Recluse
By Kurai Hitokiri
Disclaimer: I do not own Harvest Moon, Natsume, or any of these characters.
Author's Notes: Hello, let me introduce myself. My name is Kurai Hitokiri, a person addicted to writing and I probably will be for my entire pathetic life. But anyway, this story is basically a JackxNami, written in Nami's point of view. It's part of a series that I'm working on for the Harvest Moon: A Wonderful Life bachelorettes, the first of the stories being The One I Love and now here is the second one. I've already started the JackxMuffy story, but this one seems to be the most interesting to write. Anyway, here we go. Jack's name in this story is Tallis, alright?
Chapter 1: My story
I'm a wanderer, a person traveling from one place to another with no destination. Dirt poor, all I have is the clothing on my back and the equipment packed away into my bags. Money? I make it as I go along, doing odd jobs, but sometimes I have to sleep out under the stars in the bitter cold or heat.
My name is of little importance to you, but if you must know, it is Nami. Just Nami, I lost my last name long ago when I lost contact with my family.
My family was the typical run of the mill family, with the hard working dad and the mom that worked hard to take care of her children and keep everyone at piece. For fifteen years of my life, I loved my family, but soon all things good came to an end. My father became deathly sick, and it didn't take long before he had fallen so ill, he was beyond help. After five months of fighting illness, my father died.
After the funeral, nothing really stayed the same. Mom had to take an extra job just to support all of us, and we had to move out of the house that we so loved. Soon though, my Mom talked of giving one of us away. My brothers and sisters were so sure that my youngest sister, Aimee, would be the one taken. Me, being the eldest, spoke to my mother about it, only to have her yell furiously at me, saying that it was none of my business.
I left home later that night, packing every single material item I owned away. I was fifteen years old.
Since then I've traveled everywhere around the world, and I've gone to so many places, but the one place I've loved the most is Forget Me Not Valley.
I've been here in this valley for about two years, I don't know why I've never left, but who could blame me, the place was so alluring and beautiful… And it's also the place where I met the man who would change my life forever: Tallis.
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Chapter 2: Tallis
After Mr. Johnson, the farm man died, I had heard his son would be taking over his farm for him.
Ruby and Tim, the owners of the Inn I lived in, went out to greet him when he came. I, being my usual grouchy self, stayed indoors and wrote in a journal that I possessed, the only thing that I had left from my home.
I was about to write down a bit of an interesting book that I'd read when I suddenly heard chatter outside my curtains. Tim and Ruby were talking to someone.
"This here's Tallis Johnson, Archibald Johnson's only son, he's come to take over the farm," a deep and grizzly voice said. I nodded to myself, writing down the bit of info. The voice belonged to Takakura, Mr. Johnson's best friend.
"Oh, very nice to meet you, Tallis," Ruby said, her tone bright and happy.
"Welcome to Forget Valley," Tim added.
There was a moment of silence before a voice spoke up, it was deep and understanding, at the same time, soft and gentle… it reminded me of my father's voice. "It's very nice to meet you as well."
I was suddenly curious. A man that had a voice like my father's was something worth looking at. I strode over to my curtain and pushed it open slightly.
Standing next to Takakura was a young man that had to be no older than me. His hair was a deep chocolate brown and his eyes were the same wonderful color. He wore a light flannel shirt, the sleeves rolled up, and heavy black jeans covered his legs. On his feet he wore heavy black boots, and his hands were hidden beneath black and red gloves.
Those eyes of his were deep and though he wasn't looking at me, I could still feel a calming effect coming over me. His arms were crossed across his chest and he smiled the most wonderful smile as Ruby told him to come by any time.
I quickly put myself together and closed the curtains of my room quickly, enveloping the room in darkness. 'He's just a guy… just because he has the same eyes and the same kind of voice as my father doesn't mean anything.'
Little did I know, gazing intently at my now closed curtain were the chocolate brown eyes that reminded me so much of my father.
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I had very high standards regarding the people I spent my time with. Unlike most girls, I wasn't the happy sort that wore dresses all the time or was easily befriended. In fact, I was quite the opposite: silent and cold, distrusting, and most importantly, I wouldn't be caught dead wearing a stupid dress.
Tallis seemed just as, if not more quiet than I was. He'd strut about the valley occasionally stopping to say hello to the people in the valley and ask if they needed any help and throw a smile to anyone who felt down, instantly brightening their day.
Yes, he was truly a perfect man, and I hated that.
What was the point in liking a guy with no faults; that would just make them boring. I wanted a guy that was quiet, sure, but not perfect.
Luckily he didn't seem to really have eyes for me, in fact the only time he'd spoken to me was when he bumped into me and uttered a quick 'I'm sorry' before starting off toward Vesta's farm no doubt to buy seeds or flirt with Celia.
I thought of him as an arrogant jerk and a flirt with women. But boy, did Tallis prove me wrong.
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I was sitting on the edge of the dirty pond near the inn just reading an interesting textbook about the history of the Mainland when I heard the footsteps of two people coming up behind me.
It was Rock, Ruby and Tim's only child. There was only one thing to classify him as: a flirt. On his fifteenth birthday he totally broke out of the 'nice guy' shell and began wearing bright loud clothes, along with dying his dark night black hair into an electrifying blonde. Along with his 'free spirit' look (so he called it) he often flirted with Lumina and Muffy, and even sometimes me (which he often did to annoy me, causing me to take one of my fat math textbooks and beat him to a pulp with it). To me, Rock was an annoying pest that needed to constantly be reminded that he was a pest.
On this particular day he was wearing the same weird clothes and chatting eagerly with Tallis. The poor guy was trying his best to smile, but he looked utterly horrified. Tallis's smile was incredibly strained and he didn't look as though he was paying any attention to what chattery Rock was saying. You could tell he would rather be in another place than talking to Sir Talks a lot.
"Isn't Lumina h-o-t, Tallis? I mean, man, those eyes… and that smile. But then again Muffy's pretty cool too, after all, that dress," Rock said, his eyes laughing, "But a quiet guy like you probably prefers Celia, right? The gentle, quiet beauty."
To my surprise, Tallis stopped right next to me and stared directly into Rock's eyes with a poisonous glare. I shut my book, marking the place with my finger, then looked up at the two with obvious amusement.
"Rock, I really don't think about girls, to tell the truth," Tallis said in his deep quiet voice. He put a gloved hand to his forehead and sighed. "Now will you PLEASE let me spend some time alone?"
Rock narrowed his eyes and crossed his arms, his expression furious and pouting. "Aww, come on! Live a little Tal! You need to break free!"
'Poor Tallis…' I thought to myself. So at that moment, I decided to help him. "Rock, if he spent any time with you, I think his brain cells would fry in no time."
The 'free spirit' looked over at me with surprise in his eyes, then anger quickly replaced it. "Nami, butt out of it. I don't think I was talking to you, was I?"
"If the guy wants to be alone, let him be alone. I'm surprised that he even spent time with you frankly, because I don't think anyone could stand being in the same room with you without getting annoyed for even one minute," I said, standing.
Rock snorted and then looked at Tallis. "Fine, you go ahead and enjoy a nice break, man. And remember, if you ever want to do something fun, call me. And as for you," he said, pointing at me with obvious distain, "You keep to your own conversations, you Red Haired Banshee."
"Banshee? I'm not the banshee. If anyone's a banshee, it's you. After all, you scream like a little girl whenever you see a spider," I said, smirking. Before he could say any snappy comeback, I sat down and quickly opened the book.
"I'm going to get you back for this later, Nami," Rock muttered. Without another word against me, he quickly rushed off toward the bar, probably to go and flirt with Muffy.
I heard Tallis sigh in relief, then I heard him sit down next to me. I ignored him and stared down at my book, still thinking him a low pest like Rock.
"Thank you," I heard him say.
I looked up from my book to see him smiling his signature smile at me, his gentle eyes enveloping my own. I managed to avoid blushing and then stared back down at my book.
"I don't believe we've met before," he spoke. "I'm Tallis, Tallis Johnson, the new owner of the farm. Might I ask what your name is?"
"Nami," I replied without looking up from my textbook. No way was he going to win me over with a simple smile and a kind look. I could tell that where he was from, he probably had all the girls swooning. I wouldn't be bewitched so easily.
There was a moment of silence before he spoke up again. "A history book? What are you studying?"
"The Mainland."
"Really? It's very fascinating when you think about all the hidden alliances and the separation of the Mainland between our land and the Republic, isn't it?"
I looked up in surprise and stared directly into his chocolate eyes. "Yes… yes it is fascinating…"
I could see that he was genuinely interested in the subject and he began discussing with me the various alliances. He accurately named every date and event with detail and even told me a few events I didn't know of.
Eventually we were studying multiple topics and he wowed me with his great knowledge.
Tallis was making me talk and express my views, something that I would rarely do. This young man who I had thought was an arrogant jerk was actually one of the smartest and sweetest young men I had ever met.
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Chapter 3: My Emotions Change
Tallis and I were steadfast friends. The more I learned about him and the more time I spent with him, I found out he was extremely similar to myself.
He told me that when he was young, his mother died from disease, leaving his father to raise him. Mr. Johnson worked many jobs to support him and his young son, and they often moved from place to place as a result of this. Tallis left home in the middle of High School so that his father could afford to live. As a young man in college, he majored in history and English so that he could later become a professor. After taking up a job as a historian, he quickly became successful and had a wonderful life in the city until the day his father died. On hearing this, he promptly quit his job and headed to Forget Valley to take over his father's farm.
When I asked him why he did it, Tallis just smiled at me and responded with "Because I love my Dad."
He was giving up his dreams for his father's wishes? That was something that I was never able to do… After all, if my Mom wanted me to take over a farm, I would sell the land and live off the profits just to spite her memory.
I didn't know it yet, but he was slowly changing me into a better person than I ever was before.
One morning I came down for breakfast to find that Tallis was sitting at the check-out counter having a quiet conversation with Tim.
The two appeared to be talking about different types of fish and how to prepare them to taste well.
"Trout are very good baked in herbs or fried, and they put up a bit of a fight," Tim said.
"Yes they do, but salmon are more of a challenge," Tallis responded. "They fight waaay harder than Trout. They taste good baked in herbs and served with hot lentils."
"Yes they are. Man, I would kill to have a fresh Salmon," Tim sighed, looking out into space. "You know, I sometimes miss traveling."
Tallis looked up from Tim and saw me standing on the stairs, looking at the two of them with a blank look on my face. He instantly smiled and waved up at me.
"Hey Nami, Good Morning!" Tallis said.
"What are you doing here so early in the morning?" I asked, stepping down the stairs.
"Morning? It's eleven, Nami," Tallis said, checking his watch. He then looked up at me and smiled widely again. "Plus, I wanted to see you."
My face turned as red as my hair as I listened to the last comment. Did Tallis even know what he was saying? As I realized what I was doing I quickly shook my head to rid myself of my blush and glared at him.
"Well I say it's still early, so it's early," I huffed, walking down the stairs.
Tallis shook his head. "You're as stubborn as ever I see, Nami."
"Ruby's waiting for you with breakfast in the kitchen. Rock was a late riser today as well, so he's probably there too."
I groaned audibly as I heard the mention of Rock being there. I would have to eat breakfast with that moron? Oh great, now I can't savor my food...
Tallis shook his head before heading toward the door. "Hey Nami, catch you later, alright?"
"Okay, see you Tallis," I replied.
As I was about to leave, Tim tutted and chuckled, which made me stop in my tracks and turn around and stare at him with my normal cold distrusting gaze that usually made people stare at me in horror.
"What are you laughing about?" I growled.
Tim chuckled again and took his cap off his head. "Tallis has really changed you, Nami."
I blinked and shot him a dangerous glare. "No he hasn't."
"Oh Nami. You're so much more cheerful than before, and lately you've even started talking to the other people in Forget Valley," Tim replied.
I couldn't say anything to that. Yes, I was more cheerful and less myself lately. I was even friends with Celia the farm girl now, and the two of us often spoke to each other when Celia went on break. Tallis was the one to blame for the great and needed change within me.
"That's what you think, Tim. Go ahead and think that, but I don't feel any different than I was before Tallis came here," I lied. I walked away from the speechless Tim and into the wide and expansive kitchen.
The inn really didn't have a lot of customers. In fact, I was the only one who ever stayed for a very long time. Van, the salesman, would stay once a month to sell his wares, but then the next day he was off again to sell things. The inn was an old building, but the interior was cozy. The kitchen was huge and was filled with the latest in cooking equipment, this was because Tim and Ruby absolutely adored cooking.
Sitting at the counter was Rock, dressed in his plaid flannel pajamas and a blanket around his shoulders. He was drinking a bowl of hot soup with a side of tea. As I walked in, he was fairly surprised to see me.
"Ah, good morning Nami, would you like a bowl of soup?" Ruby asked, turning from her stove with a ladle in hand.
I smiled at her kindly before saying, "Yes please." I seated myself at the counter next to Rock, avoiding his gaze.
"Well, well, aren't you up late, Nami," Rock said, a taunting tone in his voice.
I looked at him and narrowed my eyes coldly as I always did when I saw him. "I didn't need to hear your comment, moron."
Rock feigned hurt, placing his hand on his heart. "Ouch, first thing in the morning and you jump down my throat. I'm soooo hurt, Nami."
"Now, now you two, you know the rules. No fighting in the kitchen," Ruby scolded, placing down a bowl of piping hot soup down in from of me.
I thanked her before I started to drink it, ignoring Rock's eyes upon me. What did he want me to do? Well, I wasn't about to let him mock me, even if I was in front of his mother.
"By the way, Nami, didn't I hear Dear Tallis's voice in the lobby?" Ruby asked as she stirred some concoction of the stove.
"Yes, he was here talking to Tim," I said, swallowing a spoonful of hot soup.
"The poor dear. He looks so tired and thin all the time, I wanted to coo him something up this morning, but it seems like he's always so busy. If he keeps working the way he does, he'll drop," Ruby said in a slightly worried tone.
"Tallis is a strong young man, he'll never drop from working," I replied. It was true. Tallis did seem to work most of the time and I'd even gone to help him at the farm once or twice, and when I saw him, he always had a determined fire burning in his eyes.
"Well, isn't someone fond of a certain boy," Rock said, finishing up his soup. He smirked at me. "If I knew any better, I'd say you love him, Nami."
I felt color rise to my cheeks, which I quickly hid behind a mask of anger. "I do not love Tallis. I just like him as a friend."
"That's what you say. But what you say and what you feel are two totally different things," Rock said, picking up his cup of tea and clasping the blanket around him. "And you're acting weird now, you're actually nice sometimes."
Scowling, I finished off my soup and uttered a quick thank you to Ruby before leaving the kitchen. So what if I was nice, was there something wrong with that? Yes, I had changed, and it was because of Tallis. I had changed into a better person.
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Chapter 4: How do I love you?
Over time, I found myself confused over my emotions for Tallis.
He was everything I wanted: kind, smart, funny, and gentle. But I had to confess, I was new to liking men.
Of course I had had crushes on boys before, but it was so unlike what I was feeling for Tallis. No, my feelings weren't a school girl crush, they were so much deeper and more defined. But what I was confused about was how did I love him? Did I love him for his kindness, smarts, or humor?
I began reading love stories, which I hated before with great vigor. But somehow I found the story of a man and woman growing closer over a period of time suddenly very interesting.
One day I sat under the cherry blossom tree near the side of the river with a thick love story in my hands. I was getting to the sickeningly sweet part where the man confessed his undying love to the woman and shared a kiss with her when I heard someone sit down beside me.
"Doing a bit of light reading, Nami?"
I quickly shut my book and hid it behind my back. I knew that voice, it was Tallis.
His hands were bare and he wore a short sleeved flannel shirt. Tallis's normally messy hair was slicked back with jell and he wore white pants and black boots. It was so obvious that he had changed his clothing to make it cooler to work in, since the summer heat was getting to everyone.
"What are you reading?" Tallis asked, his eyes flickering with interest.
"Nothing that you'd be interested in," I snapped.
"Nami, I'm your best friend, and best friends share," Tallis said, reaching for the book.
"Well sorry, you're not my best friend, history is," I said, moving the book from his grasp once again.
"Aww, come on Nami! Sharing is caring," Tallis said.
"That was really cheesy," I said, taking the book out from behind my back and beginning to read again.
Tallis lay stomach first on the ground and read the book jacket and he chuckled when he read the title. "A love story? That's so unlike you, Nami."
"You have to now your enemies, Tallis," I said, shutting the book again. I remembered how mercilessly I teased him when I found out he was reading poetry. He'd been so angry with me, that he'd thrown the poor book into the river.
"Sure, sure, whatever," Tallis replied. For a moment he appeared to be in deep thought then he smiled. "You love someone, don't you?"
I blushed crimson when he said this. How did he know? Was it possible that he knew that I loved him? I hated the fact that he was so perceptive.
He smiled even wider and laughed, it was deep and rich and filled with happiness. "I had a feeling. Your books often match your mood. That's what I've learned from knowing you."
My blush died down and I cursed myself. Why was I so predictable?
"So who's the lucky guy?" Tallis asked, smiling at me still.
"None of your business," I growled. Why was he teasing me?
Suddenly my friend's eyes softened considerably and he stared at me with quiet understanding. "When you love someone, you give your whole heart to them. You feel all confused inside and you can't decide for yourself if you love them or not, about what you love about them the most… But eventually you understand."
Again I was surprised. Tallis was pinning down every single thought on my mind without me even telling them to him. In that way he scared me.
"He's a good guy if he's got you in love with him," Tallis said, pulling himself off the ground and dusting himself off. "I've got to go Nami. I'll see you around?"
I smiled myself and closed my book. "Yeah."
Tallis waved and headed off toward his farm. Sometimes he was just so mysterious…
I turned back to my book, still smiling. "How do I love thee? Let me count the ways."
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Chapter 5: I'm running out of time
When I first came to Forget Valley, I had a large amount of money with me so that I could pay for boarding at the inn, but of course not even money lasts forever. Slowly but surely I was running out of money, but I didn't notice, I was too busy scowling at people and ignoring. So month after month I lay down the payment for my room.
Now I was running out of time.
My surplus of money was running out and pretty soon I would have to leave Forget Valley. Ruby and Tim would be more than happy to give me free lodging, but I couldn't stand being in their inn unless I myself had paid them.
One morning I was walking down the stairs when I heard Tim call to me.
"Your mother sent you a letter, here you go," Tim said, handing me a fairly crumpled envelope.
I thanked him profusely before starting back up to my room and staring at the letter. My mother hadn't talked to me for so long, so why now of all times would she send me a letter?
I tore it open and read the words. Instantly pain and anger coursed through my veins:
'My dear Nami—
I am sorry that I have not been in contact with you for so many years, my dear, but I've been busy taking care of your brothers and sisters.
When you ran away from home, I instantly remembered the amount of money that you had and then found that your money, as of now, is probably running low.
My dear, please return home to us, your brothers and sisters and I miss you terribly. A young man has interest in marriage, and perhaps you might be the binding link between our families.
Please return home, my dear.
Love,
Your Mother'
I ripped the letter up angrily and then cried deeply into my hands. All these years and all that she can say is that she wants me to return home so that I'll care for my brothers and sisters then marry some rich young man? No, I refused to do such a thing!!!
I began to weep angrily, and threw myself on my bed, crying myself to sleep.
I awoke sometime in the afternoon that day and I rushed out the door and toward the beach, where I began to pick up rocks and toss them angrily into the sea.
'Tallis… Tallis, I love you so much... Help me…' I thought. However, my thoughts were in vain. There was no way at all Tallis could help me. No one, in fact, could help me. I was doomed to return home and cater to my selfish mother's needs. To marry the man I didn't move because my mother willed it so. Was I truly such a weak person?
I was so busy wallowing in my misery that I never heard the soft steps on the sand of the beach.
"Nami?" a soft gentle voice spoke.
I looked up and saw Tallis staring at me. I quickly wiped my eyes and looked at the clear waters before me, listening to the waves of the ocean crash against the rocky shore. "Tallis…"
Tallis stepped closer and then put his hands gently on my shoulders and forced me around to look at him. For a moment I could see my father standing there, his eyes penetrating into my own and looking at me with concern. "Nami, what's wrong, you've been crying."
"I-I haven't been crying, there was just a bit of sand in my eye," I said. My voice was strangled with sobs.
Tallis gently embraced me and stroked my head gently. "It's alright, you can trust me… Tell me Nami, what's wrong?"
Suddenly I began sobbing wildly into his chest, clasping onto the fabric on his shirt and soaking it with tears. I was choking out the story of the letter and of my current danger of running out of money to Tallis, who rubbed my back gently as I babbled foolishly.
"Nami, you could've told me, I would've given you money," Tallis said softly.
I shook my head. "I don't want to be in anyone's debt, Tallis. I just… I don't want to go back home and work for my mother."
Tallis remained silent for a moment and then spoke up. "You could come and work at my farm and live there."
I looked up at him and I saw him staring down at me. "You would… let me do that?"
"Only if you wanted to," Tallis said. "I could build an extra room for you and you could live and work there."
Tallis would actually let me do that? He'd build a whole extra room just so that I could stay here in Forget Valley?
"I'll take the job," I replied.
Tallis smiled widely then blushed deep crimson realizing that he was holding me. Quickly he let go then he smiled again. "I'm glad that you're staying, Nami."
Finally, for the first time in a while I laughed a true laugh. I was so glad that I was staying too. For the rest of my live, I would never have to worry about my mother again.
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As planned, I came to live with Tallis and work for him, and I got paid fairly well. About a couple months after, Tallis finally plucked up the courage and asked me to marry him, to which I gladly agreed. The two of us have now been married for five years and we have a beautiful baby boy and another on the way. Now as I write this, I think back to the person I once was and the one I am today and I realize how vastly different I am from then. It was because of Tallis that I have changed into the happier woman I am today from the recluse I was five years ago. For the rest of my life, I will never forget how much Tallis has done for me, nor will I stop loving him.
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Author's Notes: Well, was it good or bad? Please 1.) Read 2.) Review so that I can get feedback for the next story!!!!! I love getting comments, good or bad, since they improve my writing!!!!