Chapter 4 – “Warm Woolen Mittens”

Walking aimlessly down the bustling streets, Mal breathed in deeply, savouring the fresh air which surrounded him. With no set plans, he and Inara had decided to wander and see where they ended up. They had not seen the rest of the crew all day, which suited them just fine, as spending time together without the others, was rare.

As they walked on a lively tune, which Mal had previously thought he was imagining, began to get louder and louder. Finally the source of the music came into sight.

Suddenly it was all to clear why the streets had been near empty of residents. It appeared they were all at the fair!

A girlish squeal escaped from Inara, before she could stop herself. Her hands had been to slow to cover her mouth and prevent it from escaping, and she now blushed a deep red.

Looking over at Inara, Mal raised an eyebrow. Shrugging she explained “I haven’t been to a fair since I was a little girl. It’s not really something any of my clientele would participate in…” she trailed off, upon seeing the Captain’s frown.

“But… if we have time…” Inara looked up and was delighted to see a surprised expression on Mal’s face.

The two entered through the large arch at the front, and were rendered speechless by the bright colours and bustling crowds.

Spying a game nearby, Mal grabbed Inara’s wrist and lead her over to the booth.

“What would you like?” Mal asked a playful grin making its way across his usually grave his features.

“What…?” Inara questioned, unsure of what he was implying.

“Which prize would you like?” Mal asked again, gesturing at the large selection on the stand before him.

The usually serene Inara’s face lit up in delight, making her look years younger. Her eyes sparkled as she pointed out the prize of her choice.

It took Mal just four attempts out of his five chances to knock the milk bottles in the booth over. The carnie handed over the prize and then moved onto enticing his next potential customer.

Mal handed the prize over t