Flight of Frost and Aurora

Chapter 20

Vagatha dressed with one hand, her other hand tightly gripping the knife Anthony had given her. She carefully slipped into one of Carmilla's elegant dresses, draping Rosamund's coat over her shoulders, all the while remaining poised to strike at Anthony should he attempt anything untoward. It was only her first day, and already she found herself contending with two creeps spying on her. She hoped Mother Carmilla wouldn't find out about this; she would only see it as proof that Vagatha wasn't ready to face the world.

"Are you done?" Anthony called from behind the tree.

"Yes," she replied, "but I'm keeping the knife."

"Fine. I don't want it anyway," he said as he stepped out. "I hate hunting."

"Then why are you out here?"

"Because my brother made me. He's obsessed with hunting; it's more of a hobby for him than a means to put food on the table."

"How disgusting," she sneered. "Hunting for sport, killing for pleasure—he should be ashamed of himself."

"To be fair, I don't think he does it to hurt animals. He just wants to impress our father. He's a gamekeeper, the best in town. Well, actually, he's the only one in town, but he's famous for it."

"A gamekeeper? What's that?"

"It's somewhat like a family legacy. It all began with my great-grandfather, who discovered a piece of land in this area teeming with deer, bears, turkeys, pigs, wolves, and fish. He learned to manage the wildlife populations so that there was enough to harvest, ensuring that everyone in Snejotep Haven could be fed and sheltered. This is how he came to own the land. However, he enforced a strict rule regarding hunting on his property: you could only take an animal if it would provide food or shelter. This principle was upheld by my grandfather when he inherited the land, and my mother embraced it as well. Unfortunately, when my grandfather passed away, the land was not passed down to her; instead, it went to my father, who tends to shoot anything that moves."

"With an attitude like that, Mother Carmilla is bound to punish him sooner or later." Vagatha declared.

"Who?"

"Mother Carmilla. Ruler of the South? Lady of Summer and Spring? Haven't you ever heard of her?" she asked, her eyes sparkling with conviction.

"Oh, you mean those old wives' tales," he replied dismissively.

"It's not a wives' tale! She's real! In fact, I used to be one of her sprites," she insisted, her voice rising with passion.

"Uh-huh, sure," he said, skepticism dripping from his words. "And I'm one of Father Christmas's elves."

"You would be wise not to mock Mother Carmilla!" Vagatha exclaimed. "She is the very reason people like you have the opportunity to eat. Without her, all the crops would wither and die, and the game would vanish from this land."

"No offense, but I find it difficult to believe that a woman could have control over the weather in this area."

"How do you think the seasons change? What's your theory? Hmm?"

"I'm not sure, but it can't possibly be some old woman dressed in grass and leaves."

"Oh, how dare you! If I were still a sprite, I'd toss you into the river and boil you like a lobster in a pot!"

"Now hold on a second, I thought sprites were supposed to be sweet, friendly, and never get mad?" Anthony teased with a grin.

"That's elves, you idiot!" Vagatha shot back, her tone sharp. "They're the ones who believe in goodwill toward man Sprites, however, treat human beings according to their own whims."