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Featured: Spring (The Valley Comes Alive)

Stardew Valley

Copyright © 2016

One of my favorite tracks from the game

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~A year later

The past year, I have gotten my life back in order. The previous two years have been full of experiences and for once, I am glad for life giving me a break. Spending this long year with Ike has been my dream come true.

I spent the past year actually being a housewife for once, cooking and cleaning for Ike and his mercenaries. My days consisted of spending time in my gardens and travelling back and forth between home and the hideout. The mercenaries have become my family like they have been to Ike ever since his father added him to the roster.

I am not an official member but I help them out like a mother of the group, similar to their other female member, Titania. She is a red-haired Paladin class of white armor with a beautiful white horse covered in blue armor. She has known Papa for a very long time and knew Ike's mother when he was born. Ever since Papa made his mercenary band, Titania has been a member, who helped Papa recruit the other members, the three brothers Oscar, Boyd and Ralf.

Oscar is the eldest of the brothers, the green-headed Lance Knight class with a brown horse. He is very kind with a good sense of humor which makes me laugh every time I visit. His younger brothers Boyd and Ralf always pick on him and squabble a lot between themselves. Boyd is also green-headed with a bandana wrapped around his head like Ike and trains in axes as a Fighter class. Ralf has shaggy light green hair and the baby of the brothers, too young to help fight but is in training just like Myst. Ralf and Myst play together and help me do chores around the hideout. The rest practice and do their work given to them by the King, Lucina's father, Chrom.

I am home alone currently, tending to some cleaning in the kitchen. Ike and his father, Papa, left an hour ago for the hideout. Before they left, Papa invited me to head on over once I finish here. He has some tasks he wishes me to complete. I feel he is up to something, but I pay it no mind as I love helping where I can.

Since I have become a housewife, I have changed my clothing style. My Dark Princess clothing currently hangs in the closet. Now I wear dark purple and black colored long dresses with black trim, shoulder mantle that hangs over my shoulders and long open sleeves that flow like the bottom of the dress. I developed this style to match my magic as Papa suggested this. He says it matches me somehow. I like it so I agreed, since he's the one who brought me these dresses.

I like the look.

As I finish cleaning the dishes and tidying up the kitchen counter, I release a sigh and turn around. I look around my home. It is a simple home. My first experience outside of my Castle. It is not that I dislike living in the Castle with mother and father, I just have this feeling of independence while I am here with Ike.

Recently, I went to visit mother and father. I told them that I want them to come to me whenever they need me for anything and I will be at their side in an instant if necessary. I want to do what is best for my Kingdom when it is time for it. Ike will come with me in time when that occurs. I assured my father this, so he can rest his mind and rid it of those thoughts. He has much on his plate and I do not wish to bother him of such things. It is my duty as Princess, it is expected already.

I break myself from my thoughts as I hear my name being called faintly from the front door.

"Oh, coming!" I call as I hurry through the kitchen and into the living room. Once I approach the door, I see a smiling Lucina standing before me.

"Star! Oh—!" She is eyeing my black dress as she approaches me through the door.

"It's beautiful! Um, I bring a message from my father," She states as she pulls me for an embrace. She is the same as before, pretty and confident as she stands there before me with her blue cloak, knee high boots, leggings and tunic with darker blue trim and white cuffs. Falchion rests on her left hip and her long blue hair flows down her back.

"Thank you, Lucina. Please continue," I say gently, giving her a smile in return to her contented appearance showing through her bright sapphire eyes.

"Were you heading to the hideout soon? My father wishes Greil to know the news from his guard,"

I nod, "Yes. I just finished the housework that was piling up. You are just in time to walk with me,"

Her eyes light up, "Great! How is it like living outside of the Castle Star?"

Lucina and myself have shared countless stories from our similar lives within Ylisse Castle walls. We have spent countless nights laughing and giggling at our father's stories. Our father can be very funny when he wishes to be. The story Lucina heard about how he met her mother was highly amusing and their relationship before they gotten close. There was also a story attached to that with how she managed to get her father to even tell her that story. She told me his face turned red when she first asked him to tell her. She has become the best sister I could ever ask for.

She follows me into the living room for me to retrieve the basket of snacks I made for the mercenaries and I turn to walk out the door with her.

"I actually like it a lot," I turn to look at her while we walk down the dirt path through my front yard gardens. "Not that I dislike the Castle life. I miss my mother and father very much,"

"Oh, yeah, sometimes father can be a little—" She looks forward for a moment, searching for the correct word, then turns her eyes back to mine, "Overwhelming at times,"

We laugh, "Yes. But he somehow manages to make us laugh while being as such!" We continue laughing. "This life is better than what I could have dreamed of though. My mornings are filled with tidying up the gardens and the afternoons are composed of Papa picking on Ike while Myst laughs at them," A smile etches itself onto my lips as Lucina smiles with me.

I had gotten so caught up in talking to Lucina that I did not realize we had arrived at the hideout. Titania greets me as she takes the basket from me, "Star! There you are," She embraces me for a short moment then takes a gander in the basket.

"Oh, these look delicious. We always anxiously await your cooking!"

I smile, "I baked cookies, mixed strawberry smoothies and made chicken rolls,"

"Wonderful!" She then turns to Lucina. "Oh!" She gives a slight bow in greeting, her long red hair that is tied back into its braid falls over her shoulder in front of her, "What may I do for you, Princess?"

Lucina absentmindedly puts on her steely Princess look in her eyes, placing her hand on the hilt of her blade, Falchion, while the other hand is on her hip, "Father wishes for you to tell Greil that he requires his assistance at the east border near the Castle lookout tower,"

Titania gives her a stern nod, "I will inform him at once," She turns swiftly and leaves through the door to the hideout.

I turn to face Lucina, "I must be off now Star. My father is expecting me back once I have relayed the news," I nod. "Okay. I shall see you soon. Share with your father my greetings," She nods.

"Will do," She turns to leave the camp.

I turn back to follow Titania into the camp and find Ike right away. He smiles when he sees me but then turns his eyes back to Titania who is telling his father the news from Lucina.

"—requires your assistance right away at the northeast lookout tower. Who do you wish to send?"

"Right, this sounds like a job I will attend to myself. Tell Oscar and Boyd immediately," His loud and strong voice reaches my ears as he turns to Ike.

Titania nods and notices I have entered the room, darting her eyes between mine and his, "Yes sir," She turns to leave the main room.

Papa smiles to me then turns his eyes back to Ike. "Prepare yourself, boy,"

"Yes, sir,"

Papa then turns to me, "I am glad you made it, my dear! I need you to stay with Myst and Ralf as I attend to this mission from the King," I nod as he embraces me for a moment.

"Yes, sir," I say with a smile, "They will be safe here with me,"

He gives me his half smile. The very one he gives when he's thinking about something.

I wonder what Papa is thinking. Both Papa and Ike have been giving me these looks of theirs. Funny how that happens.

He then turns back to Ike. "Retrieve your blade and gather with me at the front with Oscar and Boyd,"

Ike nods swiftly, "Yes, sir," Papa turns to leave the room. Ike embraces me and gives me a quick kiss. "I will return tonight, Hun,"

"Be careful, will you?"

He releases what sounds like a muffled 'always' over his shoulder as he quickly leaves the room.

Now to find Myst and Ralf.

Before I can leave out through the back door, Oscar and Boyd enter through it, "Star!" Oscar says as he sees me.

"You brought us good and bad this time!" Boyd chimes in but gets elbowed by Ralf, "Hey!" he pipes back, playfully punching Ralf in his shoulder.

That wasn't hard at all.

I chuckle as Oscar keeps his smile on his face. He never drops his smile.

"Big brother!" I hear Myst call as she quickly passes by behind me after Ike who left through the other door. "Oh, hey Star!" I hear as her voice becomes fainter as she runs further away, following Ike.

"Keep Ralf safe while we are away," Oscar says, with no doubt in his voice. I smile, "Of course,"

"Alright, come on knuckle heads!" Oscar calls behind him and a couple of grunts come from Boyd and Ralf. I chuckle again as Oscar and Boyd hurry out of the room as to not keep Papa waiting.

Myst rushes through the door after Oscar and Boyd clear it, and another muffled Boyd-like grunt passes through the doorway, "Hey! Come on Myst! I wasn't ready that time!"

Myst bursts into laughter as Ralf joins her.

"Don't do anything stupid, pea brain!" Myst says after them as she then turns to me with her happy eyes. She leaps into my arms, "Hooray! We get to spend time with Star while they are away!"

I smile down at her. "How about some games?"

Here's your introductory part to the third book! Tell me what you think!

I made myself laugh while editing this, re-reading the last part there. Haha!

I will be releasing parts of this book randomly as I write them. Keep your eyes open for the next part. You will know when I know!