She followed Jonathan inside the house. It was all bright and cheery, with whitewashed walls decorated with colorful stenciled borders of plants, flowers, fruit, and animals. The scent of cooking wafted through the house, and Ariana inhaled appreciatively. “Whatever that is, it smells marvelous,” said Ariana, “and I’m hungry enough to eat a horse.” The kitchen was at the very back, with an open door letting out on a neatly ordered garden of herbs and vegetables.

A plump little woman was puttering around the kitchen, whistling cheerfully. She looked up as they came in and said, “Hello Johnny. I thought I heard someone at the door, but I thought you’d get it, as I’m minding the stove. Have we a guest for dinner then?”

“Yes mum,” he said. “This is Ariana. Is it all right if she stays the night?”

“Certainly, we’ve more than enough room these days. But it looks like dinner’s ready, so seat yourselves.”

Ariana took off her sword and propped it against one wall before sitting down at the table. Jonathan gave the sword a curious look, but made no comment.

Dinner tasted as wonderful as it smelled, and Ariana dug in with a hearty appetite. Jonathan almost didn’t remember to start in on his own food, he was so busy staring at her. He’d never seen anyone like her. She was beautiful, almost delicate, and yet clearly strong and capable. Her clear green eyes seemed to send a shock through him every time he met their gaze. She gave him a little smile and he realized he’d been staring at her with his fork half lifted for more than a minute. He blushed and looked down at his plate. He should keep his eyes to himself and the wild, ridiculous thoughts he kept thinking out of his mind. She was only passing through. And besides, what interest would somebody who was obviously a warrior and adventurer have in a farm lout like him?

Ariana noticed the young man's glances. She was not entirely unused to such looks, of course. She was old enough and, she knew, pretty enough to have gotten quite a few such looks. But I don't mind getting more, she thought to herself with a little smile. And he's rather cute himself!

"So where are you bound?" Jonathan's mother asked.

"I'm on my way home," she said.

"From where?" asked Jonathan, curiously.

"From the badlands," she said.

"My, that's quite a trip!" said Jonathan's mother.

Ariana chuckled. "And I've much further left to go. 'Home' is north of Snowcap. But I'm in no hurry. I've been taking my time and enjoying the journey. The countryside around here is very beautiful."

"You've probably seen much more interesting places than this, though," said Jonathan.

Ariana shrugged. "I suppose I might have seen places more interesting, and I do have to admit that the badlands are beautiful in their own bleak sort of way, but most of the places I've been aren't places I could imagine living. I could imagine living here. It would be nice..." she trailed off, with a sort of sigh. She could almost picture herself with a little farm somewhere. The idea was tempting. But she didn't know that much about farming, really. With a mental shrug she returned to her dinner, polishing the plate clean.