she’d given it any orders.

In the storage room, Lulu rummaged around and found the woodpile Ervandas had stacked. After taking out a large bundle, the room was left empty. She’d been using it sparingly only on the coldest nights, but it had dwindled faster than she’d realized.

Lulu dragged a large bundle outside and instructed the golem to carry it back to the house. It obeyed, lifting the wood with its remaining arm.

At this rate, it will all be used up by tomorrow night.

‘Maybe I should gather some branches.’

Her gaze fell on an axe resting in the corner of the storage room. Picking it up, she made her way to the nearest dead tree.

“Oof!”

The axe was heavier than she’d anticipated, sending a tremor through her as she lifted it. Despite dust coating the blade, it gleamed sharp. Er must have sharpened it before he left.

Gripping the handle firmly, she swung the axe.

Thwack!

The axe landed a few feet away, spinning in the dirt.

“Ow…”

Lulu frowned as she looked at her hands, which had become bruised and reddened from the impact. Why was it so easy when Er did it?

Thump, thump, thump!

The golem, startled by the loud noise, hurriedly lumbered to her side, circling her anxiously.

“I’m fine. I just dropped the axe. Can you chop some firewood for me?”

The golem immediately obeyed, picking up the axe with its remaining hand and striking the branch with a clean, decisive blow. 

Crack. Crack.

 

Branches fell around them.

Within moments, a pile of firewood lay at her feet, enough to last a few days at least.

Just as Lulu’s worries seemed to ease, a sharp whistling cut through the air, followed by a heavy thud. 

She saw the axe had flung from the golem’s grasp, landing a short distance away. And the golem’s other arm, where it had been only moments before, was now gone.

“…”

Lulu didn’t need to ask what had happened. She already knew. The magic animating the golem’s remaining arm had vanished.

Staring blankly, Lulu spoke to the bewildered golem.

“I’ll fix it. As soon as the magic returns, I’ll definitely…”

But when would that be? Would she ever be able to use magic again? What if it never returned, and the golem lost its legs, and then…and then…

The thought of losing another companion, of watching this creature crumble before her eyes, was too much to bear. She choked back a sob.

“Go home, I’ll bring the firewood.”

The golem obeyed, its head bowed low.  Even it seemed to understand there was nothing left it could do.

Just then, a rustling sound broke the silence, followed by the unmistakable thud of hurried footsteps. The scarecrow!

At first, Lulu thought it must be returning from its usual wanderings. But the sound grew more urgent, more frantic. What could it be this time!? Lulu looked nervously towards the forest, and soon the scarecrow appeared from the trees.

“What happened to you!?” 

Upon seeing the scarecrow, Lulu let out a scream-like voice.

The scarecrow loved the clothes that Er had given it before leaving, so much that it refused to leave the porch even when it rained. But now, the clothes were scorched and torn, and several arrows protruded from its straw-stuffed limbs.

Lulu had faced such hostility before when she’d first ventured into the nearby village. But humans hadn’t dared to approach the forest in over a decade, not since the mages had declared it forbidden.

The only human who had ever entered these woods with ill intent was Ervandas himself.

Who else would come here? And why attack?

Her gaze darted to the sky above the trees. A plume of smoke billowed in the distance, drifting slowly towards her home. 

Even without going to check, she knew. Someone with hostility was approaching this way.

Thump!

The golem stomped its foot, a clear indication it intended to confront the intruders. 

Lulu shook her head. If the golem were in good condition, she would have left it be. But now it was missing two arms. Besides, the rest of its body could collapse at any moment.

“Scarecrow, you go back inside the house, and tell the crows not to come out! And you, golem, guard the front of the house!”

The golem shook its head as if to say, ‘What about you?’

‘I still have some magic left.’

Perhaps because there was so much mana to begin with, although it was fading, it wasn’t completely gone. Fear had kept her from using it, but… 

Lulu knelt, pressing her hands against the ground. Her home, nestled deep within the forest, was rarely disturbed by animals – partly due to her magic, but also thanks to the protective barrier the forest witch had erected long ago.

Lulu hadn’t felt the need to reinforce it before; her magic had always been more than enough. Now…

‘Please, please work…’

Drawing on her memories, she channeled the last vestiges of her mana, tracing the faint outline of the protective spell.

A low hum resonated through the ground as the dormant magic stirred, responding to her touch. A faint red glow pulsed around the perimeter of her home, forming a shimmering, translucent barrier. Birds, startled by the sudden burst of energy, flew headlong into the invisible wall, their wings beating frantically against the barrier before they veered away into the sky.

Lulu rushed back inside, bolting the door and peering out the window. 

Moments later, a group of figures emerged from the trees, approaching from the direction the scarecrow had come.

They were not villagers—rough-looking men, armed with swords, bows, and wicked-looking knives.

While villagers wore clothes roughspun and simple for practicality, these newcomers wore garments of finer fabrics, accented with leather, some even clad in pieces of armor.

Their faces contorted in confusion and rage as they found their path blocked. Curses echoed through the silent forest as they thrust torches and swords into the shimmering surface.

Holding her breath, Lulu listened intently, trying to decipher the words carried on the wind.

“There’s something here, I tell you…!”

“The prince…hiding something…”

I dunno how will I proceed the next 3 chapters, my heart can't...