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The Farmer's Truth
1st Year
Spring
The farmer came into the valley with no fanfare. He gave only enough notice for the Mayor to be there with the carpenter.
It was out of courtesy that he bothered.
To the townspeople he'd seemed to simply manifest one night. In the first week they saw neither hide nor hair of him. In the second, he came into town to purchase seeds from the shopkeeper. He stayed only long enough to do so before leaving without any further words, disappearing once more.
What use had he for them?
Rasmodius was unsure of what he'd been expecting when he first met the farmer, whose arrival he'd long ago foreseen. He knew he hadn't been expecting this. The second the farmer came to his tower, answering his summons, he'd known there was something different about him. Something that was…
Distinctly separate...
He'd told the man of the creatures who had made the Community Center their home and guarded it. The farmer had mentioned a scroll, and so he'd gone to investigate, leaving his guest alone in his tower. When he returned through the front door, the farmer didn't jump or seem alarmed. In fact, he seemed to have expected as much.
He was waiting, facing the door...
He translated the note for his guest out loud. He hadn't known it then, but the man was only humoring him.
The farmer had understood from the start every word written in that scroll…
'If you are one with the forest, then you will see the true nature of this scroll.' That was what it had said. Rasmodius had wondered at what those words meant. He must have seemed such a naïve child, to think it had anything at all to do with his brew. He must have seemed such a fool, telling the farmer to drink and let the essence of the forest permeate his body.
He was the essence of the forest…
When his guest drank the brew, the wizard fully expected him to get sick. He didn't. He wasn't even fazed. He remarked simply that it would be better sweetened with berries and honey. He assured the wizard the addition of such ingredients wouldn't taint the drink. He proceeded to compliment him on how well he'd made it, saying he hadn't expected it of one of his ilk.
Rasmodius knew, in that moment, that that 'man' wasn't a man at all…
"You are well at your craft, wizard. Continue to pursue it." With those words the farmer left, and Rasmodius made it a point to find out exactly what it was he'd spoken to.
Stardew
Never was the farmer seen, yet somehow his presence could be felt everywhere. If one was lucky, they might catch a glimpse of him; usually late in the night or during the quiet parts of the day when not many people were around. He was spotted most often in the forest. On occasion by the beach. Other than that, he might as well not have existed at all. Each evening when the Mayor would go to collect the farmer's wares, he would see the fields the man had cultivated. Never the man himself, but his farm... And he was in awe of it...
To call it a farm seemed a disservice. It was more a garden. No spot of land that could be cultivated had been left unseeded or unaccounted for, and Lewis wondered how it was possible for the farmer to afford all these seeds! He longed to walk in those fields, but always just as he was about to, this odd sense of foreboding washed over him and all he knew was that he had to leave. Immediately. So he did.
The farmer never harvested a thing he planted, say for maybe one item—sometimes five—from specific crops. He never sold those. What was usually placed in the box consisted of treasures from the mines, fish, and foraged fruits and flowers. Even some of these things the farmer kept near. The man was a mystery, and the Mayor wasn't sure how he felt about that.
It was Marnie who next saw the man. She'd walked through his garden in wonder, carrying the stray cat she'd found sitting outside the farm, looking at the plants in wonder. She arrived at the door as he was exiting his house. She greeted him and asked him if he would like to adopt the poor creature. He'd taken it from her arms without a word, gently stroking it. It fell in love with him immediately. Her heart almost melted at the adoration the animal displayed for the farmer on first sight. She teased him, telling him she'd obviously chosen her owner. He said only thank you, and told her that should she find any other stray animals, she was free to bring them to his farm during the day. Only the day. He hadn't said that part, of course, but she got this strangely distinct feeling that that was what he'd meant. With no exceptions.
The next time she saw him, it was to bring him a dog. The dog had fallen in love with him as quickly as the cat had. She had marvelled at his way with animals. "You must be a truly kind and good person for them to love you so much. Anyone who adores animals as much as you is wonderful in my books," she gushed, really starting to like this farmer. He hadn't responded beyond a hum and a dismissal with another thanks, and she was left a bit puzzled as to his silence on her remark. Most people reacted really positively to such comments, but him? She didn't know what to make of his reaction. After that, she didn't see him again. Though the Mayor attempted to reach out to the new farmer, inviting him to participate in the Egg Festival, he didn't come. In fact, he didn't make an official appearance until the day of the Flower Dance…
Stardew
He was the last one there. He came into the field without a word. He spoke to no one. He stood and observed, on occasion walked the perimeter. He watched the children dancing, and Haley. He seemed intrigued with Haley. Not in a romantic sense, more... in a way they couldn't really describe. He was enough intrigued, in fact, that after some moments observing, he went out onto the field and joined her in her warm up.
He moved so gracefully it was as if he glided without touching the earth…
Haley was smitten. She cherished every second he danced along with her and the children. He stopped dancing only to discuss with the Mayor the start of the festivities, then he stood and watched in the corner as the couples lined up and began their dance. He didn't join them. He was the last one to arrive, and he was the last one to leave.
He was still dancing when Mayor Lewis and Jodi looked back…
Stardew
Aside from the Mayor and Marnie, Robin was the only other person to date who had seen the farmer's land, and then only on the day he'd arrived when there was nothing to see. The day after the Flower Dance, he hired her to expand his house. It was the first look at his fields that she had had since he arrived, and she absolutely couldn't believe her eyes. She meant to compliment him on it… Except he never came… Not until the sun was just starting to go down did he return.
"How did you manage all this?!" she exclaimed in awe. He didn't answer her question. Instead, he gave her a warning. A warning so stern and grave that the hairs on her body started to prickle…
"By the last light of the setting sun, you will be gone from this place. Tread not here 'till the light of day, and when morning's light touches the earth once more, you may resume your work. No sooner."
She couldn't stop shivering the rest of the night, his words chilling her bones down to the marrow. And she didn't know why. She just knew that when darkness started to fall, a feeling of such unease and fear began to wash over her that she had to go. She had to.
As she began to leave, she heard the door to his farmhouse open… She ran…
It wasn't too long before most people started to pay the farmer no heed. They had decided, by now, that he would probably be another Rasmodius and that they'd best just leave him to his own devices. The Mayor would of course still invite him to festivals, but other than that and the occasional request for something from his farm—it was a tossup whether he would help or not—they asked little of him. In fact, things soon seemed to go back to normal in the valley as the mystery of the strange farmer lost its novelty, and the rumors started to die out.
But innocent eyes, fanciful hearts, and wild imaginations could see what the jaded, the practical, and the literal could not…
Stardew
There was nothing that saw with more innocent eyes than children. The day after the dance, Jas was playing hide-and-seek with Vincent. Vincent had been the seeker and she had gone to hide in the woods. She hurried through them in exhilaration, panting and grinning as she heard her friend counting down. She giggled, climbing over a big log that was blocking a trail, and being careful not to tear her dress. She hadn't meant to go so far into the forest. She knew that when she did, Uncle Shane, Aunt Marnie, and Miss Penny became cross with her. She'd known exactly where she was, really! And then she looked back and… and she didn't anymore… She couldn't even hear Vincent anymore…
She tried to find her way out, but it seemed the harder she looked the more lost she became, and she was getting so frightened and it was getting so dark and she didn't know what to do! She could hear creatures moving in the forest. She knew monsters liked to hide in the woods and she became so afraid and just started to run and run and run and scream for help and scream for her daddy and mommy and Shane and Aunt Marnie until she just couldn't run anymore and fell down on the ground and burst into tears hugging herself tightly. She was cold and hungry and thirsty and lonely and lost, and now it was the night and she'd never get out ever! She was going to be lost forever and the monsters would get her or she'd freeze or die and she'd never see Vincent again or Auntie Marnie or Shane or Miss Penny or anybody! Her whole body shook with her sobs as she curled in on herself, burying her head in her knees and shivering with fear.
And then she sensed it…
Something in the darkness lingered above her. She went stiff, feeling the eyes upon her. Slowly and nervously she looked up, afraid it was a monster… It wasn't a monster. Not at all… Her eyes widened in wonder and she let out a breath on seeing it. It was a man, tall and proud and beautiful with pointy ears and long flowing robes that kissed the ground, and a big and beautiful cape, and a crown of jagged wood woven with spring flowers that sat upon his head. He held a staff of carven oak and gazed at her gently.
"Why do you weep, little one?"
"I… I don't know you. I'm not supposed to talk to strangers."
"You are wise. It seems you have been taught well. By whom?"
She stayed quiet, reminding herself not to speak to him as tears burned her eyes. She'd been taught by Uncle Shane and Aunt Marnie. She'd never see them again… She buried her face in her knees again, sniffing. He knelt in front of her, and suddenly she felt so safe. So warm. Suddenly the cold wasn't there anymore...
"Drink," he cooed gently.
"I'm not supposed to take things from strangers," she answered in a whisper.
"Drink," he prompted again.
She glanced up from her knees. In his hands rested a bowl crafted of leaves, inside of which was a liquid. After a moment she reached out, taking it and putting it to her lips, sipping the sweet drink from inside until it was empty. It took a long time for it to be empty. She hadn't known there was so much in it. He offered her a broadleaf next, filled with wild berries and vegetables. Her stomach grumbled. "Eat," he said, so she took it, eating her fill. There was nothing left of it when she finished.
She sheepishly offered it back. "I'm sorry. I ate all of it," she said.
"It is alright," he answered in a gentle voice. "Close your eyes, little one. Sleep."
"I'm lost," she whispered, tears burning her eyes as she bowed her head again.
"Sleep," he murmured softly again. She felt her eyes sliding shut in exhaustion, and something warm enveloped her… "Do you like flowers?"
"Yes."
"Good. It's yours now..."
She peered up at him through watery eyes, a little curious, and he held out to her the most perfect fairy rose she'd ever seen in her life, pressing it into her hand! She gasped, eyes widening in wonder as she sat up. "Wow, thank you!" she exclaimed, gazing at it almost star-struck. "It's so beautiful! How did you find one so pretty?" She looked up for her answer and gasped again, this time in fear. He was gone! She looked around, confused. She hadn't even heard him leave!
And then she woke up. His whisper still echoed in her head... And the fairy rose still rested in her hand...
Stardew
"Jas? Jas, where are you?! Sweetheart, answer me!" she heard Uncle Shane calling out desperately, sounding near panic.
"Jas! Jas!" Vincent echoed, sounding teary and afraid. Other voices echoed too, Aunt Marnie and Miss Penny and the Mayor and everyone!
Jas gasped, standing. "Uncle Shane, Vince, I'm here! I'm here!" she called frantically, quickly putting the fairy rose in a pocket.
"Jas!" Shane shouted frantically. She heard running steps and raced towards where she heard them coming from. Suddenly Shane forced his way through the bushes and caught his breath. "Jasmine!" he exclaimed, diving at her and scooping her up, hugging her so tightly she could hardly breathe. "You're okay! Sweetie, you're okay. You're alive!"
Overwhelmed, Jas burst into tears as Shane's shaking fingers stroked her hair protectively. "Jas!" Vincent exclaimed, reaching them first. "We found you Jas!"
"I'm sorry, Shane, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to go so far, I didn't!" Jas said to Shane, pulling back and wiping at her teary eyes. "We were just playing and I wanted to find a really good spot and I just kept looking and looking and I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"
"Hey, it's okay. You're alright. It's okay," Shane soothed, voice quivering in fear. "Oh thank goodness you're okay."
"Jas!" Aunt Marnie exclaimed, bustling out of the bush and going straight to her, bursting into tears as she snatched her from Shane and cuddled her close. The other villagers finally made the scene looking immensely relieved and enormously happy. "We were so afraid we'd lost you! The nights were so cold and the monsters were out in force and you were gone so long…"
"Nights? I-I've only been out here one night," Jas said, confused. Silence fell. Dead silence.
"What?" Shane finally asked, voice edged.
Jas looked around, confused. "I-I've been gone only one night… Haven't I?" There was silence. "Why won't anyone answer me?" she asked vulnerably.
"Honey, you've been missing for days," Penny finally, worriedly, said.
Jas paled. What? She was shocked to silence. "She needs to be brought to the clinic. She's confused, possibly delirious. I need to make sure she's alright," Dr. Harvey spoke up, approaching in concern and looking her over with a critical eye.
"Y-yeah. O-okay," Shane shakily agreed.
She was brought to the clinic and left in the room alone with Vincent, while Dr. Harvey explained to Shane and Marnie the specifics of what would happen in the examination.
"Where'd you find that flower?" Vincent wondered, approaching his friend and eyeing the flower she'd pulled from her pocket and now clutched in her hand.
Jas looked at the blossom in confusion, almost like she'd forgotten it. "Huh? Oh. I-I… someone gave it to me," she replied.
"Someone? Who?" Vincent asked.
"The one who saved me," she answered, bowing her head.
"Huh?"
"There was a man. In the woods. He was so tall and pretty. He had pointy ears and long flowing robes and a cape, and a crown and staff too! He was… he was strange… But in a good way! He was nice to me. He gave me something to eat and drink and let me sleep and protected me, and then he just… he disappeared."
"Whoa… Are you going to try and find him again?" Vincent asked
"…Yes," she replied.
"Cool," Vincent said, grinning. "Me too!"
They never found him, but he found them…
Stardew
Ever since meeting the 'farmer', the wizard had been determined to unravel the mystery. He had been ready to pull out every stop, work out every hitch, and get to the bottom of it... The night he found out the truth was two days after Jas disappeared. He had suspected the 'farmer' was behind it, and were his suspicions correct it wouldn't be unlikely. He had had everything laid out and ready to go, prepared to stay awake days on end if need be to discover what had become of that child. It hadn't been necessary. Not in the slightest. That night while in his tower, he had caught a glimpse of lights glowing in the secret forest that had been blocked off for so long. He turned to his window to try and see them better. They were gone, so he investigated personally…
In the woods he watched as the farmer danced alone to a song he sang in a language the wizard had never thought would be heard in these forests again. Then others began to come, began to appear from the woods and from the air. Around the farmer's feet the Juminos materialized, jumping about in rhythm with the tune. From the forest fluttered fairies, who flitted like fireflies around him, circling him as they too danced, singing along or playing little instruments to compliment his song... It almost seemed they were celebrating... The leaves on the ground were thrown up all around him by his flowing cape, the crown on his head majestic and beautiful, and animal eyes watched from the darkness as the farmer danced. No. Not farmer. King.
The elven king, great and powerful, who long ago had disappeared with all his kin, or so the stories said... The stories were wrong... Oh so very wrong…
Rasmodius could only gape in wonder and awe, bowled over. Before he fully realized what he was doing, he stepped out into the light. The fairies, alarmed, scattered. The junimos chirped in fear, fading away quickly. The wizard nearly dropped to the ground in slumber, but he had cast a spell upon himself to resist the magic of the fairy ring once he realized what it was he would be dealing with. The elf king was hardly perturbed. Not even when the wizard confronted him.
"Where is the child?! Where is the little girl who vanished in this forest?! If you've stolen her away…"
"Was it not you, wizard, who spoke of fear and of how mortals were afraid of what they did not understand? Why is it you now display that same fear towards me yourself?"
"A little girl has vanished."
"She is safe and well, and they will find her soon enough. I will be sure of it."
"One with the forest… You knew from the start all you saw in that building, didn't you? Why then did you come to me for help if you understood already?"
"Because I desired to meet you."
The elfin king went on to speak of men like Rasmodius whom he had known many, many ages ago and been on neutral terms with, and he had told him it had been long since last he had crossed paths with one of the wizard's sort… Then he had told him never again to come to the fairy ring unless invited, or next time not even his magic would save him from the erl-king's illusions… Only days later the girl was found safe and unharmed and well.
Stardew
Linus hadn't had very high an opinion of the farmer who'd come into the valley. He remembered when the man had caught him rummaging through trash. He'd made the mistake of opening up to him about it. The man's response had been cold at best, and he'd hated him for a while. The farmer had paid little mind to him, and he'd paid little mind to the farmer. Until one day it all changed. Linus didn't remember what he'd said specifically. Either it was something about the trees and how if you listened they would tell you their secrets, or it was something about nature providing everything he needed. Maybe he'd talked about how he felt about the woods? He wasn't sure. It was then, though, that things had changed. Then the farmer suddenly wasn't so indifferent anymore…
The farmer would bring him foraged goods, the best of the best, or even produce from his own farm, again some of the best. Yams, usually, sometimes coconut or cactus fruit too from the desert instead of his farm. Everything Linus loved. He didn't know how the man was growing the crops off-season, or where he was finding them if he didn't grow them, but he didn't question it. Was best not to question sometimes. The man would spend time speaking with him. Even if he acted cold or told the farmer he didn't need anymore friends, the other would patiently keep coming back, and Linus would find himself slowly warming up to him. Then one evening he'd spoken to his friend Rasmodius about the farmer… That night he'd learned exactly what his new friend was…
"You-you-you're…"
"Does it surprise you so much, my friend?"
"…No…"
"Do you now fear what you do not know?"
"…No, my lord."
"Well spoken."
Silence was his response.
"I wish no harm upon you, Linus."
"I know. I trust you… Is that little girl, Jas, alive because of you?"
"She is."
"How close to… to not coming back was she?"
"…Extremely."
Linus was given a place to lodge that night, beneath the elf-king's roof, and departed his company with no further words the next morning...