But as both the skies and the seasons changed, far away and to the north, came the rumbling of a storm.
"I'm not going far mother, only to market!" Rowena giggled as she was suffocated by kisses. It was a good thing her mother rarely wore lipstick, as in that movement she would have been guaranteed to be covered in it. And knowing her mother, it would have been in the brightest shade she could find. She used to wear lipstick but this had stopped rather suddenly.
Though on this day she was not adorned with her exuberant tones and outlandish patterns, instead she wore a dainty pastel shade of yellow. Her favourite colour was canary.
"Oh I know, my Rosie!" Iribelle coaxed in her eloquent, intelligent way, as she grasped the nine-year-old's shoulders as she tried not to weep, "But this is the first time you are going into the village of Twine by yourself without me, father or Tansy to accompany you. You are growing up far to quickly for my liking!"
Tansy shook her curls disapprovingly as she helped to sort out the laundry, "What a softie your mother is, Rowena! She can't let you have an inch of independence without sobbing over it!"
"I am no softie!" She fought back, "I am merely overcome with maternal love for my daughter. You have a niece and I dare say you would feel the same way?"
"I haven't seen my niece in donkey's years so I don't know, but I don't think she'd appreciate it. She has a wild spirit of her own, that girl." Tansy explained., throwing the last set of drawers into the basket. Both women broke into laughter at their banter, leaving Rowena to stand there gormlessly with her red cape and wicker basket, itching to go out and explore.Once the women had recovered from their jokes, Iribelle returned her attention onto Rowena again and made sure to make direct eye contact. This time she had to say something serious. "Stay clear of the forest whilst you are alone. You never know what could be lurking there."
Despite this sending millions of questions through Rowena's mind, she didn't speak any of them. Instead, she furrowed her brows, "We live in Kinellen, there are forests everywhere."
Laughter and chuckles sounded again. "I know, my clever one, but do stick to the path and don't enter any just to be safe. Let no one lead you astray and get the bread and come immediately home."Her thumb ran over her cheek. Meanwhile, Gideon entered with his pot of dandelion tea. "Oh look at you, Rosie. You have your father's colouring, your father's hair, your father's beautiful eyes . But the placement of all of it is perfectly mine! I love you so dearly."
"Now go!" Shouted Tansy in a friendly cackle, "Never mind her fretting. Go! Have a good time!"Rowena left the cottage eagerly, excited about her new freedom. But as soon as the door was closed behind her, Iribelle hurried ad rushed about, tidying the cottage with great urgency. "He'll be here very soon, Tansy!"
"Who will be?" The housemaid questioned with a fluffy grey brow raised, "Why have you not told me that someone was coming?"
"We have been putting off telling you..." responded Gideon guiltily while his wife continued to flutter about. She forced all the fabrics and ribbons out of the way, nearly tripping over her light yellow skirt as she went, "It's a business preposition."
"Yes and we have been offered more money from a businessman to give a better life for Rowena. We both believe that girl could be in high society one day," Iribelle continued cheerily. Tansy was not so cheery. In fact, her reddened face seemed suspicious, hurt and confuesed.
"But you are both so successful and have no problems selling your garments. You don't need a businessman's money in order to prosper, you just need to move to the capitol and you can make your great fortune there."Iribelle and Gideon exchanged anxious glances. They had to tell Tansy the truth.
"There's been some complication and our money isn't coming through as it usually does," Iribelle stressed, "Me and Gideon realised that we have been over-working ourselves to the point where you look after our child more than we do! You practically raised her. That's not the kind of mother I want to be." She began tying a bonnet over her sleek black hair and rearranged her dress. "And anyway, the man seems trustworthy. I believe he really has our best interests at heart! Perhaps he will make us more the family, allow us to revel in each other's good company and creativity even more."
"Yeah?" Restored Tansy. She was suspicious still, very suspicious and she had her own reasons for believing what she did. But this was Iribelle and Gideon's business and not hers. "Well, if that is what you want to do,I support you. I just want you to be careful."
Iribelle's look took a shift again and she glared at Tansy wearily. With such a woman, a shift could not go unnoticed. It was eerie, unsettling even, to see her smile faltering. Tansy rearranged her cuffs.
"If I had to go somewhere... would you take my Rosie for a holiday in Farforth, just so it would distract her from our absence?" She asked.
There was a nod and an anxious glance around the room. "Of course."
YOU ARE READING
The Painted Slippers, An Undercurse Fable
FantasyAfter being attacked by a wolf, Rowena's life goes spiraling into mayhem. A wicked man gets his filthy hands on her family and gradually makes the pieces harder to put together again. But magic is alight, and Rowena finds herself suddenly thrown int...