Wicked Hearts Of Stone

Chapter 4

Empty bottles thrown in a fit of rage, shattering into pieces scattering across the dull wooden floor boards.
"You had one job, Aeryn," Father yells pointing a thin, boney finger my way. Hunched over, breathing heavy in and out.
"It was a simple task. Someone with half a brain could of done a better job than you." His jaws clenches, dropping his hands to his side into to fists and his knuckles turning white with rage.
He never use to be like this, the voice echoes throughout my head.
I plea to father "I tired, I didn't have much coin, and the prices have gone up again" I follow, trying to get him to understand me, understand I tried my best.
"Its not good enough! We're wasting away and its all your doing." Father spits again. Luca standing in the doorway in the hall, his own face displeased as he watched the unnecessary rage escape and unfold from our Father. I stubborn, selfish drunk father that cant provide for his own children, but rather drink and be drunk all day.
I didn't have a reply back, knowing anything I say would just escalate the situation. Another bottle thrown my way to be shattered on the wall next to me. Thankfully his aim wasn't good enough to strike me true.
"I have been waiting all day, starving all day for you to come back with fuck all. There's no food in the house and all the crops were dead outside." He says again, taking a step towards me. I didnt have the energy nor the sunlight after hunting all afternoon to tend to the small patch of crops we had at the side of the house, to stop them from being frostbitten by the snow. Some seeds I managed to pinch as as a cart of seeds and spices tipped over from the unkept jaggered cobblestone road down at the market last summer. Hoping father would at least water them and keep the nets maintained from the snow and pests, but every day after hunting i would quickly glancing them as I walk up the steps to the porch. Seeing them declining from the temperatures lowering day by day, and all the small animals getting into them to feed themselves for the winter.
"I'll go out tonight to see what i can find in the woods. I spotted some big hares in the paddocks on the way to the markets this morning, there will be something for dinner tonight." I say to father, lowering my head to look at my feet and all the broken pieces of glass scattered across the floor around me.
He walks up close to me, feet heavy, until he was right in front of me merely a few inches away from my face.
"You better Aeryn, or else." He threatens.
"Or what?" I whisper, quickly regretting the words. I shoot a quick gaze at him, his face scrunched from anger, teeth bearing.
"Or don't bother coming home." He spits out through his clenched teeth.
"Father," Luca interrupts from beside us, knowing he was taking it a step too far,
"Don't", Father cuts in before Luca could say anything else.
"You have got nothing to say, there is nothing you can do to help us" He says, looking Luca up and down, mocking him. Luca just sighs giving me a sorrow look, but quickly turns around walking down the hallway. Closing his bedroom door behind him.
"You," Father turns back to me, finger pointing again right in my face,
"You give Luca too much hope, too much confidence for his own good." Father slurs out his words as he adjusts his stance.
"He's a smart man, he's capable of so much.." But before I could continue father slams a hand into the wall behind me, causing me to jump a little bit from the loud bang followed with silence.
"Just shut up Aeryn. You've done enough today, get out of my face before you make me more mad." I swiftly slither away from between the wall and his stench of alcohol, escaping to my room. I lean against the closed door behind me, feeling the cold wood on my back. Sliding down the door I sunk to my knees, feeling defeated yet again. I could still hear father moaning and grumbling in the living room, banging things around.

It was just after mid-day as the sun was past its highest point in the sky. I knew I had an hour or two till I had to go back into the cold, dark woods again to scavenge something for dinner. Maybe ill have luck on my side and ble to find something, anything for us to feast on. My stomach felt hollow, but I decided to take a quick nap to try to brush off the tense feeling, regain some energy I will need for tonight.
I peeled back the covers and slid into bed with my layers and all, too tired and angry to take them off. It wasn't long until I was thinking of the men earlier on in the market. Why would those strange soldiers be in a small village like this? Was there something out there they were wanting? Hunting someone perhaps?
I didn't question much as darkness eloped me, drifting into a deep sleep.