Ravendorf Ch. 01
Keywords: 01, Ravendorf, Ch.,
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It was summer in Bavaria. The jagged snow-capped peaks of the Alps extended above the lush evergreens. Margaret of Ravendorf stood on the small balcony outside her bedroom, gazing to the Zugpitz and the Austrian border. She could see the glistening of Ravendorf Lake a quarter of a mile away from her father"s castle. The water was like crystal. Even from this difference, she could see the sun reflecting off the blue surface. A pleasant breeze coasted down the glacial valleys, ruffling her blonde hair and the folds of her heavy dress.
She thought about Austria as she gazed across the German valley that bore her father"s name. Her father occasionally traveled to Vienna and had once taken her. She had loved the scenery through the winding mountain paths and the way her pulse had seemed to quicken while walking down the streets in Vienna. She longed to go back someday. She wanted to travel to Athens and visit the ruins of the Greek gods. She hungered for Florence where artists and scholars were flourishing. Ravendorf had even see visitors from Paris. Whenever travelers sought to board on Ravendorf"s grounds, she yearned to hear of their adventures. She loved Garmisch, the town that linked Ravendorf with the other manors in the area, but she wanted to see the rest of the world for herself. She wanted to go beyond Munich.
Near the lake, she could see the brightly colored tents and wagons of the traveling musicians who would be performing at the banquet hall tonight. She wanted to know where they had been and where they were going, but it was inappropriate for the Lady of Ravendorf to speak to the minstrels without her father"s presence.
"Mistress," a soft voice whispered behind her. She sighed, turning from the majestic view that offered so much unspoken opportunity. Her maid, Elaine, stood just inside the door. Elaine was a small woman close to Margaret"s age. In their childhood, they played near the lake together. She had been called into service as Margaret"s maid when she was thirteen and Margaret was glad to have her friend nearby. "Your father is calling for you." She motioned for Margaret to have a seat so that she could fix her windblown hair. Margaret sat down and Elaine began using combs to pin hair away from her face. "Master Phillip has arrived. He is so handsome. Your father made a smart match for you."
"Yes," Margaret replied, releasing a long breath. Phillip von Goring was her fiancé. The marriage had been arranged before Margaret was a year old. Phillip would take her back to Vienna where he would work in service of the Holy Roman Emperor. He was from a wealthy family, but as the second son he had not inherited the Baron"s title or land. Margaret was an only child. After the wedding, Phillip would have the Ravendorf lands and title.
Phillip was not a stranger to Margaret. She knew many of her contemporaries dealt with that fate. Some of them never even saw their betrothed until their wedding night, but Phillip had been to Ravendorf many times. She had visited him on her trip to Vienna. He was a gentle man. He would be good to her. Elaine was right. He was a handsome man and a smart match.
She looked longingly toward the open window one last time before following Elaine into the corridor.
The great hall was filled with flowers and the wafting smell of the hog roasting outside. Father had personally selected the meal for Phillip"s arrival and Margaret had overseen the decorating. The room was filled with vases of flowers from every field on Ravendorf"s property. On the main table were two bouquets of roses from her mother"s rose garden. She had insisted on the roses. Her mother had spent hours among the bushes. The presence of the delicate red buds made her feel like her mother was there.
"Everything looks so beautiful, Miss," Elaine said in the same soft, subservient voice that Margaret was accustomed to. She turned to Margaret one more time, making a few final touches to the girl"s hair and dress. "So do you. You will take Master Phillip"s breath away."
"She always does," a deep voice rumbled from behind. Both of the women turned to find Phillip standing nearby. He was tall, with sandy brown wavy hair and warm grey eyes. "You look ravishing, Lady Margaret," he said, taking her hand and bending over it. His soft lips touched the back of her hand. "Hello, Elaine."
"Master von Goring," she mumbled, backing away from him hurriedly, her cheeks a bright pink.
Margaret laughed lightly, looking into Phillip"s face. "I think she wishes she could marry you instead of me." She slid her hand into the offered arm and allowed Phillip to guide her into the great hall. "How was the trip, Sir?" she asked casually as he escorted her to her father.
"It was long and dusty but uneventful, thank goodness. I will be glad when we are married and are able to stay in one place. Thieves and marauders like the seclusion of the mountain roads. I am surprised that I have made as many trips as I have without being ambushed."
"That"s because you travel with your guards and under the banner of the Emperor," she laughed. "We"ll stay in Vienna, won"t we?"
Phillip"s brow creased as he thought about his answer. "I will one day be Lord of Ravendorf. I think we should stay here so I can work with your father and learn all I need to know about the land and the people."
Margaret felt the blood drain from her face. She had so wanted to escape Ravendorf for a while, even if it was only to Vienna. "What will you do about your duties at court, Sir? The Emperor relies on you."
"The Emperor needs a governor in this district," Phillip replied. They had reached the head table and her father. Phillip bowed sharply before shaking the hand of his future father-in-law. "Lord Ravendorf, your hospitality is generous as always."
Margaret quietly kissed her father"s cheek and sat down at the table between him and her betrothed. Neither man noticed her sullen silence as other visitors entered the great hall and graciously greeted their hosts and the future Lord of Ravendorf. Margaret politely greeted those who spoke to her. They were mostly people she had known her entire life. The other nobles from the Garmisch district and their families had come to inspect the man who would soon be their neighbor.
Margaret wasn"t aware of the musicians entering the hall until the first gentle cords of the lute filled the cavernous room. The crowd had enjoyed Lord Ravendorf"s food and wine and were well sated as the garishly dress minstrels played a familiar tune. There were five men in the group and one woman.
Margaret"s eyes were drawn to the woman as she moved to the center of the floor and began to dance. The woman had long, midnight black hair that swirled around her body as she moved to the music. Her skin was olive and after a moment of her twirling it glistened in the firelight. She wore a gauzy white blouse and a billowing skirt that wrapped around her waist. The bright red of the skirt flared as she danced and swayed across the floor. Her hips were slender and her legs were long.
Margaret felt her mouth go dry and she sipped at the wine in her glass, trying to look at anything but the dancing woman. As her eyes swept the guests, she noticed most of the men were also enraptured by the swirling mass in the center of the room. .
Margaret was sorry that the dance was coming to an end. The gypsy was smiling as she moved around the room, her long, olive arms flailing in rhythm. Her entire body was involved in the music. Her hips swayed and the gauze slid over her breasts. She batted her eyelids, the full dark lashes fanning on her cheeks. She was breathless as the music came to the stop and the captured audience broke into an appreciative round of applause.
The gypsy bowed deeply and Margaret thought she saw a few men straining to see through the gap the bow created between her shirt and her skin. She backed away and three of the men came forward to do some acrobatics. Margaret tried to concentrate on the performance, but her mind returned to the gypsy. The dark woman was talking quietly with the older man who seemed to be the leader of the group.
When the acrobats finished, the men returned to their instruments. The wooden flute played a haunting melody. The voice of the woodwind was soon joined by an even more haunting sound. The lovely gypsy was singing now. Margaret focused on the movement of the full red lips as the woman lamented a forbidden love lost. Her voice was husky and strong. Margaret felt goose bumps form on her skin as she listened to the melody. She leaned forward in her chair, moistening her lips. She was transfixed.
The night was a series of climaxes and plateaus for Margaret as the woman would perform and then step to the back of the stage. Later, she couldn"t recall what the other acts were. She only remembered the heady sound of the gypsy"s voice and the way the woman"s body moved in perfect time.
Elaine was waiting in Margaret"s room when Phillip escorted his bride-to-be down the hall. She helped Margaret undress, asking questions about the party and the entertainment. "I watched from the entrance to the kitchen," she whispered. "That woman had a beautiful voice."
"Yes, she did," Margaret mused distractedly as she slipped her sleeping gown over her head. The arms were cinched and the hem brushed against her ankles. The bodice of the gown had laces across it, but she never tied them very securely. She stood in the open window, again staring across the valley to the mountains. The campfires of the minstrels" camp caught her eye and she gazed longingly in the direction. The gypsy"s face flashed across her mind again. Margaret closed her eyes, reliving the incredible dance sway to sensuous sway.
Her mouth went dry again. She felt her breasts straining at the bodice of the sheer gown. There was a yearning in the pit of her stomach. Her nipples, brushing against the fabric, were connected directly to the juncture of her thighs.
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Keywords: 01, Ravendorf, Ch.,