Changing tides.
A/N: My second Stardew Fanfiction.
It's about Sebastian, my favourite bachelor. Set in a slightly AU world, more concerning Sebastian's character than anything else. I've written half the fiction already and will hopefully update every week. Please let me know what you think with reviews, I will happily add any scenes if they fit with the story, unless it's already uploaded completely, obvs. Please, enjoy.
Chapter One: Wish you were here.
Elspeth looked over her farm and sighed to herself, happily. A lot had happened over the last year and while it had its ups and downs; she could say that overall, it had been a positive experience. With a stretch she leaned back onto her hands as she crossed her legs out in front of her. Lounging in the grass next to her grandfather's shrine, high upon a hill on her land. It gave a fantastic view of her baby Orchard, the lake with nearby fish ponds, pastures, and crop fields. Her greenhouse wasn't finished yet but she had grand ideas about what she was going to grow inside, Elspeth was thinking about some exotic fruit for wines or jams.
'Oh, Kiora,' Elspeth said to herself as she continued to gaze over her lands. 'You would have loved this,' she muses as she watched her lambs bounce about in the fresh grass. The wind blew her dark auburn hair over her face and she had to take a moment to flick it out of her face. 'I knew I should have brought a bloody hair band,' she muttered as she fought against nature for control of her hair. Eventually, the wind ceased and she was able to return to her one-sided conversation. 'Y'know, I finally buckled and bought some damn chickens,' she said rolling her eyes. 'I was tired of Marnie asking about why I hadn't invested in some of the little buggers by now. I know you love chickens and ducks and the like but I can't stand them. They scare the shit out of me,' she said as she sat up and crossed her legs under herself. Her fingers began to pull at the grass as her voice drops, 'A lot of things scare me. Things still scare me,' she whispers. 'I've had to do a lot of things I didn't think I would ever do. Especially… alone. Since you've been gone.'
A tear drops onto her cheek and she sniffs, brushing it from her skin with the back of her hand. 'I miss you, Kiora,' she said quietly as she looks up at the shrine and the urn that sat in a glass box that Robin had made specially, with weather conditions and preservability in mind. The urn was a simple design, something that Kiora had picked herself. Elspeth couldn't help but look at it with sadness, it was still too raw. 'I know it's been… oh… four years… but it feels like yesterday,' she admitted as she fought against more tears. 'Four years today, actually.'
It was late afternoon and the sun was starting to set, casting golds and clashing pinks across the sky. Elspeth decided to switch to a happier topic. 'I've made some great friends this last year. People that actually like me. There's Haley, she's a sweetie, though a little… I want to say spoiled but that's not really the right word. I think more like, high maintenance. She's really generous and kind though. Same for Penny and Leah, they're both so lovely. There's Emily, she's a nutter and you two would have really hit it off. She's a total free spirit,' she babbles as she thinks about the townsfolk. 'Hmm, there's Robin; she's the carpenter of the town. She built pretty much everything on the farm, I've learned a lot from her and she's always around to lend an ear when I'm down. She's got a couple of kids our age too. There's Maru. She's a total nerd and I'm so jealous. She's into medicine and stars and she's amazingly smart. Not like me. Y'know… not an ounce of common sense in my head.' Elspeth stood up and brushed herself down. 'Maru reminds me of you,' she said softly reaching out a hand to touch the glass. 'You were so smart and fascinated with the world.'
Tilting her head, her fingers run over the glass pane. 'I'm trying, Kiora. I'm really trying to make your dream come true. I've fixed up the place and I'm making good money. I promised you that I would live more and I've definitely made an effort to do so. Going into the mines is terrifying but I just ask myself; what would Kiora do? That generally gives me a kick up the arse,' she laughs, a little bitterly. 'Doesn't help that I'm scared of everything. Birds, the dark… you name it. I've probably got the phobia,' she muttered as she looked at the small oval photograph frame on the urn. Her older sister was similar in looks but had more refined features and was the tall one in the family.
The wind decided to tackle her once more and she turned to face it head on instead of waging war. 'That's another thing. I've grown my hair. I know I always had short hair, it was easier, obviously. Inheriting mum's wild, northern curls was always too much for me to handle. You made it seem so easy,' Elspeth closed her eyes and breathed in deeply. 'I'm trying to grow it to a good length and then I'll donate it. You'd be proud of me for that. I'll be giving someone else the chance to have untameable hair,' she said in an effort to make herself smile. Elspeth felt her eyes water with tears and she bit her lip. 'I'm sorry. I don't come up here as much as I should. I know you're lonely but I hope Grandpa is keeping you company. It's just that… this has been a lot. I knew nothing about running a business, let alone a farm and I've really had to just buckle down and crack on. I know I came to visit on your birthday and I popped by to light a candle on the Winter's Solstice. I'll make more of an effort. I promise.'
Elspeth knew that Kiora would be giving her the most condescending look at this moment and she wore a half-hearted smile. 'Alright, alright. I'll stop wallowing in self-pity,' Elspeth said. She picked up the flower that she had brought to replace the one in the vase she kept for both her sister and grandfather. 'This flower was one of the first to bloom this season. I grew it all by myself. My bees fed from its pollen and I'm hoping they make a great honey,' she said as she took out the dying flower and put the fresh one in. 'Now that I'm settled, well, as much as I can be after a year… I was thinking about perhaps getting into a relationship,' she said awkwardly.
A leaf came out of nowhere, carried by the wind and smacked her in the face causing her to splutter and reach for it, trying to pull it away. 'Hey! Kiora!' She laughs. 'I get it!' She giggled and pulled the leaf free, letting the wind carry it once more. 'I know. Why am I only just bringing this up now? Well, there's not really much thought in it. There are some nice guys in town and I feel finally settled enough to actually think about the future.' She turned and sat on the edge of the shrine, knowing that her grandfather wouldn't mind. 'I wonder what you'd think of them,' Elspeth mused. 'I think you would have been head over heels for Elliot. He's a writer and a true romantic. Oh, Yoba. I can imagine it now. If you were around there would be a new poem written every day. We couldn't be able to move with all your suitors vying for your hand,' she laughed.
'Who else?' She pondered as she bit her lip in thought. 'Oh! There's Dr. Harvey. He's pretty handsome. Quiet. Thoughtful. Not really to my taste, I don't think. Besides, I know Maru has half an eye on him. I wouldn't want to rock the boat there. There's Alex. He's a lad's lad. He's got the body of a Greek god. I know you would have had him all around the farm, 'helping', just so you could goggle at him,' she said with a smirk at her sister's photo. 'Haley has already gone on and on about him. Last time she stayed over I got a four-minute monologue on the shape of his arse alone.'
Silence fell around her as she tried to gather her thoughts. 'At the end of the day, I don't know what I'm going to do. I'm just winging it.' The wind batted her again and she rolled her eyes. 'Okay, fine! I'll tell you about the rest. There's Sam. He's sweet and into music and skateboarding. Abigail is one of his best friends. She's nice enough. I don't really click with her, she's a little bit of a loner, we've tried to hang out and well, we'll get there. Um, who else… Oh! Shane! There's Shane. He works with Sam at the Jojo Mart. He lives with Marnie, y'know the woman who I bought the chickens from? Feral, little bastards those birds are,' she muttered, getting side tracked. 'Anyway, Shane is nice enough. He's gotten better towards me now that we've gotten to know one another. He's got a lot of baggage, though honestly, who doesn't nowadays, to be honest? I don't think I'm the right person for Shane. I don't have the patience. I have empathy but no sympathy and that wouldn't be fair for him. He needs someone that has time and understanding. Shame, though. I think he's pretty attractive,' Elspeth shrugs a shoulder. 'Maybe there isn't anyone in this town that would be good for me. I suppose Elliot could be a match. Despite me thinking that he would have preferred you.'
Elspeth spotted Robin walking out from the greenhouse and the realisation hit her. 'Sebastian. He's Maru's older brother. I don't really know anything about him. Noone really does. I know I said Abi was a bit of a loner, well, Sebastian is the embodiment. I mean, we've chatted a few times when we've met in passing. He's nice. He's really guarded though. Like, really guarded. Maru said that he has this thing about germs? Or like, physical contact? He shuns it completely. Strange but y'know, I can't say anything seeing as I struggle to feed my own chickens without shaking in fear,' she snorts in amusement. Elspeth stretches and feels a satisfying crack in her shoulders. 'Anyway, I've chatted your ear off for far too long now. I suppose I will just have to see what happens in that department. It's all to play for. We're all single so who knows what can happen. I promise to keep you updated though,' she said as she leaned down and hugged the glass case gently. 'I love you, Kiora. I miss you and I wish every day that you were here,' she said, honestly. Elspeth wiped her eyes and stood up, feeling her work boots crush the grass under her soles. 'Miss you too, Grandpa. Keep Kiora out of trouble for me, yeah?'
With a lingering look, Elspeth finally leaves the shrine and makes her way back down to her farm. Her dog, Buddy, came loping up to her as she got close. He was a lurcher mix and a lovable giant. 'Hey, sweetie,' Elspeth greeted as she gave him a decent head scratch. 'Keeping Robin company were you?' She asks as she spots the older woman walking over to her. 'Hey, Robin. How's the building going?'
Robin grinned at her; a woman satisfied with her work. 'Oh, it's going great and I'm really looking forward to installing those stain glass panels later on this week,' she said. 'I was wondering, Elspeth, could you do me a favour? I wanted to cook some fish; I've really been craving it but I haven't found the time to catch any. Would you be able to snab some perhaps tomorrow or the day after?'
Elspeth nodded, 'yeah sure! I totally don't mind. After all that you do for me,' she said as she looks around the farm. 'I'll go up tomorrow morning and set up after I've fed all the animals,' she plans. Surprisingly, I'm not scared of fish at all, she thought in amusement. Must be because Kiora made me swim whenever possible. Speaking of… I used to swim all the time. Hell, I used to swim for Nationals. I need to get back into that…
Robin could see that Elspeth was lost in her own world and so she laughs lightly and pats the young woman on the shoulder. 'I'll see you tomorrow then, yeah?'
Elspeth jumped. 'Oh Yoba! Yes! Yes! As soon as I've caught something worth eating, I'll bring it over. For sure!'
Thankyou for reading, please leave a review if you liked it. I'll reply in the next chapter.
Be well, keep safe.