Out-of-Placers

The beginnings of Elaine’s life were almost identical to that of Elim’s, as all members of her family participated equally in the duties on the Dorelga family tiplod ranch. In both timelines, Elim/Elaine preferred to spend lots of time feeding, grooming, and generally raising the herd, enjoying the tranquility and peace of the open fields.

That wouldn’t last through the war, however; while Elim was reluctantly drafted, met Kassen and deserted to Val Salia, Elaine took up extra duties on the ranch as her father and brother were drafted, neither of whom returned. Living in a distant rural area, the war always seemed distant and intangible, even after Dinnlan was conquered and merged into the Sovereignty of Beletam; no occupying forces marched ventured out to the Dorelga ranch, so Elaine only saw the effects of the war when bringing livestock to the nearby town to sell.

Keeping the ranch was difficult for her and her mother though, as they were forced to keep a smaller herd due to only having half the working hands on the ranch. They looked for extra helping hands in town, but the war had killed or crippled the majority of Dinnlan’s working-age men, making their search a desperate one.

However, a Beletan soldier who was nearing the end of his term of service in the army noticed the Dorelgas’ search for workers, and volunteered for the position, working part-time for small pay and home-made meals until he was released from duty, and free to settle in the conquered land as per the Beletan terms of military service. He admitted that he never bore the Dinnish people any ill will, and had wanted to remain on his own family farm if hadn’t been forced into military service; and as a scout, he had remained clear of the fighting, and had still never killed another person, which was very important to Elaine.

Elaine’s optimistic and caring personality quickly won over the ex-soldier’s heart, and under her mother’s urging (though she’d had the very same idea), Elaine began courting him, and the two were soon happily married within a year. The ex-soldier was delighted to return to a nonviolent and idyllic farm life, and cherished his wife dearly. Both enjoyed a peaceful and happy life thereafter.