Chapter 7: The Morning After.
1292 Words
Arabella woke later than she expected.
For a moment she did not remember where she was. The ceiling above her was high and unfamiliar, and soft morning light poured through the tall window beside the bed. Then the memory returned slowly.
Ravencrest.
She sat up, pushing the blanket aside. The room was quiet except for the faint sound of wind brushing against the outside walls. The fire from the night before had burned low, leaving only warm embers glowing in the fireplace.
Arabella walked to the window and pulled the curtain aside. Morning had cleared most of the mist from the courtyard. For the first time she could properly see the castle grounds. Ravencrest was even larger than she had imagined. Stone towers rose at different corners of the fortress, and the inner courtyard stretched wide with gravel paths and dark iron gates.
Beyond the walls, the forest surrounded everything like an endless sea of trees.
A knock sounded at the door.
“My lady?”
Arabella turned. “Yes?”
A servant entered carrying a tray. The girl looked young, probably not much older than Arabella herself. She placed the tray on a small table near the bed.
“Breakfast,” she said quietly.
Arabella stepped closer and noticed bread, fruit, and a cup of steaming tea.
“Thank you,” she said.
The servant nodded quickly but did not leave right away. She lingered near the door as if she wanted to say something.
Arabella noticed. “What is it?”
The girl hesitated. Her fingers twisted together nervously. “Lord Aziel asked that you meet him in the courtyard after breakfast.”
Arabella raised an eyebrow. “Already?”
“Yes, my lady.”
The servant lowered her gaze again before leaving the room.
Arabella ate slowly, thinking about the request. She wondered what Aziel had planned so early in the morning.
After dressing, she stepped out into the hallway. The castle felt different during the day. Sunlight from the tall windows brightened the stone corridors, and servants moved quietly between rooms carrying baskets, linens, and trays.
Still, the place remained strangely quiet.
Arabella followed the directions she remembered from the night before until she reached the courtyard. Aziel was already there.
He stood near the center, speaking to a man who looked like one of the guards. The moment Aziel noticed Arabella approaching, he ended the conversation and dismissed the man with a short nod.
“Good morning,” he said as she reached him.
Arabella glanced around. “You wake early.”
“So do you, apparently.”
She smiled slightly. “I had help.”
Aziel studied her for a moment before speaking again. “I thought you might want to see more of Ravencrest.”
Arabella crossed her arms lightly. “The tour begins now?”
“If you are willing.”
She gestured toward the towering walls around them. “Lead the way.”
They started walking across the courtyard. Gravel crunched softly under their steps.
Up close, the castle showed signs of age that Arabella had not noticed the night before. Some stones were worn smooth with time, and ivy climbed along parts of the outer walls.
“How old is this place?” she asked.
“Older than most cities,” Aziel replied.
“That sounds reassuring.”
He glanced at her with mild amusement. “You prefer newer castles?”
“I prefer castles that do not look like they have survived three wars.”
Aziel said nothing, but the corner of his mouth lifted slightly.
They passed through a large archway that led into another section of the castle grounds. This area looked quieter. Fewer servants moved around, and the air smelled faintly of damp earth.
Arabella noticed a narrow path leading toward a garden surrounded by low stone walls.
“Can we go there?” she asked.
Aziel followed her gaze. “If you like.”
The garden was surprisingly peaceful compared to the rest of the castle. Tall trees shaded the area, and patches of wildflowers grew between stone walkways. A small fountain stood at the center, its water flowing softly.
Arabella walked closer to it. “I did not expect this,” she admitted.
“Why not?”
She shrugged. “Ravencrest does not exactly give off peaceful garden energy.”
Aziel folded his arms. “You judge the castle quickly.”
“I judge what I see.”
“And what do you see?”
Arabella turned to face him. “A place full of secrets.”
Aziel did not answer immediately. For a moment neither of them spoke.
Then footsteps approached from the path behind them. An older man stopped a few steps away and bowed his head.
“My lord.”
Aziel looked slightly annoyed at the interruption. “What is it?”
“The riders from the eastern road have arrived.”
Aziel nodded once. “I will handle it shortly.”
The man bowed again before leaving. Arabella watched him go.
“You seem busy,” she said.
“There are always matters to manage here.”
She tilted her head slightly. “And yet you are giving me a personal tour.”
Aziel looked at her directly. “Would you prefer I did not?”
Arabella hesitated. “No. I am just surprised.”
“Why?”
“Because you do not seem like someone who enjoys small talk.”
Aziel considered that. “You are not wrong.”
“Then why bother?”
His gaze remained steady. “Because you are here now.”
Arabella was not sure what to say to that. A breeze moved through the garden, stirring the leaves of the tall trees. Somewhere beyond the walls, a distant bird called out.
Arabella looked around the garden again. “So what happens now?” she asked.
Aziel walked toward the fountain, resting one hand lightly on the stone edge. “For now, you settle into Ravencrest.”
“That sounds vague.”
“It is meant to.”
Arabella sighed softly. “I had a feeling you would say something like that.”
Aziel looked back at her. “You will learn the castle in time.”
“And you?”
His expression remained calm. “What about me?”
“Do I learn about you in time too?”
For the first time, Aziel did not answer right away. The silence stretched for a moment. Then he pushed away from the fountain.
“We should return,” he said. “There are things I need to attend to.”
Arabella followed him out of the garden. As they walked back toward the main courtyard, she found herself glancing at him more than once. There was something strange about Aziel. Not frightening exactly. Just difficult to read.
By the time they reached the courtyard again, several guards were waiting near the gates.
Aziel stopped. “I will see you later,” he said.
Arabella nodded. “Try not to get lost in your own castle.”
Aziel gave a quiet huff of amusement before turning toward the guards.
Arabella remained in the courtyard for a moment after he left, watching the movement of the castle around her. Servants hurried past carrying baskets of supplies. A pair of guards argued quietly near one of the towers. Somewhere above, a window slammed shut against the wind.
Life inside Ravencrest was beginning to move around her. For the first time since arriving, Arabella realized she was not just visiting the castle anymore. She lived here now.
She turned and walked back inside, the echo of her own steps filling the hall as the castle waited around her, quiet and watchful.
- Writer
