Mark rolled his eyes at Veronica’s lame excuse for a pun, “Oh I’ve never in all my years on the material plane, ever heard my name used like that before. You’ve got the wit of an archfey my dear!”

“And you’ve got the sarcasm of an Elf!” she said.

There was a rustle to the bushes to his left rustle, his hand immediately going to the knife on his belt. Another rabbit sprinted away from them.

“Scared of a little ol’ rabbit, dear?” Veronica giggled.

Mark sighed as he watched the second rabbit run for its life,“Enough teasing me, Remember our deal. I get a reward now,” he slung his bow over his shoulder to retrieve the rabbit.

“I wonder if that was the rabbit’s lover,” she continued.

“Where is your mind right now?” He crouched next to his quarry and pried the arrow loose. He clicked his tongue, “Damn arrowhead snapped off. Gonna run out soon.” He plunged his knife into its neck and drained it of its blood.

He held it up by its hind legs at arms length to avoid getting any of it on his clothes.

“Ugh! Gross, do you really have to do that now?”

“Would you prefer I did it in our bedroom?”

“I’d prefer you just hand it to a butcher, or something.”

“I like to help John out from time to time. He pays me extra if he doesn’t need to drain the blood.”

“Honestly, imagine being a butcher that’s afraid of blood.” Veronica muttered, “Although I guess I understand the fear, just not that he’d keep being a butcher.”

“Not too many jobs in Owl Catch. We’re lucky we have your job to make us landowners, and mine to keep us fed.”

He felt Veronica lean on his back, wrapping her arms around him.

“What are you doing?” He asked, feeling his own heartbeat accelerate.

“Nothing,” the woman mused.

“Don’t you have some research to do? ”

“I do.”

“I was meaning to ask. Why did you come with me today? You usually stay home writing books and practicing spells.”

“I wonder about that. I guess it’s pretty lonely at home without you.” she said, rubbing his chest.

“...We’re not animals, Veronica, there’s a time and place for those things,” Mark stated apathetically.

“Hmmm? Where is your mind right now?” she teased, poking his bearded cheek.

“On how I'm gonna find a fletcher all the way out here to fix my arrows,” Mark replied, trying not to smile.

“Well if you don’t wanna be romantic on the job, then come home more often, will you?”

Mark could no longer hold back his laughter, “Alright, alright, I get it. Sorry for being out hunting so much. I know we haven’t spent much time together lately, so the rest of my day is yours.”

“Thank you, darling. Shall we head back?”

“Sure, let’s go,” He tied his quarry up with all the other successful game he had hunted this morning.

“Remember, ten shots, ten kills means I win the bet.”

“You’ve got quite the haul today. Was I a good luck charm for you?”

“More like a motivator,” Mark replied with a smirk, “In all the wrong ways.”

Veronica punched his arm, “Rude. Then what do you want for your reward, big man?”

Mark remembered what he had wanted to ask for. He wanted her to give him some more peace and quiet, but after hearing what she said it made him realize how much time he spent by himself already,“Your company was reward enough, today.” he said, scratching the back of his head and looking away. Mark only found himself wishing he could say more, but his heart was beating far too fast now.

The two walked along a shaded dirt road. Beams of radiant light pierced through the dense canopy of the forest, and speckled the ground. The balmy breeze of the springtime carried with it a chorus of rustling branches and the aroma of apple blossoms.

The tall grass and trees contoured toward the dirt road, creating a natural tunnel for them to walk through. It was a beautiful day, and one that reminded him of when he was a child. The nostalgic memories brought a smile to his face. Oh the things he might have done differently if he only knew in the moment. But perhaps that would have just meant he never met Veronica?

This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

She was humming a melodic tune, pacing forward with her hands behind her back. It had been far too long since Mark had heard that tune. Her auburn hair was longer than he remembered, flowing down past her shoulders like autumn leaves. She was so beautiful. He took in how her dress ever so lightly hugged around her form, and how her delicate hands never seemed to stop moving. Always fidgeting with something on her person. One moment, they were behind her back, and the next, they were swinging at her sides. She really didn’t know where to put her hands, the damned scatterbrain.

He was kicking himself for being so absorbed in his hunting lately. He had everything he needed and wanted right now. Was it worth anything if he did not allow himself to enjoy it from time to time?

“When we get back to town, you should probably shave,” She said

Mark raised an eyebrow, “Why’s that?”

“You look like a bear the way you are now,” She remarked with a giggle, her beautiful freckled face all the more illuminated by the smile she wore, “And bears are cute, but they’re not you.”

March chuckled at this, “Oh yeah? What manner of beast am I then?”

“A rabbit.”

“Very funny. I’ve got to trade in the hunt for the day first, though. Go on ahead to the guild, I’ll catch up with you in a moment.”

Veronica pouted. “Alright, but we’re spending the rest of the day together after that. No drinking, or getting side tracked.”

“I won’t. Don’t worry.”

Exiting the forest they approached a small, but lively, village. It was surrounded by a large wooden fence made from sharpened logs. Two large wooden golems stood diligently on either side of the entrance. Recognizing Mark, and their master Veronic, the two autonomous creatures stepped aside. One of the golems even saluted her.

“Thank you gentlemen.” Veronica said with a curtsey.

The scent of apple blossoms was replaced by cooked meats, and bread. It seems they had slaughtered some goats before summer came. It was strange to him how Kenikurr and other southern provinces experienced snow in the summer while the central and northern provinces got nothing but sun and warmth. At least it was still a month or two removed from the cold days. He would not have to hunt as much when it came. He glanced at Veronica again. It was the perfect opportunity to spend time with her.

He could hear hammer being brought to nail, hoes to soil, and the yelling of the market’s vendors. Owl Catch had grown faster than Mark expected. It was no doubt thanks to the resident wizard helping to better everyone’s life out here in the wilderness.

People from different races, and creeds had made their homes here. Elves, and beastfolk tended to be the most common, but a few dwarves, gnomes, and other humans had made their homes here too.

Mark made his way into the butcher’s shop. There were all types of game hanging from the ceiling. Various fowl, wild boar, venison, rabbits, and even snake meat. One thing that was missing, however, was the meat of a magical creature.

Even Mark had noticed the surprising lack of magical beasts roaming the territories nearby. When they first settled, this place had been crawling with giant scorpions, Behir, and Owl Drakes. So many that the name ‘Owl Catch’ had just stuck.

Perhaps they had learned to move on, or maybe they had all been hunted to extinction in the area. It was for the best, they were far too dangerous to be around if anyone wanted to raise a family.

It was disappointing, though. Mark loved a good Behir flank.

John grunted from behind his counter as Mark walked forward. He was at least a foot shorter than Mark, but stout and built like a brick house. Many claimed he was a half-dwarf, but it was Mark’s personal theory he just hated milk when he was young.

“Drained the blood for you, John.”

John grunted in affirmation.

That was John for you. Hardly the talkative type, but Mark had learned to discern what he was trying to say from the inflection of his grunts. He would have grunted back had he not seen a poor villager lose a tooth doing the same thing.

“The usual price today?” Mark said, trying once again to start a conversation.

The butcher nodded.

“Well, I’ve got some extras here for you then. Ten in total today.”

John reached behind the counter and dropped a sack of coins between them.

“I’m guessing you were expecting me?” Mark asked as John began to weigh coins on a scale for quick counting. He shoveled the amount into a separate purse and pushed it towards him, taking the wild game in return.

“Guessing I didn’t get extra for doing a good job?”

John glared at him and pointed at the door.

Mark raised his hands, “Joking, I’m joking.” he said moving to leave.

“Mhh!” John shouted behind him, flipping him a coin.

Mark fumbled, managing to catch it, “Thanks John, I’ll buy Veronica something nice with this.”

“Mnhuh humuh…” John ‘said’, dismissing him.

Veronica really had been a good luck charm for him today. What would he buy her? Perhaps a new book? Those were hard to come by out here, so it would be a special gift. Although, Mark couldn’t really read. The last time he tried to get a gift like that, he had accidentally bought her a cookbook. Veronica had not taken kindly to that for whatever reason. Mark was the cook between the two of them anyway.

Maybe some alchemy materials? He knew how invested she was in learning, but he had trouble thinking of a particular item she didn’t already have.

Mark made his way to their humble cottage. It was one of the largest buildings in the town, so perhaps he couldn’t call it humble.

He put out some feed for the pigs and goats, hung up his cloak, and kicked off his shoes.

It was routine for him to come home in the night after weeks in the forest by himself, only to collapse in his bed for the night and be out before the sun was up. It had been so annoying that Veronica had kicked him into the guest room because he woke her up every time.

Today was different, though. He had to shave first. The dresser was covered in books and parchment, likely some overflow from the maze of manuscripts and parchment in Veronica’s room. Mark’s nightly habits were likely only the first reason to kick him out of that room. The second was definitely so she could store more books. Maybe he could build her a shed to store everything? He couldn’t exactly make that into a surprise, though.

He looked into the mirror, only to see a purple-eyed xiozian child staring back at him. The sight shocked Amaro back to his senses.