The morning sun mounted the jagged granite crests of the southern rim, pouring a warm, honey-colored light through the open timber transoms of the main hall. Outside, the valley was vibrant with the full emergence of spring. The swollen river had settled into a steady, rhythmic surge, its cold waters churning past the granite revetments we had constructed along the lower bend. A soft breeze drifted up from the valley floor, carrying the clean fragrance of damp loam, wild sage, and blooming apple blossoms into every corner of our home.
Inside, the atmosphere was cool and tranquil. The stone chimney stood pristine, its hearth resting cold while sunlight bathed the polished oak floorboards in a warm glow. The heavy mortise-and-tenon joints overhead sat completely motionless, thoroughly settl
