~winter's bell~ || a harvest moon story


Amber Becker

head baker & owner of becker's bakery




Amber found herself chuckling along with Ruby as she watched her son and Pancake play. The pair were criminally adorable together. "Well, he's not wrong," She grinned, tucking away the coins into a pouch on her hip, "There's still no beating festival food in my books,"

Her eyes visibly lit up as Ruby mentioned her orchard and the apples within. "Too much apple pie? I've never heard such blasphemy," She laughed in mock surprise, holding up one hand to her heart. She shifted back to a warm grin, "Actually, I was wondering if I might be able to buy a few bushels from you again this year. They're just perfect for Oma's Apfelkuchen, between Dad and Isaac, it's a miracle I get any out at all."

"The sugar dealing business is going very well, might sell out before the end of the day with a bit of luck," She chuckled, "I have more excited adult customers than kids, so nothing is new there."

The baker was cut off by a scream and a sudden commotion. She moved to investigate, brow furrowing in concern. It looked like Miss Hernandez had hurt herself, but the situation seemed to have resolved itself with the appearance of the good doctor and a kind stranger. "Poor Mary," She murmured, half to Ruby, half to herself. The stranger however, had caught her eye, he didn't look like the typical tourist they brought in. Did he just pull a compress out of his pocket? She leaned in toward Ruby, dropping her voice just above a whisper. "The guy over there, with Mary and the doc, do you know him?"




 
⚜ theodore ivankov ⚜
Seems like people were inviting themselves over. Except... Theo had never seen this one. Cocking a brow at the other man, he eyed him up and down briefly with little subtlety. Okay, so the doctor wasn't exactly the most well-informed on the people in town. He knew faces but not names. But this guy... Was a face he'd never seen. Perhaps it wasn't right of him to be so taken aback considering the fact that it was a festival and such things could potentially attract tourists but... This was Winter's Bell they were talking about. Tourists only arrived to gas up and have a bite to eat. Other than that, the town was pretty much just a shuffle up of the same people everyday. "Ah." he started when the other offered his aid, as blankly as ever, "Alright."

The sudden appearance of a cold compress right from out of the newcomer's pocket made him blink, silent for a few moments, but he let Mary deal with the words of thanks. (What kind of guy just carried around a cold compress?) The wink only made him want to let Mary handle it more. He... Was not good with these types. Whatever type the other was. There were already too many people in his tent anyways. Opting to rustle through the first aid kit at the request for painkillers, he managed to find a small bottle of ibuprofen. Shaking it, the clattering inside only seemed to signal that there were a few pills in there, but he figured that would be enough. He set it beside the woman as she elevated her leg, the cold compress working its magic.

Shrugging, he leaned against the table slightly, crossing his arms. "If you want to sit here then you can. All I'm saying is that there are crutches available. Regardless of how we go about it, you need rest." He paused, adjusting his sleeves, "We don't have imaging equipment here anyways. If we want to get you checked up via x-ray, we're going to have to take you to the city."

Small towns didn't have x-ray equipment, mostly due to lack of funding. If anyone had any serious injuries, it was usually off to the city for them.
 
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☆ ruby rycroft ☆
The farmer raised a hand as if to jokingly shush the baker, shaking her head. "Aw, Amber. Y'all got first dibs. Always. Provided that I receive... Some free samples of whatever you bake up." she threw her head back with a loud laugh, one that never failed to signal to everyone with ears that she was having a great time. Inside voices? She'd never heard of what those were, pfft. "You'll be the first to know once I've got everything all packed up. Can't wait til Miles is old enough to start doing more than just pickin' apples off the ground and washing 'em off."

Miles, now on the ground with Pancake atop him, put up a hand, "Nuh uh, you should just have more kids so they can do work instead of me. Mhm. Isn't that right, Pancake?" his words seemed to come out a bit harsher since he was panting while rolling around, but Ruby rolled her eyes at him.

She opened her mouth to respond to the quip about sugar dealing when the scream caught hers and Amber's attention. "Damn." the redhead said, now straightening herself out, casual posture diminishing. And... Who was that guy? Not that unknown people didn't have a place in their town, but if there was anything Ruby had a hard time doing, it was keeping her nose outta other people's business. Shaking her head when Amber leaned in, she pressed her lips together, "Dunno. Never seen 'em before. Didn't hear anything from 'Ol Fairfield 'bout a new guy so... Maybe he's just visiting?" she suggested, still staring at the man.
 
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Isaac Becker

owner & proprietor of the winter bell market





Oh goddess above, all the years he'd lived in the town, and known Cam, and every time he heard that accent it still made him want to melt inside.
"Yeah, she was pretty insistent about the whole thing." He grinned, before chuckling to himself, not missing the sudden sheepishness of his companion. He wasn't one to let that pass. "You know if I didn't know any better, I'd say she had a thing for you. Then again, look at you, it's only natural."

"Thursday morning sounds good. Is it okay if I leave the co-ordination to you and Máire? She's running the show, I just let her know what goes where, what color it is, and supply the cake and coffee. Or the coffee at least." Despite his cheshire grin, it was Isaac's turn to grow sheepish now. He'd taken over the shop pretty much as it was, added a lick of paint and moved a few things around. This was his first time doing any level of building work, and it had been quite clear from his first meeting with Máire that he hadn't exactly done his research. She took firm, but gentle, control of the situation, and assured him that all she'd need from him were yes and no answers. He grinned at Cam again as he realized that he probably knew the woman better than most. "Tell me, is she always mildly terrifying or is that just me?"



 
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Máire O'Shea

owner of hogan's carpentry & joinery




Máire actually quite enjoyed the festivals, contrary to popular belief. To see the community pull together to create a spectacular of color, smells and sounds consistently and enthusiastically in this day and age really brought her joy. The celebrations themselves were a great distraction from the mundane every day, and an excuse for the carpenter to leave the house without a job for the day. Of course, there was more value to them than just an escape, George had taught her that. She mightn't be displaying, or running a stall, but it was important that she was seen to attend the festivals, to smile and interact with the locals. Without that goodwill, their customers were likely to find a less curmudgeonly pair to complete their work for them.

So far, she'd spent the day wandering the food stalls, sampling the good at each and picking up some treats for Spot. An old dog now, his temper was even grumpier than ever and long past entering the local show. The last thing she needed was him snapping at some sugar filled kid pulling at his remaining ear. He was a good dog underneath all that attitude though. If there was one thing guaranteed to happen at these festivals however, it was that an emergency handyman never went amiss.

That was how Máire found herself on her hands and knees, balancing one corner of a hat stall on her shoulder as she repaired the leg. Accidents, especially at festivals with large amounts of animals and children, tended to happen. "That should fix it, Mrs Murphy. Good as new." Máire gave the stallholder a small smile as she lowered the table to use all four legs again. She still spoke with a reasonably strong Irish accent, despite her years in the village. She shook her head as the woman offered payment, bid her a good day and continued on through the crowd, toolbox in hand. Festivals were also good places to get future business. A small kindness now, would be worth a lot more a year down the line.

The flower stall caught her eye, and the carpenter found herself drawn to the display alongside a woman she recognized as the town librarian. She quickly noted the prices, and while she wasn't a frequent visitor to the florists, her frugal mind was quick to note the mark up in price. It was coming up to George's anniversary again, and she liked to bring the old man flowers. She studied each with a keen eye, taking mental note on which ones she liked, and which ones the old man would have liked.

"You don't have anything potted, do you?" Máire asked inquiringly, trying to remember the name of the man behind the stall and coming up with a blank.



 
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──── cameron elliot.
Cameron liked compliments every now and again, but too much praise made him uncomfortable, especially when it came to appearances. Did he find Isaac attractive? Certainly. Did he want to be told that he himself was attractive? Not in the slightest. The thought made Cameron want to squirm, but he wasn't rude, and smiled a little bit to show he was appreciative no matter his instinct.
It was the mention of Máire liking him that made Cameron the most flustered. She never let on if that were true. He didn't know what to say, so he kept silent.
"Nah," said Cameron after Isaac's last comment. "She's not scary. Just private. I can get that. S'no one's business what she does in her free time, really. You'd have to get to know her to find out. Like a mystery I guess."
This was the most Cameron had ever said about anyone publicly. He shut his mouth moments later.


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──── mary hernandez.
"The city?" Mary questioned, her expression turned to one of fear. "Oh, no. No no no. I don't want to go to the city. I'm fine, actually! Look! I can walk perfectly." Mary tried to swing her leg carefully over the edge of the bench. Just the movement made the broken bone ache, and she cringed, but tried her very best to hide it. Her smile was bitten, lower lip clutched anxiously between teeth.
"Come on, Miss Mary," said Seth Thomas, the mailman. "No one minds taking you. You don't even have to worry about driving. One of us will take you. It's all we can do to repay you for bein' such a good teacher to our kids."
"No," said Mary again, firmly. "I insist. Please."
Whispers of confusion passed throughout the tent. Mary, suddenly very uncomfortable, yearned only to be home. "I wouldn't refuse a ride to my house, though, and I'm really grateful for the offer. I don't think I should bother anyone else with having to worry about me. I'll be fine! No need for the city at all."
 
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Emrys Jernigan
There weren’t many interested in the flower booth and Emrys was fine with that. He found comfort in the lack of people approaching him, despite the amount surrounding him on the meadow. However, when a female walked over the male straightened up eyes alarmed as he hoped that she wasn’t going to ask something too difficult, or worse strike up a conversation. Hands diving under the table the mute looked for his notebook and pen, readying himself for another awkward conversation.

Hua Jiang, Emrys recognised her from the gossips in the village. New people were rare in the village and especially those with a disability. While many avoided the male for his inability to hold a conversation many remained to chat with his mother, who was always overly happy to gossip away.

She was the new librarian, he recalled from what he had overheard and with that a slight blush bloomed up as well when he recalled something else he had caught from the villagers and his mother. Something much more embarrassing for himself as he was the subject involved with Hua Jiang. A moment he had wished he hadn't overheard, but had heard anyway because everyone had forgotten the male in the room, as per usual. Turning his face down to hide the blush Emrys started to pray that she wasn’t going to approach him and strike up a conversation.

He calmed down soon after, however. Realising that Hua Jiang wasn’t coming over to his desk Emrys slowly dared himself to look up again. Her only words were directed at the parrot that flew with her as she examined the toad lilies. Gulping Emrys relaxed, softening up his tense expression as he pulled out a bunny tail for the parrot that was approaching him. A little smile played across his face as the animal hopped closer, curious about the little soft crown that dangled from the plant.

"You don't have anything potted, do you?"

The sudden question caught him off guard. Nearly falling from his seat Emrys’s blue eyes turned up wide at the sight of the carpenter Máire his breath growing just a little ragged as he tried to compose himself and form an answer. Opening and closing his mouth he quickly stood up, startling the animal on his desk who flew back to its owner again, as he dusted himself off from any imaginary dust.

“Ahem,” he scraped his throat, which really was the only sound he generally made before his hands waved towards the flowers he had. Striding over to where the toad lilies was the male shyly bowed his head to Hua Jiang before quickly picking up a monkey face orchid. Turning around quickly Emrys made his way over to the desk. Setting the plant onto the table Emrys pulled the notebook towards him along with his pen and with quick and surprisingly steady hands the male wrote:

’The monkey face orchid is a potted plant? Latin name is: Dracula Simia, which sounds cooler and it smells slightly like orange? Should be pretty easy to take care of. Needs to soak into the water once a week and plenty of sun.

Nervously Emrys pushed the notebook towards Máire, lips sucked inwards as he took in a deep breath to calm himself down. All the while he avoided any eye contact, his movements awkward and twitching as he tried to calm himself down. Realising that in all his haste he had forgotten to write down the price, and if it was a present, and what experience she or the intended had with plants--- Scratching the back of his head Emrys wondered if she would ask about it or if that he had better write it down now. Sign language was hardly going to help and he wasn’t sure how it would come across if he started to wave his hands around in the air.

@Absinthe @PavellumPendulum
 
Edith Gerhardt
Realising that she had already chased the female away Edith’s expression softened further, guilt building up as she let go of a sigh. Nothing unusual, just resident bitch Edith at work. Spying some villagers stare at her pointedly Edith knew that they had witnessed the scene as well, which meant that there was little to remedy.

“Neither am I, it seems,” she responded with a breath. Leaning over she finally let the kitten paw over to the owner-to-be as she turned around towards the booth desk.

“Call me Edith please,” she continued as she pulled out a book, elegant fingers tapping as she went down a list.

“It won’t have a family tree since it isn’t a full breed, but it is a lovely healthy kitten nonetheless,” Edith continued after a minute sliding into full-business mode. Pulling out some documents the female quickly filled in the forms, leaving a few blanks that would require Soojin to fill out herself. “The kitten already had its first vaccinations, so you will only need to follow up once in a while,” she continued. “If that is alright with you then the kitten is yours for 3000 G. You can pay in terms or upfront, depending on what you prefer.”

Pulling out a bag of snacks she fondly fed the kitten some. It was sad to let the thing go, but it was part of her daily job.

“It has no name yet, so if you have any in mind,” Edith informed the newcomer with a smile, pen tapping on the desk twice before she turned it over to Soojin. Naming animals was always Edith’s favourite part, though she rarely got to do it.

@moffnat
 
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Sander Sudworth
The people whispered, as should be expected. The sudden cold compress was a strange thing in itself, along with his even stranger and unfamiliar appearance. Sander shifted uncomfortably, finding himself suddenly in a situation he hadn’t thought through yet. He should have been less eager, offered his arm instead and make a wise observation that could have helped the situation. Something like white willow bark being helpful to ease the pain.

The fear in the woman’s eyes when the city was mentioned didn’t go unnoticed. Blinking the warlock gave the woman a look wondering what it was that made her dislike the city so much, or what she was hiding. However, as someone from the time and with his own fair share of secrets the male didn’t push, chuckling instead to take away the attention.

“I do quite dislike the city myself,” he casually shared with the group, trying to lighten up the mood. “All that pollution,” he continued smoothly as he quickly graced over to the woman. No matter her insistence it was pretty obvious that she was in pain and that Sander found hard to watch. Hand hovering over the ankle she had hurt and swung so wildly to support her cause the man smiled at her.

“The name is Sander, if you want I can help you home?” he offered. Never touching the skin Sander merely hovered --feeding some magic over the injury as if exchanging warmth-- before he swept over to offer his arm to the woman. Though the ankle wasn’t fully healed the worst of the pain should have ebbed away, just enough to convince the rest that the city wasn’t needed and for the woman to move without needing to faint from the pain.

@moffnat @PavellumPendulum
 
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❀ hua jiang ❀
Honestly, it would've done her some good to talk to people more. She'd exchanged pleasantries on the street and the like but she really did not know many around here. Sure, she'd scolded Jin for doing everything he could to leave this town as often as possible but... How was she any different considering how she spent her time cooped up in the library, her only company being her pet bird? The sentence seemed even sadder now that she'd thought it. Sneaking a glance at the man in the booth, he seemed to be doing his darnedest to pretend she wasn't there either. The slight smile on her face faltered as she flicked her gaze back to the flowers. Ah, it was probably best not to bother him. His head was slightly turned away from her now too, as if to signal even more that he was not available to exchange a word or two. Feeling a bit uncomfortable now, she awkwardly continued to eye the flowers, gently pushing a lock of stray hair back behind her ear after it had brushed her cheek.​
Pachelbel's sudden return to her made her blink, confused, staring at the other. Oh. Another person had entered the stall. The florist seemed to practically jump out of his skin. Hushing the squeaking bird upon her shoulder softly, Hua turned her gaze back to the conversation, only to see the man... Right beside her. She opened her mouth to say something, anything, but he was already off with a bow and a toad lily in tow, speaking to the other customer. Right. Ah. Gosh, she was terrible at this.​
Her bird flew atop her head to gain a better perspective of the other two in the tent, twittering away loudly as per usual, despite her hushing. Hua, in turn, contemplated actually purchasing something so she could stop rattling her head with ideas on how to speak to someone who did not seem to want to speak very much.​
Staring pointedly at some more flowers, she stood.​
 
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⚜ theodore ivankov ⚜

Well, that wasn't surprising. He wasn't sure if he'd ever seen Mary leave the boundary of the city. Then again, it's not like he saw her often. Regardless, the fear in her eyes just made him shrug. "You need rest. And to stop stubbornly trying to move it." he gestured at her leg with an unimpressed expression, eyes narrowing at her reckless attempts to prove that she did not, in fact, need to be taken to a city hospital. The pain was evident in her features, shining through that uncomfortable smile of hers. He'd roll his eyes at her, if he did not have the least bit of manners. He wouldn't force her to go, but moving around too much would only work against her.

The stranger, stepping forwards and addressing himself as Sander, offered her some help home. Well, if he wanted to be the gentleman here, the doctor was more than willing to mind his own business. Theo raised a thick brow at him, but leaned against his table, crossing his arms. "It's up to you." he stated, eyeing Mary, "I'm still willing to take you to the clinic if needed." He began putting away the parts he'd taken out from the first aid kit, still seated casually.
 
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──── soojin park.
Soojin, no matter how uncomfortable, had to think long and hard about a name. She should've had one picked the moment she saw her new furry friend. That's how it had been with Misty -- her tuxedo had a black spot on her side in the shape of a raincloud, leading to her name. This little fireball was a little less obvious.
"Hm. Um." Soojin bit her lip. Perhaps she would think about it while she collected the money. She propped the kitten up on her shoulder, where he sat contentedly while chewing her hair, and Soojin retrieved her wallet from her bright red purse. She counted the notes individually before handing them over to Edith. "3000 G," she said. "And I'll name him Sunny. Thank you very much."




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──── mary hernandez.
Mary was stuck at a crossroads. On the one hand, she did not know this stranger named Sander, and every fiber in her post-traumatic being shivered at the thought of riding alone in a car with someone she didn't know. On the other hand, Doctor Ivankov seemed hardly thrilled at the idea of leaving for the clinic, and Mary was never one to respond enthusiastically to those who weren't warm in nature. She felt as though he'd be glad to get rid of her. Not to mention, she didn't get any off vibes from Sander. Nothing threatening, at least.
"Perhaps you could check in with me tomorrow, doctor?" Mary suggested. "I'd really hate to be more of a bother, and it would be so rude of me to refuse such a nice person's offer to take me home. I'll ice my ankle and keep my weight off it as prescribed, of course! Then you can swing by tomorrow and decide whether or not I'll need to come to the clinic?"
Despite the pain, Mary once again offered a smile.
 
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Máire O'Shea

owner of hogan's carpentry & joinery



The young man's reaction to her presence was enough to catch Máire off guard, startling her. She found herself glancing down to make sure she wasn't holding any of her tools - people tended to be jumpy if you started asking questions with a hammer or a saw gripped in one hand. A bird she hadn't seen flew back up to it's owner, twittering away to anyone that might listen. She tried an apologetic smile, but he'd already skittered off from behind the desk.

Her eyes flicked back over to the woman with the missing arm, standing awkwardly in front of a display of flowers. It slowly clicked with Máire that she might have interrupted something, and she felt her cheeks flush a little bit. "Sorry, I-I didn't mean to interrupt something." Reading the room wasn't a talent that she was gifted with. She tried another slightly awkward smile as the young man approached - he had a Welsh name, she was sure of it - with a rather pretty plant in hand. She watched with some confusion as he scribbled something down on a nearby notepad and pushed it towards her like she might bite him.

"Ah, cheers," Máire muttered, quickly reading what he'd written. It was a pretty plant, and sounded almost perfect. She looked up to ask some more questions, but hesitated slightly when she saw how nervous he was. "It's lovely, how much? I need an outdoor plant though, will it hold up?"



 

Amber Becker

head baker & owner of becker's bakery




"Yeah, Mr Fairfield didn't mention anything to me either. I don't recall Isaac gossiping about anyone new, not since the tailor moved in across the street," Amber shrugged, tearing her eyes away from the scene back to face Ruby. It was rude to stare after all, especially when the situation was in hand. If Ruby, the mayor, and her cousin didn't know who the mysterious visitor was, then he probably was just another tourist or visiting relative. She smiled softly, straightening up again as she spotted another customer approaching. "I'll guess we'll have to wait and see. Never a boring day around here, right?"

She greeted her incoming customer with a smile, exchanging a loaf of bread and a box of cookies for a handful of coins. "Next samples up are going to be some breads I think. Mom brought me back some recipes from the old country, I'm still working out some of the kinks," Amber said as she turned her attention back to Ruby with a grin, raising her voice a little to make sure Miles could hear her. "I could really use help from two hard working farmers to make sure they taste just right,"

Another customer approached out of the corner of Amber's eye, and she flashed an apologetic smile to the farmer. "Sorry Ruby, d'you mind if we catch up a little later? The lucrative sugar business calls,"






Isaac Becker

owner & proprietor of the winter bell market





"Sorry man, didn't mean to make you uncomfortable," Isaac apologized with a small smile, spotting the flicker of discomfort that passed across Cameron's face. He wasn't sure exactly what he said, but he knew better than not to apologize after possibly upsetting the man in charge of the electrics in his shop. His defense of Máire caught Isaac a little unaware, he didn't think he'd ever heard Cameron say so much about a person before. A smile tugged at his lips. "Yeah, I have a feeling you're right. I guess I'll need to keep on trying to win her over,"

"I'll head on over to Amber's stall, make sure she doesn't want to take a break." Isaac grinned, nodding in the direction of the baker's stall. What he really meant was that he wanted to show off his new friend and possibly snag some more snacks. "Good time to put your order in for what kinda cake or pastries you'd like for Thursday."



 
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☆ ruby rycroft ☆

Ruby, being ever so bad at keeping her nose in her own business, stared at the group for a few moments longer before turning her gaze back. The doctor hadn't seemed pleased, but then again, Dr. Ivankov never really seemed to be the type for happiness. He was more of a... Silently frowning with his arms crossed kind of man. Perking up at the mention of bread, the red head flashed a grin. "I was going to be happy no matter what it was, but now that you've told me, I'm even happier." she mused, shifting her balance from her left leg to her right excitedly, obviously reaching the point in the conversation in which staying still was far too difficult of a task for her.​
Miles screeched something beneath Pancake's belly in response to the other's statement, though it was muffled under all the fur. Pancake was mostly definitely too excited as well, seeing how he was currently suffocating her son. Waving goodbye at the baker, Ruby hurriedly said, "Oh, uh, yeah, see ya! Good luck, girl!" before rushing to her son's aid, attempting to wrestle the dog who oftentimes forgot he weighed far more than a mere pup. Looks like the three of them needed to work the excess energy off before attempting any more conversation for the day.​
 
Emrys Jernigan

With all his nerves running high Emrys hadn’t noticed the equally pensive look on Hua Jiang’s face. Nor did he catch on the look of confusion from Máire, mistaking it for one of judgement. She must think Emrys to be some weirdo, or worse, a stuck up that found himself above speaking or so. When he realised that he had made his assumption too quickly the male took in a sharp breath, trying to calm his mind as he straightened up, pulling the orchid back.

“Ehm…” he tried again, but his voice froze once more, his throat feeling like it was swelling up. Avoiding Máire’s gaze Emrys dove towards his notebook again quickly scribbling down what he wanted to say.

'I’m sorry.'

Pushing the notebook towards the carpenter Emrys first wanted to make that clear before he continued to write.

'The monkey face orchid isn’t an outdoor plant. The monkey flower, however is similar in form, but will survive the garden. Though the snapdragon is more popular. Otherwise the toad lily Hua Jiang is looking at is lovely as well.'

Scratching the back of his head Emrys gave Máire a shy look before averting his eyes once more. If he could speak he would have apologised a dozen times more, but writing ‘I’m sorry’ was cumbersome and a waste of paper, so he avoided it.

Sander Sudworth

Perhaps Sander had been too forward in his offer of help. Both the village doctor as well as the female seemed uncomfortable in one way or another and the warlock had a slight feeling that it was him. However, what was done was done. He had already forwarded his offer and he couldn’t turn back time. No matter how he would like that.

“Then all is decided?” he offered a smile. Digging his hand through his pockets he went to look for his keys in the endless dimensions sewn into his clothes, a realisation striking past his thoughts. “Perhaps it is best if a familiar face went with, I’m still quite new to the village,” he chuckled sheepishly a blush crossing his face. All these years and he still couldn't get a clue on how to navigate.

Edith Gerhardt

“Sunny,” Edith repeated, writing down the names and signing off the papers as Soojin paid the sum. Taking the money the blondine flashed the tailor a smile, replacing the money with a pen.

“Now sign here, here, and here and we will conclude our business,” the Gerhardt female continued, fingers tapping on the blanks of the paper. Flashing her eyes over to her waving parents Edith held in her breath. Right. The animal contest. Another Gerhardt responsibility.

“Thank you for your purchase,” the woman breathed to Soojin airily once the formalities were rounded off. Handing the newcomer a bag of goodies as well --courtesy of today-- she then turned around after gathering everything together and storing them away securely. "Feel free to drop by if you have any questions or encounter any problems with the little one, I will drop by next week for a general check-up," the woman informed Soojin before one of the Gerhardt employees came to take over the booth. Good time as well, since the tailor seemed eager to get away from her.
 
⚜ theodore ivankov ⚜

He wasn't very surprised with her choice. He was perhaps a bit thankful as well, considering the fact that the only thing he could make good conversation with was a brick wall. Of course, Mary was the polite type, adding quickly that he could visit her the next day to check in on the status of her ankle, and he nodded curtly in response. It wasn't necessary in the slightest to attempt to keep the social equilibrium between them, since his grandfather could go check on her in his stead in order for her not to feel uncomfortable, but he didn't bother saying anything. That pained smile of hers was not pleasant to see but it was obvious that she would attempt to plaster it over her face until all were out of sight. It was a curious stance indeed, to refuse to let others see you in pain, but... Whatever. It wasn't quite his business.

In the end, it hadn't really mattered anyways, since Sander was new to the village. "Ah. Right." Theo sounded out the words blankly, staring at the blush rising onto the other's cheeks, "I'll come with then. It's not far." Offering a hand to help the woman up, he gestured towards the more residential area of Winter's Bell for Sander to see.
 
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──── cameron elliot.

Cameron chuckled. "Will do." He waved goodbye to Isaac when he departed, knowing in his heart that he couldn't care less about sweets and cakes or whatever food Isaac would offer while he was working. He would get to be around Máire. The rest didn't matter.
Cameron walked away, feeling as though his time at the festival was well-spent.


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──── soojin park.
Soojin nodded, then bowed out of respect. "I will. Thank you very much." She bowed once more before turning to leave rather quickly, exhaling only when she was out of sight of Edith. The little orange ball of joy in her arms seemed oblivious to his owner's distress, having fallen asleep on her way home. She hoped Sunny and Misty got along, but that was a future worry. She forced herself to stay present, breathing deep from the fresh air, and making sure she was calm before she entered her humble abode.
The animal festival was mostly a success, right?


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──── mary hernandez.

"Goddess, you guys are sweet. Thank you so much." Mary slung her arms around the shoulders of the two men, wincing as she limped across the fields. She assured everyone that she would be alright, for she would -- Mary had triumphed far worse than a broken ankle. She allowed herself to be taken care of for the remainder of the day, thanking those who came to see her, but she fell asleep that night dreading the inevitable visit to the city. She hadn't been there since... then. The reunion would not be pleasant.
 
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Máire O'Shea

owner of hogan's carpentry & joinery



Máire's heart went out to the poor kid. She wanted to say something comforting, reassure him that she wasn't out to upset him, but the words caught in her throat. That kind of thing didn't come naturally to her. Instead she awkwardly tried to avoid eye contact, hoping that not staring him down might put him more at ease. It didn't seem to be working all that well.

The carpenter's brow furrowed slightly in confusion as she read his next message. Sorry? What was there to be sorry about? He was writing again before she could formulate a proper response. She shifted her weight a little anxiously as she watched him write. "Toad lily, huh?" She murmured, turning towards the booth's final occupant to glance at the flowers next to her. She smirked softly. Yeah, that suited the grumpy old toad alright.

"Perfect. I'll take the toad lily," Máire returned the florist's shy smile, although her eyes were drawn back to the orchid again. She felt a bit guilty for making him so nervous, and the flower was very pretty. She scratched her ear awkwardly for a second. "And, sure, I'll take the orchid too. Might brighten up the house a bit."



 
— THURSDAY, SPRING 34 —
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──── cameron elliot.
Cameron woke that Thursday morning with a mix of excitement and dread. Isaac Becker was a good man to work for — he always fed Cameron well when he needed a job done, paid him fairly, and insisted on a tip for the extra care and effort Camerone showed. Cam was drawn to the work. He was also drawn to Máire O'Shea, though, and she was more than ample distraction for Cam. It would take a little extra focus for him to stay on track and not hammer a nail into his hand on accident. It wouldn't take much.

Cameron intended to arrive at the grocery store before Máire, so he woke, showered, dressed and ate a simple breakfast before leaving early from his humble home at the edge of town. His walk was brisk. He arrived at the grocery store fifteen minutes before he was scheduled, and without seeing anyone initially, he waited at the front register for Isaac to direct him.

And he didn't see Máire. Not yet, at least. Was that a good thing?



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──── mary hernandez.
Mary did not want to go to the city. She sat on her porch at the crack of down, perched on the steps in a thick cardigan and a floral maxi dress, holding her arms tight to her chest. She'd already taken two doses of Xanax. Why couldn't she take one more? Mary thought about it briefly before shooting the idea down, convinced it would do more harm than good. The last thing she needed was a stay in the hospital; visiting was bad enough.
Sander, the newcomer, was going to take her to the city today. She didn't know anything about him, but after weighing her options, she would rather a stranger witness her having a... breakdown... should the occasion call for it, rather than someone she already knew. Sander seemed nice enough. Eclectic, if a bit odd, but the odd ones were Mary's favorites. Maybe she would get to know him. Distract herself from her plight. Who knows, maybe the mysterious Sander would end up settling down in Winter's Bell? There's nothing the town would like more than another resident to welcome to the ranks.
She waited patiently for Sander to arrive. Legs tucked to her chest.
 
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