Chapter Text
Alina woke up with an annoyed groan; the sun was in her eyes and she was NOT in a good mood. Her family spent the night being sick and taking care of each other in turn. Her poor Papa felt the worst, both because he ate the most mooncakes and because of how guilty he felt.
She heard him cry to Mama during the night, about it all being his fault and how he killed his family. Mama gently shushed him and told him to go back to sleep before he woke their daughter up.
She didn’t know how she would find the energy to get out of bed, let alone do her work before running all the way to the meadow. She bit her lip; her new friend would be waiting for her, she couldn’t let him down.
Eyes still closed, she inched her foot out of the blankets and towards the floor before she felt someone quickly drop it back inside the bed. As she squinted her eyes open, she could see her Papa with his curls all in disarray and a sleepy smile on his face.
“And where do you think you’re going, Missy? You need your sleep after I almost poisoned my favourite and best daughter.”
“Papa, I am your only daughter,” said Alina as she rolled her eyes.
“What, you are?! All the more reasons to keep my heir safe, otherwise there will be no one to inherit the smithy!” exclaimed Anton.
She harrumphed under her breath, not in the mood for jokes.
“I’m sorry, Soltnse Moyo, are you very mad at me?” he asked sadly.
“No, of course not Papochka. I just don’t have time to sleep today, I still have my chores to do.”
“Who are you and what have you done with my daughter? Since when are you eager to do your chores?” asked Anton incredulously, hands on his hips and his eyebrows high up on his forehead.
“It’s a secret,” said Alina as she hid back under the blankets with a giggle.
Her Papa loved secrets, so it was safer to hide away before he employed his puppy dog eyes on her.
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Having fallen asleep waiting for her father to give up, Alina was terribly behind with her tasks. By the time she finished, it was time to eat again, and when she was finally done, it was too late for her to go outside on her own.
She moped in front of the fire, feeling like a crummy friend. She hoped the nice boy didn’t wait too long.