keoni

Welcome back to Ardenvale. In this round we'll meet the Haywise family.

Caleb Haywise thought it was his destiny to serve The Watcher as a monk, as he was left on their doorstep when he was just a baby. But when he met Linnea Vale during one of his missions, it was clear that The Watcher had other plans.

Linnea's sisters teased her endlessly when she fell in love with Caleb. Everyone in their small settlement knew the young innitiate to be "pleasing to the eye" (as Aveline put it), but he was also known as "not quite the brightest light in our dear Maker's chandelier." Still, he was kind, and devoted to Linnea, and even Evaine agreed that was really all that mattered.

Caleb starts his days praying to The Watcher.

And Linnea starts her days at the spinning wheel. There is not much to do in their small home, and Linnea likes to stay busy.

With the start of each season, Father Gideon visits the Haywise home.

"Blessings onto you, Father."

"May The Watcher look kindly upon you, my son."
"Thank you, Father."
"The Watcher has blessed us with an abundance of seeds. I've brought you some for you vegetable garden."

"You are too kind, Father. Please extend our thanks to Father Gunther."
"I will. Now tell me, my son, how fares the wife?"
"She is excellent, thank you for asking. Please remember us in your prayers."
"Of course, my son."

"... and I've already planted the seeds he gave me. He never told me which plants they will grow, but it was nice of him to provide for us."
"That's great. Did he say anything else?"
"He asked how you were. And I asked him to remember us in his prayers."

"I think it sweet, how he still looks after you, even after you left the order."
"That's true. I sometimes worry The Watcher is annoyed with me, for leaving his service."
"Caleb, you believe The Watcher wishes for your happiness. Why would he be annoyed when you followed your heart?"
"You're probably right..."

"Linnea... Why is there a fire?"
"Oh shoot, the soup!"
"It's not the soup! It's The Watcher!"

"Move, Caleb."
"I told you! He is angry! Watcher! Please forgive us, and preserve us from your wrath!"

In the end it's Linnea, and not The Watcher, that preserves them.

Later, after Linnea prepared a new batch of soup, the sat down for lunch.

"I'm sorry for panicking..."
"It's fine, honey, don't worry about it."

"I don't get it though. If you believe The Watcher wants you to be happy, why are you so worried all the time?"
"It's nothing, don't worry about it."
"I just don't like seeing you upset like this. I promise you The Watcher is not going to burn down our house because you left the order.

"Then I shall put my faith in you, my love."

"Linnea?"
"Hmmm?"
"I love you."

During the day Caleb manages the small vegetable garden, as Linnea works around the house. They try to pick one night each week to devote to the word of The Watcher. Caleb has been teaching Linnea to read.

There were no "beginner" books in Caleb's (very small) collection. But he firmly believed the word of The Watcher was accessible to all that wished to learn.

"Caleb?"
"Yes, my love?"
"I think The Watcher might have blessed us with a child."
"Linnea, love, that's wonderful. I promise to take good care of you both."
"I know you will."

But the next morning, during his morning prayers (in a thunderstorm) the prayer stone caught fire.
"Linnea! The Watcher is very angry!"

"Oh my Watcher! Caleb! Get away from there!"

Luckily the rain quickly doused the flames.

"Are you alright? And our child...?"
"We're both fine, Caleb."
"Bless The Watcher."

But not even one hour later, while Caleb was tending their small vegetable garden, something caught fire. Again.

Dread settled in Caleb's heart. Was this a sign from The Watcher? Did he neglect the earlier signals? Was The Watcher truly this displeased?

So Caleb begged The Watcher for forgiveness.
"If my marriage to Linnea was not your grand design, please forgive me!"

"She is a good and pure soul. Please let your wrath fall onto me, not her."

Huh. Neat. I didn't know it did that, lol.

"Caleb! Hi! Is this a bad time?"

"Not to worry you, but your husband was kneeling at your prayer stone in the yard. He looked distressed."
"He does that, every now and then."
"I thought all those Peterans believed The Watcher was benevolent."

"They do! Caleb is probably asking The Watcher to look over our baby."
"That is kind of sweet."
"It is. Although sometimes I fear he worries to much. Like he's one bad day away of becoming a Jacoban."
"Would that matter to you?"
"Of course not. But it would matter to Father Gideon."