When the Story Ends

Chapter Two

The young girl awoke that morning, the hovel colder than normal. Bae must have forgotten to put another log on before he slept - It was a repeat offense. Quickly Avira left her bed and moved the sheet that acted as a wall in the hut. She pulled her blanket off her bed and held it close as she crossed the wood floor.

Next to the chimney was the leftover wood she and Bae chopped together, she put one into the furnace and turned a couple pieces over to rekindle the flame. Next was breakfast. She grabbed the few eggs they had left and grabbed a pan from the drying rack. She picked up a stool and set it in front of the counter climbing on it to grab the secret place of bread her father had stored away. After putting her feet back on the ground she moved towards the now crackling fire. The oranges and yellows dancing together warming their home. She placed the pan onto the open flame letting it heat up. As that took place she took a moment to step outside, leaving her blanket on the counter exchanging it for her dark gray shawl.

The sun peaking passed the tree tops over the valley onto the farm lands. Avira rubbed her eyes and stretched her arms. She grabbed the empty bucket they used for water and made her way to the well passed others houses. Some adults were already working on things that needed to be done to survive, farm, hunt, and barter. Avira nodded to a few women sitting in chairs with needlepoint in their hands. She knew how to do a little needlepoint but without her mother she didn't excel like other ladies.

She found the well after a few minutes and hooked the bucket to it, lowering it down to collect the day's water. Avira moved around to the lever to wheel the bucket down to collect the water. Her arms already sore from doing the same thing yesterday morning. "I can't wait until Bae is old enough to do this." She muttered to herself lifting the bucket within her reach. Grabbing it she pulled it onto the ledge unhooking it.

Heaving the bucket home she smiled to herself seeing a few kids already awake playing around the village. A few almost bumped into her knocking the bucket loose from her hands. As she passed them they were lectured by who she guessed were their parents. She chuckled to herself finally reaching her hut. She took the time to take a cup of the water and placed it into the bowl and rinsed her face. It was a cold rude awakening, but it felt great to get rid of the nightmares from her mind.

"Vira?" The front door of their home opened and out stepped her father, Rumplestiltskin. "Ah - there you are." Avira motioned to the water bucket and he nodded understanding what she was doing.

"I knew Bae wasn't going to do it, so I took it upon myself." Avira shrugged and wiped her face on the cloth next to the basin. "Have you started breakfast or did you want me to cook that?" The tone was slightly accusatory but she hadn't meant it to be. Seeing her father's reaction she softened her gaze and forced a smile. "No matter, I'm alright with either."

"Come on, I'll get Baelfire up, if you start on breakfast."

"Deal." She smiled and joined her father inside, the house cozy from the fire. She took off her shawl and threw it over onto her bed. Sitting down in front of the fire she cracked the eggs onto the pan. Immediately they started sizzling from the heat.

"Bae," Avira could hear her papa say a few times getting her younger brother's attention. "Come on. Avira is working on breakfast." She smiled to herself. Their life wasn't bountiful, but it was nice. A simple life that she had grown accustomed to. She grabbed some of the egg shells that had fallen with the yoke with the whole shell like she was taught as a child. She pulled the bread from the cloth and set it on the rack above the pan letting it start to toast. She grabbed the wooden spatula to stir the eggs making sure they didn't stick to the bottom of the pan.

"Morning Avira!" Bae exclaimed as he gave her a bear hug from behind. She used one arm to hug him back as she finished off moving the eggs back and forth.