A/N: This first chapter of this fanfic is dedicated to Jim and Linda Cunningham, a Christian nudist couple living in New England today, and the authors of Nudity and Christianity, and to Linda's great essay, "Tolkien's Naked Fellowship," which is posted in my profile page. She'll probably never read this, but I'd like to thank her for her essay about nudity in Middle-earth, which inspired me to write this short vignette in the Ultima universe. Don't worry, though, it isn't entirely about chaste nudity; the characters also talk about life and the future, and how one girl's innocent lifestyle could be preparing her to oppose and resist Blackthorn.

There's no special point or purpose to these vignettes; I'm simply using the lighthouses from Ultima V for a few amusing scenarios in print. This four-chapter fanfic is basically a semi-serious parody of Britannian life during and prior to the fifth Ultima game.

Disclaimer: I don't own Ultima, Richard Garriott and Origin do, I'm just playing around in it.

Chapter 1

Fogsbane

"Grandpa, can I go outside for a while?" Jennifer asked her grandfather, Jotham, after a nice early dinner, "Can I go out and play outside for awhile, please?"

"Of course," old Jotham responded, smiling, "Just be careful out there; remember, it'll be getting dark soon, and thou dost need to get thy sleep while I take the first watch at the light tonight."

"I know, grandpa," Jennifer said, a little impatiently, "You always say that to me. Don't worry, I'm fifteen years old; you know I can take care of myself in most situations. In fact, because you're getting older, I should really be watching over thee, dost thou know that?"

"Yes, Jennifer," Jotham chuckled, "But I'm not that old yet. Thou should continue to learn every day about independence before thou dost worry more for my welfare, for thou shalt be on thy own when ye turn sixteen."

"Yes, of course, grandpa," said Jennifer, "Now can I go and have some fun?"

"Yes, thou mayest," Jotham chuckled, knowing about his granddaughter's desire to streak and swim.

"I thank thee, grandpa!" exclaimed Jennifer, and she went outside.

Jennifer walked out the front door of Fogsbane, a lighthouse located on a small island with grass and little hills in Britanny Bay. Its purpose was to guide ships in and out of the harbor of the city of Britain. She and Jotham were the only inhabitants of the lighthouse (and the island), and sea monsters were usually rare in that part of the ocean, except for the occasional shark or two, so as a result, it was very peaceful there.

Suddenly she remembered that she couldn't stand her coat, tunic, boots, and trousers. Jennifer quickly stripped herself of all of her clothes, casting them to the wind, and stood nude and elated before the evening sky. Then, she began to run about the island, exercising her legs and working up a sweat. Jennifer, you see, was a nudist as often as was possible in her young life; she had been one ever since coming to Fogsbane two years earlier with her grandfather. The ocean atmosphere of Britanny Bay was cool and refreshing, and she loved to feel the breezes on her bare skin; she also had no shame for her nude body, being brought up innocently by her parents before an earthquake had killed them. They had encouraged her to enjoy life clothes-free when she could, for it was the best way in their opinion to live a shame-free life, and Jennifer had always taken their advice.

She ran about for about a half hour on the grass and over the hills, and then she dove into the ocean south of Fogsbane to cool herself off. She was world-wise enough to always keep an eye out for dangerous predators and monsters when she swam, though; fortunately, none were forthcoming that evening. Finally, she lay face up on the shore of the island, drying herself in the sun, with the delight of one who once felt a bitter, cold repression in her body and cast it off to feel like she sees a day of heavenly light and the promise of another day of hope for the world.

Finally, she got up and walked back to the lighthouse. She was about to put her clothes back on when she realized she wasn't ready to get dressed again. She simply picked up her clothes and walked back inside.

"Jennifer, art thou still undressed?" Jotham asked in surprise at the dinner table. "Thou art supposed to dress for indoors normally."

"I'm sorry, grandpa," she apologized, "I just couldn't quite bear to put them back on quite yet. Can I keep them off for a little while longer, yet? I'm starting to learn that I can relax better when naked than when clothed, and I want to try sleeping without my nightgown from now on, too."

"Well, ordinarily I would say no, my granddaughter," said Jotham, "for there are health issues with being exposed to the cold elements of this part of Britannia. But, thou art a growing girl, so fine, I will say yes, on three conditions."

"Yes, grandpa, what are they?" Jennifer asked, a little tensely.

"First, thou mayest not go naked in bed during the wintertime," Jotham pronounced, "'Tis too cold during that season to be sleeping that way. Second, thou must always be dressed when thou art doing thy shift at the revolving light on the tower. And third, until thou dost turn sixteen, thy nudity is restricted to this island and this lighthouse at all times."

"Yes, grandpa," she said agreeably, knowing that her grandfather was a very wise old man.

"And another thing," he said, "Do not just watch out for sharks and other sea monsters when thou dost swim in the sea. I still remember the great whirlpools that go here, there, and everywhere in the sea. Ye must never allow thyself to be caught by one, or thou shalt be lost forever in the Underworld. I would never forgive myself if that happened to thee."

"Yes, certainly," Jennifer said quickly.

"I mean it, granddaughter," he replied sternly, "Keep away from them whirlpools!"

"Grandpa, I can sure as heck watch out for a whirlpool, so I don't see how one could sneak up on me."

"Very well," said Jotham, "Just remember that I did warn thee."

"Yes, grandpa," she agreed.

A little later, they finished their supper, and they went into the living room to relax until sundown. Jotham put some logs in the fireplace and lit a fire. Then he sat in front of it. Jennifer pulled a book of lore from the bookshelves and pulled up a chair next to his, by the fire.

"Jennifer," Jotham asked, "Why art thou always so funny about thy nudism? I know that many people in Britannia are not ashamed to take everything off when the situation calls for it, like at the shrines, but thou dost carry it almost to its limits."

"I don't think nudity has any 'limits,' grandpa," she replied, "I suppose, besides it being a good way to retain childhood innocence and feel no body shame, going out with nothing on in a clothes-based society give me the strength of will and body to face more dangerous scenarios in life. Perhaps, if I can stand naked and brave in front of a hundred total strangers, I can be a stronger individual when facing people who do not like it when someone rebels against a wrong norm of society, like Blackthorn's rule of Oppression right now. I don't want him to take over the wills of too many more innocent souls in Britannia, and if I can be brave enough to be naked in front of people who don't approve of it, then I'm capable of standing against the hosts of Blackthorn and the Shadowlords who want to twist the meaning of the Eight Virtues of Avatarhood. That's my belief, anyway."

"Hmm," Jotham mused, "It sounds a bit of an unorthodox practice to me. I cannot think of anyone else who would try that. But if thou dost want to try it, I will not attempt to stop thee. Everyone has to follow their own path to the Virtues, including thee."

"I thank thee again, grandpa," she said, "Thou dost not know how much this means to me."

"Indeed," Jotham smiled, "But it will be dark as night very soon, so I suppose it is time to go up to the top of the tower and mind the light until 1 A.M. Until then, good night, Jennifer. Do not stay up too late reading books."

"I won't, Jotham," she promised.

After about another hour of reading her book, Jennifer went to bed, and decided that she had never found it more comfortable than when she was nude. There she stayed until 1 A.M., when her shift started and she had to get dressed again. But she did not mind. A person can't always have what they want; that would defeat the purpose of the virtues Compassion, Sacrifice and Humility.

In chapter 2, a domestic relationship is shown where Emilly and Windmire, an old married couple living in the lighthouse Stormcrow, discuss some of the finer details of their lives, including the wickedness of Captain Blythe!