Knocking on the door, Elliot absentmindedly watched his surroundings. Some village children nearby were playing at being knights, one kid's dramatics so textbook it made the other children giggle.

"Coming!" A mature feminine voice on the other side yelled in reply to the knocks.

Opening the door, there stood Mrs. Murl, a woman starting to show age on her face but with eyes that exhibit that she's as full of vitality as ever. The mother of Lia, she gave her her blonde hair and sweetly flowing voice.

"Elliot, dear, what brings you here? It's a bit late for you and Lia to go out." Mrs. Murl flashed a questioning smile at Elliot as she asked him.

"Mrs. Chief told me to bring you this pie." Elliot presented to her the pie he had in his hand, under a cloth to keep it fresh and warm.

Mrs. Murl laughed with a woman's grace as she looked at the boy who had transparent desire in his eyes when he looked at the pie. As for him calling Laurette 'Mrs. Chief', the Chief's wife told him when he was learning about family names "Family names are sometimes directly related to the family's line of work. For example, blacksmiths will have the last name Smith. While neither my husband or I were given the last name Chief when we were born, he loves his job so much he took it a step further and changed our family name."

"Why Elliot, would you like to join us for a slice before you go home?" Mrs. Murl asked knowing the answer.

"Yes, thank you ma'm." Elliot bowed his head to show his appreciation, exhibiting manners taught to him by the Chief and his wife. He put a little more vigor into it than usual, showing how much he liked the sweet taste of Mrs. Chief's pie.

Invited inside the home, it shared about the same layout as the Chief's home, with the main focus being a large single room that incorporated each part of the house. However, there was a small side room where the extension seen from the outside was, used as a bedroom by Lia. It is also from here she emerged to see who was here, spotting Elliot a grin erupted from her face.

"I smell something sweet, did you bring something good Elliot?" Lia asked as she approached with flighty steps.

"Laurette sent him with a pie in tow, so Lia, prepare some dishes for us. Elliot will be having some of it as well, so put one out for him too. You're father should be back from the field's in just a bit."

Just as she finished saying that, a man of immense size and with a satisfied grin on his face entered the Murl home. This man was Mr. Murl, a face beginning to show signs of aging just like his wife, yet still showing himself full of life as well, his hair a vibrant black. To compare husband and wife, Mrs. Murl is a woman of patience and kindness, while Mr. Murl is adventurous and jubliant. It can be seen how the a girl as outgoing and friendly as Lia was brought about.

"Elliot!" Seeing Elliot the man gave him a hug that looked like he was going to suplex him, holding him for a few seconds in that state, and then patting him on the back after he set him down.

Mr. Murl geniunely liked Elliot, finding him to be worthy of his daughter's. This stemmed from Elliot's purity and honesty, and that Mr. Murl couldn't find any ill will in anything Elliot did. Elliot was the ideal person he wanted for his daughter to have as a husband, even if his origins were mysterious.

"What brings you around boy?" Mr. Murl asked as he gave a wide smile, his face alligning into a look that seemed to be what his face naturally looked like.

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"Laurette made us a pie dear, so get wipe yourself down and get seated as I divvy it up." Mrs. Murl answered in Elliot's stead as he worked to get himself grounded after being embraced by the man-bear that was her husband.

Settingly around the table, the Murl family along with Elliot ate and talked for a short while, before the topic of Elliot and Lia's friendship was brought up by the adults.

"So Elliot, spending so much time with Lia, how do you feel about her?"

"Mother?!"

Confused, Elliot scratched his head at this sudden question, his mouth slowing as it chewed the piece of pie he was eating.

"What do you mean ma'm?" Elliot couldn't figure out what she meant by 'feel', as he definitely enjoyed being around her but from the look on Mrs. Murl's face, he had the feeling she meant something different. He just couldn't think of what.

"How do you feel about her? Young men your age get more interested in the other gender, and certain feelings start to form. Have you felt anything strange?"

Mr. Murl started beating his chest and coughing when his wife mentioned 'certain feelings', his mind chaotic as he thought about them. He calmed down after a sip of water and seeing the confused look Elliot's face, remembering the boy's unique disposition.

"I don't understand ma'm, I like being with her."

More coughing erupted after that statement.

"I like being with you too, as well as Mr. and Mrs. Chief."

A wry smile appeared on Mrs. Murl's face, while Lia looked slightly disappointed. Mr. Murl was in the process of chugging down water, having actually started choking a little.

"I see Elliot. Ah, there's still so much for you to learn, huh? So quick to pick up on things except for these kinds of matters." Having said that, Mrs. Murl gave a beaming smile him. She also got up to help her husband who was beginning to look a blue.

Elliot sat where he was, trying to comphrehend what Mrs. Murl just said. He wasn't sure what it is he isn't comphrehending, since he couldn't really understand what it was he was supposed to be trying to comphrehend. Lia looked over at him with a slightly reddened face.

"Just ignore her Elliot, she's just teasing you. I don't really understand what she's talking about either..." Lia looked down as she trailed off.

After this exchange, the meal ended soon after as Mr. Murl retired to rest, his gaze resting for a brief moment on the now empty pie tin. "So delicious, so deadly..." he whispered to himself as he walked on towards the bed.

"Hurry home now Elliot, or Laurette and that husband of hers will worry. And tell her thank you for the pie." Mrs. Murl sent Elliot off after handing him the empty pie tin, Lia following in her father's steps and retreating to her room for the night.

"Will do ma'm." Elliot began to walk away.

"Oh, and dear, be sure to think on what we talked about earlier. You might not understand it now, but I'm sure with your intelligence it's only a matter of time." Mrs. Murl sent him a smile and a wink when he turned back. Elliot hurried home after, deep in thought at her words during the meal and the parting words she left with him.

"Certain feelings...." Elliot mulled over that part especially, remembering as well that the Chief had asked him a similar question about his and Lia's relationship.