Ravynne sat up in bed, slowly. The sunlight drifted down through the open window, and she raised her hand to shield her sleepy eyes from the brightness. Though she could only see the tips of trees, and the crystal blue sky outside of her window, the sound of childrens laughter, and of the hard working folk that tended to her gardens, sounded like she had once more slept in until late in the morning.
Yawning, she pulled the silk sheet around her body and slid out of bed, padding quietly over to the window to gaze out over the homesteads. Glancing back at the sleeping form of her lover in bed, she grinned and turned her attention to the perfectly neat rows of flowers that had started to blossom in the summer days. She reminded herself to pay her gardeners well this year.
Ravynne, or Rav, as she had come to be known by her closer friends, leant gently on the window sill. The silk sheet wrapped around her toned body was thin, but well made, and served perfectly as an impromptu dress, covering her curves from prying eyes. She took in the beautiful scenes before her, occasionally bowing her head in reply to a wave or bow from the gardeners as they looked up.
The sound of her lover stirring in bed prompted her to turn back, and after some deliberation she sighed and began to dress herself. Wandering to her wardrobe, she decided that today would not be a working day, and opted instead for the more comforting clothes to wander around her grounds in, the dark green hues of the tunic well received on her slender, toned and well maintained body, along with fur coated boots and simple leggings.
Ravynne took one last glance at the still sleeping form of her lover, smiles and left the chambers, as quietly as she had entered the night before. Gliding down the stairs, her footsteps swift yet light, and her boots well padded, she had intended to surprise her Handmaiden, who's room was the next to enter.
Unfortunately, her maid knew her far better.
“..Lady Ravynne, if you would be so kind as to consider that I have known you long enough...Your breakfast will be ready in but a moment. May I offer you some water, or fresh fruit?” Came the singing request from Lorrina, her favoured Handmaiden.
Ravynne scowled, but was otherwise impressed. Lorrina knew her intimately, knew of her secrets and of her wishes. Though a Handmaiden, and perhaps devoid of status in the eyes of those who did not understand, Lorrina had undoubted power within these walls and the gardens, and no gardener, maid or cleaner would dare question her orders. She had as much free reign to the household as Ravynne, and would often step in for Ravynne for meetings if the Lady had other things to attend to.
“Bah..I need to buy more quiet boots!” Ravynne retorted, grinning. She strolled across the long room, noting that Lorrina's bed was still ruffled up and unmade- A grave misdemeanour if it were one of the guest rooms, or worse, Ravynne's own chamberbed, but her own bed spoke of a different reason. “How was he?”
“Go mind your own business...My Lady” Came the retort. Knowing that the reply was followed by a blush, was enough for Ravynne, and she continued until the main room. Each of the guest beds that were against the wall closest to her, and across the way, were perfectly cleaned and made- no doubt the moment they were left. She sat down at the long breakfast table at her seat, and within a brief few moments Lorrina appeared, placing a plate of fruit and bread before her. Two glasses, one of crisp cold water and another of freshly pressed orange juice arrived seconds later, to her right.
“...So who was it this time? The head gardener? Perhaps even the new stablehand? Or...Not him!” Ravynne exclaimed, prompting a scowl and a fierce blush from the otherwise unflappable Lorrina.
“Lady Ravynne, do enjoy your breakfast. Is the Lord Aroldain joining you for breakfast? Shall I prepare his meal?” Lorrina remarked with thinly veiled amusement- Ravynne had not brought him home officially, or even unofficially, and had thought she had otherwise escaped notice.
“Lord...Aroldain is none of your concern, Lorrina. If he decides to join us, then we will call for more food and water, but no doubt he is sated for now.” Ravynne instantly regretted her words, and hastily collected the orange juice to hide a scowl with a wince of the sourness. “Lorrina, how went the meeting?” She reflected the impending next question swiftly.
“You have acquired another three contracts, despite my assurances that you were free of such. The Bree Guard are adamant that your contract expires in a month, not a month ago, and are eager to get the last few...unscruples, from the streets.” Lorrina's tone was cold, but quiet. Ravynne knew from experience that although Lorrina did not agree with her role in Bree, Hunting down those with the largest bounty and more importantly, the closest to pushing her over the fine line between bounty hunter, and law breaker herself, she was happy to push for the most amount of coin for each job. Their arrangement, made years ago, meant Lorrina would never be in need of work again if she stopped. Ravynne knew, as did Lorrina, that more then coin motivated her to continue working as a Handmaiden.
“The Guard have also...expressed concerns. Apparently someone had raided a farm, outside of the Homesteads. They wondered if you would know anything about it” Lorrina's voice was hesitant. Both of them knew what this was referring to, the incident not two weeks ago. Ravynne briefly cast her mind back to it. A simple trade, the farmer had fallen behind badly on payments owed, and Ravynne had decided that the lands would be given over to those more capable. Unfortunately, one of her new Bounties had foreseen such, and had sent armed brutes to 'assist' the farmer. Needless to say, it hadn't ended well.
“Witnesses?” Ravynne asked idly. “None, M'lady”.
“ An unfortunate case then. Tell them we will certainly look into it as a matter of course”. Ravynne cursed herself inside for once more, allowing people to live. The situation was already strenuous with the Guard, as she walked a terribly fine line between law breaker, and hunting those that had. Her indiscretions were normally overlooked in favour of her catching the criminals, but she knew her luck would not continue.
“Very well. I will attend to that now, M'lady” Lorrina bowed low and left swiftly. Ravynne knew she was worried for the same reason, though this did not spoil her breakfast.
After all- She had walked this fine line for her whole life- And she would keep walking it for a time to come.
