As they walked through the forest, Crow felt a rush of excitement to be sharing this part of his life with her again. Aside from the lake in Farhill and his hometown of Myrefall, he hadn’t had the chance to show her around his favorite places since they had gotten back together. Of course, he knew they wouldn’t have time to really explore the outer villages together until after the war, but he enjoyed the few opportunities he had to share some things with her in the meantime.

“In a word, it’s quaint,” he said when she asked him what Aramoor was like. “It’s one of the southernmost villages, and it’s right on the border with Younis, so there aren’t very many people who live there. Because of the location, it’s also a popular stop for travelers heading to or from the other kingdom, so the villagers who do live there are quite friendly and welcoming of strangers. They can’t afford to put up an inn, so they often offer shelter and food in their homes.

“The village itself sits on the top of a wide hill that’s visible to anyone in the surrounding area,” he smiled as the image of the town’s warm lights at night passed through his mind. “It’s kind of like a beacon for weary travelers, letting them know that it’s a safe place to rest.” Suddenly, he thought about the last time he had been to Aramoor, and his smile faltered slightly.

“Although… now that I think about it, it might not be quite as nice as I described anymore,” he sighed. “The people of Aramoor have had a difficult time in this war. There’s another battalion of knights stationed a little farther south of them, and since they’re so close to Younis, there have been quite a few battles in their village already. It’s been a while since the last time I’ve visited, so I’m not sure what’s become of them since.”

He squeezed her hand, shifting to walk a little closer to her so that their arms brushed as they walked. “I’m honestly glad that we’re going here,” he said under his breath, not wanting to be overheard by the others as he opened up to Penelope more personally. “I want to find out if they need any help in the war, since my companions and I have been focusing on the northern villages lately.”