Eavesdropping

Eleven years later

I peeped through my window, my long black hair settled in a neat braid on my back as I watched my sister Elvira playing with her friends on their way back from school.

My heart tensed as I saw them progress towards the house, their towering heights usual for an average Fae child but unusual for me.

I saw her laugh with her friends and as usual, I could make out what they were saying despite them being kilometers away and me far on the third floor of our home.

"We should do that again Leon." Elvira said beaming at Leon.

Leon was one of the sons of the Lord of the Water court.

He was incredibly beautiful as a Fae within the age of fifteen.

His long blonde hair was straight and left to flow down, his pointed ears were uniquely set behind his hair and his brown eyes completed his Fae identity.

Elvira had been and still was obsessed with Leon. She was certain he was going to marry her and be her partner and she would be the one to sit as lady on the Water court throne.

But I didn't tell her that she couldn't be lady because Leon wasn't going to ascend the throne.

He was a fourth child and that sole responsibility rested with his three elder siblings as was tradition.

If I did try to tell her, she would be nasty to me so I kept it to myself.

More so she was the one who attended school, if she cared she would know this details.

"How is Angel?" Leon asked.

I looked up in utter shock.

"Angel?" Elvira hissed as if forgetting I existed and then she clicked her tongue. "Oh Angel? She is somewhere at home I believe. Sick as usual."

I felt my shoulders drop.

I had seen Leon a handful of times but it was always at necessary occasions for all Faes over the years.

Events that made it necessary for me to be in the midst of our people. If not I was not to be seen outside.

"What is actually wrong with her?" Mira one of Elvira's friends asked. "She doesn't grow like us. Doesn't even look like us."

"She is an abnormality." Elvira snorted.

"That must be unfortunate." Silry another friend said.

"Very." Elvira nodded and I didn't need to be told twice that they meant that Elvira having an abnormal sister was what was unfortunate not my circumstances.

As they approached closer to the house, Elvira came off her horse and one of our household servants approached to take him away.

"Who is that?" Leon asked.

Elvira shot her head up at my window.

I ducked, but it was too late. I knew she had seen me.

I hurriedly rushed out of my room to cover my tracks.

The door to our house was flung open.

"Mummy, she is doing it again!" Elvira screamed.

I knew what was going to happen . I just knew what was happening next.

I looked at Elvira from the steps.

"Why were you peaking at the window and looking at me and my friends?!" Elvira snapped.

"I was not peaking at you." I said the lie coming out easily.

Another thing that made me different from being a normal Fae.

Faes could not tell lies. It was virtually impossible, we were bound by the truth. But I could lie and till today no one knew.

"Bloody liar!" Elvira's screamed even if she knew that I couldn't lie. Or so she believed. "If you were not a fae I would say you were a liar!"

"What's going on?"

It was mother and I took a step back because I knew how she would react.

She wore a crimson dress that tailed the ground, her hair was filled with flowers and the magnificent diamonds that sat on her hands and neck sparkled.

Forever looking young she was extremely beautiful.

"Mummy it's Angel. She is a nuisance!" Elvira snapped. "She was peaking at my friends and I. It's bad enough everyone laughs at me for having a sister as a freak, she had to showcase herself in front of everyone!"

I didn't expect it to hurt, or to still be surprised. It was not the first time that Elvira had used nasty words at me, called me an embarrassment or picked on me.

But regardless, i flinched at her words.

Mother turned to me.

"Were you peaking at your sister?" She asked me.

The way she took long to say the "your sister" as if the phrase was something she detested.

I took a step back as her peering gaze progressed further.

"I was just up in my room." I said.

"Standing by the window?" She demanded. "When you have been told to stay out of sight? And never approach if anyone other than members of this household is in sight?"

I swallowed, scared.

I couldn't say a word. I always disappointed mother no matter what I did.

I could feel Elvira's lips rise up to a smile.

"Papa said I could stand by the windows." I countered.

Mother's lips pressed firmly together and her perfectly made face twisted in a way that told me what was coming.

The slap landed of my face in the blink of an eye.