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You’ve been to the markets tons and tons of times before. You know all the faces. You know all the names. All it took was a couple of weeks of visits. A couple of conversations gone on too long. A couple of favors for a couple of newfound friends and family. But never have you ever …
“Excuse me, neighbors! Coming through!”
…seen the market like this.
Your ever-vigilant Link is quick to pull you out of the way of a man and his horse-drawn cart. The stranger smiles at you from underneath his worn scarf and dated fur-coated hat as he passes the two of you by, but a quick look tells you that it’s not a stranger. Just the father from the house down the path from your place. One of the first families to welcome you into the neighborhood. And one of the many to take you and Link into their homes as if you had known them for all of your life.
“Sorry about that!” You shout back over the sounds of a growing crowd to apologize, but the man just laughs it and continues on his way. Though his call for a special order of your famous desserts as a formal apology is enough to make you let out your own quiet bouts of laughter. But with the man finally out of sight, you take to the time to turn around and face your escort, still holding your arm with his fingers laced between yours. “Well then…should we continue?”
The corner of his lips tugs upwards into a soft smile, his blue eyes behind a small mess of wind-swept bangs as he gives you a nod. With that, the two of you find yourself continuing to move forward. Into a world known yet completely unknown to your amazed eyes. A world that was just ready for you to explore.
This town you’re both in right now- it’s new to you and your husband. You had moved here as newlyweds. It gave Link a chance to finally try to retire from his old lifestyle as much as he could- even if he was being summoned almost every other month to face off against an enemy on he could defeat. But despite all of this, this new life and this new town?
It was kind to you.
The people here took care of you when Link was away. They looked out for you. They fed you. Kept you company and kept you busy. And when Link was here? They took care of both of you. And in return, you did your best to look out for the people here as well. From house visits to invitations to go out with the locals. Fishing, hunting, resource gathering to cooking, baking, shopping, and more. From sending the older children (in search of a quick buck or two) to help you around the house when you’re alone. To sending the little ones to your doorstep with the promise that Uncle Link had a story to tell them while all the parents go to work on supper. A promise that Uncle Link always kept in exchange for enough bowls of supper to feed the two of you for a few days.
But the best part of it all? The best part of living in a quiet little town like this?
It had to be the market. It had to be.
For one day each week, everybody with a business set up shop in the main town square- sunrise to sundown. And for that day, each week, the entire village would get together to support each other- sunrise to sunset. You remember being overwhelmed the first time you went to the market. Link had been summoned for duty that morning, so you figured you would go see the shops to ensure you would have a productive first day without your husband. But there were so many people. So many businesses. So many moving parts all around you, caging you in on that warm sunny day. But a few kind old shopkeepers took you under their wing. They got you used to the chaos. They got you to love the chaos.
And so, you come here all the time.
You’ve never seen the market on a day with poor weather. Maybe there’s a bit of a chill. Maybe there’s a way of heat. But you know you’ll always be able to make it. You’ll always be able to see this small town you now live in turn big. You’ll always be able to see the town square decorated with tables and stands of all different types of aesthetics, selling all different types of products, while all being run by all different types of people.
And during those trips to the markets, You visit all your regular places. You know which stands have the freshest produce. You know exactly which clothing stores specialize in what so you can avoid frivolous window shopping (whenever you don’t have the time). You know which places are new and could use the extra purchase or two to help keep the lights on. And you even know which stores to avoid. According to the town resident gossipers, at least.
But that’s all to say that you fell in love with this place. You fell in love with this community. You fell in love with this market . In fact, you didn’t think it would have been possible to love this place anymore than you already did. But then the grandma in the house right across from you handed you a special flyer for the last market of the year. The Winterfest night market . And despite the breezy chill you knew you would be in for, you bundled up Link and yourself, and you got ready to go well, well, well after sundown. And that’s what brought you to this moment.
That’s what brought you here .
Standing wide-eyed and slack-jawed at your favorite little market underneath a blanket of shining stars. On top of that, fiery lanterns light the way all around you, bathing your whole world in an orange and inviting tint that just beckons you to keep going. Even the light dusting of snow covers the ground, and a few of the tables do little to stop the shopping or kill the mood. All that does is invite friends and family to huddle together with their warm drinks and jackets as they go from stand to stand. All it does is make people want to buy more.
It’s the same market that you go to every week. It’s the same market you drag Link to whenever you can. It’s the same market you get all your groceries and your clothes and your little knick-knacks from. The same market you meet with your friends at. The same market you make friends at. The same market that powers the village. The same market that unites the community. The same market that makes the town what it is. What it truly is.
It’s the same market that you visit all the time. Except it’s sitting here, underneath a new sky. Ready for you and for Link to explore with new eyes.
So with a squeeze of his hand. With a smile you both share, you step forward and further into the town square. Knowing that there will be many things to buy. Knowing that there will be many friends to greet. Knowing that there will be many memories to make. Knowing that at the very end of the day- that you have found it here. That you have found a home here. A home bigger than just you. A home bigger than just him.
But a home just big enough for every single thing that you love to be in it.