The next morning, the sun kissed the town basking the folks in its warmth. Last night had been one hell of a stormy night, but today, it was bright and warm. It was like the town where she lived.
Her silver hair was tied into a rough bun and her usual demeanor was always carried by the soft wind. She wore a simple, sleeveless wool overdress in a muted brown tone, layered over a pale linen shift with long sleeves, the skirt brushing her ankles and a narrow belt cinched at her waist. Her pale skin which was unnoticeable or rather, less vibrant matched the shade.
Ravenna stepped out into the crisp morning air, her worn-out shoe taking her towards the capital, its imposing structure looming ahead.
The bustling sound of morning folks filled the air as she walked deeper. Last night… she chose not to remember.
Work in the castle, off the farthest village as Hannah Maere, and back home was her day-to-day planning. Nineteen years of servitude remained. She was facing her punishment and she could only pray for a better day, and fewer nights.
"M-mornin… Ravioli-na,"
A familiar figure approached her with an unnerving smile which Ravenna was forced to return as she turned.
"Good morning, Ser Johnathan. How are you doing today?"
Ser Johnathan's face lit up when she asked. "I-I'm w-well, t-thank yo-u. Y-you look l-lo-vethly t-today. A-always s-shining as bri-ghter as t-the sun i-in the c-clawds a-and t-he f-floy… I-I mean f-lowas in the g-gadinn-" He took exactly half a minute to stammer out those words, that Ravenna had to interrupt politely.
"Thank you, Ser. That's very kind of you," She said and he smiled.
Ravenna was forced not to grimace. His set of incomplete brown teeth was unpleasing to the eyes, and had that smile that anyone who looks at him for more than a second would cringe.
Ser Johnathan had been one of the most successful stonemasons in the village born with the ability to stammer and gifted with the knowledge of an illiterate.
She had only clocked her nineteen when he began to court her. Ravenna had refused his proposal, not because of his inability to speak properly or the way he appeared, but the line which she saw in him.
Judging from his looks, Ravenna knew she could be younger than his last daughters, meaning she was old enough to pass the title of being his granddaughter. He was old and could barely stand properly without tripping first. Even with his reputation, Ravenna could not bring herself to judge him. What is worse than being both a whore, thief, and a traitor's daughter?
Rumors were tossed by the wind, that Ser Johnathan beds all his daughters breeding his child. Although, it was never said why he couldn't make out a son, someone to pass his title— and yet chose to spend his life forthing female children rather than remain a bachelor.
It was also said, all the mothers of these daughters, died before their second year. Was this true or was it just a tale? Ravenna never cared, and never wanted to be cared for. She would rather remain a whore for pleasure than marry one man whom she has to live till the second year after birth.
"Ravioli-na…"
"Ravenna." It was the nth time she corrected him yet whenever she did, it only got worse.
"R-raviolina," he pronounced and she compelled a smile. "I-I was w-wondering… w-would you l-like to j-join mi f-for d-denah a-at my f-family's inn t-tonight?"
Ravenna acted surprised. "Dinner, if I'm correct?"
"Ah, y-yes. D-dinah." He hesitated, his words tumbling out. "I-I would l-love you to… m-meet my d-daughters, M'wives. T-they have b-been so… e-eager to see y-you."
To kill me.
"I appreciate your invitation, Ser Johnathan but I have duties at the castle by that hour. Maybe some other time."
May the heavens forbid.
"T-tommorow, it i-is?"
"Work duties, pardon."
"T-the next?"
"Still work."
"A d-day after t-tommorow?"
"Same as the former."
"T-two days b-before… eh," he brought out his fingers and began to count on them. Ravenna looked at him in confusion. What trick was he playing this time?
She looked at the castle wall from afar. "I'm sorry, Ser Johnathan, but I have to go."
He stopped counting his fingers and looked at her with a fallen face. "Y-you clea-n shits, eh? M-must be the w-werk y-you been t-talkin about."
Ravenna tried not to insult him. All her life, he was one of the people who had looked at her like who she was and not with disgust, so she owed him that respect.
She forced a polite smile and began to walk away.
"T-there's no better h-home with a p-privy pits, my R-aviolina… I'll be wai-ting f-for you. I'll b-be waiting…" Ravenna heard him say when she was a few distances away from his sulking figure.
Ravenna avoided his wits and left for the castle. On her way, she met William Baker, a fisherman who passed the street and hawked his fish. She waved at him with a bright smile. "Good morning, William! May the heavens bless your pocket today."
The man responded with a deadly glare that Ravenna reacted to whilst remaining mute. She chuckled silently as she passed, wishing the heavens would indeed pour fortunes into his pocket she could steal from tonight.
"You're late, servant. Get to your duties." The castle's gatekeeper scowled, signaling the others to let her pass.
"Aye, sir," and Ravenna curtsied, making her way inside the castle, its towering stone walls and soaring turrets blocking any glimpse beyond its shadowed courtyards.
She descended into the familiar dark, foul-smelling tunnels, the air welcoming her arrival. Ravenna scrunched her face at the overwhelming smell. "I wonder how this place gets worse each day I clean."
She fanned her face, blowing the air that infected her nostrils.
Dropping the bucket on the floor, she inspected the place before she began. As the day inched by and she scrubbed the privy pits, a figure approached her.
"Ravenna," someone called, siphoning her name. "I thought you wouldn't make it today. Tough day, eh?"
Hannah looked up to see a man with a rough face and a grumpy voice she acknowledged.
"Nothing worse, Nicolas," She replied, getting back to scrubbing. "What are you doing here? I thought you had shifts at midday," and she returned to her duty.
"Aye, I do," he responded with a small nod. "But man has bodies to deliver, a new batch of lime for the pits."
She paused midway, "Who's the unfortunate fellow?" There was concern and pity in her tone when she inquired, proceeding after.
"Just a six-year-old boy caught stealing at one of the Lord's manors," He said and she released a breath. "Lord Alexander requests the body be burnt and dropped at the entrance of the walls, a warning for the stupid who would dare cross his hatch."
Ravenna stopped scrubbing and looked at him. "And the king?"
"He refuses, asks him to decorate his home instead," He sounded exasperated and Ravenna looked at him with pity. Sometimes, it was difficult not to, deeming he had to pass through an extremely strenuous phase of picking and burying dead bodies.
"Here I am, back from dump-n-droll hunt. Those crocodiles get hungrier each day and I fear I would be next." He was talking about graveyards and released a soft chuckle at the end.
Ravenna forced one too. "The people are getting hungry. Stealing becomes an occupation for the unfed. I wonder what the king says about this,"
"What every king would say," he responded. "What every knight would swear."
Ravenna didn't respond to this and kept cleaning. "He's still the king. And every king would do what he's doing. Or maybe not," she muttered the last sentence to herself.
"Aye," he approved. "I bet every king would choose to sacrifice his daughter for power. Heard Second Princess Olenna would be getting married soon. Not sure when. But you know rumors,"
Oh, Ravenna thought. That was unexpected. Kingdom, power, and politics. It always seemed to revolve around stateliness. "Wasn't it just last week Princess Anastasia got married?" She was curious. Do royalties wed this fast?
Nicolas shrugged, something heavy in his tone when he uttered, "Heard this one was special,"
***