A Court of shadows and love

CHAPTER-2

The four siblings soon walked down the trampled snow coated road into the village. Scent  of hot foods waffled by spices filled the air. Xander's mouth watered. But he knew he can't have them if he is planning on buying daggers to resume his training. He turned to Feyre to ask about where they are going to sell the hides as they turned the corner and nearly stumbled into someone. Children of the blessed.  "Fucking hell" muttered Xander loud enough for all of them to hear. It seems that  the whole Archeron family shared his emotion. After some colourful language from Nesta the siblings escaped from them. Xander and Elain can't contain their laughter after seeing the look on one of the acolytes after Nesta said a particularly nasty word. They both received strange looks from the by passers. Nesta smacked Xander's head at some point. Nesta looked ready to go and talk with the acolytes with her fist.

"We'll meet you here in an hour" Feyre said and dragged Xander along with her. "Stop laughing, Xan" said Feyre. "Oh please sister don't tell me you didn't see the face of that acolyte when Nesta said that word" said Xander doubling over. A smile tugged on Feyre's lips. "Ha you are smiling" shouted Xander pumping his fist in air. "No I am not" Feyre hissed.
"Yes you are"
"No I'm not"
"Yes"
"No"
"Whatever you want to say sister" Said Xander mockingly bowing. Feyre shoved him and started walking. They reached a new mercenary to sell their hides rather than the old buffoons they sell regularly. The weapons on her gleaming and wicked made Xander's eyes go wide. While Feyre looked nervously around.

"I don't barter goods for my services. I only accept coins" said her accented voice. "Then you will be out of luck in this place". She was massive than Xander ever in her sitting position. "What is your business with me, girl?" She asked. "We have a wolf pelt and a doe hide for sale. We thought you might be interested in them" said Xander flashing his charming smile. "You steal them?" she asked. Xander felt his whole pride crumble under those three words. "No. My brother hunted them , I swear it" Feyre said without breaking her stare. "How?" She breathed. Xander scoffed loudly. So Feyre told her the tale of yesterday's hunt.

"Let me see" she asked. Xander placed the rucksack holding the hides on her table. "You weren't kidding about the wolf size" she murmured. She named her price. Both Feyre and Xander blinked not believing what they heard.

"I am assuming you two are siblings along with those two standing over there" she said gesturing towards Nesta and Elain. "You all have that brassy hair and hungry look about you" she said.

"We don't need your pity" Xander said sizing her up. "No, but you need my money" she said. Xander turned to look at Feyre and back up at her. "Up to you, boy" she said smiling faintly. "Why?" Breathed Xander. She shrugged "someone once did the same for me. Figured it's time to repay what's due" she said as she ran her fingers along the pelt. "Our father has some wood cravings that I could give you as well to make it more fair" said Feyre. Xander looked at his sister like she had grown an extra leg. Who would want travel with carrying that much. "I travel light and have no need for them. These however save me the trouble of killing them myself" she said and gestured towards the hides. She reached onto her coin purse and counted the coins. She placed the coins in Feyre's hand. "Thank you" Feyre said to the mercenary.

"A word of advice from one hunter to another" she said as she stroked the wolf's hide. Both Xander and Feyre lifted their eyebrows.
"Don't venture to far into the woods" she warned them and recounted the tale of fae monsters in nearby villages. "Thank you for the warnings" said Xander. Her attention flicked behind the siblings and she gave a faintly amused smile "good luck".

Then Nesta pulled both of them away. "They are dangerous" Nesta hissed. "Don't go near them again" she said digging her nails into Xander's forearm. "Is there something I need to know?" Asked Xander rubbing his forearm where Nesta nail prints were embedded.

"They are brutes and will take any coppers they can get, even if it's by force." The siblings turned to look at the mercenary who was still examining the pelts. "She robbed you?" Asked Feyre.

"Not her" Elain murmured. "Some other one who passed through. We had only a few coins he got mad ,but~~" Elain trailed off. "Why didn't you report him —or tell me?" Hissed Xander. "What could you have done?" Nesta sneered. "Challenge him to a fight with your daggers? And who in this sewer of town would even care if we reported anything?"

"What about your Tomas Mandray?" Feyre said cooly . Xander snorted. Nesta's eyes flashed. But something caught her eye. "Your friend is waiting for you." Nesta said disgust evident in her voice. Indeed waiting across the square is Issac. "I will meet you at home" said Feyre and went to meet Issac.

"And you brother need some beating" hissed Nesta. "You can't touch me woman" Xander shouted panicked. "Watch me" with that Nesta took hold of Xander's ear and didn't let go until they reached their cottage. Xander's ear were dark red when Nesta released him. He glared at her and his twin and went to his room.

Later that night after another dinner of venison the Archeron family gathered around the fire for some time. Nesta and Elain were giggling and whispering. They spent all the copper Feyre has given them. Xander didn't spend much. He was saving it for new dagger. His father was dozing off in his chair. Earlier that day Xander and Feyre had talked about Tomas Mandray. They want to put an end to that matter. When Feyre opened her mouth to speak, there was a roar that shook their cottage. Nesta and Elain screamed as snow burst into the room and an enormous, growling shape appeared in the doorway.