True to her word Caroline was fully recovered by the end of the week. They packed some supplies, including plenty of cabbages in case they were gone a while and they set out once more looking for seeds. Rosie told them about a farm that once stood nearby where there might be some wheat seeds. They were attacked by a flock of drackies and Caroline was struck with inspiration to design Malroth a stone axe. He taught her to perform a spinning slice move so that she would be less vulnerable when attacked by multiple enemies.

Climbing a tall hill around midday and looking down into the valley below they could see the ruins. Walls with a smattering of shingle roofs, scattered fence posts, even a few sparce patches of good soil, though with Wrigly onboard they no longer needed that soil.

They also saw a man swinging a hoe like an axe as he tried to tear down the remains of a fence, muttering darkly to himself the whole while. "What is this fiendish farmyard still doing here? I'll have the whole blasted thing torn apart in no time.

Caroline rested the end of her mallet against the ground and crossed her arms on top of it while she watched him for a moment. Malroth stood beside her with his hands on his hips.

"This guy has issues." Caroline whispered.

"Yeah, hey I bet we could get him riled up real easy. Let's do it, it'll be hilarious." Caroline smiled at Malroth and smothered a small chuckle then turned her attention back to the unknown farmer.

Their whispers caught his attention and he realized for the first time they were watching him. "I don't know who you are but if you're not going to help then I'd rather you leave me alone and let me destroy this place in peace."

"Hello, sir, my name is Caroline and this is my buddy Malroth, we heard there was a farm somewhere around here. We were hoping to find some seeds."

He gaped at her in in horror and disgust. "...I beg your pardon? You heard there was an old farm and hoped to find some seeds? Well, I expect this is the farm you're looking for, but I will soon have the whole thing completely obliterated. As for the seeds- I have some but I won't give them to you! there is no nobler goal in life than wrecking ruin you know! Why I am sure the Master of Destruction Himself is watching me right now as I smash this place to smithereens!" He gave the fence a particularly hard hit and the recoil knocked him on his ass.

Picking himself up he continued "All I can say is it is a small mercy this place doesn't have one of those accursed Scarecrows, those infernal poppets have some kind of dark power over me- Just one glance at one and I can't resist tilling the land around it! Confound my farmer's blood! Whatever you do stranger do not use that workbench over there to make a scarecrow and place it in the middle of the field! Don't even think about it!"

Caroline's eyebrows travled further and further up her forehead as he spoke. She looked over at Malroth and laughed openly. "Ok, I promise not to make one at that work bench!" She laughed as she reached in her bad and pulled out the scarecrow she'd made for practice the day before and stuck it firmly in the ground..

"Oh no... did you really put a scarecrow in the middle of the field? Right after I specifically told you not to!?"

Carolina clasped her hands behind her back and feigned innocence. "You told me not to make one. I already had that one in my bag."

"Wha- what is happening to me?!" he wailed as he rushed by her and began to work the soil. Caroline and Malroth were laughing so hard they clung to one another to remain upright as the farmer dashed around the field plowing and cursing Caroline with every spare breath.

He leaned against the fence to catch his breath "It's just as I feared... one glance at a scarecrow and I can't stop myself from tilling the earth around it! Oh Master of Destruction, hear my prayer I have sullied my hands with the stain of creation. I beg your forgiveness! It is only by your destructive grace that the field was not enclosed in a wooden fence. Were it so enclosed I fear that I... I..."

By this point several golden hearts had popped out of him, Caroline scooped them up and put them in her pocket for later. She looked quite mad to the farmer who could not see them. Malroth spotted one she had missed and handed it to her while the farmer just stared in confusion.

Caroline turned to the farmer "You said something about fencing?"

The farmer forbade her to fix the fence so that's exactly what she did next. He proceeded to complain and beg the Master of Destruction for forgiveness even as more hearts popped out of him. Caroline examined the gate while he worked and sketched out a design for one at their farm as well as how to craft fencing." Caroline invited him to join the farm and work the fields with them. His eyes lit up at the thought of working on a real farm, but his fear mad him refuse, professing his loyalty to the children.

"This guy is hilarious, let's take him back and make a builder out of him!" Malroth turned to the farmer, a threatening gleam in his eyes, "Okay weirdo, hand over the seeds. No funny business, we can do this the easy way or the fun way!"

"Alright, alright, they're yours." The farmer replied handing over a handful of wheat seeds.

"Lets get Tommy Tills a lot back to the farm."

"My name's Clayton. I'll come with you, I'll work your farm, what ever you want. Just please don't kill me!"

Caroline smiled, she could see in his eyes he truly wanted to farm, he just needed an excuse to give his master of Destruction should they ever meet. If that meant pretending he was forced under the threat of death so be it. Master of Destruction, she made a mental note to introduce this Master's head to the business end of her mallet should they ever meet.

She stopped to talk to some rats on the way. One asked her if she had any cabbages she could trade for his wheat seeds, explaining he was gluten intolerant. She gladly made the exchange then listened politely to another giving her tips she really didn't need on climbing and recovered a seed of life from a chest in the rafters of a decaying building. She offered it to Malroth as he was her self assigned bodyguard but he insisted she eat it, he was strong enough. It had a bitter, medicinal taste, but she did feel a little stronger.

It was nearly sunset when they got back. Clayton saw the pastor and hurried to tattle on her while Caroline went to her work bench to craft him a bed. Malroth leaned on her bench next to her with his head on his hand watching her as she worked.

She was just finishing up when a certain bearded annoyance approached them "Caroline, might I have a word my girl?"

"Sure Bozo, what can I do for you?"

"Bonanzo." He corrected then glanced at Malroth a bit nervously. "Might we speak alone?"

"Nope. What ya need?" She asked looking over a list of things she needed to craft.

"Very well. Are you aware Malroth has claimed the two of you are married?"

"I never said that Beardy!"

Caroline now put down her list and turned to him with her hand on her hip. "He told me about your conversation when we first showed up. You asked but he never answered because he felt it was none of your business. You assumed. You know My grampa had a saying about assumptions 'When you assume you make an ass of u and me.' And I suppose Rosie told you I am 17? So, what is your point?"

"Uh... she said you were 16, actually."

"I was. I am 17 as of today. So?"

"I am sure you are aware just how un-lady like it is for a maid to spend so much time alone with a man. What would your parents say? Where are your parents for that matter? Should they not be here to chaperone you?"

"Why is it any of your bussiness?" Malroth demanded.

Caroline placed a placating hand on Malroth's arm. "Maybe Bozo has a point. I should ask my mom if it's ok to be alone with you." She looked up at the sky "Hey mom, I'm spending a lot of time with my bestie, got a problem with that?"

After a second she met Bonanzo's eye, "I guess it's fine." She turned back to her work bench.

"You're an orphan? It must be hard, to be alone with no guidance at such a tender age! Well fear not my girl, from this point on I will be your father! I will be your mother too! Anything you need don't be afraid to ask!"

"No, My grand parents raised me. I don't need parents."

"Oh it's no problem at all my girl. You know I am something of a father figure to Rosie and Perry as well, so today you're not just getting a father but a brother and sister as well!"

"No. really I..."

"And Malroth, my boy as your future father-in-law do not hesitate to ask me for any guidance you need."

"What? No, he.. We're just friends!"

"Oh don't be silly my girl, I have seen you to together and when you choose to wed you have your father's blessing," He then wagged a finger at Malroth, "but don't you dare dishonor my girl by making her a mother before you make her a wife!"

"I don't plan to make her anything."

At this point Rosie came to the rescue, asking for help she really didn't need and led the blowhard away. Malroth and Caroline watched him go then exchanged incredulous looks. "Unbelievable!"

Caroline returned to crafting, working well into the night until Malroth literally dragged her off to eat a cabbage and sleep, promising her chores would still be there in the morning. She protested, she had so many things she wanted to work on! Malroth simply stood in the doorway and glared at her until with a huff she turned back to the room and fell into a bed. She fell asleep immediately and he claimed the bed right beside her, the farmers had been wise enough to leave two beds side by side empty for them.

The next day she spent most of the day crafting. Perry wanted a picnic table and some wooden bowls and Clayton wanted a barn. The barn was easy, she repurposed the room they had all previously shared. She also rang the bell, learned more recipes and drew in a few new faces. She decided to make a staircase to the top of the building they lived in and add a second story. She spent the afternoon helping Rosie and the boys in fields.

After that Brittany had wanted a bathhouse and Clayton needed a private place to potty. Bathing in mud was no good so Caroline donned her gloves to tip one half full rain barrel into the other then used the empty one to haul back seawater. It was better than nothing. She decided to break the new bathhouse in before she collected gratitude, Malroth stood guard to make sure no one walked in on the builder then he got the second ever bath. She was just stepping out of the bathhouse when Rosie bolted up to her practically dancing with excitement.

"We've done! Once we harvest this wheat, we'll have the 50 sheathes!"

"That's great!" Caroline cheered then paused and looked at the sky. "There's not much light left though. Let's harvest it in the morning."

"Good idea!" Rosie agreed

Caroline spent the rest of that afternoon upstairs. She threw up a wall and door to devide the second floor into two. One room was extra sleeping quarters, the other became a workshop, containing her work bench, anvil, and even a bed to crash on when she pulled an all nighter. When she finally realized she was exhausted she turned to see that Maroth, who'd been hanging out and watching her work, was passed out on that bed.

She stood there an admired the view for a moment, he really was a good-looking man. He'd taken off his gloves to sleep and she noticed his nails were still glossy black and perfect. How was that possible? It wasn't... unless his nails were naturally black, but nails weren't that color! Noone else had ruby red eyes either come to think about it. His ears were large and pointed and she'd seen him laugh often enough to know he had fangs. Just what was he? She smiled at his peaceful expression, it didn't matter, he was Malroth. He was her best friend.

She turned back to her bench then sighed deeply "Fuck it." She'd make another in the morning. She knelt down and shook his shoulder "Hey. Scoot over, bed hog."

He blinked at her and muttered something she didn't quite catch but scooted over so she could lay down with him. It was a tight fit to begin with and he put an arm around her to pull her close in his sleep. Their noses where an inch apart and she could feel his warm breath on her lips. It would be so easy to close the distance and kiss him right now. Her heart beat wildly and her face burned as she realized not only could she, she WANTED to! She wasn't sure how she managed to fall asleep with that realization rattling around in her brain, but she did.

Malroth awoke the next morning with his favorite builder snuggled up close. She was pressed against his chest in her face was nuzzled into his neck. He smiled, it made him feel good to have her so close at night. Knowing she trusted him in her vulnerable hours of sleep caused a warm fluttery feeling inside, he wasn't sure what it meant but he liked it! She moved, stretching and her eyes fluttered open.

She greeted him good morning and sat up to fix her pigtails which had become disheveled during the night. She'd gotten quite used to waking up in his arms. She didn't even react to the erection she'd felt pressed against her thigh. It wasn't the first time he'd woken up with morning wood, he was a healthy young man after all. While everyone else ate breakfast Malroth slipped down to the beach as he often did in the morning. When he returned her climbed to the roof of the barn, from this vantage point he could see any approaching monsters well before they got there and keep watch over the builder and the farmers too. He could hear her softly humming to herself while she worked. Looking at her grin it hardly seemed like she realized it was work.

As they gathered the last of the wheat energy pulsed through the farm and the Dietree, which had grown a little with each task became a proper little tree. As everyone gathered to gaze in wonder the pastor explained the symbiotic relationship between the tree and the farm.

"So the Dietree gives strength to the farm and the farm gives strength to the Deitree. They both help each other." Rosie stated happily, bouncing with joy.

"Very astute child," the pastor replied. The scepter in his hand began to glow ominously "But now you have outlived your usefulness. Your farming career ends here!"

"W-what?" Bonanzo squeaked backing away while Malroth grasped his weapon.

The sceptor went dim again and the pastor chuckled "I jest, I jest, keep your beard on! Our work is not through yet. There is still much to do to see the tree obtain her true form."

"There is?" asked Rosie, deflating just a little. "Well I suppose it did seem a little too easy."

"If you wish to see the Dietree restored to her full strength you'll have no choice but to work your fingers to the bone in her service. I shall soon explain what must next be achieve but first let me bid you congratulations on a job well done."

"Don't celebrate too Soon," Malroth warned everyone looking off into the distance, ruby red eyes intense as he scanned the horizen. "Something tells me we have company!"