Chapter 1: Fall 13, -20
Chapter Text
The leaves fell gently to the ground around the streets of Pelican Town. The air was beginning to crisp and cool as fall began to settle. The cool breeze drifted through the door of the shop, which had been left open as Pierre continued to hustle neurotically back and forth to examine the spot where his section would be at the Stardew Valley fair. He’d already been preparing for over a week, but he was obsessed over every detail. Caroline sat on the floor with Robin and Clara, assembling bouquets to hang around the town for the event; for once Evelyn had given in and accepted help with preparations. In the corner, a baby slept in a small basket.
“So, how long are you back in town for?” Robin asked Clara.
“Oh just for the holidays,” Clara said, “I’ll be back to the city right after the Spirit’s Eve festival.”
“Are you sure? You could stay with me and Pierre if George is driving you crazy. Spend a bit of the winter here!” Caroline chimed in, she and Robin were always trying to get Clara to stick around a little longer. She looked aside for a moment.
“It’s alright, really. It is nice to have the extra help though. My Mom’s having the time of her life with Alex, she’s taking him for a walk around Cindersap forest with Pam and Penny right now.”
“Pam?” Robin snorted, “I hope she brought ear plugs, cause that woman does nothing but complain.”
“Give her a break Robin, she’s a single mother, it must be hard doing it all on her own,” Caroline said.
“Honestly I was surprised to see she was still living here at all, last I heard she wanted to run off to the city and never come back,” Clara said.
“Yeah, she’s living with Marnie right now. According to Gus, Penny showed up at the bar after Pam had brought her back on a bus from wherever she’d gone. Marnie offered to help cause he didn’t have the space,” Caroline said.
Just then, Pierre burst through the door in a rush; causing the baby to start crying. Robin picked him up in a hurry. “Pierre what the heck?”
“I can’t find them!!” He said, rushing over to the counter.
“Find what?” Caroline asked.
“MY MORELS!” He shouted, shoving aside some bottles of oil that had been on the counter.
“Your morals?” Robin asked, confused.
“The mushrooms!” He said waving his hands, “The special mushrooms that I got from the dangerous and very scary part of the woods!”
“Ohhh, I know where those are!” Caroline said. “I gave them to Marlon.”
“You WHAT?!” Pierre asked, looking at her dumbfounded.
“What? He came by and he said he really needed them - he looked really decrepit. So, I sold them to him and sent him on his way. I left a receipt,” She said, gesturing to the register. It still hadn’t been properly set up, Pierre needed quite a bit more help.
“Caroline,” he said, straining, “those weren’t for sale. I need those for the fair.”
“So, we have two more days, why don’t you just get more.” He stared at her as though she’d said something absurd. “I-I have to deal with all this,” he said, gesturing around the store. He was right, it was a mess. There were crates everywhere; boxes of shelf-pieces that had to be put together and shipments of god-knows-what that would eventually become part of the store isles.
“Sorry Pierre,” said Caroline, feeling peevish. “Well, let me know where you got them from, maybe I can help.”
“Oh, you don’t want to go there,” Clara said quickly, her eyes growing wide.
“Why not?”
“There’s scary things in those woods; slimes and monsters from what I’ve heard.”
“C’mon, that’s silly,” Robin said, “there’s no such thing as monsters in Stardew Valley, this town has practically nothing going on.”
“Then you go if you’re so fearless,” Clara said, giving her a look.
“I would, but I’ve gotta take care of my precious little boy,” Robin said, lifting up the tiny Sebastian. He’d stopped crying, though he still looked blotchy.
“I never said I wouldn’t go!” Caroline interjected. “I’ll take care of it okay? It was my fault anyway.” She got up and went to the door.
“Are you sure?” Pierre said, meeting her by the exit. “It could actually be dangerous, I wasn’t just being hyperbolic.”
“Yes, I’m sure,” Caroline said. “I’ll do it for you!” He gave her a warm smile. He was sweet, if a bit of a stick in the mud at times. He was so focused on getting his shop off the ground, he wouldn’t think about anything else. He insisted this fair would be the big debut of his own store; “Pierre’s.” She thought it was nice how much he believed in himself.
…
Caroline wandered through the woods, not sure exactly what she was looking for. She knew what morels were, sure, but she’d never found the entrance to the secret woods, and she was sure she’d never find the mushrooms out here. She walked around the lake, looking by the pier - hoping maybe some mushrooms had grown out around the dull old wood. To no avail, she didn’t see anything. Though she did see in the distance, Evelyn and Pam were together on the other side of the lake. Evelyn held onto a strolled, and the young bright-haired Penny was running around, splashing in the water. Caroline wondered what they talked about. She turned away, she didn’t have time to go say hi, it was almost past sunset. She continued to look around the woods when she saw it. A large green alcove embedded in the trees; it was the one place where the treeline seemed to falter, it looked almost like a tunnel to her. It had to be the place Pierre had been talking about.
She walked through the thicket, the leaves seemed to grow greener, and the trees taller. Despite the fall, everything became a rich, bright, green. There were no decaying leaves here, and there was now a crisp breeze. Only the lush fields and thick, reddish trees that loomed around her. Caroline noticed a few large stumps off in a clearing. Someone must have been after the thicker wood here, she thought. She continued to walk through the clearing, looking around in awe at the nature around here. Then, it caught her eye. The morels; more than a few were in the ground, sprouting up almost eagerly. She thought they looked strange, almost honey-comb-like. Why Pierre had made such a fuss about it she didn’t understand, but then again he always made a fuss when it came to establishing his business. She just hoped that one day, when the store was finished, he’d finally calm down and make himself more present.
As she began gathering the morels she noticed a rustling sound from the bushes. It sounded strange -almost like the warping noise of a handsaw when being played. Caroline jumped in surprise as a huge gelatinous creature darted out of the bushes, revealing itself. It moved forward, beginning to loom over her. She whipped around to run, only to find two more of the creatures were creeping up behind her. She yelped in fear, clutching tightly to the mushrooms as the creatures closed in.
Just before they jumped again she heard a loud squishing sound. The two creatures in front of her exploded, melting into jelly that stained the ground around her. Another squish sounded behind her as the last slime collapsed. Caroline looked around in confusion, wondering what had happened. That was when she noticed a figure standing in the distance.
A young man with shaggy purple hair stood with his hand outstretched. He wore a strange black robe and hat that upturned ever so slightly at its corners. He dusted himself off and began walking towards her. She smiled and gave a short wave,
“Thank you so much, you have no idea how-” to her surprise, he began collecting the sludgy substance that the slimes appeared to have left behind. She stared at him, wondering if he was going to introduce himself. “Excuse me, are you listening?” She asked. The man ignored her, still gathering up the disgusting bits. She shook her head at the oddity, turning to leave.
“You shouldn’t have come here,” he said, stopping her in her tracks. She turned around, meeting his gaze for the first time. He had deep onyx eyes, which bore into her with intensity. He could’ve been her age, yet his face carried a cadence of hardness to it.
“Excuse me?” She asked, still examining his strange character.
“This area is potent with magic, you would do well to avoid it from now on,” he said, gesturing to the woods around them.
She sighed, “well I know that now. I just wanted some mushrooms. Who are you anyways?”
He was quiet for a moment, seeming to contemplate something. “M. Rasmodius, though your fellow townsfolk call me the wizard.”
“Wizard?” she asked, “is that why you look like-” she gestured awkwardly at the way he was dressed. He tilted his head at her, she swore he might’ve been amused by it. “I am trying to communicate with the forest spirits of the valley. I’m afraid my pursuits are all time-consuming, I must ask you to leave me to my work,” he said, waving a hand towards where she’d come from.
“Oh,” Caroline said, she wasn’t sure what she’d expected, certainly not this. “Well, thanks again for saving me.” She trudged through the thick grass, feeling odd still when the wizard called out to her.
“Wait! Caroline, isn’t it?” he said, focusing on her.
“How’d you know that-” she looked at him suspiciously. He raised a hand.
“I assure you, I mean no harm. I can see many things about the future, your name is something that came to me a while ago. I suspected I might find you here today.” She blinked in surprise, not sure what to think. She’d heard stories of magic before, but never had she seen it up close.
“Is there something you need from me?” She asked, trying to size him up.
“On the contrary. I think you and I should not meet again,” he said, “I cannot say why, but rest assured there would be grave consequences.”
“Okay?” she said, confused. “See you never then.” The wizard simply bowed, and in a flash of light, disappeared. Caroline left the woods, her mind racing with all the strange things the wizard had said. She decided she’d have to ask Robin or Clara about him when got back to town.
When she returned Pierre was ever so grateful to be given the stack of morels she’d been able to collect. He hustled and threw them in a chest with the rest of the goods he was saving for the fair. Clara and Robin had both returned home, understandably since both of them had young children to tend to. She knew her new neighbor Jodi was away on her honeymoon and the others she hadn’t gotten around to meeting yet. As she unpacked the boxes with Pierre, she just couldn’t bring herself to bring up the strange meeting she’d had with the wizard in the woods. It all seemed so fantastical; she wasn’t even certain what had exactly happened.
As they went to bed that night, Caroline looked over at Pierre’s glasses sitting on the nightstand. He’d practically fallen over with exhaustion from moving everything into the house. She found she was still thinking about the woods. The strange man’s intense stare, the stranger things he’d said.
Chapter 2: Fall 14, -20
Summary:
The Wizard contemplates troubling images of the future, meanwhile Caroline and Pierre continue to prepare for the Stardew Valley fair.
Chapter Text
A vision came to him. A young man sitting on a bus, scrawling notes down. Noting the name of Stardew Valley. He was writing a research paper. A young scientist. The bus stopped, and he arrived. With every step turmoil walked with him, then-
Rasmodius sat up quickly in bed. He felt his energy return to himself, whatever vision he’d been having was lost now. He looked around the room, the cursed statues looked right back at him. He’d have to ask his wife to move them; it was quite a feat to make them, but he preferred they not loom over his bedroom. He walked upstairs to find Lilith curled at a desk in the corner of their little library. She was trying to translate more scrolls about the forest spirits; she’d become certain there was a potion one could make in order to communicate with the Junimos. Her research thus far had yielded unpleasant results. He went over to his foraged herbs and began making a makeshift meal.
“You’ve been awfully quiet since the woods yesterday,” Lilith said, not looking up from her book.
“Yes, I used much of my strength to fight slimes in the area,” he said, thinking of Caroline.
“I thought you wanted to make peace with the creatures of this area.”
“I discovered they are not negotiable,” he paused. “In any case I had to assist one of the townsfolk who wandered into the woods.”
“The townsfolk?” She said looking up.
“Yes,” he replied, “one of the newcomers didn’t know the dangers of the woods. I am thinking of finding a way to prevent them from entering.”
“Why didn’t you say anything yesterday?” She said, frowning at him.
“I didn’t think it was important,” he said. “I was just there to gather slime.” She nodded slowly, looking back to her book.
“I think we might have enough to try another potion. We still need ectoplasm though.”
Rasmodius nodded. “I will go visit Marlon now.” Without another word to her he teleported away, zapping towards the mountains.
He reappeared rather conspicuously in front of the small statue Lilith had created to allow for them to travel quickly. Luckily, the red-haired woman who lived nearby didn’t seem to have seen him. He noticed her chopping down a tree by the lake in the distance. She was accompanied by a rather scraggly pale man, who was holding a young baby awkwardly in his arms.
Keeping to himself, Rasmodius walked towards the Guild. He thought of what he’d seen in his vision of Caroline, one of the newcomers. He’d seen her gushing smile, her adventurous spirit. He even saw a vision of himself happy. With her.
He shook his head. It couldn’t be; he was not meant for such a life. He had a long journey ahead of important arcane pursuits, and Lilith to help him, along with her own goals. Besides, visions didn’t always come true. In any case, he could’ve been someone else in the vision - not himself, but perhaps Pierre, the man she’d moved in with.
He entered the Guild to find Marlon, Gil, and Gunther, pouring over a map of the mines. “Welcome in, Raz,” Marlon said, waving him happily.
“Gunther, why don’t you go get us some refreshments?” Marlon said. The boy nodded and ran to the back room.
“He’s still in training, I take it?” Rasmodius said, looking over to where he’d gone.
“Yeh, but he’s got a knack for exploration. I think he’ll make a fine adventurer some day,” Gil said warmly.
“What’ll it be today?” Marlon said, pulling out a box of gemstones. Rasmodius shook his head.
“My wife needs some ectoplasm, but that isn’t why I came here today,” They looked at him expectantly.
“Monster slaying then?” Gil asked. “Are you going on an expedition?!” Gunther said excitedly, setting down a tray of water and Miner’s treats.
“It’s actually a bit simpler than that,” Rasmodius said. “I want one of you to create a blockade for the secret woods. It’s too dangerous to risk the townsfolk’s safety.”
“Are you sure?” Marlon said, “I thought you said it was the best place to gather resources without going into the mines.”
“It is true,” he responded, “though I have discovered its resources are..limited. It would be better to simply block it off,” he said, waving a hand. He didn’t mention that he would still be able to enter whenever he wanted, because he could teleport.
“Alright then,” Marlon said nodding, “consider it done.”
“How much?” Rasmodius said, pulling out his coin purse.
“This one’s on the house,” Marlon said, “the safety of the villagers is all our concern.”
Gil looked sharply at Marlon, “I didn’t agree to that!” He protested.
“Well then, you don’t have to come,” Marlon said sternly. Gil huffed, crossing his arms. Marlon rolled his eyes, turning back to the wizard. “Will that be all?” He nodded quietly.
…
Caroline sat, staring at the altar of Yoba, a golden, castle-like statue reached up towards the ceiling of the room. Evelyn had told her the previous owners built-it for the whole town to worship. She’d never been much for religion, but it seemed a shame to tear it down. So, Pierre and her agreed to keep it up and let the other townsfolk visit it. Tomorrow would be the first service.
Pierre poked his head in the door, giving her a questioning look.
“What are you doing in here?” He asked, glancing at the golden statue.
“Oh, I don’t know,” Caroline said, “just taking a break I guess.”
“Would you mind?” He asked, gesturing to the hall. She sighed, getting up and joining him in their main living room. There was clutter everywhere; they still had so much to unpack.
“I’d really like to get everything done by the time of the fair, that way it could be Pierre’s big debut!” He said excitedly. Caroline smiled. “I wouldn’t get your hopes up too much, I heard that the farmer wins every year.”
“Really?” Pierre asked, turning to her.
“Yeah, our neighbor Evelyn told me so,” she said, “but I’m sure you’ll have a good shot!” she said, trying to sound encouraging. They continue to unpack, finally finishing up the store room, since it was the most important for the fair. While Caroline finished organizing one of the shelves, Pierre pulled out an old boxing glove. He sighed loudly.
“I’m gonna miss my boxing days,” he said sadly.
“Hey, maybe you can find someone in town who’ll box with you,” she said, walking over to give him a hug. “This is the start of our wonderful journey together. You’ll finally have your shop and we’ll get to live in this nice big house, and you know..finally start a family together.”
“Family?” He said, looking up at her with concern.
“Not this second Pierre,” she said, “I mean eventually.” He released a short sigh of relief. “Sorry, I guess it’s been on my mind a lot. It seems like everyone in this town is having babies.”
Caroline laughed. “That certainly seems to be true. Every woman I’ve met here seems to have a child attached to her.”
“I guess that’s just how small towns are, huh,” Pierre said, letting her go and picking up the box. “We’ll have to get on board eventually,” he said, giving her a wink. She smiled at him, “let’s get married first, okay?”
“Married?!” He said in mock surprise. “Well, I guess that only seems fair since I moved here to build a life with you or whatever.”
They gathered the empty boxes together, folded them down and called it a night.
Chapter 3: Fall 15, -20
Summary:
Some things happen, and then the Wizard teleports in a flash *SWZOOOSH*
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Robin woke up to the loud sounds of a motorcycle revving. In the other room, she heard Sebastian begin to cry. She sat up, feeling exhausted. What could possibly be so important that he needed to have his bike fixed at 6 am? She walked to the other room, picking up little Sebastian and rocking him as best she could in her half-asleep state. She walked around his room, looking at the crib she’d built along with his little wooden toys. She looked at the cabin walls and the door, thinking of all the types of wood she’s used. A sense of pride overcame her.
She’d built it all herself, every single part of her house represented her own work. And her husband had-well, been present for it. More or less. The revving continued, much to her dismay. She remembered what Caroline had said about opening up the chapel on sunday. So, she decided she’d rather be there. She threw on a shirt and vest, put Sebastian in his stroller and headed out the door.
She walked out to find her husband banging away at the motorcycle. He looked gaunt, like he hadn’t slept, and he was covered in oil stains. She frowned at him, while he continued to rev the bike. Finally, he looked up, noticing her.
“What?” He asked, sounding annoyed.
“It’s 6 am,” she said flatly, “you woke Sebastian up.” He looked to Sebastian, who was quietly sitting in his stroller.
“He looks alright to me,” he said, meeting her gaze again. She rolled her eyes. “Whatever, I’m going out,” she said, pushing the stroller away.
“Where are you going?!” He yelled. He was so annoying. Always frustrated, never caring. It had only gotten worse since she’d had Sebastian.
“Church!” She yelled, walking down the hill without another word.
…
Caroline dusted off the altar, hoping that the room looked presentable to the public. She wasn’t sure how devout the town was exactly, but she wanted to make sure it looked nice anyway. Evelyn walked in giving her a warm smile.
“It looks wonderful dear,” she said, giving a nod to the altar. Caroline smiled, feeling a sense of pride in doing something right. Evelyn walked over and sat in the front row; she brushed her graying hair into a nice bun, and her clothes were formal, typical as her ‘Sunday best.’
“Evelyn, do you know who typically comes to the service?” Caroline asked. Evelyn thought for a moment. “Well, Clara and Alex are coming along with George a bit-I just came early to check on you. Lewis will definitely be here, and sometimes the farmer comes too. Jodi and Kent usually come but they're not here, and sometimes Marnie comes. I don’t know about everyone else,” she said. Caroline nodded, tallying up how many that would be.
Just then, Robin walked through the door with Sebastian, looking exhausted.
“Oh, hi dearie,” Evelyn said, giving a polite wave.
“Hey, are you okay?” Caroline asked.
“No,” Robin said, slouching into a seat in the back.
“I think I’ll go see if Clara’s here,” Evelyn said, dismissing herself from the room.
“Hey,” Caroline said, moving to sit across from her. “What’s troubling you?”
Robin sighed, looking away. They’d only just met a few weeks ago, maybe she wasn’t ready to talk, Caroline thought.
“It’s my husband,” Robin said. “He got up at the crack of dawn just to very loudly work on his motorcycle.”
“Oh, I’m sorry,” Caroline said.
“Yeah, honestly I came here just to get away-HI Lewis!” Robin said, perking up as Lewis and a dusty middle-aged man with overalls walked through the door.
“Robin!” He said cheerily, “I don’t see you here too often. Glad you could join us. Farmer Harry here was just telling us he has a new grandchild!”
“Oh, that’s great news,” Robin said, feigning a smile. Caroline felt bad seeing her suffer, but there wasn’t much she could do.
Sure enough, pretty much everyone Evelyn had predicted was in attendance, with Marnie even bringing the little girl Penny with her. The service was short, and most of the time was spent in silent prayer, although Lewis did read a few words from the book of Yoba to the crowd.
Afterwards, the crowd began to disperse and Pierre started to hard-sell his shop ideas to Lewis on their way out. Robin stayed behind, rocking Sebastian’s stroller back and forth. Caroline walked to the back of the room and sat with her.
“Are you feeling any better?” Caroline said softly. Robin looked back at her miserably.
“I guess the service was nice,” she said flatly, “my parents used to take me to church every Sunday. I didn’t get it before but now that I have him,” she said looking at Sebastian, “maybe I’ll start going back.”
“It was nice,” Caroline said, looking around the pretty room.
“It's a good design,” Robin said, “the pillars are well made and the high ceiling really makes the room look bigger. It’s not wood-but still.”
“I forgot, Clara told me you built your own house. That’s mighty impressive to do all on your own.”
“Yeah,” she said distantly, “all on my own.” A soft knock came at the door.
“Excuse me, is this where the service to Yoba was? Pierre told me I missed it.”
A tall man stood at the door, he had darker skin and closed-cropped hair and was dressed incredibly formally - even for a church service.
“Yes it is,” Caroline said. She’d never seen this man before.
“Hi there, I’m Demetrius,” he said, walking up to shake her hand. “I’m new to town, I just got off the bus this morning.”
“Oh wow, welcome!” Caroline said, “I’m also fairly new, I’m Caroline. My boyfriend is Pierre, the new shopkeep.”
“Nice to meet you,” he said, turning to Robin. He gave her a warm smile. “And you are?”
“-Robin,” she said quickly, perking up. “I’m a carpenter, I live just up the hill.”
“A carpenter, wow. I’m here as a scientist. I’m planning on conducting research on the natural environment of Stardew Valley,” he said. “I’m staying at Willow lane with the family there, if you ever want to stop by for a visit,” he said.
“Of course, that sounds wonderful,” Robin said, smiling up at him. Caroline looked between the two, suddenly feeling out of place.
“Well, I’d better check on Pierre,” she said, dismissing herself. As she left she heard Demestius asking Robin if she knew anything about the building and Robin began to rattle off the observations she’d made about the shrine.
Pierre was making a big show of everything he had for wares, talking Clara’s ear off about seeds and fresh vegetables and the like. She politely smiled at him, nodding while he continued on. Towards the front of the shop, Caroline noticed two people she hadn’t seen before. A tall blond man and a sleek blue-haired woman stood together, looking over one of the store isles. A little girl with blue hair ran around their legs and bumped into George.
“Hey watch, kid!” He said sharply. Both her parents gave him a stern look.
“She’s sorry,” the woman said, “right Emily?”
“So-rry,” the little girl said in exaggeration. George grumbled, but didn’t say anything else. The girl continued to bounce around the store excitedly.
“Hi there,” Caroline interjected, introducing herself. She discovered quickly that these were the two hosting Demetrius the new resident, and the other family that lived on Willow lane. They both were kinda posh; Pierre said he wasn’t sure what they did but it must have made a lot of money, since they spent so much time going on extravagant vacations (according to Lewis). She learned the woman’s name was Laura and the man Ron.
…
After such a busy morning she decided she needed a break from people, telling Pierre she’d be out for a walk. It wasn’t long until she found herself heading back towards where she’d first encountered the strange man. As she stood by the pier, she looked out to where the luminous woods were. Letting her curiosity get to the better of her, Caroline walked over to where she had found the secret woods the previous day.
To her surprise, a large tree had fallen over and now blocked the way. She frowned, feeling some sense of disappointment. She continued to wander the woods by the lake, still not ready to leave. That’s when she came across it; a tall tower, covered in vines and flowers that stood out over the woods. Caroline wondered if it could possibly be where he lived.
There were stone steps that led up to the door. Cautiously, she walked up to the door. She stood there for a moment before finally deciding to knock. To her surprise, a woman opened the door. She was rather tall, with long black hair. She wore a deep red shawl and had several necklaces that appeared to be of the occult. She frowned, looking down at Caroline.
“Who are you?”
“Oh-er, I thought-I was just wandering around the woods and I thought I’d stop by. I’m new here-my name’s Caroline,” she said.
“Are you looking for the wizard?” The woman said flatly.
“Er-yes,” Caroline said awkwardly.
“He’s not here right now,” she said. “Why are you looking for him anyway?”
“He saved my life the other day. I wasn’t sure where he lived, but I got curious when I saw this tower. Sorry for the intrusion.”
“Yeah, you should be,” she said, shutting the door. Caroline stood by the door in shock at the rudeness. She wasn’t sure what she expected, it certainly wasn't that. She turned to leave, when she saw him at the bottom of the steps. She blinked in surprise.
“I told you it was best if we did not see each other again,” he said, with a frown.
“I’m sorry,” she said, glancing back at the door, “I-just, I happened to be wandering the area and I wanted to say thank you.” she gave him an awkward smile, stepping down the stairs towards him. He frowned at her, and as she approached she noticed he seemed nervous.
“Is there something wrong?” She asked, trying to understand.
“It is as I said, I have seen into the future, and it would be best if we did not cross paths.”
“I don’t even know you! Please, I’m just trying to understand,” she looked at him pleadingly. He really was quite strange, his dark cloak had bits of dust and dirt on it, for a moment it seemed like snow. His pallid face wore a dark expression, for a moment Caroline thought he looked pained. He shook himself, growing rigid again.
“I-I’m sorry I cannot give a better explanation,” he said, his voice strained. Caroline brushed her hands tightly against her skirt, her fingers curling around the fabric, she felt her frustration boiling over her. Why did he have to be so cryptic, what could she have possibly done? She sighed, keeping herself cool, “Well I’m sure you have your reasons, I’m sorry I’ve caused you such a hassle”. His face suddenly softened, and his eyes twinkled, he seemed almost amused at her words.
“Don’t be. I welcome the change.”
Caroline felt even more confused, she opened her mouth to speak but just as she did a white light encapsulated the Wizard, blinding her for a moment. By the time her vision went clear again, he was gone.
Notes:
Me when I have to add non-cannon character names (:C
Also church is on Mondays now.
Chapter 4: Fall 16, -20 The Stardew Valley Fair
Summary:
It's here the day of the Stardew Valley Fair! Who will win the Grange display competition? The answer may (not) surprise you!
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Caroline yawned as she stood with Evelyn on the corner of the time square. Tourists and townsfolk alike hustled around the attractions, eager to get a glimpse of the life going around Stardew Valley. Pierre had woken her up at the crack of dawn to set up his stall for Pierre’s goods (despite the fact they lived five feet from where it was). She’d tried her best to be supportive, but as the afternoon drew on her tiredness began to overtake her.
Pierre didn’t have much competition, his huge freak out was beginning to seem utterly unwarranted. The farmer had brought a few things from fall harvest, the blacksmith some ore, and Marnie brought some eggs and milk. Caroline felt fairly confident he’d win; the opening of Pierre’s was sure to be a success.
“Are you going to explore the fair dearie?” Evelyn’s voice cut through her thoughts.
“Oh yes, I think I’d love to,” she looked over at Pierre, “I was waiting for Pierre to join me, but it looks like he might be preoccupied.” Pierre seemed to be engaged in a very fervent conversation with the local farmer, who Lewis had been calling a Grandpa all morning.
“I’m sure he wouldn’t mind if you had a look around,” Evelyn said, giving her a bright smile. Caroline nodded, feeling relieved at being released from her duties. She walked through the square; there were all kinds of fun games, animals, and prizes that were strewn about the whole town center. Despite being so small, she was beginning to discover Stardew valley had quite a bit of interesting people and lots of joy. She didn’t feel particularly drawn to playing any of the games-most of them looked pretty difficult, and she was pretty sure one was just a gambling scheme. As she walked, she noticed that one of the tents had been set up in the cemetery. Her curiosity getting the better of her, she walked over to the front of the tent.
A sign outside read Lilith's fortunes. A young man walked out just then, he had long messy hair and a large beard. Most strangely, he appeared to be wearing an outfit made entirely of bright yellow leaves. He walked with a smooth confidence, assured by his destiny (or something of the sort). Caroline walked inside, not knowing what to expect.
To her surprise, the woman sitting inside was the same one who’d slammed the door on her yesterday. She gave Caroline a stern look.
“Sorry-I was just curious,” Caroline said, “I can leave.”
“It’s alright,” the woman said, her voice sounding resonant. “I am a professional, my feelings are no object here. Are you looking to have your fortune read?”
Caroline shifted for a moment, uneasy. Yet, she couldn’t help wanting to know. After all, so much had just changed for her in a short amount of time, and she was itching to know more about all the strange ongoings she’d encountered.
“Um, sure, if you’re okay with that.”
Lilith nodded and gestured for Caroline to sit with her. She looked into a crystal ball, swirling her hands around it. The crystal reflected brightly, the dust curling with a strange mystique.
“Ah, Caroline. I can see your future. You have a long journey ahead of you. I see you helping with the store, Pierre by your side. You seem really happy about something-yes. Wait.
What?!”
Her face scrunched up, her nails clicked loudly against the glass ball. She looked up at Caroline, fury in her eyes. Her face twisted up, growing a dark shade of green.
“You leave my husband alone!” she yelled, shoving the table aside. Caroline stood, feeling panicked.
“What? What did I do?” Lilith turned sharply, looking severely at Caroline now.
“You know, I was willing to excuse your strange curiosity and your wandering around as something some innocent, dull, rube would do. But I see now just how wrong I am. You should be ashamed of yourself,” she said accusingly.
“I don’t understand! I didn’t do anything!” Caroline protested.
“Never, return to the woods. EVER.” She disappeared in a flash of light, leaving Caroline alone with the tossed-over table. The crystal ball rolled to her feet, tapping her foot lightly. Caroline sighed, she felt more confused than ever.
“I don’t even know the Wizard,” she said quietly, to no one at all.
She left the tent, feeling crestfallen. She returned to join Pierre at the stall. He was so absorbed in the competition, he didn’t seem to notice her glumness. He ended up winning, much to the town’s surprise. They cheered the new shopkeep on, Lewis rewarded him with fair currency - to both of their disappointments. Still, it was a great day. For Pierre.
…
Later that night, Caroline sat at the counter, sorting out the grange display items while Pierre brought in the goods he’d bought at the fair - as well as his blue ribbon for winning first place. She’d never seen him beam so much with pride. It was a good moment for him, and she was proud. As she was sorting the vegetables to put back on the shelves she noticed a note on the counter. It was a rich azure color, and written in turquoise letters it read:
Caroline,
I’m sorry about what happened today. It’s time I explained everything, meet me at the fountain by the community center, tonight at 12:00AM.
M. Rasmodius, Wizard
Pierre huffed loudly as he dragged a large houseplant through the front door. Caroline looked up quickly, her attention snapping back to him. He set the plant down, dusting off his hands.
“Goodness I’m tired, it has been a day” he said, placing his hands on his hips. “How about you Caroline, ready to turn in?” she bit her lip nervously.
“I-I don’t think so,” she responded, glancing at the note, she thought of Lilith throwing the table earlier.
“Why not?” He asked. “Is something the matter?”
“I just,” she scrunched the note in her hand, her mind racing with all of the recent events. About the slimes, about the valley, everything. “Pierre, I’ve been having some…strange experiences since I bumped into that er-wizard in the woods the other day,” she said.
“Wizard?” He asked, confused. She realized she hadn’t told him about that first encounter.
“Yeah, he was this strange man who saved me when I went to get those morels from the forest,” she said. Pierre scrunched his eyebrows, his face looking hard.
“Why didn’t you say anything before?”
“I don’t know, you were already so stressed about the fair and it didn’t seem worth mentioning at the time.”
“Not worth mentioning? Some strange man did magic in the woods while you were there and you didn’t think to mention it?”
Caroline paused, thinking about what the fortune teller had said; it suddenly began to make sense. She realized how it would probably sound to Pierre. A knot of frustration overcame her. She hadn’t done anything wrong! She hadn’t done anything at all.
“Sorry, I guess I should have,” she said quietly. “I-I thought I saw him at the fair, but it was just a magician,” she lied.
“O-kay?” he said. “So, were you disappointed it wasn’t real magic then?”
“Yeah, I guess I was thinking about magic, but calling it strange is a stretch. I think I just need some fresh air,” she said, getting up to leave.
“Do you want me to come with you?”
“No-no,” she said too quickly. “I mean, get your rest love, you deserve it after today. I’ll just take a stroll around the block, it’s pretty safe here so I wouldn’t worry,” she added. He nodded happily and she gave him a quick kiss before heading out.
Notes:
Minority Report: Future Affairs division.
Chapter 5: 12:00AM, Fall 16
Summary:
A friendly discussion happens between two individuals who are in control of their faculties and then they part their separate ways like adults.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
The night air was cool, a breeze drifted through the town. Caroline felt free finally being alone. She looked around before she headed up the steps towards the fountain.
She still didn’t fully understand what had happened at the fortune teller’s earlier. Clearly she’d seen something about Caroline and the Wizard’s fate, but it couldn’t be - she shook her head. She shouldn’t get ahead of herself.
Now that she’d talked to Pierre she was certain he wouldn’t be receptive to hearing what had happened, even the idea that she hadn’t told him something seemed to bother him.
As she walked into the park she saw his shadowy figure standing by the fountain. She paused for a moment, feeling nervous. Maybe this wasn’t a good idea, maybe she should just leave. She couldn’t bring herself to move. The Wizard stepped forward, his figure became illuminated by several golden orbs that floated upwards from his hands. They bounced lightly in the air, swirling between him and Caroline. He looked warmer in the soft light, his long amaranthe-colored hair contrasted starkly with his black robes. He seemed too serious for someone so young, too aloof.
“I thought you wanted me to stay away.” Caroline said sharply, her frustrations returning to her.
“I’m sorry about what my wife did today,” he said, “I know she must have upset you.”
“I don’t even know what’s going on! What could possibly be so dangerous about me?” Caroline asked, feeling indignant.
“You must understand the consequences-”
“Screw the consequences, it’s not fair! I can’t read minds, I can’t see the future! Can you please not be strange and mysterious for five minutes!”
“I’m sorry! Honestly,” he said, raising his hands in defense, “that’s why I’ve come here, I wanted to explain everything to you. When my wife told me what happened today I realized how unfair I’ve been. You can’t know what things lie in your future.”
“So, you’re here to tell me my future too now?” she asked flatly.
“I’m here to explain why I’ve acted so strangely, and why Lilith yelled at you today,” he said, evenly.
“I’m listening,” she said, crossing her arms.
“You might want to sit,” he said, giving her a warning look. She sat on the edge of the fountain, he joined her and they sat side-by-side.
The wizard took a breath, contemplating for a moment. He looked less solid than he had before - more concerned, more human.
“I’m trying to be careful with my powers,” he began. “I’ve only recently gained this position, my mentor died not long ago, leaving all of his studies behind to me. I’m trying to do what’s right, but it is proving difficult.”
“Well, that explains why you’re so young,” she said. Somehow she’d thought all wizards were supposed to be ancient.
He chuckled, “yes, I am very new to all this. Magic is quite a responsibility, and I intend to serve it well. What happened today with Lilith-was a misuse. Fortune telling magic-while it can be useful is most imprecise. There is no reason to believe you will cause her harm when you haven’t yet. For that I am sorry. I did the same thing, which is why I asked you to leave. I realize now you can’t possibly understand if you don’t know why any of this has happened, it is unfair to you.”
“I still don’t understand,” Caroline said, “what exactly did she see in my fortune?” As she said this she looked at the Wizard-or Rasmodius, he shifted uncomfortably. She didn’t have the courage to ask the question that had been bubbling up inside her.
“When she looked into your fortune, he saw you and I together. But,” he added quickly, “that does not mean it will happen. It’s only a possibility of dozens of possibilities.”
Caroline sat up straight, feeling herself grow hot with embarrassment. It was as she had suspected, yet it felt more serious being said aloud somehow.
“So, she’s jealous of a possible future?”
“Precisely,” he said, “she hasn’t always been the most jealous person, but having foresight makes her think she’s right.”
“What about what you said? You saw my future too, and said that I should stay away,” she said, looking at him seriously now. He nodded solemnly.
“I don’t even know you, or Lilith. It’s not fair, I mean, I’m being accused of something I didn’t even know about until a few minutes ago! I have a fiance you know,” she said defensively.
“I know, I’m sorry. From what I have seen, I know you love him very much. That is why I thought it best if I stayed away, I now see that it only made you more curious. I worry keeping you unaware would only further sow jealousy into the hearts of our loved ones.”
She thought of Lilith. “Sorry, I think I’ve already done that damage just by showing up.” He waved a hand dismissively, “She’s always been prone to strong reactions. There’s a good chance she’ll come back.”
“She left?” Caroline asked, surprised.
“Yeah, she picked up a broom and ran out the door,” Rasmodius noted, “she yelled about your fortune as she was storming out.”
Caroline felt a twist of guilt in her gut. “I’m so sorry Rasmodius, I really didn’t mean to do anything.”
“I know,” he said, “you haven’t done anything at all. You shouldn’t blame yourself.”
“Well, I still feel bad anyways, I’d hate to break up a marriage over suspicion.”
“It’s alright, we…have already had our problems,” he said. “I think you should focus more on your own life, and that fiance of yours. That is where your future lies.”
Caroline frowned, thinking about Pierre. She loved him, and that was the most important thing, right? What exactly did the fortunes mean for her future?
“Can I ask you something? You’re all powerful right?”
He chuckled, “not really, though I do have some magical prowess.”
“Can you tell me more about the fortunes? Is the future set in stone? I mean, these things you’re telling me, is that truly the path I’m destined for. How can I know for sure that I’m making the right choice?”
The Wizard was quiet for a moment. “I really shouldn’t intervene in such matters. I try to stay removed from the regular people of Stardew Valley.”
She scrunched her face, taken aback, “I think you’ve already intervened quite a bit. Maybe you could at least be straight with me?”
He sighed gruffly, “fine, what is it you want to know?”
“Am I destined to marry Pierre? I mean-when you look into my future, exactly how many paths are there? I just-this whole situation is so weird I don’t know what to think anymore. Should I be worried?”
He sat quietly for a moment, thinking. “Well, I can’t exactly see precise things about the future, I have no control over what my vision shows me so I cannot say how many futures I think you have. I saw you live a life, happy in Stardew Valley, with your fiance and with kids. But, I believe your choices are still your own. I wouldn’t fuss over what’s supposed to be your destiny, what matters is how you act now.”
Caroline felt a sense of relief flood over her. At least she knew she wasn’t trapped by fate, she could always change her mind, choose whatever path she wanted in life.
“Thank you, Rasmodius. I think I feel a bit better about this whole thing now. I’m glad you came to clear this all up.” He nodded, a crack of a smile on his lips.
“Still, I’m sorry about how it played out. I sincerely hope you and your wife can work it out.” She stood, brushing off her skirt.
“Thank you,” he said, also standing beside her. She realized he was a lot taller than her, his hat making him appear even more so.
“I suppose I won’t be seeing you again any time soon,” she said, a feeling of disappointment went through her.
“No, I suppose not,” he agreed. Before he turned to leave Caroline stuck out her hand towards him, he looked at her curiously.
“It was nice meeting you; and thank you again for fighting those slimes for me.”
He shook her hand, amused, “it was no problem, really.”
He stepped back and this time she braced herself for the bright light. After the bright flash she found herself standing in darkness, the only light a small sliver of moon, which reflected dully in the fountain water.
Notes:
Let's pretend I took last week off for Easter, anyways it's here a day early cause I felt like it. I know my 2 dedicated fans will appreciate it.
Chapter 6: Fall 17, -20
Summary:
Robin talks to a man who isn't the worst, Caroline realize maybe Pierre IS the worst
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Robin watched sadly as the bus pulled away, taking Clara and her newborn Alex back to the city. Back to that man. She sighed, she wasn’t in much of a position to judge really. At least she had her beautiful home, and Sebastian. She decided to take the long way home, greeting the farmer as she walked up the dirt path, slowly back to her cabin. He gave her a friendly wave - his salt and pepper gray was quickly becoming just salt, Lewis had commented to her that he was worried he’d become too old to run the farm before long when he’d had a little too much to drink at the Saloon the other night.
The forest was beautiful this time of year, not too dense, and not yet too cold. She saw mushrooms growing around the base of some of the trees, and just down the road that scientist was observing one. Demetrius, he’d introduced himself just the other day at the church. She walked over to greet him.
“Hi there. Um, good morning Demetrius,” she said awkwardly. He turned to her, a pair of thick glasses made his eyes appear huge, he blinked at her before taking them off, she couldn’t help but laugh at it.
“Greetings Robin, it’s good to see you again. I haven’t yet had the chance to introduce myself to everyone in Stardew Valley yet,” he said. She nodded, looking at the large mushroom he had been examining.
“What are you looking at?” she asked, wondering exactly what kind of science it was he did. He’d tried to explain the other day, but she still didn’t follow very well.
“Oh, I’m studying the local plants and animals here for a doctoral thesis I’m working on!” he said cheerily. “Stardew Valley has a decent amount of biodiversity, it’s why I’m here in the first place.”
“Oh right,” she said feeling silly, “you told me that. Well, I hope your studies are going well. How is living with your host family?”
“Oh, it’s quite nice. I only wish I had a home laboratory, where I could have all the proper equipment to really invest my time studying.”
“Yeah, it’s a shame. I wonder what building a lab would be like, do they ever make them out of wood?” she asked, more to herself than to Demetrius.
“As long as the environment is made sterile, I don’t see why not,” he said, contemplating. “It’s a shame I’m not staying longer, otherwise I might’ve asked you to build one.”
She blinked, “I was thinking more hypothetically, but thanks for the endorsement.”
“Anytime,” he said, “you seem quite capable after all,” he gave her a wide smile, before putting the thick glasses back on. She continued walking on the path, smiling to herself along the way. Maybe there was more to life in the valley.
As she got home, she walked into the house to hear the sound of Sebastian crying. In the front parlor, her husband was toiling away at his work table.
“Why is Sebastian crying?” she asked, walking up to him.
“Huh? I don’t know, he’s supposed to be asleep,” he said, not looking up at her.
“Well, did you check on him?”
“I thought you were home.”
She scoffed, “excuse me? He’s your son too, you know.”
Finally, he looked up at her. “I was working on something okay? God, I’ll do it now if you really want.”
“No it’s fine, I’m already here I’ll do it,” she said, turning to go. As she did he mumbled
“Why be so up my ass about it then.” She turned back sharply.
“I’m going to pretend I didn’t hear that, and you’re going to get your shit together.”
“Are you serious Robin? Like you’ve never gotten caught up in a project before,” he said, his voice raising.
“Not when my own son is wailing in the other room!” she shouted, storming away.
“Where are you going!?” he shouted, popping his head around the corner of the parlor.
“To take care of the child you agreed to raise with me!” She shut the door of Sebastian’s room, ignoring him as he continued to shout.
She went up to the crib, finding her poor baby had been left after he’d sullied himself. She gave him a diaper change, trying her best to soothe him. As she held on to his little body she sighed deeply. This is not working, she thought.
…
“I think it’s our neighbor’s birthday tomorrow,” Caroline said, as she lined up cans on one of the shelves.
Pierre nodded, tapping his fingers along the counter. “Which one?” he asked, seeming distracted.
“Marnie, I think that’s her name. She’s the rancher.”
“Right, right,” he said, “hey can I ask-”
Just then an older man walked through the door, whistling as he went. Pierre immediately stood straight, giving the gentleman a wave.
“Hi there, welcome to Pierre’s,” he said quickly.
“Hey there,” the man said. He was wearing navy dirt-stained overalls and his thick boots sounded as he wandered around the store. “I was just wondering what kinds of seeds you had?” he said, looking curiously at Pierre.
“Oh, well we have a lot of in-season options right up here,” Pierre said, pulling out a box. Caroline continued stocking items while the two discussed.
After purchasing a couple bundles of seeds the farmer nodded. “This is just wonderful that we finally have a general store nearby again. A lot of us have been having to drive into the city for every little thing, it gets exhausting after a while,” he said.
“Well I’m happy to help!” Pierre replied excitingly. Caroline smiled, happy to see the business taking off. The man dawdled out the door, leaving the two of them alone again.
“I’m happy to see people liking the busi-”
“Where’d you go last night?” Pierre cut in.
“Excuse me?” she said, raising an eyebrow.
“Sorry-I was trying to ask before we got interrupted. It’s just, you came home very late last night, I was wondering if something happened?”
“I told you, took a walk,” she said flatly.
“Where?”
“The park.”
“That’s it?”
“I sat there for a while.”
“Alone?”
She tilted her head at him. “Pierre, what is this? What do you want me to say?”
He put his hands up. “I’m just curious, it seems odd.”
She shrugged, feeling frustrated. “It just seems like you’re accusing me of something. I don’t understand.”
“I was just asking questions,” he said, dialing back. She frowned.
“I’m going to go for a while, I think you need a break,” she said. “I’m going to visit Robin,” she added pointedly. She left before Pierre could say anything.
…
Lilith stared into her crystal ball, fury coursing through her veins. Around her the soft flow of the river echoed throughout the cave. She watched as that stupid, naive girl ran into the arms of her husband. Her Husband! It was disgusting, horrifying to watch. But she couldn’t stop looking. It was the look in his eyes that she couldn’t get over. A warmth came over them, one she’d never seen before. The way he looked at her, the way he gently cupped her face, and whispered close to her so sweetly. Lilith swore she could almost hear the words as he mouthed them. She slapped the ball away, letting it roll in the gray dirt. She was powerless to stop him.
Then, she had a thought. She couldn’t stop her husband from having the affair, but she could do something to that persnickety girl.
Notes:
Gonna be so fr I forgot I was writing this. Sorry to my 1 fan who I've left out to dry. Here's the last full chapter I've written for now, not sure if/when I'll pick up again but I do have an outline for the whole story.
Chapter 7: Fall 18, -20
Summary:
The Wizard thinks about things
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Rasmodius awoke in his office, books scattered everywhere. The clutter had never been worse; papers were strewn across the floor and he’d left notes around almost every title. It didn’t seem to matter what he did, something was happening to the valley, something he had no control over. Not only that, his attempts to commune with the spirits of the forest had been an utter failure. He didn’t know their language, and he hadn’t yet concocted a way to learn it. Gil and Marlon had been doing their best to fight off the stray slimes and monsters, in addition they’d committed to blocking off areas too dangerous for the ordinary residents of Stardew Valley. Yet, they hadn’t dealt with the central problem. He thought for a moment, surely there was something.
He sighed, lifting himself from the uncomfortable chair he’d sat in, feeling sore. Not only did Lilith leave in a fuss, but she’d also done him the lovely favor of transfiguring their bed into an immovable stool. He’d tried shoving and kicking, but only succeeded in hitting his shins harshly against it. He stretched and walked towards the front door, longing for a breath of fresh air. As he stepped outside he sensed something in the air. In the distance, he saw a few people gathered outside of Marnie’s house. It was her Birthday, her sister and young nephew were visiting, the boy ran around the yard covered in dirt. Then he saw that familiar green head of silky hair, bobbing down the dirt path towards Marnie. Both seemed excited, they all jumped, smiling and laughing as they greeted each other. She seemed happy, shortly behind her Pierre came bumbling forward, a pumpkin pie in hand.
A deep ache set inside him, it was something he’d never have. If you do this, you’ll never return to the life you once had. You’ll become extraordinary, but there will come a point when you’ll have to choose this life or a normal one, and it will break you.
The words of his mentor echoed in his head. But there was nothing he could do, his life was his study of the elemental language, the magic that resided all around. He was determined to discover the Junimos. Caroline already lived a full life with normal, mortal friends and a fiance. He didn’t have anyone to go to outside this life.
Notes:
This is for you homie :)
Chapter 8: Fall 21, Year -20
Summary:
Happy Birthday Robin!
Notes:
I've decided that for the sake of my two fans and 5 Kudos, I will be continuing this fanfiction. I don't like the idea of leaving something incomplete, so this is my official promise that I will be finishing this work! Although I will not be updating it consistently (sorry), I will try to get it done sooner rather than later. This has been quite fun and I do enjoy rampant Stardew Valley speculation so this is the perfect place for that. Thank you to anyone who's read this far.
Cheers!
Chapter Text
Caroline walked down the dirt path towards Marnie’s barn house; she had with her a basket of fresh peaches assembled for Robin, courtesy of Pierre of course. He did have a knack for some things, she supposed. Just as she walked up to the door, it swung open and a swell looking Marnie opened the door.
“Why hello Caroline, you’re right on schedule!” she said happily. Caroline held back a retort that Marnie was rarely ever where she was supposed to be. Marnie had a rather heavy looking backpack strapped to her back.
“What did you get for Robin’s birthday?” Caroline asked, looking curiously over Marnie’s shoulder.
“I got her some sturdy hardwood for her projects!” Marnie said excitedly, showing off the thick pile of wood dangling precariously off her shoulder.
“That’s wonderful,” Caroline said, “although I’m sure it’s very heavy, are you sure you can make it to Robin’s house?” Marnie quickly asserted everything was under control and so they began their quick journey through the woods. The leaves had gotten to be a crisp golden color, though Caroline could tell they’d soon be all gone. Winter felt like it was approaching much faster than she’d expected. Pierre was sure to be a downer once it began, with only one month’s salary worth of sold goods the budget was going to get tight over the winter. Even so, they only had one farmer who consistently bought goods anyway.
As they arrived at Robin’s house, Caroline heard yelling in the distance. Her and Marnie shared a look of concern. Down the hill a door slammed, and Caroline and Marnie watched as Robin’s husband zoomed away on his motorcycle.
“Oh my,” Marnie said, “We’d better go check on her.” Caroline nodded in agreement.
As they entered Robin’s house they discovered her cradling a belligerent Sebastian, who was crying and pulling desperately on a large piece of Robin’s hair.
“Hi there,” Caroline said, feeling awkward. “I hope we're not interrupting, we brought you some birthday gifts.”
Robin looked up, “you both remembered my birthday? Thank you so much!” She said, trying to give them a winning smile, although her eyes darted behind them to the door. She let Marnie set down the woods and Caroline left the peaches on the kitchen table. After a moment, Robin had settled Sebastian down enough for him to sit quietly in his baby carriage. The three women gather around the kitchen table, Robin fixing her now bedraggled hair.
“This is great, really,” She said. “Sorry it’s such a mess in here right now.”
“Are you okay?” Caroline asked, “we kind of witnessed a bit of your argument with-”
“It’s fine,” Robin cut her off. “It’s nothing new, although I wish he wouldn’t have picked my birthday to have another fight.” She sighed.
“We understand,” Marnie said softly, “no judgement from us.” Robin stared dully at the basket of peaches sitting on the center of the table.
“I think I’m going to divorce him,” she said quietly. Marnie and Caroline sat up in surprise.
“Really?” Caroline asked.
“Yes, really,” Robin said, “it just isn’t working anymore, I can’t have every day becoming a fight, it’s exhausting.”
“Are you sure?” Marnie asked, “This is a rather serious decision.” Robin looked up at Marnie, rather unimpressed.
“I understand the consequences of my actions if that’s what you mean. Look, recently I’ve realized that there is far more to my life than this relationship I’m in, and if he refuses to step up as a father, maybe someone else will.” Someone else? Caroline thought, coming to the realization.
“Wow, I mean good for you Robin, you do deserve better,” Caroline said.
“Thanks,” Robin said, her face growing with relief. “You know, I’m already starting to feel better.”
“Well be here to support you if there’s anything you need,” Marnie said.” Robin smiled.
“Well, if you could keep bringing that hardwood, that would be wonderful," Robin said.
“Unfortunately that won’t be possible, it seems that part of the forest near my house has been blocked off,” Marnie added.
Caroline blinked in surprise, thinking of the lush magical forest. She’d just been there…though could it have been closed off on purpose? Her thoughts wandered to the Wizard, that intense gleam he always had in his eye; he knew so much more about the ongoings of the valley. There was so much magic hidden just nearby the town, yet it felt a million miles away.
“Um, Caroline?” Robin said, giving her a strange look.
“Oh sorry,” Caroline said, “I was just thinking, that’s where Pierre got his morels from, I don’t know what he’ll do now.
“Right,” Robin said, though she didn’t seem to believe her. Caroline looked aside, now was not the time to reveal all the magical chaos she’d gotten herself swept up in.
They spent the rest of the afternoon celebrating, eating peaches and playing with little Sebastian (with no sign of his father’s return). Finally as the sun began to dip beneath the mountains, Caroline made her way home. Luckily, Pierre didn’t say anything this time about her long absence. Actually, he didn’t say anything at all. Instead, he was laser focused, working on the budget for this winter. He had propped himself at his desk and was mulling through all the store's paperwork. Feeling tired, Caroline decided not to interrupt his work.
Chapter 9: Fall 22, Year -20
Summary:
Robin's divorce papers are being drafted, meanwhile Caroline is once again attacked by witch magic.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Robin sat tiredly at her kitchen table, loosely she held a bottle that Sebastian was drinking from. Her husband had still not returned, it seemed divorce was inevitable. At first the thought made her more stressed, but she could also feel a sense of relief flooding over her. Finally the house she built herself would be hers, and she could focus on caring for Sebastian. Just then she heard a knock at the door. Lifting the tiny Sebastian she walked over, hoping it was Caroline again or anyone besides her husband. To her surprise she found Demetrius standing on the other side of the door. She greeted him, feeling a little flustered.
“Hello,” he returned in his monotone voice, “I was doing some surveys on the nature in the area, and I thought you might like to join me,” he said. She smiled at him, feeling her own tiredness shrug away.
“I’d love to,” she said.
…
Caroline walked through the forest just south of Marnie’s house, enjoying the pleasant breeze and the bright oranges and browns of the forest leaves. She’d been told by some in the town that it was a good place to forage, she’d even had some success, finding some mushrooms and tucking them away into her basket. She breathed in the crisp air, for a moment appreciating the tranquility of the afternoon.
But her thoughts were interrupted by a sudden squish. Out of the forest jumped a bright teal slime. She dropped her basket, backing away slowly. The slime darted forward and she turned to run, only to slam directly into Rasmodius himself. She heard a loud noise and a squashing sound.
“It’s dead now,” his smooth voice said over her. She looked up at him, seeing a somber expression on his face. She took a step back, realizing that she was still uncomfortably close to him.
“Sorry-er, thanks again,” she said, feeling embarrassed. How many times would she need to be rescued? The Wizard seemed distracted, as he kept looking behind her, and around the forest. “Is there something wrong?” she asked
“There shouldn’t be any slimes or enemies out this far,” he said, “I’m afraid this is not a natural phenomenon. It would seem my w-ex wife has decided to come after you again.”
Caroline yelped as he sent out another blast of magic; it whizzed past her and hit something in the distance. She turned to see a pile of bones collapsed on the ground. The bones began to float around as though by magic, and rearrange themselves back into a skeleton. More began to come out of the woods, and soon the two were surrounded. The Wizard cursed, blasting as many foes as he could, but it wasn’t enough. They continued to march forward determinedly. Rasmodius looked back at her, his steely eyes looking afraid for once. As the skeletons began to close in, he grabbed Caroline, pulling her close to him. She heard a loud noise, and a blinding flash came over her vision.
When she could see again, Caroline realized they were in a different place. She was standing in the strange tower that she’d come up to. Although it had only been about a week, it felt so long ago. Rasmodius let go of her, now himself seeming a bit embarrassed.
“I’m very sorry to have involved you in such matters, now it continues to harm you,” he said, walking over to a large cauldron in the corner.
“It’s not your fault,” Caroline said, “although now I’m feeling a bit more concerned for my safety, I thought there weren’t any monsters wandering about the valley.”
“There isn’t supposed to be,” he said seriously, “it would seem the equilibrium of the spirits is off, otherwise those monsters never would have been able to survive.” He began to add things to the cauldron, looking into it and mixing it frequently.
She looked to the door, thinking about the skeletons. “Will I be safe out there?” she asked. He looked up at her, his expression hard to read. “It may be a while before you can return, I’m trying to see if there is a way I can counter the effects that Lilith has cast over the forest. You may sit at my table or wait in the meantime.” Caroline frowned, shaking her head at him.
“I want to know what you’re doing,” she said, pointing to the pot. He gave her a questioning look.
“The arcane is very complicated, it would be difficult for someone uninitiated to understand.”
She shrugged, “well then, initiate me. Wouldn’t it be better for me to be able to defend myself? Or at least understand what it is that she’s trying to do.” He looked to the side for a moment, his gaze growing distant.
“Very well then, I will explain what’s happening as best I can.” She walked over to the cauldron with him, and Rasmodius began to tell her more about magic.
Notes:
The journey continues, shout out to the teleportation staff.
Noble_Lady_of_Magvel on Chapter 9 Tue 07 Oct 2025 08:24PM UTC
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HoneyComb22 on Chapter 9 Thu 09 Oct 2025 04:10PM UTC
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