T I T L E / D A T E
Whoever he was, his presence became a regular occurrence and others soon took notice.
He attended many games out in the garden, and it wasn't long before him and Petyr became thick as thieves. Together, they tormented the kitchen with pranks, and flirted shamelessly with the serving girls.
Petyr was there the day she learned to swim, to ride horses, always showing off, always older and better and ready to make a joke at her expense.
She grew to dislike him a great deal, and with her siblings just as teasing, Yeva easily favored spending time in the family library, or with her grandmother in the observatory, drinking tea and listening to stories.
A memory of falling asleep in the library, and awaking to find Asher looking directly at her, until they both jumped, "What are you doing?" she asked, both of them looking at the other in surprise.
"Nothing."
"What-" Yeva pulled her legs from the arm of the chair, the book that had been laid across her chest falling to the ground. She was sixteen now, porcelain and awkward, "Where's Petyr?" It was rare to have one without the other, and she immediately looked past the boy, open marble flooring and high walls lined in books.
"We had a row," he answered, face red as shoved his hands in his pockets, "He's not much of a reader, so... didn't think he'd find me here."
"Oh."
An honest answer? Not a snarky response? Yeva didn't know what to say, and smoothed her skirts, "How long have you been here?"
He shrugged, running a hand through his hair, "Not long."
The silence was heavy, like it was weighed down with a lie. Her face warmed, but she spoke before she could think, "You were watching me," she said, "W-why?"
"You were pretty," he answered, eyes lifting to find hers, "And I was counting."
Her voice sounded strange, her stomach flipped, "Counting what?"
"Freckles."
Another memory whooshed forward, A tangle of fury and the pulling of hair. Yeva dug her nails into her sister, Solkara, and pushing them both to the ground after a nasty and vulgar exchange of words. Her vision had been red as she threw her fists blindly, kicking like a wildcat. Pain popping her lip as she bled and the feeling of being ripped free. She twisted and bucked, frustrated as her arms were pinned and she was dragged out of the room and into the hall, where the door closed and the sounds of screaming curses and anger was silenced, "What the hell was that?" Asher asked, arms loosening to lower her to the ground. She shoved away from him, hot tears pooling at her eyes, "I don't want to talk to you!"
Unlike Solkara, Asher didn't budge under her attack, "Do you think I care?"
"Go away, Asher!"
"Not until you tell me why you were bashing Silky's face against the floor."
Yeva tried to storm off, becoming more aware of her new injuries. She had landed on her knee when they fell, and each step radiated a sharp pain, making her limp. She leaned against the wall, remembering the bitter cruelty on her sister's face, at how out of place she felt, alone amid such a growing family, and how long it had felt that way. Yeva clung to the wall for support and began to cry, "I can't stay here," she cried, tears rolling down her cheeks and blinding her, "I can't."
He touched her shoulder and she slapped him away, "Don't!" She was tired of his carefree attitude, his flirting, his teasing, his lukewarm loyalty. One day nice to her, the next ignoring her with sharp words like all of the others. When she wiped her face, she made a promise to herself, "I wont."