Hey, I'm Lily, and I've learned that even in a world full of monsters and uncertainty, there's always room for hope.
The morning sun cast golden light across our fields as I walked through the rows of wheat-like grain that had been planted just after taking over from Richard.
"Look at this," I called out to Janet. "We actually did it."
She smiled, running her hand along one of the grain stalks. "Hard to believe it's only been a month since we planted these. In the old world, this would have taken half a year."
"How much do you think we've got?" Janet asked, surveying the fields.
"More than we can eat, even with the new River Pact members," I replied, unable to keep the satisfaction out of my voice. "This is the real beginning of abundant food supply."
The harvest work had begun, with teams of workers cutting the grain stalks and bundling them for processing. The settlement buzzed with activity as people worked together to bring in the crop.
I spotted someone with farming experience directing a group of newcomers in the proper technique for bundling grain. "Not too tight," he was saying patiently. "The stalks need to dry properly or they'll rot from the inside."
Near the storage areas, I could see Maria and Kai discussing something with Captain Thessa. Probably talking about what portion of the harvest we could spare for trade.
The idea of having enough food to trade for other goods still felt surreal after weeks of carefully rationing everything.
"Lily!" One of the workers called out. "We've got the last section ready for processing!"
I hurried over to the water mill. The process of turning grain into flour would've been labour-intensive, but thanks to some good foresight it was a breeze.
"Right then," I said, rolling up my sleeves. "Let's make some bread."
The next few hours passed in a rhythm of grinding, sifting, and mixing. The grain had a slightly different texture than wheat from the old world—denser, with a nuttier flavour.
We mixed it with water, forming it into simple flatbreads that could be cooked later.
As the afternoon wore on and the smell of baking bread filled the air, I found myself looking around at all the activity. People working together, talking while they worked, children helping carry bundles of grain.
That's when the idea hit me.
"Janet," I said, abandoning my current batch of dough. "What if we had a feast?"
She looked up from her kneading. "A feast?"
"A harvest feast. To celebrate all this." I gestured at the fields, the processing area, the people working together. "Something to bring everyone together and show what we've accomplished."
"That's... actually a wonderful idea," Janet said slowly. "But organizing something like that for two hundred people..."
"Would be a lot of work," I said, I then turned to face her. "So... can you help me plan it?"
Janet's face lit up. "I'd love to. We're going to need help from others too, Thomas and Eric come to mind."
"We should include the River Pact members too," I added.
We spent the rest of the afternoon sketching out plans while we worked. A feast would need tables, seating, and cooking facilities for much larger quantities than usual. But as we talked through it, it began to feel achievable rather than overwhelming.
"Using only our food stocks would stretch the supply a little thin," Janet noted. "We should see if the River Pact is willing to pitch in."
"We've got a pretty steady supply of food coming in now so the lack of stocks shouldn't be a big deal," I pointed out. "And with the River Pact helping out we'll still have more than enough to go around."
"Speaking of which," Janet said, nodding towards where Kai was walking in our direction, "there's our new trade coordinator."
"Kai!" I called out. "Perfect timing. I need to ask you about something."
He approached with a slightly wary expression. "What kind of something?"
"We're planning a feast," I explained enthusiastically. "And I was wondering if you could help me get hold of a few things from the River Pact."
"What kind of things?"
"One of those drying racks I saw them unpacking earlier. Oh and I saw they had soap that would be good too."
Kai's expression shifted to mild amusement. "Soap for a feast?"
"Not for the feast itself," I shook my head. "But having soap for everyone to clean up beforehand... it would make the whole celebration feel more special. More civilized."
Kai nodded. "Soap was the first thing I secured as part of our initial trade agreement. Good hygiene is very important for the settlement."
"Really?" I couldn't keep the excitement out of my voice. "That's fantastic! What about the drying rack?"
"What do you need it for?"
I gestured towards the grain processing area. "If we can dry fruits and vegetables properly, we can extend our food stores and have more variety."
Kai smiled. "That makes sense. I'll talk to Captain Thessa about buying 1 or 2."
"Thank you," I said gratefully.
"What should I tell the River Pact about contributing to the feast?" Kai asked.
"Food, if they're willing to share. Some of their dried fruits or spices would well... spice things up."
"I'll ask around. I think they'd be happy to contribute."
As Kai walked away, I felt a surge of satisfaction. Not just from the successful harvest, but from how smoothly everything was coming together.
"Right then," I said to Janet. "Let's go talk to Thomas about tables and seating."
---
The next day arrived and the central plaza was already looking ready for the evenings feast. Thomas's crew had constructed long tables from wooden planks and logs.
The River Pact members had contributed dried fruits, spices, and stoneback beast meat and fat, as well as some of their recipes.
The feast began as the sun was setting, with the warm light of torches and cook fires creating a golden glow across the gathered community.
People sat mixed together—long-time residents next to newcomers, children beside adults, River Pact members sharing stories with settlement workers.
"Try this," said one of the River Pact traders, offering me a piece of meat that had been marinated with their spices.
I took a bite and smiled. The familiar taste of the meat and the flavour from their spices. "It's delicious."
"That's the thing about trade," the trader replied. "You take what you know and mix it with what others know, and sometimes you get something better than either one alone."
Looking around the plaza, I could see similar exchanges happening everywhere. People trying new foods, sharing stories, laughing together. The River Pact members were asking questions about our farming techniques, while settlement residents were curious about life on the trade routes.
"This was a wonderful idea," Maria said, settling beside me with a plate of mixed foods. "The timing couldn't be better."
"It feels right," I agreed.
"Maybe something we should do regularly," Maria suggested. "It could become an annual tradition."
I considered that as I watched the celebration continuing around us. The work of organizing had been significant, but seeing everyone enjoying themselves made it worthwhile. And having it be a regular tradition would give people something to look forwards to each year.
"I think I'd like that," I said finally. "A harvest feast every year, to celebrate what we've accomplished and welcome new community members."
"Then that's what we'll do," Maria said with a smile.
As the evening progressed, I found myself moving between different groups, making sure that everyone had food and was comfortable. The organization was running smoothly thanks to all the help I'd received, but I still felt responsible for making sure it was a success.
"Everything looks perfect," Walter said, appearing beside me. "You should be proud of this."
"I didn't do it alone," I replied. "Janet helped with the planning, Thomas built the tables, Catherine organized the space..."
"And you brought them all together with your idea and enthusiasm," Walter finished. "That's leadership, Lily. Knowing when to ask for help and bringing out the best in others."
I felt a warm glow at his words. Maybe I really was learning to be a better leader.
"The harvest exceeded all our projections," I told him. "We've got enough surplus to trade for materials we need and still maintain our food supply."
"And you've turned that success into something that strengthens the entire community," Walter observed. "Food isn't just about nutrition—it's about bringing people together."
As the night continued, I watched children playing between the tables while adults continued their conversations.
The formal part of the feast was winding down, but people seemed reluctant to leave. They were enjoying the opportunity to relax and socialize.
"Thank you," Captain Thessa said, as she approached me. "This celebration has done more to make my people feel welcome than any formal agreement could have."
"Everyone contributed," I replied. "It wouldn't have been the same without the River Pact's help."
"Still, it was your idea and your initiative that made it happen," she said with a pat on my shoulder and a grin on her face.
Later, as the last of the feast was being cleaned up and people began drifting back to their quarters, I found myself standing in the plaza looking up at the stars.
"Good feast," Alex said, silently appearing beside me.
I smiled. "Thanks. I think it went well."
He nodded once and continued his patrol, but the brief interaction felt significant. If even Alex had taken the time to comment, the feast must have made a real impression.
As I made my way to my own quarters, I reflected on the day's events. The harvest had been successful, the feast had brought everyone together, and we'd established something that could become a meaningful tradition. But more than that, I'd learned something about myself and about leadership.
I didn't have to do everything alone. In fact, things worked better when I asked for help and let others contribute their strengths. The feast had been a success because it was a community effort.
Walking through the quiet settlement, I could already imagine next year's harvest feast. Maybe by then we'd have more permanent structures, more refined recipes, more things to celebrate.
But the core idea would remain the same—bringing people together to celebrate what we'd accomplished and welcome new members into our community.
The harvest had given us food for our bodies, but the feast had given us something just as important: a sense of belonging and shared purpose that would sustain us through whatever lay ahead.
And that, I thought as I settled into my quarters, was worth celebrating.