There was a soft knock on the door - soft, because to disturb The Raven here held the real possibility of death. Without turning she said, "Enter." Light poured into the dark room as the door opened. The only other source of illumination had been a single long-stemmed candle set in front of where she knelt.
The man who disturbed her said, "Ma'am, banners were seen on 528 heading this way from the north." His voice was gruff but respectful.
"What color?" She said, still facing forward.
"Red and gold, ma'am."
She smiled, and had he seen it he would’ve been startled for it was girlish and happy. "Good."
"The convoy will arrive in an hour."
She stood and spoke into the darkness. “I’ll be back.” No response came. Stepping out of the room the man moved back to let her pass. She closed the sliding door behind her and stopped in front of him. There was a tattoo on his neck, but unlike those of her sex slaves this was an ornate silver shield with two X-shaped black feathers adorning it. She said, “Make sure all the shit is ready. Imma freshen up.”
“Yes, ma’am.” The Raven nodded and left. The moment she disappeared from sight the man hurried to make sure her orders were followed without error. If not, necks would hang, including his own.
In her room The Raven sat in front of the mirror and gussied herself up, making sure each strand of hair was straight and the exact amount of powder was applied with every perfect brush stroke. She was alone – the two men had long since vacated her room after they had satisfied her. The Raven had no real need for makeup for she was a natural beauty, a rarity in the time before and almost impossible to find now.
The hour had closed in as she stood in front of the great iron gate of her estate. She was flanked by men in fitted suits tailored to within an inch of their lives. The Raven turned at the sound of approaching engines and three cars soon came into view. She made out two black military Hummers covering the front and rear of the convoy, and between them was a four-door sedan with tinted windows. Its hood was outfitted with two small flagpoles with bright banners of red and gold. The Raven smiled.
The vehicles came to a stop in front of the gate. A man from the passenger seat got out and walked around to the left side of the car. He was wearing a dark blue dress uniform with parallel bars on his lapels: a captain. He opened the door and her cousin stepped out. Seeing her The Prince offered an open and honest smile. The Raven did the same and couldn’t help but rush into his open arms. They hugged one another and she buried her face in his neck.
The Prince laughed and kissed the side of her head. He said, “Hey, kiddo.”
The Raven looked up at him. “Hey cuz, I missed you.”
“Me too.”
“How was your trip?”
He shrugged still holding her. “Uneventful, thankfully.”
“Was worried you weren’t going to get my message in time.”
“I intercepted your telegraph at New Brunswick Station before I was about to head west. So it worked out.” He saw the line of men behind her and put on a sour face. “I’m flattered you rolled out the welcoming party for me. Really. It’s great...”
The Raven recognized the sarcasm and gave him a gentle shove. She laughed. “Shut the fuck up.”
He chuckled. Looking around he nodded in admiration. “I’m liking the digs.”
The Raven smirked. “Yeeeaaah, it’s good to be the queen.”
“Alright...”
She gave his stomach a playful smack before taking his arm in one of hers and leading him towards the open gate. “C’mon, you must be hungry.”
The Prince put a gentle hand on her arm and she stopped. He turned to look at the captain standing by the car. The captain nodded and as if answering to an unspoken signal the cars’ doors opened as the men inside exited and began unpacking. These soldiers were all wearing the same uniform: black fatigues, boots, and a mask bearing the same featureless face save for two thin slits for eyes.
The Black Ward, thought The Raven. His personal guard. Depending on whom you asked they were either guardian angels in disguise or the bogeymen of her cousin’s territories. Eight of them were present, which meant there were at least eight more who weren’t. The Raven guessed they were somewhere in Ocean City or already in her estranged brother’s territory in the west. She made a mental shrug; she wasn’t worried.
She looked at The Prince and said, “I had the guesthouse prepared for you. Your men can set up there while we catch up.”
He thanked her and they started towards her house.