Lykke has heard the old man's story many times, and each time, he is amazed that such a place exists. After what seemed like all day daydreaming about the community, he returned to his workshop and continued producing his crude but effective equipment. The traders arrived, as they had many times before, and he was able to exchange scrap metal, materials, new tools, and a few personal items such as a blanket, food, and water. The traders left a few pieces of equipment for him to repair, which is usually a quick turnaround, but building new equipment is his favorite hobby. When the sun began to set, he stopped working and packed the new items he had purchased, as well as piled his materials neatly in his workshop. With the hot season over, the nights began to cool quickly. Fortunately, he traded for a new blanket, this one of much higher quality than his previous patched blanket, which, combined with insulation he has been making with straw in his bedroom, should be enough to sustain himself. While he despised the possibility of him freezing, he was always concerned about how the people in this other community lived and whether they were in the same situation as him. Days passed, weeks became months, and the rain hardened into ice. Throughout the weeks, Lykke continued to invent, manufacture, and repair equipment while also purchasing blankets from traders to prepare for the cold. Fortunately, one of the traders stopped by his small community after leaving the large settlement he had always heard about and bought some quality items, including the blankets. These, along with his current supply as well as the makeshift insulation, was enough to keep him warm with a fire going. He'd never held anything handmade from the settlement, aside from a few random pieces of food here and there. The quality was far superior to what he was used to, implying that the materials were sourced or manufactured with care. The blankets he had purchased were much warmer than anything he had previously been able to obtain, making braving the cold much easier than in previous years. With the cold season becoming more bearable by the day, he was able to spend more time outside gathering materials, even though the nights were still as cold as they came. The sun awoke Lykke from his slumber one morning, cutting through the small cracks and holes that lined his home. He stretched, dressed, and went outside, where he was surprised to find it much warmer than it had been the past few weeks. Everyone was walking outside, enjoying the warmth that had lifted their spirits after weeks of being forced inside for most of the day. Lykke filled his metal cup with water and enjoyed the beautiful weather before taking advantage of the opportunity to bring some of his equipment outside to work on. People walked by, made small talk, and went about their business. Many others decided that today would be a good day to work outside with Lykke, and they started pulling their handiwork out as well. Soon, nearly the entire community was gathered in one place, laughing while working, conversing, and sharing a meal. Lykke raised his head, a smile on his face, and noticed a caravan approaching their community in the distance.

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As the caravan approached, he looked on. "It appears that everyone is making the most of the warm weather, huh?" said one of the other residents. Lykke nodded and smiled as he turned to bring some of the work he had finished over the winter out to display in the hopes of selling it. As the traders approached, he realised that there were a lot more people in the caravan than he had first noticed. They kept getting closer; at this point, he could see that some of the men were armored and carrying weapons, which could mean one of two things. Either they had expensive goods and needed protection, or they weren't interested in bartering. He went inside and slid some of his homemade knives into his waistband; other residents noticed him doing so and decided that they should do the same. Finally, the caravan arrived in town. The majority of the community gathered to find out what the men's intentions were. "We are not here to cause trouble, so please don't be alarmed, good people of this fine commonwealth!" A man's voice rang out throughout the neighborhood, and everyone watched as he climbed on top of one of the carts. "Look at this guy, assuring has to be his first name." Rowan, Lykkes' neighbor and good friend, said to Lykke, and they both laughed. "Friends, please! I've come from faraway lands, and I've brought some merchandise that you might find... interesting, to say the least. Gather around and browse to your heart's content, and if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask any of these fine gentlemen, I promise they are a lot nicer than they appear to be!" The man exclaimed, pulling back the various colored tarp that covered their wares. "I'd like to draw everyone's attention to something very special that we have today! If you could please look here!" The man pointed to a tall box that was still covered by a red tarp. The men guarding the caravan appeared to increase their alertness after pointing toward the box, preparing for anyone who decided to charge and try to take the item. The man turned and gripped the tarp with one hand before turning to face the crowd. He smirked before turning around and yanking the cover off with both hands as hard as he could. The tarp flapped in the wind, causing the reveal to take longer than it should have, and it eventually fell to the ground. Lykke got up from his chair and stared in disbelief. "No. That can not be true." Rowen exclaimed. The box was actually a cage, and inside it was a young girl. The entire community burst out laughing and shouting. "Does she really want to sell?" One man screamed. "How much do you want, I'll give you everything I have!" Another person exclaimed.