The second cottage after the town hall was Avanis’. It was her home, but also her place of business. Avanis was the village’s tailor. She was a good tailor, although most villagers had no point of comparison. Only Blas and Pheren weren’t born in the village, and now there was Mallory but he was only there in passing. Knowing that the intruder would only be there for a short time was the only thing that prevented Avanis from going mad with rage. She didn’t like Mallory. However little she knew of him, she knew enough. Mallory was a threat to the village, like all strangers were.

The village of Cozy Forest was what it was: a small community striving because the habitants were careful and considerate. Welcoming just anybody, especially those being hunted, was unconsiderate, according to Avanis.

For all we know, he might be lying. He calls himself a prince but he was wearing this ugly and dirty apron. He didn’t look like a prince to me. Maybe he just made that whole story up. Maybe this whole hunt-thing was a set up. He might be after us. After our magic, our invisibility spell. Dang! I don’t like it!

Avanis grabbed the first item that was within reach and threw it at her mannequin. This was how sharp scissors made a hole in the mannequin’s chest, and incidentally, the new hunter’s shirt Gladys had ordered. Avanis’ mouth almost dropped when she realized the damaged she’d done.

“Blazing ivy! It’s ruined. What have I done? It’s… ahhh!” She banged her head with both hands. “It’s him. It’s because of him. The intruder. I hate him.” She was about to grab hold of something else to throw at the mannequin, but she stopped her motion in time.

Now I have to go tell Gladys she won’t get to wear a new shirt for at least some time. Wait, maybe I could mend this… She shook her head, looking disgruntled. It’s right on the chest. I can’t fix this. It’ll leave a mark. Everybody will see it and mock her. Before you know it Avanis, they’ll get somebody else to make clothes, and you’ll be out there in the fields, toiling under the hard sun, the wet and the cold. She shivered. I can’t let that happen. I’ve got to tell Gladys. There’s no other option. While I’m at it, I’ll have to ask the grain master for more flax.

Avanis pulled the scissors out of the mannequin, checked the blade wasn’t chipped and she went out to catch Gladys before the hunters departed. She found her getting dressed. She was outside, on their cottage’s little stone bench, puttinh her muddy boots on.

“Gladys, you’ve got a second?”

Gladys didn’t even look at her. The two had never been the best of friends. “Not really no. Titus and Linckus are already waiting for me. We’re hoping to catch a wild boar for the Parran festivities.”

“Sure. The festivities. Listen, this will just take a second. I don’t have a shirt for you.”

Gladys shot Avanis a frigid glance.

“I mean I don’t have a new shirt. The one you ordered. I damaged it. Beyond repair.”

“How?”

“Scissors.”

“I thought you knew your way around scissors. I do.” Avanis bit her lip. She didn’t want to have this conversation. She thought she must concede and let Gladys have a little moment at her expense, otherwise Gladys would keep digging until she made her mad with rage. “I do.” The words were heavy. “I just got a little carried away.”

“Carried away, did you?” Gladys finished sliding the last boot on. “Fine. Can you make a new one?”

“I’m out of flax. I’ll need to get some more from your father.”

“The day before the festivities? You’re not serious, are you?”

Stolen novel; please report.

“I am.”

“Can’t you fix it?”

“No.”

“What are you going to do with my spoiled shirt?”

“I don’t know. I’ll make some undergarments or something. Ellis has been asking me for some kind of night-ware for… well, forever really.”

“Yeah, you better run things through Ellis. I don’t know if I can afford to get more flax at this time.” Avanis was about to protest, but Gladys stopped her before she opened her mouth. “No, don’t talk to me. See with Ellis. She’s the one bouncing up the books. She’ll tell you.”

Without waiting for an answer, Gladys grabbed her powder belt and ran off to join Titus and Linckus by the waterfall. Today, they were heading north, three leagues outside the village, where they had last sighted a wild boar.

Avanis watched her go, grinding her teeth, dreading the meeting with Ellis. What if I didn’t go to Ellis? Eh? What if I just went out on the fields to get some flax for myself. Arrrh. I can’t even stand the thought of me working in those fields. I ain’t never working outdoors, doing some hard and strenuous job, killing my back, spoiling my hands. Besides, I don’t know how to use any of the grain master’s machines. I won’t be able to transform flax into linen just by myself. She took a deep breath. Okay, then. Let’s hear what Ellis has to say, that goody snoopy. I can’t stand her exuberant enthusiasm just about everything.

Ellis and Ducus shared the house just above Gladys’, on a slightly higher clod. Their home faced Avanis’ cottage. They were brother and sister, and although there were three empty cottages in the village, or two, since the intruder currently resided in one, Ellis and Ducus refused to be separated. They’re like a pair of shoes, them two. One doesn’t go without the other.

Avanis knocked on the cottage door and found Ellis the nose buried in a large book. Ellis was just a few years younger than Avanis. She was thin and frail. She had a long narrow face, very symmetrical. She had brown hair that she always tied behind her back. She never made any great effort to look anything else but an accountant. It’s no wonder she still lives with her brother.

Ellis was so focused, she didn’t hear Avanis entering. She was mumbling to herself.

“Ten to fifty, minus the five for… this won’t do, this won’t do. Oh, sweet spring, this won’t do.”

“Ellis, eh? I’m here.”

She looked up from her book, her glasses falling on her nose. “Avanis. What brings you here?”

“Morning Ellis.”

“Hello you.” Ellis grinned widely. “We already saw each other not an hour ago, silly.”

Avanis felt like digging her teeth into her fist. She couldn’t stand Ellis over the top joviality. It was childish. Accountants shouldn’t be childish.

“Listen, Ellis. I’ve got a little problem.”

“Yes, I know.”

“You do?”

“Of course! Well, Avanis! Are you sleep-walking? I was standing right beside you when you opposed our newest guest, what was his name?”

“Mallory.”

“When you firmly oppose his standing amongst us.”

“It’s only temporary.” She coughed. “But that’s not why I’m here. Listen, I don’t know how else to say it, but I need some new flax to make some new clothes. I’m afraid I’m all out of cloth.”

“Have you any orders?”

“No.” Avanis bit her tongue. “Yes, actually. I’ve got to finish Gladys’ new hunting apparel. And, you know, that’s quite important because she’s pretty much the head of the village.”

Instead of answering, Ellis raised her finger in a gesture that meant ‘hold it’ while the treasurer browse through the last few pages of the book in front of her. She ran a finger down the columns and list of items until she let out a victorious ‘ah’.

“The great book says you’ve already received enough flax to make the necessary linen for Gladys new garments.”

“I did. But… how do I say it?” Lie, Avanis, lie. It’s the only way for you to keep your job and keep your butt warm and clean, out of these filthy fields. “You see, the design was way more complicated than I imagined and planned for. I need more linen.”

Ellis ran her finger along a line of text. “It says here the garment is a replacement for her previous apparel that was bitten off by a…” Ellis readjusted the glasses over her nose and leaned all the way down to the page. “A blue squirrel. Excuse me. Sometimes my writing is dreadful. I know it! And I apologize.”

“There’s no need to apologize, Ellis. I need more cloth though. Do you think you can swing some numbers around and get the grain master to fetch me some? You’re the great treasurer, after all.”

“Oh, thank you. But, as much as I would like to help you, this is not how things work. Numbers are gold. Numbers don’t lie. You can’t just ‘swing’ some numbers around. The books have got to balance. Someone has got to balance the books, and this someone is me. Your treasurer.”

The more Ellis talked about numbers the more serious she became. She embarked into a full lecture about bookkeeping and resources responsibility. When she was done, Avanis felt depleted, vanquished. All she could say was: “Well, can you try?” But her words lacked all convictions.

Avanis walked out the treasury — as Ellis liked to call it — defeated, dreading her future. She tried to search her mind for solutions, but all she could think of was how it had all started with the intruder: Mallory. I hate this boy. I really hate him.