Fields of Mistria Ryis

LandenAnd there you go! 150 tesserae. Thanks again, Ari.

LandenRyis will be delighted!

LandenAh, actually, could you go get him while I watch the shop? He's on his break, but I'm sure he'll want to know about this.

LandenYou can find him south of the shop by the old cottage ruins.

RyisAri! This is a surprise.

Message delivery!

Your uncle told me where you were!

RyisI'm impressed you found me!

RyisOh, you fulfilled Uncle Landen's request! You're a lifesaver Ari. Now we can finish up a commission that's been on hold.

RyisI suppose I should wrap up my break...

What a pretty spot.

What were these ruins of?

RyisIsn't it? I come here to relax.

RyisBefore the earthquake there was a tree here, with an old birdhouse in it. The birds that lived there had the prettiest songs.

Ryis'Course, the earthquake took the tree down and smashed the birdhouse. Pretty sure the birds got away safely though.

RyisI should really get around to setting up a new birdhouse for them... though it feels a bit silly when I've got so much work to do around Mistria as it is!

It's not silly, I think it's cool!

It's a good idea! Those birds could use your help too.

RyisHaha, you think so?

RyisYou know what, you're right Ari. It'd be a fun project! I hope I can count on your help?

RyisGreat! Unfortunately I think my break really is over now. I'll let you know when I've got some time to focus on this!

Afterwards

LandenAh, the wood for my request! Come on back to the shop, and I can pay you right now.

RyisAri!

RyisWelcome to my room. Sorry it's a bit cramped, I tend to bring my work upstairs with me...

It's cozy! Very you.

If you think this is bad, you should see my farm.

RyisThank you!

RyisSo according to my big book of Aldarian birds, we're dealing with a Mistrian bluebird!

RyisThey're similar to their continental cousins, but have a few key differences.

RyisMost notably, they're quite the singers!

RyisThey're not picky nesters, but they seem to prefer hawthorn trees.

RyisSo what if we grew a hawthorn to put their new birdhouse in?

That'll bring them back for sure!

Thorns to protect your house, huh. Maybe I should get some...

RyisRight? It'll be the perfect spot!

BalorThere you are!

BalorHere's your Hawthorn tree sapling, the finest I could procure.

RyisExcellent, thank you Balor.

BalorYou've brought Ari in on your project as well? I can see you want to do this right.

RyisOf course!

BalorLet's settle up the tab over cards some time. Now, I'm sure you two want to get this sapling into the ground, so I'll leave you to it.

RyisHe's right. Shall we, Ari?

RyisAnd that's that. We'll have plenty of time to work on the bird house while the tree grows.

RyisAnything I can do to help hurry it along, Ari?

Check on it every day!

Give the tree compliments every day!

RyisWorks for me!

RyisThanks for all your help today, Ari.

Landen-And that's why I always keep a full set of hammers on my toolbelt at all times.

RyisI don't know, a full set of screwdrivers on hand seems more useful.

LandenWhat if we added a tool... bandolier? Then you could bring everything!

RyisThere you are!

LandenHere to help with the birdhouse project? Sounds fun!

LandenTell you what Ryis, I'll take over your shift running the counter.

RyisThanks, Uncle.

RyisThis is exciting, isn't it? I've been laying aside materials for the project while we've been waiting for the tree to grow big enough.

RyisI like working on the big town projects with you, but there's something nice about collaborating on something small, right?

It'll be fun to get the details just so!

Yeah, it's more intimate.

RyisYou get it!

RyisLet me get out my blueprints and we can go over them together!

LandenWell now! That house is much too fine for a bird!

RyisWe might have gotten a little carried away.

It was really fun to build!

It's better than a birdhouse. It's a bird... home.

RyisIt sure was!

LandenPaint looks like it's dried nicely. Why don't you two hang it, and I'll whip up a celebratory treat for when you get back?

LandenMaybe Ryis didn't tell you this, Ari, but I make a mean Coconut Cream Pie.

RyisSounds great! We shouldn't be gone long.

RyisFeels good and secure to me.

RyisThose bluebirds are going to be SO surprised.

So what's next?

So now we need to make a bluebird whistle, huh?

RyisWe keep our eyes peeled for our prospective homeowners. I'll let you know the moment I spot a bit of blue.

RyisBut for right now, I think it's time for pie!

RyisCome on, we'd better get back before Uncle Landen decides he's tired of waiting.

RyisThanks for coming, Ari.

RyisI was so excited when I spotted that blue feather by our tree!

RyisI'm glad you could join me. I know my letter was kind of last minute.

RyisYou know...

RyisI don't really birdwatch with anyone else.

RyisI always thought it was my thing, but... it's really nice that it's our thing.

It's been a lot of fun!

It's been great spending time with you!

RyisFor sure.

RyisThat feather turned up around here, but there's a chance our bird was just doing a flyby...

RyisIt's a good sign, though!

RyisNormally I just let the birds do their thing, and if I see them, great.

RyisBut if the Mistrian Bluebirds find the house we made for them, they'll have a real head start.

RyisNow we just watch and wait.

RyisIt's a good excuse to relax, right?

RyisI grew up in a lively house...

RyisSo whenever I wanted some solitude, I'd go walking all over the Capital.

RyisPeople-watching was fun, but observing the pigeons, starlings, and sparrows...

RyisIt always made me feel calm and more connected to nature.

RyisI've always felt that way about carpentry, too.

RyisWorking with wood and stone from the forest, the quiet focus required of the craft...

RyisI guess I'm just drawn toward this kind of thing.

RyisSo while we wait...

RyisWhy don't we just sit back and enjoy some time in nature?

RyisAh... this has been nice, Ari.

RyisIt's a shame we haven't had any luck spotting our birds yet, though.

I guess that's why they call it birdwatching and not birdfinding.

I'm still having a good time with you, Ryis.

RyisHaha, I'll have to tell that one to Uncle Landen.

RyisLuck or not, it's been really great spending time together, Ari-

RyisNo way! A Mistrian bluebird!

RyisI didn't realize the house was already occupied...

RyisIt looks like she's already started building a nest!

RyisWait... that clover-shaped marking on the back of her head-

RyisI think it's the same bird that nested here before the earthquake!

RyisBut... I guess it's unrealistic to think her mate's still around, too...

RyisAri! Oh, wow... I'd recognize that plumage anywhere!

RyisIt's him! Her partner!

RyisThey did it, Ari. They found their way back to each other...

RyisAnd they found their way home. I'm so happy we could help them.

RyisThis whole experience... It's helped me, too.

RyisI've often wondered if I'd end up back in the Capital one day.

Ryis...

RyisI wasn't sure if and when Mistria would really become "home" to me.

RyisRemember what we talked about that night? At the Shooting Star Festival?

RyisThe birds really do have a special intuition for these things.

RyisWhether it's returning to the place they were born to raise their own young-

RyisOr finding the perfect tree to call home, among a forest of possibilities...

RyisI'd hoped that my own path would appear, if I paid close enough attention.

RyisAnd then one day, I realized... I've been on it the whole time.

RyisMistria has become my home.

RyisBut it's not the birds I have to thank for that. It's you.

What are best friends for?

I've realized it too. We both belong here... together.

RyisAri... You're my best friend too.

RyisIt's been something, hasn't it?

RyisWorking to restore the town together, and then making a place for these birds to return to...

RyisWith a friend like you by my side-

RyisIt's really no wonder that Mistria feels like home.

RyisThis has turned out to be a really special day, Ari.

RyisBut I guess we'd better start heading back, huh?

RyisLet's give these little lovebirds some privacy so they can settle in.

Afterwards

ErrolLanden has been regaling me with what you and his nephew have been up to.

LandenYou know, I don't ever think I've seen Ryis in such a good mood before.

LandenRyis told me all about how you finally coaxed those bluebirds back to Mistria!

RyisStill can't believe we brought back the Mistrian Bluebirds...

RyisStill can't believe we brought back the Mistrian Bluebirds.

TerithiaLanden never had any children of his own...

RyisIt's nice to see our tree looking so healthy. Our birdhouse is holding up well, too!

RyisI loved doing this whole restoration project with you...

RyisNow every time I walk by this spot, it makes me think of you.

RyisIf it weren't for you, these would still be empty ruins. No tree, no birdhouse...

RyisThe Mistrian Bluebirds would still be searching for "home". Maybe I'd still be searching, too.

RyisYeah. Looking back at everything...

RyisYou were helping me more than I realized.

How could I say no to a face like that?

I'm glad you talked to me about it, Ryis.

RyisHaha! Glad you liked what you saw.

RyisYou know, Ari... You're really special.

RyisSeriously! When we first met, I already knew there was something different about you.

RyisYou saw me for me. Right from the get-go.

RyisAnd you keep seeing me.

RyisI guess what I'm saying is...

RyisYou really helped me figure things out.

RyisI realize now what's really important to me...

RyisAnd I feel confident in finally putting down my roots.

You also showed me how to find my place in Mistria.

Same, Ryis. I feel at home when I'm with you.

RyisReally?

RyisThat makes me so happy to hear.

RyisIt's funny that we ended up having so much in common, isn't it?

RyisYou came to Mistria not long after I did, took on that old farm...

RyisAnd then we started knocking down all of Adeline's town repair projects, one by one.

RyisI came to Mistria thinking I'd be helping out Uncle Landen...

RyisBut together, we ended up helping the whole town.

RyisAnd we found our own sense of belonging in the process.

RyisThat's why I wanted you to have that potted Hawthorn Tree.

RyisIt's like a memento of what we did together.

RyisI hope you'll think of those times whenever you see it.

RyisWhat I'm saying is...

RyisI want to keep on putting my roots down here in Mistria. With you by my side.

RyisBut maybe I'm getting too ahead of myself.

RyisThere was something we came out here to talk about, right?

I wanted to talk to you about our future together...

Let's talk about it another time...

RyisThat's cool-

RyisWait. Our future? Together?

I love you, Ryis. Will you marry me?

Actually, let's talk about it more another day.

RyisOh man, I'm having that dream again.

RyisWait, this is real?

RyisAri... Yes!

RyisYES!

RyisThis is... oh wow. I thought... I hoped...

RyisYou just made me the happiest guy in the world, Ari! I love you so much!

RyisWhat if we eloped? Right now? No... calm down, Ryis. Ari deserves a beautiful wedding.

RyisI can't wait to start planning!

Afterwards

RyisWhat's up, Ari?