IDYLLIC || STING EUCLIFFE

24

"ARE YOU SAD BECAUSE YOU LOVE HIM?" A little boy climbed up onto her lap, wiping away the pieces of hair that fell in front of her eyes as her head hung rather low. Faye giggled at his gesture, brightening up as she lifted him into the air. He let out a bubbly infectious laugh before being put back down onto the ground.

"You could say that. Love is something that sticks for a long time. It's not very easy to get rid of." The woman carried the damp sheets and cloths, draping them over the clothesline, pinning them to air dry.

It was still cold out, but certainly not snowing. The sun that peeked through the clouds made it feel warmer, warm enough for the children to play outside and help shovel the snow. Today in particular, they went out in town with the promise to be back by lunch in a few hours.

She put in her notice to Makarov that she'd be taking a temporary leave from jobs to tend to the town she'd been building. There were apple orchards and crops that were already grown thanks to the help of a certain Wizard Saint that owed her a few favors and houses, inns and other buildings that were built with the help of him as well for providing the wood.

It took a few years, and certainly the first few months were rough, but it began to stabilize enough for her to not need to pay attention to it all the time constantly, so now her focus could be raising the children until they could get adopted.

Of course they would be attached to Faye .. but she taught and raised them that they wouldn't stay with her forever, so they were well versed in the fact, so long as she promised to have her doors open for them to visit.

Faye was beginning a new chapter of her life with new people to explore and learn about. People to interact and didn't treat her like her reputation.

She was happy, so unbelievably happ—

"What are you doing here?"

He unzipped his jacket and draped it over her shoulders. "You're going to catch a cold wearing just that long sleeve out."

"Mister, Faye doesn't hate you after all! She actually lo—" The woman slapped a hand over the little boy's mouth. "Do I hear someone that doesn't want dessert?~"

He immediately shook his head. Faye rewrapped his scarf as he immediately scurried off down the slope and into town with everyone else.

She felt old. Considering how active she was as a teenager, being practically twenty-two now was a long road from where she thought she'd be.

"You really have to stop coming here, don't you have a guild to be doing paperwork for?" She sighed, pouring him a cup of tea. Sting let out a chuckle. "Is this the tea I got you?"

The woman lightly hit him over the head. "Stop avoiding my questions. That's two now."

"I thought they were just rhetorical. You know exactly why I'm here. Besides, I've done enough paperwork."

Faye tilted her head. "I actually don't have a clue. Enlighten me."

He couldn't tell if she was playing dumb or genuinely wanted an explanation. It had been that long. All of the months, almost a year .. it nearly, or rather, it did feel worse than the seven years he waited for her return.

"I think I want to buy a house here."

A spoon clattered onto the ground and Faye's expression dropped.

"Absolutely not."

He let out a little grin just watching her face panic. "I was just kidding. I'll keep commuting."

"That wasn't a funny joke." Faye deadpanned.

The house smelled strongly of cinnamon and was decorated down every hall. There was a large Christmas tree by the fireplace and above the fireplace were a dozen or so stockings, each with different letters on them.