I lie on the grass near the river, drying myself by the mid-afternoon sun. Gorm and Graem lie next to me, similarly occupied with enjoying the warm rays. We lie in silence and I find myself once more playing with my locket. Watching the beautiful glints of light caught against its curved silver frame.

“You boys dressed?” Laela calls out interrupting my train of thought. I sit up and look around but can’t see her.

“We are,” Graem calls out to the sky. “Come out, its fine.”

Laela and Jaed step into our little clearing with wet hair clinging to their faces.

“Glad to see you all soaking up the rays and I assure you I would love to spend a bit more time drying off myself. But we have places to be, right team?” Laela stands before Graem her shadow falling over his face.

“We do?” Gorm asks quizzically.

“Yes Gorm, remember we’ve got to get Reed some new clothes.”

I let go of the silver chain and my locket falls down gently against my chest. “Laela, I don’t have the coin to get replacement clothes.”

“Yeah.” Laela glances at Graem. “We know that. That’s why Graem and I decided to pay for them. You’ll just have to owe us.”

“I can’t accept that. I don’t want to be a burden on the group.”

Laela smirks. “Reed, as a group we’ve been thinking. If your pants take any more cuts… Well, let’s just say that is something nobody wants to see.” Jaed blushes and Laela continues. “Before the day is up, we need to get you some new clothes. It’s not up for discussion.”

“But-”

“More importantly,” Graem interjects, “Braed was right. You need better equipment. Getting you a weapon is out of our budget, but a pair of tough pants and a belt with a sturdy buckle can be arranged.”

“You’re really sure about this?” I address Graem, but my focus wavers between all of my companions. Graem nods firmly in response. I glance back to Laela and find the same sly smirk still present on her face. “Well, I guess I’ll be in your debt.”

“You can pay us back slowly with whatever coin you have left over after feeding Floofy.” Laela laughs. “Come on, up you all get. It’s time to go shopping!”

A wooden sign swings gently above me. The words ‘Elizabeth’s Boutique’ are etched artfully upon it, alongside a beautiful yet rustic painting of a ball of yellow yarn. A gentle reminder that there’s more to this fantasy world then just hunting goblins in a cave and drinking ale.

Beneath the sign, stands a door made of a beautiful white wood. It swings open and the pleasant chiming of a bell can be heard from deep inside the store.

Laela stands inside the doorway and frantically waves me in. “Hurry up Reed, we’re all waiting for you.”

Despite Laelas urgings I enter unhurriedly. I don’t intend on letting myself be led on a leash and leaving this place looking like some dorky renaissance era court jester without knowing what hit me. Still, I suppose even that would be better than my torn and grimy dinosaur pyjamas. The room is rather large and filled with tables covered in coats, cloaks, dresses, shirts, and pants. Wools of every different colour are stacked in open drawers built into walls. A couple of wooden mannequins display beautiful bright lace gowns.

“Hi, I’m Elizabeth. Welcome to my boutique. How may I help you today?” A voice calls out followed by a shriek. “Oh no, no, no! This will not do. We need to get you out of those dilapidated clothes immediately.”

I spin around but aside from the familiar faces of my adventuring group I am unable to discern where this Elizabeth is speaking from.

“Down here.”

I follow the voice’s direction and find myself face to face with some gracefully hovering elf looking creature the size of a Barbie doll wearing a luxurious, flamboyant red dress.

My jaw drops. “You’re Elizabeth?” I ask after consciously closing it. What am I even surprised about? I’ve nearly had my throat bitten out by a hobgoblin. Of course, there are fairies in this world. Why wouldn’t there be?

“Yes,” Elizabeth replies, “and I can tell with a single look what help you need.”

“Umm.” I glance at the amused faces of my companions. “Well yes, I’m here for new clothes.”

“New clothes! Of course, you are dearie! And you’ve come to the right place!”

“He’s looking for sturdy clothes that can endure the wear and tear of the dungeon,” Laela adds.

“Thank you dearie.” The fairy twirls around Laela’s head before flying back to me. “Adventurer clothes. Did you have any requests?”

“Umm.” Do I have any requests? “I guess, just make it cool.”

Elizabeth blinks. “Make it cool?”

“Yeah. Like, give me a leather jacket, or a cloak, or something?”

“Why certainly, that is easily arranged. What about colours or patterns? Would you like something resembling your current clothes?”

“Dinosaurs? No, no patterns thanks. No pinks or yellow either. Anything else is fine.”

“No patterns, no pinks, or yellows. Is that all?”

“Umm... Oh, I’d like really tough and comfortable boots, and something else I think.” Laela’s eyes catch mine jogging my memory. “A sturdy leather belt.”

“Though I’ll happily make you some thick soft socks; for boots you’ll need to find a cobbler or a leather worker. I can refer you to my cousin, one of the best leather workers in the city, he can also sort out the belt for you. Would you like a referral dearie?”

“That would be great, thank you,” Laela responds for me.

“Fantastic. Well then if there’s nothing else then I’ll take your measurements.”

“My measurements?” I look at the rest of my group for confirmation, aside from Laela who smiles warmly at me they have shifted their attention to considering the clothes within the store. Well, no one has voiced any concerns. “I guess so.”

“Perfect.”

There is a blur of movement as Elizabeth whirls into action, swiftly flying from one body extremity to the next. My arms are delicately raised and lowered and string finds itself wrapped around my torso, waist, and midsection. I try to follow Elizabeth’s movements, but growing dizzy I quickly give up.

A few seconds pass and Elizabeth appears hovering once more in my eye sight. “Right, I’ve got everything I need. Come back the same time tomorrow, I’ll have your clothes ready by then.”

“Thanks Elizabeth. We’d better hurry to your cousin’s before it’s dark then!” Laela swings open the door and pushes me out of the store as the bell chimes again. Wait, isn’t this exactly what I was afraid of?

Jaed follows behind a second later along with Gorm who is forced to stoop his large frame to exit without hitting his head.

I turn back to Laela. “Are you sure she’ll make something fashionable?”

“Elizabeth? Definitely, she’s the best!” Laela nods enthusiastically.

“I see. Then what about the directions?”

Laela stares at me blankly. “The what?”

“We didn’t ask Elizabeth how to get to her cousin’s store...”

Laelas eyes widen in recognition. “Oh right. Oh damn!”

Laela rushes back to the store entrance. The door swings open in front of her and Graem exiting nearly bumps into her. “Just a second bro, we still need to get the directions to her cousin’s store.”

“Not to worry.” Graem flourishes his hand brandishing a piece of paper. “I have a map Elizabeth drew up for us right here. We can get going now.”

“Great work!” Laela cheers snatching it out of his hands. “Let’s go!” she cries and then rushes our convoy to the next destination.

A short walk along a few cobbled streets later and we arrive.

“Thompson’s House of Fine Leather,” Graem announces. Compared with Elizabeths boutique this storefront is considerably less flashy.

Laela is already pushing open the door. “It’ll be dark soon, come on.”

No soft bell welcomes us this time. Instead, we are assaulted by the harsh acrid, stench of tanned leather.

“Thompson, you here?” Graem asks loudly.

There is a burst of movement in the corner of the room and another fairy, this one dressed in sturdy leather workman’s clothes, blurs into sight before us.

“O-well-o-well, what do we have here?” The fairy glances around the room. “A bunch of adventurers. How can I help you?”

“Thompson?” I ask carefully.

“The one and only.” Thompson smiles and flies closer to my face. “You here to get some shoes?”

I nod. “Shoes and a belt, yeah.”

“Right, easily arranged. Have a look around and tell me if you find anything you like.” He disappears in a flurry of motion.

The room is filled with leatherworks of all kinds. Large saddles are the most attention drawing, with many so complicatedly and unintelligibly designed that my mind bends trying to imagine the beasts they are placed upon. But, I’m here for belts and shoes, so I quickly walk past the saddles. Next, I end up against a table covered in leather gloves of all different sizes, from hands bigger than Gorm’s to those that might fit Thompson himself. How these tiny fairies are capable of making all this big stuff is beyond me, maybe magic? Whatever, the evidence speaks for itself. I continue to the next table upon which rests an assortment of boots. Finally, I’d almost forgotten what it was like to not walk around barefoot.

“Thompson. Are all these boots good enough for the dungeon?”

“Depends which floor you are planning to go down to. Up to the fourth everything here will take quite a beating before being torn through,” Thompson calls from a backroom. “Past that, it depends.”

“Go and try on some you like,” Laela warmly urges, “the fifth floor is a long way off.”

I turn and find Graem, Jaed, and Laela watching me patiently. Gorm amusingly is carefully trying on the biggest pair of gloves I had seen as I walked past. Black leather and fur covered; I’ve got to admit they suit him.

I turn back and pick up a pair of tall dark brown boots. The look like they’ll protect my shins and ankles well enough and that’s what really matters. Plus, they have the added bonus of making me look a bit like a pirate.

I put them on slowly and take a few careful steps throughout the room. “They fit!” I smile at my onlookers, pleasantly surprised to have found the perfect pair on first try.

“You like them?” Laela asks warmly.

“Like them!?” I can see it now, no more jagged dungeon rocks piercing my bare feet. A warm tear drips down my cheek. “They’re great! I finally have shoes.”

“In that case.” Laela turns to the backroom and shouts. “Thompson, we’d like to buy your shoes!”

“Wha-” Thompson's voice is interrupted by a loud clang as metal hits the ground in the back room. A few seconds pass and suddenly Thompson calls out again, “not to worry I meant to do that!” Then he once more appears in a flash of movement in our midst next to a counter.

“We’ll take the shoes Reed is wearing.” Laela gestures to my feet.

“Gloves too.” Gorm slaps the gloves on the counter Thompson is floating beside blowing him a few inches backwards in the process.

“I see, I see. Two and a half silver for the shoes, three and a half silver for the gloves.”

“What about the belt?” I ask.

Laela drops two silver and five coppers on the counter next to Thompson then turns back to me as Gorm places another three silver and five coppers. “We’ll settle finding a matching belt once you have clothes that fit.”

Thompson counts the coins that make up a sizeable portion of his size. “Thank you for your patronage.” He smiles.

We step out of Thompson’s leather store and find the city dark aside from scant lantern light.

“Reed, you’ve got no money to feed yourself tonight do you?” Laela asks concernedly.

“I have the two goblin ears from today’s haul. That’s about two coppers right?

“But you can’t sell them yet.”

“Well. No.”

“Come over to our families for dinner then.”

I go to respond but Laela cuts me off “Don’t say no, Ma and Pa won’t mind.”

I turn to Graem and he shrugs. “There’s no point arguing with Laela when she’s in a mood like this. Looks like you’re coming to ours for dinner.”

My lips curl inward and I nod slightly. “Thanks.”

Laela locks arms with mine. “Quickly now. Home’s on the other side of town and Graem and I are late as it is.”

Rushing the entire way, we arrive shortly at their family home. It’s a quaint little wooden building only characterized by a well-decorated candlelit kitchen visible through a glass-paned window. Graem steps up to the front door and knocks three times. A short while later the door opens to a short middle-aged woman with her hair up in a bun. She highly resembles Laela and were it not for her slightly wrinkled skin and a few grey hairs interspersed within her hair they might even be mistaken for sisters.

“Laela! Graem! You’re home.” The woman smiles widely.

“We are and we’ve brought a friend.” Graem gestures towards me as he shuffles past his mother into the home.

“Oh, and what was your name young man?”

“Reed.” I smile pleasantly and hold out my hand.

She holds out her hand and gently shakes mine before raising her gaze to my eyes. “Pleasure to meet you Reed. I’m Aeline. Please come in.”

Laela brushes past me and quickly enters her home. Behind her, I carefully follow. Aeline closes the door after me and then together we walk single file through their rather plain hallway towards the kitchen.

Laela turns and looks past me. “Busy day at the bakery?”

“It always is, it would be easier if your Pa and I had some help running the place,” Aeline replies.

Laela turns away before replying, “you know I inherited the adventurer’s urge from grandfather.”

Aeline sighs. “Yes. I’m afraid you’ve both taken after him and inherited the same wild streak.”

Graem opens the door to the kitchen before us and the warm scent of fresh bread wafts past us out through the home. Stepping inside the kitchen feels as warm and cosy as it looked outside. Inside sits a large circular table covered in a delicate white linen sheet. Behind the table a middle-aged man stands stirring a big wooden spoon through a cauldron of stew over a lit brazier. Though he looks far less like Graem or Laela then their mother, he shares their sharp brown eyes. Must be their father.

“You’re back late,” The man remarks gruffly.

“We had to go clothes shopping.” Laela replies.

He turns to stare his piercing eyes right at Laela. “Your mother was getting worried.”

“Samael.” Aeline crossly rebukes.

He turns to Aeline and gently smiles. “You were. Come on, stews ready.”

Graem and Laela sit down at either end of the large table.

“Samael, this is Reed, a friend of Graem and Laela’s. Reed, this is Samael.”

He smiles and nods at me while pouring another bowl of hot stew. I nod and smile back.

“I hope you’re hungry Reed. This is a family favourite.” Samael says while pouring another bowl of stew.

“Famished. In fact, that might be an understatement.” I reply before flopping myself down onto the closest remaining seat.

“Good.” Samael turns back to the stew.

“So, you’re also an adventurer Reed. How did you meet Laela and Graem?” Aeline asks while sliding bread out of a woodfire oven and putting it on the table.

Laela smirks while stirring her soup idly. “Now you are asking the right questions.”

“Well, I mean I wouldn’t say that. It’s kind of a long story.” I cough into my hand. “Why don’t you tell me the recipe to this family favourite.”

“We’ve got plenty of time.” Samael calls out pouring a final bowl of soup and bringing it before me. “I can give you the recipe after.”

I glance between Samael and Aeline as they each respectively join us at the table. Smiling patiently in my direction it’s painfully clear they expect me to elaborate. “Right okay then, let me tell you about my first day in Favel’s dungeon.”