𝑺𝒊𝒏𝒏𝒆𝒓𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑺𝒂𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒔

Living Wings

Mari-Raine Vale was bored. 

Bored to the point where she grabbed her axe hanging on the wall, and drove it through the wall just to have something to do, dislodging several portraits and leaving a jagged line in the floral-patterned wallpaper. 

She was swinging it back for another blow like a golf player would when about to launch a golf ball, when a maid (probably another one assigned by her father) came sprinting through the door with a speed that would put most Olympic runners to shame.

"Stop, Lady!" She snapped, her voice laced with worry, her small wings flapping anxiously, "that's the portrait that Lady Vincent gave you for a present last week! You do know she's going to expect it to be shown when you visit at dinner tonight?"

Mari-Raine fixed her with a sharp glare before snorting. 

"I don't like that woman anyway, and the both of us know that the painter's style she employs for her works is hideous." 

She gestured vaguely in the direction of the portrait. 

"What, was he trying to imitate Picasso?"

Axe met the wall again before splinters flew across the room, narrowly missing the maid who flinched at the sudden ferocity.

She kept silent as Mari-Raine dug deeper into the wall with stroke after stroke, until they could clearly see the bath tub that was connected en suite, filled with splinters and shredded slivers of portrait.

"Lady," she started hesitantly, before rushing on, "But wouldn't it weaken the family ties between the Vale name, and family Vincent if you kept demolishing her portraits in your state of- of... boredom?"

Golden eyes clashed with sapphire eyes. The maid turned her eyes away from the stare and stared at the carpet.

"Forgive me for sp-"

"No, no, you have a valid point, that simply means I'm going to have to find a different activity to dispel my boredom," Mari interrupted the maid, her mouth twisting in contemplation. She swivelled to face the window, "So, should I head down now?"

The maid blinked, bewildered. Nobles, aristocratic and high-ranking people talked over those who they didn't deem worthy, which included the maids and butlers, but Mari had very clearly asked her opinion.

She fumbled for an answer, carefully watching Mari's face as she sat down on her bed and swung the axe between her fingers absently.

"I- I would recommend it that you do, but since Lord Vale is attending this dinner, then maybe it would be best that you stay where you are."

There was a long silence.

Mari turned her gaze back to the maid, the axe paused in the air as if it was waiting for the woman to answer.

"So, I do, or I don't?" A note of confusion was present in Mari's tone.

The maid fidgeted, and scrambled for a vaguely intelligent answer.

"Ah, um, I would say so." She gave a slightly jerky nod as if to solidify her point.

The maid almost ran out of the room and over the hills when Mari stood up again, her axe once again swinging carelessly with scant regard for the objects she would break that could buy her life in the room.

"Then I'll start getting dressed. Meet me at the steps in five." She gave a vague wave of her hand in the air, ignoring the maids stuttering protests.

Marie swivelled smartly, heels clacking.