Bard and His Lia

In this universe, there's no magic, no dragon, and no mention of dwarves. He's just a man who pilots a barge for his living. Poor Bard has spent the last handful of years alone, having seen his children grow up and leave Laketown to seek their destinies elsewhere. He is lonely and grumpy, and it's going to take a special kind of someone to brighten his day.