As they got near the house, Carl realized the trees surrounding the house were all fruit trees. The smell of ripe fruit wafted through the air. Near the front porch was a garden probably around fifty feet by fifty feet. He could see corn and potatoes among many other veggies and herbs growing. Bean vines climbed trestles and birds chirped. The warm earthy smell mixed in with various spices and flowers was intoxicating. A large porch wrapped around the house, it’s thick white pillars beautifying the house.

As Carl stepped onto the porch, he could see the door was a dark green, he thought it looked very nice against the white paint of the house itself. With a smirk Zeke turned the brass knob and let the door silently swing open. “Honey, I’m home!” he hollered.

An Amazon came around the corner yes, a real live amazon. Brown hair with fierce green eyes and about six feet tall as well as very well-muscled. She swaggered with confidence and tossed a wet towel right into Zeke’s face. “Hi husband, did a lost pup follow you home?” she nodded her head over at Carl.

“No hon, I found Carl wondering around lost in the Nigh woods.”

“Hi Carl, my name is Bridgette it’s very nice to meet you.”

“It’s very nice to meet you too Bridgette, without Zeke, I’m not sure if I’d have ever found my way out of those woods.”

Bridgette took a step back from the doorway and said. “Well don’t just stand on the porch come on in and sit with us.”

As he stepped through the door Carl almost felt he had stepped back into the nigh woods. Dark wood wainscoting ran the along the walls above the wood wainscoting the walls were painted a dark green.

Bridgette led Carl and Zeke to small sitting area cluttered with maps and weapons, Carl thought it was strange they had weapons for decorations but hey, to each their own. A soft brown couch sat on a bright red Persian style rug, across from the chairs sat two overstuffed light brown chairs. Zeke gestured for Carl to sit on the couch while he and Bridgette sat in what was obviously their usual chairs. Carl sat and sunk into the soft leather couch and his aching feet and legs thanked him.

Zeke smiled down at Carl “Lad, I could eat a horse, I’m betting you are mighty hungry too.”

“Yes, Zeke I’m starving the only thing I’ve eaten in the past two days is a Rabbit but the thing was pure muscle and no tasty fat.”

“Haha yes, that sounds like a rabbit! Well, I’ll fix us up something to eat please rest where you are.” He looked over at his wife who smiled but shook her head.

“I didn’t expect you back so soon, I’ve already eaten.” She said.

Zeke glided smoothly towards the kitchen and shortly after, Carl could here pots and pans banging around. Bridgette made polite small talk with Carl until Zeke appeared carrying a cup of water and a plate with chicken and vegetables and set them down in front of Carl. Carl struggled to wait for Zeke to return with his own food and to take his first bite, before he inhaled, what had to have been the best meal he’d ever tasted. After having waited patiently for Carl and her husband to finish eating Bridgette asked.

“Carl how did you come to find yourself lost in the nigh woods?” Asked Bridgette.

You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

Carl told his tale while Bridgette and Zeke listened carefully. After he had finished his story Bridget was frowning lost in thought. Zeke looked over at Carl and winked.

“I think we should take Carl to see the Council of elements.” Said Bridgette after some thought.

“I concur.” Zeke said agreeing with his wife.

Seeing the confused look on Carl’s face, Bridgette explained.

“The council of elements are the leaders of Magicae the school of elements. They are some of the most powerful and wise elementalists in all the land.”

“I agree, however” he pointed over to where Carl was sitting while fighting to stay awake. “I think Carl needs a good night’s sleep before we see the council.”

“I second the motion” said a sleepy Carl. “Sorry guys where I come from, we barely ever walk, and I’ve done more walking in the past two days than I’ve probably done in my life.”

Bridgette laughed “Well you should get some rest then. Come, I will show you to the guest quarters.”

Bridgette stood from the couch and motioned Carl to follow her, He stood and sleepily shuffled after Bridgette. Past the Kitchen and entryway was a short hallway with two doors across from each other and one door at the end of the hallway. Bridgette pointed to the door which had a small placard hanging form the knob that said “guest.”

“This is your room Carl, the bed is fresh and if you need to use to loo it’s at the end of the hallway.”

Thoughts of a board with a hole above a bucket sprung to Carl’s mind.

Carl hoped he could avoid using the medieval “toilet.”

Carl opened the door to his room, not quite sure what to expect.

Inside the room was cozy. The wood floor was covered in several thick, soft rugs which upon a closer look looked like sheepskin. The bedroom was painted in a softer light green and made Carl feel relaxed. The bed was what they would call a full size back on Earth, All Carl knew as he stripped off his clothes and climbed in was, that it was soft and warm.

Carl thought of his grandparents and wondered if he would ever make it back to home to them. Carl’s chest felt heavy but exhaustion soon turned the lights off on his consciousness.

Carl’s bladder rudely awoke him just as light had begun to steadily stream in through the small window in his room. He rubbed his gummy eyes and toddled towards the bathroom, the feeling of dread growing with each step towards the probable smelly hole. He was utterly amazed when he walked into an old timey style bathroom. The toilet (for it was most definitely a real live toilet!) looked like it had been taken from an early 1900s bathroom, the tank sat high above the bowl. He shrugged figuring it used gravity to move the toilet’s umm… contents out. After using said toilet he found the bathroom had a shower too! There was a bath towel with a small note on top that said “Carl.” He quickly figured out the controls for the shower and enjoyed a nice hot shower.

Carl returned to his room and dressed he walked out to the living room to find Zeke and Bridgette in quiet conversation. He walked noisily in so they would hear him and they both turned and smiled as he approached. Zeke said “we need to work on your stealth abilities” to which Bridgette replied,

“ugh, you and your stealth, you don’t need to be quiet to smash heads.”

“True dear wife but you do to slip behind and slide a knife between ribs.”

They both chuckled at that, until they saw the look of horror on Carl’s face.

Carl it’s a long-standing joke between Bridgette and I, she has always been the smash into the bad guy straight on type, while I’ve always been the sneaky stab ‘em while they aren’t looking type.” Zeke explained.

“No, it’s not that it’s just the casual talk of killing people that I’m surprised at.”

Zeke and Bridgette both looked confused before Bridgette asked,

“Don’t you have bad guys who would rape and murder as easily as steal back on earth Carl?”

Carl replied, “Yes we do, but we have the police whom deal with criminals and they mostly throw them in jail.”

“That sounds interesting Carl, but here on Hearth we don’t have these police so one must learn to defend one self, by weapon or an elemental attack.”

Zeke must have snuck off at some point in the conversation because he slid a bowl of what looked like oatmeal to Carl. Carl gratefully wolfed it down and as he finished Zeke announced, “we need to get ourselves over to the council and see what they think of Carl.”

Bridgette nodded, stood and held a hand out to Carl to help him out of the squishy couch. Carl said “ thanks” and they headed for the door.