Winter 63, X008

  After coming clean recently, I felt compelled to write this.

  A group of wandering merchants stopped by our village, likely to rest and restock their supplies. But while they were here they probably thought, Why not take this opportunity to sell some wares?

  And so, multiple stalls popped up, offering everything from daily necessities to weapons and armor. Despite the biting cold, these merchants were undeterred. They were true to their craft, seemingly unfazed by the weather, their minds likely fixated on one thing: the money they could earn.

  When our group heard about the merchants, we decided to visit. After all, it’s rare for wandering merchants to stop in our village, and even rarer for them to bring such a variety of goods.

  The day was freezing, the kind of cold that demands a thick winter cloak. Unfortunately, mine had been destroyed by rats that chewed a massive hole in it. I borrowed my father’s cloak instead, but it was far too big for me. The loose fit let in cold air, and I shivered uncontrollably as I made my way to the meeting spot.

  My friends noticed my trembling immediately, even though I was wrapped in the oversized cloak.

  “You look like you’re wearing a tent!” Hank bellowed, his loud voice carrying across the area. He slapped me on the back, nearly knocking me over. “I’ll let you borrow my extra cloak. Can’t have you freezing to death before we even get there!”

  Daelan, equally rowdy, chimed in with a grin. “Yeah, you’re shaking so much, I thought you were trying to dance or something!”

  “But first, you should try on what I’m wearing to see if it fits you,” Hank said.

  Hank handed me his cloak to try on. To my dismay, it was almost as loose as my father’s.

  “Nope, still drowning in fabric,” I muttered, pulling at the excess material.

  Daelan laughed, his voice booming. “I don’t have an extra, but even mine would probably swallow you whole. You’re like a kid playing dress-up!”

  Then Marge stepped in, her tone firm but kind. “Enough, you two. Can’t you see he’s freezing? Here, try this.”

  She handed me the cloak she was wearing. It was… almost perfect, except for being a bit too long at the bottom.

  “Close, but not quite,” I said, holding out the hem.

  Marge nodded, her expression thoughtful. “Wait here. I’ll get the other one. It should fit you better.”

  When she returned, the cloak fit like a glove. There was just one problem: the design was incredibly feminine. I felt utterly embarrassed wearing it.

  Hank and Daelan burst into laughter the moment they saw me.

  “Oh, this is priceless!” Hank roared, clutching his sides. “If I didn’t know you, I’d swear you were a girl!”

  Daelan doubled over, his laughter echoing through the area. “Forget big boobs—I’d be more than fine with you!”

  I glared at them. “Very funny. Can we go now?”

  Marge gave me an apologetic smile. “Sorry about the design, but it’s the only one that fits.”

  I was pleasantly surprised by how Marge acted after everything that had happened—but then I remembered this was just her usual self, the way she’d always been before the whole beach incident.

  Haley, who had been quietly observing, stepped forward. “It looks… good on you,” she said, her voice soft and gentle, as if trying to reassure me. But her words only made me feel worse.

  I wanted to take it off immediately, but it was the only cloak that fit properly. Swallowing my pride, I decided to endure the teasing for the day so we could finally check out the merchants’ wares.

  When we arrived, I tried to convince the girls to come with us.

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  “Come on, you two,” I said, gesturing to the girls. “You never know when you might need a good weapon.”

  Haley shook her head gently, her smile warm. “I’m alright, thank you. I’ll stick to the fabric stalls.”

  Marge gave me a pointed look. “We’ll be over there if you need us. Try not to stab yourselves.”

  And so, the three of us guys split off from Haley and Marge, drawn to the weapons stalls.

  As I browsed the weapons with Hank and Daelan, they noticed a man staring at me intently.

  Hank elbowed me. “Hey, look. I think you’ve got an admirer!”

  Daelan snickered, his grin wide. “He’s been staring since you walked in. Totally smitten.”

  I glanced over and saw the man quickly look away, his face turning red.

  “No way,” I said. “You’re imagining things.”

  Daelan leaned in, his tone mischievous. “I dare you to wink at him.”

  “What? No!” I immediately replied.

  Daelan pulled out a handful of coins, his eyes sparkling with mischief. “I’ll pay you to do it.”

  Hank added more to the pile. “Yeah, me too. Come on, it’ll be hilarious.”

  I hesitated, but the money was tempting and the dagger that got my eyes on wasn’t cheap.

  I let out a deep sigh “Fine.”

  I turned toward the man, caught his eye, and winked. His face turned beet red.

  Hank and Daelan were already struggling to contain their laughter.

  “Now blow him a kiss!” Daelan urged, barely able to speak.

  “Hell no, I’m not—” I stopped mid-sentence as the pile of coins in their hands doubled.

  I sighed but complied. As soon as I did, the man’s eyes widened, and he fainted on the spot.

  Hank and Daelan lost it. They collapsed to the ground, laughing so hard they could barely breathe.

  “I can’t—I can’t believe he actually fainted!” Hank managed between gasps.

  Daelan wiped tears from his eyes. “This is the best day of my life.”

  I groaned, pulling the cloak tighter around me. “I hate you both.”

  Marge and Haley, who had wandered over to see what the commotion was about.

  Daelan and Hank immediately compose themselves as to not get chewed out by Marge. While still holding their laughter.

  She looked around the situation and just let out a sigh probably thinking I don’t have enough energy for this and leave us be.

  Once the girls were out of sight, Hank and Daelan erupted into laughter all over again. They shoved the coins into my hands before doubling over and collapsing to the ground.

  I left them to their amusement and bought the dagger I’d been eyeing. With the spare coins, I also purchased a hooded cloak and a scarf to cover my face.

  Later, I spotted Marge and Haley browsing through some… intimate clothing. Haley was holding one adorned with a cute cat drawing, her face lighting up as she examined it. Not wanting to intrude, I decided to hang back, keeping a discreet distance as I tailed them.

  When they moved on to browsing magic staves, I saw my chance. I approached Marge to return her cloak, placing a hand on her shoulder.

  Without even turning around, she spoke in a low, threatening tone. “Do anything stupid, and you’re going to be turned to dust.” Her presence was suffocating, and I immediately regretted my decision.

  Before I could react, I felt something press against my abdomen. It was the magic stave she had been examining moments earlier, now pointed directly at me.

  “It’s me, Delios!” I said quickly, my voice tinged with panic. I yanked off my hood and scarf, revealing my face in hopes of diffusing the situation.

  “Oh,” she replied, lowering the stave. Her threatening aura vanished as quickly as it had appeared. “Geez, Delios, don’t sneak up on people with that getup!”

  “Ha-ha, sorry,” I said, my voice still trembling slightly. “Here’s your cloak back.” I handed it over, trying to steady my nerves.

  Haley, who had been completely oblivious to the tense exchange, turned to me with a warm smile, her cheeks tinged with the faintest hint of pink. “Oh, hi, Delios!” she greeted cheerfully, as if nothing had happened.

  After that, I joined the girls in their shopping. They had so much money that it took them all day to finish. By the time they were done, most stalls were either closed or closing. They also took the opportunity to make me carry all their purchases.

  When we checked on Daelan and Hank, we found them asleep on the ground, exhausted from laughter. They didn’t seem bothered by the cold, likely too satisfied with the day’s events.

  Marge kicked them awake, and we all headed home. Daelan and Hank split off, while I stayed behind to carry the girls’ items.

  After dropping off their things at their house, Marge handed me a magic device without a word. It was a pencil-like tool that used magic stones to write, making it usable indefinitely, unlike a normal pencil.

  She gestured for me to leave, and I did. Then went home.

  End.