Leire Winter Special - This New Side Of Her

The village of Sorrol is immersed in a fine blanket of snow. Christmas lights twinkle and transform every corner into one of the tales your mother used to read to you as a child while you watch people pass by from the living room window.

Inspired by the magic unfolding before your eyes, you take the last sip of coffee that keeps you warm for the rest of the afternoon and decide to bundle up to go out and explore your neighbours' decorations.

The snow crunches under your boots as you walk. If the village seemed beautiful when you arrived a few months ago, it's because you hadn't yet experienced this time of year. Brightly coloured lights spiral up the trees, tinsel forming vines on their branches and Christmas baubles hanging. This pattern repeats in pairs, leaving a tree in the middle undecorated so as not to overload the view.

Some of your neighbours rush back to their homes, laden with bags and unwrapped gift packages. Leaving the process of wrapping Christmas gifts until the last moment and feeling the consequent stress as time runs out seems to be a tradition shared everywhere, not just in your homeland.

As you continue your spontaneous stroll, in the distance, you discern the characteristic fiery-red hair of Leire. You have to squint and strain your eyes a bit to be sure since it's not common to see her dressed in anything other than her armour.

That navy blue Christmas sweater is not precisely something you would have imagined she'd be willing to put on.

The woman ties a bag to her back before picking up two rather heavy-looking boxes from the ground, balancing one on her broad shoulder and carrying the other against her waist.

"You're more loaded than a donkey at a fair," you quip as you approach, leaning against the wall and crossing your feet while watching her manoeuvrer the weight, not hiding the amusement on your face. You gesture to her sweater. "Did you misplace your armour in the closet and that's all you had left, or did you lose a bet?"

Leire looks up and meets your gaze with a raised eyebrow, not at all impressed by your comment.

"If you spent half as much time working on your wit as you do on your nosiness, maybe you wouldn't be so quick to judge. I'd suggest you focus on your own affairs and leave me be." she retorts with a furrowed brow, a hint of irritation in her eyes.

"You're always in such a good mood..." you comment without losing that smile that you know gets on her nerves. It turns out that teasing the red-haired warrior is one of your favourite pastimes. Always with affection, of course.

Leire rolls her eyes and turns away.

"I don't have time for your nonsense, $name. I'm busy."

"I can see that."

"Sorry, but I'm in a hurry," she says with some difficulty, ending the conversation.

You watch her take a couple of steps before she wobbles a bit. The weight makes it difficult for her to walk in the snow, and Leire has to stop to regain her balance and continue her march. A few steps later, the same thing happens again.

Still leaning against the wall, you cross your arms and try not to laugh at the show. She's persistent, you have to admit, but at this rate, she won't get to wherever she wants to go anytime soon. You push yourself off the wall and follow her.

"Don't you want a hand?" you offer.

"I can manage on my own," she replies sternly, starting to lose her patience.

In the next step, she has to tense her entire body to avoid falling.

"I can see that," you comment mockingly.

Leire sighs heavily and crouches to put the boxes on the ground before turning towards you with annoyance.

"If I let you help me, will you shut up and leave me alone?"

You raise both hands in an innocent gesture.

"I make no promises, but it's a possibility," you reply with a playful smile and a wink.

She rolls her eyes again and points to one of the boxes with a brisk motion. You assume that means you can accompany her.

The box is indeed quite heavy. Its contents shift and rattle, and the sound makes Leire turn her head towards you so fast that you worry her neck might snap.

"Be careful with that. It’s fragile."

"Sure, of course. Don't worry about my back, I'm fine," you say with difficulty, not hiding the sarcasm in your voice.

You take a moment to adjust the weight and quicken your pace before Leire goes on without you. She has started walking, and she doesn't seem inclined to wait for you.

"Where are we going with all this?" you ask once you're back by her side.

"You'll see soon enough."

You follow her to a two-story building, wider compared to the rest of the houses in the village. You raise an eyebrow as you recognize it, both puzzled and surprised.

"The orphanage?"

Leire ignores your question and enters through the door. The doorman, an elderly man, stands up from his seat at the entrance and walks over to you both, slightly hunched. His face lights up upon seeing Leire.

"Oh, Leire! Back again. How have you been?"

Leire greets him with a nod.

"Raymundo. How's the knee?"

"Good, good. These old bones still hold up," the doorman replies with a chuckle, then turns to you. "And I see you've brought the hunter. Welcome, young one." His gaze goes to the boxes, and his smile widens. "You've brought the presents. Fantastic! The kids will be thrilled. Come, come. I'll go let them know."

Leire nods and leads you to a modest room, adorned with twinkling lights, tinsel, and various Christmas decorations.

"Presents for the children?" you speak when the doorman leaves you alone, placing the boxes next to the large Christmas tree in the corner. A spark of amusement appears in your eyes, replacing the surprise in your voice. "Are you trying to compete with the Christmas’ elves?"

"These children don't have families," Leire replies, ignoring your comment as she begins to open the boxes and carefully unwraps toys. "Some died, some left... or were never there in the first place. They have no one during these times, but they deserve to enjoy this time of the year too."

You raise both eyebrows, impressed.

"You seemed to know the doorman well. Do you do this every year?"

Leire's response is a shrug. She does her best to avoid your gaze.

"Miss Leire! Leire is here!"

The door to the room bursts open, and a dozen children between the ages of five and twelve come running in, shouting Leire's name. Some rush to hug her, while others jump with excitement around her. The glint of tenderness that passes through Leire's green eyes doesn't escape your notice.

"Hello, Miss Leire! Where's Mr. Albert?" a girl asks after everyone’s done with the greetings.

Leire kneels to be at eye level with the kids.

"Albert is busy, but he promised he'd come visit you as soon as he can."

"Miss Leire, Miss Leire, did you defeat any demons today?" another child asks with bright eyes.

"I always do my best to protect this village," the warrior replies with a nod.

The children gaze at her in admiration as a collective 'ohh' escapes their lips. You watch in awe as Leire interacts with the little ones while distributing the presents, a smile forming on your face. She soon notices your attention, though, and she stands up when she finishes handing out her batch of gifts to give you a sharp look.

"What are you looking at?" she inquires with a dry tone, arms crossed.

You chuckle and point at her.

"I knew you had a softer side."

Leire rolls her eyes and grumbles in annoyance, turning away from you. She spends the rest of the time ignoring you, focusing all her attention on the children while you finish distributing your share of the presents.

A burst of laughter catches your attention when you hand the last toy to a shyly grateful girl. You turn to the other side of the room, where your eyes once again focus on Leire playing with a group of children hanging from her arms.

"Again!" one says.

"No, it's my turn now!" another protests.

"Don’t worry, I can lift all of you."

Leire crouches down, and a couple of children grab onto her biceps before she pulls upward, lifting them off the ground in a display of strength while more laughter fills the room.

You chuckle at the sight before you feel a little hand tugging at the hem of your jacket. A kid asks you to play with her and her new toy, and you happily accept the offer. Yet, amidst the light-hearted moments, your gaze involuntarily drifts to the side, a tender warmth settling within you. You catch sight of Leire as a smile spreads across your face, partly fuelled by the kids’ contagious happiness… and in partly touched by this new side of her.