[wattys 2018 shortlisted]
Humans see her as a dangerous threat -a witch that must be executed. With the uncontrollable ability to form ice at her fingertips, Ravenna is forced into hiding amongst the humans, stealing to survive. That is, until she h...
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IT HAD BEEN a long time since Ravenna had properly seen her reflection. The mirror in front of her stretched toward the ceiling, framed with carved diamond-marble. Intricate sculptures comprised the top of the mirror, the stone creatures looming over Ravenna's head like powerful guardians.
Her expression was cheerful, albeit a tad forced. Alyss, her newfound personal servant, stood behind her. Her pale hands worked furiously at Ravenna's damp hair. She twisted small tendrils back, pinning the dark strands into an elegant up-do. Her expression was stoic, and extremely focused.
Ravenna lifted her hand, her fingers gently touching a loose strand of her hair. She had almost forgotten how dark it had become under Vyses's spell. Her smile became more forced. She missed her ice blonde hair. Her eyes were the same icy blue that she'd awoken with, however.
Through the mirror, she could see the reflection of the rest of her new room as well. The entire room had been constructed of the same diamond-marble that encompassed the rest of the Capitol. Each stone seemed connected, so smoothly that the entire floor appeared to be a single slab. Even the walls appeared the same, with no grout between the tiles. One wall in particular had been decorated with a beautifully ornate relief sculpture, carved directly into the wall itself. From the bed, Ravenna learned that she could see the sculpture as a whole, and all of the small shadows that it cast.
The bed itself was impressive as well. Four diamond-marble posts stood at each corner of a perfectly square mattress —a mattress filled with something so soft and comfortable, it made her never want to leave. It wasn't straw, and that is all she knew for certain. The sheets that covered it were colored a soft golden color, the color of twilight sunshine. It was very warm and very inviting.
As was the white-padded chair that she currently sat in. Robes made of white silk covered her body, clinging to every curve and crevice. She'd been given a bath —a not-so-fun bath where Alyss had scrubbed every inch of her body with a rough cloth. It had taken every ounce of restraint for Ravenna to keep from harming Alyss during that bath.
"Is there a color that you are partial to, my lady?" Alyss asked her quietly.
Ravenna's eyebrows furrowed. "What do you mean?" she asked.
Alyss stepped back, removing her hands from Ravenna's hair. "For your dress, my lady," she answered. She walked across the room, toward a small white door. She opened it and snapped her fingers.
A bright witch-light illuminated the small room, revealing rows of beautiful dresses. Ravenna stood and slowly made her way into the room. There were dresses of all colors. Bright blues that rivaled the sky, and vibrant greens that mirrored the earth. Feisty reds, oranges, and yellows glimmered like flames.
"Oh my," Ravenna whispered.
She reached out, touching a dress colored a beautiful shade of lavender. It almost exactly matched the flower.
