Razi
In the days leading up to Victoria Bloodswell’s trial, Frigga’s anxiety skyrocketed and her already poor sleep worsened to three or four hours a night. She’d managed to go for a walk the day before the coven’s meet, and though Frigga had been tired and emotional, Razi was optimistic that she’d be back to her usual self soon. She was doing much better than she had the day after it happened, after all.
But then five whole days passed without even a single glimpse of her, so Razi resorted to asking the witch’s personal attendant for updates. Not only had she stopped going outside, but she’d stopped leaving her room entirely. Her condition was getting worse by the day. Doris even mentioned that she’d offered to fetch Razi for a visit, but Frigga hadn’t responded, just stared out the window like she’d been for hours. Razi wished she could do more to help then just make her love’s favourites or send up flowers, especially because the trays would come back completely untouched more often than not.
Since asking Doris to keep her informed, her romance with Frigga seemed more widely known amongst staff. At least it allowed her to ask after Frigga during her sudden illness without having to come up with a bullshit excuse, but it also subjected her to the opinions and judgements of her peers. She was used to the older ladies’ disapproval at her antics in town, but a disappointed click of the tongue or head shake was usually the limit. Now Gertrude was on her about five times a day giving her grunt work that really should have been saved for professionals, Stephan had taken to looking at her like she was a dog that had pissed on his shoes and refused to lift a pinky to help her if she ever asked. Others had stopped trying to hide their obvious gossiping, even laughing at her when she entered or exited a room and Razi thought she heard the words “suck-up” and “whore” more than once. The rumours had breached Thorneheart Manor’s staff, much to Razi’s dismay, because even some of the more grotesque men in town had asked her entirely inappropriate questions about the heiress, implying ulterior motives on Razi’s part and perverted intentions on Frigga’s.
As Razi received the day’s delivery of produce, she did her best to play nice. The grocer Matthias was a decent fellow, but his son John was filling in for him today as the man had caught cold. John had always been an asshole, was almost as big a flirt as Razi had once been, and he was unbelievingly well-informed of the comings and goings of nearly everyone in Honeyshore. That probably had something to do with Doris being his cousin; being a busybody was a family trait, apparently.
John was a rat of a man, about Razi’s height, only handsome if one was very drunk, but under his onion skin facade was a cesspool of entitlement and vanity. He was wearing that stupid hat today, the one that made him look like a complete and utter douche, and Razi was tempted to punch it off his head when he pulled Razi aside, leaving Noel to bring in the cabbage and fresh batch of flour. She figured he had a question about the job but his decrepitly professional demeanour gave way to a crooked grin that made her feel queasy. The skin on his face was peeling, and the man clearly hadn’t brushed his teeth in days. No wonder he couldn’t keep a girl, what Darcy saw in him Razi would never know. “I hear you’re, er, close with the family, eh Raz?”
She scowled at him and his stupid, lopsided grin. “What the fuck d’ you want?”
He held his hands in front of him, as if defending himself. “Nah, I just heard you hit the jackpot. Can’t do much better than a Thorneheart, can ye?” He tried sidling up to Razi, as if she were a buddy and he her confidant.
She eased away, crossed her arms, and narrowed her eyes. “I asked what th' fuck d’ you want? I got work t’ do.”
“Bet she’s spoiling you rotten.” He tipped his stupid hat with a creepy sneer. “No wonder we haven’t seen you ‘round pub lately.”
“Don’ you have work t’ do?”
“Surprised yer still in the kitchens, thought she’d 'av you up in ‘er room all day.” His grin faltered and then his expression turned lewd. “Bet those magics 'av other usages, no doubt, I’m certain you could fill in a detail or two. I heard them magical types are just the freakiest, nast-”
She grabbed his lapels in one fist, raised the other, and rammed him against his own cart. The man’s absurd hat fell to the ground and he scrambled to find purchase. “I swear to th’ gods, John McKenzie, I don’ fuckin’ care wha’ you say ‘bout me, but If I ‘ear you talkin’ ‘bout Frigga like tha’, so ‘elp me I’ll knock your rotted teeth out t’ Blue’aven an’ you wit’ ‘em!”
“Hey! Y’can’t blame a man for being curious, Wood!” he protested, knowing full well that Razi would follow through on her threat.
“I can. S’nobody’s business, least of all yours!” Razi released him roughly and looked over to the kitchen. “Noel, everything in?” She called. Noel called back to confirm, so Razi turned her scowl back on John. “Get th’ fuck out of ‘ere, I better not see you ‘round ‘ere any time soon.”
John grabbed his hat, brushed off some dirt with a huff, and left as he grumbled about rabid dogs and bootlickers. He was lucky to leave with his face intact at all, Razi had desperately wanted to punch him, but she couldn’t chance word of that kind of violence getting back to her employer. As soon as the man got back into town, he would confirm to everyone that she was definitely off the market, and Razi once again lamented that people insisted on digging their noses into her business.
“I mean, he’s right,” Noel’s soft tease came from the kitchens, “I’ve heard that about witches too.”
Razi turned to scowl at her. She was about five years older than herself and probably the person Razi enjoyed working with the most. “You attached t’ your teeth?” she threatened without any heat behind it.
Noel chuckled. “It’s very fine of you to defend Miss Thorneheart’s honour like that. Very gentlemanly.”
“Whatever, let’s jus’ get this done,” Razi replied sullenly as she went back inside. The two of them resumed their task and finished bringing in the groceries when Razi’s bell rang, summoning her to… Frigga’s room? She hesitated, torn between excitement and dread.
“Strange,” said Noel. “I wonder what’s going on?”
“Yeah,” agreed Razi. She untied her apron, hung it up on her hook, and looked back at Noel. “You got this?”
She nodded. “I’ll be fine.”
Razi headed toward Frigga’s room, but midway up the main staircase she began to hear a commotion coming from the family rooms. Sounded like someone was having a tantrum. It was rare that Leland threw tantrums, the last had been before Frigga left for school, but as Razi got closer it became clear that it was Frigga screaming.
She ran to the witch’s room and discovered Doris and Gertrude trying to restrain Frigga who was thrashing violently and shrieking, attempting to scratch herself, and trying to pull her hair out. The attendants were yelling in a fruitless attempt to make her listen, but clearly neither had experience with such a scenario. Doris had a tight grip on Frigga’s right arm to keep her from pulling out hair, and Gertrude was on her left side, grasping her other wrist which was clawing at her own face. Razi rushed over and Doris made space for her as she placed a hand on Frigga’s chest and applied gentle pressure. For what felt like hours, Frigga yelled and thrashed wildly with no trace of the woman Razi had come to love. She’d been replaced by a frightened animal that had been caught in a hunter’s snare. It took patience, but eventually Frigga stopped resisting and the three attendants guided her to lay on her side. Doris and Gertrude released Frigga’s arms, and Razi climbed onto the bed to gather the witch into a gentle embrace.
Frigga curled around Razi, still sobbing and kicking her legs uselessly, but she wasn’t fighting any longer and quickly started to settle. Razi felt her entire body shaking as she ran a hand through Frigga’s destroyed curls. Clots of hair came loose. She looked to Gertrude and nodded for the woman to leave. She did, thankfully taking Doris with her, and as the two women left, Gertrude muttered “At least Wood overstepping her station is good for something,” but Razi didn’t care anymore.
What the fuck happened? Razi finally had a moment to evaluate the destruction Frigga had brought upon herself. Several clumps of hair had come loose by now and the woman’s face was scratched and bleeding in places. Her eyes stared blankly at the wall she faced and her expression was vacant like her soul had left her body behind. Looking over the woman’s torso and arms, Razi noticed something new on Frigga’s right arm; she’d thought they were scratches, and there were scratches and bite marks all over both arms, but something was imprinted on her skin like a tattoo. White lines formed a brand, one Razi had never seen before, and there were several small symbols, all of which was enclosed in a circle. It was magical, she knew that for sure, but that was where Razi’s arcane knowledge ended. Whatever it was, it hadn’t been there a week ago. Had Frigga come across some bad magic? If this brand could cause such a visceral reaction, it had to be terrible stuff. Maybe Gertrude would know something about it? The old lady had been with these witch families so long, Razi may not have even been born when the woman started.
Frigga stopped moving completely and when she passed out, Razi grabbed the nearest pillow and gently lifted her head to place it underneath. She stroked the woman’s puffy cheek with a thumb, catching a glimpse of the chain necklace she always wore spilling from her dress collar. Should Frigga really have that on? It was quite easy to imagine half a dozen ways she might hurt herself with it if this sort of behaviour continued, but in the end Razi left it be. Instead, she tucked it back under the collar of Frigga’s dress and pressed a kiss to her scratched cheek as her own eyes prickled. Razi then pulled the comforter over Frigga’s shoulders and tucked her in before starting to put the room back together. A glass had been thrown and shattered, the vanity’s chair was overturned, and there were other bed linens strewn around.
When the room was almost tidy, Doris slipped back in, a glass of water in her hands to replace the broken one. “Is she alright?” She whispered from the door frame.
Razi didn’t look up while replacing the bench’s pillows. “She’s sleepin’.”
Doris rushed over to Razi who sat heavily on the bench by the window. “I’ve never seen her like that. It’s like she was possessed!”
Razi hung her head in her hands. “You need t’ stay calmer than tha’. Yelling’s just gon’ make it worse.”
Doris looked over to Frigga again and then back to Razi. “You didn’t do something to her, did you? Like, see other girls or something?”
Razi sighed wearily. Gods this woman needed a hobby. “No, Doris, I didn’t. I ‘aven’t seen ‘er in five days, not tha’ tha’s your bloody business.” She briefly considered asking Doris about the brand on Frigga’s arm but thought better of it. The less the woman knew the better, and if she didn’t already know and Razi was the one who pointed it out to her? Razi would rather eat her work boots than provide Doris with knowledge that might put Frigga in danger.
Razi wanted desperately to stay at Frigga’s side, but she had done everything possible in that moment and needed to figure out what had caused this. It didn’t make sense; Frigga had been terribly upset ever since the break-in because her brother got hurt, but Leland was healing well and the culprit was in custody, so what could possibly cause such an explosive reaction?
She left Frigga under Doris’ vigil and headed for Sapphire’s office. The boss needed to be informed if she hadn’t been already. Gertrude would have told her that Frigga was in distress, but Razi needed to deliver the update to her employer. She knocked on the door and was invited in. She poked her head inside, “Ma’am, about your niece?”
Sapphire nodded. “Yes, come in.”
Razi entered the orderly room and approached the desk where Sapphire sat. Typically, the woman had a formal-yet-genial affect, but today the witch seemed angry and her sharp eyes bored holes into Razi as she walked in. “How is my niece?” Her tone lacked the friendliness there had formerly been, instead it was cool and sharp.
The short hairs on the back of Razi’s neck stood on end, but she maintained eye contact with her boss. “She’s asleep, ma’am. Miss Thorneheart seemed to be ‘avin’ a panic attack or somethin’ like.”
Sapphire pursed her lips and clasped her palms together on top of the desk with intention as she considered. “Miss Wood, I recognize you and Frigga are friends, and I thank you for taking care of her.”
Razi’s stomach floor disappeared and her eyes nervously darted to the lady’s clasped hands. It was a displeased quirk of the woman’s. “She’s a special person, Ma’am.”
“She is.” Sapphire rose from her seat and turned away from Razi, looked out the window, and clasped her elegant hands together behind her back. “I don’t expect you can appreciate how important it is things go smoothly, both in regards to her marriage and to her position as future leader of this coven. She’s been preparing for this her entire life, and it would be a shame to see those plans interrupted.”
Razi’s brow furrowed. Why bring up the coven? Was Frigga’s panic attack related to it in some way? How did the mark on her arm factor in? “Yes Ma’am. I did notice somethin’ on Miss Thorneheart’s arm, an’ I’m concerned she may ‘av run int’ some kind of ‘armful magic?”
“Never mind it, it’s not your place to ask questions.” Sapphire smoothly replied, but her tone had the aftertaste of rancid fruit. “Thank you for taking care of Frigga, but I’m going to require you refrain from attending her so often from now on. She needs to focus on getting ready for her official induction into the coven, but she’s been distracted from her duties.” Sapphire looked over her shoulder at her employee, her eyes narrow.
Razi swallowed dryly. So the old lady knew? Damn. The glare she found herself pinned under made drawing breath difficult, and Razi wasn’t sure how to reply. She felt like she was being accused of single-handedly destroying the Thorneheart family’s honour, and Sapphire was waiting for her answer. This shrewd woman’s bullshit detector was supernatural, maybe literally, so Razi tried to be delicate, “I’m sorry to 'av caused an issue, Ma’am, I meant no ‘arm.”
Silence fell as the air chilled against Razi’s skin. The woman wasn’t satisfied with her answer, but Sapphire returned her critical gaze from Razi to the window. After what felt like an hour, Sapphire replied, the venom from before gone replaced with cool detachment, “As I said, Frigga needs to focus on her duties from now on and I would prefer not to hear any more whisperings about the nature of your friendship with my niece. You’re dismissed. Surely there is plenty to do downstairs.”
Razi bowed and left, closing the door behind her as swiftly and politely as possible. While her hand lingered on the doorknob, her mind spun with everything she’d just learned: the brand was related to the coven, Sapphire was responsible for the brand, and she knew Frigga was involved with Razi and was not a fan of her Heir Apparent being involved with a staff member. But could Razi really fault her for trying to do what was best by her niece, even if the lady was wrong about what that was?
Yes, yes she could.
Why couldn’t these damn rich assholes let Frigga do what she wanted? There was no point in making Frigga the coven’s leader if it would make her miserable for the rest of her life! She turned towards the kitchen, and her shoulders were tense and her teeth clenched; she had just dealt with the sleaziest man in town, prevented the love of her life from tearing herself apart only to leave her immediately after, and now her employer was intimidating her on purpose, all within the span of an hour? It was too much. When she got to the kitchen door, Razi decided she needed a couple of minutes to calm down so she headed to her room instead.
Collapsing onto the armchair near her stove, Razi tried to decompress and focussed on breathing deeply in through her nose and out through her mouth. She counted the floorboards in her room like she usually did when soothing herself, starting from the left. Forty floorboards wide, the third one from the left was cracked and there was a slightly bigger gap between nineteen and twenty. She counted again, and then a third time until her heart rate slowed and her shoulders loosed their tension.
What exactly was that mark on Frigga’s arm? The boss was likely responsible, or she knew about it at the very least, and the brand had probably triggered Frigga’s meltdown in some way. Razi doubted Sapphire would do anything harmful to her niece or force her to such a state on purpose, but that didn’t definitely rule out dangerous magic.
What was the next move? Was there a next move at all? Razi didn’t relish the idea of getting fired, even if she did toy with the idea of leaving town once in a while, but she wasn’t in a rush to take off. Razi was dancing close to the fire with this, and she’d need to behave for a bit if she wanted to keep her job and help Frigga. She sat in silence a few more minutes, continuing to breathe and re-ground herself. Whatever was going on, there wasn’t anything to do about it for now. She would do her job, try to help Frigga in the meantime, and wait.
