Avalon Isn't What It Used To Be

Chapter 33: Trapped

After due consideration, and good cause appearing, Owen was exonerated. Aside from our argument, that escalated far too quickly, Christmas was magical. I found myself more thankful that Santa wasn't  real. It was Owen who had given me such lovely gifts both this past Christmas and the one prior. Nor was he going to take any credit for it; All in the spirit of creating his own magic for me  to experience.

The weather had allowed us only two weeks in 'December' to where we could go outside. Thankfully we had prepared for another blizzard to blow in, thanks to a warning from the humans that specialized in deciphering weather patterns. I sat on the windowsill in our bedroom, hugging my knees to my chest as I staired out the window watching the endless snowfall.

I had done research before travelling to the Earth. I had read that in the Otherworld, the weather was left to its own devices. In Avalon, most weather is controlled and manipulated by highly practiced Fae. To be a Weather-Master was a highly coveted position in Avalon, not only due to status, but also because it paid in incredible amounts of light.

In addition to that, apprenticing to be a weather-conductor was a highly impacted position. It was one of the few apprenticeships I was never accepted into. Though, I could hardly blame them for denying me after what had happened with the Farming-Fae.  I didn't fully understand just how unpredictable and strong weather could actually be without Fae intervention. That was, until this winter of course. 

"Hey", Owen sauntered into the bedroom with a smile and pointed towards his desk, "Are you done with the laptop"?

"Yeah", I sighed, "You can use it now".

He nodded and made his way to the desk before sitting in front of the opened laptop. I watched him momentarily before looking back towards the snow. I could hardly even make out the trees. Snow is a beautiful cage, I thought. I had been locked in the house for weeks, Owen couldn't even drive us anywhere.

"What's wrong"? He sang deeply in concern, fishing me out of my thoughts.

I slowly pulled my attention to him and gave him an assuring smile. "Nothing's wrong".

Nothing was wrong. I was just growing impatient with the weather, and felt trapped. Especially since my attempts to preoccupy myself were failing, and I was running out of ideas. I was now resentfully counting as many snowflakes as I could.  He spun completely in his chair, giving me a patient but playful smirk.

"So, you just picked up 'somberly staring out the window' as a hobby, now have you"?

I huffed a laugh as he stood from the chair and walked over to join me by the window. He sat down beside me facing the same direction, as I'm sure he would if he could fit on the windowsill beside me.

I chuckled out my response as I turned back to the swiftly falling snow, counting in 10's. 

3,840. 3,850. 3,860...   "I just want to go somewhere. I'm bored".

"The internet isn't entertaining any more"? He teased playfully, referring to the passionate descriptions I gave him of my many discoveries on the internet the past few days.

I dramatically rolled my head towards him with a good-humored scowl. "It's not the same".

He rested his elbows on his bent knees, as he laughed softly, finding my theatrics endearing, "Well, have you heard from Meeks"?

"Yeah", I sighed out and spoke with audible annoyance, "She's in Fiji".

He playfully mimicked my irritation with an equally offended exclamation, "Fiji!—"