Chapter 7
This was all Violet's fault. If only she hadn't drunk from that wretched bottle! Zaknafein glared at his little sister, but she was busy toddling in circles around the wagon box.
Violet stopped by the box of provisions tucked under the wagon seat and tugged it toward her. She pulled with both chubby little hands. The box slid all at once, and she stumbled, then sat down hard. Fortunately, Zak's reverse-aged sister landed on the pile of blankets. Violet blinked up at him and giggled.
Zak sighed and dropped to the floor of the wagon box too. She looked so cute. How could he stay mad at her? And really, it was his fault too, for going off and trying to catch the small troll. If he hadn't done that, Violet would never have ended up at the troll's camp. He shook his head. And if not for the trolls attacking them and the small one biting Violet, he wouldn't have followed it. He frowned again. He couldn't just blame Violet, but going home early was the last thing he wanted to do.
Zaknafein sat on the blanket pile beside his little sister. He squinted toward the woods. Mielikki, please fix this so we don't have to go home yet. Did she even care about such things? Would she help?
Violet rummaged in the crate of supplies and pulled open the sack of dark brown sugar. "Sweet. I want sweet," she announced. Her little fingers scraped at the hard lump of sugar, and she stuck them into her mouth. "Mmm." She smiled around two fingers, then pulled them out of her mouth, glistening, and reached toward the sugar sack again.
"Vi!" Zaknafein gathered the top of the bag in his fist before she could touch it with her wet fingers. "That's gross!"
Violet pouted, and her lower lip trembled. Her blue eyes welled up with tears. "I want!"
"Calm down." Zak held one palm toward her. "Maybe I can make you a sweet drink, all right?"
"All wight, Zakky!" She grinned.
He frowned. "Don't call me Zakky. Say Zaknafein."
"Zakky-fein."
"Zak-na-fein."
She scrunched up her face in concentration. "Zak-wa-nein."
He looked skyward, but chuckled despite himself. "Just say Zak."
"Jus' way Zak."
Zak smiled and shook his head. "Zak."
"Zak."
"Yes! You got it!"
"Got it! I got it!" Violet copied emphatically. "Zak, Zak, Zak!"
Zaknafein chuckled again, then pulled a spoon out of the dishpan. He opened the sugar sack and scraped the spoon over the hardened chunk of sugar.
Violet leaned close to watch.
Soon he had a large spoonful of loose bits shaved off.
"Now I eat it!" she proclaimed.
"Not yet." Zak dumped the spoonful of brown sugar into Violet's cup and stirred it vigorously. "This is like tea without the tea." He smiled and held the cup out to her.
Violet grinned at him and took it with both hands. She tipped the cup up, and some sugar water dribbled down her chin. Her throat bobbed as she swallowed. Violet lowered the cup and gave a small shudder. She glared at him. "It yucky! Not like other drink!" Violet upended the drink over the side of the wagon.
"Vi!" Zak said. "Don't waste it."
"It yucky!" she hollered. His sister drew her arm back, cup handle clenched in one fist.
Mum looked up from across the clearing where she was tending the fire she'd started earlier to burn the trolls. "Violet, don't ye throw that cup again."
Violet looked straight at their mother and threw it. Then she turned toward Zak and stomped her foot. "You make yucky drink, Zakky!"
He frowned and leaned down close to her. "Don't call me Zakky," he growled.
Violet scowled, reached out, and yanked on a handful of his long red hair.
"Hey!" Zak grabbed her little hand and tried to loosen her grip. Two-year-old or not, she was strong. He tugged his hair free, but not without a few strands ripping out.
Mum scooped Violet up from behind and lifted her out of the wagon. "That's enough, Violet," she said firmly. "You're coming with me."
"Nooo!" Violet reached out toward Zak, but he crossed his arms.
Good. At least someone else would deal with the little troublemaker now.
Mum reached over the side of the wagon and yanked the wooden spoon from the dishpan while Violet kicked against her legs and punched with little fists.
Zak's eyes widened. He was pretty sure Kel'nar wouldn't put up with Violet attacking Mum like that, but Kel'nar had gone back to check on the distant fire with the other burning troll.
Mum seemed unperturbed by the two-year-old's punches and kicks. She turned and carried Violet off toward the trees.
Zaknafein watched until they entered the woods, then slipped down from the wagon and soundlessly dashed along behind.
Zak crouched behind a large tree and peeked around the trunk.
Mum was crouching in front of Violet and holding her arms with both hands. The wooden spoon was on the ground beside her. "I told you not to throw your cup, and you threw it," she said. "You did not obey."
Violet pouted and squirmed, but Mum didn't let her go.
"When you don't obey me or Kel'nar," Mum went on, "you will need to be corrected." She picked up the spoon. "You will get a spanking."
Zaknafein stared. Served Violet right.
Mum gave Violet two light pats with the spoon.
His sister just stared at their mother. "What mean a 'fanking?"
Mum pressed her lips together and sighed. "This."
Zak actually heard the two smacks of the wooden spoon this time, although the spanks were still lighter than he thought she deserved.
Violet, however, howled and cried like she'd been sliced with a sword.
He smirked and got to his feet behind the tree trunk.
A firm hand landed on Zak's shoulder, and he jumped.
"I think you'd better come with me." Kel'nar's voice was quiet, but his expression looked stern.
Zak gulped hard and followed him.