The Rosewood Prophecy

Chapter 51

Aaron

No more masked horsemen interrupted our journey to Ravenstone, but we were on edge the entire time. A couple of times, when there was no village in sight, we just rode through the night. We made a few rest stops so the horses wouldn't die from fatigue, but Katherine and I would take turns napping on horseback as the other kept a tight hold on both reins and continued riding towards Ravenstone.

One night, we were lucky enough to find a small village at the side of the road. There was a five-room inn that looked really sketchy, but the only alternative was to camp outside, which none of us wanted to do. After paying the innkeeper-a plump middle-aged woman with thick makeup on-we were led to a single room with a king-sized bed, a worn-out arm chair, and a small dresser. A window was on the side of the room, its curtains half drawn. Two small lanterns burned brightly. The mattress was stuffed with straw, and the blankets were not only thin but also made of rough, scratchy linen cloth. Charles complained of hunger, and Katherine went out to try and get something from the kitchen. Meanwhile, I pulled out the thick tapestry we had taken from Lord Victor's treasury and spread it over the bed so that we would have something soft to lay on.

Katherine returned with a tray topped with a chunk of butter, two bowls of watery soup, half a loaf of bread, and a whole plate of roast ham. "This cost me an entire gold coin," she complained as she set the tray down on the dresser. We sat down in a circle on the floor between the bed and the wall. "That lady only gave me the soup at first, but I saw her stash of food. It wasn't until I threatened her with my sword did she give me these actual food."

"Kath, you shouldn't have done that," I chided her lightly. "What if she calls the sheriff on us or something?"

Katherine scoffed. "Call the sheriff on us? Even if she did, you think a puny sheriff could stop me from getting food for you guys?"

I sighed and shook my head at her. For all her good traits, Katherine could be quite hotheaded if she was cranky. "Eat up, children." I helped distribute generous helpings for Charles and Christina, then cut two slices of bread and roast ham for Katherine and myself to eat.

Charles fell asleep halfway through our late night meal. Katherine gently tucked him into bed, using my fur cloak as a blanket. Christina finished her food, but didn't appear to want to go to sleep. She curled up next to me, looping her small arms around one of mine.

"Not tired?" I asked. She shook her head and stared out the window, which revealed a silent and peaceful village. A slant of moonlight streamed in through the window, casting a pale glow onto the wooden floor. "Is something on your mind?"

Christina was quiet for a moment, and then she said softly, "I miss my parents."

I waited for her to continue. According to Martha's hurried words before we escaped, Christina and Charles's parents were killed, probably by Lord Victor's soldiers. But I didn't know what happened exactly, and Charles was too young to remember the incident. The only person who knew what happened was Christina.

Christina didn't answer at first. I thought she had fallen asleep, but then she said quietly, "I was only four years old. Mom, Dad, Grandpa, Grandma, Charles, and I were all living in a town far away from here. I don't remember what it's called, or where it was. But I remember our two-story house, with marble countertops in the kitchen, fruit trees in the backyard, and a drawing room. It was a really pretty house. We had huge bookshelves in the drawing room. I loved to pull out books and flip through them, looking at the pictures. It was my favorite place in the whole house. Our house was full of tall windows where the sun would shine through and make the floor warm. Mom always had freshly-baked cookies in the kitchen. I still remember the smell of apple and cinnamon in the kitchen. Dad's office smelled more like pine trees. He had lots of dark wooden furniture that he and Grandpa made themselves. Grandma always sat in a rocking chair in the living room, knitting or reading. I think our living room was painted a nice, sunny yellow color, with picture frames on the wall. Grandpa liked to sit by the fireplace, because it was nice and toasty.