[wattys 2018 shortlisted]
Humans see her as a dangerous threat -a witch that must be executed. With the uncontrollable ability to form ice at her fingertips, Ravenna is forced into hiding amongst the humans, stealing to survive. That is, until she h...
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RAVENNA FOUND EOIN patrolling the marketplace the next morning. He smiled warmly at her as she approached. He lowered into a slight bow, his eyes twinkling mischievously. "Hello, Lady Ravenna."
"Please don't call me that," Ravenna told him. She couldn't help but grin back at him.
"Have you had breakfast yet?" he asked.
She shook her head. She wasn't hungry, but breakfast would give her even more time with him. The more time that she had, the more time that she could flirt.
He seemed happy about that response. "Wonderful! Would you like to grab a bite with me, then? I really don't get the chance to eat good breakfast food anymore and this gives me the perfect excuse."
"What do you mean?" she asked, an eyebrow quirked.
His fingers scratched at the back of his head. His expression was sheepish. "Well, I'm sure that you understand with how much you seem to travel. We can't exactly be picky when it comes to what we can eat. There is only so much available."
"I am sure that took a while to get used to," Ravenna snickered, mostly to herself. "Especially considering the lavish foods that the king feasts on."
"It did," Eoin answered with a laugh. "I went from juicy exotic fruits and breads to bland, mashed oats. It was awful."
"Poor you," she giggled.
He clutched his hand to his heart. "Poor me, indeed."
She rolled her eyes and glanced around, scanning over the market. More and more humans had slowly started to enter the streets that surrounded them. It was a strange sight for Ravenna. There were more humans strolling about compared to what she'd experienced the day before. It was almost as busy as it had been the day that she arrived.
"I have heard legends about a bakery here," Eoin informed her. He presented his arm and she hesitantly curled her arm around it. His smile was pure sunshine. "Would you like to try that? Or is there somewhere else that you prefer to dine at? You have been here longer."
Ravenna shrugged slightly as they started to walk forward. "The bakery sounds great. If it is the one that I'm thinking of, I have actually dined there a few times. It's an unusual, but fairly nice experience."
He blinked at her. "Is that so? What makes it so unusual?"
"Well, there is a young girl that serves you the food," she explained. "Most food vendors that I have come across simply hand you the food directly. You can choose to eat it while you walk around the market or wait until you return home."
That seemed to interest him. "I suppose that I am accustomed to being served my food," he said.
"Not all of us are born with that privilege," Ravenna told him.
A cloud of silence engulfed them for a few moments. Eoin lead her through the crowded streets, toward the bakery that Ravenna was familiar with. There was a small group of men seated in old, wooden chairs outside the door. As they approached, one of the men jumped to his feet and rushed to open the door for them.
