The Raven

Chapter 1 - Elleya

I'd never thought this day would come. I'd never hoped I'd make it this far. I never believed that I, Elleya Morinsdaughter, would be trusted with a sharp object. I smiled to myself as I slid the knife over the slab of meat in front of me, and was satisfied when it cut clean through. I'd never been trusted before with anything that I could use to injure myself, probably because I was a rather clumsy being and often was getting myself in messes... I almost giggled with something like joy then. But, the sound caught in my throat and turned into a strangled gurgle. It was war time. There was no joy to be found anywhere, and everyone knew that. So, I continued my solemn behavior. Beside me, my 17 year old brother was quickly dicing his way through a mound of green onions. His face, also, remained placid. He made his way through his task without distractions of any kind. I turned and focused on the meat and knife in front of me. We would be eating good tonight. Tonight would be the only evening of the year that my father, brother, and I would be able to gorge ourselves on rich foods like these.

It was a hard time for us, with the shortage of food and war currently raging on. And tonight would be the one time that we would have enough food to fill our stomachs. Rich company was coming to our cottage tonight , and my father had spent quite a few crowns on dining choices. We would be indulging ourselves with fresh meat from the butcher and rich vegetables from the market. Normally, we would be eating what few scraggly things were able to grow in the poor garden behind our house. My family wasn't poor, but we certainly weren't to be mistaken for the nobility in town, with their posh waistcoats and fancy buttons.

What had really driven my family and I into harder times had been the death of my mother. My mother had died of the illness that had swept through the land when I was only 4. Her death was hard on my young father, and plunged us into hard times. Even after these 11 years, he still cried out for her every night. However, things had slowly gotten a little better over time. My father owned a local smithy in town called Morin and Son, seeing as my brother, Alrien, worked there also on some days. Together, they made horse bits, iron wheels for plowing, steel shields, and stuff like that. It was an honest job that paid fairly. Every month or so, my family would be able to provide a suitable meal, like bread and cheese, with the money earned, though it was not often. But tonight was an exception. It was fall, and that meant trade season. People would come from all over the land to Karsiff, the center of trade, to trade and sell goods before the bitter winter months set in. Recently, a few rich men had come into town with a large order of swords that needed to be filled. And since my father was the only smith for hundreds of leagues, the men had come to him. My family would be able to live comfortable for years with the money the 2 men were willing to pay. But, in order to see the quality of their supplier, the men had agreed to come to dinner.

So, my father had gone down the dirt road that led from our house to the main town below, since we lived on a small hill. He had picked up some actual food for the company. When he had returned home from the market, my brother and i had whisked away the food and had begun to prepare it, waiting in agony for the moment when we could actually sink our teeth in. Being the only "woman" in the household, I was expected to know how to prepare the meat and vegetables, though I had never really learned how to do it properly from my mother, since she died when I was only a young lass. But, whatever the case, I relished the task. It made me feel like an adult, mature and trusted. I was 15, 3 years away from adulthood. My brother only had a year to go. So, side by side, Alrien and I prepared the food. I was in charge of the meat, Alrien the vegetables. Meanwhile, my father was outside, washing and drying our best clothes for tonight. The men would be here at sundown, and that only left us with about 2 more hours to frantically scrabble about. So, we did.

As fast as I could, I cubed the meat with my knife and tossed it into a pot that was bubbling over the fire. The smells that flowed from that pot were enough to make anyone's mouth water. The scent drifted through the windows to my father in the yard beyond. I took a deep breath through my nose and held it, enjoying the tickling sensation the delicious smells left behind. I closed my eyes and tried to imagine what the food would taste like tonight, when we all sat around the table. All those rich tastes on my own tongue...