Ravina couldn't help feeling that she had forgotten something important. It was a nagging sensation at the back of her mind, making her aware of the space between her ears. Yet, she had little time to dwell on what it could be, for Madam Pelmen had finally introduced her to the teachers who would transform the unrefined fledgling into a graceful raven.
Ladies Isabella Sommerfeld, Annelore Essler, and Margarethe Borcher had been quite taken with the good madam's invitation to nurture the young country heir. A bit worried about how these esteemed noblewomen would treat a damaged mutt like her, Ravina prepared for the worst, only to be met with joyful, enthusiastic teaching.
Teachings that were designed to cram years of lost learning into her young mind before she was to be sent off to the academy. "Mind you, the academy isn't a place for learners; after all, what use is there in learning with other students? Oh no, it's a place to engage with those of standing, a social event of four years for the youths to meet each other before they are expected to return to their territory," Lady Isabella Sommerfeld was a remarkably skinny woman with a tall frame. She was a little too pale, and although her sunken eyes might incite a bit of fear, the pastel green gems gleamed with warmth. Her daffodil yellow hair was pulled into a rounded bun as she wore a dress that kept her both modest and comfortable.
She was alone with the young raven, who was seated opposite the older woman. Dark clothes seemed to be the norm for the household as she wore little else than purples and blacks. The girl was completely different from the older women before her, a woman who had accidentally let slip that she was a fan of the good Madam Pelmen. They were in another room of Manor Ravenshield—a nearly forgotten room labeled "The Study." As the heir of Ravenshield went missing, the room had been empty for more than a few years.
This place was a haven of generational learning. Every leader of the Raven had been taught here. Every stain of ink on the old wood had been made by the children of this great house, and finally, the candles were lit once more. The windows opened, and the sturdy desk that had withstood the weight of generations was now holding the future of the house.
“That is why we must get you ready to enter the academy. If you don't know everything they teach there before you arrive, you will be the laughingstock of the school!” Lady Isabella's hands flew to her ears as her eyes widened in shock, as if the very words themselves were poison. “My child, you are already 12! We only have four years, four!” Ravina was receiving another lecture about studying. While she excelled in subjects like math and Kremlik, the language of the kingdom, she had little knowledge of history and the other seven languages that everyone seemed to be born knowing.
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In reality, it was too much to expect one girl to learn, especially with a harsh schedule and plans for the orphanage. The timeline for that was closing fast, so she was skimping on a bit of studying, and that's what set Lady Isabella off again with this new lecture about the importance of learning everything before going to school. Ravina was half tempted to suggest she stay home again. Isabella fainted the last time she did that, which was terrifying, but at least she was able to get a bit of a break.
“Four years is plenty of time,” she decided to say instead. “Besides, once I get this out of the way, I will have more time to study.” Ravina wasn't willful, nor did she think learning was beneath her; it was just that she was running out of time. Four years? They would all be lucky if the war didn't start in that time. Demons had been spotted but not found, dismissed as myths. Borders were closing, and trade was slowing down. Even without these signs, something inside her told her that something was coming. Something ruinous that few would survive.
It wasn't long until her cavalier behavior reached the ears of the count. Not one, but all three teachers complained about her unwillingness to concentrate on her studies and learn. The complaints prompted the count to act, and soon enough, Ravina stood outside his door with the butler, Mathus, holding it open for her.
With a short, nervous breath, she stepped inside the grand office.
The office of the count was... quaint. It was large, certainly, roomy enough for two commoner families to call their living room. The windows overlooked the entire city from the third story, offering another view of the mansion's gardens. In every sense of the word, this was the center of the manor. Yet, the desk was old, the decor weathered, and everything around them was rather... used. It was quite... underwhelming.
It was like someone just moved in and bought a bunch of furniture at a flea market. The thought chased away any worry she had. It allowed her to see the count in a new light, like seeing a god as nothing more than a human. She relaxed, and just when she was about to smile, the count spoke, causing her to realize she was nothing more than a mouse in the lion's den.