RAVEN

CHAPTER 2

Living Anew

A pair of glassy scarlet eyes glowed brightly in the darkness of the room. In her little cot full of fluffy pillows and blankets, Vivian-now-Raven laid down face up towards the ceiling. For the past hour, since she woke up, she had been going through her experience a few hours ago, over and over again in her head.

The tree. Her new parents. Her new name. Everything felt like it was going too fast. Too quickly for her to wrap her head around. At one moment she was dead, and in the next, she was born again as the daughter of some family.

Uncle. Raven lamented. She had been so consumed by her need for revenge that she had forgotten, the one person who would be hurt in the end. The man who raised her and took care of her when he didn't have to. He was considered to be more than just a subordinate – a second father.

In a way, it was a good thing she came back to life, or else she would have never realized that damage she had left back at home. Truly, you don't know what you have til it's gone. There was a pressing need to go back, away from this place but right now, there was nothing she could do. The body she inhabited was a baby who had just been born.

Raven snuggled deeper into her blanket, feeling the cold permeate the room. It would take years before she would be able to figure out a way to go home. Though it didn't mean that she couldn't start planning early, first, she needed to get information. About where she was, who she was with, and the background of the people around her.

Secondly, she needed to learn to adapt to her surroundings and be what is expected of her, of her new identity. In the third part, Raven had to figure out a way to gain connections and resources, so that she would be able to find her way home.

Lastly, she must get the family of this body to leave her alone, for they may hinder her plans. But until then, I can wait. Raven thought as she shut her eyes and willed herself back to sleep.

~ ♛ ~

It was early morning when Ophelia rose from her bed. After helping herself to breakfast, she waited for the maids to help her put on her dress before heading over to the nursery. As she walked down the hallway, she recalled her profound feeling of loss when she was shown her baby's corpse.

         No. She shook her head. The last thing Ophelia wanted to do was to ruin her mood so early in the morning. Her daughter was alive and well. She was sure of that. She knew that, though it didn't stop her from worrying. Ophelia twisted the doorknob and stepped inside.

And there she was, her sweet little angel. Swaddled in a blanket, fast asleep. The curtains were pushed apart, allowing the gentle rays of light to shine through the cracks of the crib from its place by the window. Ophelia leaned over and picked Raven up, gently swaying her awake.

"Mother?"

Ophelia heard the door of the room creak open. It was a little boy barely over the age of two that snuck inside the room. His footsteps remained soft, muffled by the red carpet. This was Alistair, Ophelia's first-born son, a spitting image of his father except for his hair which he inherited from her.

"Come meet her." She beckoned him over. Alistair ran to the side of his mother, curiously looking at his newest sister. His eyes ran over her pint-sized body, tiny limbs, fluttery lashes, and button nose. The smallest tufts of blonde locks peeking out of the white blanket.

She's pretty. Alistair inwardly complimented. He was so excited to hear that his mother was pregnant with another child. He had always wanted to be a big brother, and now he was finally got the chance to be one. Alistair could already anticipate their future playtimes and outings together, his little hands itching closer and closer towards her peachy face.

Just as he reached his hand out to touch her nose, Raven instinctively moved her head back and avoided it. Her eyes coldly observing the two people breaching her personal space. She had never been a touchy-feely sort of person and the fact that these people were so close to her but she couldn't do anything about it discomfited her.

Rumble.

Raven avoided eye contact, expressing her embarrassment towards her body's uncontrollable reaction. At that moment, she wanted nothing more than to simply disappear into thin air. Ophelia and Alistair glanced at each other, chuckling at Raven's predicament.

And so, for the rest of the days to come, Raven had to swallow her pride and force herself to go through the long torturous process of breastfeeding. An experience she would rather not have a repeat of. Ever.

~ ♛ ~

Within the capital of the Tithèn Kingdom – Helemont City, an old man with scarlet hair streaked in grey strands sat majestically on a lofty throne of silver. He was Edwin Dantès, the current ruler of Tithèn.

Before him, a black-cloaked person knelt quietly on the crimson carpet that runs from the throne down to the hall, patiently awaiting his king's response to the news he brought.

Edwin sighed, "This time, it seems that the Lithian royalty has received information about our dealings with Staerid's free cities. We shall suspend all arrangements with them for now and continue them when the time is ripe."

  "But to think that the Duke of Marinet has borne yet another child, how unexpected. The Bloodvich family did well to keep the news tightly under the wraps." Edwin rubbed his wrinkled hand over to his well-kept beard, deep in thought. "Harold, how is the situation in Vitany?"

"Your majesty, by your orders we have begun to form close ties with some beastmen higher-ups. At present, all activities are going smoothly." Harold raised his head and continued, "Our men are drafting a cease-fire agreement right at this moment. Perhaps, we should focus our attention elsewhere."

Edwin's finger tapped rhythmically on the arm of his throne. "We must grasp this opportunity while the Bloodvich family is occupied with their newborn daughter. Plant a spy in Duke's home and use that person to kill his male heir. In their grief, they will be too distracted to notice our forces. They are one of the reasons as to why the Lithia Kingdom prospers to date." He said calmly, peering at the cloaked individual, the shadows of his hood obscuring his face.

He leaned back, and faced the large windows on the sides of the throne room, showing the view of the city landscape and beyond. The red curtains were adorned with silver embellishments and intricate embroidery. He smiled lightly, "By cutting down the roots, the tree will eventually fall and our kingdom shall rise. For the glory of Tithèn."