The Big Book of OC Tales

the story of the shoemaker (part one)

Part of the Atori Fables.

There is a shoemaker in town.

Her store was the biggest amongst others yet it was barren, and had little to no designs, not to mention there has not been a single customer ever going there physically.

They mostly just leave letters.

The only reason why they tolerate the shoemaker is because of the unnaturally good quality of the product. Though, there is a rumor circulating around the shoemaker.

She tears off the bones of dead bodies to make the build and used decomposing skin filled and marred with grotesque holes, sewn on the leather to make it more durable.

But rumors are just rumors...

is what the children thought. A group of abandoned children living in an abandoned chapel in the woods came to town one day to beg on the streets.

Of course, there were supposed to be two adults with them. To, at the very least, take care of the disabled Peter Newgate.

"I hear she's disfigured."

"She might be ugly."

"Or she'll eat us?"

"I don't like that!"

"Yeah, Lyra's right. It's scary..."

"Cyrus saying something sensible? I don't believe it."

The kids chatter back and forth in a unique type of happiness. See, kids around here are disciplined to the point even the slightest cracking of a smile, they would get severely wounded for it.

Of course, the townsfolk disregarded the group of kids as they are not even part of their town, nor would they be smart enough to indulge in their culture.

"Ah, the nerve of that old lady." Cyrus growled, remembering being swatted off by a rude older woman in her mid-thirties when he was just quietly sitting on the ground.

"Yeah, give her a piece of your mind!" Pete cheered out, grinning.

Whispers and gossiping emanate from behind their figures. So casually smiling and being carefree... how the adults despised it, and how the children they are with wish they were them.

"Wait till Masaie sees this new drawing I made of him.." Lyra mumbled to her friend, Jiyuu. A surprisingly detailed portrait of the handsome young man was on the sheet.

Jiyuu could only sigh. Lyra's strange infatuation with the young adult was strange to her. Jiyuu preferred Mahou, after all.

To Jiyuu, Mahou was someone she had to protect and someone who protected her. So, of course, she loved the blonde man as her family.

"We're here.. stay on look-out, lads and lassies." Pat mumbled, trying to appear incognito for terribly camouflaging behind a tree.

"He's in his little world again." Jiyuu laughed, scratching her head.

"Ah! Jiyuu, what are you doing here?" A certain red head man's voice echo from afar.

Ryoji Ayasume, the son of the viscount of the neighboring territory. A friendly man, all of them could agree on. Though his gentleness knows no bounds, people still distanced himself from Ryo.

Why?

Because of a forbidden love with a commoner. Nobility and the noveu riche alike didn't see a love between nobleman and commoner happening. What's worse is that they were both men.

But the kids and their two guardians saw past the complications and made great acquaintances with the gentle man.

"We just wanted to get new shoes.. see if we could steal..." Cyrus guiltily confesses their crimes.

Being beggars and dirt poor left them to salvage for anything they could find in the alleyways or the every twist and corner there is.

They even found themselves on the red-light district after being lured by candy, until they were saved by said viscount's son.

Masaie and Mahou were but baronet's sons, so they were still commoners in one way or another. After their wealth dried up, the two brothers opted to open up a bakery and became a huge hit, unexpectedly.

They would also volunteer to help around the orphanage and church just to make sure that the lesser fortunate wouldn't experience such a life they lived being almost prostituted.

The two handsome brothers were all eye candy, so the nuns would all leap from their devotion to their God just to ogle over them.

"Stealing again? You know you could've asked.." Ryo sighed.

"But it's not good for you if you talk with us.." Pat pouted, rubbing his arm.

"Who said so?" The red head cocked his brow. "Everyone.." Pete continued.

"You-"

Before Ryo could say anymore, a voice interrupted them.

"U.. umm! If you want shoes.. I can give.." a meek and frail voice that could only belong to a dainty maiden such as her.

Prominent turquoise doe eyes, a rosy white complexion and a red head tied into twin tails. Even Ryo found himself baffled to be confronted by such a beauty, even if he had his handful of fans in the past.

"Didn't you hear? The shoemaker lures beautiful people with her demonically gorgeous features and turns them into elaborate footwear."

Unedited