"Lexus hurry up, I can't wait for you all day!"

"I'm coming to Milo, don't rush me!"

"Well, I'm sorry I just figured that for once, we can be on time."

Yep, that's me. Lexus Nerva Paeon, always late no matter what the event. It's not like I'm late on purpose. Do you know how hard it is to get a tail into a pair of trousers? It's not easy, especially when said tail seems to have a mind of its own. I just wish that I was back home. Then I could let my tail be as free as it wanted to be. If I was in my homeland my tail would be marveled at.

Wine red with a heart-shaped tip. Beautiful, top of the line. I would be considered a high born demon. But nope. Instead, I'm stuck in elven country playing the salesman. Why my mother couldn't do it, I have no idea. She's 10x better at this than I am. All I'm good at is fighting and, to follow the stereotype, stealing. I have never felt so unwanted in any other place before. Then again, I guess dark red stands out in the sea of pale faces.
And on top of all that, I have to watch Milo. I never asked for a step-brother, nor did I want to take care of one. Do you know how annoying having a brother is? I get no time to myself. It's always,
"Take care of Milo. Help Milo with his yard work. Make sure Milo goes to bed on time."
Every...single...day. I get not a single moment of peace. And then mom tells me to travel to elven country for the market festival. Of course I don't want to but I'm an optimist. Maybe, just maybe I'll get time away from the thorn in my side. But nope. Just as I'm leaving here comes my mother,

"Take Milo with you, he needs to see how things work."

All I wanted to do this week was sharpen my daggers, and maybe my teeth if I had time. Why can't things just go my way for once?

"Lexus hurry up!"

"I'm coming! Stop rushing me!"

I grabbed a hat on my way out the door, and off we went. From our lodgings to the market was only roughly a 4 minute walk, but with Milo it took about 10. Every half a meter or so he would stop and complain about his feet hurting, or he would stop and look at some elven plant. The fact that he wanted to look at the plants wasn't really a problem, I did the same thing on my first visit. It was the complaining. He's going on about his foot pains when, unlike me, he's wearing shoes. And he doesn't have to push a cart filled to the brim with lord knows what kinds of exotic clothing my mother had made. I'm walking barefoot on what can only be described as a path made of needles, and pushing a super heavy cart with a broken wheel. He has no right to be complaining about anything. 

We finally arrive at the market, and I dash to find an empty spot near the other cloth stalls. As I'm settling up I explain the basics to Milo.

"Okay, repeat what I said back to me."

"Always smile at customers even if they're being rude, don't show too much teeth, talk softly, and no matter what...always aim to sell."

"Good, you'll be better at this then I hoped."

 Milo smiled at me and began to rearrange the display on our stall. He might actually have a future as a salesman. Just as I turned to help him out I was hit in the side with something really hard.

"Faex, what was that?"

"What are you doing here demon?!"

"Wait what?"

I looked up from my spot on the ground to see... 

"Lexus are you alright? Is...is that a mage?"

"I'll ask again. What are you doing here demons?"

Before I could respond I heard a sound coming from behind me. The bells were ringing from the castle.

"Faex!"

Ignoring the fuming mage before me, I stood up and ran to my stall. No confused mage was going to stop me from keeping food on my mother's table. 

The festival had begun and I had shirts to sell.