There is an art to climbing trees. It takes poise, strength, patience, quick thinking. All the qualities I don't excel with.
My hands grasp around the branch as firmly as I
could make them all slick with sweat. Hair fell in my
eyes as I glared up at my sisters blurred profile.
"You are so annoying!" I groaned trying to get a better purchase for my left foot, to little avail.
"You are greatly mistaken Mae." Her voice rings from above where she's hanging out over the branches below. Still perching on one branch she uses another to lean out even farther out. I can just feel her gaze on me, half bemused and half critical.
"I'm not sure that's what you'd call a good purchase for your left foot." She says, right as I move my foot over to a small crevice. I mentally roll my eyes, taking into full account that even the smallest movement could be treacherous . I place my foot on a second branch and climb my way through the last branches. Pulling myself precariously on the same thick branch, I eye my traitor of a sister.
"Oh? Am I so mistaken? Miss I think it's funny to steal my sister's belongings." I'm still catching my breath and the few strands of hair from my pony tail have been joined by more irritating locks. I try to blow it all out of my face and line of vision. A completely useless effort. Stuck point down in the sturdy branch is my pocket knife. It's a arms length away, and I snatch it up before Jacelyn can take it. Shoving it into my pocket I say stiffly
"You're infuriatingly condescending." Jacelyn finally deigns to look over, smirking even more condescendingly.
" Woah, some big words for a narrow minded girl." Debo says, twirling a leaf stem between her fingers.
I stiffen, almost losing my firm seating and taking the fast way down the tree.
" Narrow minded?" I snap already irritated. "Excuse me?!?" Debo stands and walks carelessly down the trees arm to my area of branch. She lowers herself into a quick crouch, one that would've caused me to fall had I attempted it.
"You are excused," she smiles exasperatingly smugly and drops to a lower limb. I try not to gasp at the sudden movement. Suddenly a stern voice calls up at me in sharp tones.
"You shouldn't be climbing with knives Maeve! I see it in your pocket!" Carefully I try to lower myself to the branch Jacelyn just climbed down to. My foot slides back and forth unsteady on the damp bark. "I-sh-ho-" I try to get the words out but they're all jumbled and laced with fear. Jacelyn pears up at me with a look look of mock concern. She's crouched again, elbows on her knees, hands cupping her chin.
"Is someone at a loss for words?" She laughs and scampers down the length of her branch before dropping to the one below it.
"I believe it's called speechless. Dimwit," Lily says darkly. I can make out her graceful yet weary figure standing at the base of the tree.
"What happened this time, Mae?" Having safely found my way down the tree I dust my hands off on my pants.
"Why don't you ask miss mastermind over there?"
I try to keep my voice nonchalant but it comes out more, irritated. To distract myself I grab a stray stick and flick open my knife to sharpen the end.
"I told you to put that away," Lily presses sounding a lot like a worried mother. Although I'm tempted to mention I am no longer climbing a tree, I flip the knife shut shoving it back into my pocket. Lilly turns to Jacelyn looking wary of what this might start.
"Alright mastermind... what'd you do?"
"Nothing, I'm as innocent as Saint Hala," Debo says, batting her eye lashes at Lily. Lily stares in disgust clearly unimpressed. . .
"We'll alright I presume I was a little....What's the word?" I look back to see Lilly counting off the list on her fingers.
" Harsh? Unfair? Irritating? Maddening? Vexing? Preposterous?" I tick the words off on my fingers,
"I could keep going." Jacelyn snorts a laugh in her my face, quite rudely I might add. Lilly sighs pinching the bridge of her nose.
"I believe now I intervene and ask for both sides?"
"No need" my sister mutters, her voice slightly lowered.
"I may have been everything and more according to Maeve here." Her eyes narrow at me, and her lips are pursed in a thin line. Looking away, I take my knife out and stab it carefully into an over hanging branch. I fidget with the the draw string on my dad's hood.
" Undoubtedly so," I mumble under my breath not bothering to meet her gaze. I almost just leave the knife where it is, but end up shoving into my pocket moodily.
"Maybe, sometimes take a moment to think about what you're doing. Think how it would affect someone who is not you. Is that too much to ask?"
"Honestly Maeve," she laughs still smirking obnoxiously.
"Coming from someone with your judgment? I'll take all those words as compliments." Jacelyn starts up towards the house but pauses
"I see no consequences any of this had on you. You're perfectly fine...besides your judgment." She adds on.
Chaselyn continues walking towards our magnificent home, the Jelana castle. A place seeming to come straight out of fairytales, and a home some could only dream of. Though I love and appreciate my home, however the occupants are a different story. Lilly whistles long and low,
"We'll she certainly felt no remorse in not holding back." Lilly nudges me in the arm a little too hard. "Didn't she now?"
I huff sarcastically as I can while being so tired.
"No it would seem she did not," I relent a little. The sun is sinking behind the hills behind our home, casting an orange glow. It's magnificent, and all together eccentric, but I can't help admire it.
Lily and I make our way into the castle and see Jacelyn didn't get to far. She's standing over our wimp of a dog, we have the misfortune to own. She's teasing him with a piece of dried meat. I don't blame her. He's either extremely affectionate or ignores every command.
"Come get it, jump up Mr. Bentley, Jaselyn entices waving the food in front of his face. But he does nothing except whimper most obnoxiously. A sound I find almost as nerve grating as Jacelyn's voice. She takes a small bite before depositing the meat at Bentley's paws.
"I can't believe an animal without a brain doesn't like you!" We're almost to the draw bridge and gate but it feels like we'll never get inside.
"I thought you'd both be successful somehow with our dog, considering he has the same intelligence as you." Lilly states wryly.
"Had the same thought about you two getting along." Now we're both glaring at Lilly as we walk passed the pond. We make our slow way over the bridge and into the big court yard. The circular structure has layers of balconies wrapped around it's walls. The flowers over flow from small pots placed around more flower beds. There's a fountain in its center, the statue is our Saint Hala. The whole place is dimly lit by torches, making me far more drowsy than before. The carvings in the wall have every shadows cast over their faces. I just want to get inside we're I feel safe.
