The Tragedy of Ravan the Great

Chapter Seven: The Debt is Repaid

Ravan struggled to comprehend the conclusion to the conversation he had just closed with the captain as he watched the centurions ride away. How in the world would he manage to scrounge up five hundred pieces by next month? And how would he explain this to Evietta? He wouldn't explain, he resolved. There was no reason at all for her to know the predicament in which he found himself. But now how would he explain this unexpected, heavily-armed visit to her?

Evietta was no fool. She immediately knew who those men were, and it was clear by the look on Ravan's face when he entered the kitchen that the conversation had not gone well. However, she wanted details.

"What happened? What did they say?"

Ravan rubbed his face and ran his fingers through his hair as he tried to design a credible excuse and failed. Then he searched for the words that would make the situation sound better than it actually was. Unfortunately, there were none. He placated his hands, finally giving up.

"They want five hundred pieces."

Evietta waited to hear more and quickly realized that she would have to press for it. "When?"

"By next month."

Evietta scanned the walls for answers. "Very well, how much do we have?"

Ravan was running out of patience with his wife's questions. "I don't know exactly, I would have to count. But I can tell you with certainty it's not nearly enough. Now please, allow me a moment to think."

Ravan left the kitchen with the hopes of finding peace and quiet in the living room, but Evietta refused to give it to him and followed close behind.

"Thinking isn't going to bring home five hundred pieces, Ravan, and neither will you in less than a month's time. The solution is clear: I'm going to have to find work."

"Don't be ridiculous, Ivy, you have to take care of Brae."

"We can both take care of Brae while we work."

"Absolutely not."

"Then what's your solution?"

"I find more work!"

"That still won't be enough."

"You don't even know how much I have stashed away!"

"You hardly make that much in a year, there's no way you're close enough to five hundred pieces that you'll close that gap with a second job. So what's your real solution?"

"I don't have one yet because I'm standing here arguing with you! If you'd give me just a minute to think, I could come up with something!"

"Very well, I'll tell you what: if you can come up with a more feasible solution before I find work, we'll do it your way. But until then, I'm heading to bed because I have a long day ahead of me tomorrow."

With that, Evietta took her leave to the bedroom and Ravan watched her, astounded. She truly intended to seek work the next day to help pay off this newfound debt, and he hadn't even told her that her life depended on it. He feared what she would do if he had mentioned that to her. Although, as Evietta was no fool, she had probably already figured as much and that was why she insisted on helping.

Ravan sat in front of the dying fireplace late into the night and strived to conjure some way to come up with even just a hundred pieces by the end of the month without Evietta feeling the need to work. Unfortunately, it seemed as though in every situation he would require her help. He pinched the bridge of his nose. How much more money did he actually require?