Hank Hardin, Lenore Ford, Carlton Duarte, and Gene West were all seated in a restaurant parlor. Ravina chose to meet them at a nice, private restaurant instead of at her home. Two weeks after learning about the House of Vong’th, Ravina was finally advancing her orphanage project with a meeting of the project's administrators. Adhering to proper etiquette, the lesser nobles arrived first, and Ravina entered last, escorted by another guard who held the door open for her as she entered the private room.
Upon her entry, the assembly rose as a gesture of deference. “Lady Ravina Ravenshield, the honor of making your acquaintance is indeed ours. I am Hank Hardin,” proclaimed a tall figure with a lean, slender physique. His attire consisted of a modest grey suit complemented by an earth-toned necktie. His bright green eyes, framed by auburn hair, fixed upon her. “I serve as the Programme Director of the Loraine Initiative and the patriarch of the Hardin lineage.”
He continued, “To my immediate left stands Lenore Ford, our Director of Education.” Cloaked in the somber elegance of midnight blue, Lenore Ford nodded as his name was mentioned. Of average stature, his precisely trimmed brown hair contrasted with the weariness hinted at by his azure eyes. “And this gentleman is Carlton Duarte, our esteemed Director of Logistics.” Upon being acknowledged, Carlton Duarte, dressed in an earthy red suit, offered a gesture of recognition. His robust frame suggested a background in rigorous physical endeavors, his head clean-shaven except for a thick red beard, and his amber eyes gleamed with both mirth and resolve. “Lastly, we are graced by the presence of Gene West, our Operational Manager.” The only woman among them, Gene West, met the group with a gaze of soft, benevolent blue eyes. Her dark blue dress fluttered as she performed a refined curtsy, her chestnut hair flowing with the movement.
“It is a pleasure to meet you all. As you may know, I am Ravina Ravenshield, the first and only child of the Ravenshield family. I have convened this meeting to discuss the future of the Loraine Initiative. As you are undoubtedly aware, the initiative is set to be transferred to the church in the coming months. However, I propose not only to retain it under our control but also to adapt and improve it for the benefit of both the children and the county itself.”
“A… noble goal,” Hank managed to say, straining himself. “However, if you would pardon my bluntness, I don't see how keeping the initiative would be beneficial in any way.” The curious gazes of the other three members hinted at their concerns. Lenore’s interest appeared to be mere curiosity, suggesting he could be swayed either way. Carlton displayed a mix of irritation and perhaps mild amusement, likely indicating his inclination towards a negative vote. Gene looked… slightly annoyed but something about her smile seemed more placating to a child then bemusemet. She probably just found the idea of her fighting for this cute.
Of course, Ravina could be misreading them. Interpreting people was never her strong suit. Her guesses stemmed not from desperation to understand these individuals, but from the necessity of securing at least two allies. While they were compensated for their work, it was a low-priority task that brought little prestige. Gene, as a noble’s wife engaged in charity work, was amenable. The men, however, as heads of their families, found it less appealing.
That wasn't a problem for Ravina; she planned to replace them with commoners anyway. She just needed two of them to agree—three would be ideal, but that was practically impossible.
“The initiative was born because of me,” Ravina stated with a slight smile. “Of course, my absence isn't something that honorable people would discuss openly, but it compelled the count to address the issue.”
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“'Forced' is the correct word,” Hank interjected. “Almost every one of us working on this project was compelled to participate. We didn’t have a choice, and as such, we are relieved that this project is coming to an end.”
His blunt words left Ravina momentarily stunned into silence. “It’s a thankless job,” Lenore continued. “Some of us were engaged in far more lucrative work before we were summoned to this task.”
Ravina smiled at his words. That was a lie, or at least not legal. The comment recentered her, calming her nerves. “Perhaps, but this initiative is important to both my father and me. While I appreciate your honesty, I would recommend that you try less to annoy me out of this job, or else I might take a closer look at what you mean by 'lucrative,' Mr. Lenore.” His thin smile confirmed her suspicions—something illegal was at play. Yet, what she really wanted was to emphasize her father and the importance of the initiative. As she predicted, these words piqued everyone's interest.
It wasn’t a lie, just a stretch.
“So,” Ravina continued, “I would like to hear exactly what you disapprove of regarding my suggestion. It is quite clear that you are all unhappy to hear that this work will continue.” Drinks were served by the restaurant staff, whose professionalism included maintaining silence as the conversation unfolded.
“It’s not that we… dislike the work,” Hank began cautiously. He glanced around at the others, giving a silent signal that he should speak alone. “The problem is that it’s rather…” He paused and clicked his tongue.
“Rather?” Ravina encouraged him to continue.
“Its shit.” Carlton blurted out. He picked up the tea before him, set it aside, and leaned forward on the table with his elbows. As Hank winced, Carlton continued, his hands waving with every word. “Look, managing a bunch of kids is all well and good, but it brings nothing to us. The pay is awful and the accolades are nonexistent. There’s a reason the church is better suited to handle this mess.” Carlton’s crass words, better suited for the slums than the fine establishment they were in, drew more than a few stares from the staff.
Before Hank could apologize for him, Ravina spoke up. “So, you’re saying accolades and coin are more important to you than honor or duty.”
“No, my lady,” Hank quickly interjected. “It's just that, while this is an honorable duty and we are glad to serve his lordship in this, we are rather… restless. Our talents are quite versatile, and we feel they are wasted in this solitary pursuit that the church has already demonstrated both a drive and willingness to handle.” Hank smiled gently, his eyes twinkling softly. “My lady, this situation is beneficial to both parties. Once they take over the project, the children will find proper management, and we can pursue our rightful vocations.”
There was a moment of silence. Hank was smiling confidently at Ravina, Lenore had a smug smile on his face, while Carlton still looked at Ravina lazily, slouched over the table. Gene simply decided to enjoy her tea.
“You all know why the initiative was first created, correct?” Ravina said, her finger lightly tracing the rim of her teacup.
“Of course, my lady,” Hank responded, his smile fading slightly.
“Well, I've met a few of the graduates from the initiative. Some of them were enjoying privileges that wouldn't have been accessible to them without it. The church will take over, and then the kids will be fed just enough to keep them from starving. What I aim for is to ensure the growth of the county, not just the mere survival of a few children.”
“The Church—”
“The church will not only manage them but also gain the land and expand their influence. They won’t care what happens to the kids.”
“That is not our concern,” Carlton scoffed.
“Carl!”
“Enough, Hank. Listen, little girl, the long and short of it is simple. The church handles the poor and gains followers, while the nobles manage the county. We don’t raise kids just because they lost their parents.” Before Ravina could respond, he added something that slightly stunned her. “What about those children with parents? Should we flaunt that those without parents get to enjoy finer things? ‘Oh hey parents, don’t worry about your kids, just abandon them—we’ll take care of them.’ You know what’s really messed up about this entire institution? Half the kids were just dropped off one day.”
A knock on the door signaled the arrival of their meal.