Page 48 of Torin and the Princess

We went into the small shop, the bell ringing to let the owner, Marjorie, know we were there. Marjorie came out. “Hello, Lexi!” She stopped and her head cocked to the side. “That’s not… um…”

I glanced at Torin who was so big he loomed over the store, and was gaping around, his eyes sweeping the walls, the aisles, the shelves and all the products.

It was a little like a convenience store, but more like a micro general store, and had been my favorite for years. It had everything from meats and liquor, to big jars of candy, and some basic hardware.

“Yep, this is not Cooper, Cooper is out of town?—”

“Oh right, he’s meeting the investors.”

“And this is Torin, he’s a friend of ours from out of town, staying with us for a bit.”

“Oh, yes.” She put out a hand. “I’m Marjorie.”

Torin bowed deeply and kissed her knuckles. “Mistress Marjorie, tis a pleasure tae meet ye.”

She distractedly ran her fingers across her chest. “Wow, where did, wow... that was something.”

I said, “Just picking up some more hamburger for the spaghetti, Cooper gets home in a bit.”

I went to the cooler and fished out a package of hamburger and a package of ground sausage. Torin followed me, his sword swinging, knocking a box of cereal from the shelves.

When he put it back he looked down at the box. “What is this?”

I said, “Cereal, that one has marshmallows, want to try it? Wait, I don’t mean open it here, we’ll buy it and take it home. Just carry it.”

I put a box of pasta in his arms on the cereal box, and then two loaves of French bread on the pile. I got a gallon of milk from the cooler. “Put these on the counter,” I gestured to where Marjorie was watching. “Let me grab wine.”

She asked, “Where are you from, Torin?”

“I hail from Scotland, Mistress Marjorie.” He slid the groceries from his arms to the counter and she began ringing them up while also sort of batting her eyes, flirtatiously.

“Is that why you’re wearing a kilt? You look like you’re out of the movie, Braveheart.”

Torin shook his head, blankly, then looked all around the shop again.

I carried two bottles of wine and a six pack of beer over to the counter.

Torin watched everything intently as she rang up our groceries and then I paid with cash. He pointed. “This is ale?”

“Beer, yes, a lager.”

He pulled up a bottle and looked over the label.

I said, “Look good?”

“Aye, but I daena think there is enough.” He put his hand on one of the bottles. “These are each nae much more than a noggin, dost they hae any rundlets?”

I said, “Now I have no idea what you mean, but I get your point, you need more beer than this.”

Marjorie said, “We don’t have any kegs, we have a case in the back.”

I said, “Alright, give me a case.”

I put the six pack back while she disappeared in the back to get me a case.

Torin’s stomach growled loudly.

I said, “Ah, you’re hungry right now.”

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