This is a work of fiction.
In life.
When they use their 3D printer, people get in life.
I remember asking what the noise was last night.
The printer.
It must have been the 3D printer, bringing Goldensword Harvestmoon in life.
I’m sure I can ask, but I don’t want to talk to anyone. I want to wake up and realize this was all just a strange dream, brought on by eating too late.
The carriage is moving faster. Instead of trees and bushes, now we’re passing fields of what looks like tiny corn plants.
Corn plants in August? Shouldn’t they be tall and almost ready to pick?
I know very little about plants, but I’m sure this looks like spring.
Well, why not? Maybe it is spring here in the quadruplets’ created universe.
The day doesn’t have to be twenty-four hours long, the week seven days, or the year 365 days. A century here could be three on Earth, or vice versa.
I really should ask.
I should show some small amount of curiosity about this place, maybe even gratitude that they’ve brought me here, but I simply don’t feel anything except tired.
I lean back in my seat.
“Would it be rude if I went to sleep?” I say.
Goldensword says, “Not at all. In fact, I could use a few more winks myself. Homer, wake me when we’re in Nutmeg.”
“Same for me, please.”
Homer says, “Yes sir. Yes ma’am.”
I close my eyes and hope I’ll wake up back home in my bed.
*
“Ma’am, we’re here.”
I open my eyes and see that we’re driving through narrow city streets, flanked on each side by small, rustic houses.
“This is where merchants and traders live,” Red says. “I asked Homer to wake you a little early. Goldensword knows all this, but I thought you might want to see more of Nutmeg.”
I don’t know how to respond, not yet having regained any of my usual curiosity about new things.
Then I do start to wonder about something.
“Where is everyone?”
“The adults are at work,” Red says. “The kids are being minded.”
“But it’s a nice day. Why aren’t there any kids out here playing?”
“It’s a week day, so they’re not allowed to play outside.”
I open my mouth to say how dumb it is that kids can’t play outside, but decide I’d better not say things like that until I know how to get back home.
Instead, I ask, “How do days and years work here?”
“Same as the ones you know.”
“So what day is it?”
“It’s day four. What you would call Thursday.”
“It’s Sunday back home, right? Or will it still be Sunday?”
“Depends on how long we stay. A day here is a day there, well, sort of, but let’s not get into that. Look around you. Isn’t this place great?”
The houses are getting larger, but we’re still driving through narrow, empty streets, and I’m starting to find this seemingly vacant city rather creepy.
“It’s interesting.”
I don’t know if it’s great, but interesting sounds much more positive than weird or freaky.
“Who lives in these houses?”
“Still merchants and traders, but higher ones. This city doesn’t have a castle, just a palace.”
“Just a palace?”
“Yeah. The castle is in Saffron.”
I try to make myself look impressed. I have a vague idea that saffron might be some kind of expensive spice, but I don’t ask.
The houses get larger and larger, and Red says that the biggest ones belong to the richest merchants and traders.
After those houses, we pass through some grassy fields and small groves of trees, and then we’re in what Red calls the city center.
To me, the palace appears to be just a very big house.
It’s all made of wood and it’s rectangular.
The front door is set in the middle of one of the short sides, with a wide walkway leading up to it from the street we’re on.
On either side of the street and the walkway, there are lush lawns and bright, beautiful flowers.
As we approach the door, Goldensword opens his eyes and says, “I’d like to go on a quest tomorrow.”
I’m about to ask what he means, when Red says, “What kind of quest?”
“Something easy so I can bring Alexis along.”
Have I even told him my name yet?
“You’ll probably need to wait a week or so before she’s ready for that.”
“Hey,” I say, “I’m right here, and I don’t appreciate you talking about me or making plans for me.”
“Oh yeah,” Red says. “Do you want to go on an easy quest with Goldensword tomorrow or wait a few days?”
“Uh, can I think about it for a little while? I’m kind of still getting used to this place.”
“Sure,” Goldensword says. “I’ll see you tonight at dinner.”
The carriage comes to a stop and he gets out.
I’m about to ask him where he’s going and if I’ve offended him somehow, but Red says, “He’s going to meet the others. Come on and I’ll show you around the palace.”
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