DISCLAIMER: I claim no ownership to Connor Kenway or people formally mentioned in the Ubisoft video game, Assassins Creed III. I do own Raina and other characters formally unmentioned though.
Spring 1786
Footsteps rushed through the forest, the sounds of breath coming in and out of huffs as trees flew past. A look behind revealed that the men chasing on horseback were coming nearer and nearer. Fear clutched the heart but still, the need for freedom took prevalence. There was only one chance, only one to make this escape and make it to the railroad. Closer...just a bit closer...there! A lantern lit in a window. Head for it! The running footsteps make it into the yard, and finally to the door that was opening, revealing a warm cozy glow and outstretched hands of assistance.
This...this was what the first steps of freedom felt like.
Eyelids framed by dainty eyelashes move upward, revealing dark brown orbs that focus on the ceiling of a cabin. They move to the right, where a dimly lit fireplace was. There is no cozy glow here, no outstretched hands.
"No," Raina whispers, her arm coming up and over her eyes. "It was just a dream."
Her body raises up on the straw pallet she usually slept on and tears well hot in her eyes. For the past couple of days, she had been having this same dream: to have freedom so close she could practically taste it only to wake up still in bondage. She moves some of her thick wavy dark hair behind her shoulder and sighs, trying to get over the remnants of her dream. A look to her left shows her older roommate and caretaker Edie still snoring softly. She gets up hearing the rooster starting to crow outside, which meant she only had about fifteen minutes or so to get appropriately dressed and ready to head to the big house in order to cook breakfast for the master and the mistress. She smiles warmly at the woman behind her, wanting more than anything to let her sleep but the consequences for being late spur her to wake her up.
"Edie, rise and shine. Time to get up, sugar." Her voice is quiet with well-meaning and it seems to do the trick as the woman starts stirring and rising to a sitting position as well.
"I was only resting my eyes, Rainy."
"I understand. I like to rest my eyes for eight hours too." Raina replies, getting a soft belly laugh in response.
<<< >>>
The young woman manages to get herself ready quickly enough to hurry to the house. She rushes under huge willow trees, noticing lights turning on in other quarters signaling that other slaves were getting ready to start their workdays along with hers. The weather is warm but the humidity's heavy like a rough blanket, making Raina incredibly happy that she was blessed to work inside of the home. Raina had been born a slave on Ridgedale; the plantation that belongs to Thomas Carmichael alongside his young wife, Ella.
The master was pretty civil to her all of her life, giving the okay for her to work in the kitchen next to Edie ever since she was orphaned and despite knowing that she was his property, she made sure to give him her respect around him. However, Mistress Ella was another thing entirely. She never missed a chance to cut evil glares towards Raina's direction or to harp on her for no reason at all and she never understood why but not to be a problem towards the two she kept her distance as often as possible.
Out of breath, Raina enters through the back door and grabs her apron seeing yet another house cook, Annabelle next to the huge stove stirring suppawn, a thick porridge of cornmeal and milk cooked together. The milk was taken from the cow early in the morning. She gave her an amicable smile before starting to look around for what was next to make. She settled for getting the fruit together to accompany the main meal as well as some extra milk to wash it down. After waiting patiently for Annabelle to set the two steaming bowls of suppawn down, Raina took no time to pick up the tray to walk into the large dining room where she knows her owner and his wife sat expectantly.
"Hurry up, girl! Do we have to wait all morning for us to eat?" Ella harps. Thomas watches her every move silently seemingly unaware of his wife's sullied mood
"No, Miss Ella. I'm sorry." Raina answers, setting down the tray and giving each recipient their porcelain bowls. After making sure that food was served, Raina went back around to grab the pitcher of milk. She pours some into Miss Ella's cup first, trying her best to ignore the way the woman sneers at her. When that is finished she starts to walk toward her master only to feel a foot trip her. She tries to catch herself but watches in dismay as a good amount of the white liquid flies out and lands on the polished wooden floor.
"Oh! You are so clumsy, Raina! Why can't you do anything right?" Ella spits out with disdain and Raina fights the urge to turn and give her mistress a piece of her mind. She instead turns and meets her owner's eyes before coming over and pouring what's left of the milk into his glass.
"I apologize, Master Thomas. I'm not sure what I tripped over." She tries to explain with her head down.
Thomas stares at her with emotionless eyes before glancing over at his wife who is staring at Raina smugly. He knew what she was up to as did Raina herself. He finally gives a soft chuckle and Raina dares to look at him. He gestures with his head toward the spilled milk puddle.
"It's fine, Raina. Clean that mess up and finish in the kitchen."
"Yes, Master."
Raina bows her head slightly before rushing toward the kitchen only to stop short to grab a rag from Russell, the butler who had seen the whole thing. As she passes behind the chair of the owner and kneels to clean the spill she knows it's not long before she hears the screeching of the mistress. She doesn't have to wait.
"That's it? You're not going to punish her?" Ella asks, her eyes glaring down at Raina who keeps cleaning. Her eyes watch her husband who starts to eat a few spoonfuls before looking.
"For what exactly? For you tripping her and spilling fresh milk that was milked this morning? You must think I have eyes in the back of my head."
"I swear, Thomas I don't know what you see in this mulatto wench. You are always defending her!" Ella points at Raina who glances back at her before starting to clean faster. She hears Ralph sigh obviously not wanting to get into a discussion while eating breakfast.
"Now, Ella..."
"No! I see the way you watch her while she works. You want to bed her so bad."
Raina stiffens, momentarily abashed hearing those words. She glances up at her master who looked back at her for a slight second and it's all she needs to know the truth. She had wondered why she would see him standing in the doorway watching her. She naively contributed it to him making sure things were going smoothly. But he would linger his sight on her for the longest and she remembers the few chills she would feel from it.
"Ella Carmichael, you watch your tongue this instant. I will not have you talking this way to me."
"Get rid of her! Get rid of Raina, Thomas!"
Raina notices Russell kneeling down to help her clean the mess only for both of them to jump hearing the master yell into the dining hall. "Everybody get the hell out of here, now!" Feeling Russell pull her arm to help her up, she quickly follows the butler to the back, hearing muffled yells and shouts from the owner and his wife as Edie closes the door behind them.
"What is going on?!" She whispers harshly, looking from Russell to Raina who has color flooding her light cheeks. Russell, always so sympathetic, takes the milk dampened rag from her before putting his hands on her shoulders to look down at her. She looks up at him in return biting her lip.
"I blew it, didn't I?"
"No, chile. That was all the mistress and we both know it. Now you best go make yourself scarce for a while until things cool off. I'll fill Edith in and I'm sure Beau needs help in the garden."
Raina nods, reaching back to remove her apron and to hang it on the hook by the door. "Thank you, Russell. I'll go now and be back for supper time." She gave a look to a confused Edie to reassure her before departing, the yells still prominent even as she left.
<<<< >>>>
It was no secret the relationship between the master and the mistress was ever-changing as stormy waves. Being a much younger age than her husband, Ella was spoiled and had been that way since her birth. She was the second wife Thomas chose, the first dying from an illness. She had always had a grudge against Raina from the beginning and now Raina knew why. The word mulatto went all over her mind as she wrinkled her nose.
It wasn't her fault that she was who she was. Her mother was honey-skinned but she had told Raina that her father was not so. That he was much lighter and that he came from a place called Greece. Soon after she told her that information, she was suddenly sold and Raina never saw her again. That was when she was fourteen and never had she felt so alone after that. Graciously, Edie was there to take care of her, saying it was her mother's wish that she did so and the two were attached at the hip after that. Despite that, Raina still bore the ire of Mistress Ella despite trying her hardest to make her happy.
The trail that led to the garden was made from slaves constantly walking up and down along them and as the dust collects on Raina's shoes from it she opens the gate seeing her childhood friend, Beau leaning over some lettuce. Despite his cozy appearance wearing a long shirt and pants, Beau is tough lean, and sinewy. Hearing Raina behind him, Beau glances over his shoulder before snickering. "It's only 7 am and you're already outside, Rainy. Must mean you made Miss Ella mad something awful."
"Oh, hush up. It wasn't my fault this time or any other time before!" Raina snapped grabbing a basket by the fence to help him harvest, hearing him laugh as he starts putting a head or two inside of it.
A crackling sound of a whip makes the two turn their heads to see a man being whipped for not gathering cotton fast enough. Raina trembles watching but Beau shakes his head growling, "I'm done with all this, Raina. I'm so tired of seeing our people being treated like we're nothing but dirt for no reason at all than to make white people happy."
Raina rushed to cover Beau's mouth looking around to see if any overseers were watching. "You watch what you say, Beau before you're next!" She whispers to him, only for him to wrench his head from her hand.
"I'm not scared of them. They are cowards, hiding behind whips and guns."
Raina shakes her head, not wanting to think of her friend getting hurt. "Please..."
She watches as Beau's eyes start to soften again and he sighs. "Look...I know you want freedom as much as I do. If you are as serious as I am, meet me tonight at Albert's quarters after you are done with your work." She hesitates, torn by conflicting emotions but then nods.
Raina returns to the house a little later grateful to the Lord that Ella didn't find her to harp on her. The rest of the day seemed to be quieter as Raina cooks her way past the hours until supper time around 2 pm. This time around the dining room table had three more people joining and so even more work was needed to be done. Smells of roasted meat fill the kitchen as sounds of utensils are heard chopping and stirring.
"Careful, little Rainy...Mr. Brody is here tonight." Edie warns Raina as she starts giving platters to the servants.
Raina nearly drops the plate she's holding, her heart thundering at just the mention of that name. Cole Brody is a young man who trades with Thomas Carmichael after taking over his father's successful sugar plantation. Whenever he came down to Ridgedale, Cole made sure that he had Raina's undivided attention, no matter what the cost to her. She had been cuffed so many times by overseers after being cornered by Cole for not attending to her duties and she despises him for it.
After handing off another platter, Raina takes a moment to peek out as the servant leaves the cooking area. Cole was indeed there laughing with Master Thomas and Mistress Ella. He had slicked-back blond hair and brilliant green eyes. Just the way he sat there told you he had made it in life. Raina always thought any woman would be lucky to have him...if he wasn't such a dirty bastard. She gasps as he suddenly turns his head, his lecherous eyes making contact with hers and she ducks her head down saying to Edie, "Keep me busy! I don't want to have to go out there if I don't need to."
Edith doesn't let her down, making her prepare dessert, wash every dish, and clean down everything in the kitchen. It was an hour later when the servants start bringing back the last plates, to which Raina immediately cleans. Edith then tells her to gather the container for scraps so she can feed the pigs. Raina steps outside and pauses for a moment to take in some fresh air, glad that everything was going according to plan and that she didn't have to worry about the visitor in the house for the time being. Her eyes take in some of the slaves of Ridgedale starting to do their weigh-ins for their cotton while others make their ways to the quarters for the night. She doesn't forget Beau's words of the meeting and while sleep pulls at her, the thought of freedom is more prevalent. Resolved to make the meeting, Raina makes it to the pigsty, grabbing the steel container and heading back.
"Raina," A voice that sends chills down the spine calls out. Cole. Raina grimaces hearing Cole but pretends not to at first, heading back towards the kitchen.
"I know you hear me calling you, girl! Get over here now." Cole ordered, pointing down to the ground in front of him with a no-nonsense look on his face. Not wanting him to discipline her or have the overseers come over, Raina obeys him, turning around. She gathers the sides of her dress and walks up to him her face neutral of any kind of expression to greet him. "Good evening, Master Brody. How can I-"
Raina's right arm is gripped and she's brought over against the stone wall of the big house. Cole's hands rush up to Raina's hair releasing it from her ties groaning as he watches the wavy tresses drop to her shoulders and back, ignoring her soft gasp of surprise.
"Damn...I've been dreaming about this body since the last time I saw you, Raina. Since the last time I touched it." Cole says to her in a low voice, his breath hot against her cheek and neck as he starts pressing his body up against the slave girl he managed to corner yet again. His left-hand start trailing down Raina's cheek as Raina turns her head away. Then it grips onto her right breast squeezing hard.
Vomit threatens to rise up the woman's throat; this wasn't the first time that Cole had touched her in such a manner. Uncomfortable at his closeness, Raina tries to distract him with words to make her escape.
"Please, Master Brody. I need to go. The master is waiting for me to finish my work." She tries to move out of his presence only for him to push her back against the hard brick of the big house.
"You ain't going nowhere, girl. You're always trying to escape me...but soon that won't be an issue." Cole holds her tight in his grip. A strange faintly eager look flashes in his eyes before he gives a chuckle seeing Raina's eyes meet his finally in confusion. Her lips part a tiny bit as she calculates what he's talking about.
"I don't understand. What do you mean?" Raina knows the answer but wants to hear them face to face. She manages to keep eye contact with Cole just enough to see the truth.
"What I'm telling you is that in the near future, I plan to make you mine, Raina. When I get enough funds from the sugar cane sales, I'll be back to buy you and once I do, girl," He pauses, getting closer to her lips. "Your only job will be for breeding...you won't ever leave my bed."
Before Raina could even try to protest her selling, she felt his lips cover hers, her scream muffled under his kiss that still had the after tones of the dinner made for him. She tosses her head from side to side, raising her hands to push his face back, hearing his growl as he releases her enough backhand her face. White light and agonizing pain sear through her head as it falls back against the brick. Her hand covers her cheek and she whimpers shying away as Cole comes close to her face again.
"You better know your place, wench. You're nothing but property to be used, Raina so get that through that thick head of yours." His fingers gripped onto her cheeks hard pressing her lips out as he growled with irritation at her squeals of terror.
"Master Brody..."
Both Raina and Cole suddenly become very still hearing a voice, their eyes meeting with Beau's who was standing there, concern for Raina all in his dark eyes.
"What do you want, boy? You see me busy, don't you? Get!" Cole ordered, pointing. Beau removed his straw hat, staying put as he tries to explain to the young master. "I'd like to do that, Master but you are being summoned by Master Thomas. He's looking for you."
Cole scoffs before looking down at the trembling Raina who avoids his gaze. "No doubt wondering if staking my claim on you, girl." He then releases her, fixing his overcoat and clearing his throat. "No matter. I'll get what I want soon enough." Raina risks a glance and Cole smirks at her. Seeing the slaves staying silent, he starts walking away chuckling. Raina waits for the vile master to be completely out of her sight before she starts letting out gasping sobs. Beau reaches her, bringing her into a hug.
"Are you all right? Did he rape you, Raina?" He asks, checking her all over and looking at her reddened cheek.
"N..no. Thank the Lord Almighty he didn't. Thank you for coming when you did, Beau." Raina says graciously, kneeling down and sniffling, grabbing her hairpins. Beau joins her on the ground watching her intently, his finger going under her chin to bring her face up to meet his.
"Freedom sounds pretty damn good right about now, don't it?"
Raina doesn't deny it.
<<<< >>>>
Later after coming back to the house with the container for scraps Raina pauses in the hallway seeing Mistress Ella standing there, her body and face highlighted by candles in the hallway.
"You enjoy your visit with Mister Brody, Raina? He seems quite smitten with you. Maybe I should put in a word to the master to go ahead and get your papers ready to sell. Give a chance for Cole to stare at you instead of my husband." Raina stared wordlessly at the woman, her heart pounding. So all that Cole had told her is true. There are talks of her sale. Ella's smile looks so wicked that Raina takes a step back as she hears her deep chuckle of satisfaction from the slave's reaction. Hurt from deep inside prompts her to speak up.
"Miss Ella...I don't understand. What reason is there really for you to hate me so? I try everything I can to please you."
The mistress of the manor stared at Raina in disbelief as if she really had the gall to talk to her so, crossing her arms and smirking. Her eyes are full of such contempt and she gestured to Raina with one hand palm up. The next words shake Raina to the core and she knows she will never forget them as long as she lives.
"You exist, you negra bitch. That's reason enough."
Later that evening while in Beau's quarters surrounded by four others, the words still ring in her ears even though she knows she shouldn't be surprised they were spoken. She's not sure if Ella meant by her personally or by her people but either way, it was the final straw in her decision on escaping. She had no real family here to hang onto and so what was really keeping her here? Fear of lashings? Fear of being lynched? That was no different than the fear she felt every second of every day!
Her decision was made.
The plan was to wait until everybody was asleep in the quarters and slip out to the backwoods; an area that had not been watched for years. That was one of Thomas Carmichael's major flaws: Thinking that his slaves were loyal to him to the end. He was a pretty lenient master, but he still thought of them all as his property and just like her, this group was fed up with it. There is nothing that can change her mind. Nothing. Not even Edie who pleaded with her ward at lights out to reconsider but when she realized it was a lost cause all she could do was pray over her and wish safe travels.
Raina once again sits on her bed pallet. She reaches under her pillow to pull out a necklace. It was metal and chain-linked with a pyramid-shaped crystal-like gem hanging at the end. Raina had this under her possession ever since she found out her mother had been sold and since then she had been keeping it close, making sure that nobody found or worse stole it. Raina found at times that it would seem to glow almost as luminous as the flame she was in front of; that in itself was reason enough to protect it. She puts the necklace back then sighs, staring at the fire for a few minutes before laying back for sleep.
Before her eyes can close she smiles, thinking about freedom. That lantern and those open arms ready for an embrace...
They may be closer to obtain than she thought.
Hello readers! Thank you for reading so far! This has been a fanfiction on my mind for a good while and seeing it come into shape is making me super happy. I am already loving Raina and her thirst for her freedom. Her path in this story is going to be a long one but I'm sure you guys will love the end of it.
Thank you for any reads, comments, and votes! They are truly appreciated!