Ok, so...Cynthia caused a bit of a kerfuffle in the last chapter. This new chapter is actually from Magnus's pov. It does indeed relate to the last chapter but I wonder if it seems too floaty ( like not grounded in the plot?). I would love your opinion on that. The next two chapters are a bit slower than previous ones, but I can promise that a big huge twist is coming next week...excited? We shall see, I might even decide to release it earlier...It seems like enough people are following to support more updates. Let me know your thoughts! :-)

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Magnus

"Then it really is only the three you will take?" Alice asked.

Magnus nodded. The fall always brought about the harvest of the year's hard work, both from his crops and from his livestock. The date of slaughter had already been set for the sheep, pigs and fowl, but from his human stock, he had decided a limited cull was preferable. It was his practice to handle the humans before the rest, least they spend any more time in worry than was necessary.

Though he'd been forced to delay in any final decisions when one of the chosen animals took ill a few weeks before, she now seemed to have recovered enough to return to work with a clean bill of health and he didn't wish to delay any longer. All that remained was informing Alice and ensuring that the few girls he had selected were prepared.

"Karen, Cynthia, and Pearl," he said. "I will take care of the humans first, of course. My aides will be here for the next two weeks to help with the processing of all the livestock.

Alice eyed him skeptically from the chair where she sat opposite him in his study. She looked down at her notes.

"Can you afford to make such a decision?" she asked.

Magnus nodded again. It was fascinating to him that she would question. He knew well that Alice always hoped to extend the life of each of her flock as long as possible. She would certainly never push for him to slaughter more than was necessary. But, as always she was clearly looking out for the good of all of them. She understood the business he ran quite well, and had a sound understanding of numbers.

"If you need additional funds to provide for them through the winter I can provide that," he assured her. "The harvest has been strong and will yeild a true bounty of produce to store, but I have budgeted for any excess costs in supplemental food or clothing they might require in anycase.

"The human market is soft at the moment. The three I named are somewhat on the older side and I have customers willing to purchase whole animals, but as for the rest? I have reason to believe that prices on human meat will be stronger in spring. Before we attempt to buy more stock at the auctions I will take a more substantial number. The extra poundage they will acquire over the winter will be worth more then."

"Well I am certain your flock will be quite relived," Alice said as she made notation in her ledger. "With the change in season there is always a bit more unease among all of the girls you keep and many have been speculating who might be leaving our ranks. The child in particular has been quite anxious."

Magnus stared at her in surprise. He'd never even considered taking the girl.

"She is young still," Magnus answered, "and remains rather thin. I believe more time is necessary."

Alice smiled. "A kind decision I must say," she answered.

Magnus frowned. He felt a certain level of discomfort discussing the child now that he knew Alice's history more clearly. Had she begun to suspect that he would maintain the young human longer? Raise her to adulthood? He still had no intention of doing so. The idea that harvesting Rachel might hurt his dearest friend upset him greatly but he had to ensure that Alice was not under any misconceptions.

"It is not 'kindness,'" he answered. "This is a business decision."

"A kind one nonetheless," Alice insisted.

"Alice..." he began, looking for the proper words.

"I only meant that she will be grateful," Alice said before he could finish. "Giving her as much time as possible is admirable, regardless of the purpose."

Magnus nodded, hoping he could trust Alice understood his message without needing to address the issue more directly. Their relationship had finally righted itself again and he hardly wished to threaten that.

"I will tell the others of your decision and prepare the three you will take," Alice continued. "I do not believe that any of them will be surprised. They are all well aware their time might be coming to an inevitable close."

"And yet I still do appreciate that you are willing to be the barer of the news," Magnus said as he closed his own notebook and rose from his desk. "I think the announcement is better received from your lips than mine, but I recognize the unpleasantness of the task, no matter how expected it might be."

"I would agree," Alice said with a small hint of a ironic smile in her lips, "Even if it may be a certain degree of cowardice that motivates you to farm out that unpleasantness."

Magnus let out a laugh at the comment. "I can hardly deny it," he chuckled. He was surprised when the mirth in her eyes dulled slightly and her gaze changed to one of wonder.

"What is it?" he asked.

"You do realize that most humans could expect a long and painful death as punishment for such jest," Alice said. "I am truly grateful you can take a joke."

Magnus let a smile return to his face again. "Perhaps from another I would not tolerate such insolence," he answered. "But from you, Alice? You never need fear your words might incite my wrath. Do you truly not trust that by now?" He reached out and took her hand. "I value you more than you will ever realize. You are esential to ensuring that my human flock is cotent and happy and I do not take that for granted. We must promise here and now to never fight as we did this past spring. We will be more open with each other. I vow to be more patient."

Alice put her other hand atop his. "You are inconceivably patient," she replied, looking up to smile at him with assurance as he helped her from her chair. "But indeed we will work to not keep such secrets from one another. I will trust that I might tell you anything and be heard."

"It is the truth," he said. "I made that vow to you long ago and my word is bond."

    He noticed her smile again falter ever so slightly for a moment, though she quickly corrected her expression.

"You remain the consummate pessimist, don't you, Alice?" Magnus asked. After all these years he knew she still questioned her place in his heart. That he would never rescind the grant of equality he had promised her so many years ago. But at the comment, her smile did truly return.

"Perhaps I am easier to read than I believe," she said.

    "Only because I know you well," he teased. "And believe me, it has taken years for practice to guess at even the smallest inkling of your thoughts."

    Her grin widened.

    "Forgive me, Magnus," she said. "Of course I trust your word, but my trust only extends so far. I'm afraid that might be something I shall never truly overcome."

    Magnus gave a slight shake of his head "It is your pessimism and critical eye that I have relied on, Alice,' he answered with a chuckle. "I can hardly fault you for it. I am too much of an optimist and you too much of a pessimist, but together, I believe we compliment each other quite well."

    "And always have," she agreed.

So Alice and Magnus's relationship does indeed seem to be on the mend, but Rachel's potential fate is as of yet undecided. Unfortunately Cynthia and Karen's is not. But that's life on this farm. Part of my goal with this book is to make the reader understand the normalcy of the cycle of life and death in this world. Every day humans and animals die under different circumstances. Farm animals are only permitted a limited life span.

Farmers don't consider themselves cruel for breeding their animals and harvesting them at a time that achieves maximum profitability. Magnus is a farmer and these are his livestock. I included this chapter for readers to see his thoughts clearly without any other complications that we saw in the deaths of Judith and Sarah. Rachel's presence temporarily upset the order of things between Magnus and Alice ( and he worries that it still might again), but I thought it was important to see what their relationship usually looks like as well as his business.

Thoughts on the chapter? I really would love feedback on this and the next one in terms of whether or not readers understand their purpose/find them helpful to the story, or see them as "fillery." Also, as there are still 18 chapters left, I am considering releasing three chapters on certain weeks to put out the story with a better flow. Hope that is good news :-)