A Court of Hopes and Dreams

Chapter One

I know that Nesta and Elain do not like it when I go hunting with Feyre. Though it is only Nesta who puts up a fuss, that just means she cares though. She sadly does not care if Feyre goes out alone even though we are both the same age and she is the oldest sister. Nesta and Elain still cling to the hope that one day our wealth will return and they can go back to spending money however they please and not having to do any chores. They do not do chores now either but one can wish. I put on my weathered coat and my new boots that Feyre forced me to get. I did not want to waste the money but she got them when I was not looking.

Nesta came up to me and asked sternly, "Are you sure I can not convince you to stay home and let her do the dirty work like the animal she is?" I half-heartedly glared at her since she decided to be rude when Feyre was in the room. She wanted Feyre to hear her talk badly about her character. I knew it was not worth it though. Personally, I think their personalities are so similar that they clash but I would not say it out loud since I know both of them would glare at me and very loudly disagree at the same time, further proving my point.

I sigh and respond to Nesta, "No Nessie I want to help out and that way if we both catch something then that is double the meat and money for us to make at the market later this week." She took a deep breath and then let it out, she knew I was right and wished I was not. She wishes that I would stay home and leave it to Feyre. Though Feyre and I are twins, she is the older twin, so I could not possibly leave her to fend for herself out there. What if she is too far away and gets injured and we could not reach her in time? That would crush me. I have already lost my mother and basically my father with how he sits around all day, I did not need to lose any of my other family members.

We stepped outside with our bow and arrows. Not to brag or anything but out of the two of us, Feyre and I, I am the best shot or huntress. I only ever try to hunt deer or other small animals. I have seen some Fae come over but I can never tell Feyre that since she would try to either run away and leave me alone or try to kill them with an ash arrow. Most people are very narrow-minded in their views of Fae. I do not mind them, I have never talked to any of them but they have not done anything to me so why should I hate them on principle? It was snowing heavily when we went out, for a moment I was wanting to take Nesta's advice and go back inside where there was at least some warmth but then remembered that Feyre was still going out and hunting. The weather could make it more difficult to see and two pairs of eyes are always better than one.

We went farther than both of us would have liked but we were all going to starve and nothing could be done. Winter was always the hardest time of the year for food since most animals were scarce and/or hibernating. We were closer to the wall than we have ever been. I could tell that Feyre was getting more and more nervous the closer we got to the wall. We could not see it but both of us could feel the overwhelming tang of magic in the air. I can infer that we are about four miles away from the wall. I have been up close to the wall one day out of curiosity so I know how long it can be from the house. It is a two day walk to the wall but I was on horseback that I borrowed from a neighbor. It took me about a day to get there. I told my sisters that I was going to a friend's house for a couple of days to explain my absence for two days. If they found out that I was standing next to the wall just looking at it, they would never let me leave the cottage again. They would not trust me to not go back to the wall.

I think that is unfair though since they hate faeries for no real reason. Yes in the past they were hateful towards us but they have not bothered us in years. In my nineteen years on the planet, I have only seen two faeries cross the wall into the human land and that was because they wanted to go exploring into the human world. I followed them and heard their conversations while they were looking around. They seemed younger and were talking about finding a cure for an ailment that plagued Prythian, the fae world.

I saw Feyre's breath quicken and heard her sharp intake so I looked around to see what she was freaking out about. It was a very large wolf. I have seen wolves before and this was not them. That meant only one thing, this was a fae. I stared in awe at it, I could not believe I was seeing it in person. Before I could say anything I saw Feyre raise her bow and shoot the fae with an ash arrow. She was saying something about how it would fetch a good price at the market but I interrupted, "Feyre no, this is not just a wolf, this is a faerie which means they had feelings. We are not about to skin them and take the hide to the market like it is just an animal. We will keep it in the shed and then bury them when the weather clears up. We are not heartless beings."

Feyre sighed and then responded, "Whatever, I got us a deer at least and do not mind your highness it is a regular one. We all can not have your bleeding heart." I glared at her which I can tell took her by surprise, I almost never glare at people unless they, like Feyre right now, are making fun of me. Feyre whispered, "I am sorry, I didn't mean it like that." I sighed, 'I know Feyre but next time do not take my compassion for weakness. I just do not like the thought of them not being able to have a proper burial. They could have a family, they could be a father or a mother or a sister or a brother. You just killed them with no hesitation. It feels wrong."

Feyre lifted the wolf while I carried the deer back to the cottage. I motioned for her to put the wolf in the shed that we have. It will be untouched by the harsh weather and that way it can be preserved as much as it can. I feel really bad that it was killed but I can not do anything about it right now. I came into the cottage and Elain was very happy to see the big stag that Feyre and I brought down. We were skinning the deer so that we could sell the hide the next day and keep the meat for later. We were sitting down at the table later when Feyre and Nesta started arguing again. This time it was about Nesta's choice of partner.

"Well, I said to him, 'If you think you can just ask me so nonchalantly, sir, I'm going to decline!' And you know what Tomas said?" Arms braced on the table and eyes wide, Elain shook her head. "Tomas Mandray?" Feyre interrupted. I groaned here we go again. Can we have a night free of disagreements please, or is that too much to ask for? "The woodcutter's second son?" Nesta's blue-gray eyes narrowed. "Yes," she said, and shifted to address Elain again. "What does he want?" She wants to marry him, I don't think it is a good idea but who am I to judge her on her choice of marriage partner. "He wants to marry her," Elain said dreamily. I blinked. Nesta cocked her head. I sighed and reached my hand towards Elain, at least she is not part of this drama. I can only take so much and then I feel like I am going to explode. Feyre taunted, "You can't chop wood for us, but you want to marry a woodcutter's son?" Nesta squared her shoulders. "I thought all you wanted was for us to get out of the house—to marry off me and Elain so you can have enough time to paint your glorious masterpieces."

This is going to get ugly. Can't this dinner go any faster? Please save me from this torment. I really can't stand it when they fight. I don't like conflict within family no matter what, but especially between these two since they can never get along for less than two minutes. When Nesta is in one of her moods everything that Feyre does is wrong in her eyes which makes Feyre be annoyed and snap back. It is a never ending cycle. ""Believe me," Feyre said to her, "the day you want to marry someone worthy, I wiII march up to his house and hand you over. But you're not going to marry Tomas."

Nesta's nostrils delicately flared. "There's nothing you can do. Clare Beddor told me this afternoon that Tomas is going to propose to me any day now. And then Pll never have to eat these scraps again." She added with a small smile, "At least I don't have to resort to rutting in the hay with Isaac Hale like an animal." Great! Just great! Now we are insulting everything the other person does. I roll my eyes and look at Elain, she shrugs and just sits there loving the drama that is happening. At least one of us is entertained.

"Tomas's family is barely better off than ours," she said, trying to keep from growling. "You'd be just another mouth to feed. If he doesn't know this, then his parents must." I started to daydream about a day that we all could be a happy family again. Maybe this will never happen, but one can wish. I got tired of their fighting and went back into our shared bedroom and got ready for bed while they were still arguing. After I got into bed Feyre came storming in and turned away from me while trying to calm her breath and go to sleep.