Warmed by the cup of tea that Seit had brought her, Ravina enjoyed the view of the setting sun from her window, comfortably seated on the couch. There was a healing power in the cup that she greatly appreciated at that moment.
“Are you sure everything is alright, my lady?” Seit stood beside Ravina, a soft frown on her face. She bit her lower lip as she watched the girl holding the tea, not bothering to sip from it.
“I’m fine, really. I just needed to get something out of my system,” Ravina replied. The coins gleamed behind her, and in the fading sunlight, they seemed almost desperate to mock her. But finally, with a sip of the tea, she truly settled down. Or so she told herself. “Seit?” Ravina called after a moment of silence.
“Yes, my lady?”
“Why…” Ravina started but soon stopped, rethinking her question. “How much is a head of cabbage?”
“A head of cabbage?” Seit repeated the question, momentarily stunned by its unexpected nature. “I'm sorry, my lady, but I do not know,” she said, tilting her head thoughtfully. “I suppose you could ask Mr. Tanner; he manages the estate's funds and would know. I could go get him if you like.”
“No,” Ravina stopped Seit as she turned to leave. “Never mind, I should probably get ready for dinner.” Looking out the window, she noticed the sun was starting to sink rather low. “It seems a little late today.”
Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.
“Oh, sorry!” Clapping her hands over her mouth, Seit quickly lowered them to continue, “I forgot to tell you that the count is hosting the elders today. He has asked you to remain in your room until he is done with them.”
“The elders?” Her head snapped to her maid. “Here, now?” It was so sudden. It hadn't even been a week. No. she calmed herself with a breath. They probably weren't here for her. It must be for something else. Seit’s next words seemed to confirm it.
“Y-yes. Lord Ravenshield requested that you eat your meal here. I can go get it now,” the little maid said, teetering on her feet.
“Right.” With that word, Seit left the room, leaving Ravina by herself.
He wouldn't want to introduce her right away. There was an order to follow after all. Still, “It's too soon,” Ravina muttered. She had wanted more freedom as a guest of the house, not as the lady, “but… I suppose I wouldn’t learn much anyway.” The town and its surrounding area were quite peaceful. There was nothing like the tales she had heard, or the stories that were told. The military kept the peace, ensuring not even a stray dog would wander on the main trade route of the kingdom. Quests, if such a thing could be called as such, didn't offer experience, only money. They were chores, really. As the daughter of house Ravinshield she was stuck here too.
“The frontier… that's where the action would be,” she muttered. But there wasn't any time. This city was laid at the convergence of six nations. No one wanted to interrupt the flow of goods, however, soon there would be disruptions to those trade routes. War would come, and even that would only be a prelude to something far worse.