"Good morning, Asim!" she happily said, waving at him with mirth.

He immediately recognized her voice; it was Clara, the mayor's daughter. She wore her usual bright and wide smile on her face. Clara was always the first one to greet him in the morning, no matter the temperature. She seemed like she was always waiting for him to arrive in the village and wish him "good morning" for an unknown reason. 

At first, Asim found her behavior kind of weird. He had never been used to that kind of interaction from anyone. But Clara would always be there, waiting and welcoming him in the early morning. Asim didn't really know how to react. Sometimes, he would awkwardly nod or whisper it back to her. She had been doing this not long after he had moved in his shack up in the mountain. Although he found it weird and felt uncomfortable initially, he had gotten used to it and didn't really mind anymore. He just didn't understand why she felt the need to wish him "good morning" every day. 

"…Good morning," Asim said stiffly. His hand was resting on the rail of the wooden fence door leading to Mrs. Woodrowe's house.

"How are you today?" she cheerfully said. She tucked a strand of her blonde hair behind her ear. She had a messy bun that looked like it was made in a hurry.

Asim only stared at her for a moment. "… I'm fine." He simply replied almost in a murmur.

Even though it had been a year, he was still not used to this kind of interaction with others. Even though Clara had greeted him every morning for months now, he still felt weird to simply… talk like ordinary people did all the time. 

"Hehehe!" Clara happily giggled. She then looked down with her blue eyes at his other hand that was holding the ax. "You're chopping wood for Mrs. Woodrowe today?" she asked, still giving him a warm smile.

"…Yeah." He said, still feeling awkward.

Mrs. Woodrowe had once told him that Clara was doing this because she wanted to be friends with him… Clara was a very nice person, but Asim just didn't know why she would be friends with him. No, it was instead that he simply didn't know how to be friendly with people in general and didn't really know what having a friend meant either. To be honest, he didn't feel like he deserved that type of kindness. She was gentle to him for now, but what will be her reaction if she discovered what he was?

He couldn't let that happen. Asim finally found a place where war and death weren't at every corner of the kingdom. He didn't want to risk it. That and the fact that she would probably fear him if she ever knew who he truly was and what he had done. He had to constantly push her away so she wouldn't be hurt because of him. And he did the same for everyone in the village. Sure, he was liked by mostly everyone, he didn't really get why as Asim was always cold and distant with others, but he had always kept his distance from everyone else. It was too dangerous to stay close to him, so he moved into the abandoned shack. It was far enough from any sounds and people that would trigger the monster in him.

He still thought of trying to smile back at her for a moment, but he felt it would look too weird, and he simply looked away instead as he opened the wooden fence entrance.

"I'm… I'm going to work now." He murmured, his teal gaze looking on the grassy vibrant green, and flowery courtyard that led to Mrs. Woodrowe's house.

"Oh… Wait!" Clara quickly said. "I wanted to ask if, like after you're done with your work of the day, if you'd like to go grab a drink with me at the tavern?" She shyly asked as she played with her rebellious strands of hair. "B-but just as friends! I mean, I just want to get to know you better, as a friend of course, and-"

"Now, now, Clara. Don't you see you're making our sweet Asim here uncomfortable?" The voice of Mrs. Woodrowe was heard coming from her house as she lightly chuckled.

The old woman was smiling broadly at them from the doorway, looking serene and welcoming as she always did. Her long, tied white hair was flowing in the faint morning breeze. She probably saw all the scene from her porch. "Good morning, Asim. I hope you slept well last night." She greeted him.

"Morning', Mrs. Woodrowe," Asim replied, glad that the old lady spoke up before he would have to awkwardly refuse Clara's invitation. Again. "Like always." Asim simply answered. Mrs. Woodrowe knew he wasn't sleeping well. He could see the concern on her gentle wrinkled face as he said that. 

"I wasn't making him uncomfortable on purpose, Mrs. Woodrowe!" Clara exclaimed. "I just wanted to invite him for a drink, that's all…" she pouted, embarrassed.

"I know, I know, my dear. I'm just playing with you both." The old woman giggled happily. "But now, Asim has a lot of work to do today. One of the woodworkers got wounded, and they need a helping hand as soon as possible in the forest. You know how Mr. Barnes hates when he is late on his schedule?" She calmly explained to both, informing Asim that his help was needed in the forest. "Why don't you come asking him back when he's on his break, later? Maybe you could bring him something to eat for lunch. I'm sure he'll like that." Mrs. Woodrowe joyfully and bluntly suggested as Asim's eyes widened.

"…Erm, no need really. I only eat in the evening, anyway." Asim tried to dissuade the two women as he stroke the back of his head, running his fingers in his short dark red hair. Clara looked at him as her blue eyes sparkled with excitement at the idea Mrs. Woodrowe proposed. 

"Nonsense! A man should eat at least thrice a day to keep his strength!" The old lady reprimanded as she gestured her arm in the air. "Especially you, young man! You barely eat, and yet you work all day and do twice the work of everyone here. You're almost skin and bones, for Maryam's sake!" she uttered, shaking her head in concern. 

He looked at Mrs. Woodrowe with an arched brow. He knew she was old, but he didn't think she had difficulties with her vision. Asim was not as skinny as she thought him to be but rather lean. He felt his body was alright like it was. He had always been like this, and what he did in his past forced him to stay in shape. Or perhaps she saw him skinnier compared to the other men in the village? The woodworkers especially were way broader than he was.

"That's a wonderful idea, Mrs. Woodrowe! Thank you!" Clara then turned her head towards Asim. "I'll wait for you at the bridge at noon, Asim! I'll make you the best meal you'll ever eat, just you see!" she beamed with her fist up in front of her, probably to show her determination.

She then turned around and left frolicking, humming a soft song as she disappeared behind a house. Asim sighed. 

"Now, now, boy. It'll only be good for you to have some human interactions. The girl means no harm, and you know that." Mrs. Woodrowe said as she noticed his sigh.

"I know that… It's just that I'm not very… good with others." Asim quietly replied, still looking where Clara had gone.

"My sweet Asim, it's been a year now. Whatever happened to you, I'm sure you could allow yourself to have some fun from time to time?" she gently encouraged as she gave him a warm smile.

"… That's the thing, Mrs. Woodrowe; I can't." Asim honestly answered the old lady. His teal gaze was now looking at her with a hint of pain in them.

Mrs. Woodrowe studied him for a moment, but she then also sighed and simply stopped asking more from him as she knew he had his reasons. Asim could see on her face that she wanted to help him, but this only made his heart tighten in his chest. He didn't want, and he didn't deserve people to worry about him. He was fine like he was; alone with the memories of what he had done.

"Still, I suggest that you at least go eat lunch with Clara. Don't stand up to her. She'll be sad now that she expects you." Mrs. Woodrowe advised. "Nothing too complicated, my lovely Asim! You just have to eat with her and talk a little!" the old lady chuckled as she knew it was indeed a rather tricky task for Asim to do so. 

"… I'll think about it." Asim finally agreed. Though he would probably eat fast and go back to work as quickly as he could.

"That's what I like to hear!" she gleefully exclaimed.

 They then started to walk towards the backyard of the house. Logs had been put into a large pile, probably by one of the woodworkers. Asim didn't think this was such an arduous task to chop wood, but the old lady couldn't do it herself. However, he didn't mind doing it. Mrs. Woodrowe had done so much for him when he first arrived in Riverwind. That is the least he could do to thank her. 

Even though it was summer, the nights were sometimes cold for a woman of her age. As he picked one log and placed it on a large cut trunk, he proceeded to chop the wood in half, then in four to make sure it would fit inside the fireplace of her home. Mrs. Woodrowe had got back inside as she let Asim do his work. He grabbed the freshly cut pieces of log and piled them on the side. He then picked up a new one and continued his task.