This time when Raina's eyes open, she comes face to face with a wooden ceiling. This nearly has her heart thumping in fear, thinking she's back in Ridgedale, but not as much as when she turns and becomes face to face with two dark eyes belonging to a small, dark face. Stiffing her scream with her hand over her mouth, Raina rises up fully awake as the same young boy she saw running the other day steps back with just as much surprise.
"Sorry." He says in a soft voice and Raina slows her breathing, putting a hand over her heart.
"It's all right. I'm sure you were curious who I am, right?"
He nods and Raina smiles. "Well,introductions are in order. Let's start with your name. Since you're the one who woke me up, little sir."
The boy breaks a smile before he says, "My name is Hezekiah. But everybody here calls me Kiah."
Raina clears the sleep out of her voice before she speaks again, "My name is Raina. It's nice to meet you, Kiah. How old are you?"
The boy, all too happy to be given attention from this new and lovely woman in his home, grins even wider before saying "I'm five. Five years younger than my brother and the youngest boy my ma and pa have."
"Five, huh? Why you're almost a grown man, Kiah!" Raina says with a wide grin loving the little giggle he gives her back.
"What time is it?"
"It's 7:30. My Pa is already outside in the fields with my brother, Hunter. My Ma-"
Blinking at the boy's answer, Raina jumps in alarm, interrupting his next words. "7:30?! I slept in? I'm so sorry! Here, let me get dressed and I'll come out, all right?"
Kiah bites on his thumb backing up to let Raina get out of bed before nodding, "I'm gonna go outside and play. See you later!"
Waving as the boy runs off, Raina says, "I hope you have fun. Nice to meet you, honey."
After getting into a sage green dress with white stripes, Raina ties her hair underneath a wrap before making her way out to the main room of the house. As Kiah had stated, Warren and his oldest were nowhere to be seen, however, Prudence is in the cooking area to the left of her, making what looks to be the start of bread. Her warm smile is inviting, prompting Raina to come closer.
"Good morning to you, Raina. I trust you slept well?" She starts, turning to grab a wooden bowl before handing it to the younger woman.
Raina can feel the heat coming through her cheeks as she receives the bowl. She hadn't meant to sleep in late and told Prudence just that.
"It's all right. I'm pretty sure you deserve some rest. More than the majority of us, for sure. Warren himself suggested you weren't to be disturbed, but I'm sure Hezekiah couldn't help himself. He's such a curious child. There's some porridge for you over there. Help yourself." Prudence pauses in moving the dough before she gestures to the hearth, where a pot is waiting. Raina nods before grabbing a ladle and serving breakfast for herself.
"He's quite adorable. I appreciate the extra rest, but after this week, I think I'm rested enough. I'm ready to start helping out as best as I can around here." She says while sitting down and digging into Prudence's food.
It is literally what she ate while at Ridgedale, but something is different. Raina's taste buds register the sweetness of porridge and the fruity essence of at a closer look appears to be blackberries. She never would have thought to do that at the big house back on the plantation.
"This is delicious!" She exclaims before practically wolfing down the bowl, much to Prudence's delight.
"Eat as much as you want, ma'dear. I heard that you love to cook as well and that you were the cook on the ship before you fell ill."
YOU ARE READING
AC III: Released Rain
FanfictionWhen Connor rescues an enslaved woman from the south, he realizes she means much more than a help to the Assassin Brotherhood; she also makes a path into his heart.
