War of Faeries

Chapter 2

The tapping always woke me up. She could never open the tower herself, and she certainly could never open the tower without hollering at me. Each time it was for something different, I took too long- or I didn't take long enough. That I was too cautious, or not cautious enough in her mind. It was never a situation I could win.

"Valarie! Open up!"

"Coming Mother!" I shout back, or so I think. Sleep still haunts me and leaves me in a confused sleepy state.

The cold floors wake me up, and I am instantly regretting my decision of not wearing my socks to bed. I move so fast to the window that serves as a door, that when I stop, I almost fall over. I really shouldn't be moving so fast when sleep is still haunting me.

"Get a move on, come on. I've been out all night and you didn't think to have a meal on the table? Or a fire waiting for me? What's wrong with you?" she barks as soon as she takes a step through the door.

I shut the window before too much rain can enter our house, and watch my mothers retreating figure as she goes to change into something more comfortable. By the time I have a fire going once more, and her food heated up she has slumped into her chair and watching me like a hawk. Always ready to harp on me when I make a mistake.

s"How much did we make?" I ask as I place her food in front of her.

"Not enough. You need to work on your paintings. They aren't bringing in as much money as they used to." She complains, all the while shoving another bite of food in her mouth. "The bouquets are still selling nicely, but that will only tide us over for so long. You wouldn't want to work for Sebastian again, now would you?"

"No of course not."

"Good. There's one more thing. An art convention. It is being held at the palace. I was able to get invited, even though your work is ever the disappointment."

"That's good isn't it? Maybe the King and Queen will want to buy one of my pieces. Then we won't have to worry about money for a while."

"Don't be ridiculous, your paintings aren't worthy of the King and Queens attention. You would be lucky if you had a lord or lady notice your work." She raises an eyebrow at me begging me to question her, to argue with her. I'm not falling into that trap again.

"What was the cost of the convention?"

"A half of what we had."

A half of what we had. A half of what we had. I chant, but no matter how many times I tell myself this it doesn't sound good. Anyway, you spin it, it's still going to sound bad. A half of what we had.

"I'll need at least twenty new paintings for this convention. And done by tomorrow if you could. I have an option to leave early, and I would like the extra days to scope out the competition. Oh, and bouquets as well. I can always sell those."

"Twenty new paintings?"... by tomorrow?

"I said at least. I will be expecting more of course."

Of course, you are expecting more, and leave it up to me to guess what that magic number will be. If I weren't sitting down, I would have fallen to the floor. The things she comes up with me to do are always ridiculous. She acts like the paintings just grow off my body and I pick which ones to give her. Twenty new paintings done my tomorrow; I can do that right? Not. On top of all that she doesn't even sell anything that she makes. I'm the one that makes the money around here, she would send me off to the market to sell it myself. If I could get the chores around here done at the same time.

"Anything else you want me to do for this convention?" I can't help myself; a snide remark was bound to roll off of my tongue at one time or another.