Lola glanced back at Lucy. “My parents were actually from a bloodline of very important people.” She admitted. “Truthfully, they owned most of the town. So it’s only to be expected my parents had... quite a bit of money. Of course, they loved helping people as well, and they loved the quiet, quaint life. I just... like helping people. I give them the benefit of the doubt, hope they won’t steal from or hurt me, and give them a place to stay. I live for helping people, it’s my role in life!” She smiled.

Lola gave a sympathizing glance to Lucy. Indeed, she was in a new place, leaving behind an obviously-bad past and home. Lola silently hoped she would stay more, so she could show the girl the kindnesses of people, how they never judged on the past and accepted others for who they were at the moment, and who they wanted to be. “I’d be happy to have you stick around.” Lola said. “I don’t mind you staying as long as you like with me! Oh! It looks like we’ve made it to town.” She indicated the open wooden gates that surrounded the town itself, protecting it from bandits or attacks from carnivorous animals that tended to pass through, searching for warmer climate.

Lucy looked up and stared at the place. Definitely bigger than where she came from. And intimidating. She suddenly wanted to turn tail and gallop into the woods away from those people. They would know who she was. They would hate her for being such a terrible person. She took a deep breath, put bravery into her face, and asked, So what is our first stop? You have a shopping list right?" Oh why couldn't life be more simple! What if she ran into someone she knew? What if they tried to drag her back? What for though? They would be glad she was gone. Would probably not acknowledge her presence if she was the last person on earth. No, they wouldn't drag her back, they hated her. She sat up straighter and looked with curiosity at the buildings and people.

“No, we don’t have a list.” Lola said. “I get the same things every time, so I memorized the list already. It’s always taken a while to get the things to the cart, then into the cottage, though, so I’m very glad I have some help.” Lola smiled at Lucy gratefully. The buildings shielded the townspeople from the breeze of the forest, nearby fires warming them as they passed. Lola smiled and nodded a greeting to some people she passed, turning left. They passed by open stands of fruit that grew well in the cold, fabrics that insulated against the cold, jewelry that stood out well against the white snow and glittered in the light. They passed a bakery that wafted out warm scents of cinnamon and baking fruit, sweet bread.

“It’s a lovely place.” Lola said. “A little difficult to get used to if you’re from a small place, but once you do, you’ll find that everyone here knows everyone else, and they’re all happy to meet newcomers!” She stopped Millie outside a large shop. “Here’s where I get the meat from.” Lola said. “Come, you can pick something out too!” Stepping onto the cobblestone sidewalk, she moved to the door and waited for Lucy to follow.

Lucy rode Fauna up to the hitching post and dismounted gently. She tied an emergency knot in case the horse spooked, and loosened the girth. Then she leaned against Fauna's side for a moment and glanced around. The people of this town were different. More eager to smile, less intimidating. It was true then that they didn't mind strangers. She patted Fauna's neck and slipped around to where Lola had paused by the door. She couldn't help it, she stayed close behind Lola and peeked out from around her. The cobblestones were really cool. Where she came from, there was one stone road, and all the others were dirt. Sucked in rainy weather. They walked into the shop together. Lola seemed to know everyone. It was a marvel that they could all get along with each other. Did no one have any arguments against anyone around here? She wondered what she should pick out. She spied some books, and after a moment of hesitation, slowly stepped out from behind Lola and noiselessly slipped over to them to see what there was. She wasn't a good student for no reason.

Lola approached the butcher’s counter on the left side of the front floor, glancing at Lucy when she left her to examine the book stacks. The older man behind the counter, who Lola fondly called ‘Uncle’, grinned at her as she approached, making the thick white beard on his face alter its position. “Lola, my girl!” He raised his hands in greeting. “How you been? Good?”

“Oh, absolutely!” Lola nodded with a smile returned. “When am I otherwise? You know what I need, Uncle, just wrap it all up at one time.”

“No help today?” Uncle asked, reaching under the counter for his wrapping paper and twine. “Who’s the girl?” He nodded to Lucy, sorting through the books in the corner.

“Oh my, a young girl I found late last night. Lucy, her name. She must have come from a bad place, a small village that obviously hasn’t granted women the same rights as men.” Lola shook her head solemnly. “Seemed terrified in the beginning, wouldn’t say a word.” For a moment, she turned her gaze down, but perked up at once. “Now she’s okay, other than obviously being followed by some bad shadows.”

“Well, ain’t no one can surpass you for kindly acts, that’s for sure.” Uncle turned, going into the back for the prepared meats Lola needed. As he vanished, she approached Lucy. “What do you have in mind?” She asked. “A good book?”

Lucy's shyly knodded. She had been looking at several books. One was a historical fiction. Another was a short story collection. Yet it was the histories of the mountain people that had captured her attention. She knew little about them or their culture, but they were renowned for their horses and skills. It was this book she held carefully in her hands, debating if she should ask. She took a deep breath, turned to Lola, and asked, "May I please have this book?" She did a double check in her mind. She had been polite and used the word "please." She didn't do anything wrong. She looked quietly up into Lola's face, her own a careful mask of mere politeness. She had learned repeatedly all her life to be civil and show proper respect. She could easily slip into that roll.

Lola glanced at the title, recognizing it as something she’d read many times while waiting for her parents to buy their weekly supply of meat from uncle. She had never asked to buy it, though, because through the weeks she’d been there, she’d finished it. “Of course you can have that, Lucy!” Lola exclaimed. “It’s a very good book! Uncle!”

The old man had just come back from the back rooms, arms full of various raw, smoked, and dried meat that he delivered to the counter to be wrapped. “Yes, dear?” He asked, looking past his bounty as he started his wrapping. “Wha’cha got?”

Lola brought Lucy with her to the counter. “Oh, Uncle, are the books for sale?” She asked. “I remember reading them when I was a girl, and no one’s ever even bought one!”

Uncle didn’t need to watch what his hands were doing. Setting the paper down, lying the designated meat onto the center, and folding up the edges into a tight, protective shell, he looked at the book in Lucy’s hand. “Lil’ one, you can have that book for a bronze piece.” He said, cutting twine to bind the package together. “Haven’t found no use for those for years.”

Lola pulled a single bronze coin from her pocket and set it on the counter. “That should do it.” She said. “And you’ve already got the money for the order. Lucy, would you mind helping me put these packages into the carriage?” She looked down to the girl. “Then we’ll be off to replenish the flour, sugar, spices, and eggs. We can save clothing for last, right?”

Lucy knodded with wide eyes. It blew her mind how nice everyone was. Clutching the book close, she helped carry the bundles out to the carriage and stow them all away. She reluctantly, but carefully placed her book in there too. Then she slipped over to Fauna to hug her, scratch her, and tell her in an excited whisper what they had done inside. Turning and looking over at Lola, she saw that she was ready to move on.

Lola smiled at Lucy as she went to Fauna. Reassuring Millie with a pat and muttered few words, she went back to take her seat on the carriage and led Lucy on, to a different street that was less populated. Its storefronts were smaller and a bit darker, their light protecting the items on display from fading. “Here, this is the place.” Lola said, stopping in front of an especially small storefront. “The bakery.” She hopped down. “This is where I get everything from breads and pastries to flour, sugar and spices. The smaller, open stands are where I get the fruits and vegetables, when we’re ready to leave.”

Lucy looked around with excitement. It was a gorgeous place. Better than the one from her old town. She always loved the smell of a bakery. She followed excitedly... only to freeze in the door. Mrs. Nuttle, the lady who had lived next door to her was inside. How had she come to be here? Lucy slowly and carefully backed out and slipped back to where Fauna was. Hiding on the other side of Fauna, Lucy quickly tried to think what she knew of Mrs. Nuttle. She had distant family who lived in her home village but grew up in a large town. She came to visit one Christmas and fell in love with Mr. Nuttle. They got married and lived happily ever after. Lucy tried desperately to think of why Mrs. Nuttle would be here. She had never left their village in all the time she had been married. She was particularly good friends with the baker's wife. The baker's wife back home wasn't the nicest person, though her husband was okay. Lucy buried her face in Fauna's coat and tried to stop trembling.

Lola had gone up to the counter before realizing Lucy was nowhere around. Glancing about, she found the girl past the window, outside, huddled against Fauna’s supportive side. As Cecelia came forward from the kitchens beyond the archway behind the counter, Lola turned back. Cecilia had a basket covered in a thick cloth, presenting it to the older woman with a few spoken words. “What’s wrong, Lola?” Cecilia asked as she approached. “Something wrong?”

“No...” Lola shook her head. “Seems the young one I found got a bit shy. I’ll have to go see what the matter is. Might you have Quinn bring out half of my order, and I’ll come back for the rest?”

Cecilia smiled and nodded, and Lola hurried back outside before the older woman. Going to Lucy’s side, she put a comforting hand on her shoulder. “Darling, what’s the matter?” She asked softly. “Is something the matter?”

Lucy flinched when someone's hand touched her. Hearing Lola's voice, she took the opportunity to see how best to be behind both Fauna and Lola so that Mrs. Nuttle wouldn't see her when she left. "It is nothing. Really. Can we wait here until that lady leaves? Please? She isn't important. You don't need to talk to her or anything. Fauna is lonely so we should keep her company. Just for a moment." Realizing she was rambling, she hid her face again and forced herself to take deep breathes. Memories of the villagers anger towards her after the fire came back in full force. She was not a good person. Kids like her shouldn't exist.

“Oh, dear, of course we can.” Lola pulled her close. “But dear, why don’t you want to be seen? Surely she isn’t a bad person.” She looked up. The woman was coming to the door, ready to come out into the cold and leave to wherever she had come from. “Has she done something to you? Surely there’s something that happened, it’s best to talk about the problems you have.”

"It's not something that she has done. It is something I have done. And she knows all about it. She and anyone else who knows about it hates me. They all want me to disappear. I tried to, but here I am. I can't take it, their anger."

The woman had, by that time, exited the shop. Lola knelt down and faced Lucy, placing her hands on the girl’s shoulders. “Now, Lucy. Whatever you’ve done, it’s not so terrible that everyone who meets you will hate you. You’re not old enough to harbor any hate against. Whatever she and everyone from your village think... well, they’re not forgiving enough to understand the depth of whatever situation you’ve been put in. You must realize, my girl, that not everyone is like that. People are forgiving, they won’t hold your past against you. Perhaps not everyone is like that, but more people than not certainly are. You shouldn’t be afraid, I’ll not let her or anyone harm or yell at you.” She nodded curtly, sealing that promise.

Lucy gulped and rushed to hug Lola. She really liked this person. This person was so forgiving. Was her heart big enough to hold all that Lucy represented? She wondered if she dared to take a chance. Finally, pulling some courage close by and forcing the memories of her past temporarily away she whispered, "I murdered my family." Then she started to cry.

Lola shook her head, hugging the girl close. “Dear. Now, I don’t believe that.” She said softly. “Such a sweet girl couldn’t be capable of such a thing. What happened, now? Is that why I found you huddled in the hay last night?” She looked into Lucy’s eyes, wiping the tears away. “Calm down, Lucy, just tell me what happened.”

Lucy shook her head angrily, "What is there to tell? I was supposed to babysit my younger brother and sister. I ran off to go ice skating with the other village children instead. To make sure my brother didn't wonder off, I locked him in the baby's room. When my parents came home, the house was on fire. They ran in to get us out. Only I wasn't there... and no one came out. If I had stayed home, that wouldn't have happened. Everyone says so. Everyone told me daily, every hour, what an irresponsible child I was. It was shown in how they treated me. It was shown in what they said to me. I knew I better go so that they could be happier. So I left. And I walked and walked... and it snowed... and then you kept me alive when you shouldn't have. She had busted up into tears again, waiting for the slap and words that would send her running once more.

Lola had closed her eyes, shaking her head, turning her face down. She raised her hands, setting them gently on Lucy’s face and making her look up and into Lola’s eyes. “My dear.” She said easily. “You are no more a murderer than I am a bitter old thief. You could never have predicted that fire to have broken out. If you could have, you would still have your family. You wanted to make sure your little brother was safe and you put him with your baby sibling in the baby’s room. You aren’t a murderer, you didn’t set that fire, and you couldn’t have prevented it. Irresponsible, perhaps you were, but not a murderer. I’ll never believe it, and neither will anyone in this town. That day was a tragedy, not an intentional killing, and you have to believe that. Don’t let the bitter peers of your past make you believe anything you shouldn’t, and that you’re a killer, you absolutely cannot take to heart.” She stood. “I don’t want you thinking like that while you’re with me. Kindness outweighs hate, and now, you don’t have to be around hate anymore. Not while I’m around. Can you understand that?”

Lucy looked up at Lola's, her eyes still filled with tears. "I can try. You don't hate me?" She was surprised. No matter how nice a person, the whole village had hated her. She was no replacement for her upstanding parents. Yet this simple lady found no fault with her. She buried her face in Lola's shoulder and held on.

Lola shook her head. “Of course I don’t hate you.” She said, hugging the girl warmly. “How could I possibly? For your past mistakes? Never. If we judged everyone on their past mistakes, we could never see anyone as good people!” She patted Lucy. “And I don’t ever want you judging yourself on your own past, either. Okay?” She nodded to Lucy as one of the bakers came out with bags of flour. “Got your stuff ready!” He said. “Rest is inside, need help?”

Lola glanced at Lucy, standing. “Maybe... just a bit.” She said.

Lucy smiled and wiped the last of her tears away. Maybe today was going to be a good day despite being in town. She hurried after Lola and the man to help carry stuff out. She loved bakeries. They always smelled so homey. She wondered why that lady had been here, then shrugged it off. Lola wouldn't let Mrs. Nuttle do anything to her. Life was good. And she had Fauna too.

Cecilia followed Lola outside with the last of the spices and baked bread, and the eggs that were supplied by a nearby farm. As they set everything carefully to avoid crushing or spillage, Lola turned to Cecilia. “You do have the snowberry pastry I asked for, right?” She spoke quietly.

Cecilia nodded and produced a carefully wrapped, small package. “Here it is.” She said, handing it over. “Smells heavenly, no?”

Lola confirmed with a smile, bidding Cecilia and her brother a good day and pulling herself into her seat. “Lucy, dear, are you ready?” She asked, glancing around. “We have clothing next! Then, fruits and vegetables, and we can leave town.”

Lucy knodded, and followed her. She wondered if there were more places like this in the world. Places where people were more focused on the good instead of the bad. It gave one a pause for thought. Everyone was really nice to Lola, and Lola seemed to sincerely care about others. It made you feel all warm and happy inside.

Millie pulled the carriage along, passing the main street and rolling along a smaller one, until it turned left. They passed a few streets where homes sat quiet, young kids playing in the snow with their parents watching, others walking dogs with long fur, some men and women on horseback. Their conversations and laughter faded as they turned again, finally coming up in front of a clothing shop. “This is it!” Lola exclaimed. “Now, Lucy, I want you to get anything you like, all right?” She looked back to the girl as they got to the sidewalk. “I don’t want you asking if you can have anything, the answer will always be yes! But make sure to get both light and heavy things, good for indoors and out!”