The meal continued to fill the air with the smell of roasted spices, simmering tomatoes, and numerous chilis. A couple of townspeople appeared with small wooden barrels slung over their shoulders. They approached the cooking area and placed them on the big wooden table we'd been using to stage the ingredients.

"These are full of spring ale," one of the men said. "Been waiting for a good reason to crack 'em open."

Cups were passed around, and soon everyone had a drink in hand. The sound of laughter and chatter filled the air as the stew simmered. I gave it few more swirls with the big spoon and took in the gathering crowd. There had to be thirty or forty people hanging around.

Roland Hightown approached the gathering, his eyes widening at the sight of orcs and townspeople mingling peacefully. He made his way through the crowd, nodding politely to familiar faces until he reached me.

"Well, well," Roland said, a mixture of surprise and admiration in his voice. "I must say, Varix, when I sold you this tavern, I never imagined it would become the center of such... unique diplomacy."

I grinned, offering Roland a mug of ale. "Roland! Glad you could make it. What do you think of our little gathering?"

"I had heard of the orcs’ help last night, as well as their presence in town. I didn't expect to see them, eh, up close, so to speak." Roland's eyes darted between Urzan and Lady Churl. "You know, Varix, if the orcs decide to make homes in the area, it could have quite the economic impact on Everspring," he mused, stroking his chin thoughtfully. "If more orcs and... goblins decide to settle nearby, it could change the entire dynamic of our town—long-term, of course. Even now, there is skepticism. People are happy now, but are distrustful of the green skins, and may remain so for some time.

"On one hand," Roland continued, "we could see a boost in trade. These folks would need supplies, after all. And who knows what goods or skills they might bring to the table? It could open up new markets for us."

He paused, taking a sip of his ale before adding, "But on the other hand, there's the matter of integration. Not everyone in town will be as... open-minded as you seem to be, Varix. There could be tensions and misunderstandings. And that's not even considering the potential strain on our resources.

"What do you think, Varix?" Roland asked, pulling me from my thoughts. "You seem to have a knack for bringing people together. Do you see this as an opportunity or a risk for Everspring?"

"Honestly? A little of both. The war will be fresh in the town's memories for a long time. But some of the green skins, particularly Urzan, feel like he and his kind were duped by Morthisal. The dark lord didn't have a plan outside of conquering everything in his path. I think we're going to find the other races aren't content to sit in their own desolated lands and try to grow crops and hunt. They need what the kingdom has to offer. We don't want them simmering in discontent and setting eyes on our lands again. Better to become friendly now, instead of unfriendly in the near future."

"How do you know all this, Varix? Has Urzan spoken directly to you?"

"He did, and he had a good point. What good is a bunch of land overrun by the dark lord's armies, with crops, animals, and humans destroyed, if it leaves them with more of the same? That being the scorched lands they came from."

Roland 'hmm'd' a few times, stroking his chin while he considered my words.

"Mr. Vel'Naris," Roland said thoughtfully. "You are an intriguing individual. That little bit of wisdom should be imparted to the king himself. Very insightful. Very."

Of course, Roland didn't know that I came from a world where so many wars were started and ongoing that they barely made the evening news anymore. I had a fresh perspective, perhaps fueled by too many evenings watching The History Channel when I wasn't glued to a cooking show, trying to replicate recipes in my little kitchen.

"You have given me much to think on. Perhaps we could chat another time."

"Of course. Once we're open, you can come on anytime for a drink and look at your plaque."

Roland's face brightened at the words, and he wandered off to bend someone else's ear.

"You know, Varix," Ophelia said. "I have to agree with that man. You have a way with words. Perhaps politics is in your future, after all."

"Not on your life," I said under my breath.

Several men and women with musical instruments showed up as the sun began to set.

Leading the pack was a tall, lanky man with a fiddle tucked under his chin. He was already playing a lively tune. His fingers gracefully danced across the strings. Behind him, a woman with fiery red hair carried a small harp that had a delicate gold frame. Two younger men followed, one with a flute and the other with a set of drums slung over his shoulder.

As they approached, I waved them over to a spot near the cauldron. "Welcome, friends!" I called out. "We're happy to have some music to go with our feast."

The fiddler nodded in greeting, never missing a beat as he continued to play. The harpist set down her instrument and began to tune it with plucking fingers. The drummer wasted no time testing a few rhythms.

I glanced over at my friends. They looked excited for the music to begin. Even the orcs seemed intrigued, as their eyes roved over the scene.

It felt good to be here, among these people. My life had been upended just a few weeks ago. Everything I'd had on earth was gone. But here I was, living it up in a medieval town that had a heart of gold. I was even bringing some level of peace to the races, at least locally. The orcs stood off to the side, drinking ale and nodding heads. Even Urzan started stomping his foot to the beat of the drum.

This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

I moved through the gathering of people, shaking hands and exchanging pleasantries with orcs and townspeople alike. The spring ale was crisp and refreshing, and I refilled my cup more than once.

As the hours passed, the orcs' chanting grew louder and more insistent. "Stew! Stew! Stew!"

With Ragna's help, we removed the lid of the cauldron. The chili aroma was almost overpowering, and the peppers made my eyes water.

I took the spoon and spent some time over the steaming pot, pressing the ingredients together to crush the tomatoes and blend them together. Milo looked bored, so I motioned him over, and we took turns finishing the chili.

Finally, I grabbed a spoon, dipped it into the chili, and blew on it. The eyes around me looked on expectantly. I brought it to my lips for a taste, and then another.

"That is some tasty fucking chili!" I exclaimed as my eyes watered. "Alright, boys and girls. Break out the bowls. It's time to say goodbye to your taste buds!"

Milo dished up for the orcs first, mainly because Urzan strode directly toward the caldron and no one wanted to get in his way, while Caden, Shellen, Doan, Mira, and the others gathered around.

I stood back and let them have at it. All I could think about was how good a hot dog would taste with a layer of chili. Maybe some Cheetos on the side for good measure.

“It looks like you’re winning hearts and stomachs,” a familiar voice said behind me.

I turned and found Seraphina. She had changed into a light green dress, making her eyes sparkle.

“Hey, Seraphina. You look, er," I took in her outfit, "great. Can I get you a bowl of chili? It’s like stew, but it’s mostly meat. It’s named after its namesake. Chilis. I don’t know why. Uh. Yeah. There’s ale. I’ll get you a cup.”

“That would be lovely, Varix. I’ll try your chili when the line dies down. If there’s any left.”

I handed Seraphina a cup of ale. We found a quiet spot near the tavern wall to escape the lively chatter for a moment of peace.

"Your chili is a hit, Varix," she said, smiling while savoring the ale. "Will this be the tavern’s signature dish?”

“No. I have something special planned, but I need time to work on the recipe. It’s going to be the kind of thing that brings people from all over,” I said and rubbed my chin. “At least, I hope it does.”

I didn't mention that I had plans to season chicken wings with hot peppers, deep fry them, and serve them with sauce to cool the heat.

“I can’t wait to see what you come up with.” She leaned back next to me. “The orcs seem happy. The big one…"

“Urzan.”

“Right. Urzan. He’s on his third bowl.”

I chuckled, rubbing the back of my neck. "I’m relieved it turned out well. The orcs might have cooked me if it hadn’t. Urzan also has a thing for ripping off heads. So I had that possibility to contend with."

Her laughter rang out, genuine and sweet. "Knowing you, they wouldn’t harm a hair on your head. You'd have them laughing. In a few days, you’d probably be their leader.”

I swallowed loudly at that. Should have seen this body a few weeks ago.

I leaned back, looking up at the darkening sky. Hesitating before I spoke, I opened up. “Honestly, I wasn’t sure how all this would turn out. I've been winging it ever since I got here. Um. To Everspring. But having moments like these, where people come together... it’s something I’ve never experienced before. I feel like I belong among these wonderful people.”

“Does that include me?”

“Of course. You were so generous when you purchased the gems.” I waved my hand at The Shadow’s Respite. “I wouldn’t have this place without you.”

Her expression softened, and she lightly touched my hand resting on the table. “I had a feeling about you, Varix. I think you’re creating something special here.”

“Thanks, Seraphina. That means a lot.”

Seraphina turned and swayed to the beat, her eyes closed. She looked so carefree and beautiful in that moment.

"Varix," she opened her eyes and smiled at me, “would you like to dance?"

My cheeks flushed as I remembered my attempts at dancing with Mira when we arrived in Everspring. "I'd love to, but I'm not really a dancer."

She laughed, taking my hand. "That's alright. I'm not, either. Maybe we can stumble through it together."

We made our way to the open space where others were dancing. I tried to follow Seraphina's lead, but my feet seemed to have a mind of their own. I stepped on her toes and apologized profusely.

But Seraphina didn't seem to mind. She just laughed and tried to guide me through the steps. As the song ended, Seraphina pulled me into a quick hug. I was surprised but happily returned the embrace, savoring the warmth and closeness.

As we pulled apart, I noticed Mira nearby with a smirk on her face. She walked closer. "Hey, Varix." She leaned in and whispered, "She's not a work friend, in case you needed it spelled out."

I couldn't help but laugh.

But even as I reveled in the moment's joy, a nagging thought tugged at the back of my mind. As much as I wanted to pursue this, her, Seraphina, I knew I couldn't. Not with the secret of my true identity hanging over me like a dark cloud.

If Seraphina ever found out who I really was, or rather, who I used to be, it would be the end of not only our connection but also the relationship between me and my head.

For the moment, the ale helped me push this to the back of my mind.

"Hey, everyone. Can I have your attention!" Doan yelled over the din. Voices quieted down, and the musicians brought their instruments to a halt. Expectant eyes shifted to Doan.

"That fellow right there," Doan pointed at me, "brought this together for us. He helped save the town from bandits, and even brought in a few new malcontents."

"Hey!" Urzan yelled.

"It's a jest, Urzan. Don't rip my head off."

Urzan showed his tusks.

Others laughed nervously.

"Here's all I wanted to say. Varix did this on his own, with no expectations from any of us. As you leave tonight, I'm asking you to please consider leaving a little donation right here." Doan held up a clean bowl and placed it on the table beside the stew.

"No. No," I loudly protested. "You don't have to do that."

A few looked at me curiously, but most ignored my words and dug out coins.

Before I knew it, the bowl overflowed with a generous assortment of copper and silver coins. A few particularly charitable folks even tossed in some gold sovereigns. Seeing such an outpouring of support left me speechless.

Unable to articulate my feelings, I nodded my thanks and found a spot next to Seraphina. Together, we settled in to enjoy the rest of the evening.

As the night wore on, I couldn't help but think of the kindness of the residents of Everspring and how far I had come from Morthisal's dark past.

I wondered, not for the first time, how old Morth was faring in my world. Had my old body survived the event that cast me here?

It was probably best not to think of him too much, and instead keep living in the moment.