Rulers of Westover (Book 1 in the RoW Series)

Chapter Two

12:10:12 Light

Tandy Rou had been sitting for so long that when she tried to get up, her legs cramped. She ignored the pain as best she could and pulled herself to her feet. Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out three silver coins. It was the most she'd had for a long time, she realised with a smile. She'd be able to fill her belly all the way to the top for the first time in years.

She got to the stalls quickly and looked over the array of food she would have only dreamed about yesterday. Tandy licked her lips at a large silver fish which got her a blunt cough from the stall vendor who was eyeing her with suspicsion. "One silver," the woman said in a stern voice. Tandy just nodded and gave the woman one of her silver coins. Immediately the woman tested the coin with her teeth, her eyes not leaving Tandy. She pulled a square bit of used-to-be-white cloth from the pocket of her apron and wrapped the fish in it, passing it to Tandy. "Thank you," she murmured and hurried off. She had intended on spending all of her coin, but why waste it on food she could get fresh tomorrow? 

Samuel was waiting for her on the plank of wood they considered a step to their humble little D.I.Y shack. "What's that?" he asked rushing over when he saw the package. 

"It's dinner," Tandy replied, unwrapping the fish.

Samuel stared at the fish with wide eyes and licked his dry lips. "It's so.... big!" he gasped. He looked at his sister. "I don't think we've ever had such a meal; not even when those gypsies let us stay with them for a month." 

Tandy grinned. "Me neither." She lay the fish down on the small rickety table within the one-room shack. "How much should we eat today? All of it?" Samuel nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah!"

                                                                       *     *     *

"Avery!"

"What!?" Avery Maynet looked at her little sister in annoyance. She'd been happily painting the ocean on a large canvas until Elmina had jumped in front of her and ruined her view. "Come play!" the little blonde demanded in a happy tone. She was dressed in the most regal looking dress she had in her wardrobe and had their mother's make up all over her face. Her hair shouldn't even be mentioned. "No," Avery said immediately, trying to peer past her sister and continue painting the green water. Her sister hopped to the left to block her view. "Why not?"  

Avery glared at her sister. "Because I'm busy."

"Doing boring stuff."

"Yeah, sure, boring stuff. Now go away." Elmina stuck her tongue out and stormed off, leaving Avery annoyed as she was now at a different angle and couldn't paint.

Avery got up and stretched. There was no point finishing the painting. It had taken her a good half hour to get the right angle the first time round. It would take her even longer now she had half a picture on the canvas. She sighed. But what was there to do? Go to town perhaps? She snorted. Like she didn't do that every second day. 

"Where are you going exactly?" Avery turned to see her brother Quentin leaning against a pillar.

"Out," Avery said. "Elmina sort of ruined the last thing I was doing. And it seems the only place I can get away from her is town."

Quentin chuckled. "Yes, she did seem rather enthusiastic about being a princess today, didn't she?" Avery nodded with a sigh. Quentin walked over to her. "Why don't I come with you? Maybe we can find something in town that'll keep her amused and out of our way." Avery eyed her brother skeptically. They weren't exactly close. "And why would you possibly want to help me in the slightest?"