nineteen 1789
I awoke from my dream in the early morning hours of dawn break with a sigh. its hard to think that that little broken girl was me. loosing my mother at the tender age of six and gaining black velvet angel wings the day she passed. the physical pain of that day slowly melted away but the mental trama.... will always stay with me. swinging my legs off the bed I quickly got ready for the day in a worn, faded servents dress (let's be honest they're more like rags) that barely covered my petite self.
unlocking the steel door I walked down the cold stone hallway running my fingers through my long blonde hair to look semi presentable even though I couldn't see a damn thing. the torches were left unlit surrounding me in blanket like darkness. muttering under my breath about how lazy people were I quickly made my way to the kitchen to prepare the breakfast for my "relatives."
grabbing the eggs and meat we keep in the makeshift cooler I started making the meat first. looks like today is roasted duck with eggs and toast per Martha's notes with an added message not to poison it. shaking my head with a smile I got to work seasoning the duck wishing I could go against the wish and poison the people who were going to eat it. Martha knew exactly what I was thinking before I even think of it. a shame really. just add a bit of rough on rats and watch them convoulse to death would be quite the way to enjoy the day.
you're probably wondering why I would wish death on them. the awnser is a bit more complicated then one would expect. you see after my mother passed I was sent to the dungeon to live for two weeks without food, drink or rest. my aunt thought it would be a way to break my spirit or have me die. unfortunately for her my shadows fed me apples and water from the nearby pond to keep up my strength. mind you that was the first two weeks of hell. the following thirteen years she, my uncle along with my bratty pampered cousin Tyler beat, degraded and tortured me day in and out.
throwing me in my "room" with black and blue bruises, numoerus cuts on my pale skin and I can't tell you how many broken bones. sadly that was only the tip of the iceburge. the name calling and saying how worthless I was and I would be better off dead I could handle as well. no what dug their grave was when they said the reason my mother died was because she couldn't stand to be around me. I know its not true because her last breath was to tell me how much she loved me. I would never forget those words from her.
finishing the plates for breakfast bringing them into the dining hall one at a time, I set them on the long mahogany table and finally set the places for the cruel family. Tyler entered first snearing at me just as I finished setting the last plate down. just ignore him I thought silently while turning my back to him and started to walk out of the hall.
apparently im not fast enough because the next thing i know was slammed into the wall with my hair pulled back and his fanged mouth dangerously close to my neck. "never turn your back to me Ravenna. I'll happily drink you dry and you know it." his sickly sweet deep voice sung out. controlling my heart beat as to not give him any clue I was terrified of the idea I spoke softly.
"you know my blood is worthless to you Tyler. if you want something to drink go get one if the pretty maids." keep in control Ravenna. you got this. don't expose yourself. I kept saying to myself like a mantra. he sighed over dramaticly while releasing his hold on me. stepping away I could feel fresh new bruises on my wrists and face but I didn't dare look away from him. five foot six frame decived many people into thinking he was weak. his neck length red hair tousled from the bed, thin figure with hardly any muscle and his rat like face staring back if it weren't for his blood red eyes I'm sure he would be dead already.
"I'm bored of the maids. I'm sure you would taste better then them anyway sweet cousin." he spoke with venom in his voice just as Martha entered to see where I was. thank gods above I thought.
"Tyler come eat the duck I prepared for you and your family! I have the blood for you right here." Martha's gravel like voice spoke out. if one didn't know better they would just take that as her voice instead of an order. sense the both of us knew better, Tyler muttered under his breath while walking away from me to the table.
Martha stood in all her glory as the head household keeper. not much had changed about her in the thirteen years. her grey hair slightly longer and more wrinkles but she was still the same old lady who guarded my secret from my family. a debt I promised I would repay as soon as I could. right then my aunt and uncle entered the hall. bowing my head I quickly shuffled out of the room before anyone could say anything. as the oak door closed behind me and I walked back to the kitchen I sighed in relief. that was to close.
after my quick breakfast of bread and water, i started cleaning the dishes when Martha walked in shaking her head. looking up I raised an eyebrow at her for her to chuckle to herself. "Ravenna your family members are something else." confused I looked at her for her to chuckle more. after a few minutes with nothing further I shook my head and went back to work. better to not wonder what Martha was talking about. anything to do with them is always trouble I thought as I got down to the ground to scrub the floor while she started to prepare lunch.
* * * * * * * * *
hurry. that was my only thought as Martha told me to run shortly after the ungrateful vampires went to bed. they were planning on selling me to the slave trade before dawn and i needed to go right then. after a tearful quick goodbye I snuck my way outside into the crisp night air. the moon was full tonight and some stars were peaking out of the inky blackness of the night but I'd focus on that later. looking everywhere around me to make sure no one was following me as I made my way into the woods. the crickets chirped and a owls hoot somewhere in the distance were the only sounds besides the light crunching of leaves underfoot as I made my way deeper into the woods. my wings were restless and ready to go. finally reaching brokedale falls I quickly stripped my clothes and tied them to my waist so I would have something to wear for when I landed. I released my wings with a sigh of relief and quickly looked at them. same black velvet wings greeted me that had been there for thirteen years.
fluttering them and making sure they were fine I decided to fly tonight. it would be faster and they wouldn't be able to track me. pumping them slowly I started lifting off the ground. higher and higher i let out a smile as soon as I was above the waterfalls and looking down. everything seemed so small compared to up here. I was free and it would stay that way. looking north I started to coast using the wind currents. to the Silverstone mountain range I go. it was then I remembered. I'm nineteen today. that's why they wanted to sell me. shaking my head with tears in my eyes I fled my birthplace for something greater. let them have my home. it was never the same without my mother anyway.