She had the strangest dreams―that was Julia’s first thought when she woke up the next morning. She almost laughed at herself as she turned to her side and snuggled deeper into the pillow.

She remembered the feeling of being held by strong arms, and she smiled a little to herself. She wished it were real and that he were still holding her now. If so, she would pretend to be asleep so she could keep that wonderful, warm embrace around her for just a little while longer.

She took a deep breath, inhaling the nice smell of the pillow under her cheek, and sighed. Then she realized that it wasn’t her pillow. This wasn’t her bed. And the air smelled like burning pine, not her lavender-scented air freshener. This wasn’t her house!

Suddenly everything came back in a rush. Opening her eyes, she bolted upright in the bed and frowned at the weathered wood of the wall beside her. It hadn’t been a dream. It was very real.

“You okay?”

The sound startled her and she whirled around, pulling her legs up to her chest and pressing her back against the wall. Gasping at the cold wood, she hurriedly pulled the blankets around her shoulders.

Falcon was sitting at the table across the room, a small smile on his face―a kind one, perhaps sympathetic. “Still here,” he told her.

She sighed. “Unfortunately.”

He just nodded.

He was wearing the same clothes he wore yesterday, except his t-shirt was now green and slightly tighter-fitting. She had only ever seen him in long-sleeved, button-up shirts before she had come here; now she noticed his arms and realized that he was muscular. She thought of the feel of those arms around her and her face heated. Had he always been built like that? “What job do you have here?”

“Hunter.”

“There’s guns here?”

“No guns, just my dagger and bow.”

“Oh.”

“Why don’t you come eat,” he suggested, nodding to the bowl on the other side of the table. “You can wear those boots for now.” His gaze flickered to the pair he had set beside the bed. “They’ll make you warmer.”

“Thank you.” She scooted to the edge of the bed and stuck her feet out into the cold air. Quickly, she slipped on the boots. Then, with a deep breath, she released the blankets and stood. With a soft whimper, she turned to make the bed. “Ugh, it’s cold,” she complained.

“You can wear my jacket,” he offered.

She didn’t hesitate to grab it from the hook by the front door and put it on. It was heavy and, like the boots, too big for her. But it was warm, like he had just been wearing it. She wrapped it tighter around her body and breathed in its woodsy smell―the same as the pillow. It was his smell. She liked it. It was nice and somehow comforting.

Taking a seat across from him—the old chair wobbling for a second before settling—she pushed up one of the long sleeves and grabbed her spoon. As soon as the oatmeal was in her mouth, her nose wrinkled at its blandness. “Can I have some sugar, please?”

“Sorry, don’t have any. I never use it.”

She held in a sigh, not wanting to be rude. It might taste gross, but he was being nice when he didn’t have to be. He could easily have told her to leave, or made her sleep on the floor with just the one blanket… or maybe no blankets at all. He didn’t even have to be serving her food. But he did it all without question and without seeming resentful.

Apparently she didn’t keep the disgust off her face well enough, because he chuckled and took the bowl away from her. “Come on, I’ll take you into town and buy you something sweet.”

She sighed, now in relief, and smiled. “Thank you.”

He smiled back. The smile was so genuine, like the picture on his desk. It was crooked and warm, and it made him much more attractive. It was almost as if she had never seen him before. He was different here.

She went to the bathroom to get ready, and when she returned, he had finished cleaning the dishes and was now holding the front door open for her. “Ready?”

“Yes. Do you want your jacket back?” she asked as she walked closer, though she really didn’t want to give it up.

“No, you need it,” he told her easily. “Besides, it’s not really that cold, you’re just used to southern California weather.”

She nodded and walked through the doorway, stepping out into the sunny morning. They were in the middle of a collection of old, weathered shacks. The run-down homes were surrounded on three sides by pine forest, and to the west was a river with a bridge and larger buildings on the other side, all made from the same dreary gray wood.

They crossed the bridge, and Falcon led the way down the unpaved, muddy roads of the small town. One building stood out among the rest. It was well-kept and clean. The beautiful, cream-colored stone church had cobbled steps, heavy wooden doors, and a large, round, amber-colored stained glass window with a white peacock in the center. She tilted her head back to look up at the tall spires on the roof.

“That’s a true temple,” Falcon informed her.

“As opposed to a fake one?”

He chuckled softly. “No. They call it a true temple because it’s believed to be directly under the god it serves,” he explained. “In this case it’s Daegon, the God of Light. Only true temples can point up like that. The rest of Daegon’s temples around Kelstone are all lesser temples that look pretty much the same, except none of them have spires. And they’re all led by this one.”

She shrugged, not caring. “Okay,” she murmured and continued walking.

They followed the road that wrapped around the central buildings and headed east. Along the way they passed shop windows that held all sorts of things: a variety of bottles in different colors, various fabrics, clothes, tools like saws and hammers. There was also a stand that sold flowers and one with newspapers. In passing, she noted the headline of today’s paper: Mysterious Deaths of Council Members Continue.

They stopped in front of a store that had no front windows, only a sign above the door that said it was The General Store, which Julia found amusing.

Falcon opened the door for her. “After you.”

She gave him a strange look as she passed. She wouldn’t have thought him the gentlemanly type, not by his attitude on Earth. Actually, she hadn’t thought gentlemen existed anymore.

The shop was a large square room, made from the same dreary wood, and it smelled a bit like hay, though Julia couldn’t tell why. There was no hay she could see, nor anything she could imagine hay would be inside of. There was a lot of different merchandise. The long isles of tables were filled with everything from scissors and thread to baskets of potatoes and onions. Shelves, along the right-hand wall, held all the basic essentials of a wardrobe, though not a very wide selection. The wall beside her held mostly shelves of kitchen wares, great cast iron pots hung from racks that were attached to the ceiling above. Not a good place to be in an earthquake, she mused, before turning her attention to the far wall, that was stocked with neatly folded materials, perhaps some bedding and other linens.

She looked back at the counter near the door in time to see a tall, middle-aged man step out of a curtained doorway and into the main room. He had short, dark hair with gray streaks at his temples. He was good-looking man in an older, distinguished kind of way.

He gave Falcon a friendly nod. “Good morning.” He turned to her. “And who is this pretty new face?” he asked, giving her a flirtatious smile and then chuckling at her blush.

“Thane, this is Julia,” Falcon answered, actually remembering her name.

“A new addition to the neighborhood, I hope?”

“Yeah.”

Julia picked up a mug from the nearest table, and fidgeted with it as she tried to ignore Thane’s dark, interested eyes watching her.

“So how can I help you two?” Thane asked.

“Need a bedroll, a pillow, some blankets, and do you have any quilts?” Falcon asked.

Thane nodded. “Loral just brought in some new ones yesterday. Very nice ones too.”

Falcon smirked. “Nice as in more expensive?”

“Ah, but they’re worth every copper,” Thane returned with a smile.

“Uh-huh. We’ll take one.”

“Very good,” Thane said, then turned to Julia and asked in a silky tone, “And what can I do for you, darlin’?”

“It’s all for her,” Falcon answered. “Probably should get her some new clothes, too.”

Thane walked over to her. “Come, my dear,” he said with a smile and motioned for her to follow him.

She set down the mug, but it just barely missed the table and fell onto a stack of pots on the floor, making a loud, clattering racket. Luckily, nothing was damaged. She grimaced, though Thane paid no attention to it.

They stopped in front of the clothing shelves, and he grabbed a couple of items. “So, are you a velvet girl?” he asked, holding up a pretty blue dress, “or a leather girl?” In the other hand, he held up a black, sleeveless top that laced up in the front.

She bit her lip. She wasn’t the type to wear such things, but she supposed she could try it. She was in a fantasy world, after all―why not? “Leather,” she answered quietly.

“I thought as much.” He got her some leather pants to match, as well as black, lace-up boots that would stop a few inches below her knees. When he gave them to her, his hand lingered, touching her longer than necessary, and she didn’t breathe for a few seconds. “Why don’t you use my stock room in the back to try them on?” he suggested, pointing the way.

“Thank you,” she told him softly.

She came back out a few minutes later, feeling a little awkward, but also daring and sexy. Thane’s gaze traveled over her body and his lips curved in a grin. “Beautiful.”

She blushed and smiled as he turned her around to show her how she looked in the full-length mirror. She had to admit, she looked kind of good. The clothes were fitting and the perfect size―he had made a good guess. The top was a bit low-cut, but that was fine; she had small breasts, so she wasn’t exposed at all. She hadn’t had a chance to brush and braid her hair, so it hung loose in tousled, honey-colored waves down her back. She took out her gold earrings and her matching bracelet and ring; they just didn’t seem to go with the new look.

“Nice,” Falcon complimented her.

She had forgotten he was there and blushed. “Um… thanks.”

“No problem,” he said easily. “But you might want to get a few more outfits that are a little warmer, since you’re not used to this weather. Or at least a warm jacket.”

Now she was embarrassed. She was freezing. “Guess this is a pretty silly choice,” she said, fidgeting with a lock of her hair.

“No, get it,” he insisted. “It looks really good on you.”

She smiled and blushed again.

They left the shop ten minutes later. She had put on a light pink sweater over the leather top and gotten her own deerskin jacket, so she gave Falcon back his. Aside from the blankets and what she was now wearing, he had also gotten her three more outfits, plus rose soap and some other toiletries, all of which would be delivered to the Falcon’s house.

All in all, Falcon had spent over 207 GP, which were gold pieces. The coins had dragon heads on one side and tails on the other. There were silver and copper pieces as well, also with dragons, though different kinds. The dragon on the copper piece she had thought was a sea turtle at first.

“You know,” he said as they walked down the road, “you shouldn’t flirt with him.”

She flushed. “I wasn’t flirting. I was…”

“Flirting.”

“Well… so was he.”

“He always does,” Falcon said disapprovingly. “And he always follows through.”

She frowned at him. “So? I can do what I want. Why do you care, anyway?”

“He’s married―unless you’re into that sort of thing.”

She gasped. “No! Does his wife know?”

He sighed. “Yes.”

“Why does she stay with him?”

He shrugged. “Because he takes care of her and their kids.”

“So? She could still leave and get a job herself. Women can work here, right?”

“Yes. As I said, society here is very equal. But some women just stay. I have no idea why.”

She shook her head. “Why do men cheat, anyway? Why have someone that you supposedly love and then have sex with someone else when you could just be with your wife?”

“It’s not just men,” he pointed out.

“I guess not… well, I could never be like that.”

“Me either,” he agreed as he stopped and held the door to Grove Tavern open for her.

It seemed strange to call the place a tavern; it had a bar with stools and a wall of bottles behind it, but otherwise it had more of a restaurant feel. Everything was made from untreated pine, she could even smell a hint of it through the scent of fresh baked bread, and some bacon cooking in the kitchen. Around the room were several small tables, each with a red table cloth, and topped with a small vase of wild flowers. Falcon lead her to one of the booths by a window, which was only adorned with a beige valance, so she had a good view of the muddy town.

Julia watched the people walking by on the street. Their fashion was a strange mix, just like Falcon’s attire was. It looked fairly modern. After a few minutes she realized it was really just the lack of things like zippers and materials that made it different from Earth. Everything looked to be made out of cotton or leather, nothing synthetic. Curiously, she inspected the linen napkin that was wrapped around silverware in front of her.

“Handmade,” Falcon said.

She hadn’t even realized he had left, but now he was back, and placing two brown bottles and a flaky pastry on the table before sitting opposite her.

“Everything is by hand here,” he continued, pulling the loosened cork from his bottle.

“Including beer?” she asked, raising a brow at him. “A bit early for drinking, isn’t it?”

He smiled as he turned her bottle toward her so she could read the vintage-looking label. “It’s apple cider.”

“Oh.” She left it where it was and instead took a bite of the pastry he gave her.

“I ordered you some real breakfast, too. Hope you're not a vegetarian.”

“No, meat is good,” she said after swallowing. “And, wow, this is delicious. Thanks.”

“See? Not so bad.”

“Warm clothes and good food is nice, but I still want to go home.”

He just nodded. A few minutes later, a waitress brought a large plate full of bacon and eggs, and he pushed it toward Julia.

“So, is it good pay being a hunter here?” she wondered between bites.

“No. I just don’t need much money for myself and, conveniently enough, I had a bit saved.”

“Well, thanks. I really appreciate it.”

He smiled. “You’re welcome.”

“You know, you seem so different here. You’re all ease and smiles when you were always so grumpy before.”

“You only knew me at work,” he pointed out. “And I didn’t exactly love the place.”

“I don’t like it either, but…” She shrugged. “It’s a job, I guess. Pays the bills and all.”

“I wondered how you really felt under that fake smile.”

She rolled her eyes. “It’s called a professional demeanor. Plus, it’s bad enough when you hate your job; why bitch and moan about it all day, too? How’s that helpful?”

“Good point,” he conceded. “So why didn’t you just find a better job?”

“Don’t know if another place would be any better. My first job wasn’t so great either, and at least this one pays well. Besides, I have no idea what career I really want, anyway.”

“Secretary not your dream, then?”

“No,” she grumbled, feeling as though he might be making fun of her.

“So, what is?”

“It’s dumb.”

“Come on. I won’t laugh, promise.”

She blushed and stared down at her plate. “Fine. I just want… you know, the whole family thing: marriage, kids…”

When she glanced up, he was smiling again. “Me too.”

His smiles were contagious, and she couldn’t help smiling herself. “So… do you, or did you, have a wife?"

He was amused by the question. “No, I was and am single.”

“Oh. It’s just that you have a big house―on Earth, I mean―for only you, and it seemed like a woman lived there.”

He nodded. “Yes, my mom did. She left the place to me, and I never redecorated.”

“She died, then?”

“Yes.”

“That was her in the picture, wasn’t it?” she asked. “The one on your desk?”

“Yes.”

“And her room…” She trailed off when something passed through his eyes―sadness perhaps? She wasn’t sure. “I’m sorry, I was looking for you and I―”

“It’s okay,” he told her. “It’s just… I hadn’t opened that door in six years.” He looked distant for a moment. “After she died, I put her clothes in a box. She’d already dealt with everything else; she had cancer and near the end we knew… Anyway, I was going to donate the box to the thrift store, but I just set it on the bed and never got around to it. Eventually, I closed the door and just… never opened it again.”

“How old were you?” she asked. She hadn’t thought he was much older than she was, and she was twenty-two.

“I was seventeen when she died.”

“What about your dad?” she wondered. “Sorry, I shouldn’t―”

He shook his head. “I don’t mind. I never knew my father. It was just me and Mom.”

“Oh.” She focused on her food and ate a few more bites, feeling awkward now. “So… you seem pretty content here,” she said, changing the subject.

“I love it here,” he told her. “I fit here.”

“But it’s so… medieval. Everything seems dirty, and there’s no, like, microwaves and computers and stuff.”

“Not all the towns are crappy like this one. I’ve been to Glendale. It’s much nicer than this place. And I like the way this world is. I like the absence of all the modern stuff, actually. Everyone was in such a hurry and always so distracted with all the gadgets on Earth. Here, it’s not so noisy and busy. It’s slow and easygoing. People stop and really talk to you. It’s just… a simpler life.”

“But don’t you ever want to go home?”

“This is home for me,” he said seriously.

She frowned, unable to understand how he could want to stay in a place like this, but she let it go. “So… is it okay if I stay with you for a while? Just until I figure things out?”

He chuckled. “Why do you think I bought the extra bedding?”

“Well, yeah, but…”

“Yes,” he confirmed with a warm smile. “Stay as long as you like.”

“Why are you being so nice?” she mumbled.

He shrugged. “You need me. Where else are you going to go?”

She just stared at her plate. “You’re sure you don’t mind?” she asked. “I mean, I can…” She didn’t actually know what she could do.

“I don’t mind,” he assured her. “I was a little put out last night, but it had nothing to do with you. You were just unexpected. But you’re here now, and we’ll make the best of it.”

She nodded but didn’t look at him. “Sorry it wasn’t your friend. It’s only been two weeks on Earth, though, so it’s not like he doesn’t care or something.”

“Thanks, but Gabe’s the type that if he called and I didn’t pick up, he'd just keep calling until I did.”

“Sounds a bit annoying.”

He chuckled fondly. “That’s Gabe. So you see why it doesn’t make sense that he would have stayed away for two weeks. He would have gone to my place by the next day, and he would have clicked play. So, why isn’t he here?”

She shrugged. “Maybe it only works once in a while. Or at a certain time or something… that sounds stupid.”

“No, your right. Maybe that’s it.”

She smiled at her food. The thought obviously made him feel better, and she was glad she could help. “Anyway… thank you… for being so nice, for getting me stuff, and… well, everything.”

“No problem.”

After a while, when her meal was finished, she sighed. “My head hurts. Can we go back now?”

“Of course.” He pulled out a few coins and set them on the table before standing. “It’s a lot to take in at first. A completely different world.”

With a nod, she got up and followed him home.