1: The Girl and the God

"What's with you?" sighed Cefia, crossing her arms, "You mope around like a lost dog. You're the Harvest King, God of all seasons and Earth, why can't you at least ACT like you enjoy your job?"

Ignis sighed, trying to ignore his sister. For thousands of years the two had been in charge of the world and it's bounty, but he had grown very tiresome of his duties. In his palace, he could watch through a magic orb to over-see the world, and while his constant duties kept him confined to the world above, Cefia, the Harvest Goddess, was more content to frolic around in the world below.

Her current fancy was a place known as Harmonica Town. There, she had taken a mortal for her husband, and grew heavy with his child. He didn't not understand the ways of mortals, or what drew her to them. He had seen so many hardships come from those creatures, so much pain inflicted on the world because of them, yet she was entranced by them.

"What will you do when this mortal dies, sister?" he had told her when she decided to marry the man, "What will become of you, and any child you bear? Widowed, with a fatherless immortal babe. What will you do?"

She merely laughed, "I have no intention of letting him die. I have offered him immortality in the form of our wedding band," she said, "I will place magic into the stone set in the golden-ring, and as long as he is my faithful husband, he will live as long as I."

"Brother!" Cefia snapped at him. Ignis, lost in thought as he stared off, jerked before giving her his attention.

"Is there something you need of me, sister?" he asked her.

Her face grew hot and red, "Oh! You haven't heard a word I've said, have you?"

Ignis straightened, "Did you say something of importance?"

"Whether what I said was important or not is not what matters!" she scolded him, waltzing with no fear to his throne, "I cannot believe you, brother! All you have done for centuries is stay locked in this palace! Why don't you go down amongst the people?"

Ignis glared at her, "My duties keep me here. I am needed in many places. I have to bring the seasonal crops, the rain, the fertility of the land. Like you as well, sister, should be doing. But because you choose to stay with your mortal, I must do the work of both of us."

"Do no blame this dilemma on Nicolas!" she scoffed, "You have been this way since the death of that woman!"

Ignis became very rigid and still. His hands tightened on the throne's arms, glaring at his sister. He rose to his feet, "I will not hear this from you, sister," he said, "I answered the summons you and your beloved called for. I came and healed your husband's home, and allowed you to take him for your life-mate. I have been very understanding and patient with you and your fancies," he leaned closer to her, easily towering over her as always, though she never flinched from him, "But I will not allow myself to be belittled by you!"

Cefia glared at him, "Ignis, you are blocking yourself from the mortals because of that woman," she snapped, "And I will not see my brother do this again. Have you forgotten that Nicolas is not my first love? I have loved mortals as well!"

Ignis clicked his tongue and walked around his sister, "Enough of this. Leave, go to your mortal husband."

"Ignis!"

Ignis ignored her and left the throne-chamber. He walked the empty halls ways, though the entire palace was covered with life. Vines and roots and other plant life covered the walls and floors. They would move aside where-ever he walked, and birds chirped along with animals chattering.

As he passed an open quart yard, a large tree bent down its branches to offer an apple to him. He took it and bowed to the tree, "Thank you, Grandmother Tree," he said, and took a bite from it.

He walked to his chambers, a collection of rooms, and went to his bed-suite. Inside was darker, and seemed to be a walled room around the roots of a the largest tree ever. There was a circular space between roots. It was a bed with the finest sheets of royal purple and blue, and the large windows were formed out of thin vines and roots with glass between their weavings. Looking out them, you would see a large span of mountains and forest.

It was beautiful, yes, but seeing the same view for millennia had made it loose it's mystifying touch. He went to the book-shelf that seemed to be carved out of the tree and looked through the tomes. All were actually written by his hand, different journals he had kept of how the world he watched over progressed. He pulled one out from many hundreds of years ago to open up to a marked page.

There was a painted portrait inside of a beautiful woman...one he had loved.

--

"Ariel!" called Nicolas, waving to her. Ariel stopped plowing her cousin's fields as he came over, smiling to her. She had come here on his recommendation after completing her studies back home. He said it would be a great place for her to make her start.

She loved it here. It was so beautiful, and the air was so clean and fresh. And because Nick was single, he needed as much help as he could get on the farm.

"Here," he handed her a drink. "Complements of Maya. Don't worry, she didn't make it."

Ariel giggled and drank it. She was surprised at how lovely and welcoming the people of this town were. It was nice and refreshing, much different from the city where she grew up.

But, as she and her cousin sat down to enjoy their lemonade, she remembered something. "Nick, why aren't you married?"

Nick nearly choked on his drink, "What!?"

"Sorry for being a little forward," she said with a laugh, "But...there are a lot of cute girls here, and they all seem to like you. I bet you could have your pick of them!"

Nick chuckled, looking into his glass, "Well...possibly but..." he smiled softly, "Actually, there's only one woman I like. But...she's pretty far out there, y'know?"

Ariel raised an eyebrow, "You mean she's nuts?"

"Huh?" Nick looked surprised, "No! That's not what I meant! I mean she's pretty...well, high up. Much to far up for a farmer like me, I mean."

"What?" Ariel glared, "Stereo-types are so...so old school man! Why do you care about stuff like that if you love her! Go for it!"

Nick looked at her for a long while, then laughed, "Later on...I want you to meet her, okay?"

Ariel lit up, "Sure thing! I'd love to!"

Nick nodded, "Cool," he finished his lemonade, then stood up, "well, that field ain't going to plow itself, let's go!"

--

"Ignis," Cefia knocked softly on her brother's door. When he didn't answer, she dared to open it slowly. Looking it, she sighed. In the dim light of the torches and the candles, she could see him on his bed, fast asleep.

She was quiet as she moved over to watch him. 'When does the god get to rest from guarding his world?' she thought, and reached down to run her hand through his fire-colored hair. He didn't even stir, so deep was his sleep.

Cefia noticed his hand held a book that had fallen closed on his thumb, which held the place. Slowly, careful not to wake him, she took it and opened it. The sight of the portrait made her frown. She looked to her sleeping brother, who resembled so much like a little boy, and couldn't be angry that he had kept this, deciding not to move on.

She shook her head, closing the book and placing it back on the book shelf before taking her leave. As she exited, she waved her hand so that a gentle wind blew out all of the lights, and the darkness of night over took the room. She closed the door behind her after taking one last glance at her brother. 'Perhaps he needs some guidance in this,' she decided as she closed the door quietly.

--

A/N: Okay, okay, so I haven't really played the new Harvest Moon game…but I know about it. XP And I have fallen in love with Ignis, the Harvest King (Lord, God, whatever you want to call him, it's really all the same.) Anyway, so I'm starting a fan-fic for it while I feverously await the English version to come out! And WHOOT! It's coming out just in time for my birth-day, isn't that great!?! XD Anyway, review if you want, and I hope you enjoy it.

P.S. If you don't know, "Ariel" and "Nick" are really just the main boy and girl of the game. ^-^; I just made them cousins for the heck of it. Also, yes some things may be changed and different...but it's all for the sake of my imagination!!! XD