The morning of the Winter Festival, Benj woke up to find Sephus awake and running around. There were already sausages, and a barrel of ale staged in the kitchen. The night before, Benj had barely slept. He woke up and was too excited to go to sleep planning his great escape to explore the festivities.

"Benjo!" came the only voice that said his name that way. "Come in here and put this stuff away!"

"I can do that, or I can chop wood," Benj replied through the door. "We really should have stocked up yesterday. One of us needs to start that now."

"Never mind! You go right on ahead!"

"Are you sure? It's never too late to try something new," Benj said half to himself as he made his way outside. Chopping wood was his ritual and one he secretly enjoyed. He still wasn't sure how reliable the touchstones were, and he didn't want to explain them to Sephus, who wouldn't use them anyway. The work helped wake him up and help clear his head. After chopping the wood, he put the ax where it belonged and the wood outside the back door. It was time to get cleaned up and somehow distract Sephus. He had a plan.

Several hours later, Benj had made a small batch of Sausage bread, cut them in bite sized pieces, and set them on a tray. "Sephus!" He called, "I have the samples!"

"What samples?" Sephus asked. He was counting money in the front room.

"I'm assuming you'll want to hand out samples," Benj said, working out his plan of escape. "You know, spread the word, let everyone know what we're selling today."

"I don't like the idea of handing out free food," Sephus said, mulling it over in his head, "But I suppose it couldn't hurt for people to at least see what we're offering."

"Ok, here they are," Benj said. "One of us needs to walk around and hand them out. It could be exhausting, so it's probably better if you do it. You wouldn't want to wear out your number one workhorse before the big race."

"I'm a little busy right now." Sephus gestured towards the sales ledger. "Besides, workhorses don't race. You'll be fine."

Benj began protesting, but the old man was firm in his decision. "Go make me proud, Benjo, and stop bothering me."

Benj hunched his shoulders, took the platter of sausage bread, and lazily walked to the door. As soon as it shut behind him, he straightened his posture, smiled, and made his way to the festivities.

It was still early, but more than half the town was out in the streets, either helping set up or watching. Benj spotted Mel walking with her father past where the hammer throw would be held. He approached them with his tray of goods.

"Good morning," Benj said with a smile. "I'm handing out samples if you would like to try one?"

"Oh, Daddy," Mel said, "This is what I was talking about."

"Is it now?" Her father looked at the samples with a sincere interest. "Benj, this girl has been talking about your sausage bread non-stop."

"Well, if you would like to try one," Benj held up the tray. "I made some samples. It would help if you ate it obnoxiously around as many people as you can and then told them how good it is and where they can buy their own."

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

"I don't know how well I'll do," He said, taking one, "but I'll try my best."

"Benj," Mel said, "Do you need help passing these out?"

"Sure," he replied, "if it's ok with your father, that is."

"Go on, have fun," her dad said before walking off, "I'll be around."

The two talked and laughed while they passed out free samples. Brahm came over, and Mel offered him one.

"Mel!" Brahm said with a smile, "I thought I saw you over here. I almost didn't think it was you at first because you were walking with… uh," He snapped his fingers. "Baker boy... Uh, Benj, is it?"

Benj didn't understand what Brahm was up to. He clearly knew his name.

"You silly man," She smiled and slapped his arm, playfully, "why wouldn't I be walking with Benj?"

"No reason," Brahm smiled. "I just thought you would end up courting someone… Better off."

"We're handing out samples," Benj finally spoke up.

"Samples?" Brahm said, "I thought you two were planning your wedding over here."

"No!" Mel blushed. "We're just friends. Here, try one."

Brahm took one of the slices between two fingers. "Is it safe?"

"Benj made them," Mel said, "of course it's safe."

"I know Benj made them; that's why I asked," Brahm scoffed, taking a bite. With his mouth full, he added, "Just playing with you. This is almost as good as the award-winning pie you made last year!"

He was really starting to get on Benj's nerves. "Thanks," he said, not able to think of a better reply.

"Are you entering again this year?" Brahm asked with an innocent smile. He might as well have asked if Benj planned on wearing a dress to the mother-daughter dance.

"Are you?" Mel asked, facing Benj sincerely.

"No, I didn't even enter myself last year," he said, starting to feel frustrated with the shift in conversation. "Sephus tricked me by ordering a pie and then entering it into the competition. The pie bake is for women; why would I enter myself?"

"Isn't baking in general for women?" Brahm asked, leaning slightly forward, daring him to take a swing.

"Baking is for anyone who enjoys eating well," Benj pointed at Brahm's belly, "I know you've been eating well; does that make you a woman?"

"Now, now, boys," Mel cut Benj off. "Play nice."

"Of course! I'm just having a laugh with my old pal anyway." Brahm said, "I think it's cool that he won the golden spoon last year. If my mom had won, she probably would have broken it over my cheeks by now." Brahm said, holding his last bite of sausage low to the ground as a fat dog approached."

"Hey, Chubbs!" Benj said, noticing the dog approaching.

"Is this your dog?" Mel asked as Brahm lured him closer.

"I think he's homeless. I try to feed him every morning." Benj said.

"That's probably why he's so fat," Brahm said, "Here, doggy, doggy." When the dog came up to eat the sausage held out, Brahm kept moving it out of reach and then finally plopped it into his own mouth.

Benj was frowning. He had to loosen his hands up before he bent his tray. Brahm was bigger than him, but he wouldn't hesitate to put the big oaf on the ground if he kept it up.

"I'll walk with you guys," Brahm said, explicitly talking to Mel. "Later, you can watch me win the ax-throwing competition again."

"I have to go," Benj said, thinking of any excuse to leave. He would probably lose his temper if he had to spend another moment with Brahm.

"But you still have two more samples left. Don't you want to hand them out?" Mel asked, concerned.

"If you're not using those, I'll take them," Brahm said, taking the last two samples and tossing them into his mouth. With his mouth full, he smiled.

Benj glared at him.

"Don't be mean!" Mel said, slapping Brahm's arm.

"I have a lot of work to do before everything starts," Benj said. "Anyway, I would love to stay, but you know...."

"You sure you don't want to walk around some more?" Mel implored.

"I really have a lot of work to do," Benj said, "but I would like to talk to you later if that's fine?"

"I'll walk around with you, Mel," Brahm said, mouth still half full. "Let's check out the races."

"Sure," Mel said, looking at Benj. "I would like that. It was nice seeing you!"

Benj said his farewells and walked back, not fully understanding what else he could've done. He liked Mel and wanted to spend more time with her, just not while Brahm was around. Besides, he really did have to get back before Sephus came looking for him.