Chapter Text
Byleth sat in her cubicle, staring blankly into the void that was the grey felt wall to her left. She knew she was spacing out, but she was loath to respond to anymore emails. Only three hours of her eight-hour workday had passed, and she had already lost all motivation. When she’d accepted the job at GarregMart, she had been fresh out of college and ready to work her way up the corporate ladder. Bright-eyed and armed with knowledge, she was ready to take on the world; she could tackle any project the corporation could throw her way.
Except…they didn’t. She had been tasked with grunt work such as responding to emails, data entry, and filing invoices. Every time she tried to move up, the promotion went to someone else, or the managers said she was needed in a different position. As time went on, Byleth felt her spirit shrivel up, dry and cold in her chest where there used to be warmth and life.
She opened her desk drawer, where she knew the letter from her late mother was stored. Over the past week she had re-read the letter so many times she’d stopped counting, and she pored over its contents once again.
To Byleth, my beloved daughter,
Firstly, I would like to say I am truly sorry to have left you without a mother at such a young age. My deepest regret is that I will not get to see you grow into the beautiful woman I know you will become; your highs and lows, accomplishments and milestones, I wish nothing for the best for you through it all.
That being said, if you are reading this per my instructions, you must be in dire need of a change.
The same thing happened to me, long ago. I’d lost sight of what mattered most in life… real connections with other people and nature. So I dropped everything and moved to the place I truly belong.
I am leaving you the family farm, my pride and joy: Eisner Farm. It’s located in Stardew Valley, on the southern coast. The perfect place to start your new life.
Your father is a strong man with a big heart, a heart that he’s worn on his sleeve since the day we first met. Which is how I know that once I pass, he will want nothing to do with our farm, or with the life we used to have. It’s yours now Byleth, and I know you will honor the family name. Good luck.
Love, Mom
A new email popped up on the screen in front of her,
TO: Byleth Eisner
FROM: Senior Mngr.
SUBJECT: Documents 1 hr. late
Byleth, that data was needed at the managers’ meeting an hour ago. This kind of behavior-
She reached up and powered down her PC for the last time.
From the moment she stepped off the bus into the valley, Byleth felt re-energized. Her new life was about to start with a new place to call home, land that was her own to do with as she pleased, and fresh air that she missed out on in Enbarr City.
She was immediately greeted by a woman with short blond hair adorned with green ribbons, wearing a beige fur vest.
“Hello! You must be Byleth. I’m Ingrid, the town carpenter. Mayor Seteth sent me over here to show you the way to your new home. He’s actually there right now, tidying things up for your arrival.”
They shook hands and Byleth gave a brief nod. “Thank you.”
“Follow me.” Ingrid’s smile was warm as she led the way on a path through the forest. They walked in comfortable silence all the way to the farm, and Byleth decided she liked Ingrid. They arrived at a cabin at the end of the dirt path, and Ingrid announced they’d arrived at their destination. Byleth looked from the worn-down looking wooden cabin, to the surrounding farmland littered in trees, boulders and overgrown grasses, and she felt her eyes widen. Looks like the forest tried to reclaim the family farm in the time we’ve been away.
“What’s the matter? It looks a bit overgrown, sure, but there’s some good soil underneath that mess. With a bit of dedication, you’ll have it cleared up in no time!” Ingrid clapped her on the shoulder, and from the force of it Byleth knew that Ingrid saw her own share of hard work. They walked up to the cabin steps, only for the door to shoot open and a tall, stern-looking man with green hair to bust out of the house.
“Ah, I see I have perfect timing. Welcome! My name is Seteth, I am the mayor of Wyvern Town. Everyone has been asking about you, you know. It’s not every day that someone moves into town. It’s quite a big deal!” He gave a short laugh, but his face fell a bit when he looked out at the farmland. “So you’re moving onto your parents’ old farm. They were good people. The town hasn’t been the same without them.” Byleth did a double-take at the man after that sentiment. It was nice of him to say, but… he looked so young. To have known her parents when they lived here, he would have to be at least twenty years her senior, probably more. Just how old is he?
Seteth turned around and considered the cabin with a hand on his chin. “The place has good bones. It’s very… ‘rustic’.”
“Rustic?” Ingrid snorted. “That’s one way to put it…”
As Ingrid and Seteth bickered over the state of the house and social etiquette, Byleth started a mental checklist of what she needed to do to restore the place to its former glory. A good scrub will really make the woodwork shine. I’ll look for paint after I’ve cleared the land though. I’ll need to include that in the overall farming budget…
“Ahem.” Seteth cleared his throat, drawing her back in to the conversation. “In any case, should you have any questions or concerns feel free to seek out Ingrid or myself. Moving into a new town can be a bit disconcerting at first, but you should know you have our full support. Oh! And if when you get the chance, I recommend going into town and introducing yourself. This community is a tight one, and there are a lot of folk waiting to meet you. My daughter and I live east of the town square.”
Ingrid’s face lit up. “Yes, and should you need produce or farming supplies, you should check out Gloucester’s. It’s good for the community to shop local, and their quality is top notch.”
Byleth nodded again. “I appreciate both of your help. I’m excited to get to know everyone, but I think I won’t be able to rest until I’ve got some of this land cleared up.”
“Itching to get started huh? I totally understand.” Ingrid laughed and once again Byleth thought the two of them might be cut from the same cloth. “Well Seteth and I will leave you to it.”
The two said their goodbyes and welcomed her once again, before Byleth was finally able to walk into the cabin for the first time. Dad’s tools should be in here somewhere.
But as she walked in she was hit with a strange form of nostalgia. She’d never set foot in this cabin before, yet a bittersweet sadness overtook her for a moment. The furniture she had all had shipped from her apartment in the city, but her parents had built this place from the ground up, together. She ran a hand over the smooth wooden walls, then sunk to the ground and admired the delicate carvings on the baseboards. This was truly made to be a home, and for just a minute Byleth allowed herself to mourn the what-ifs of her life. What if her mother had lived through her illness? What if they had been allowed to live here as a family, if she’d had a stable home and both parents instead of a life constantly moving around with her father’s company? Then she forced herself to push those thoughts away. Be happy with what you have. This is my home now, and I’m going to make the best of it. For my family, and for myself.
She took a deep breath and remembered she had originally stepped inside for her tools. They were set up against a wall, and she grabbed what she would need to get the land cleared. On her way out she noticed a white box set on the floor a few steps away, and she stopped to open it. Inside was a packet of parsnip seeds and a note from Seteth welcoming her once again. She smiled as she pocketed the seeds; she would find a way to thank him later. For now, it was time to get to work.
“Phew.” Byleth exhaled and reached an arm up to wipe a bit of sweat off her forehead. She’d cleared a fair bit of farmland in front of her new home and had already planted a sizeable field of parsnips. She looked up at the sun’s place in the sky and was a bit surprised to find that it was only about midday. I’m all set here for now, I guess I have time to wash up a bit and go see what the town looks like.
A bit later, she had walked the eastern path off of her property and made her way into the heart of Wyvern Town. Gloucester’s wasn’t hard to find at all, in fact, it was the second building she came across.
The first building however, was painted white and had large glass windows that allowed her to easily look inside. A quick glance at the chairs, side tables and stacks of magazines confirmed it was a waiting area. A clinic then. But what had really caught her attention was a man with tan skin wearing a white coat, (the doctor, presumably?), sitting cross-legged on the reception counter in a meditative pose, with his hands on his knees and his eyes closed. Byleth stepped closer to the window, drawn in by the strange setting and how peaceful he looked.
Is he meditating? Sitting up on the counter like that seems a bit unorthodox, but I suppose I’m no doctor.
She stood in a trance, studying his face. His beard didn’t quite reach his chin, and although his hair was styled back, a single strand escaped the rest and fell over the side of his face. In that moment she felt an inexplicable urge to go in and push it back, and just as her hand unintentionally reached up to the glass, one emerald eye peeked open and startled her. She quickly pulled herself away and did a quick check to see if anyone else had seen her in her mesmerized state. Assured that not a soul was out walking the town like her, she looked back to the man in the clinic who was now watching her with both eyes open and a half smile, obviously amused to have caught her in a daze. Just as the embarrassment started to set in for getting caught staring and it occurred to her she should just go in and apologize, the man winked at her.
Determinately promising herself to never need to make a trip to the clinic, she darted away. If her face had turned slightly red, well, no one was there to have seen it.
Directly connected to the clinic was the general store, and there was a billboard posted outside with the town’s calendar of events. A quick look showed everyone’s birthday marked down, and Byleth couldn’t help the smile that grew on her face. She looked next to the calendar to see a Help Wanted sign but realized that nothing was posted. Hmm. That’s handy. I wonder what kind of requests get posted here.
She decided she’d check in on the board again tomorrow and walked into the general store. It was a quaint little place, with barrels of in-season produce stacked beautifully and shelves lined with pots, oils and other cooking supplies.
She walked a few paces in and noticed a blond man in an apron stocking shelves. He must work here. “Oh, hello.” She took a step towards him.
“Woah!” The man’s hands fumbled the two bottles in his hands and after a tense moment, managed to save both from crashing to the floor. He looked up a bit sheepishly through his glasses. “Sorry. Hi! You must be the new farmer. I’m Ignatz.” He reached out to shake her hand and she nodded. “I am. My name is Byleth. Are you the owner of this store?”
“Oh no, I just work here part-time. I’m the owner’s roommate. He stepped out for lunch, but he should be back any min-“
The door to the shop opened with a soft chime, and a man with purple hair glided in like a king returning to his court, his eyes lighting up when they landed on Byleth.
“Ah, you must be Byleth! I have heard so many lovely things about you, the newest addition to our wonderful community. My name is Lorenz Hellman Gloucester, and I can see you had no trouble finding my humble establishment.” He reached for Byleth’s hand and pressed a kiss to the back of it with a low bow. “It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance.”
She turned towards Ignatz and raised an eyebrow as if to ask, “is he for real?” but Ignatz just shrugged in answer. She took that to mean that Lorenz was this charming with everybody, however, Byleth was not just another customer.
“The pleasure is all mine.” She reached for his opposite hand and placed a kiss on it as well, copying his movements exactly. “I’ve heard of you and your store as well and know it’s renowned for quality product. As the new farmer in town, I am in your care.”
Lorenz stood sputtering, clearly flustered, and Byleth heard Ignatz covering his laughter with a quiet cough.
“I-That is-“
The door opened again and Byleth leaned around Lorenz’s increasingly red face to see a familiar face enter the store.
“Oh, hello Ingrid.”
She sidestepped around Lorenz to greet her. Ingrid’s face lit up with recognition.
“Byleth! I’m surprised to have run into you so soon. Did you get all settled in then?”
Byleth nodded, recapping what she’d done since she and Seteth had left her alone on the farm. She distantly recognized Lorenz and Ignatz were engaged in their own quiet conversation, (“Did you see Ignatz? A true lady! She conducts herself in such a noble fashion!” ”Yes, Lorenz, I was watching.”), before asking Ingrid what brought her out shopping.
“I’m here to pick up some ingredients for my classic mushroom casserole actually. It’s my turn to cook tonight.”
“Your turn?”
“Yes, I have two roommates and we switch off every night. I’m sure you’ll come to meet them both eventually, especially if you come up to my place for anything carpentry related. Actually, I should probably apologize for them both in advance now that I think about it.”
“Why?”
Ingrid grimaced. “Honestly, they’ve both got their quirks. We’ve all been friends since childhood, so if anyone can confirm their behavior it’s me. Sylvain runs the Stardrop Saloon further into town, but he’s always been an incorrigible flirt so don’t let him bother you. And my other roommate Felix… is a good person at heart, but he’s a bit prickly towards just about everybody.”
Byleth nodded sagely. “Ah. To be frank, I’ve met similar types back in the city. But if they’re friends of yours, I’m certain they can’t be that bad. You seem like you would be a good judge of character.”
A smile slowly overtook Ingrid’s face and she chuckled. “You’re right. I can tell you won’t have any trouble making friends in this town.”
Byleth tilted her head at that, only prompting Ingrid to laugh a little harder. They exchanged goodbyes and Byleth made her way out of the store, intent on exploring the rest of town. As it turned out, the downtown area wasn’t as large as she had expected. The only other building she came across that wasn’t solely someone’s residence was the Saloon that Ingrid had mentioned, and they wouldn’t be open for a few more hours at least. She found herself walking along a river cutting through town, soaking in the outdoors she’d been deprived of in Enbarr City. The air felt cleaner here, and she purposely slowed her pace, reminding herself that there was no rush. No deadlines to meet, nowhere she had to be; she was free to tour the town at her own pace.
The sun had sunk a little lower when she crossed a stone bridge and was pleasantly surprised, she’d found her way to the beach. She kicked off her shoes so that she could enjoy the sand between her toes and took a look around. There was a log cabin that had probably seen better days, but obviously someone lived there if the lit sconce by the door was any indication. Turning south, she made her way to the docks. There were no boats, but a small building faced the ocean. Another house?
When she reached the front of the building a young girl came into view; she had long, curly, mint colored hair and a very large sun hat. The brim was wide enough to cover even her arms in shadow, which was for the best, considering her skin was about as fair as the white galoshes she had on over her overalls.
What really arrested Byleth’s attention was the Iridium rod the girl was casting into the sea, that was some expensive equipment, and Byleth didn’t think the girl could be a day older than sixteen, at most. When the girl finally realized she had a spectator, she reeled in her line and held out a hand in greeting.
“Good afternoon! You must be Byleth, the new farmer. My father told me of your arrival. My name is Flayn. Tell me, do you like to fish?”
She nodded. “My father taught me how years and years ago, but we haven’t had as much time for it recently.” She noticed the large pail on Flayn’s opposite side was nearly full to the brim. “How long have you been out here?”
“Oh, not as long as you might think.” She giggled as they shuffled around to watch the fish swim circles in the bucket. “I was actually about to take today’s catch inside, since you’re here, would you like to help me?”
“Sure.”
They both grabbed one handle one the large pail and slowly made their way into what seemed to be some sort of fishing shop. There were containers filled with different types of lures and bobbers, all sorts of bait to choose from, a rather large fish tank and a cash register.
“Well, what do you think?” Flayn asked excitedly as they set the pail down in front of the fish tank.
“Um, well there’s a lot of cool fishing stuff here. Is this a store?”
“Correct! Welcome to Flayn’s fish shop! I run this place, with a little help from my father of course.”
“You run the shop? On your own?”
“Yes. I’ve had a passion for the trade since I was a little girl.”
Little? “Flayn, how old are you?”
“Oh Byleth, don’t make me blush! I look old enough to run my own business, do I not?” Her innocent laughter only served to make Byleth more suspicious of the opposite.
“Anyway, I am actually quite curious about you as well. You see, I was born in Enbarr, but my father and I have lived in many different places before setting down roots here. Why did you choose to move out to our small town all the way from a place like Enbarr City?”
Ah. Although she knew the question was coming, Byleth dreaded answering it anyway.
“I just wanted a change. To have more time for things like fishing, and less stress about corporate rules and practices.”
“Truly? Well then, I am happy for you. And I am thrilled to hear I have a fellow fisherman in town! Here, consider this a house-warming gift!” She reached under the counter and pulled out a bamboo rod, which Byleth accepted with a small smile.
“Thank you. I’ll be sure to ask you about all the good spots to fish.”
“Please do! I’d show you some today, but…” She turned to look outside; the sun wasn’t quite setting, but it was definitely getting close. “My father doesn’t want me running this place after sunset. I was supposed to bring some of these fish home for him to cook for dinner tonight.”
“Well I’m heading back through town to get home anyway, so why don’t we walk together?”
“That would be lovely!”
And so together they used nets to transfer most of the fish into the tank, then picked up the (much lighter) bucket and locked up the shop.
Talk on the way home mostly consisted of places to fish in town, but eventually circled back to favorite dishes.
“My mother was an excellent cook. Her Two-Fish Sauté was my favorite growing up. My father is a great cook as well, he even knows some of mother’s recipes, but I think to make them now would make us both a bit nostalgic.” Her smile was bittersweet, and Byleth knew exactly how that felt.
Byleth wasn’t used to opening up to people so quickly. But Flayn felt like a kindred spirit, another girl raised by a protective single father who was just trying to make her own way through the world.
“My…“, she started hesitantly, a turtle peeking one eye out of its shell. “My mother was a great cook as well. At least, that’s what my dad tells me. ‘Her pheasant roast was worthy of any five-star restaurant in the capital’, he would say. When I could get him to talk about her anyway.”
Flayn listened intently, never losing her wistful smile. “I feel a kinship with you Byleth, like we are two of a kind. We should take care of each other.”
“Agreed.”
They arrived in town square just as the sky started morphing from deep orange to faded purple. Flayn led the way to a tall gray home with blue trim and Greek pillars on either side of the front door. They set the bucket down before the steps just before the entrance and started their farewells.
“Well, this is home! Thank you so very much for your help today. We should do this again sometime.”
Byleth nodded. “I’d like that.”
Then suddenly, the door was open. “Flayn? Oh, hello Byleth. I see you’ve met my daughter.” Seteth walked down the steps and looked into the pail housing their dinner.
Flayn clasped her hands together in joy. “Indeed! She helped me a great amount at the shop today. We’ve learned we have a lot in common.”
“Fast friends, hmm? Well I’m glad to hear it, and thank you for looking out for Flayn today. I appreciate it.” He picked up the pail by himself and then stopped, thinking for a moment.
“Byleth, would you like to stay for dinner?”
“Oh, that’s a wonderful idea! You simply must eat with us. Meals always taste best when it is a company of three or more at the table.”
“Hmph. Am I not enough for you anymore? You wound me Flayn…”
Byleth couldn’t resist the eager eyes of her new friend waiting hopefully for an answer, nor the offer of a free home-cooked meal.
So she stayed.