Mary continues to push her cart down the wild gravel path to town when she hears a horse and wagon approaching from behind her. The horse seems mighty powerful as it's hooves loudly clop as they plow into the earth with each step. Earnest on her path of revenge, Mary does not turn to greet the passerby, she only moves over to the side to avoid the steed's path and continues on. The driver of the cart, however, does want to greet his fellow traveller. He had seen her curvaceous form from behind and needed to meet the woman who could walk so.
He pulls the reins on the horse tight, easing him into a stop about 10 yards in front of the beautiful girl. He hops off the wagon and pats his horse to calm him and leans smugly against his wagon, waiting for the girl to pass him. "Greetings, fair maiden. What brings such a lovely flower to the village of Buttundonua?"
Mary stops in her tracks and puts down the cart. She knew that her appearance had chaneed quite a bit but she still hadn't been prepared for this stranger's compliment. "Are you talking to me, sir?"
"I do not see any other lovely lady here. What is your name?" This young man isn't Joseph, but he is quite tall and handsome with his mustache and dark green shirt. Something about him is cueing to the girl that maybe he has often flirted with many women this way but she plays along for fun.
"My name is Mary. What about yours, good sir?"
He puffs his chest out proudly. "I am Peter. I am a hunter and I have traveled across the mountains to reach the market here to sell my many furs and pelts." He looks over into her small rickety cart, taking the opportunity to take in the "local beauties". "I see you are trading as well. Tell you what, sweet Mary. Why don't you allow me to place your wares in my wagon and we can ride together to town? And we can talk more on the way about whatever the mood calls for." It's obvious he isn't just being a good samaritan but Mary goes along with it. Peter takes her items and wheelbarrow and places them in the wagon next to his fox pelts and the two set off on their way.
As his horse clops down the path, his owner is trying to make a move of his own. Peter tells Mary of his heroic hunting adventure to hunt a pack of twenty wolves terrorizng a nearby region. The tale is more fiction than fact, but watching him try to charm her is entertaining enough. While he weaves his story, his hand slowly lets go of the rein and moves to hold hers. She allows it. He then moves on to placing his hand on her skirt. She allows it. All this attention is really exciting her.
Peter pretends to yawn and stretches his arm out and behind her shoulders. He looks over at Mary, waiting for her to slap him away and leave but she does nothing. In fact she seems to be enjoying this. He lets his arm slide down as he reaches the part of the story where finally caught a fox eating chickens from his mother's henhouse. "...and then the devil creature ROARED it's last breath!" Peter squeezes Mary's waist to him as he makes a fake roar. He takes a wary look over and... 'she's laughing. She's smiling. She's in. Oh Peter you did it this time.' "And so afterwards I returned the pelt of the beast to the village. I could have taken the fine pelt but it was the right thing to do."
Mary fake laughs pretending to believe every word of it. "Oh wow, Peter. You really did that horrible beast in. You must be so brave. And so selfless too." She moves her arm and places it on his arm. He jumps under her touch but he tries to keep ultimately cool.
They reach the village square, the horse stopping himself before his master even knew they had arrived. "Thank you for the ride, dear Peter." Mary pecks him on the cheek, hops off the wagon, and proceeds to unload her things herself. "I'll be seeing you around the market." And she wheels herself away, leaving the young hunter speechless at his first actually successful flirt.
Mary leaves him far behind as she pushes her wares deeper and depeer into the busy market. She can feel eyes staring at her, both men and women, and the attention feels good. Really good.
She finds a small but clear spot in middle of the market and parks her equally small cart in the spot. 'I'm getting tons of attention in this new body. I'm really quite popular. Why should I go looking for Joseph when he could come looking for me?" She finishes setting up her wares and turns around to see a familiar face heading her way.