"Did you hear that church's got burnt down again!" Whispered a woman wearing a red shirt as tattered pants. "Really poor kids they'll get sold again won't they?" The man that heard the whispered said with a exasperated look on his eyes. "Poor them, the village tried to stop the church before but we couldn't" the woman shook her head. "Those scummy nuns and that pastor are the worst, I can't believe that they burn down their own church for money."
Zero using his magically enhanced ears heard what they were saying and had a spark of interest on what's going on. He took a deep breath enjoying the burning feeling of his lungs from the cold fresh air , before turning his tan body towards the whispering villagers. Without a second thought he got up and slowly started to walk towards both villagers.
"What happens to the kids on the church?" He asked raising his eyebrow a little to express interest. "Who are you kid? Haven't seen you around and the village is really small?" Asked the man now that he wasn't whispering his voice sounded hoarse barely legible. "I'm Luka my parents are merchants they came here to set up a stall and I heard your conversation!" Said Zero imitating a kid as much as he could. "Well, the kids get sent to a slave shop once they are five years old or older. That's what the rumors say anyways. Don't be sad they might jus be rumors and not true at all! How about we go to your parents shop , I might even buy something from them!" Said the man with some vitality and a sorry expression.
The woman next to him frowned a little and stepped on the mans foot, a subtle action but both the man and Zero caught it. "Don't go to those shops your wife is still at home. Didn't you tell me you promised your wife you'd only buy the bread and meat that's needed for lunch. Now shoo to your wife!" Said the woman giving him a stink eye. The man scratched the back of his head playing with his short brown hair.
As the man stalked off , Zero was a little weirded out at how obedient he was towards this woman. "Who are you ma'am?" Asked Zero trying time keep up his facade of a merchants son. "Oh dear me, I'm Lore that man was my brother. But , look at you! For a merchants son you don't wear normal clothes at all. Like a child in the streets, come I'll buy you some clothes!" She said happily as she jumped to conclusions without a second to breath. She thought that the poor boy was being neglected so she chose to help him out even if just a bit. Zero didn't know her intent but he didn't feel any type of animosity from this woman. So he let her drag him to wherever.
The woman not paying much attention to people around started walking to a closed shop, atop the shop building was a drawing of a needle and string. With bold letters it was written Lore's woodpecker clothes shop. The woman seemed to search around the pockets for a bit before pulling out a key it was plain and made of copper but it served its job. She let go of Zero's arm and opened her shop door went towards it and turned back towards Zero stepping to the side as if to welcome him in. Zero took this invite as he really didn't have any clothes and she seemed to want to give clothes to him.
"Come in sorry for the smell but the leather is still drying!" Said the the brown haired woman apologetically. Zero squinted his eyes and curved them just a little to show her his gratitude. And stepped within the shop. As soon as he did Lore closed the door behind him and behind it he could hear frantic footsteps. "Find the boy! We must not let him escape he was worth a lot of money!" Sounded a woman's voice.
Zero hummed as to ask what's going on. "Boy I'm not blind I knew you weren't the son of a merchant by your clothes. You ran away from the church." It wasn't a question and it didn't leave room for excuses. Zero seeing that the woman wasn't as kind nor as simple as she seemed nodded his head. After his nod the room fell into silence. The woman not being able to bear the silence spoke first. "Gets some new clothes they're in the hangers over there as for pants they're on the drawers to the left." Said the woman giving lax to her shoulders.
Zero nodded and went towards the clothes and the drawers he picked up a silky orange textured shirt with a stitched white rose on the side of the chest where the heart is. He went towards the drawer and had a little difficulty opening the drawer. As it creaked open and inside he found different leather pants they weren't the best quality but they were good enough. There were many pears with different colors and designs red black and white were really common. The most was the natural color without any dye. He picked a black died leather pants.
"There's a mirror over there it isn't as reflective as the glass nobles use but it's an okay quality." Zero nodded his head calmly, though in his head he was shocked before the magic crisis mirrors glass and different materials such as gold,diamond mania were owned by the noble or the rich the poor and the second level people weren't allowed such things. This mirror though not as pure and reflective still means that this woman was rich before at least.
"Thank you for your help." Stated Zero in a even tone , neither a question nor an answer just pure gratitude. As he said those words though he reached the mirror and he looked at himself in it. It was a bit discolored and blurry but it did the job as Lore said. He had brown hair purple eyes shaped like almond his face had a small chin with baby fat still on it his nose was small and held a little blush. "Why did you help?" He asked her finally voicing his suspicion.
She gave a sigh and looked towards him her figure now giving a sad and tired visage that had built over many years. Her figure sat in the display area of the shop her eyes closed a little.
"I've had my son taken by the church, he was healthy , timid but smart. He was taken away sold onto the slave shop in the next city. My husband was a noble he lived many cities over but he caused a big commotion for his only child. The church spread the word our household was bewitched by the devil so the people retaliated after us. Lion Mane was the reason my husband died, my son lost his freedom and my family was hunted for a long time."
As Zero heard what she said , he felt bad for her but he knew in this time before the crisis many nobles fell from the churches , it had the power of the people. He knew this was common. He shook his head his eyes reflecting knowledge and understanding.
Lore felt surprise over his reaction , what she said was true but this man, no this young boy shook his head as if he understood that her pain was common. She felt anger this boy undermined her sadness and anger. She knew , she knew this pain was felt by many but that doesn't mean her pain can ignored.
Lore gave a sigh of compliance and annoyance. She got up from the display and walked towards the boy and bent down grabbed the piece of cloth on the floor . A simple cut out sheet off of a blanket made into a robe, sewn with little skill. She picked it up and put it on a pile of different cloths and leathers. She went to him mere inches away from him , she was two heads taller then him. "Please leave now, the church won't be able to find you with the change of wardrobe. Maybe in the future we'd meet once more and that's when you could repay me." She smiled at the little brunette. The boy nodded and without a delay started to walk that's when one of his wounds opened up and his foot started to bleed.
Lore hadn't noticed before but the boy didn't have any shoes on and had hurt his soles badly. She shook her head and went towards the stairs leading to the second floor, on the stairs laid a box with bandages inside. She picked the piece of cloth and gestured Zero to sit on a chair just a fair bit away from where he stood. The boy nodded and didn't speak , he sat and waited. The woman went to the fitting room and brought out a bowl of water. She brought it to his feet and told him to dip his feet in the water. As Zero did so he almost let out a moan of pleasure as the warm water surrounded his sore feet. The only respond he gave was a grunt and waited for a moment he took them out. She dried off his feet and wrapped the bandages around his feet. Giving him a pair of sandals that were laying around.
After he was bandaged up Zero got up once more moved his feet to coordinate his body to the new feeling in his feet. As he did he nodded a thank you and quietly left the store. Opening the silver door and going out. Leaving behind Lore with a small smile of pride.
Lore sat once more on the display area, leaving a single tear to drop getting a picture out of her pocket. A photo crumbled up and dirty, it showed her , her husband with brown hair and purple eyes and a baby on her hands. Behind the picture it said. 'Hello into the world Zero'