Chapter Text
The cry of her rooster, singing with the sunrise, woke her.
Groaning, Alex hauled herself up and rubbed her eyes. With a large yawn, she threw the covers off and got up, making her way to the bathroom.
She turned on the shower and shucked off her night clothes, inspecting herself tiredly in the mirror as she waited. A few seconds passed, marked by the steadily growing steam in her bathroom that started fogging up her mirrors. Testing the water with her hand, she turned it down just a touch before stepping under the spray. She closed her eyes and tilted her head back, sighing in content as the warm water chased away the vestiges of sleep.
Rejuvenated and clean, she hummed a half-remembered melody as she stepped out of the shower, shut off the water, and toweled herself dry.
She left her damp hair down as she entered her bedroom again to deposit her dirty clothes in the laundry hamper and retrieve clean clothes from her dresser. Made-up words for the tune stuck in her head were muttered from her lips as she dressed, dawning her normal and comfortable gear of a charcoal gray shirt beneath a light green tunic cinched with a belt around her waist and brown pants tucked into gray boots. She had other tunics and shirts in more colors but she always wore the green ones when they were clean. Green was her favorite color so she liked to wear it whenever she could. With her pale skin, flaming red hair, and bright green eyes, she always believed she looked pretty good in green, if she could say so herself. She took a brief second to admire her reflection before waking to the door to begin her day. Starting with…
Loud meows instantly started as soon as she opened her door. Her cat, Cocoa, an all-white short hair, darted into her bedroom before zooming over to circle around her feet, letting her know of his hunger. She smiled down at the talkative boy.
“Good morning, sweet little baby,” she said, bending down to pick Cocoa up. He started purring immediately and rubbed his face against hers. She internally gushed over his cuteness as she carried him to the kitchen.
Predictably, he started wiggling to be let down so she let him go, only for him to trot over to his food bowl and stare at it for a split second before looking up at her and meowing impatiently. She shook her head and scooped the bowl up, setting it on the counter while she took out a can of cat food. Cocoa meowed, sounding like the most tortured, pathetic soul in the Overworld, and all over an empty stomach. But she loved him and his cutesy meows.
“Are you hungry?” She asked him rhetorically. His answering meow was louder.
She walked over carefully, as Cocoa thought the best way to make her go faster was to jot between her feet as she walked, but she made it despite the tripping hazard that was her cat and sat the bowl atop his food mat. While he dug into the food enthusiastically, she took his water bowl and refilled it with fresh, clean water before setting it back down.
Cat taken care of, she began preparations for her own breakfast. From atop the fridge she grabbed a loaf of bread, and from the carton in the refrigerator’s side door she took out two eggs. She made short work of the meal, popping slices of the bread into the furnace while she scrambled the eggs on the stove. Once the eggs were nearing finish, she poured herself a glass of orange juice and put some grapes in a bowl. The cooked eggs and toast were then placed on a plate and everything was moved to the dining table. As she enjoyed her simple but delicious and filling meal, she watched the sun continue to rise just over the horizon. She had a long day ahead of her and went over her schedule in her head.
Feed the cow, horse, and chickens, water the crops, check for damages, harvest anything if it’s ready, have lunch and feed Cocoa again, go into town and check the community board, peruse the shops along the main street, check in with her friends, come home, check on her animals, feed them and Cocoa, then decide on dinner before spending the night with her current book.
Basically the same things she did everyday.
A pang of longing shot through her, but she was quick to shoo the feeling away. Sure, her life wasn’t as glamorous or exciting as she’d always hoped it would be, growing up with her miner father and historian mother. They had always seemed so cool in her youthful eyes. She was often torn between becoming a miner or pursuing history, before ultimately finding herself the sudden owner of a farm, curtesy of her deceased aunt. Back then, running a farm had seemed like a great idea, and even now she knew the benefits, but she was…well, she was lonely. The farm was a lot of work and though she’d grown to love it, it kept her on the outskirts of town. She’d even had to sell some of the animals that’d been here when she arrived, as the scale of the farm had been too big for just her. Her aunt must have hired people to care for it, but she hadn’t had that kinda money back then. She’d settled for selling the pigs and sheep and most of the cattle, keeping only one female cow, her aunt’s horse, five chickens, and the rooster that’d been there. To make up for the lack of so many animals, she’d expanded the farms and gardens, and planted fruit trees. She had a fairly sustainable living arrangement as she was incredibly handy thanks to both her parent’s teachings, and could oftentimes procure supplies for favors instead of emeralds. She could pay, if she had to—at this point, she was established enough in town that she could sell product for a decent amount. But she was also extremely extroverted and loved making connections, and in a town out in the middle of nowhere like Yule was, everyone knew everyone and word spread fast. If someone needed help, be it with repairs or husbandry or resource gathering, Alex was the go-to. She was always willing and able, and in return, she was allowed certain privileges in town. Namely groceries she could not or did not produce, and clothing.
And although Alex was happy, that didn’t mean she also wasn’t lonely. She had friends in town, and she could always visit her mother or father, but it wasn’t the same as having that special someone to share her life with.
Shaken out of her thoughts when Cocoa meowed and jumped up on the dining table, Alex pushed all those thoughts aside and locked them away for later. She was grateful just to have something.
“What do you think you’re doing mister?” She asked Cocoa, watching him sniff at her orange juice before turning his attention to her plate. He didn’t get closer, instead looked at her and meowed. Always a sucker for her cat’s cute antics, she picked up the last little morsel of egg left on her plate and tossed it on the table in front of him, then stood and grabbed her plate and glass as he ate it. While she washed the dishes, she looked back over her shoulder when Coca meowed. He was sitting at the edge of the table, staring at her. He meowed again when he noticed her staring.
“What, you want more? There is no more.”
His answering meow was somehow more pathetically cute than before. As if she hadn’t literally just fed him. Honestly, if someone heard him, they’d think he was never fed and never got any loved or attention. She smiled, returning her attention to the dishes.
“You’re just going to have to wait until lunchtime, kitty cat.”
Cocoa meowed like the world was unfair and she heard the thump as he jumped down from the table and ran off.
Once the dishes were clean and drying, Alex returned to her bathroom to finish getting ready. She brushed her teeth and braided her hair, pulling it over her shoulder like she preferred. Once she was ready, she turned off the lanterns on her way to the front door.
Opening the door, she waited the few seconds it took for Cocoa to come racing out before stepping into the warm morning sunlight herself. Taking a deep breath of the fresh, grass-scented air, she looked around, admiring her little slice of life. It wasn’t much, but it got her by and she was proud of it.
A worn stone path lead from her house to the various divisions of her land. Left was the gardens and greenhouse, straight was the barn and coop, right was the farmland, and behind the house a path lead to town. A ten or so minute walk, fresh supplies or help was never too far away.
Directly besides her house on the left side was a shed, filled with all her weapons and tools. The grounds within the boundary of her land, mapped out with a stone fence, were lit so as to discourage mobs. No mob would conjure forth from the Aether, as it was too bright, and the fence prevented the already spawned mobs from entering her farm and damaging her crops or harming her. As such, she rarely had need of any weapons, her best being an ‘on-its-last-leg’ iron sword. In an emergency it would do, and that’s all she really needed it for.
Her tools were much more well kept, as she actively used them every day and preferred quality over all else. They were all enchanted iron except her hoe, which was unenchanted diamond. The blacksmith had given her a look like she’d grown another head and she knew why. It was unusual enough to commission a hoe, let alone a diamond one, and the blacksmith had even laughed until he was crying before he realized she was serious. She understood though, and took all the teasing in stride. Her hoe was her most used tool, so she liked having it sturdy enough to last without her having to worry about repairing it.
She took out a watering can, then walked over to the well near the garden. Filling the watering can was quick work, then she made her way to the garden.
Enclosed in a white fence, the garden was of decent size and supplied her needs well enough. She had tomatos, strawberries, blackberries, and a plethora of flowers for appeal, all thriving under her attentive care. With so much time dedicated to the farm, she’d perfected her routines to provide the best care she could. Some of the older farmers who’d been around long before she’d been born had given her tips, after she’d moved in. Little things she could do to make life easier for her, since it was just her working on her land. She’d adapted some of the advice, just to suit her own preferences, and at this point was happy with the care she was able to provide her crops and animals.
She opened the gate leading into the garden and entered, not bothering to lock it up yet. The cow, horse, and chickens were still in the barn, meaning her garden was safe from wandering mouths while she worked.
A light breeze accompanied her watering. The sun was still low, not yet blasting the Overworld with its heat, and she internally lamented over Summer approaching. Each day became hotter and hotter, and the rain was long gone, nowhere to be seen for at least three more months. But she did like seeing the fruits of her labor at the end of Spring, so the coming of Summer had its benefits. Even if that meant she had more work than normal, as she had to harvest all her spring crops, plant summer crops, and make sure she would be stocked for the winter.
She made several trips to the nearby well, Cocoa trotting next to her as he kept himself busy playing with bugs and leaves. He jumped up onto the fence and watched her, until she made a trip back to the well. He reached out and made a quiet meow, tapping her arm gently with his paw. She smiled and started petting him, enjoying the enthusiasm with which he rubbed his head against her hand.
Once everything was watered, she quickly pulled any weeds she could see and made sure to shut and lock the gate. She overlooked the garden, pleased with what she saw.
“What do you think?” She asked Cocoa, glancing over at him. He was sunbathing, seeming asleep, but his tail flicked after she paused. Though, he sprung up as soon as she started walking away.
She took the watering can and returned to the well to fill it one last time. Then she walked over to the shed and pulled out her diamond hoe, making her way to the barn with Cocoa right on her heels.
The chain keeping the barn door closed was undone so she could slide it open. A gentle moo and several clucks accompanied her entrance into the barn.
Originally the chicken coop had been located outside, but after selling a lot of the livestock, the barn had seemed empty and purposeless with just one cow and a horse. So she’d converted two stalls into a chicken coop, which also allowed the chickens more space to run around during the Winter when it was too cold for them outside. She’d even had a dog door made that the chickens could use to go outside if they wanted. She’d been worried they might run off, but each chicken dutifully returned to the coop just before sunrise when she rung the bell hanging above the door on the outside of the barn. She was grateful to have such obedient chickens. The cow, too, was keen on returning before it got too dark, if she was ever outside the pasture.
Her aunt’s horse, Cider, was the only one she had to take out and bring in, otherwise it was liable to run off and never return. She was a young thing, trained but headstrong, an impulse buy from what she understood of the reasoning behind an elderly woman owning a young, capable horse.
But it wasn’t like Alex minded. It was nice having something like a horse to occupy her time when her days were on the lighter side, work-wise. And she enjoyed riding Cider, enjoyed that feeling of freedom. Exercising and caring for Cider was sometimes the highlight of her day.
She started with the chickens first, carefully choosing her steps through the flocking birds to their nests. She found four eggs, about what she was expecting, and placed them in a small bucket she had nailed to the barn wall just outside the coop. Then she took their drinking basin outside and dumped it, getting rid of the feather-and-seed infested dirty water. The basin was then placed back into the coop and refilled with the water from the well.
Next she pulled from a shelf the bucket holding the chickens’ feed and refilled the poultry feeder she had. The chickens swarmed the feeder and began eating, ignoring her entirely. She smiled at them and walked out, shutting the coop door and taking a few moments to observe the chickens, making sure they were all nice and healthy, before moving on.
After a brief trip to her house to drop the eggs off, she entered the stall of the cow, Rosy. Ever happy to see anyone, Rosy mooed at her.
"Well good morning to you as well," Alex greeted with a smile, reaching out to run her hand gently down Rosy's neck a few times. "How are you doing today?"
Instead of Rosy answering, Cider neighed loudly, the sound echoing within the enclosed space of the barn. Eyebrows raised, she looked across to the opposite stall. Cider nodded her head once she did.
"Excuse you, I'm trying to talk to my girl Rosy here," Alex chided, though Cider paid no heed and neighed again. Alex knew Cider was just eager to get out and stretch her legs, but still, the horse could show some decorum for once.
"You're just going to have to wait your turn," she said flippantly, returning her attention to Rosy who was watching the interaction. When Rosy noticed Alex looking at her, she pushed her head towards Alex's chest. Alex continued petting her for a few moments before she got to work. Better not to keep Cider waiting lest the horse throw a temper tantrum, plus she was sure Rosy would appreciate being let out and free to graze in the pasture until sundown.
Water emptied and replaced, food trough filled, pets and love given, Alex opened the stall door and used a basic lead to take Rosy out of the barn. The cow knew the routine at this point, barely needing any direction from her as she made her way automatically to the pasture. The only reason Alex was accompanying Rosy was so she could open the pasture gate to let Rosy in, and to close it after her so the cow couldn’t run off. Not that she would, but it also prevented other animals from getting into the pasture, or mobs, if the sky was overcast and the protective rays of the sun were blocked. She’d really become attached to all the animals she’d inherited, after three years of running the farm. She’d feel awful if anything preventable happened to them, and strived to make sure they had a happy and safe life.
Once Rosy was secure in the pasture, Alex made sure the huge basin near the gate containing water was filled near to the brim before making her way back to the barn.
Cider whinnied when she walked up to the stalls, as if celebrating her return. Alex shook her head at the horse.
“What are you so happy about, hm?” She said, walking to the stall besides Cider’s where she kept supplies and Cider’s saddled and bridle. She slipped on rubber boots and gloves, then grabbed a pitchfork and began mucking Rosy’s stall. She made sure the space was clean, taking out the manure and soiled bedding along the floor and replacing it with something fresh. She stacked more hay along one of the walls and nodded when she was done, clapping her hands together to clear them of dust. Then she approached Cider’s stall, shaking her head and putting her hands on her hips as she stood before it. Cider had turned around, presenting her butt to her.
“Oh, really?” She said, raising a brow. Cider neighed and Alex took it as indignant.
“Maybe this will change your tune,” she said lightly, as she stepped to the side and picked up a bucket, waving it in the air once Cider looked at her. As she hung it on the hook attached to the outside of Cider’s stall, the horse turned herself around, lifting her head over the top of the stall door to investigate the empty food bucket. Alex smiled with a shake of her head and reached up to pet along Cider’s forehead. The horse allowed it.
“You’re a silly girl,” Alex cooed affectionately, then finally filled the bucket with horse feed to let Cider eat.
While that was happening, she exited the barn. The dog door connecting the coop to the outside was kept closed for now, as she was planning on being in town longer than usual today and didn’t want to run the risk of the chickens being attacked by a random animal or mob while she wasn’t there to protect them. Next, she walked over to the largest part of the farm, the crops of wheat, potatoes, carrots, and beets. In the back, a row of apple trees were planted. It wasn’t time yet for them to be picked, they still had several months of growing to go through first, but the carrots and beets were ready, and parts of the wheat field could be cut now.
Parked right beside the gate to the farmland was a wheelbarrow, inside of which was a pair of kneepads she slipped on. Pulling open the gate, she wasted no time getting right to the harvesting. It was the most physical labor she had to do on any given day, save for the monthly full cleaning of the barn stalls. But it was also the most accomplished she felt, seeing all her hard work as profit before her. Some of the food she kept and stored, most she took into town and sold to her merchant friend Zack, who gave her a share of the profits once inventory was sold through. A nice, comfortable arrangement she was grateful for.
Once the necessary crops were harvested, she started the arduous task of watering. It wasn’t as bad as it could have been, since she’d spent the money to have a sprinkler system installed, but she hadn’t been able to cover costs for the entirety of the field to be watered, so part of it she did by hand. Though, she didn’t use a can like for the garden. Instead she had a hose, which made watering that much easier. She turned on the sprinkler and grabbed the hose, going around the edges of the crops to water those missed by the sprinkler. The sun rose to its zenith while she worked, and by the time she was done, her throat was parched and her stomach growled, hungry.
All her sellable goods were stacked on the cart she used to travel with, and which Cider would be pulling as they entered town. Everything was bundled by type and quantity, then secured to the cart with a tarp thrown other it all. Huffing for breath once done, she turned off the sprinklers before heading inside, thankful to be out of the sun’s intense rays. Sometimes it felt like living in a desert it was so hot. She pulled from the refrigerator a pitcher of lemonade and poured herself a glass, leaning against the sink while she drank until she heard scratching at her front door. Cocoa must have noticed the time.
As soon as the gap was wide enough, Cocoa came racing through, darting directly to the kitchen and already meowing up a storm. Alex shook her head at the cat’s antics.
“It’s like you’re trying to tell me something, I just know it,” she commented down to Cocoa, receiving another distressed meow, as if she’d forget to feed the cat if he didn’t remind her. Feeding Cocoa was a quick affair, then she made herself a chicken sandwich with chips and another glass of lemonade. Her stomach was satiated and her energy recharged afterwards, though she allowed herself a brief reprieve by sitting on the couch and letting Cocoa get his fill of attention.
After she was done giving Cocoa all the love he deserved, she got up and he practically sprinted to the front door, walking in circles and meowing to be let out, eager to run around and chase bugs. Very important work, Alex was sure.
She opened the door to let him out but did not exit just yet. Instead she walked over to the dining table and picked up her pack, digging around in it to make sure everything she needed was inside. Pouch of emeralds, check. Key to her house, check. Snack bar for later, if she needed it, check. Good to go.
She left her house and locked up behind her. She’d be gone for the remainder of daylight and wasn’t planning on being out past sundown, as she needed to drop off the harvested crops and catch up with some of the villagers before heading back home. Just before heading in for the night, she’d bring Rosy in, and recheck everyone’s food and water before going to bed.
Cocoa followed her all the way into the barn, jumping up on the stall door and starting to clean himself while she prepared Cider’s saddle. The horse, clearly sensing Alex’s intent to take her out, neighed loudly and stamped her hoof several times in a row. Alex just gave her a plain look.
“Hey missy, why don’t you…hold your horses.” She couldn’t help but to burst out laughing at her own joke, barely able to get the words out. Cider was unimpressed but it didn’t hamper Alex’s good mood. She had a smile as she saddled Cider with the custom harness she’d had made and lead the excitable horse out of the barn. Despite her wild nature, Cider did not try to pull away from her. Maybe walked a bit faster than normal, but Alex was in good spirits and just walked to match her, making it over to the cart in just a few seconds. Small huffs escaped from Cider as Alex spent the necessary time double checking the connection of the cart to the harness. Once satisfied, she hopped up on Cider and guided the horse into a gentle trot.
It was a beautiful day out, despite the heat. Although she felt like she was slowly cooking in her clothes, she still enjoyed the outside while Cider carried her to Yule. The sounds and song of nature was all around her as birds chirped and called, critters ran through brush and between branches, a cow or pig wandering beside the main road greeted her with a respective moo or oink. There were some clouds in the bright blue sky to accompany the radiant sun. A hot wind blew every once in a while, ruffling her clothes and hair. The smell of countryside slowly vanished to the overpowering scent of growing industry. Yule was expanding, and the Overworld was going through a major shift in technology. Smithing weapons and tools was become easier and faster, and knowledge of the resources the Overworld had to offer was more readily available. Farming systems like sprinklers had been developed not too long ago, and even the cart Cider was pulling, something she could hardly see herself not using, was a relatively recent invention. Alex was excited to see what else the Overworld had to offer, and Yule was a great example of innovation at its finest. The village was rapidly expanding, becoming one of the largest settlements on this side of the continent of Ulmina in just a few short years.
The dirt path leading from her home turned to cobble, and she passed by the sign reading ‘Welcome to Yule!’ It was white and faded, with small handprints of multicolored paint when kids had jokingly distracted the villager trying to repaint it and marked it with paint-wet palms. Alex thought it was a nice touch and always felt warm with happiness when she saw it. She might not live within the boundaries of Yule, but this was her village and she loved it.
People greeted her as she passed, and she did the same, enthusiastically chatting with anyone willing to listen. Cassandra’s two kids were starting school—how were they, how was her stamp collection coming along. Jonathon had been working on asking his crush out—how’d that go, congratulations you two will make a cute couple! David and Marge were celebrating their fifty eight year anniversary—how was it, you two are still so cute together, tell your son I said hi.
The horses and carts in town moved slowly, but Alex didn’t mind the attention her arrival brought as word spread and people flocked to her cart, most just wanting to greet her and catch her up on their lives, some passing her slips with jobs or orders on them. She thanked everyone graciously and was eventually allowed to her destination—Zack’s General Store.
There was a spot right next to the two story shop, and Alex steered Cider into it. She unhooked the cart from Cider’s harness and lead the horse to the small stable behind the loading area. Another horse Alex recognized as Deputy Harroway’s was already there. Not entirely a surprise—the good Deputy and Zack had a bit of a thing going on that they thought no one knew about but everyone totally did. Alex thought they were cute together and, considering she’d had sex with both of them, knew they’d be compatible in all the ways.
She made sure Cider had some food before patting her horse’s neck gently and making her way to the front of the store. A pleasant ding signaled her entrance, and behind the counter, where Deputy Harroway was leaning, Zack turned to look at her. His entire face—both of their’s actually—brightened.
“Alex! So good to see you again!” Zack greeted as she stepped up to the counter opposite Deputy Harroway. Zack was the scholarly type, with shaggy red hair and large circular glasses. His pale complexion made his green eyes pop much like Alex herself, though the freckles on his face lent themselves to a more boyish, innocent look that Alex could never hope to achieve. Innocent, that was. She was anything but.
“And you as always Zack,” she smiled at him, and nodded to Harroway. “Deputy.”
Predictably, the woman rolled her eyes and with a scoff said, “How many times do I have to tell you, that’s Jane to you missy.”
Alex let a smaller smile grace her lips. “Yes ma’am.” She fondly remembered the time they’d slept together and Jane had been ‘Deputy Harroway’ the entire time. Alex thought it was hot to sleep with an authority figure, and Jane, with her hour glass figure—softened a little nowadays but no less attractive to Alex personally—long brown hair, and nearly black eyes with caramel bronzed skin, was a dame to die for. They’d gotten together a few times when Alex first moved to Yule and had decided to remain friends since.
“Have the usual today?” Zack asked, and Alex nodded.
“Yep. Little less hay than I was expecting but everything else is about the same.”
“Not a problem, let’s go out and see what you’ve got today.” He grabbed a clipboard from behind the counter and went around to lead the way out. Jane followed.
As Zack counted and inventoried Alex’s wares, she and Jane walked over to the horses. Jane’s horse didn’t like anyone but his momma, but Cider liked anyone who had enough attention to give. Alex just watched as Jane ran her hand down Cider’s neck.
“How’s the farm doing?” Jane asked to fill the silence, and Alex shrugged.
“It’s doing alright, you know, same as always.” She looked down at her hands as she spoke. She wasn’t shy, far from it, but talking about her own situation never sat right with her. Maybe it was the fear that someone would discover her growing loneliness, and then what would there be? Pity? No thanks. She’d rather hear from everyone else and skip over her own part. Even with someone like Jane or Zack, it was hard to open up fully like that. Both of them had been quick affairs that broke off after a month or two of screwing around. Just a good time and stress relief. Alex understood. But she couldn’t help but feel, sometimes, that other people found partners and their relationships deepened when her’s…didn’t. She tried not to be bitter about it—that just wasn’t who she was—but it was hard at times. Inherently, something had to be wrong with her and she desperately tried thinking of what that could be, but so far had only been successful in pointing out her own flaws and feeling sorry for herself.
“Nothing unusual happen recently?”
At that, Alex snapped out of her wayward thoughts and furrowed her brows in confusion as she looked at Jane. “Unusual like what? Come on, that couldn’t have been any more cryptic. Is something going on?”
“No, no, just…concerns.” Jane looked around, as if worried someone might overhear. But it was just Zack near them, and he was absorbed in his work. Plus, she had to have already told him about this. “Apparently someone’s disturbed the Illagers and people are worried about an attack. But I don’t think it’s anyone from the village, so there shouldn’t be any problems.”
An Illager outpost was situated about ten minutes from Alex’s side of Yule’s outskirts, so it made sense Jane would tell her this. But she was sure, otherwise, this would be information kept on as down a low as possible, so as not to freak everyone out.
Since Alex had moved here, there had been periodic dealings with them. They were greedy, but not particularly smart. Whenever they made their way to Yule, thereby passing her farm, she was forced to give up some of her stock. The first time it’d happened, she’d had to convince them that letting her farm thrive would benefit them more than pillaging the entire thing for momentary value. As long as they waited long enough between outings, they’d have a supply of good, fresh food. Luckily a captain had been there that day or Alex probably wouldn’t have her farm.
But just because Alex had blood free dealings with them didn’t mean everyone did. They’d attacked Yule with intent to kill and capture many times, and would undoubtedly do it again. Jane’s concern for her was well-founded.
“The Illagers haven’t been any more active than they normally are, at least from what I’ve seen. They haven’t visited my farm in a long time, come to think of it. Like…I’m not entirely sure actually, maybe six, seven months?”
“I suppose I’ll take that as the good news it is then. Anyway, I’m sure it’s all rumor. If word gets out we’ll just patrol for a few nights to soothe everyone’s nerves.”
“That sounds fun,” Alex commented, and Jane snorted.
“I think you mean, godsawful. Sheesh I hate patrolling the perimeter when there isn’t a threat.”
“At least you’re not breaking up dumb bar fights or telling drunk people they can’t piss on the sidewalk in full view of everyone.”
“Ugh, don’t remind me. Seriously, I love this job, but sometimes…” Jane trailed off, but Alex knew what she’d say. Sometimes, the job wasn’t worth it for the amount of shit she had to deal with. Sometimes literally.
Alex nodded and straightened up a bit as Zack came over. He went over the inventory she’d brought and handed her the appropriate payment, which she took with a delighted smile.
“Thank you sir,” she said, adding the emeralds to her pouch.
“Always a pleasure Alex,” he responded. “Anything you need while you’re here?”
That question lead her down the rabbit hole. She shopped the General Store and bought a few things, nothing essential but she liked them enough to get them. Like the spatula painted with little bees on it or the cat statue made out of cans. The pose reminded her of Cocoa.
She said goodbye to Zack and Jane once she was done and left her cart and Cider by the General Store for now while she walked to the community board. It was located a few streets over, in front of the village center. Odd jobs and orders for items populated a vast majority of the board. Alex picked out ones she could easily complete within a short-ish time, like vegetables or fruits she already grew or coal and iron orders. Afterwards, she walked down main street, perusing the stalls and talking with villagers and those visiting.
When the sky became light orange, denoting the setting sun, Alex slowly made her way back to Cider and the cart. Deputy Harroway’s horse was gone, and two others were there to keep Cider company. As she picked up the harness, she looked over her shoulder at Cider and a thought occurred to her. She wouldn’t need the cart tomorrow…
She poked her head into the store. “Hey Zack?” She called out, as he was absent from the front.
“Yeah?” His voice was distant. Probably in the back sorting inventory.
“Can I leave the cart out here? I’ll come grab it day after tomorrow.”
“Sure! I’ll move it around when I get the chance.”
“Okay, thanks! See ya later!”
“Yeah, have a good day!”
She walked back out and brought the harness with her, but she didn’t put it on Cider, instead she tucked it into one of the pouches attached to Cider’s saddle. Then she detached Cider from the stable and hopped on.
“Come on girl, let’s stretch your legs a bit, what do ya say?”
The horse whinnied and threw her head around, as Alex steered her through the main road and out the gates. Once the cobble meshed back into solid dirt, she snapped the reigns and encouraged Cider into a fast sprint. Since the sun was setting, the wind had become brisker and the temperature wasn’t nearly as unbearable. Rushing home, letting Cider get her work out, heart pumping as the Overworld sped by, it was the perfect way to end the day.
When they neared her home, Alex pulled back on the reigns and had Cider settle into a trot.
“You sure are my good girl, aren’t you,” Alex cooed affectionately, rubbing along Cider’s strong neck. The horse dutifully trotted all the way to the barn with barely any input from Alex. It was nice when all the animals followed her routine without her having to fight with them to.
She pulled Cider to a stop right outside her stall, then slid off and patted the horse a few times before removing the saddle and bridle. Cider walked into her stall and Alex shut the door behind her. She checked Cider’s water and hung the feed bucket outside her stall in case she got hungry, then stood in front of the stall and waited for Cider to stick her head out. Alex reached up and grabbed the horse’s head, petting along Cider’s nose.
“Good job today girl,” she said, receiving a snort in reply. Alex smiled and patted her one last time before going to check on the chickens. She did the same thing for them—water filled enough to last till morning, and she threw some seed on the ground for them. As they ate, she counted just to make sure all were here before locking them up as well. Now just time to bring Rosy in before she could head inside and prepare dinner for herself and Cocoa.
When she stepped out of the barn, the sky was already showing signs of becoming darker earlier. Not that much, but she still grimaced up at it, displeased. Another thing she disliked about Winter.
Rosy was waiting by the gate, and Alex smiled at the old girl. “Hey Rosy, how was your day? Carefree and easy like always?”
The cow simply mooed. Alex chuckled. “Same.”
She and Rosy walked back over to the barn, and she made sure Rosy had food and water. With one last pet, she closed Rosy’s stall and said goodnight to everyone.
Cocoa was outside the barn doors. She smiled down at the little kitty.
“Well good evening sir. And how was your day?” She stood directly before him and patted her chest. He hunched down before springing up, and she caught him, snuggling him close. “I’m sure you’re just dying for some food, aren’t you?”
His meow was loud and immediate. She shook her head at him.
“You know, if no one knew any better, they’d think I never fed you.”
He didn’t seem to care as he meowed again.
She looked up at her house with a smile, only to freeze as her eyes caught sight of something laying on her stairs. It looked like a body.
Blood rushing and heart pounding, eyes wide and grip on Cocoa tightening, she took a tentative step closer when it looked like the stranger wasn’t going to move.
“Hello?” She called out. She didn’t stutter, which she was proud of, but her voice wavered. She swallowed nervously.
However, the body didn’t respond. Was it unconscious? She set Cocoa down gently and approached the body.
As she got within a few feet of it, she could see dark stains on the wood making up her deck. The waning sunlight provided little visibility, but there was only one thing it could be. Blood.
“Oh Gods, hello? Are you okay?”
Pushing aside her fear of the unknown body that’d shown up on her doorstep—literally—she rushed over and crouched beside the body.
It was a man, that much was obvious. His breathing was raggedy and his clothes were wet. There was a torch next to her door but it didn’t provide enough light to see where the injury was. She was able to turn him onto his side, confirming her fear that he was fully unconscious. Her heart was pounding so hard it was difficult to think straight.
Backing away from the body, she ran inside and turned on all the lights, then gathered as much supplies as she could hold in her arms and threw them on the couch. She pushed the table to the side and then returned to the porch, starting the struggle of pulling the man inside her home. Dead weight from a fully grown man made it difficult to achieve, but eventually she was able to get him inside enough to at least close the door. She looked around briefly to make sure Cocoa was inside—hiding under the dining table—before shutting and locking the front door.
Inside, where it was brightly lit, the state of the man was much worse than she would have hoped for. She had two potions of healing that she didn’t think would fully help the guy, but it was something.
She dragged him over to the couch, laying him on his back on the rug. The wetness from his clothes was blood, soaked from an injury on his side. His shirt was torn and barely hanging on him, so she only felt a little bad when she grabbed a knife and cut it out of her way. She feared the worst when his skin was exposed, but the injury she saw was…perplexing. Barely more than a scrape that couldn’t have produced so much blood. Maybe…the man had used a potion already? Yeah, that would make sense. And then he’d stumbled his way here from…somewhere.
It was weak, but Alex didn’t want to believe she had an axe murderer in her home, or something equally ridiculous.
Out of nowhere, Deputy Harroway’s words from earlier came to her.
‘Apparently someone’s disturbed the Illagers…’
She looked down at the unconscious man. Maybe this guy had something to do with that? His state would make a lot more sense.
Regardless, the man didn’t have a weapon on him that she could see, and with an injury that had turned out to be rather simple to fix, she bandaged it up, gave him a potion, and went to wet a towel. Her parents had taught her to be considerate, after all, and she’d hope someone would clean the blood off her if she was ever in this state.
There was a shoulder bag the man was carrying that she moved onto the couch, then began cleaning the blood off the man’s exposed skin. She didn’t want to overstep any boundaries but the man was kinda invading her personal space so maybe it would be okay.
The man’s skin was a nice, smooth brown underneath all the blood. Gray hair dotted along his temple but otherwise his dark brown hair was thick and just a bit shaggy. She brushed it aside as she cleaned off his face. Older, maybe in his forties, but no less attractive. Alex felt a blush creep onto her face at the thought.
Get your head out of the gutter girl, are you really gonna drool over an unconscious stranger getting blood all over your floors?
Despite her brain’s chastising, once she’d noticed it, she couldn’t help but continue to notice it. He was clearly someone who kept an active lifestyle—nice muscular arms and firm body when she felt it while cleaning the blood away. Her blush was going to be permanent at this rate.
After she deemed herself finished, she sat back on her heels and sighed. Well, so much for that nice ending to her day.
A meow drew her attention over to Cocoa, who had jumped up onto the back of the couch and was doing his impression of a loaf while watching her. When she made eye contact, he meowed again. Right. Dinnertime.
Glancing at the unconscious man, she got up.
“Alright, you win this one,” she said, walking behind the couch to pet Cocoa. He remained sitting, but when she scratched just at the base of his tail, he lifted his butt in the air for her. She smiled, eyes flicking to her unexpected guest before she turned and went into the kitchen. “What’ll it be today, fish or chicken?” She asked an excited Cocoa.
The man remained on her mind, but she focused on her normal nightly duties. Hopefully, in the morning, she’d have some answers.