Xander woke up at dawn and cracked the bone in his hip and limbs. Stretching out his body he yawned. Looking towards Feyre he saw her sleeping peacefully. He silently slipped out of his small room without waking her. His father is still asleep in his cot near the fireplace. He ignored his father and set off towards main door. When he opened the door winter mist kissed the skin of his naked torso. Xander shivered and stepped out. He isn't exactly lean or muscular. He is what someone calls a fair boy. With gold brown hair which he shares with all of his sister and grey eyes he shares with Nesta and Feyre, he is a pretty good looking boy. Besides he has the most charming smile. His smile practically melts the heart of most girls and some boys too. He had a single relationship in his life, nothing serious. He decided against having a serious relationship. He has to take care of his sister's need first and then he can concentrate on his needs.
Xander splashed cold water onto his face which made him hiss at the contact. He stood there and admired the rising sun. The front door opened. Xander thought it was Feyre, but to his amusement Nesta stood there, with a axe in her hands. Nesta looked like she was going to kill someone in reality she was going to chop woods. Xander didn't say a word to Nesta after last night's argument. He won't give in easily. So does Nesta. Xander walked back inside after completing his morning routine.
By the time he got in his father was awake and sitting in his armchair near the fireplace. Elain was preparing bread and tea for breakfast. He slid onto the table and plucked the cup of tea from her hands. "Good morning" he said as he sipped the tea. "That was mine" groaned Elain. "Oh, is it?. I didn't notice" he said sarcastically and sipped. Elain muttered something along the lines 'grown baby' and made another cup for her. The twins sat and sipped the tea silently for a few minutes. Xander knew it will only be a few minutes before Elain brought up last night's argument. So he waited. "Don't you think you were a bit harsh on Nesta last night?" She asked as she heated her hands using the warmth of tea cup. "And she wasn't hard on Feyre?" Xander retorted. Elain didn't say anything. "Trust me Elain. Nesta, will marry the most brave man in the world and that man is not Tomas Mandray" he said as he tucked her curly locks behind her ear. "Besides do you truly believe that he can put up with Nesta Archeron? He might think he can but he will be scared shitless within days" Xander said laughing, Elain laughed along with him this time. Elain and Xander have this connection that no other siblings has. It might be due to the fact that they are twins, whatever it is they can never be angry at each other for a long time. "Gods how can you sit without shirt? I am freezing inside my blankets" Elain said noticing that her brother is half naked. "That my dear sister is part of my training" he said and flicked her nose. With a final kiss to her forehead he left to his room got dressed and woke up Feyre .
After waking up Feyre they both started working on the meat. They worked in harmony and completed the task in record time. "That is the fastest we have cleaned a doe Feyre" said Xander as he washed his hands in water to get rid of the blood. "That's because you ate a whole lot of meat yesterday, Xander" Feyre said as she washed her hands. "Ouch you wound me sister" Xander said and clutched his heart in mock heart. Feyre rolled her eyes at her brother's antics and went inside.
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.