SS1: An old man’s rambles
--Oldman Gazz POV—
I had lived all my life tending to this village lands. Planting, harvesting, foraging, and taking care of brats. You name it!
The old village head was always the one arranging and planning everything in this village. After all, he was one of the few who was able to study in Lord Gisvon’s Gartner Town. When he was young he lucked up and was assigned as a storekeeper in one of the businesses of some well-off merchant.
I heard he learned a lot about managing and keeping tabs. Bah! I think the thing he learned the most was counting money and picking chicks. Just look at her wife and you could tell how smooth he was when he was younger.
Anyway, though I’m older than the village head, he looks much older than me. Bahaha, serves him right! Continuously piling issues regarding the village must have taken a toll at his looks. It definitely made him grumpy and unpleasant looking unlike me.
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A letter had come from the town with the Lord Baron’s seal.
Apparently a month ago, an adventurer from the town delivered it to the village head. I wonder what it was all about. It was very rare to have a visiting adventure in this village more so a letter from the Lord of Gartner Town.
Lately, problems were cropping up one after another especially about the planting fields. The amount of harvest during the past fall seasons is dwindling. The village food stock was able to barely last this winter, but how about the next one. The village head had been thinking and worrying about the next harvest.
It started about three years ago. I, Old man Gazz, was actually the first to see the changes. Don’t belittle this old man's 73 years of experience in the field. I discovered that the yield during our harvest was getting noticeably smaller and smaller. At first, we suspected it was just some pest. So, we searched the fields and took out bugs and other crop pests.
Later, we dismissed the notion. After two more harvests of crops, there was no change aside from the farm soil looking more rigid and dull. We tried to water the lands but there was still no change.
So the elders and the chief decided to look from the nearby village and towns but to no avail. Sadly, it was only our fields who suffered from such a situation.
It seems like problems on how we would pay the taxes for Lord Baron would arise in the upcoming village meeting. I think that was what the letter is all about.
The old cheapskate must definitely be scheming to milk us from our personal savings. This Old Gazz thinks that the old chief might be thinking to shift our tax payments from grains to copper coins.
“Gramps! We gotta get goin’ to the plaza. It looks like some’uns new is arrivin’, you comin?”
“Wait you brat aint’ goin’ nowhere without this old man!
Thus, I immediately followed after my snotty grandson. As I walk towards the plaza, I overheard gossips that a new lord would be arriving today to manage this village as a fief. It seems like it’s the truth. Well, I leave the thinkin’ job to the village head.
Clackk..clacckk..clacck
Halt! Shouted a fierce burly man.
Guessing by their looks and mannerisms, it seems like a lot of things will change from now on.
Thus, I carefully appraised the eyes of the man who shouted. Perhaps others could not tell, but there was something was different. There was a strange ember of fire in the eyes of the man. It was not fierceness nor brashness. It was the first time I saw it.
His very presence instilled unexplainable joy, excitement, and pressure to my eyes.
Suddenly, I felt a glance scanning me. Eh? The big guy was also looking at me. He grinned. Bah! Maybe it wasn't me. Thus, I slowly lowered my head in distress. There were too much force and emotion coming from the big duds gaze. It was flickering with embers of passion.
Eh? Passion?
My eyes circled around the whole village plaza. Thinking a little more, this old man's spine shivered. Revolting nausea slowly crept up from the abyss of my guts. I felt horrified. Such incorrigible bastard.
Though old, these bone only likes cute and tender girls. I hate big men!
A burst of loud laughter suddenly boomed out from the armored man.
“Haha! At last, the week-long wearisome and boring journey has ended. We have arrived at this new fief of mine. “See this darling, this land is ours as promised by the Lord Baron."
Ah, he looked at me again. It seemed like it wasn't a coincidence indeed. Thus, instead of looking, I slowly looked up and prayed for the first time in years.
Oh, goddess and esprites! Help this old man's withered bones. This Old Gazz from now on promises to not peek anymore at bathing ladies near the river. Just help me this once! This old man doesn't want to be ravage and toyed by a bearlike dud!
The embers in his eyes were provokingly questioning my body. Its interest lies solely on this edgy old man's visage.
What does this muscular man want from me?
This old man's eyes rarely fails me.
The big dud wants my body.
Nicely written. I will be following this one, already added it to my reading list.
Thanks Ddraig
, I gotta keep writing then. 
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