The morning sun crested the high granite ridge to the east, spilling a deluge of warm gold across the valley floor. The last lingering patches of frost along the river embankment had surrendered completely to the spring thaw, leaving the dark soil rich, soft, and damp underfoot. A gentle mountain breeze rustled through the young leaves of the apple orchard, carrying the crisp scent of pine resin, flowering clover, and turned earth into the open doors of the homestead.
Inside the main hall, the air was light, clean, and filled with sunlight. The stone chimney stood white and pristine in the morning glare, its hearth resting cold while the high timber beams overhead creaked faintly as they warmed in the early heat. The physical structure had settled permanently onto its granite footings, co
