A lone rooster crowed, signalling dawn.
In the farthest corner of the Ravensdale Library, a lone figure was hunched over a disorganized pile of papers, scribbling and murmuring in feverish vigor with only the aid of a flickering candle.
"Taxes….no, of course!"
"Where's the manor files?"
"Blank and unregulated. This too…"
Lady Aria's hands flew over paper with frightening efficiency, documenting everything.
When she was satisfied, the pen clattered to the floor, followed by a deep exhale of exhaustion.
"Thirty days–no, twenty-nine. Where will I acquire the sum of Twelve Thousand crowns?"
She asked nobody in particular, staring at the cracking ceiling darkened with age and abundant cobwebs.
Exhaustion clung to her bones. Rubbing her red-rimmed eyes, she yawned.
She'd only kept at this for her determination to wipe off Caspian's smirk when he pronounced certain doom on their house kept her going.
Urged on by the memories of the original Aria, she'd spent the night poring over all their ledgers and finances, hoping for a hidden gem she could exploit in the family's favor.
Her sore body creaked with each movement.
There was no way out, but she'd found some interesting things at least.
Securing the important documents under her bodice, Aria made a mental note to hide them in her room.
Gathering her papers, she stepped out of the library.
The mottled carpeted stairs muffled her steps, which was why she noticed the figures in the corner first.
"Stop it!"
Aria stopped in her tracks, ears and eyes straining.
From above, she could see the two figures kissing.
She giggled as he whispered something in her ear.
Jem the footman?
Arua could make out the footman's figure but not the woman's.
Deciding she was too tired to interfere, she continued up the stairs.
Back in her room, she hid the documents between a floorboard beneath her wardrobe and flopped onto her soft bed.
"Finally…." Aria sighed, closing her eyes, sweet, sweet sleep–
Then a sudden knocking startled her.
"Lady Aria! Your parents just arrived! You're in for it now!" Mrs. Hale sneered.
Aria's eyes flew open.
"Goddamnit."
******************************************
The carriage wheels had barely rumbled to a halt when the front doors of Ravensdale flew open.
"Where is she??!"
Her furious stepmother stormed in, Mrs. Hale
at her heels, a look of barely concealed glee on her face.
'You're going to get it now!' Her eyes seemed to say.
Aria stood at the top of the stairs. "Hello mother…."
Her eyes strayed to the gaunt, exhausted-looking man dressed in his traveling cloak, standing behind Isolde, eyes fixed to the ground.
"Father."
"You insolent little wretch!" Isolde's voice carried across the house, raging at Aria's dismissive tone.
The crowd froze, straining to hear.
"Mrs. Hale just informed me of your magnanimous stupidity! You ended your betrothal to the prince? Do you have any idea what you have cost us??"
"I deeply apologize, mother. I should have informed you of my decision."
"Your decision–??! In what world do you have to decide that??" She was incensed, stomping up the stairs, hand balled into a fist to hit Aria.
Aria stood on the steps, watching her furious stepmother coming towards her.
"I'll show you what it means to spite us!"
Her long, heavy skirts swished as she climbed.
"I will make sure you are disowned from this family if you do not write to Caspian tonight. Request an audience and grovel the moment you see him!"
"Shall I perform tumbling acrobatics too, mother?" she asked, dry and sarcastic.
"What did you just say?" Lady Isolde's face turned cherry red. She looked ready to stab her.
Aria fought the instinct to run–something she learned from her book. confusing the enemy.
"If the prince won't have you, Barron DeGust will!
He's gout-ridden with a preference for younger women."
Aria's memories raced. Baron DeGust had been widowed thrice, with rumors that they died because he whipped them too brutally to death.
"His purse is fat enough to cover our debts. That's right, I will write him a letter this evening, inviting him to discuss marriage proposals, you hear me, you stupid girl??"
A wave of fear and disgust settled in Ariain 's guts.
This was no bluff.
The servants were now crowding around the entrance and mocking, and repressed laughter rippled through the servants.
"Serves her right for acting out of place." The prince was far above her station. I hope that old pig comes to take her away."
Aria steadied herself, feeling memories of the original flicker–the way a simple gaze from her stepmother sent her scurrying, her poor health from neglect, the physical abuse. But she wasn't that Aria anymore-literally
"I refuse."
Her voice was quiet, yet piercing.
Isolde was fast, backhanding Aria.
The sound of palm cracking against the cheekbone sent everyone into tense silence.
Aria tasted metal in her gums.
"You refuse?" Her laughter was ugly and sharp.
"You who has nothing of worth?? No proposals, propositions or dowry??"
Without a word, Aria pushed past Isolde down the stairs to the library, red and stinging.
The servants parted to give way.
Aria slammed the unhinged doors shut, leaned against them and closed her eyes, taking a shaky breath.
Not only did that slap sting, but it was humiliating but she couldn't retaliate.
[Wow, that was brutal]
Aria's eyes opened to the floating screen in front of her.
"You just pick the right times…" she scoffed.
[24 hours cool down completed. Ready for a new book?]
This was perfect. Poring through Ravensdale documents had given her an idea. Aria closed her eyes, thinking of the book she wanted.
Pop!
A slim paperback fell to her feet. Aria smiled, picking up the bright green book in the modern font.
"Vertical farming for Beginners."
A shudder passed through her as fresh knowledge flooded in: nutrient film technique, LED grow lights, hydroponics. Fast-growing high-yield crops. Essential herbs.
Aria let out a shaky exhale, and the book disintegrated into white ash before vanishing.
"Whew…"
Time to put things in motion.
Aria went to her room to grab the hidden ledgers in her room before storming into Isolde's room, kicking down the door, ledger in hand like a weapon.
"How dare you barge into my–"
Her stepmother was applying white powder on her face, shocked at her stepdaughter's behavior.
"We need to discuss the household accounts, mother."
Isolde froze.
"The accounts are not my department, I don't see how it is your business," she rushed.
Aria slammed the ledgers on the vanity table.
"You have been falsifying the household account books, mother."
Her tone brooked no room for argument.
Though she was boiling inside, Aria her voice remained even. Another lesson from yesterday's book, mirroring Isolde's body language and planting doubt without accusation.
"You informed Mrs.Hale that the leaking roof cost 400 gold crowns. 300, the receipt showed 100 gold crowns. Where is the difference, mother?"
Who was this? Aria never acted out of line before.
Isolde tried to play it off. "You conniving–"
"Don't bother. I already checked everything."
The color drained from Isolde's face.
A tiny glimmer of self-satisfaction twisted in Aria's gut.
Good. She fell for the bluff.
"You have contributed immensely to the misfortune of our estate. Skimming the books. What is to stop me from marching down to the magistrates, asking them to charge you for fraud?"
Isolde snatched the papers off her dresser, ripping them into shreds, laughing maniacally.
"There! Now you have no proof!"
"Those are only copies."
A long beat of silence followed.
"Alright, you wretch. What do you want?"
"You won't send that letter to Baron DesGust."
An angry Isolde thrust the remaining papers into Aria's hands.
"This changes nothing," she snarled.
Aria took the ledgers without flinching.
"We'll see mother. We'll see."
That evening, a royal messenger arrived, bearing a letter sealed with black wax and the Royal emblem.
•Enjoy your little rebellion. Let's see you raise the total by the end of the month.
–C.
Enclosed was a check for 1,500 gold crowns with a receipt of 'door damages' attached.
Aria folded the check neatly into her pocket, crumpling his letter before tossing it into the bushes with a satisfied grin.
This was more payment for the door than she expected.
Without a word, she turned and left, leaving the flabbergasted Royal messenger standing in the sun.
But Caspian wasn't so easy to get rid of.
Her memories of him yesterday, confronting her, the way the greys in his eyes shifted with anger and intrigue, filled her stomach with something warm.
She needed to think.
Of course, 1,500 crowns was not nearly enough.
Spotting Jem the footman on her way back, she waved at him with a wide smile.
"My lady?"
"Jem! Just the man I wanted to see!"
He looked even more perplexed. Lady Aria has never spoken directly to him before. Perhaps rumors that she hit her head a few days ago were true.
"What can I do for you, my lady?"
"How would you like to get paid your pending salary and compensated?"
"I don't understand–"
"Take me to the seediest gambling house."
Surprise and disappointment coloured his features.
"My lady, I'm afraid I cannot–"
"I saw you this morning. I believe carvoting with the help of others is a valid ground for getting fired. You know how hard it is to get work without a letter of recommendation?"
Jem squeezed the rag in his hand, feeling conflicted anger.
"Fine. Tomorrow night. But you must dress up as a man."
Aria clapped her hands, delighted.
"Yayy!"