The market was packed. Even in the winter, the market of the monster village is full of life and colorful. The stalls were all decorated with ribbons and pearls, making each tent and stall look more different than the last. The air was full of different aromas of baked goods, drinks, spices, meats and smoked fish. Different types of monsters were walking around and going around their day, merchants selling their wares and goods, children laughing and running around as their parents talked with their friends while shopping. It was a lot to take in.
"Are you okay?" Dennis placed a hand on Twilight`s shoulder, pulling her out of her thoughts. She looked up at the tall Avarian and gave him a small smile. "Yeah, I`m just a little overwhelmed. I have never seen so many monsters in one place." Twilight said as she looked at all the different shops and customers. "I can only imagine." Dennis muttered as he followed her into the crowd.
"Are you to done?!" Ludo shouted from one of the tents, tapping his boot on the snow like an annoyed mother. Both rolled their eyes as they walk into the tent. It was a vegetable tent, sporting all sorts of crops. Ludo and Dennis started looking for the vegetables they need but Twilight was twirling around and looking at the shop in awe. Being someone who has never visited a shop, Twilight was fascinated with all different products and how the tent looks like something from a storybook, decorated with different fabrics.
Ludo was getting bored with his brother and turned his attention to their companion and was met with a surprising sight.
Twilight was looking around in wonder, maybe even more than Dennis. "What got you all happy? It is just another vegetable stall." Ludo was getting creeped out by Twilight`s curiosity. When their eyes met, the girl blushed hard and turned her gaze to the ground while pulling her hood even more over her eyes. "I apologize. I have never been at a market and in a shop." Twilight muttered into her scarf, peeking from behind the fabric. "Wait, you have never been in a shop or a simple market?" The Avarian was shocked. Even years ago, when Ludo and his family lived in their castle, Ludo still had to go shopping with his siblings and during his wild days, he still participated in trading with traveling merchants.
"I guess it is pretty silly that I get amazed by a simple tent but I can`t help it. When you live in a closed-off castle all your life with only a few servants and empty halls, you grow to appreciate the small things because they may be gone by the next morning." Twilight spoke with a calm voice as she looked at the lined up pumpkins next to her. "You lived in a basically empty castle for fourteen years?" Ludo walked next to her as he looked at the orange vegetable. "Why are you so smart?" he asked back. "I don`t know. I guess it is because I like to read." the Butterfly answered back. They both fell into a comfortable silence. Suddenly, Ludo started giggling to himself. Twilight raised her eyebrow and bowed down, bringing her eyes to his level and saw it. The leaves and vines from two pumpkins formed together to create a small image of a man slipping on a banana peel.
Dennis thanked the farmer and turned to his companions but found them giggling like idiots in the middle of the shop. "What got into you two?" Twilight and Ludo only started out loud laughing and walked out of the tent like two drunk friends. Dennis turned his attention back to the shocked farmer behind the counter. He quickly apologized for their behavior and left right after them.
Walking down the street, Ludo and Twilight calmed down as the trio made their way to the next stall. The younger Avarian brother kept a close eye on his brother who kicked snow in his every step but an even closer eye on Twilight. She was walking in front of them and looking around with a small smile on her face. She looked calm and curious but Dennis knew she has never been outside or at a public place like this. He had to chuckle at the memory of her shaking and panicking this morning before they came here. But she was handling this extremely well, considering her limited experience with other monsters.
Their next stall was a fabric stall. The stall was decorated with bright colors and shiny hanging gems. The owner of the stall was an elderly gnome woman. She was sitting on a tall chair and dressed in bright scarves and round glasses. "Good day, Fiona." Dennis greeted the older woman. "Oh, Dennis! It is so good to see you! Have you come to buy new materials or are you here for a chat?" Fiona had a cheerful, energized voice, despite her age. "Not today. I`m here for some materials and some new fur." Dennis answered with a smile as he looked at her different fabrics and sewing equipment.
Twilight saw Dennis at the fabric counter and Ludo had wandered off somewhere. Walking closer to Dennis, she looked at all the different colors and patterns. "Oh, my! What a beautiful cloak you have, dear!" Fiona shouted with excitement as she looked at the young monster with sparkling eyes. Twilight took an alarming step back as she looked at the merchant with wide, shocked eyes. But her cloak was indeed impressive. It was made from dark velvet with a blue underside to keep the owner warm. It also had soft, white fur sown on to the edges and it was held together by Twilight`s pendant. "You like it? I just finished it last night." Dennis spoke up as he looked at the older and younger female.
"It is very well made. Good job my dear!" the goblin praised Dennis as he scratched the back of his head. "Are you his friend? I have never seen you around before." Fiona turned back to Twilight. The girl opened and closed her mouth, not knowing what to say. She has met a handful of new monsters in her life but usually, she remained silent while her parents did the talking. "She is a friend who is visiting me and Ludo. Her name is Twilight." Twilight looked at Dennis who gave her a reassuring smile. "What a lovely name! My name is Fiona. It is a pleasure to meet you." the kind woman spoke with a smile. The Butterfly finally found her voice and smiled back sheepishly. "Likewise. It is a pleasure to meet you, Fiona." The older woman couldn`t contain herself and let out a childish squeal. "Oh, what manners! You don`t see many young ones with such poise and elegance these days." the goblin praised the teen. If Twilight wasn`t blushing before, she certainly was now.
"Don`t mind her. She is always this cheerful and happy." Dennis spoke up as he looked at the different fabrics. "I don`t mind at all. I just..." Twilight didn`t know how to finish that sentence. She has never met someone who had that much energy? Or is it Fiona`s kind words and bright smile that is throwing her off. "Dennis, I am going to walk around a little. Youcan come look for me at any time." Twilight only received a nod from her tall companion. Shaking her head, the girl turned away from the counter and walked into the busy crowd.
It was all scary but also so exciting and new. Twilight looked at the different monsters at the market. They were all just going about their business, smiling and greeting each other as they passed. A couple of young monsters ran past her, laughing and playing with snowballs. Twilight felt a twinge of hurt in her stomach. Is that what a normal childhood looks like? Carefree and happy? She can only remember training, lessons and very little time for herself in that cursed castle. But it wasn`t that bad. Twilight`s lips quirked a little as she remembered her friends from the staff and army: William, Max, Morgana and all the other servants and soldiers who were kind and helpful to her. What are they doing now? Did Morgana, Max and others who helped her get away or were they caught? Did they receive a painful punishment or did they got away with a warning? Did anyone get hurt? Or worse...
Twilight groaned as she felt a headache starting to bloom behind her eyes. She really hates her over-thinking brain sometimes. Pinching the bridge of her nose, Twilight made her way to the edge of the marketplace and stood in front of a frozen lake that the market surrounded. There were many monsters ice-skating on the frozen water, having fun and not knowing about the danger that lurks behind the mountains. It hit her just then. All of these lives were counting on her getting to the Butterfly castle and warning the king and queen. Thinking about the masses was one thing but actually seeing all the different souls living in these lands really made Twilight realize how huge all of this is. She groaned again. None of this was helping soothe the pain in her head. Then again, she has had headaches very often for as long as she can remember. Sometimes they happened out of the blue or even while she was sleeping. The medic back at the castle told her once she just has sensitive nerves in her head and brain, making headaches and even migraines happen often for her.
Twilight wanted to rub her cheeks to ease the pain but remembered the paint on them and restrained herself. Ludo mixed some easy paint to hide her marks. It felt kind of weird at first having the cold paste on her face but she was used to it by now.
"Look out!" came a sudden shout from behind her. When Twilight turned around, she was met with a snowball to the face. When she wiped it off she noticed the blue in the snow. Her paint came off. And the same kids who ran past her before were coming her way. Thinking quickly, Twilight pulled her scarf higher up, only shoving her blue and golden eyes. "We are really sorry about that. We kinda got carried away." the young girl in front of the group spoke. She was short, only reaching Twilight`s waist. She had brown hair with red tips tied into a small ponytail on top of her head. She also had two small yellow and orange horns, pointy ears and orange eyes. She was wearing a light pink coat. Curiously, she looked almost mewman with her human skin and dull teeth. The other kids behind her were frog type monsters, all wearing a different color of the same outfit. "Miss?" Twilight was pulled out of her musings when the girl spoke to her again. "It is okay, really. It was just an accident." she assured the kids. "Okay, sorry again. Bye!" The kids left, laughing and jumping around as they continued their game.
A while later, Dennis and Ludo found Twilight sitting on a rock near the lake, looking up at the clouds. "Hey, we are ready. Let`s go home." Twilight turned to the Avarian brothers and nodded, jumping down from her seat and walking out of the market with them.
At the entrance of the forest, Dennis suddenly stopped in his tracks. "Twilight, close your eyes." The girl raised an eyebrow at that. If he plans on attacking her, he is outmatched. Her wand may be back at the house but she has trained her entire life both in long-range and close courters combat. But the attack never came. Twilight felt how Dennis pulled down her hood and scarf. He fumbled a little bit with her hair as he tied something in it. "Okay, you can open them." She opened her eyes and Ludo handed her a small mirror from his pocket. Twilight took it and saw a little surprise in her hair. Dennis had taken a small section of it on her side and tied it up with a shiny blue ribbon with a pure white skull in the middle. It may look a little out of place to someone but it looked perfect on her.
"The skull is made out of moonstone and the ribbon reminded me of your eyes. So I decided to give you a small lucky charm as a gift." Dennis explained as he started walking again. "I like it but why? You have been taking care of me for the past week and helping me heal. Why this sudden gift?" Twilight was confused. Shouldn`t it be her making gifts for them for allowing her to stay at their home, giving her shelter, warm food and helping her heal? "It was actually Ludo`s idea. He spotted the ribbon with the skull at one of the jewelry stands and asked me to buy it for you. It his way of showing he cares and it is also an apology for sending you to our family`s castle." Dennis spoke with a wide smirk on his face, showing his sharp but yellow teeth. "Hey!" Ludo shouted at him, kicking snow at his brother`s feet.
"Curse you and your height!"
Hekapoo was standing at the gates of the Butterfly castle. Finally, a portal opened up and Ember stepped out, shaking snow from her head and laughing silently to herself. "Did you have fun spending the day with Bufffrog`s grandchildren?" her mother asked Ember as they walked up the stairs to the entrance.
"Yes! We had so much fun playing at the market today! I even met someone with blue and golden eyes!"