A/N: Well, I am going to practice my fluff, if you don't mind. It's not my forte.

This fiction should be a series of chapters which can be read as drabbles or one-shots, which can (hopefully) be put together to create a larger story. It is in NO WAY related to the story game. This is just me messing around, trying to improve the fluffs. My plan is to update this (at least) weekly.

"Adeline! Adeline!"

His momma's hand tugged on his as she stood on her tiptoes to wave above the crowd of the market. "Over here dear! Woohoo!"

Having gained the attention of her quarry, she picked up her basket and pulled them through the sea of legs. It was busy today, and not having been to market all winter, Gunther felt very small, indeed. After several near-collisions and one almost-tumble (his fall only arrested by the comforting grip of his momma's warm fingers wrapped around his), they made it to where her friend was waiting by the apple cart.

"Adeline! How lovely to see you! It has been so long!" Momma dropped his hand and basket to give the woman a hug. Gunther looked up at the lady. She was taller than his momma and thin, her hair pulled back severely, with a stern-looking face. She did not look very nice, but she was smiling at Momma and cooing her hellos with the love of a long friendship.

"Oh, how I have missed you! Are you feeling better, dear?" She asked, once they parted. She stepped back but did not release his momma's hands. Concern pinched her brow. "The castle is not the same without your daily presence. I dare say it was a very dull winter without your laughter to brighten up the place."

Momma smiled brightly. "I am feeling better, thank you. Though I do find myself still tired. I missed my duties at the castle, but not as much as your mischief!"

The lady laughed heartily. It was a funny laugh. Like his Pappa's and not at all like his momma's gentle laughter. It bellowed frighteningly and was much too loud for a lady, ending with a snort. "I do not get into mischief." Momma laughed at this while her friend grinned. "Ok, perhaps I make mischief, but not so much without my favorite cohort!"

Gunther tugged on his shirt, kicking his foot in the dust while they talked. He fished out an errant booger and wiped it on his momma's skirt. It was nice to see Momma laugh but this was boring. Couldn't they go back to the stall with the goats and piglets? He liked chasing the piglets.

Catching his movement, the lady released his momma's hands, leaned over, and favored him with a smile. She was pretty, even if her hair was pulled back like his granny's. "And how do you do today, Gunther? Have you been good for your mother?"

Gunther shied away, pressing his face into Momma's skirt. The lady laughed.

"It is alright, dear." Looking back at Momma, she said. "He has grown so much!"

"And where is your little Jane, Adeline?"

"Well, she is right here!" The lady seemed surprised, then looked behind herself. When she didn't see who she was looking for, she spun around, the fabric of her dress flaring out around her legs.

Gunther saw a quick flash of a pair of shoes and two wide green eyes peering up from inside the lady's skirts. He giggled.

Having located the girl, Jane, the lady put her hands on her hips. "Oh goodness, she can be so shy sometimes." Stepping carefully, she extracted the small girl from between her legs. Sparse orange tufts of hair stuck out from odd angles. There wasn't much of it, but little there was was curly, framing her pink cheeks. Clutched between her chubby fingers was a small leather ball.

His momma squatted down beside him, putting an arm around his waist. "Gunther you remember Jane, don't you? You played with her at the castle." She looked up at the lady, laughing. "Still no hair? How you must lament not being able to bedeck her in ribbons!" She winked at the little girl. "Though I must say she's adorable with out them. A true beauty with her flawless pale complexion and high cheekbones! How proud you must be."

The girl, Jane, took an unsure step towards him. Then, with a toothy smile that scrunched up her nose, she held out the ball. "My ball!"

Unsure, Gunther took the ball from her.

She put her hands awkwardly info front of her, palms up. "Tow it!"

At his momma's urging, Gunther tossed the ball to the waiting Jane. It went right through her arms and rolled away. Scrunching up his nose in annoyance, Gunther retrieved the ball and handed it back to the giggling Jane.

The tall lady beamed at him. "Adorable! What a gentleman your Gunther is! And so handsome!"

Gunther's chest puffed up at the praise, of course he was handsome. His momma told him so every day.

"We were just going to go back to the castle for lunch," said the lady, "but it is such a fine day, perhaps a picnic is in order? We could let the children play and catch up on all the good gossip?" The lady waggled her eyebrows. "I know how much you like gossip…"

Momma laughed behind her hand. "I am sure I have no idea what you are talking about, but that sounds like a wonderful idea, nonetheless." She placed her hand on his head, smoothing his hair back from his face. Gunther looked up to her shining smile. "Would you like to play with little Jane, Gunther?"

Gunther looked at the giggling girl. She seemed nice enough. Not like his hair-pulling cousins. Jane noticed his interest and threw her ball with one stiff, pink arm. It landed short, rolling listlessly in the dirt to stop at his feet. "Yes, Momma."

"Wonderful!" She graced his upturned cheek with a kiss, then turned to the apple vendor. Gunther heard the *clink* of coins as purchased a few apples from the cart. "Come along, then." She took her friend's arm and slowly started making their way out of the market.

One fist in her mother's skirts, Jane toddled after them, watching him as they walked away. When Gunther didn't immediately follow, she released the fabric, and ran back to where he stood.

"C'mon!" Grabbing his hand with her pudgy fist, she pulled him forward until they were caught up.

Later, after a long afternoon of play, Gunther laid his head on his momma's shoulder while she carried him home.

"Did you have fun today, dear?"

"Mmhmmm," Gunther rubbed his eyes with a fist. He pushed himself up to look at her face, kicking his legs. "We played lots of games!"

Momma grunted at his sudden movement. "Oof! You are almost too big to carry!" She wrapped one hand around his swinging legs, stilling them. Then she shifted him onto his back, cradling him to her breast in a hug as though he were still a little baby.

He was not a baby, and might have said so, but she interrupted his pout by dripping a line of wet, smacking kisses all over his face and neck, making him giggle and squirm.

"What did you play?" she asked, righting him again.

"We played ball, and tag, and hide and seek, and even played knights!"

"Knights?" her voice was love and laughter. "How fun! Did You play nicely with little Jane?"

"Yes," he whispered, his next words a secret, "She is not so bad...for a girl."

His momma laughed. "Well, I am a girl too, you know."

Gunther's eyes went wide. "Really?"

"Yes, Gunther. Really." She sounded serious, but then she tickled his side. "You had a good day though? I know this winter was rather boring without anyone to play with."

"Yup! Jane got two sticks for swords and we chased off bandits!" Gunther swung his arm in demonstration, smiling widely at the memory. The bandits had been dragonflies, but the two pretend knights had made short work of their enemies, chasing them away from their small luncheon.

She placed another kiss on his cheek."How fun!"

It had been fun, but he was tired now, so he laid his head back down on his momma's. Gunther rubbed his face into the golden mass of her hair. He breathed in her familiar scent, lavender and soap, comfort and love. Exhaustion washed over him as he yawned. Gunther was suddenly very, very sleepy.

"Are you going to be a knight when you grow up?" She rubbed his back with her free hand.

"Or a merchant like your Pappa?"

Snuggling in deeper, Gunther mumbled his answer into her shoulder.

She hummed a pleasant assent, continuing their way home. Bundled in his mother's warm embrace and exhausted from a day of happy play, Gunther fell deeply asleep.