The Bitten and the Born

Raven sat reading her mothers books while nestled in her corner covered in furs. Candlelight flickered in her eyes scanned the words of her ancestors. The language was long lost to anyone outside of her family. Her mother came in from hanging the herbs she had just harvested so they could dry. The sweet soothing scent of lavender and lemongrass filled the room. As Mama wiped her hands on her apron a smile grew across her face. Watching her only child absorb the family knowledge so eagerly warmed her soul. "I'm going to run out of books for you to read soon, aren't I?" Raven glanced up at her Mama and broke her attention from the book smiling.

“I hope you have been stirring the stew. The potatoes seem to be ready." She poked them with the two pronged fork. One plump potato clung to the fork glistening in the candlelight. Ravens stomach growled. Hearing how hungry her daughter was she held up the potato and asked Raven to come taste test the stew. Taking two beat up metal plates, Raven grabbed the ladle off the hook on the fireplace and filled her mothers plate first. Then she filled hers and sat at the raw wooden table. "Well?" Her mother inquired. "Mama it's always perfect. I may not remember to stir but you never forget the flavor" she recalled.

Years have passed since then. Raven looked at the burning flames licking the wood in the hearth. Rembering her Mother like that brought her bittersweet emotions. She'll never forget the day they found them in the forrest. Her Mother had to use all of her magical abilities to keep her daughter hidden. What those men did to her left her with a limp until the last of her days. She shuddered as she tried to push those thoughts away. It's getting colder outside and it would be harder to hide her footsteps in the snow. She had to harvest the last of the garden before they all gave away to the first frost.

“Night gave way to day and the chill in the air warmed. Raven took her skirt and tucked it into her belt. She walked out leaving the door open to let out the chill. She grabbed her flat basket and headed to her garden made in a nestle of trees under a canopy of sunlight to flourish. Raven pulled at the cabbage heads, grabbed the shovel and dug up potatoes; she broke off the herbs and pulled up the carrots. Looking at her basket she worried she misjudged her harvest. It was already too full to carry easily. She stood up and dusted her knees off and then her hands. Bending over she noticed a slight movement in the brush.

Just then a rabbit leapt from them and ran towards the basket. "Hey! All you have to do is ask." She bent over, picked up her basket and grabbed a carrot out of the bundle and sat it down where the basket was. There's enough for us both. The rabbit walked to the carrot and picked it up with both hands and started nibbling. Raven had a way with animals. Since she was a girl, she talked to them as if they were able to understand but somehow, they really seem to. Her mama told her she had the gift of whispers.

“While she walked back to her cabin, she looked around for wild medicinal herbs. She needed some more tinctures for the winter. She picked and pulled up roots and leaves whilst stuffing them into her apron pocket. Suddenly, all the sounds of the forrest silenced. She darted her eyes around the tree line worried the men came back. Still, she didn't hear horses or voices. Instead she started to feel dizzy. She began running back to the cabin and made it inside just before she passed out on the floor. The cabbages rolled with the potatoes across the floor and the basket twirled on its side back and forth.

"Raven. Wake up my dearest. Danger is nye. Come now, wake up." Her mamas voice echoed as she started waking up still on the floor. She could smell the scent of leather and musk. A voice echoed from outside. "It's getting cold out, Miss. Perhaps you could invite me in so I may warm myself by your fire. I can smell your stew as well. Could I trouble you for a meal?"

Raven jumped up and saw ice blue eyes peering into her cabin from outside the protection perimeter. "You may continue on your way, Sir. I won't be entertaining this evening. Or any evening. Good day," she sternly warned her unexpected visitor. "How did he find me? The protections are still fixed and he didn't seem to be able to cross the barrier. He could see inside so she would perform her Mamas spell again immediately."

"Miss. I can hear your thoughts. You can't hide from me like this. I am here for help. I'll drop the pretense. I am Barren Bradford Whitley. I’ve looked far and vast to find the one whom I could procure a very powerful potion from. Behind every locked door is the mention of Alexandre Bellavonnes."

“He knows my mama?" dawning on her was the realization he knew a lot more than that."

"Barren Whitley, you are too bold. If you knew mama then did you not hear? Savages ruined her beyond repair. She's gone mad and hidden herself away from even me."

"I intend to use your blood to summon her."

Raven slowed her thoughts to silence. Considering he wants to use her blood for who knows what, she didn't intend on invitation being granted. "Barren, You will have to help me understand. You can stay right there and speak to me. What potion are you searching for?"

"Exivo" His icy eyes could see through the doorway her smooth sun kissed face. He could still smell the dirt under delicate fingernails. He listened as her feet shuffled picking up the vegetables and placing them on her table. Even at a distance he could see she was breathtakingly beautiful.

"What do you want with my blood?"