As she began the task of cleaning up, the brightness of the mid-morning sun filtered through the window, sending its warm rays through that touched the chill in her heart. Finn was away at work and wouldn't return until late. The children, freed from their chores, would be playing by the creek. The thought was bitter-sweet. Everything would change for them now… the boys would have to learn how to work on their own. The girls would find that there was less time for them and perhaps would help around the house.
It hurt thinking that they wouldn't be able to play as much as they used to but, there was a small part of her that was a little happy to find their carefree days would come to an end. Quickly she shook the thought from her head. Losing a soft curse in the air. Yes things would change but she still cared about them. There was nothing more she could do… nothing…
Ravina picked up the bag of coins from the table. It was weighty but quite light with less than 50 copper coins inside. The silver remained in her own personal purse, hanging underneath her dress. She had meant to leave them with Finn but what would he do with it? She tightened her grip on the bag as she turned to the door.
Leaving home once more she began the trek back to the market district. The sun felt good on her skin, its warmth spreading over her like an affirmation of her resolve. Easily she moved past the market. There were fewer people here now that the sun was high in the sky. The villagers were working and only a few holdouts hung around the fountain. She pushed past it, stepping on the side of the village she would never have dared to before.
The newer quarter of the village held such a stark contrast when compared to its older predecessor. Its orderly layout, planned roads, and permanent stonework buildings made the old village seem even more decrepit by the unfair comparison. The new quarter had been built with masterfully processed planks and stones taken from a dried-up lake, lending it a touch of elegance that the old quarters lacked. Old families had moved into these new buildings, while some refused to abandon the home of their father’s father. Still, each house was filling up nicely thanks to the intake of new blood seeking to enjoy life in the growing village.
Fantastic shops line the main roads of this area. Made even more elegant by the flower beds and smartly placed trees. It was a marvelous sight. One that sparked wonder in Ravina’s shining eyes. After a moment she gathered enough of her senses to focus on the task that brought her here. While most villagers mended and maintained their own clothes. A few of them enjoyed the action of buying new clothes. Of course, it was once every few months and only if the fancy struck them.
The tailor's shop was a little off the main road, where the dirt path gave way to a gravel one. The two-story building was a testament to the village's progress, boasting a better selection and service than any other cloth maker in the vicinity. After all, they would just sell linens and needles. Here, you could buy pre-made clothes.
The backdrop of the new quarter accentuated the shop's appeal, with the neat, cobblestoned road branching out from the footpath leading up to it. Its exterior, made from the same stones as the road and dyed an elegant orange, lent the building an understated elegance. The front window displayed an array of ready-made clothes that promised quality and style. The pleasant smell of the tulips residing in the window planters underneath the glass caused an overall welcoming feeling.
Nervously Ravina walked up to the door, her hand resting on the cool metal handle. Swallowing her fears she turned it and with a soft click the door allowed her to push it open the well-oiled, dark wood door, easily. Stepping inside she was lost to the charm of the shop.
The interior was as impressive as the exterior. Ready-made dresses, shirts, pants, and undergarments adorned one side, while the other displayed various home essentials - bedding, blankets, and other cloth items. A polished wooden counter with a limestone top stood halfway into the store, providing a division between the selling area and the employees' section. Behind it, two doors led to what she assumed to be storage or workrooms. Behind that counter, two employees were resting on some well-made stools.
Everything was adorable or cute and most of all, clean. Ravina found herself rubbing her hands in a silly attempt to clean the dirt from them. She tried to steady her nerves. Her heart pounded with a mix of anxiety and anticipation, both pulsing through her in equal measure. She'd envisioned this moment for years—a day when she would be able to order something from a store. To walk in and say, "I need a few sets of clothes, blankets, and bed sheets," it was a dream that had always seemed so far away. A fantasy really. Yet, right now, she stood in the reality of her dream.
Their conversation broke off briefly as Ravina walked in. The brunette gave her a quick once-over before smirking and nudging her companion, whispering something under her breath. But the blonde, Anne, professional as she was, pulled herself from their conversation and moved forward to greet Ravina.
"Can I assist you, dear?" Anne asked, her tone dripping with forced politeness.
"Spare it, Anne," scoffed the brunette. "You're wasting your breath on a street rat."
"Hush, Sue," Anne retorted, eyes rolling, "It's too early for anyone else to be here, and I'm bored." Turning back to Ravina, her smile didn't quite reach her eyes.
Ravina’s heart fell despite herself. After all, she had anticipated this. She knew she wouldn't be welcome in the new quarter, but she couldn't afford to care. She had a purpose and limited time.
Standing in the well-stocked shop with two women appraising her, Ravina let out a small breath, trying to keep her composure. Her heart pounded against her chest with the excitement of her request. It was a simple one, but it was one she'd been wanting to make for years. "I need a few sets of clothes, blankets, and bed sheets," she stated, her voice steadier than she felt.
Anne's eyebrows lifted, surprise fleeting across her face before she masked it with a professional smile. "That's...quite the list," she commented, a note of uncertainty slipping into her voice.
On the other hand, Sue's smirk widened, as if she had just been handed a delicious piece of gossip. "Kid, things here cost real coin, not the copper scraps you're used to. Scram," she said with a dismissive flick of her wrist.
Ravina held her ground, "I'm aware," she responded calmly. "I was thinking I need three sets each for the boys. They're still growing, so maybe a size bigger. The girls would need four dresses each and three sets of undergarments - six in total. Then four sturdy blankets, and bed sheets... let's say eight sets, considering they'll need frequent changes. But I would need help picking everything out," she finished, her voice shaky with the enormity of the request.
"Honey," Anne whispered, her voice low with something akin to pity.
"Ha! You do dream big, don't you?" Sue laughed, stepping up she ratchet below the counter, digging up a bowl from behind it. It contained seventeen shiny silver pieces. "If you can bring me just one of these, I'll give you everything you asked for." It was a cruel joke. There was no way a girl from Ravina's part of the village would ever come across that kind of money.
Sue had high hopes when she moved to this village. The town's solicitor had promised opportunity and prosperity, but all she'd seen so far were empty pockets and tired faces. Sure, it was still early days for the shop, and a handful of wealthy men had shown interest, but they weren't exactly her type. None of them were single, for starters. She couldn't help but think she would have been better off staying in the overcrowded city, work be damned.
“Just one silver,” Ravina echoed, her voice steady. Luckily she was leaving her part of the village. Bought and sold if you thought about it. But she was fine with that. Pulling her own coin purse out from under her dress she pulled out a solitary silver coin and placed it onto the counter.
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Sue’s expression stiffened. “Where did you get that?” she demanded, her voice edging into a shrill. Before Ravina could even respond, Sue pointed an accusing finger at her. “You thieving little brat!” She quickly gathered her bowl of coins, clutching the silver Ravina had put down. “Get out! Or we'll call the guards!”
Ravina looked at the other women. She shook her head.
“Stealing is wrong.” was all she said.
“Then why are you doing it now?” Ravina retorted.
“How dare you!” Sue countered, “We're nothing like you, street rat!” Sue snapped, her temper flaring. She attempted to grab Ravina, but the girl was quick, evading Sue's clutches. But Ravina couldn't evade Anne, who seized her from behind.
With the older girl holding Ravina firmly in place she could only offer a yelp of surprise as Sue pulled the purse from her neck and swiftly swiped the bags from her hands. “What do you think you're doing?” Ravina protested, trying to break free from Anne's grip. But Sue ignored her, inspecting the contents of the bags with a cruel smirk.
Sue chuckled, her green eyes glinting with cruel amusement as she rifled through Ravina's bags. "Impressive haul for a street rat. You must've robbed a wealthy traveler or something. Normally, we'd have you flogged for this, but lucky for you, I'm in a good mood today. So we'll just keep these and let you go. How's that for generosity?" With a smirk, she casually tossed Ravina's ragged bag aside, pocketing the pilfered coins and clutching onto the bag that the wizard had given Ravina.
Meanwhile, Anne, still holding onto Ravina, steered her toward the door. "Get out," she said, her voice feigning cheerfulness as she shoved Ravina outside. "If you dare to show your face here again, we won't be this nice."
Ravina stumbled as she was unceremoniously thrown out of the shop, landing hard on the gravel path. Her skin split at the knee and blood dripped out. However, the small pain was nothing compared to the blood that rushed to her head. With flushed cheeks and a burning sense of injustice, she hastily picked herself up. She limped in a small circle to clear the pain from her knee. Her eyes darted around her and she quickly noticed a patrol of guards nearby. Winching at the pain she rushed over to them.
The guards were young, probably around 23, their bodies lean and toned from the rigors of their duty. Their uniform consisted of leather chest and arm guards, fitted over padded greenish-white shirts and pants - not the finest armor, but sufficient for their roles. The first guard had auburn hair cropped close to his head, his eyes a guarded slate-grey, a hint of stern authority set on his young face. The other one had soft brown locks cascading down to his broad shoulders, a playful glint in his blue eyes contrasting the sternness of his companion. Despite their youth, they exuded an air of responsibility and dutiful vigilance.
"I've been robbed!" Ravina blurted out, desperation lacing her voice as she reached the guards. The call turned both their heads. Their eyes falling onto the young girl. Their shoulders relaxed as they sized her up. their faces showing little concern for the plight of a poor peasant girl, they shared a chuckle amongst themselves.
"Sure, kid," the auburn-haired guard replied, his voice dismissive as if he'd heard the same line a hundred times before. "Good luck with that."
With a frustrated nibble on her lip, she scanned her surroundings, a thought forming in her mind. It was risky, she knew that. But they weren't really guards, they were more like Lord Braymore's private army.
She swallowed the lump in her throat, bracing her heart for the potential repercussions. "Lord Braymore wouldn't take kindly to being robbed," she managed to say, her voice steady despite her racing heart. It wasn't technically a lie - who wouldn't be upset about a theft? At the mention of the notable man's name, the guards froze.
"Braymore?" one of them murmured to the other. They exchanged a glance, their faces visibly paling. They looked at Ravina again, this time with more scrutiny. She may have been dressed in rags, but they couldn't completely dismiss the possibility of her association with their employer.
“We should at least check it out.” the first finally said, causing the second to click his tongue at the truth. With a nod they followed the girl.
Slightly out of breath, Ravina guided the guards back to the tailor's shop. Pushing open the door, she couldn't help the triumphant smirk that spread across her face at the sight of Sue and Anne, in the midst of counting out her stolen coins. Their eyes went wide, coins clattering to the floor as they scrambled to hide their spoils.
“She was right.” whispered one of the guards with surprise.
Seemingly oblivious to the fact that House Braymore wasn't an actual noble family - though they might as well be given their influence over this village - the guards advanced on Sue and Anne. "By the authority vested in us by House Braymore, you are under arrest," they declared in unison.
Their protests filled the room. "You've got it all wrong!" "We've done nothing illegal!"
Amidst the commotion, the back room door creaked open, and out stepped Kelyia, the shop's proprietor. A woman of middle age, her once vibrant hair had turned silver-grey, framing a face lined with the wisdom of years. Her eyes, though fogged by age, twinkled brightly behind her thin-rimmed glasses. Veins spider-webbed across her bruised hands - a testament to years of dedicated needlework - their healing only recently given a reprieve with her promotion to manager.
"What on earth is happening here?" Kelyia asked, her voice echoing sharply in the chaos.
"Ma'am," the taller guard began, addressing Kelyia with respect, "we have reason to believe these two have stolen from this young lady."
The phrase 'young lady' sent a strange flutter through Ravina's chest. In all her years, she'd never been addressed with such respect.
"Stolen? From her?" Kelyia's gaze flickered between Ravina and the guards, disbelief etched into her features.
"She's lying!" Sue spat out, jabbing an accusing finger at Ravina. "This little rat was just trying to scam us for free stuff."
Kelyia's gaze hardened as she turned towards Ravina, the poor girl standing defiantly behind the guards. “That's a lie, she mocked me and took my silver when I presented it!”
The old woman's face squished up in displeasure. She eyed the guards, "and where's your evidence?" she shot back, her voice icy. The guards exchanged glances before gesturing towards the scattered coins on the floor.
"They seemed to be dividing the coins when we entered," one guard ventured.
Kelyia scoffed, crossing her arms. "Seemed to be? Young man, we run a shop. We handle money daily. That's hardly evidence!"
As the guards stumbled over a response, Kelyia dropped her trump card. "We were personally invited to set up shop here by the Braymores! How dare you trust this sewer rat over us? I wonder what Jonathan would have to say about this."
The guards' eyes flicked nervously between Kelyia and Ravina. It was clear they were in over their heads. A wrong move could cost them their livelihoods and both of them had claimed the name of their master.
Ravina, seizing the moment, spoke up. "Why not find out?" She figured the older woman was lying about it. Like she was. Only this time Kelyia had called out his name, Ravina only suggested it. She was probably safe. Well, more than that she was desperate. "Five silver coins and a few hundred coppers were taken from me today. I wonder how Lord Braymore would feel knowing that a shop bearing his endorsement was picking the pockets of its customers."
The guards turned to Kelyia.
Kelyia's face reddened, her indignation clear. "How dare you? We would never stoop to stealing. Arrest her for the audacity of implicating us in such a baseless crime."
The guards turned to Ravina.
Ravina, standing her ground, quickly retorted. "Your claim to the Braymore name appears to be your excuse to exploit the villagers," she said, her voice strong. "Perhaps we should send one of you to bring Lord Braymore here, to clarify this misunderstanding." Pausing for effect, she turned her gaze to Sue and Anne, "Or maybe, you could just apologize and return my money."
“We didn't do anything!” Sue cried, “how dare you not believe us!” she added to the guards.
“Enough!” the guards called, their heads frayed from overuse.
Ravina felt a cold shackle clamp around her wrist, her heart pounding. They had believed them over her. She'd been arrested. It was an obvious outcome. Honestly she never really expected anything else. But it was silver. Her misery spread through her body like ice cooling her veins.
As they roughly hauled her away, she cast a lingering glance at the store, a part of her remained unsurprised. She'd taken a risk venturing into that store, She shouldn't have even dreamed of entering the store. It was silly of her. A small dream she wanted to explore now that she had some money. Besides, Lord Braymore would be handling everything. Still, she still wanted to do something for them. They were her family after all.
The guards pulled her across the district to a building that served as their guardhouse. The structure had a stern, unwelcoming presence with its stone facades and heavy, oak door, a clear reflection of its function. It was nestled in the new heart of the up-and-coming town, not yet as grand as those found in larger cities but clearly built with similar intentions. Its thick, high walls were gray and imposing, and the narrow windows on the second floor were fortified with cold steel bars.
Inside, the chill of the stone floor seeped through her as they unceremoniously tossed her into a cell and walked away, not even bothering to file a report, lest they have to fill out the tedious paperwork.
Ravina sat there, numbed by the stark reality of her situation. How fitting for her, her dream had landed her in a jail cell. Of course, not all dreams were good. a fair bit turned out to be nightmares, and in this one, the reality of her impending departure was suddenly hitting her. She was leaving. she felt numb as the cold stone floor stole the warmth of her body. She might not even be able to leave, the wizard wouldn't know she was arrested. He wouldn't come for her and her reported theft would be made true. She didn't even have the strength left to cry.