Starting Life From Zero: Far From Home

Chapter Ten

The forest around the Roswaal property were untamed and dense, but there was for sure a spot about twenty yards inside of the tree line where the real think undergrowth began. Steve high stepped and carefully watched his footing as he followed Ram through the thicket.

While he had made sure to change out of the suit after his bath and actually was wearing something appropriate for stalking around the woods, Ram was still in her maid's ensemble.

"Come on, Captain. You're not afraid of a little grass, are you?" Ram asked.

He shook his head. "You didn't bother to change before coming out here. Aren't you worried you're going to get the white parts of that uniformed stained?"

Ram came to a stop and glanced back over her shoulder, her pink eye staring back at him from the part in her bangs. "These are the only outfits that Rem-Rem and I have," he said.

"Oh," Steve said stepping over a bush. "That's not odd."

Ram took a few more steps and pointed to something off in the trees. "See there," she said tracing a line through the air with her finger. There was a line of glowing green crystal like objects embedded in the tree line.

"What are those?"

Turning to head along a path parallel to the one made by the green glowing stones, Ram began to speak again. "These stones keep mabeasts or witch fiends from breaking through the protective line. Roswaal had them placed out here to keep the road and the nearby town safe."

"There's a line of these kind enclosing these, uh, mabeasts inside of the tree line here so that they can't rampage around?" Steve paraphrased to let her know that he understood.

Ram nodded. "You're not as dumb as you look, Captain."

"Just can't catch a break with you, can I?" Asked Steve as he jogged a little to catch up to her. "Would it be easier if we just came out here and hunted the things down to keep them from bothering anyone anywhere?"

Ram shrugged. "You could kill a mabeast, sure, but the kind that are around here have a potent bite—each one carries a curse."

"So you just die instantly?" Steve asked.

"Usually within hours, but you wouldn't even know it was in you until the thing activated," Ram said. She stopped near a spot where one of the crystals was out. "Master Roswaal could probably kill most of them if it came to it, but it would just destroy the forest and they would multiply back up in no time."

Ram moved over to the tree and began to dig the crystal out. She reached into a satchel she carried over her should and inserted the new crystal into the tree.

"Ram, ma'am?"

"What is it Captain?"

"I have something to ask you, Lord Roswaal said that your sister is being weird around me for—"

Ram cut him off. "My dear sister isn't used to new people, especially men who are polite to her," she said pocketing the spent crystal. As she glanced toward the ground she froze and bent down to pick something up.

When she stood back to her full height she held a small push doll up, the thing was stitched and made with care and what was more awkward was that it was the exact likeness of Steve Rogers.

"I take it you are trying to keep your little hobby a secret?" Ram asked raising her eyebrow.

Steve took it from her. "I didn't make that." He examined it closely. "Do you think it's a coincidence that it is right under the damaged crystal."

Ram sighed. "I want to hope so, but I'm afraid I know better."

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