I got ready and headed back towards the blacksmith shop. I passed Katie on the way, "Al told me that you were going to the blacksmith's house for dinner. Just make sure to leave before it starts to snow. You don't want to get snowed in, and if you do get snowed in, don't play truth or dare!" She warned me lightheartedly as she headed towards Abby's house to drop off Aza and get ready for her date night.
In the novel, she and Al had been snowed in the castle for weeks. She was so bored with playing cards that she decided to play truth or dare. It was how she got Al to confess his feelings for her, and they shared their first kiss.
All things considered, it had worked out for them, but I was not in any rush. I wanted to take my time to make sure that I would end up with the right person. It's better to be alone than to be with the wrong person. I had seen it firsthand growing up with my parents. They ended up getting divorced, but the pain had already been inflicted. Some wounds never fully heal.
It had taken me years of therapy to heal my inner child and abandonment issues before I was finally able to be happy with someone else. You have to love yourself first. Luckily, I had another chance to start over with a healthy body as well as a healed heart.
As I got closer to the blacksmith shop, I noticed Riktor and Kirin waiting for me. I felt slightly guilty for making them wait. At least I didn't do my makeup or take too long to do my hair. I had braided it loosely and had a knitted cap. November in the mountains was chilly, and it was almost December.
I had read about how brutal the winter was in the Kanta mountains. I hope the hot water system is ready soon! The last thing that I wanted was to take cold baths during Winter.
Riktor waved at me, and Kirin just stared. I followed them to the little cottage house next to the shop. It was quaint and homey. As soon as I entered the rounded door, the rich smell of roasted meat and potatoes tantalized my nose. I loved pot roast!
It made me miss my mother's pot roast. I noticed the middle-aged woman with a slightly plump figure and silver streaks in her black hair. Her grey eyes twinkled as she smiled at me. She approached me hurriedly and hugged me so tightly that it reminded me of how my grandmother used to squish me.
I stiffened at first, a little uncomfortable to be hugged by a stranger, but she was so warm and welcoming that I melted into the hug. I heard Riktor laugh jovially at his wife's antics. He was used to her overly affectionate behavior. He expected it after she had heard about Alisa's contributions to Kanta.
"Hello, my dear, welcome to our humble home. Come in and make yourself comfortable. Dinner is almost ready. I have heard so much about you from my husband and my boys. I feel like I already know you, but you can call me Leyla." She released me and showed me where to hang my hat and coat, and led me to the living room.
It was a small three-bedroom home. The living room and kitchen were connected. A wooden table was off to the side of the kitchen. There were a few wooden chairs and one long bench.
"Thank you for welcoming me into your home, Leyla. It's lovely." I complimented Leyla. She beamed at the praise.
"You are too sweet, Alisa. Is it ok if I call you by your name?" Leyla asked. Her husband and sons had told her how Alisa didn't like to be called with any honorifics like the Clan Leader and Katie. They were all very relaxed people.
"Of course, Alisa is fine. Dinner smells delicious, Leyla." I responded and inhaled deeply to soak in the reminiscent aroma of home. It was bittersweet because I knew that I would never see that family again, but I was happy to have someone in this world who felt familiar to me.
Their family was very welcoming, even though Kirin didn't say much. Tobin came home and was delighted to see me sitting in his living room. His eyes widened in surprise, and he smiled. "I didn't expect that you would be here, Alisa. I would have rushed home!"
I giggled at his boyish expression. He was a cute kid, like a little brother. "Hi, Tobin, nice to see you again. How was your day?" I asked. He sat next to me after removing his hat and coat and animatedly told me about his day. "Second Lieutenant Zed was tough as usual this morning, but I am learning a lot from him. Arno and Yuno went over their new design for the hot air balloon basket. You should come by and check it out tomorrow. They already finished the frame for the map. Abby loved it!"
I laughed at his enthusiasm and made small appreciative gestures at his comments. "That's great! I'm glad that Abby liked the map. I know that a visual reference can be helpful when teaching. I'll come by the shop tomorrow to see the designs. Don't get too discouraged if Zed beats you too badly. I have seen him defeat 6 bandits at once when he rescued me in Lancri."
Kirin and Riktor observed our reactions as we talked. Layla overheard our conversation from the kitchen, since it was not too far away from the living room. "Oh, my dear! Were you threatened by bandits in Lancri? That's awful! I remember when we lived in Shibatsu, we had heard stories about the war between the kingdoms of Lancri and Ganla. I'm relieved to hear that you were rescued, but you must have been so scared." Layla came over and hugged me again.
I laughed at her overly dramatic reaction, but it was nice to know that someone cared about me even though she had just met me. I felt touched!