Arel took the time to carry the clothes he thought would fit the stranger. The others were kind enough to give him spare clothes, and that it wasn’t the first time they heard this request. He gave the clothes and sat on the staircase. The flowers of pink and purple swayed with the wind. The door opened behind Arel. The stranger was dressed in a brown jacket and pants.

“This is better,” he said while looking at the area. The pink tree probably had attracted his gaze.

“Beautiful isn’t it?” Arel said.

“I can’t disagree, indeed, it’s so peaceful,” he looked at the view with a pained expression.

“Were you a soldier, Mister?”

“Just call me Nolan, please.”

“Arel.”

“Arel, yes, I think I was. But that’s over now.”

“I understand. Many of us came here to forget as well. I was once too.”

Nolan looked at him sadly. “You looked younger than me.”

“The Former Empire was recruiting people like me. I was an Earth Meister, Sir.”

“What’s that?”

“I can control the earth or at least some part of it.”

Arel walked side to side with Nolan. They sauntered into a tree-lined street with leaves falling on top of them. He saw the blacksmith and her golem moving boxes. To the right, he saw the mansion of the noble house of the island.

“Are there only a few people here?”

“Oh, this is just one of the communities here. The other side of the island is populated by the people who have contact with the mainland. You could say this is place is more than a community where the lost usually ends up going.”

Nolan nodded. “Kinda fitting. So, where’s your place?”

“It’s there.”

He looked. The place was a two-storied building made of stone and brick. Behind this building was an open field with crops. The crops lined in rows. Arel thought about explaining the red fruit in his backyard. He was interjected.

“You’re growing tomatoes?”

“Oh, you know them?”

“I think some of the flowers I’ve seen are familiar to me. At least in this world.”

“That’s a weird thing to say,” he chuckled, rubbing his foot on the pathway of his house.

The house was silent except for the girl with a hat with a feather attached to it. She wore a beautiful smile that made Arel rub the back of his head

“Is he the new guy, Arel?”

“Ania, you should get down!”

She giggled and let herself fall like a leaf swaying with the wind. She tumbled mid-air and landed on the ground while making a bow.

“She’s Ania,” said Arel. “She’s a friend of mine that was stuck in this town as well. She usually helps out, but most of the time she just sits around.”

Her eyes locked on to Arel. “That’s quite rude of you! Hey, ignore Arel, he’s just grumpy about farm work. I heard of the newcomer so I thought to say hi.”

“Hello then,” Nolan said.

“Oh!” She said quite happily. “You are quite handsome, Mister!”

Arel looked at her, frowning. Nolan eyed Arel the smiled thinly. “Are you a couple, you two?”

Arel and Ania looked at each other with widened eyes. They looked back at him.

“No, not all,” they said.

Nolan scratched his cheek. “I guess that’s that. So you’re siblings? Two friends, who just grew together?”

“The former.”

Nolan nodded. “I see. Well, it’s not my business. So where am I staying, now? What can I do to help?”

Arel put a hand on his chin. “Well, for starters, can you please prepare yourself? If I’m right then Miss Vitoria and Miss Lucille should be coming. They’d want to know who you are.”

“Who are they?” He asked quizzically.

“They act as the governing party. This island is ruled by her lady, Beatrice De Concordia.

“I see. I have to pay my respect then?”

Ania butted in. “So no returning to your home?”

Nolan visibly squirmed. He looked down with shadows casting his face. “It’s impossible. I don’t think I’d see my home again.”

Ania would have said something at that moment, Arel thought. But he saw despair and acceptance in his face. It was hard not to miss it when Nolan was trying his best to keep his face stolid. Everyone had their own hurt and pain that to speak was fruitless until he could understand that pain and hurt. Ania knew it. Arel knew that he wasn’t willing to tell.

“Sorry,” Ania said apologetically.

“No need,” Nolan said, keeping that forced smile on his face. “I kinda accepted it now. When you live long enough then you’d kinda just keep moving forward.”

Ania tilted her head. “You’re not that old.”

Nolan smiled. “I’m glad to hear that.”

“Let’s go in.”

The three of them entered Arel’s home. There was a bed hidden behind another section of the room. There were a table and a kitchen and a living room. It was quite a simple home for Arel. The three walked to the table. Arel went to get them coffee beans and placed three cups on the table.

Nolan fidgeted around. Arel raised a brow here. “Are you okay, Mister Nolan?”

“I am not used to this silence,” he said, rubbing the back of his head. “I got used to trouble it seems.”

Arel understood that. The peace of the island was overwhelming to the point that it made it seem like the war six years ago never happened. Arel traveled his gaze on Ania who sipped on her coffee. She shook her head and gestured without Nolan seeing it.

“So how about we start with helping me harvest the tomatoes while waiting for Miss Vitoria? She’s usually busy so it will take her a while to come and visit. She would know that you’d be with us.”

Nolan sat his cup down for a second. “I would love that. I’d be willing to help if I can.”

Ania skipped to where the baskets were. Nolan followed behind them wearing a calm yet tired look on his face. The sun kissed them and together the three started working on the fields witch baskets strapped on their backs.