(END) Meadowfort Recovers

It was a hard couple of days before the last of the kaputi serum left the bodies of the people of Meadowfort. The wells needed to be flushed of the poison but until people made regular trips to a nearby river to fetch water.

None of the women that had been taken by the bandits had been killed when the spire had torn through the fort. A miracle, but the effect of the occupation would be felt for possibly years.

For starters a large part of their arable land spent a good portion of the day in the shadow of the spire. New ground would need to be broken for future crops to keep the village from starving and ensuring they had goods to sell.

The fort was nearly completely destroyed by the spire, and many joked that they would need to change the name of the village. Changing the name would certainly have helped with the village's new surprising source of revenue. Researchers.

They came from all over the Dominion to investigate the spire. No one could work out what it’s purpose was which only drew more, eager to unravel this particular mystery of the Machine.

Life was beginning to go back to normal in the village and to celebrate the harvesting of the first crop since the defeat of the bandits, a great party was held in the village.

The farmers brought out their instruments, barrels of ale and wine were bought from nearby villages and as the sun went down on the day the people of Meadowfort drank and laughed and danced.

Jarel found himself being whisked around by many of the women of the village to dance. They had heard of his fight against the monstrous Ungonius, many whispering what they would do for him into his ear before disappearing off with a sultry wink. But there was only one person he really wanted to be with right now and he searched for her throughout the village.

He found Sabina on the outskirts of the party. She was sat on a low stone wall, watching as the moon peaked out from behind the spire.

“Hey.”Jarel said, sitting down beside her.

“Hey.” She replied back, smiling at him.

“You alright?”Jarel asked.

“I’m ok. Just wanted to get away from all the noise.” Sabina’s eyes were focused on the spire

“If you want to be alone I can leave.” Jarel said, turning on the wall.

“No!” Sabina grabbed his sleeve, stopping him from dismounting the wall, “I’d rather be with you than by myself.”

“Oh. Okay.”Jarel turned back around on the wall. Sabina shuffled closer to him and leaned her head on his shoulder.

“We did it, didn’t we? Saved Meadowfort” Sabina said, snuggling her head under his chin.

“Yea. There were times I felt like we were going to fail, but… it all turned out alright.”

They sat in silence for a while. The sound of the party behind them distant.

“I felt kind of useless.” Sabina whispered, “ You and father rushed into that place to save everyone and I couldn’t keep up. Then when Sari climbed the wall to help I could only sit outside.”

“You led our Guild mates in the offensive. You saved your father and mother from those bandits. You weren’t useless.” Jarel insisted.

“I don’t know if I can do this. Adventuring.” Sabina continued, her voice barely audible.

“You can.”Jarel said, “We are the Meadowfort Starlings. We are going to get better. Going to get stronger. And one day we will be legends throughout the Dominion.”

Sabina turned her face up to Jarel’s, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears. Her lips were slightly parted and she looked up at him with an expression he had only dreamt of before.

“Thank you, Jarel.”

He leaned forward and pressed his lips against hers. He could feel her tremble as he wrapped his arms around her and they shared a tender kiss. When they parted she slipped from his arms and hopped down from the wall.

“I think I will go back to the party and dance. Would you like to join me?”

Jarel jumped down after her and slid his hand into hers. He grinned like an idiot as she pulled him back into the village square and towards everyone cared about on the Machine.