Pulling his rough overcoat tighter to combat the winter chill, an elderly man glanced around his humble abode. Wood cracked and burned in the simple cast-iron fireplace, illuminating the rustic room. He was a retired blacksmith, and the fire always comforted him and reminded him of simpler times.
A door creaked open, and a middle-aged woman wearing peasant clothing with her brown hair tied in a bun walked in. "Father, it's getting late. Go to sleep." She frowned as she looked at her elderly father slumped in a chair by the fireplace. "Are you counting your savings again?"
