This beautiful cover is done by @KVASIENA
Thanks a lots!!!
Crystal pulls her hood off and stares at the house in front of her with a small smile, she looks around the area to find it cozy. To her big palace the house that her mate had looked small yet cozy.
When she sees no movement, she walks closer to the house to check if she can get a glimpse of her mate. She sneaks to watch inside of the house through the window and finds it silent and empty.
She gets view of the furniture and before she could concentrate more someone pokes something at her back and she stays frozen.
"Hands up" the girl shouts and Crystal curses her luck and senses for not being aware that the girl sneaked up from behind.
"Hello" she smiles turning around before the thing that poked her is in front of her eyes.
"What are you doing?" the girl asks, and Crystal looks around the area to see if her mate was around too.
"Umm" Crystal hesitates before jumping as the girl moves the stick around.
"I knew you would be trouble; I have told Con time and again to not be so generous" the girl stomps her foot before she grabs Crystal's hand and drags her along with her.
"Listen, I am..."
"Shut it. I know girls like you, who won't lift a finger in her life but wants the world to help her around"
"But I..."
"Con, needs to know about this, so next time he tries to help some beggar he will think again. I am shocked, how did you even find our house?
Did you follow us?" the girl asks and Crystal worries wondering how she will explain that.
"Look I know this looks bad"
"Bad? Rephrase that word again, this is insane" Des shouts glaring at Crystal.
"Connor" the girl screams for her brother and Crystal stiffen scared what might her mate think of her, but all her worry vanishes at the sight of her mate walking out wiping his naked chest.
"I swear all you do is scream these days" Connor mumbles as he walks out of the stable wiping his body.
"What happened to you?" his sister asks standing in front of him.
"Your laziness. I had asked you to not let Shelby go in the horses stable, when you know she loves to go and shit there...
One of the horses stumbled in her goo and I had to clean it" he states, and she smiles sweetly at him.
"You know I was busy doing dishes this morning big brother"
"Liar. You said it was my turn for dishes and ran off" he reminds her, and she groans.
"Fine, I am a girl and unlike you I have things to do"
"Forget it, why were you screaming?" he asks and as if just realizing she gasps before turning around to find Crystal still standing there.
"It's her, the girl you gave the milk bottle for free and now she was snooping around the house. I caught her red-handed" she points a finger at Crystal who waves her hand a bit with a smile while Connor frowns staring at the girl.
"I think she came to steal" his sister whisper and Connor narrows his eyes as she steps towards her.
"Is it true?" he asks Crystal who shakes her head no.
"Liar, she is lying I saw her looking inside through the window" Des jumps in.
"Go get my shirt" Connor asks his sister who shakes her head no, but he pushes her towards the house, and she grumbles running inside.
*******
"I came looking for some work" Crystal cries before Connor starts and he blinks few times staring at her before shaking his head.
"From your clothes you do not look as if you are someone who needs a job" he points and Crystal cringes as she grabs her skirt.
"Umm..."
"I have no work to give you" he states before he moves to walk towards his house.
"I can help you out in the farm or perhaps help you at the market, anything" she steps and stands in front of him stopping him from leaving.
"Listen Lady, I do not know where you came from or why or whoever told you I have a vacancy that information is wrong. This may be a farmhouse, but I do not need any help...
So, you can return back and search for job in another house" he states as he moves past her but stop as his sister comes flying out of the door and hands him the shirt.
"What did you two talk?" she asks him curiously while Connor silently takes the shirt and puts it.
"Nothing, she is just leaving"
"Just like that? But what about her sneaking..."
"Des, you have to go check on the chickens" he reminds the girl who frowns as she stares at Crystal.
"The chickens can wait. What does she want?" his sister asks.
"Work" Crystal chimes in and Des stares at the girl suspiciously.
"You do not look working type" Des points and Crystal smiles sweetly.
"These are borrowed" she holds her dress and Des eyes her brother.
"Borrowed? Then why don't you go ask work for the person who gave you that dress?" Des points making Crystal sighs, as the little girl was smart.
"I cannot work where she works" Crystal states.
"Des, the chickens" Connor reminds his sister again who was by now walking towards Crystal.
"Where does she work?"
"In the..."
"Des, now" Connor calls the girl.
"Palace" Crystal states and the girl's gasps covering her mouth before she touches the dress Crystal was wearing
"No wonder, the dress looked expensive and it's so soft" Des whispers before she is yanked back by her brother.
"You need to leave; we do not have work for you, nor we have any money to give you" he states and Crystal pouts a bit.
"You do not have to pay me; a meal is enough" she pleads, and Des pulls her brother's shirt.
"She can do the dishes; I will share my meal" Des whispers to him but he shakes his head no.
"Please" Crystal pleads as she grabs Connor's hand and holds in between her making the man snap his head and stare in her eyes.
"No money, just a meal, please" Crystal pleads again and before he could reject his sister jumps in.
"You are hired" she grabs Connor's another hand pleading him along with Crystal giving him no other choice.
*******
Crystal enters Connor's house and stays still as she gets a look of the inside and tries to remember everything and take it all in not believing she was in her mate's house and something about it makes her feel at peace.
"You stay right here" Des orders as she pulls her brother along with him while Crystal sighs and walks in the house and takes a seat pretending to not listen, but she could every hushed argument between the sibling.
"She is not working" Connor argues with his sister who takes none of that.
"No way. Did you not hear what she said, just food, no money? Come on, big brother it's just two more eggs and bread" she argues as she stands on the stool to be at his height.
"It's not about that. We do not even know her"
"Exactly, that is why you should have never given a stranger the bottle of milk for free. And now she is here wanting more from where it came"
"Des, she is not staying and that's final" he warns as he turns to leave but she jumps on his back wrapping her arms around his shoulders to hold on.
"Of course, she is not, I am sure she does have a home to go back to and anyways what if she ran into some stranger's house saying she will do anything for food...
There are some weird people in the village after all and did you not hear the rumor of how people disappear in the woods, Connie?" his sister states making him frown.
"Well, even after all that you still want her to leave, then I am sure I will find a way to kick her out. Poor girl, she does not even know she will die because we could not afford just two more eggs and a bread to feed her...
The world really is a cruel place" Des sighs as she slides off his back and before he can proceed, she runs off.
Hearing all that Crystal gets up from the seat feeling sad that she will not be able to stay in the house and her mind runs to find more reasonable tactic to stay closer to her mate.
"Hey, you listen we..."
"Des" Connor voice makes the girl stop what she was saying, and she grins before slowly turning her head to stare at her brother.
"She can stay, we do need some help around anyways just make sure she knows it's just food and no money" he states to his sister before without a glance at Crystal's way he walks out from the house through the back door and his sister waits exactly ten seconds before she laughs and cheers.
"Let me show you where all the dishes to be washed are" she grins at Crystal who frowns wondering if this was all a good idea.
*******
"No. Stop" Des shouts as she grabs Crystal's hand stopping her who frowns as she glances at the girl who groans in frustration.
"You will finish all the soap that way. Have you never washed dishes before?" she scolds before pushing Crystal away as she sweeps just a tiny bit of soap before she washes the pots.
"This is expensive and the only reason Con ever said yes to buy it because it helps to clean the pots easily and it does not damages my hands likes the ashes" the girl states and Crystal stares at her hand before she puts the remains of the soap down.
"Umm, I have never washed the..."
"Of course, you have never used a soap. Do you know how expensive these are?" the girl asks making Crystal smiles, as she really had no clue how expensive those really were.
"What else do you want me to do?" she asks the girl who wipes her hands with the towel before she smiles and that makes Crystal bite her tongue for even asking.
"Well, why don't we go cook" she states and that makes Crystal groan as she has never done any cooking.
"About that..." she goes to stop the girl.
"You don't know how to cook?" the girl asks, and Crystal nods her head slowly.
"Poor you, have been begging all her life that she never cooked. Do you even have a house to go back to or bed to sleep on?" Des asks feeling bad as she touches Crystal's hand.
"Oh, I do have a home" she nods her head in hurry.
"It must be so lonely to stay alone" the girl sighs as they make their way towards the kitchen.
"After a while you get used to it, I guess"
"Yeah, we do. Well, it's just me and Connie now, but sometimes he irritates me so much that I want him to be gone but then without him I would be just like you...
Sneaking, stealing and begging" the girl sighs making Crystal wonder if the girl was sympathizing with her or giving snide remarks.
*******
"So, what do you guys do all day?" Crystal asks hoping they could go see her mate instead of just goofing around in the house.
"What else? Connie, never understands that I am girl and I have stuffs to do, you know girl stuff but no. It's Des go get the fresh eggs, Des, go milk the cow, Des, the dishes, Des the vegetables...
Des this and that. All he does is boss me around but what else can I do, being the woman in the house" she shrugs her shoulders as she puts the vegetables on the table.
Crystal slowly moves towards the window to check on her mate to find him working on the garden before she glances back at the girl.
"You grew your own vegetables?" she asks.
"Of course, do you know how much they take for vegetables in the market? I swear" she sighs.
"So, your brother knows things on garden as well" she asks.
"Of course, I am not going to dirty my hands all the time, he will have to learn to do things around after all one day I may not be around to take care of him"
"What?" Crystal frowns as she turns to focus on the girl.
"I will have to get married someday" she smiles putting a strand of her hair behind her ear.
"And that day is not today, go get some fresh eggs" her brother's voice makes her put the knife down as she glares at him.
"You are the one who keeps wanting eggs all the time, why don't you get it this time?" she snaps at him.
"The hen does not like me"
"Because you are a bully" Des stomps off the room before she barges out to get some eggs while cursing her brother.
"Uh" Crystal stares at Connor not knowing what to say and the man puts the dirty gloves on the table before he eyes her and back to the dirty gloves.
"Des said the soap is quite expensive and that I misuse it a lot" she replies understanding his question and he frowns.
"After today, do not come back here" he states before grabbing his gloves and walking away from the kitchen while Crystal sighs wondering what she should do to win his heart or a place in the house.