While Vire exceeded in the sparkling illusions of wealth and superficial beauty, Ravenswood expressed itself plainly to foreigners. Their buildings proved nothing to the likes of the riches - faded red bricks,cold sheen of silver coins exchanged behind closed doors.
It wasn't loud like that of Vire,yet it thrived and excelled to perfection in crime,rebels,burnt down rules, and its proud defiance for rules.
As much as its holistic impersonation of a thriving society in other deals,it was not different from a cage. One was allowed quite a welcome in its surroundings,yet one couldn't leave without permission.
The people lived happily, or not. Even if one was saddened by the rules of Ravenswood, who were you to voice it out?
Above all else,they were ruled autocratically by the Ravyns - a bloodline tracing back to founders of Ravenswood to where the empire originated.
"Set those boxes right,you fool! Are you blind or just slow?!," barked Lady Evona Ravyn,the matriarch and pillar behind the entire Ravyn household. Age must've been scared of her,for no snow was found in her hair at age 42. She stood tool and regal,her face contorted in nothing much than pride and arrogance - one of the easiest sins one could pinpoint.
And as she spun about in her sombre gown, maids scattered about like frightened pigeons,fearful to fall prey to her wrath.
Even with fear, it had become a habit that their legs knew where to direct despite the pressure.
"Where's the ledger? Oscar?!" she turned furiously to no one in particular. "Where is he? I have no time to spare! "
"Here! Here!," ran her assistant to her aid. "The Ivory shipment made us about four thousand this cycle. The spice had a whooping six thousand, too."
Evona nodded. Six thousand?! That was too small to fit her ego. " Six thousand is not enough to make all of Vire bow to me. It's a meagre sum enough to feed hens in a shed. I want something that announces my presence."
Oscar frowned, discouraged. He tilted his head slightly,trying to impress the woman. "And I'm still trying hard to get you a freedom warrant,"
"Doable," she shrugged. "That's enough to satisfy my pride."
Upstairs,shrill screams echoed, doing little to ease the headaches of everyone who dared to have ears. "Where is my green gown?! Are you deaf?! I've got suitors coming,I can't be late!"
And that would be Selene Ravyn,the second daughter. She lived up the family name by being the only blonde haired woman ever born in the Ravyns household.
"Where are my pins?," she yelled again,yanking drawers open with her foot impatiently as she scowled at her handmaids.
She wished to have them ousted, and she did that regularly,having a new set of maids every week since none could compete with her temper.
Storming indignantly downstairs,she found on her left, Amber,her unbothered sister.
"You could help me,you know?," Selene muttered.
"I'm busy," replied Amber,uninterested.
"Busy she is! Rooted to the same spot since morning and flipping the same page of a book," she commented. "Life must be unique with no man waiting on you,"
Amber looked up at her,then returned her gaze to the book,flipping it as if she heard nothing. "At least I've got about a thousand handmaids. That's enough than any man,"
Selene quietly scanned her with fascination. She wished for attention, and it came by command ,but this girl only knew books. Being the older sister,she dressed plainly,spoke less, and reacted..."less"
"You will die a spinster! A rather unfortunate old maid. I can see it," commented Selene.
Amber looked up for a second,a faint deceiving smile on her face. "I know,"
Then, he returned back to her book with disinterest.
Selene frowned,turning her attention to her mother's jewellery box.
"You there!," she pointed to no one in particular.
No one needed to be told what fear was, and none needed to be reminded the extents of such horrors. Each maid fled the scene upon her call,leaving one young girl at the scene. She was rather slow for her short legs,having bore a limp since birth.
"What's that?,"said she,pointing to the tray the girl balanced.
"Food for the master. He needs to -"
The tray shattered. Plates crashed, and sauces fell to the floor like blood. It happened quicker than she could react. "He's not important. Put that somewhere and tend to me. My suitors won't wait,"
Down came Lord Bastian Ravyn,a slebder man with starks of grey hair,pipe between his lips and eyes glancing around like a lost fowl. "Evona,will you not raise the girls properly? The noise gives me headaches!"
Evona didn't meet his gaze,still mumbling incoherently about ledgers and equipment. "I've been handling this place since dawn. Why don't you lift your fingers for once and not have me loitering around like a slave? "
Lord Bastian sighed,glancing at his wife with subtle anger and dropping to the couch in comfort. "Where's Alaric?,"
Everyone paused. No one had seen him since morning and neither bothered to ask about him. Not that they cared less,but he had his affairs as the master of the house.
"Probably off with some busty old thing flaunting around like a new stone," commented Selene, her eyes sparkling with eagerness,buttressing her claim with dramatic gestures.
Evona narrowed her eyes. "Don't paint your brother black. He's definitely overseeing new shipments. Have some respect! "
Amber flipped a page of her book,her disinterest showing in her gestures. "Meeting a lover perhaps,"
There was silence.
And as if they had heard the best comedy of their life,they turned to Amber and laughed hard.
"A lover?," Selene scoffed. "That's foolish! You know his reputation, and he changes women faster than coins. They'll have him wed to some Afrik noble's daughter for more riches,"
"I said what I know. Take it or leave it," replied Amber.
Lord Bastian glanced at Amber for a while,contemplating if he should scold her for saying something stupid yet believable. It was not uncommon for a man of many conquests to lose his heart to another,but for Alaric, it'd be unbelievable.
Which woman would be insane enough to do that?
Just then - hoofbeats thundered in the courtyard. The maids quickly lined up at the entrance after hearing the footman yell at someone.
That seemed to be a rather great alarm for Limwick was always scolding someone from a distance, and his voice was louder than the alarms. Serving the first two generations of Ravyns, he had done well to secure their trust and loyalty. So he never dared leave.
"You rum fellow! Do leave,yer blind not to see I'm coming?, " barked he at a girl around twelve. "Out of the way! The master is coming!"
The whole house readily planned to meet Alaric at the entrance, each curious to know who made the perfect claim. For Evona,that would give her the opportunity to scold Selene and the others who cheapened his name.
And for Selene,she cared less,aware her brother was here with another one of his many flings. Unfazed was she,unless the lady was too pretty to claim her title.
And let's not forget about Amber,who was still rooted to her spot,not caring who or what Alaric brought with him.
But when Alaric, smiling like he had tasted rebellion and liked it,set down from the carriage,it wasn't him the house turned toward.
For a moment, time seemed to stop and even the stoic queen looked out the window for once.
Draped in white,hair styled eloquently than the riches produced in Ravenswood was Reya,her arm looped gently with Alaric's.
Bastian's pipe fell out of his mouth without a word and he had to blink several times to see well.
"...Daren's jewel.."
Behind him, Selene couldn't speak,as her eyes drifted from Reya to the ring and back at her face. It was not that she opposed whatever insane stunt her brother pulled by. Why would Reya fall for HIM?