The Farmer's Truth

by Deliverer

He came into the valley with no fanfare, greeted only by the mayor and the carpenter. To the townsfolk he'd seemed to just manifest one night. He was never seen, yet his presence could be felt everywhere. To call his land a farm was a disservice for it was a garden. He'd needed no wizard's translation to understand, and no brew, for in the end he was alone the essence the forest...

16. Fourth Summer

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(A/N: It's been quite a while since last I updated this story, and for that, I apologize. My motivation tends to come in bursts, but rest assured it hasn't been abandoned. This chapter is proof of that I hope. No guarantees the next one will be up soon, but I'm working on it with ideas flowing in, so hopefully I'll be able to see them through.

I'm considering going back and refining some of the previous chapters as well. No big changes, I don't think, but some refining. Maybe elaboration. I'll keep you posted as to what changes I do make if they're large ones, however. Enough of this ramble though. I hope you enjoy the latest chapter of The Farmer's Truth. With luck it'll make up for the long absence.)

Summer

"You heard a Neck. A water sprite. Most likely a nacken, also known as a Nix," Elliott said to Harvey as they had coffee together at the saloon on a shared day off. "Faerie creatures that lure unsuspecting victims with their music and song, both instrumental and vocal, to their dooms. Much like a Siren, only Nixie may be both male and female. They are shapeshifters and can walk among humans unseen, as well as possess other powers. It is said the only way to tell if one is a Neck is by the slit in the ear of the males, and the wet hem on the skirts and dresses of the females. Constantly wet. It is said the easiest, if not only, ways to kill them are to keep them away from their watery homes too long, or call their names. Most likely in fear or desperation, but possibly under other circumstances as well. It's hard to say."

"It was close, Elliott," Harvey said.

"Indeed? Hmm… That's a concern. There are numerous water bodies around this place," Elliott said with a frown. "The males tend to lure women and children more often than other men, though they're certainly capable. The females favor men and children, though they again are capable of luring females. Their song could charm the moon from the sky, if they so wished it to. They're potent when they choose to be. I suppose that, with the return of an elf and the gathering of the fairies and junimos, it was only a matter of time before others started to come back as well."

"Another threat," Harvey said with a sigh.

"Now, now, I'm sure the elf king has it well in hand. It will be subject to him, if we assume it isn't a king in its own right. And even if it is, the elf king has a more potent force behind him. The Nacken's only move would be to concede power to our elven friend," Elliott assured. "Worry about your wedding, Harvey, and nothing else. Leave the worrying to the fae. This is your season. A beautiful summer wedding. Quite hot though, I should think. I would much prefer spring or fall myself."

"Have you worked up the courage to propose to Leah yet?" Harvey asked. Elliott was quiet, staring at him. "She won't stay single for long, Elliott. She's becoming quite well known outside Stardew Valley. Soon she'll be leaving to go to art showings or gatherings in the city, where she'll be surrounded by men with the same interests as her and who are bolder than you." Elliott shifted. "It isn't as if you don't both have a mutual interest in one another. You've considered asking for a long time now, so ask. At worst, she says no."

"And what do I do then, Harvey?" Elliott challenged.

"You give her time, maybe slow it down and start with dating again, or you pop the question at another opportune moment somewhere down the line," Harvey replied. Elliott sipped at his drink again. Harvey let it go, recognizing Elliott was getting uncomfortable.

"How's your brother up on his little farm?" Elliott soon asked.

Harvey grimaced. "No comment," he dryly replied.

"That bad?" Elliott asked, matching the grimace.

"Dobson is… high maintenance. And found a gold mine in the forest he wasn't happy to lose. Now he's cave diving and plowing and sewing, and I'd be impressed if I didn't know he was taking every shortcut in the book. But he's starting to get into it, I think. And maybe even somewhat enjoy it. It's just he's restless and ambitious, and the waiting game is never one he's played well. I'm worried. He's taking on too much, and even if I'm wrong about that, he's still putting himself in too much danger for my liking, with his cave explorations and forest excursions," Harvey said. He sighed in frustration, drawing his fingers through his hair. "I just don't know what to do with him anymore. Everyone in town hates him and is constantly on the verge of throwing him out, he knows but doesn't care because 'peasants', and it's getting to be out of control. He was never easy to deal with to start, but this is ridiculous."

"He seems to have toned it down a bit," Elliott said.

"Oh, I gave him a good long talking to. He got an earful from me, and Carmina backed me up, so he eventually caved in. If only for our sakes," Harvey said.

"The black sheep. The wild child," Elliott remarked with a smirk.

Harvey snorted in derision, nodding grimly as he stared into his coffee. "Carmina was more the wild child, but Dobson cornered black sheep for sure," he said.

"And what role did you play?" Elliott asked.

"The good son," Harvey answered with a smirk. "I suppose you find that pretty boring."

"Wild children and black sheep are cliched and overdone. Write a 'good son' sort of character right, and they can prove more interesting, relatable, and respectable than either of the other two character types. But they have to be done right. That said, you're not quite so good as you pretend now, are you?"

"Oh, I'm good, but I'm good with an exciting side job," Harvey replied, chuckling.

Elliott smiled and checked his watch. "I'm afraid I must depart, Harvey. Leah's expecting me," he said, standing up.

"Snap her up while you still can, Elliott," Harvey warned once more. Elliott gave him a cold look, huffed, then left without a goodbye. Harvey smirked into his coffee.

"Hey," a voice said. Maru, he knew immediately. He looked up and gave her a tender and loving smile.

"Hi," he replied softly.

"Man date?" she teased.

"Considering he's the only man in this town my age proper aside from Kent, give or take a couple of others, yes. And Kent's a shut-in. As much as I'm trying to get him to work though that, it's going to take some time. Maybe years. It always takes time with PTSD," Harvey answered. "He's in a very fragile state. That plus the guilt he's still shouldering over the last few seasons… I'm starting pretty well for scratch because I assume he doesn't understand how I could forgive him for the things he's done to me and his mistakes as of late."

"Well, put that out of your mind for now. We need to start planning some things for the wedding," she replied, smiling at him. He smiled back and nodded in agreement, linking his arm through hers and walking her to the clinic where they could start to plan.

Stardew

Elliott strolled leisurely along the lake in the mountains. Harvey's concerns about a nacken in the woods had him more unsettled than he would have had the doctor believe. More unsettled, in fact, than he would have himself believe he suspected. He strolled leisurely along, taking in the scenery and the beauty with a smile. He paused and frowned, though, on seeing Sebastian up ahead, a cigarette dangling in his fingers and looking troubled. Curious. He approached. "Sebastian," he greeted. "A fine day today."

"Yeah. Real fine," Sebastian replied. The young man took a drag of the cigarette. Elliott grimaced in vague disgust. Sebastian blew out a stream of smoke. "Bite me, Elliott," he said, noticing said look of disgust. "I know it's bad for me. I'm working on quitting. It's a slow process, okay?"

"My apologies," Elliott replied. "What's bothering you?"

"Abigail. She's upset. For obvious reasons I guess. It's been two or three seasons since Rasmodius pretty well doomed himself to save her and Sam and Vince. She's working through a lot of personal guilt and is pretty well set on rescuing him somehow. I of course argued because I don't want anyone else to be hurt, least of all her, and it got heated so I left. It's hard on her. It's hard for Sam and Vince too, to know some guy they barely knew was willing to condemn himself to lifelong whatever to rescue them," Sebastian said.

"Where there's a will there's a way," Elliott said.

"A way that won't result in death and heartbreak and tragedy?" Sebastian dryly asked.

"If you're careful enough," Elliott replied.

Silence. "You think Abigail can come up with something?" he asked.

"I think she can. Anyone could. It's whether what they come up with is the best course of action or not," Elliott replied. "You know, we could call a town meeting. Declare our intentions to rescue the unfortunate wizard and rally the troops, so to speak. Get the community involved. Have everyone try and think up a plan and whichever plan submitted seems most likely to work with the least damage done is the one we use."

"You think the others would be willing to help?" Sebastian asked curiously, looking at Elliott and seeming to be a little more interested now.

"I can pull a few strings," Elliott said. "After all, I'm very good with words. Whether everyone will participate or not I can't say. What matters is that the right people do. The ones best suited to solve this issue."

"And those are…?" Sebastian fished.

"The Adventurer's Guild, Gunther, Kent, Harvey for certain now that we all know his sordid little secrets, and of course the farmer," Elliot said.

Sebastian bristled at the mention of the 'farmer'. Not in an antagonistic way, more because he was unsettled by it. "The elf king you mean," he finally said.

"Mmm hmm," Elliott hummed.

Sebastian was quiet, considering the proposal. "If you think we can swing something like that, a town meeting to figure out how to save the wizard, I… I'm in," he said. "And Abigail definitely will be." Elliott nodded. Silence as Sebastian took another drag and let out a stream. His tongue flicked out over his lips. "Why are you doing this Elliott?" he asked.

"Because I'm through sitting idly by watching our little corner of the world fall apart," Elliott replied. "I like to solve problems and come up with solutions. Those are pertinent skills for a writer to have. Conflict, climax, resolution. I also like to use words to my advantage to see my intentions through. Those are skill sets that, in certain circumstances, can be applied to the real world as well. Within reason. Many in town would like to turn a blind eye and pretend the last few years never happened. Move on with life. The wizard, in their eyes, is an acceptable loss. He was an outcast to begin with who made others uncomfortable more often than not, but I, like Abigail and Sam and Penny and Vincent and Jas, am not so inclined to move on and try to forget."

"Guess I'm in the other group. The one that is," Sebastian quietly and guiltily said. Oh he was selfish.

"Sometimes all it takes to get people to stop turning a blind eye is to speak to them and open those blind eyes. Like I've done just now," Elliott said.

Sebastian started, blinking. After a moment he smirked in amusement and a measure of respect. "You're good," he said, impressed. "You're very, very good."

"Like I said, talent," Elliott replied, eyes closed and a smile dancing on his lips. "Many times, people turn a blind eye because they don't believe there's anything that can be done, or anything they in particular can do. The trick is to make them see that there is. Make them see that it is attainable and they're not just onlookers who can do nothing else. Give them a voice when they can't find one on their own, or when they don't have the drive to use the one they have. Make them realize they could make or break a situation. It may take a while to organize it all, possibly into next season, but we'll see. Motivation, dear boy, motivation."

"I'm not that much younger than you," Sebastian half-grumbled, flushing a bit. Elliott chuckled and waved, continuing on his walk as Sebastian watched after him in some amusement. Elliott had always been an odd duck, to be sure.

Stardew

"Why are we all here, Elliott?" Lewis questioned when all the town met up in Town Hall. Even Dobson hung near the back, albeit looking utterly bored and unimpressed. Clearly Harvey had dragged him there against his will.

"We're here to…" Elliott began.

"To save the Wizard!" Abigail boldly cut in, stepping in front of Elliott who blinked in surprise then smirked in amusement, slipping silently off to the side to stand by Leah and let Abigail, emboldened by the turnout, say her piece. "He and Penny saved our lives!"

"But mostly him!" Penny called out.

"And he paid the price for it!" Abigail said, nodding in acknowledgment of Penny. "Me, Sam, and Vince were all set free, but him? He was left to rot! We owe him our help. We've spent too long doing nothing. We owe Rasmodius everything! Who knows how long he was keeping the valley protected from that hag before we even realized she existed? And… and he's my father! Maybe he's not my dad, but he's my father! I'd... I'd like to have a chance to make him my dad too," she said, looking nervously over at Pierre, worried she'd hurt his feelings with her words. To her relief, he appeared to be in complete agreement and was nodding his head wholeheartedly. Abigail turned back to the others. "There's a way to save him. There has to be! We can't just let him be locked in battle for the rest of his life with the witch and pretend like he never existed. He could be suffering!"

"Well what do you expect us to do?" Marnie asked worriedly, looking nervous.

"I've come up with like a million plans but whether they're any good or not is anyone's guess. If you want to help us save Rasmodius, then go home and start thinking up plans of your own for how we could maybe rescue him. Then we can all submit those plans at another meeting and discuss them, then decide on the best one and refine it until we know we have something that's going to work," Abigail said.

"There's always mobbing the house, I suppose, but that could end horribly," Lewis said, trying to think up something.

"We don't have to figure out anything right now. Something like this takes a while to plan. In a week or two we'll meet up again, share our ideas, and figure out which one we like best," Abigail said, determined to jump into action and save the wizard. The others seemed to silently agree and immediately left to start figuring out what they could do. Abigail watched nervously after them, hoping her words had hit home.

"Well spoken," Elliott offered.

"Who do you think will have the best idea?" she asked nervously.

"That depends. In theory the Adventurer's Guild, Gunther included, or Kent. They've had the most experience with situations like this given their occupations. Of course, going by that logic, Harvey and Dobson would be likely candidates too," Elliott said.

"Not you?" Abigail asked.

"Reality and fantasy can only cross each other so far," Elliott replied. "What would work perfectly in fiction wouldn't work perfectly in reality because people, Abigail, aren't predictable. Some, perhaps, but only to a degree. I've come up with marvelous plans that look absolutely stellar! In a novel. In real life though, I feel they would be sorely lacking. I can't presume to know that for sure of course, but I'd be willing to bet a hefty sum on it."

"Don't put down your plans just yet, Eli. I'm looking forward to hearing what you come up with. Even if it doesn't work for us, I'm sure you'll find a way to fit it into a book," Leah offered, giving him a tender and fond look. He flushed on seeing it and offered her a timid grin, flattered by the praise. Linking his arm with hers, the two of them out of City Hall arm in arm.

Abigail smiled after them fondly, then went towards Sebastian, who was waiting for her by the doorway. He nodded at Elliott and Leah as they passed by, then turned attention to Abigail once more. "What's up?" she questioned, approaching him.

"Just… you were great up there," he answered.

She smiled in amusement. "Cliched, but okay," she said.

"You were. Really," Sebastian said.

"That's not what's bothering you," she replied.

"It's… I just don't want anyone to get hurt. Least of all you," he replied.

"Then come up with a plan where no one does," she answered, tapping his nose.

"It's not that simple, Abigail. I've never been good with plans anyway," he replied. "Look, what we're trying to do here is way more complicated than it's coming across. We're dealing with a witch and a wizard locked in mortal combat unwilling to relent on either side. Someone tries to disrupt that, there's no telling what will happen."

"We'll fix this, and no one will be hurt, Sebby. I promise," she said. He wasn't convinced.

Stardew

"Done!" Dobson said from the couch in Harvey's flat.

Harvey, mixing coffee, frowned curiously. "Really? That was quick," he replied, walking over to take a look with his mug in hand. He took the paper Dobson handed up, examined it, and frowned, blatantly unimpressed. Scowling at his sibling, he shoved it back into Dobson's hands. Dobson gave him an innocent grin. "Tell me you're kidding," he flatly said.

"What?" Dobson protested.

"Your plan is to bomb them and bank on survival of the fittest? I don't think so," Harvey said.

"Humph, fine," Dobson sulked. "So much for doing it quick and easy."

"And messy," Harvey deadpanned.

"Okay, I get it!" Dobson said. He huffed and went back to the drawing board. Harvey sighed and sat next to him, watching as he planned, then began to work on a plot of his own. After a while, he offered it to Dobson. Dobson paused with a frown then took the plan, switching off his own with his brother's. They tacked their own ideas onto one another's plots, and in this manner, they coordinated and merged their ideas to come up with one final draft ready for submission.

Stardew

Haley, sitting by the window in her and Alex's house, tapped a pen distractedly against a sheet of paper. Well, technically it was hers, Emily's, Alex's, and Shane's now. They had divided it up between them. She and Emily couldn't leave until their parents came back, if their parents came back, and it had more room in it anyway than either Marnie's ranch or Alex's grandparents' house. When, or if, their parents came home, she would probably move in with Alex and Emily would probably move in with Shane. Joja Mart had been converted into apartments, yes, but that had only ever been a temporary thing. Talk—and by talk, she meant gossip—was that it would become a theatre soon, which would be cool yeah but would also prove a pain in the backside for Sam, Sebastian, and Abigail. None of them, at least not Sebastian and Abigail, necessarily wanted to move back in with their parents. Then again, the wizard's tower was probably open to Abby now, so she would likely talk Sebastian into that.

"What are you looking at babe?" Alex asked, approaching her with a smile.

"Nothing. I'm just worrying," Haley answered.

"Worrying? About what?" Alex asked, frowning in a measure of concern and sitting across from her.

"Everything," she said with a frustrated sigh. "Sebastian and Abigail and what they're going through with their pending eviction and the whole wizard situation, this mysterious farmer elf out there, that creep Dobson scouting out Pelican Town for his corporate overlords, everything that could go wrong when we try to save Rasmodius… It's just too much!"

"Hey, hey, easy Haley," Alex said, covering her hands in clear concern.

"On top of all that, when my parents come back where are all of us supposed to go?" Haley asked hopelessly.

"Look, you don't worry about that, okay? I've got a couple feelers out. There are a few old ruined homes around town or not far from it. Those are options. They're probably dirt cheap. They'd take a lot of work to fix up, sure, but we could really make one of them our own. In fact I'll take a look at the one in Cindersnap Forest tomorrow and see what we can do, alright?" Alex said.

"Are-are you serious?" she asked, sounding a little hopeful.

"Of course I am! We'll even go together if you want. I know you're not one for the down and dirty, but…" he began.

"I can get dirty! I may not look it, but I can," she protested, folding her arms and turning her head away from him, sticking up her nose. She looked back at him, eyes narrowed. "I just prefer not to."

He smirked in amusement. "You'd like it I think," he playfully poked. She wrinkled her nose a bit, shifting a little. Curiosity was pricking at her though, as much as she wished otherwise. His smirk told her she wasn't hiding it well either.

"Fine. I'll tag along. Maybe not the first few times, but maybe eventually. Maybe," she said.

"Fair enough," he answered fondly. "Hey babe, I love you."

She stared at her husband, a smile crossing her lips. She could still hardly believe they were married. Calling him her husband made her feel warm inside. His calling her his wife did too. Honestly, she'd never thought she'd be married. She'd always called herself a free spirit who would never be held down by a mere guy. Then she'd grown up and matured, somewhat, and Alex started to become more than the prize he had been in high school; and you'd better believe he'd been a prize. Hey, top jock and head cheerleader? It was practically written in the stars. The biggest cliché out there. She hadn't even been interested in him back then really, it had just looked good. After prom, they'd broken it off and gone their separate ways for a few years. After those few years were up though, when they'd both been older, she started to look at him again. This time, though, not through the eyes of a shallow little girl. Through the eyes of a woman. Still shallow, yeah, but also more mature. Slowly she began to see a man more than a trophy. She'd taken a gamble and invited him to coffee for old time's sake. They'd met up in Zuzu city and started to really get to know each other, and it turned out that maybe the attraction between them wasn't just physical or social after all. He'd opened up a bit about his past, she'd opened up about her secret hobbies and her own history, then they began to get more and more interested in learning more about one another, and eventually 'maybe I could get to actually like you' turned into 'I think I love you'. Then it was 'I love you' with no doubt.

"I love you too," she said, when she realized she'd been silent a bit too long. He seemed amused, laughing a bit, so she had probably just been staring at him smiling like an idiot. It was about time she snapped out of it. She looked back out the window fondly. "You know, I'm betting the plan we go with to save the wizard will be Dobson's, Harvey's, Kent's, or the Adventurer's Guild's."

"Or Elliott's," Alex said. "Writer dude comes up with some pretty tight plots, so no reason he couldn't come up with a tight plot for something that's not a book."

"You've read his book?" Haley asked.

"Well yeah. I've read a few things he's done. He's actually really good," Alex said, flushing a bit. "I think you'd really like his style, and I know you'd love his novel."

"Maybe I'll check it out, but I'm a romance kind of girl," she said.

"Oh, it's romance alright. But like, classy romance, not trashy stuff," Alex said, snickering. "I'm betting it's Leah inspired."

"Aww," Haley cooed. "That's adorable!"

Alex smiled. "Come on, let's get to work on these plans of ours," he said. Haley nodded with a smile and went back to work, the tip of her tongue sticking out the side of her mouth in concentration. Alex dreamily stared at her a moment before snapping out of it and focusing on his own plan again.

Stardew

Maru didn't approve of her fiancé's plot. A deep frown spread across her lips as she examined it. Harvey and Dobson's plan cut out participation from everyone except for themselves and the Travelling Merchant. The implication was that they didn't want anyone else to get in their way. Well, that was likely Dobson and Carmen's motivation. Harvey's motivation had likely been to keep people alive and put no one's life at risk but his own. Neither of his siblings would have stood for that, so he was forced to concede and risk their lives as well.

Now maybe the spy siblings could actually pull this off by themselves, if they could it would definitely put the fewest lives at risk, but on the other hand, if they failed then they would doom themselves. She wasn't ready to be a widow before she was even married. If her fiancé or his siblings made a single mistake or miscalculated anything, no one would be there to back them up. That wasn't okay with her.

"No," she said flat out, frowning at him.

He took it back, unsurprised at her reaction. "It's going to be submitted whether or not you approve, Maru," he said. She pursed her lips, briefly considered giving an ultimatum, then kicked herself in disgust for even letting that thought cross her mind. She hated ultimatums and manipulations. She always had.

"Fine. But you can bet I'll do everything in my power to keep it shelved," she said instead.

"I'm sure my brother and sister would agree," Harvey said with a hopeless roll of his eyes.

"No wonder. You were sure you were the one put at most risk I see," she testily replied.

He frowned. "Yes. I was. I'm the oldest so I'll do everything in my power to keep my younger siblings safe, no matter the cost," he said.

"You're going to be married," she almost hissed, fists clenching and shaking a bit with repressed emotion.

"Yes. I am," he answered. She blinked, a bit taken aback by the answer. It was an unspoken guarantee, she realized. A promise without being a promise. She wasn't sure how to respond to that. She bit her lower lip instead and crossed her arms, turning away from him. "We're going to be married," he reiterated, voice softer this time. Gently he placed his hands on her upper arms, rubbing them reassuringly up and down. She looked hopelessly back at him.

"If you marry me then go off and get yourself killed…" she indignantly began.

"I'll marry you after I come back," he said with a smile. "If this plan is chosen. There's no guarantee it will be, after all." She bowed her head sadly then looked up at him again, nodding in understanding.

Stardew

"This is your plan then? Cut out your family from having any part in it?" Jodie asked her husband, looking over his plot. Kent grunted in response, arms stubbornly crossed. She gave him an incredulous look and sighed. "I suppose I shouldn't be surprised. I would have done the same." He shifted. She looked at the plan again. You cut out families and close friends of your family from it too," she noted. "Sacrifice the recluses? That's your idea? And what's this? Yourself too? Oh Kent." She shook her head at him, handing the plan back over.

"Something needs to be done, there's no question there. The fewer lives at risk the better. The fewer losses sustained the more bearable for the survivors," Kent answered.

"There may not even be any casualties," she said.

"Or survivors," he replied.

"Then you're not going anywhere," Jodie firmly said. He frowned at her. "You have a wife and two children to stick around for. There isn't going to be any debating this. We almost lost you to war. We aren't going to lose you at home."

He sighed, stubborn and tensed posture slackening a bit. He leaned forward, rubbing his face with a hand, and looked tiredly up at her. "You've already lost me mentally and emotionally. Why not add physically to the equation?" he dully asked.

Her eyes narrowed, almost seeming to light on fire. "That's it! You're going back to see Harvey. Tomorrow!" she snapped sharply. He smirked ever so slightly, amused at her fire. "Don't give me that look," she sneered. "Clearly you can't pick yourself up off the ground, so I'll do it for you! Then I'll get Harvey to help carry you until you can walk on your own again." His smile slowly fell. He looked suddenly exhausted. "We aren't letting you go," she said to him, tone softening a bit.

He leaned back in the chair, arms folded, and looked her over. "And I used to be under the delusion that I was the strong one between us," he said. She huffed and turned to walk away. He lunged suddenly, catching her around the waist and pulling her back onto his lap as she let out a little scream of surprise. She stared at him in shock, mouth agape, and saw a smirk on his lips. Her heart skipped a beat and fluttered. The joy she felt upon seeing it couldn't have been expressed in words. It was something so small, yet she couldn't remember the last time he had smiled genuinely and held it… She stared at him in silence, still trying to wrap her head around it. He held her gaze then moved forward, pressing his lips to hers. She shivered and wrapped her arms around his neck, deepening the kiss before eventually withdrawing. "How long will Vincent be gone for?" he asked ponderously. She flushed bright red, stammered over her words a moment before stopping herself, then stood up and pulled him quickly to his feet, leading him wordlessly to their bedroom half annoyed and half ecstatic.

Stardew

Leah crept into the quiet garden hand-in-hand with Elliott. They were playing it dangerously, the sun was setting and the last thing they wanted to do was be caught in this place after dark, but Elliott had insisted it had to be done. He had insisted the farmer would know better than any of them what to do. Maybe he would, but she still wasn't very inclined to face him. She gasped as a fairy suddenly flitted passed. It stopped abruptly on noticing them, floated close to her face curiously as she gaped at it in wonder and awe, then darted away. Another small gasp escaped her lips. She looked back at Elliott, who was smiling tenderly at her, and flushed at the way he was staring. She glanced away, clearing her throat a bit awkwardly.

"You intrigued her," he said. "I hardly think she'll be the only one you intrigue."

"What's that supposed to mean?" she asked, refusing to meet his eyes.

"It means your beauty is blinding," he whispered into her ear, teasing it with his soft breath.

"You're good with words, I'll give you that," she said, smiling a little and looking down.

"It shames even the beauty of this garden," he continued.

"Don't be ridiculous now. Precious little could even rival the beauty of this place, let alone shame it," she said.

"You're among the precious little," he said.

She smiled at him in amusement. "Looked in a mirror lately?" she murmured.

"Your sculpture, I'm sure, did me more justice than a mirror could," he said. "Leah, Leah, was it so stunning a sight?"

"Catching you emerging out of a river under the moonlight after you'd been skinny dipping? Yes. It was," she answered.

"Skinny dipping? So choosy with your words," he teased. "The term is naked, Leah. You caught me rising from a river beneath the moonlight utterly naked." She shivered at the low and suggestive timber his voice had taken on.

"Yes, I did, and now that sight is seared into my brain forever more, as evidenced by my sculpture, so I'm sure you're one of those precious few things that could shame the beauty of this garden as well," she answered with a huff.

"Speak tenderly to me, my love. Don't try to veil your sweet words," he cooed.

"For Yoba's sake, Elliott, behave," she hissed. "We're running out of time. If we're caught here after dark, neither of our beauty is going to save us." She squealed as he caught her around the waist suddenly and hoisted her up onto a rock. She flushed bright red when she noticed the way he was looking at her with a smoky gaze, his eyes half-lidded and a seductive smirk plastered across his lips. She stammered to try and find words before slamming her mouth shut, rendered speechless. She realized she was holding her breath and let it out in a stream of air. "Now isn't the time," she whispered, flustered.

"Hmm," he murmured. "Kiss me."

"Now isn't the time!" she insisted. If possible, she was a brighter red than before.

"Kiss me," he said again.

"Don't tease me like this, please!" she suddenly and desperately pled, and he started, visibly taken aback.

Leah savagely bit her tongue. He blinked at her, processing what she'd just said. "Tease you?" he finally asked.

She let out a breath again, bowing her head. She swallowed and looked at him once more. "I don't want to be toyed with again. Used and cast off like it was nothing," she whispered.

"Again?" he asked.

She let out a somewhat sharp laugh. "For years we've been doing this, Elliott. This song and dance, this game, this-this, whatever it is! Years! This teasing, this moving in then pulling back last minute. We play our relationship like a fairy tale, drawn by the allure but practical enough to know it isn't real, so we just hang here in limbo, and you feign want and desire while I'm helplessly floundering trying to fight against it with common sense knowing that it's just a game but unable to stop myself from wanting you so desperately it aches! For Yoba's sake, what do we even know about one another?! Have we ever even asked each other about our pasts? Did we ever really get to know each other, or did we just drift along playing at pretty words and sweet nothings and let ourselves be clueless about anything else? I had a boyfriend before moving here, did you know that?" He was quiet. "No, you didn't! Because you never asked, and I never volunteered it. I had a boyfriend who was manipulative, unsupportive, emotionally abusive, sometimes physically abusive! He never respected me, he only pretended to be interested in my hobbies to draw me in, and when he had me everything changed. It was like I didn't even know him anymore! He put me down, discouraged me, laughed at my dreams, told me I would never be anything. I'm all you need, Leah. You'd be on the streets without me, Leah. I've had a stressful day, just shut up about your latest project and screw me, Leah. Mind you that wasn't the word he liked to use."

Elliott's jaw hardened a bit, eyes narrowing as he listened. He felt his blood starting to boil a little at the mental imagery. Sometimes it didn't pay to have a vivid imagination.

"I got out of there and I came here, and for the first time in too long I felt like I was free to be what I wanted to be. Then you came… You came and you treated me so different than he had, even when he was pretending. Fascinated with my art, fascinated with my plans, fascinated by my dreams and desires, fascinated with me," she said. "Fascinated by what you wanted me to be, but not by what I was or what shaped me."

"Really?" he asked, sounding slightly testy now, a frown on his lips. "May I say my piece now?" She wouldn't meet his eyes, so he took it as an affirmative. "Tell me when I'm wrong. You're an artist." Silence. "You're ambitious." Silence. "You're a woman with a dream she was so determined to see fulfilled that she was willing to leave behind everything she knew and loved to come to a place in the middle of nowhere that she knew nothing about, far from any support network, just so she could begin anew and make her dream a reality whatever it took."

"I'm a woman who ran away from an abusive relationship to…" she began before trailing off. "Follow your dream despite your naysaying bum of a boyfriend? Leave behind everything you knew and loved etcetera, etcetera? Just as I said?" She looked flustered now. Perhaps even a little fearful as realization started to dawn on her. "The first time I spoke to you at any length, I realized you had run and didn't care to look back. I realized it because I had run too. You ran from your past, you moved to somewhere where no one knew you, and you didn't turn back nor were you inclined to, so what reason did I have to ever pry into what shaped you when you wanted to shape yourself anew? Perhaps you built off the foundation of a past you wanted to forget, but you still wanted to forget it. So I let you forget, and I didn't care to pry into your history because the woman you wanted everyone to know was the woman you were painting onto a blank canvas. Without that canvas no picture could be formed, true enough, but is it the canvas the artist wants admired, or is it the work they have placed on it?" Tears burned her eyes as she looked at him, but she refused to let them fall. "I don't care who you were. I care who you are and I care what you became. Your argument holds no water. You couldn't recite a single thing about my past either because I haven't cared to let you know and you haven't cared to ask, because it doesn't matter. What matters is who we are here and now. Though this may feel like a fairy tale, it's real. It's real because we have made it real. I love you, Leah, and there is no doubt in my mind that I do! Can you truly say there's doubt in yours, or do you just want there to be because this feels like it's too good to be true?"

She sobbed, covering her mouth and closing her eyes tightly.

"Marry me," he suddenly said without thinking, and she gasped, eyes flying open. She stared at him in disbelief like she couldn't believe she had heard that. "Marry me," he repeated firmly. "Whatever life you lived before, forget it. Do not look back. Look only at what is here now and what is ahead. It only ever needs to be you and me again. No once lovers lingering in the background, no naysaying families…"

"We can't escape them forever," she said.

"Perhaps not, but facing them together is much easier than facing them alone," Elliott answered. "Marry me."

"What if you regret it?" she asked.

"I could ask the same of you," he said. "But you and I both know that will never happen. We feel it down to our bones. We feel it in our very souls! Yes, it sounds hackneyed and fantastical and impossible, but look at us, Leah! Look at where we are now and all we have come through. Look at the man standing before you begging you to take him as your husband. Begging you for that honour and that mercy! Look at the man who feels like some medieval storybook knight who swears they will die for love of some maiden who will not or cannot have them."

"Those men are fools," she breathlessly answered.

"But?!" he demanded sharply.

"But Yoba, I feel like I would die for love of you in turn!" she cried frantically, clenching her teeth and holding her hair in her hands, closing her eyes tightly and shaking her head like she wanted to kick herself and tell herself it was ridiculous. She knew, though, that whether she told herself as much or not, whether or not she tricked herself into believing it was true, it didn't change the reality.

"There are your beautiful words, unmarred by the filters of jaded, naysaying humanity," he said. He moved, then, swiftly and confidently, and took her lips with his own. She let out a muffled cry and seized his jacket, dragging him closer and pressing her lips as tightly against his as she possibly could. It still didn't feel close enough or intimate enough or adoring enough to convey all she felt, and she begged for entrance into his mouth. He willingly and eagerly granted it. She wrapped her arms around his neck, and he leaned over her until she was on her back clinging to him. They parted to breathe, him nuzzling her nose softly.

Then he looked up, and she watched love quickly become terror. He gasped, pulling her from the rock and away from it. Confused at first, she was about to ask what was wrong when she realized it wasn't a sunset she was looking up at anymore. It was stars! "Oh no," she whispered, spinning around to see what Elliott was staring at. She covered her mouth with both hands, eyes going wide. There, staring at them from the woods, was a white stag!

Stardew

"Elliott, we need to go," Leah said, taking his hand and walking in the opposite direction quickly. Rather, she started to. She froze with a gasp almost immediately, which he echoed right after. "Where is the path?" Leah breathed. Elliott was stunned silent. "Where does this fit into your fairy tales?" she demanded, turning to face him quickly.

"Everywhere, so long as the Fair Folk play a part in it," he answered numbly.

"And how do those tales usually end?" she urgently and fearfully hissed.

"In tragedy," he gravely answered. She looked passed him at the stag. Her eyes widened in fear. Its form was melting away. Elliott, seeing her fear, turned quickly. When he saw what was happening, he swiftly moved in front of her and held her hands tightly, reaching back to clasp them firmly.

"It's coming," she said, pressing against his back. It, he, closed the distance between them steadily.

"M-My lord, we didn't intend to…!" Elliott quickly began, stammering to try and figure out how they were going to talk their way out of this.

"Either you, mortal, are very brave or very stupid. Which I cannot tell," the 'farmer' cut off. "You well knew the consequences of stepping into my realm. So why have you come where you are at my mercy?"

"To beg your help, my lord," Leah answered. Elliott had seemed confident the title would somewhat placate the elf, so she might as well try it too. "To rescue the wizard! We wanted to find you before the light vanished, but were… preoccupied."

"So I beheld," the farmer answered, sounding blatantly unimpressed as he looked pointedly at Elliott. "Distracted by honeyed words and gentle caresses… Such is the folly of mortal kind," he answered, beginning to slowly and regally pace. "Passions consume your minds, and you lose all sense." He stopped, meeting Leah's eyes once more. "He has doomed you both."

"My lord please!" she insisted desperately.

"The fault falls more on him than on you and so he will suffer all the more," the elf continued, turning away from her again.

"We need your help!" Leah insisted.

"Silence, faithless mortal!" the elfin king snapped, and a chill of fear ran up her spine. She bit her lower lip nervously, staring at him in fear. "You will speak no further to me."

"Then will you let me speak?" Elliott asked.

"Why do you presume I would be any more inclined to hear your words than I am to hear hers?" the farmer king answered. Elliott fell silent, visibly puzzled. He had no answer to give.

"He will be more inclined to listen to you because he favours you more," Leah said to Elliott, giving the elf king an answer for her lover without directly speaking to it.

The farmer seemed almost impressed by the tact and looked at her, examining her in silence. "Your words are wise," he remarked simply. He looked at Elliott once more. "Though not wholly correct."

"You will hear me because I offer you a bargain," Elliott said. "Deals have always been the undoing of the fae."

"More often of the mortals unfortunate enough to offer them," the Elven King answered. "A single slip of the tongue and a blessing can become a curse."

"Is it not all in the way the mortal perceives it?" Elliott replied.

"Not always," the faerie answered simply. "You are very inclined to bargains, I notice."

"Is a bargain not the only chance we have, now that we've broken your rules and intruded on your domain?" Elliott answered.

"You will be fortunate to get even that," he answered, drawing a sword from its sheath. The Forest Sword, Leah saw, and a shiver ran down her spine. It was not the deadliest blade, Abigail had told her once, but somehow she doubted Abigail had ever imagined it held in the hands of something that wasn't human…

He is the forest and the forest is he…

The blade pulsated with glowing green lines running through it in shimmers. The magic coursing through was palpable and could not be denied. Perhaps in the hands of a mortal, the sword was not spectacular, but in the hands of an elf? It had become a weapon beyond the scope of what they could even understand…

"Did you not have fondness for the wizard?" Elliott asked.

"I was fond of the wizard," the king confirmed.

"Then help us to rescue him," Elliott pled.

"That is not the matter we are addressing now," the elven king answered.

"Please," Leah pled. "Let us go. Whatever deal you want to make, we'll hear it! Just set us free."

The elf king's eyes turned to Elliott and remained. "Who were your parents?" he suddenly and unexpectedly asked.

"What?" Elliott said, puzzled. The elfin king did not repeat himself. "I-I don't know. That is, I knew my father, but I never knew my mother. She was gone before I was old enough to remember. Father claimed she died in childbirth. My grandmother, father's mother, claimed she went home... I never knew what that meant."

The elf king stared at him in silence. At last he held the blade out towards him and Elliott backed quickly away in fear with Leah, staring at the tip of it with dread in his eyes. "Take hold of it," the farmer instructed.

"I-I-I don't deal in swords. I'm a writer as you well know, and the pen is mightier than…" Elliott hurriedly stammered, losing his train of thought and starting to stumble on the words he was normally so sure of.

"Take the sword," the farmer ordered.

Elliott stopped talking, staring at the blade. After a moment he released Leah's hands and tentatively stretched them out for the blade, palms up to receive it. The elven kind laid the sword in his hands and Elliott stared at it, utterly confused. The elf king released the blade and examined the weapon. Leah, curious, peered out too. The green lines pulsated in it still, their glow only half as strong but still steady. Likely because of the proximity of the elven king, she rationed.

"Give it to the woman," the king said. Elliott looked quickly up at him, unnerved by this, and turned to Leah who was tentatively stepping out from behind him, warily watching the farmer before them. She looked at the blade. Elliott didn't seem inclined to hand it over. He feared some trick or alternative motive, she assumed, so she took the initiative, taking the blade from him for herself. The green lines vanished the instant they left the writer's hands. The elf king observed in silence. Leah looked puzzled. Soon the elf king reached out, taking the blade back. He looked to Elliott once more. "Take your beloved and go. But should she ever return after dark again, no further mercy will be shown."

"You mean we?" Elliott questioned.

"If I had meant you both, I would have said as much," the farmer answered.

"But-but why do you exclude me from that rule?" Elliott questioned.

The elf smirked ever so slightly. "Because there is no reason for me to act against you," he replied. He turned, walking away from them without looking back. "I will consider this matter of Rasmodius. Be satisfied with that." They stayed quiet. It wasn't theirs to comment now. They had irked him enough. Soon he disappeared.

"What did he mean by that? By saying there was no reason for him to act against you?" Leah asked worriedly.

"I-I don't know," Elliott admitted. She looked at him, saw the troubled and conflicted look in his eyes, and something told her that while he might not know, he had a healthy suspicion… And maybe she did too… She shoved the thought aside, grasped his hands tightly, and led him away from that place. The path had reappeared. Quickly she took him from the garden. The farmer would give them his help. How and when they didn't know, but he would. They just had to wait.

"Elliott?" she said. He glanced curiously at her. She looked back at him, seemed to consider saying something, then shied away, turning from him again. "Never mind. I'll tell you later," she said. He raised a curious eyebrow but didn't press. Simply nodded in understanding and took her quickly out of the farmer's domain and into the safer parts of the forest.

Stardew

"Nacken, reveal yourself to me. I know you lurk in the waters."

The brook rippled quietly, the surface not stirring. Soon, though, two glowing eyes opened beneath the water, peering out at him.

"Nacken, rise from your waters and speak with me a while."

Silence. Soon, though, the surface rippled and bubbled, and slowly a humanoid figure rose up from it lightly clothed in riverweed. In appearance he was a young man, but emaciated. Flesh pale and grey like a corpse, hair black and dripping, eyes and mouth glowing hauntingly. He clutched in his arms a fiddle.

"King of the Waters, I would ask your help."

"What bargain for my aid, Elfin King?"

"What bargain would you have?"

"That you would allow me to indulge my nature."

"River King, I will not give you man, woman, or child with which to decorate the watery depths of your home."

"Then do not expect my help."

"I would see freed one of your ilk long held captive."

"What one of my ilk is held captive?"

"A maiden of the merfolk, long-time held prisoner aboard the ship of a greed-driven mortal. Long ago that mortal sought wealth and fame that was not his to have. In his quest he found and seized her, as well as a number of fairies of the forest. He dragged her on board and trapped her there far from her sisters and mother and home. Each year during a winter's market, she sings loud her grief for her cruel imprisonment to all who will hear, but there are none who can understand her laments. She is, to them, a spectacle, her song joyful and for their pleasure. They do not know that outside her prison her sisters each year gather, and her mother, and share in her mourning, singing for their lost one to return as she laments that she will never see home again."

"Hmm… Free the mermaid. Send to me the man who took her. Give him into my hands, if you will give me no other willingly, and I will lend you my help."

"So may it be done, Sea King. There is a fair maid in the nearby town. She plays the flute. Teach her the song that will save her father, and should it succeed, our bargain will go through. I cannot promise how quickly."

"You will accomplish it. That is all the promise I need, erl-king, for ne'er do our kind go back on their given vows, and their word is their oath."

"The maiden will come to you. You will not take her or any who may accompany her."

"I swear to you I will not take her."

"Then rest, King of Brooks and Streams and Lakes and all waters. Rest and soon it will be accomplished."

With those words the elf king retreated into the forest as the nacken sank beneath the water once more.

Stardew

When it came to putting together plans for how to save Rasmodius, the strategists were the ones that were slowest to finish. Within a few days, though, all the proposals were gathered together and the townsfolk had met up to review them. Soon enough five plans were dubbed winners. Technically seven, but both Harvey and Dobson and Gil and Marlon's plans were so intrinsically linked that each pair had been grouped together as one. Aside from them, there was Kent's plan, Elliott's, and Maru's. Elliott and Maru silently and gracefully bowed out. It was clear to see that the Soldier's plan, the Adventurers' plan, and the Spies' plan were the best ones on offer.

The Adventurer's Guild's plan was surprisingly strong on all fronts. All-inclusive if they wanted it to be, except for George and Evelyn, the children, and Marnie, who would stay to look after the little ones. Marlon also had an unrequited crush on her and had for a long time, so he wanted her to stay out of harm's way besides. The plan was also flexible enough that those who wanted to remain at home could do so. Pam, Gus, Linus probably. It seemed the majority leaned towards the adventurers' plot.

"Experience always wins out, whippersnapper," Gil lazily told an irritated Dobson, when it was clear that the Adventurer's Guild's plan was going to be the chosen one. Dobson shot him a sneer but little else.

"So, is this it? Is this what we're going for?" Abigail asked.

"This is most definitely the win…" Louis began.

"Ahem, excuse me," a voice said loudly from the doorway. They all turned quickly and their eyes widened, some of them gasping in surprise. Robin's grip tightened on Sebastian's shoulders, her eyes widening in disbelief. Pierre looked disgusted and like he was about to go at the intruder full force. Caroline held his arm firmly and tightly so he couldn't. "I have a plan of my own to put on offer," the newcomer declared.

Stardew

"Morris!" Pierre exclaimed in disgust.

"Sir!" Dobson practically chirped. Harvey rolled his eyes as much as they could be rolled at his brother's suck holing. "A pleasure to have you with us, sir! You never told me you were coming. I could have had things ready to receive you."

"Oh Dobson, always eager to please. I like that about you. Love it in fact. I always have," Morris said. He turned attention to Louis. "I would like to submit a plan of my own to help you with your… missing wizard."

"How do you know what we're…?" Abigail began. She stopped, blinking, then looked highly unimpressed, casting a dark look Dobson's way. "You told him?" she icily asked.

"I have a job to do, lady. Get used to it," Dobson brushed off.

"Spying for corporate on top of surveying land for Joja now, Scum?" she said to him.

"As if you country rubes could ever hope to understand the finer points of business," Dobson replied.

"Of corruption," Pierre corrected. "We've been running our own businesses here just fine. Or were until Joja walked into our lives." He looked at Morris. "Morris, get out. You're not welcome here. Take your boy toy with you." Dobson started, offended, and gave Pierre a dirty look.

"Now, now, now. All I want to do is help!" Morris said. "At least take a look at what I have to propose." He walked over and examined the Adventurer's Guild's plan. "You see, this is much too complicated. You're making it harder than it needs to be! The wizard and the witch are going to be distracted with each other. No need for action-movie tactics here. A good old torch and pitchforks approach would do the job just fine. Send in a recovery party while the rest stand back in case the first group messes up."

"And who would the first group be?" Abigail asked challengingly.

"You of course, my dear. And your husband though I'm loathe to throw him into such danger," Morris said. Robin gave a sharp bark of laughter. Sebastian looked back at her curiously, then to Morris again. "Any of you who might know science and or magic, for that matter. Abigail, Emily, Maru, Demetrius, Sebastian, and of course the doctor! Just in case things backfire. Though that said, it may be safer to keep him on the back lines. Why risk playing a real-life game of Dr. Dodgeball, after all? On second thought, all fire focused on him could be a useful distraction, if the witch gets ornery."

"No," Maru and Dobson immediately said together, the former seizing Harvey's hand tightly and the latter looking appalled at the suggestion.

"Sir, he's of more use to us when he's not the main target," Dobson added.

"Fine, fine. Now I'm sure the wizard's tower, the witch's hut, and the library all have a plethora of information that could be used against the wicked witch, or at least the tower and the library," Morris said. "And as the magic man's biological daughter, Abigail of course would have that same attuned-ness to the mystic that her father possessed. Pull out a spell book and I'm sure she could get the hang of a basic spell or two that could help free her dad."

"You told him that too?" Abigail hissed at Dobson, eyes narrowed. Dobson awkwardly cleared her throat and pointedly avoided meeting her eyes. Abigail looked back at Morris. "No one can get into the tower," she quietly said.

"You can. It's almost a guarantee," Morris said. "Like father like daughter, correct? And I'm sure a hunt through the library by Gunther and the Adventurer's Guild will turn up some lore on witches and weaknesses. Water was one, no?"

"No. That's a pop culture thing," Sebastian said.

"You always were a smart child, my boy," Morris said. "Your biological father's side no doubt?" Robin winced.

"His mother's," Demetrius firmly said, stepping in to defend his wife.

"The point is that once the information's gotten, we can all storm the witch's house in the night and send in a party of rescuers to try and end the battle the two rivals are engaged in. If they're both in a sort of bound or tranced state, it isn't likely anything will stop us," Morris said. "The Adventurers' plan has something to do for everyone with no regard to the fact that the more strings there are to tie together, the harder it is to get it right without making a mistake. My plan eliminates that concern by relying on simplicity itself. The one thing no one seems to appreciate or think of anymore."

"Excellently spoken, sir," Dobson said.

"Brownnoser," Alex coughed into his arm, earning himself an annoyed look from Dobson.

"If we could find something to neutralize the both of them and break their focus on one another, it would give us a chance to get Rasmodius away from there," Abagail mused out loud, thinking it through. "Disorientation and confusion. Oh where are the elf king's illusions when you need them? Guess I'll be casting one of my own, if we're doing it this way."

"I can help you focus your energy and your mind so you can really put your all into whatever spell you choose to try and use," Emily said.

"If anyone could, it would be you for sure," Abigail said. Emily was all into that holistic spiel. Meditation, focused mind, focused body, energies... Assuming those were all actually credible things, she would be invaluable, and the fact that junimos, elves, mermaids, fairies, witches, and wizards existed, it wasn't like it would be a stretch.

"You're not going up against a wizard and a witch without me there to back you up if something goes wrong," Shane bluntly told Emily with a frown.

"Same," Clint wryly agreed. He may have missed out on her, but damned if he didn't still love the woman. Even if she was out of his reach now. Shane gave him a vaguely annoyed look, but let it go.

"And of course, Maru, Demetrius, Sebastian, and Harvey as well," Morris said.

"I could…" Dobson began.

"No," Morris cut off. "You, my boy, are of far more use to me. It would be such a waste of talent if Joja was to lose you. Why, you're my best man! You're sticking around, Mr. Dobson. What would I do without my little money maker, hmm?"

"Go out of business, sir," Dobson said.

"Don't get smart or I may have to rethink your position as my successor," Morris flatly said to him.

Dobson's eyes practically lit up with dollar signs. "Yes sir, of course sir, my apologies sir," Dobson quickly said. Morris smiled, pacified, and turned to the rest to see how his little plot was being received. Begrudgingly, it seemed, but they saw the practicality in it. Good. Maybe they weren't all stupid country hillbillies after all.

Harvey pulled aside his brother, eying Morris warily up, then turned to his sibling. "Tell me the truth. How much did you collaborate with Morris on this little plan?" he asked in a murmur.

"Morris is slyer than you seem to think Harvey," Dobson replied. "Believe it or not, I didn't touch base with him at all. I'm as surprised as the rest of you that he showed up. He never sent me a message or anything. I don't know what his plan here is, but I'm sure I'll learn soon enough."

"And let me know?" Harvey asked.

"Most likely," Dobson replied with a shrug. Harvey sighed, rolling his eyes. Here was hoping, then, that this all worked out as they intended it to.

"So, first things first I need to get into my father's tower and figure out what he has in there that could be helpful. Meanwhile, others can search the library and maybe the witch's hut. Then we'll all meet up back here to pool what we've found and get organized," Abigail said.

"Sounds excellent," Morris said, tenting his fingers. "Off with you then, whoever is out to search. We'll give it four hours then return."

"Fine by me," Abigail said, walking out of the Community Center to go to the Wizard's Tower. Sebastian looked like he wanted to follow her, but ultimately he determined this might be something she had to do alone. For that, Abigail was grateful.

Stardew

Abigail stood outside the entrance to the tower looking uncertain. It didn't feel right to enter it before her birth father gave her permission to. She was rebellious by nature, yes, but when it came to things as powerful as potent as this? There was a point in time when you had to let common sense kick in, and walking into that tower without being invited or given permission to seemed like all kinds of bad. Drawing a breath, she reached out for the door.

Suddenly she heard the eerie sound of violin music and paused, frowning. She turned her head curiously in the direction it was coming from. The lake? She stared towards it, intrigued. The music sang out sweet and clear. She felt her mind becoming hazy and shook her head, frowning a bit. That was strange. She walked down the steps up to the tower and looked again in the direction of the lake. The music continued. Her mind grew hazy once again, eyes slowly glassing over as she listened, and slowly she began to move towards it. She wanted to investigate. She had to. Something within her compelled her to. All that filled her thoughts was the sound of that haunting music calling her… Soon enough the wizard's tower was forgotten. Everything was forgotten. Everything but that infernal fiddle and the lake.

She saw the figure in the water before she saw anything else. He stood waist deep, bow lazily drawing across the strings of a violin. He wore no clothing, only the lake weed draped over his shoulders and hanging down his body. More a covering than anything else. Behind his dripping black bangs, she saw faintly glowing eyes. She didn't register the water as she stepped into it, waded deeper and deeper, and approached him, unable to stop but not wanting to either. An eerie grin spread across his face. It glowed too. He reached out cold fingers, wrapping them around her throat slowly as the water ran in rivulets down his body.

"Enough," a stern and powerful voice commanded. The music stopped and Abby blinked a few times rapidly before gasping when she realized where she was. She looked quickly up at the man in the lake and screamed in surprise, scrambling away from him. He stood there smirking coldly. Cold dread filled her and she turned around, scrambling back to shore towards the farmer, the elf king, who stood there waiting. She crawled out of the water in a panic and tried to flee, but the king of the Fair Folk caught her arm firmly. She let out another scream and tried to pull away. He held her fast.

"Let me go!" she shouted desperately. "Help! Help!" The man reached out, placing his fingertips on her forehead, and she gasped a little as an overwhelming sensation of calm washed over her. Her tense body relaxed, and she had never felt more relaxed than she did then.

"He will not harm you," the erl-king said in a soothing, calm voice. "Not so long as I am near. He can help you."

Abigail, snapping back to herself, looked fearfully out into the lake at the eerie, haunting figure of the man in the water. "H-help me? Help me to what? Drown?!" she demanded, jerking away from the elf king's grasp. She immediately regretted it when the entirety of the forest went dead silent and the farmer's eyes bore into her coldly. A chill raced down her spine and she bit her tongue, looking nervously into the lake where the thing the elf had called 'nacken' stood, raising his fiddle as if waiting for a command. "I-I'm sorry," she stammered, looking quickly back up at the fae, eyes wide. The creature tilted his head, and slowly the forest came alive once more. The tension was gone. It seemed he would let her insult slide. She didn't dare believe he'd always be so forgiving.

"He will help you save your father," the farmer said.

She looked nervously towards the creature in the lake. He watched her silently, ever smiling, then dissolved into the water. She stiffened and stepped back from it. Her lips slowly parted as he reappeared in the shallows, crawling towards them and creeping up the bank. She backed even further away, heart pounding in fear. She stopped, willing herself to hold her ground, and did so. "How can he help save my father?" she asked.

"You play music," the nix remarked, eyeing the flute strapped to her hip. She glanced at it then back at the water sprite nervously. "Give it to me," he said in some accent she didn't recognize, stretching out a cold, grey, dripping hand. She hesitated briefly.

"Do all that he says," the elf king said calmly.

"Who is he?" she asked, taking her flute and uneasily handing it over.

"King of Lakes and Brooks and Ponds. King of seas and of rivers, King of the nixie folk," the elven king answered. "They are water sprites known also as nacken and nokk. They are powerful. Listen to him."

The nix took the flute from her and giggled eerily before almost seeming to melt into the water once again. Water he hadn't once fully stepped out of. She held her breath, eyes wide. She could hardly believe what she was seeing. In only minutes, the man rose from the depths once more and returned to her. He held the flute towards her. "What did you do with it?" she asked, taking it carefully.

"Enchanted it," he said. "And now I will teach you the song you must play to save your father."

"En-enchanted? How?" she questioned.

"The mortal inquires far too much," the nacken said, looking to the elf king.

"They are a curious sort," the farmer replied.

"A foolish sort," it answered.

"Humor her," the elf king said.

"Very well," the nix said, looking back at her. "It will break the trance in which your father and his love are bound. It will put them to sleep. It will free them. Then you must awaken your father, and you will do just as he tells you to."

"Simple? In and out? No one gets hurt?" she asked.

"If you go tonight," the nix answered before giggling. Abigail looked quickly and nervously at the elf king.

"How well will torches and pitchforks fare against powers beyond mortal understanding?" the farmer simply said.

"My father understood it," Abigail said, frowning at him and straightening up a bit, defending the wizard.

"Your father tugged at the fringes. A child stacking blocks whilst the stoneworkers built up the walls of a castle," the elf king answered. "To learn as much as he did was no small feat, make no mistake, but in the end, it is insignificant to those of our ilk." He turned to the nacken. "Listen to him, learn the song he teaches, then go. If you feel you must take another along with you, then take another. If not, go yourself. If you are quick, you will return before the break of day. This once I will allow you to pass freely through my forest."

"Thank you," Abigail said. She looked at the flute. "So this is kind of like the Pied Piper?" Nothing answered her. When she looked up, she gasped. The farmer was gone! Nervously she looked around and spotted the nacken watching and smirking. She looked once more at the flute, now held in both her hands. Swallowing, she narrowed her eyes determinedly. If she was guaranteed safe passage through the forest, she needed no one else to accompany her. She looked up at the water sprite. "Teach me," she said. He grinned an eerie grin and lifted his fiddle. She lifted her flute in response, and he began to teach.

Stardew

Abigail walked uncertainly towards the Secret Woods, nervously looking all around her. "Abigail?" a voice said.

She gasped, looking quickly over. "Leah," she said in surprise. "Wh-what are you doing out here?"

"Foraging," Leah said, looking wary. "Why are you going towards the Secret Woods?"

"I-I…" Abigail began before stopping. She looked at the enchanted flute, swallowed, and looked back at Leah, eyes setting in determination. "I'm going to save my father. The Elven King told me how. The Nixie King taught me the song I need to play to break the spell, and enchanted my flute."

"The what?" Leah asked, looking mildly concerned.

"It's a long story. I'll tell you about it later, everyone, but right now I have to go. I have to save my father," Abigail said.

"You're not going out there alone Abby," Leah said, shaking her head. "I'm coming with you. I'll stay out of your way, but there's no way you're walking into that kind of situation solo."

"I'll be fine!" Abigail insisted.

"Said everyone who wasn't fine ever?" Leah replied.

Abigail winced then sighed, bowing her head. "Okay," she relented.

Leah nodded and joined Abigail. "Lead the way," she said. Abigail nodded and did so.

Stardew

The two made their way through the forest slightly uneasily. Though the elf king had promised no harm would come to them, it was still unsettling. "Do we have a plan in case this fails?" Leah asked.

"It won't fail," Abigail replied. She looked at her flute. "It can't. The song, the enchantment…"

"The fickleness of the fae?" Leah pointed out.

Abigail gave her a slightly uneasy glance, then looked ahead once more. "What other choice do we have? Follow some mortal plan with a too-high chance of backfiring?"

"At least it's only you and me in danger this way. I suppose," Leah said. "It might have been smart to let someone know where we were going though. If we're not back in a timely fashion, they're going to start worrying. Sebastian, Elliot, everyone."

"We'll be fine," Abigail replied. At least she really hoped they would be.

"Careful with statements of certainty," Leah replied, pushing through some bushes and looking ahead. "We're here."

Abigail looked through nervously, swallowed, then drew a breath and approached. Leah followed closely, grabbing up a heavy stick as a kind of makeshift weapon just in case. Abigail walked up to the door of the house and pushed it open. Her heart sank. There, locked in battle still, were her father and the witch. Tears threatened her eyes and she sniffed, moving inside. "Daddy?" she said, voice wavering. It seemed the man glanced her way for the briefest of moments, but it could have been a trick of the light. That or he hadn't comprehended her. Only heard.

"Play the song," Leah said, moving inside as well. Abigail nodded quickly and brought the flute to her lips. Softly she began to play the ethereal melody, and Leah watched on in amazement as suddenly the witch and wizard stopped, the magic dying out all around them. They stood still as if still in a trance, but soon began to waver. Abigail continued to play until at last the couple collapsed to the floor in a dead sleep. Even still she continued right up until the song was fully completed. Only then did she stop with a soft breath. "You did it," Leah finally said.

"Did I?" Abigail uneasily and somewhat dazedly asked, approaching her father. She knelt at his side. "Father?" she asked, shaking his shoulder gently. He didn't respond. "They-they never told me how to wake him up," she realized with a chill. Had she been had? "Dad? Dad!"

The wizard began to stir ever so slightly, a groan escaping his lips. Abigail gasped. "Dad!" she cried out again.

His head began to move, and slowly he opened his eyes in confusion. When they fell on his daughter, he caught his breath and went pale. "A-Abigail?" he asked. She sobbed, falling over him and hugging him tightly. He gasped softly in confusion, but nonetheless rolled over and embraced her back, puzzled. "Where-where did you come from? What happened?"

"She played an enchanted song on an enchanted flute to set you both free," Leah replied for Abigail. "Now we need to go." She looked at the witch. "Before she wakes up."

Rasmodius looked quickly over at the witch and was silent. Letting out a shaking sigh, he bowed his head and rose with a grimace. He wavered a bit. Quickly Abigail and Leah steadied him. "Are you okay?" Abigail asked.

"I'm half-starved, dehydrated, and completely exhausted. But I'll be alright," he answered, looking at her. Abigail nodded then hugged him tightly once more. He embraced her back, closing his eyes and resting his chin on her head. "Thank you, Daughter," he murmured gently to her. She sniffed, nodding her head. He pushed her gently back and brushed a strand of hair behind her ear. "Are you alright?"

"Now I am," she replied, nodding rapidly.

"We have to go," Leah reiterated firmly, looking back at the witch nervously.

Rasmodius nodded and quickly they helped him out of the cottage. The wizard looked up at the sky and his eyes filled with concern. "It's dark," he said.

"The elf king promised us free passage," Leah replied. "Just this once." Rasmodius nodded and quickly the trio made their way through the forest, heading for Pelican Town once more. "What do we do with the witch?" Leah asked.

Rasmodius was quiet, looking upset. "Leave her alone," he finally replied.

"But if she tries to bring us harm again…" Leah began.

"I'll be there to stop her. As I always have," he cut off.

"No! I don't want to lose you!" Abigail said.

"You won't. Not like this. Not again," he promised, gently squeezing her hands. Tears threatened her eyes, but she held them back. Sniffing, she nodded and bowed her head. He pulled her close again, hugging her gently. Leah smiled a little and couldn't help but feel like she was intruding. Silently she slipped away to make her way back to Pelican Town alone...

Stardew

About fifteen minutes into the walk, Leah got the bad feeling she'd made a mistake. She wasn't sure what it had been, but she feared it might have to do with the elf king. She hadn't really heard the details of his conversation with Abigail, she noted to herself. Had anything in it implied they shouldn't split up? She gasped when she thought she heard whispering in the forest, looking quickly over. Soft giggles echoed in the wind, and she backed nervously away. Turning, she hurried on her way.

"Look up. Look up," a voice seemed to whisper. She wasn't about to do any such thing.

"Leah, over here," a familiar voice, Elliott's, said, but it seemed not entirely like Elliott and far too echoey, so she didn't dare turn to it.

"Leah, wait up!" Abigail's voice called, but again it didn't seem like Abigail's. She did the opposite and sped up.

"He promised you would be safe," a voice temptingly sang.

He had promised Abigail she would be safe. He had given no such promise directly to her. Maybe that had been the catch. Dread began to build within her and she started to run, breathing fast and fearful. "Abigail?" she called out. "Abigail, Rasmodius?!"

"Over here. Look over here," Rasmodius' voice said, but she knew it wasn't his, she just felt it!

"Leah." Abigail.

"Leah." Rasmodius

"Leah…" Elliott.

"Leah!" Elliott. Wait, what? Before she could fully register what that meant, she slammed into someone and screamed in alarm, trying to pull away. "Leah, Leah, it's me! It's only me!" Elliott's voice continued frantically as she struggled. She gasped, looking quickly up at him, and her eyes widened in hope.

"Elliott!" she exclaimed, throwing herself into his arms and holding him tightly.

"Leah, what are you doing out here?" he demanded.

She caught her breath, eyes widening. Wait. What was he doing here? Quickly she looked up at him, eyes wide and fearful, but she saw no falsity in his face, nothing that seemed fake about it. "Elliott?" she asked, pulling quickly away from him and backing up fearfully just in case. He reached after her, looking a little hurt, but didn't step towards her. "Wh-what are you doing here?"

He hesitated, grimacing a little. "I… I had a dream. Of you alone in the deep woods. You were running from something I couldn't see, but I knew you were in danger. I woke up in a cold sweat and didn't hesitate to come here searching," he said.

"You tried to enter the woods alone?" she said, still wary.

Elliott was quiet, staring at her, then looked away, crossing his arms over himself uncomfortably and shifting a bit. "What have I to fear?" he finally asked.

She didn't know why those words made her feel like she'd been punched in the gut. She was silent, staring at him. "You don't know if..." she at last began.

"What were you fleeing from?" he cut off.

She was quiet. "The voices in the trees," she at last said. He looked up. "Elliott no!" she exclaimed in alarm.

He stared up into the branches in silence. "We need to go," he said, looking back down at her and wrapping an arm around her, leading her quickly away from that place. She began to catch sight of ghostly figures in the trees. "Close your eyes," he said.

"What?" she asked.

"Trust me," he answered. She nervously looked at him and uncertainly closed her eyes, letting him guide her and hoping against hope that this was really him.

"Are you really him?" she found herself asking.

"Look at the man standing before you begging you to take him as your husband," he answered.

She let out a shaking breath, sniffing. "I'll marry you," she said. "Whatever you might be, whatever pain might come of it, I'll marry you. Next season if you'd have me so soon."

"I would have you now if not for Harvey and Maru's pending nuptial," he replied, smiling ever so slightly. Her anxiety slowly began to melt away, her trust in him building. "Open your eyes. You're safe now," he said.

She hesitated only briefly before slowly opening them. She was back in Cindersnap forest, looking toward her house. "Abigail and Rasmodius are still in the woods," she said.

"They'll be alright," Elliott replied.

She turned to him. "Thank you for coming for me," she said.

"Always," he promised, holding her hands tightly. He nuzzled her forehead with his own and dropped a kiss on her lips. "Get some rest," he said. She nodded and kissed him once more before reluctantly withdrawing. He smiled after her as she went to her home and entered it. Slowly his smile fell. It was rare when a story of love between fae and mortal or half-fae and mortal ended happily… They were writing this story though, and come what may, they would see it end happily. Quickly he walked out of Cindersnap Forest and towards the beach. Who or what had his mother been, he couldn't help but uneasily wonder? Once upon a time, he would have given anything to know. He wasn't sure if he wanted that anymore…

Stardew

The entire town gaped in awe when Abigail walked out of the Deep Woods, the wizard at her side. Pierre snapped out of it first with a gasp, racing towards them and quickly taking the wizard from his daughter. The wizard gave him a grateful look. Pierre avoided the man's eyes, leading him back to the tower and only every so often sparing him a worried glance. Abigail ran to her mother, hugging Caroline tightly, then released her and threw herself into Sebastian's arms. Sebastian embraced her tightly, swaying her in his arms.

"I thought you weren't going at this alone," he said tiredly.

"I didn't. Leah was with me," she replied. Sebastian looked over at the woman. Leah smiled at him, nodding.

Sebastian sighed and looked back at his wife, pushing her gently back. "I'm glad you're okay," he said. She smiled lovingly up at him and pressed her lips to his. He took them gently in return. He smiled a little as she withdrew. "Wanna go check on your dad?" he asked. Abigail nodded, and together they went towards the tower hand-in-hand. Caroline trailed behind.

"At last everyone is safe again," Emily said with a sigh of relief.

"Safe is relative," Shane grimly replied, watching after the Wizard, Pierre, Sebastian, Abigail, and Caroline.

"Let us have this. Please," Emily pled, looking up at him and gently squeezing his hands. He hesitated then sighed, nodding in agreement and pulling her a bit closer, resting his forehead on hers and nuzzling it. He hoped she was right, but some cynical part of him highly doubted it…