Apple-pie and cinnamon, that's what it smelled like. I sighed loudly through my nose and listened to the peace and quiet. I could hear my mother cooking dinner, roast boar stew by the smell of it and my home-grown vegetables were sizzling in the background. I imagined Robin, my nine year old sister drawing in her room while humming her favourite song over and over again because she only knew the first three lines.

I broke the silence as I passed my father's study, "I'm home!" That always annoyed them, but it also meant that I had had a good day. My shout went ignored, even Robin had stopped singing as I peeked my head into her room, but she wasn't there. Where was everyone?

Then the shouting started, and the crashes of pots on the floor as Robin's ink-black hair swept around the corner and she ran for my open arms. I nearly fell backward from her embrace, but I grunted and squeezed her affectionately, "Robin, what's happening? Where's Mommy and Daddy?" She was shaking in my arms so much as I stroked her hair.

"Let me go you piece of filth!" My mother roared. I winced and ushered Robin inside my room as I closed the door. I pressed my ear against the wood and listened to their intense argument.

"Your spending this month is outrageous!" I imagined father waving a piece of paper in front of my mother, "How many times do I have to tell you that you won't be gaining a power, Nyeila!"

"Oh no, dear husband. I tracked down a man today who said he figured the formula out, all I need is a pinch of arigus dust and it will be complete."

"A pinch of arigus dust? You've gone insane! That powder costs more than this house! We should be spending that money on the kids!"

"Well considering this house is a wreck, I'd say it's pretty cheap. The girls can wait. Robin isn't even getting good results from her tutor, we should just cut the spendings on her completely."

"NO! You will forget about this pointless dream and care for our daughters the way they deserve to be treated!"

"Dear husband, I think the king's temper has finally gotten to you."

"You little--" There was a scream as I rammed the door open and sprinted across the room, tackling my father off of my mother before he could plunge the ice dagger into her heart.

I gasped for breath as the air was knocked out of my lungs. The fury in my father's eyes bore into me as I whimpered underneath him, the ice dagger now directed at my heart.

"Daddy?" Robin whispered, clutching at her braids. All eyes went to her as Mother rushed to her side.

"Oh you poor, poor thing." She stroked Robin's cheeks as Father and I both snarled at her. He looked down at me surprised.

"Don't hurt Raila, please? She told me that she got a raise today." Oh you smart little girl, I thought.

"Of course not. Your sister just saved me from the monster in the house."

Father shoved me aside and stood, "Enough." I winced as my bruised side barked in pain, but I hobbled over to Robin and pulled her into an embrace.

"You did?" Mother asked eagerly, ignoring Father. I nodded and scooped out the coins Kalinier had given me, quickly closing the bag so they didn't see the jewelry. Mother rushed to my side and snatched them out of my hands.

"When did a bakery pay someone so much? Maybe you should work there, Nyeila, get some money of your own." Father suggested, watching as the ice dagger turned back into water and flowed back into his cup.

"Raila here does a fine job by herself, don't you Raila?" Mother pinched one of my cheeks a little to roughly. I mutely nodded and wrapped my arms around Robin tighter.

"Now," Mother whirled around and stalked towards the messy kitchen, "since dinner is officially ruined, that means we're all going to bed without food in our stomachs. Night night." Mother shot a glare at Father before heading up the well worn stairs, the gold coins clinking together in her hands.

Father sighed and scrubbed a hand down his face, "Raila, could you clean up the mess please? Your mother isn't going to do it anytime soon." I let go of Robin and smiled shyly before walking over to the broom closet. Robin reluctantly walked back to her room as I watched Father stumble into his study, a little stiff from me tackling him.