The Raven

Chapter 2 - Elleya

I remarked again how much my father and brother looked alike when Morin came through out dilapidated door and into our kitchen.  His blond hair was wet and stood up like small mountains from washing our clothes, and mud caked his knees.

 "Smells good." He remarked, and took a whiff as he closed the door behind him. "Don't mind me if I sneak a bite before the guests arrive." I smiled a little, as did Alrien.  Father had a good sense of humor.  He slid the wooden bar across the door to lock it. There was a soft thud as the bar slid into place. Turning around, my father held out his arms. Across them lay our laundered clothes. My brother and father would be wearing the pale colored trousers and a shirt with a vest that they had gotten years ago for our uncle's wedding. They ought to be tight now, but they would have to work. 

I, on the other hand, would be adorned in a simple dark green dress that my mother had once worn. I knew that it was hard for my father to drag this out from the box beneath his bed and let me wear it, but I was quite proud to be trusted with it. Quickly, I peeled the last potato and added it to the mound that my brother and I had made. I laid down the knife and calmly walked over to where my father was standing. He carefully lay the dress in my arms before adding a quiet warning. "Not a spot on this dress." He didn't seem to be joking, and I solemnly nodded, then taking the dress to my room to change. As I made my way, I could hear my father explaining to Alrien how to properly button his shirt and tuck it in. I was SO happy that I didn't have to worry about things like that...

I made it to my room and creaked open the door. The scent of wildflowers greeted me. My room was nothing special, just a bed with a straw mattress, a dresser, a wash bin, and a small flower garden hanging outside the window that my mother had started all those years ago. I closed the door behind me and spread my new treasure out on the bed. The last light of day streamed through the window and painted the dress a golden color. The Moon Lilies in my garden were beginning to blossom, having sensed that night was soon to come. 

With eager excitement, I undid my current gown and shivered as it slid down my legs. I quickly donned the dark green one, and laced it up in the back with some difficulty. I felt much older wearing my mother's dress, and perhaps a little more responsible too. I kicked my old gown under the bed and hastened to my wash bin.

I looked at my reflection in the water. My dark hair was a mess, matted up by the heat of the kitchen. I tried to run my fingers through it, but only succeeded in making it worse. I wished I had one of those combs that the venders advertised in the town below, but they were only for the nobility. With a sigh, I took a white ribbon and tied my hair back. A slight curl worked its way out and hung down around my ear. I glanced in the wash bin again. I looked much older with my hair back, and the green dress just added to it. This was the best I was going to get.

I strode to my door and froze as my hand reached the nob. I glanced down and was unsurprised when I saw my bare toes peeping out from under the fabric. I never wore shoes at home, and only rarely put them on for waltzing around the farm. The only pair of shoes I had was a pair of leather ones that were good for walking down to the market and nothing else. They were only being held together by a few strings. I shrugged. Who needed shoes anyway? I opened my door and stepped out into the main room. My father and brother were stepping out from theirs. 

They shared a room, seeing as there were only 2 bedrooms. Before my mother had died, she and Morin had shared a room, while I and Alrien shared another. We were small then, and didn't mind. Now was completely different. 

Father stopped behind my brother to tuck in the back of his shirt, which kept falling out, much to my amusement. Alrien's expression almost stole a laugh from behind my guarded lips. He looked like he would rather be doing mule duty than this. On the other hand, my father was quietly beaming with something like joy. If he could make a deal tonight, my family wouldn't go hungry for a long time. With a barely noticeable skip in his step, the man calmly paced past my sulking brother and arrived at the kitchen. He opened a certain cupboard and removed a single shiny sword wrapped in leather.

That was the thing with my father. He kept things in the most unlikely places. He kept his pillow next to his wash bin, his shoes under the table, and tools on the windowsill. Strange thing was, he always found what he was looking for... Anyway, Morin hugged the sword protectively to his chest like a child, and I saw that the blade was indeed handsome. He had definitely put some extra hours into this one. My father propped the sword up next to the chair that he was to sit in a dinner. He was grinning crookedly this whole time. My brother sidled up next to me with a sour face. "Having fun?" I mused, enjoying seeing my brother this way. I hadn't seen him in as bad a mood as this since one of the girls down in town had tried to kiss him. 

"Laugh all you want." He sulked. "But at least you don't have to worry about your buttons bursting every time you breath." I glanced at his shirt. The fabric of his shirt was pulled taut, but not tight enough to burst. "Would you rather wear a dress? I'm sure father will let you borrow one." I left the option to him and approached my father, who was eagerly waiting at the window. He was watching to see if the men were coming up the road. "Excited?" I didn't really need to ask. His face, though still calm, radiated impatience and nervous excitement. "Very." He looked me in the eye. "I've been waiting for this for a long time." I just nodded. I knew he had. Just then, two lighted lanterns came up the hill from the town below. With a poorly muffled gasp of excitement, my father rushed from the window and ran to my brother, who was trying to expertly undo the hem of his shirt from his trousers in a sneaky fashion. My father just shoved the shirt end back into Alrien's waistband and ran to wait at the door. After a few seconds of anxiety, there was a polite knock at the door. Morin took a deep breath and plastered a look of calm on his face that completely masked the glee and excitement that he was feeling. 

He swung open the door with a flourish. Two hooded figures were wreathed in lantern light and stood framed in the doorway. "Welcome, kind sirs." My father said, inviting them in with a gesture of his hands. The two figures stepped into our house and returned the invitation. "It's a pleasure, sir." One of them said in a deep voice. The other nodded vigorously. I waited quietly beside my brother, who was still a little grumpy. After a few moments of polite chat, my father strode up to my brother and I stood behind us with a hand on our shoulders. "I would like to introduce my young son and daughter- Alrien and Elleya." Alrien bowed slightly, and I curtsied. I only knew to do this because I had seen many women in town to it to the nobility as they passed. The strange men nodded approvingly. "Alrien will take you cloaks while you sit down for supper." My father gestured to my brother, who was decent enough to plaster a slight smile on his lips. 

One of the men shook their head under their cloak. "We will keep our cloaks on, if you don't mind. We fall prey to sickness easily, and there is a slight chill in the air." The other man agreed. "We don't mean any disrespect at the cost of your hospitality." My father just smiled at them, even though their eyes were hidden. "If it makes you more comfortable, then keep the cloaks." 

With that, my father showed them to the dining table that dominated the small main room. The guests took their seats alongside Morin. Alrien sat at the other end of the table. I was about to take my seat, when my father gave me a sharp shake of the head. "My lovely daughter will serve us tonight, gentlemen." He said, and my heart sank. It was hard not to show it, but my insides melted. I had been looking foreword to this, and now it was being taken away from me. I was allowed few pleasures in life, and this, I'd thought, was going to be one. First, there was heart break, then anger. With an unnecessary spin on my heel, my swept towards the kitchen. I was determined not to show the hurt I was feeling. Heatedly, I took a wooden water pitcher from a cupboard and left through the front door to fill it from the spring that ran along our house. I was careful to avoid getting the dress wet as I stooped to fill the pitcher. I straightened, my knees a little damp, and glanced up at the night sky. The stars were shining brightly, and a gentle wind was blowing from the north. I sighed, and let out all the pent up anger. It wasn't my father's fault. As the woman of the house, this was a duty that should make me proud. It signified that I was no longer a child that sat in the seat of least honor at the table. I was the woman to wait on our rich guests. I was sure that if my mother was here, she would answer me with the same thoughts, and I respected that. 

I gathered the pitcher in my arms and ambled back to our house. The sounds of serious talk came through the window. That was men's work, discussing and planning. I was a lady, and I was going to prove it.