The morning sun bathed the town in a soft golden hue as Damien and Arielle prepared for their next destination—the orphanage where Milo, the young orphan boy Damien had saved during his very first day in the town lived.
“And the orphanage?” Damien asked with visible interest. He’d been the one to suggest their visit after all.
Arielle explained the current state of the orphanage, her tone growing more serious.
“Miss Leerayne, the caretaker, has done an amazing job keeping everything together,” Arielle began. “The orphanage wasn’t damaged during the attack, thankfully, but… well, it’s complicated.”
Damien arched an eyebrow. “Complicated how?”
Arielle sighed. “After the fight, a lot of people who lost their homes ran to the orphanage for shelter. Leerayne welcomed them with open arms, of course, but it’s put a lot of strain on resources.”
“They’re rationing meals now, trying to make the food last longer. But with over ten times the mouths to feed, it’s not looking good.”
Damien was silent for a moment, processing her words. “So, it’s warm-hearted chaos?” he finally said, a faint smirk tugging at his lips.
Arielle rolled her eyes. “You could say that. But it’s not sustainable. They’re running out of food faster than they can figure out how to get more.”
Damien nodded thoughtfully, his gaze distant. “We’ll figure something out.”
As they continued walking, an idea began to form in Damien’s mind. He slowed his pace, glancing around the market street they had just entered.
Stalls lined both sides of the road, few merchants calling out to passersby to check their wares. The aroma of fresh bread, spiced meats, and ripe fruit filled the air.
“Arielle,” Damien said, a mischievous glint in his eyes. “Let’s go shopping.”
“For food?” she asked, raising an eyebrow.
“For everything,” Damien replied with a grin.
“Uhm, sure.” Arielle responded with a nod.
The duo dived into the market, Damien’s enthusiasm catching Arielle slightly off guard. Their first stop was a vegetable vendor with baskets overflowing with colorful produce.
“We’ll take… all of it,” Damien announced, gesturing broadly at the selection of carrots, potatoes, onions, and more.
The vendor’s jaw dropped. “A-All of it?”
“Yes, all of it,” Damien said, pulling out a pouch heavy with coins.
Arielle laughed, shaking her head. “You’re going to buy the entire market at this rate.”
“That’s basically the bulk of the plan,” Damien said with a wink.
They moved to the next stall, where a butcher was slicing fresh cuts of meat. Damien placed an order so large that the butcher had to call his assistant to help pack everything. From there, they hit a bakery, sweeping the shelves clean of bread, rolls, and pastries.
“You’re like a kid in a sweet store,” Arielle teased as Damien grabbed a bag of flour from another vendor.
“And you’re the chaperone making sure I don’t go overboard,” Damien shot back, though his grin suggested he had no intention of stopping anytime soon.
Their shopping spree continued, with Damien and Arielle picking up everything from sacks of rice to jars of honey and even a barrel of fresh milk.
At one point, Damien stopped at a spice stall, sniffing a small jar of something fragrant. “What do you think, Arielle? Too fancy for an orphanage?”
Arielle rolled her eyes. “I think the kids will survive without imported saffron.”
“Fine,” Damien said, setting it down with mock disappointment. “But I’m getting the cinnamon sticks.”
As their haul grew, they realized they needed help transporting everything. Damien didn’t want to store things in their void key so he called forth Aquila, his Griffin, whose sudden appearance caused a stir in the market.
“Don’t mind the bird,” Damien said casually to the gawking merchants as Aquila let out a low cry and stretched its wings.
Arielle shook her head, suppressing a laugh. “You’re unbelievable.”
Aquila was soon laden with bags of food, its sharp eyes scanning the crowd as if daring anyone to try and take what it was carrying.
“You sure this is enough?” Arielle asked, surveying the mountain of supplies they’d accumulated.
Damien smirked. “Never hurts to go overboard.”
Their final stop was a candy stall, where Damien insisted on buying a bag of brightly colored sweets.
“For the kids,” he explained, tossing the bag into Arielle’s arms.
“You’re going to spoil them,” she said, though her smile betrayed her amusement.
“They deserve it, after all the town had been through.” Damien replied simply. “It’ll take their minds off the recent incident.”
~~~~~
With Aquila carrying the bulk of their purchases, the pair finally made their way toward the orphanage.
As they approached, the sound of children’s laughter floated through the air, mingling with the clatter of construction from nearby rebuilding efforts.
Miss Leerayne, the caretaker, was outside, tending to a small garden. She looked up as they approached, her expression shifting from surprise to delight as she recognized them.
“Damien! Arielle!” she called out, wiping her hands on her apron. “What brings the both of you here?”
“We thought we’d bring a little something for the kids,” Damien said, gesturing to Aquila.
Leerayne’s eyes widened as she took in the sheer volume of supplies. “A little something? This is… this is incredible!”
The children, curious about the commotion, began gathering around, their faces lighting up as they saw the bags of food and treats.
“Is that candy?” one of the younger boys asked, his eyes wide.
Damien crouched down, holding out the bag of sweets. “You bet it is. But you’ve got to share, okay?”
The boy nodded eagerly, clutching the bag as if it were the greatest treasure in the world.
As the supplies were unloaded and organized, Leerayne’s gratitude was evident. “I don’t know how to thank you,” she said, her voice full of emotions. “This will make such a difference for the kids—and for everyone else here.”
“It’s nothing,” Damien said, waving off her thanks. “Just make sure everyone gets enough to eat.”
Arielle smiled, watching as the children swarmed around Damien, their laughter filling the air.
Despite his usual aloofness, he seemed completely at ease among them, handing out small treats and joking with the older kids.
“You’re a softie, you know that?” she said quietly, stepping up beside him.
“Don’t let it get out,” Damien replied with a smirk.