A Shelby Mistress

Birthdays and Witches

Summer 1905
"No I don't want to go!....I DON'T WANT TO GO!"
That was it!
The little beast was in for it now. Jane could hear her protests in the kitchen from her seat on the stairs and smirked in delight. It wasn't often Aurora found herself in trouble but Jane relished in the times she did and right now the princess wasn't acting like a princess.
"Chavaia Chavi! You don't have a choice! You're going whether you like it or not!"
Her Dad's voice thundered through the room, his was losing his temper and Jane was thankful she wasn't in Aurora's place. If the child kept pushing, his hand would soon come down around her chubby little thighs and she would squeal like the piglet she was.
"No! You can't make me!"
Jane heard the whooshing noise of her Dad's hand coming up before the sound of skin connecting with skin echoed throughout the house causing everything to go still and quiet in the aftermath.

That was until Aurora's little heartbroken cries started and rolling her eyes Jane shook her head.
Christ! He had only slapped her once!
Jane had received a lot more as a young child. Some days she thought her Dad had knocked her head off her shoulders and that was during his more generous hidings.
Jane just hoped her Dad would react to Aurora's tears the way he used to react to hers, with disregard and anger at her crying like a baby. Aurora was different, her tears and wide little eyes had the ability to turn her Dad soft but Jane prayed with all her might that for the first time they wouldn't after all the reason the were going travelling was for her.

It was Jane's birthday week and it was tradition that the family travel for each child's birthday if they wished to do so. Jane always wished to do so, she hated being cramped up in the house. She needed the outdoors like she needed air to breathe. They had all moved into a home shortly after Aurora's birth. Her parents had told her it was for their safety and for the chance that they all may grow to be something great in life, something better. Jane thought this ridiculous, they didn't seem to mind having their other children growing up on the road so why should Aurora's upbringing be any different.
Being as young as she was, Jane hadn't been able to say no and go off on her own or with another family. She had fought tooth and nail to stay yet in the end she had been brought here, to this house where they lived like boring regular folk.
Jane even had to attend school! She hated school!
And this was all the fault of the little beast crying in the kitchen.

"Ma...Mama.." She heard Aurora sob pitifully and Jane couldn't help but feel a little sorry for the girl.
It was that little voice and face of hers, it made them all soft even Jane.
"No Aurora go to your room until you're ready to apologise!" Her Dad ordered sending a wave of delight through Jane who quietly and excitably tapped her feet on the stairs. He hadn't gone soft, he hadn't given in to Aurora's charms and Jane was proud of him.

Jane heard her light steps slowing coming towards the stairs as she whimpered and choked on her tears. Resting her hand on her chin Jane waited for the little beast to appear. 
It didn't take long for Aurora to come into sight and looking down at the child Jane tried to keep her face stoic.
Her rosy cheeks were soaked with tears and were slowly seeping into the collar of her little pink dress. Her dark curls bounced as she began to hyperventilate like all upset children did and snot bubbles shot from her nose with each sob, in and out, in and out.
"Janey" Aurora cried noticing her sister sat on the stairs and giving her a helpless look.
Jane didn't know why she was looking at her like that, she wasn't going to comfort her, the bitti grunter had almost ruined her birthday plans.
"You pushed your luck Aurora" Jane tutted giving Aurora a shake of her head before turning away and walking back up the stairs leaving Aurora to trail behind.
"S..s..ssorry Janey"

Jane sat in the doorway of her bedroom listening to Aurora's cries for over an hour. She thought the little beast would have been finished by now but it seemed the the pain of travelling and a smack was deeply affecting the child. Aurora was going to make herself sick if she continued and if she was sick her Dad would soften.
Deciding she wasn't about to let that happen, Jane got up from the floor and headed in to Aurora's room to see the girl curled up at the top of her bed with her blanket clutched to her chest.