Chapter 6: Settling In

Natalie helped Mary transfer her belongings, at first confused because she had never seen any of the outfits before, until Mary told her that MiLady and Bitsy had decided a nice new set of clothes were needed. The room she had been given faced the gardens, she thought it was quite lovely and that she would have no problems with the room. Mary assured Natalie that if there was anything she needed for the room all she had to do was ask. Natalie looked at one wall with interest, then asked Mary if there was anyone who did wood working, that she would like a small desk with bookshelves. Mary pleased to be of help said she would get right on it, that they had just the person who could make such a thing for Natalie. After Mary had left, Natalie pulled a chair over in front of the window, she sat there for a long time, just staring at the gardens and the forest beyond. She thought the view was so pretty, she was going to have to get out and explore. It wouldn't take her long to find her way around. Natalie got up and opened the door hearing a knock, there was an older man standing in the door way, holding his cap in his hand and looking very nervous, Natalie smiled at him, as he introduced himself as Ben, the furniture builder and all around woodworker. Soon the two were chatting away, discussing what was a good idea and what wasn't, where to put this and that. By the time Ben had left Natalie hurried to wash and go downstairs for a late lunch. Mary and Harriett were in the kitchen talking about Rav's new wife and how could the boy have married someone so cold and rigid, that things had always been easy going around the Keep and if that was going to change, the new wife was very pretty, to bad pretty didn't go any further then skin deep. Natalie stood on the other side of the kitchen door and blinked away the tears, they hadn't even given her a chance, hadn't taken the time to get to know her, getting her cape she wandered outside no longer hungry. Natalie entered the stable and looked around, she didn't see anyone about, so went to the stalls looking over the horses, she was impressed, the animals were prime and well taken care of, the stalls immaculately clean. One particular stallion seemed to be making a big fuss at her, chuckling Natalie walked over and leaning against the stall started to talk to the horse, after trying to take a few nips out of her and getting a few smacks in return the horse settled down, Natalie was just about to enter the stall when she was pulled back. She turned and looked at the man, an older man tall, well built, with gray hair. "You can't go in that stall, miss, the stallion is very temperamental and could injure you seriously." Drapper told the young woman. Natalie smiled at the man, "it's quite all right, I'm familiar with horses, he is just fussing to show off and a bit bored, he needs a good ride." Shaking his head at her, Drapper responded "be that as it may, miss, you need to stay away from him, no one here has been able to ride him and we will be sending him over to SheringCross soon, he will do better there." Drapper didn't elaborate on the fact the stallion was being sent over to see if he would work out well as stud if not he would be sold. Indicating a different part of the stables, Natalie followed the man, frowning as she heard the stallion fussing at being ignored again. The man took her over to a stall with a dainty mare inside. "Now this little mare is more your type, miss, easy to handle and very docile." Natalie smiled and talked to the little mare, stroking its mane, "she's very pretty." commented Natalie. Drapper nodded, "if you would care to ride her, I'm sure we could make arraignments." Natalie thanked the man and told him perhaps once she had a riding habit, she would take the little mare out for a ride. With a sigh Natalie left the stables. Half way across the bailey, Natalie heard the crashing noise and the men yelling, she turned to see the stallion racing towards her, she felt herself being knocked aside, falling to her hands and knees, she brushed the hair out of her face, the stallion had come to a skidding halt right next to her, pawing the ground and snorting. Rav who had shoved her aside, grabbed her by the arm and pulled her away from the stallion, the horse shook his head and reared up, his hooves pawing the air. Pulling her arm out of Rav's grasp, Natalie grinned at the stallion, holding out her hand she walked towards him, talking in a low soothing tone. Everyone watched as Natalie walked back to the stables, the huge stallion prancing along next to her, nudging her every now and then.

Putting the stallion in a new stall, Drapper stood watching as Natalie settled the horse down as she sat on the railing of the stall. Natalie had just gotten down from the railing and was about to leave when Rav came storming in. Next thing Natalie knew she was being shaken until her head snapped back and forth by Rav, he was yelling at her, "didn't she know she could have been killed, that horse was dangerous, if she was that naive about horses and couldn't listen to Drapper, then she was to stay away from the stables." Rav then turned and strode out of the stables, leaving Natalie standing there staring after him. Once outside Rav took several deep breaths, he had been so terrified that he would lose her, as he saw the stallion racing towards her, he was actually shaking he had been so frightened. Natalie looked at Drapper, who was looking every where but at her, he felt embarrassed for the girl being yelled at like that, with half the bailey hearing. Once again her back stiff, her eye's cold Natalie thanked Drapper for his assistance in putting up the stallion, suggested that he be given more exercise, she walked out of the stables, she could feel everyone's eyes on her, she held her head higher and walked around the back of the keep. Finding a secluded part of the garden, Natalie sat down under a tree, she leaned her head back and closed her tear-filled eyes, all she could think of was that she wanted to go home, but she didn't have a home to go to, she had no where she could go, as always she would have to stay where she was and make the best of it. Was there any place she could belong, she could fit in and not feel out of place, she doubted it. She looked down at her hands, the palms all scraped from when Rav had pushed her, pulling up her skirt, she looked her knee's and frowned seeing they were in the same shape, her skirt was torn in several places, but she could easily fix that. Knowing she had to return to the keep no matter how much she would rather have stayed in the garden, Natalie stood up and brushed herself off, then went back. By the time she had gotten to her room, washed her hands and knee's, changed into a clean dress, all the others were all ready in the dining room waiting for her, walking in, Natalie quietly took the seat Rav indicated. She smiled at Hank, who was chattering away, telling her all about how he got to eat with the grownups, he didn't have to eat in his room off a tray any longer. Jacquilt smiled at Natalie, "I understand you had a run in with our resident foul tempered stallion today." Nodding Natalie was about to answer when Rav launched into telling everyone how he had firmly told Natalie to stay out of the stables, that she could have gotten herself killed today. The conversation moved on to sending the stallion to SheringCross and someone named Keebler hopefully being able to handle the animal. Natalie barely ate, as she listened to the conversation, after what she decided was an appropriate length of time, so she would not appear rude, she stood up and politely told everyone it had been a long day and please excuse her, she was tired and after giving Hank a squeeze on the shoulder she went up to her room. Hank looking around the table at everyone frowning, he turned to Rav, "why did you do that to Nat?" Rav raising an eyebrow "do what? Hank" with a surprised look at Rav, Hank replied "embarrassing her in front of everyone, talking about her like she was a little baby, to stay out of the stables, you didn't even give her a chance to answer Jacquilt." "I didn't mean to embarrass her, Hank, but if she doesn't understand horses she shouldn't be around them unless someone is with her." responded Rav. "Did you ask her if she knew about horses? Hank was about to say more but thought to himself, let them find out for themselves, Nat could probably outride all of them any day of the week. Rav looked at Hank, "no I didn't ask her if she knew about horses, I didn't need to, if she knew about them she would have had the sense to stay away from an unruly stallion." Collin and Kat frowned at each other, then turned to conversation to the house Rav wanted to build, they all talked about it needing this or that, how things were going forward about purchasing the land. Hank got up and hugged everyone good night, saying he had to get to bed early, Trink was going to take him to SheringCross to met Keebler tomorrow. Hank slowly climbed the stairs and went to Natalie's room, he knocked on the door and went inside. "you ok Nat?" he asked in a scared child's voice. With a reassuring smile she hugged him, "yes, I'm fine, just tired, its been a long day, that's all." Grinning he hopped onto her bed, "tell me about what the stallion did, I've seen him in the stable always trying to kick down his stall." Laughing she sat on the bed next to him and told him all about what had happened and how the stallion was just having a temper tantrum just like a little child, they giggled together, then Hank noticed her hands and with an ohh looked at them, he told her there was some medicine in the pantry just for cuts and scrapes, he was always having to get some. then grinning he said be right back and was out the door before she could tell him not to bother. Hank had just started upstairs, the big jar of balm in his hand, when Rav walked out of the study, seeing the jar in his hands Rav chuckled, "added a few more scrapes to the collection have you?" Still walking up the stairs Hank shook his head, "its not for me its for Natalie." Frowning Rav followed him upstairs and into Natalie's room.

Natalie thanked Hank for the balm and reached for the jar, Rav took the jar from Hank and set it down on the small wash stand then took a hold of Natalie's wrists and turned her hands over. She knew by now tugging just didn't do any good with Rav so just stood there, "I'm just fine, just a little scrap nothing more." she said coldly, still hurting from the way he had talked to her at dinner. Raising an eyebrow at her tone, Rav looked at her "how did you do this?" as he rubbed the balm into her palms. "How did I do this? I didn't do this, you did, when you pushed me down." Natalie said outraged that she was being blamed for this also. Rav had pushed her out of the horses way, he didn't remember knocking her down, then he remembered leaning down and pulling her away from the horse. "Where else are you hurt?" he asked looking her up and down, "no where, I told you I am just fine." snapped Natalie. Natalie on her hands and knee's in the dirt flashed through his mind. He picked her up and set her in a chair, pulling up her skirt, she pushed it down, with a growl Rav pushed her skirt up and gave her a don't do that again look. Hank thinking he better leave slipped out the door and shut it quietly behind him. Holding her leg Rav looked at the scraps and cuts, then he looked at the other knee. He had not realized he had pushed her that hard, but he had been scared witless he told himself. Rav rubbed the balm in first one knee then the other, his hands sliding over her legs, all he wanted to so was slide them up her thighs, spreading them wide, he wanted to lean down and kiss them. Had Natalie seen the look of longing in his eye's she might not have snapped "are you finished yet?" Had Rav not jerked down her skirt and walked out of the room, if had looked at her and seen the confusion and heat in her eye's, he might not have left so quickly. Natalie undressed slowly, confused by the feelings Rav's hands on her legs had caused, she slipped into bed and spent hours tossing and turning, every time she closed her eyes she felt his hands once again on her legs. Several times she woke up during the night, hearing some sound, each time going back to sleep with her troubled dreams. The forest folk heard the roar of the dragon and shook their heads, Kat and Virlane in their lair looked at each other and frowned. Marluxion the old dragon sat in his study listening to the rage in Rav, frowned. Early the next morning a tired Natalie, went outside and saw Hank sitting on a small pony, Trink standing next to him. Smiling she went over saying good morning, Trink who had also heard Rav during the night, gave Natalie a curt nod. Surprised Natalie turned to Hank, who was telling her they were going over to SheringCross to visit Keebler and see Brand's horses. Natalie suggested she ride along, also wanting to see this wonderful place called SheringCross, seeing the look on Hank's face, she looked him questioningly. "It's sorta a day out for me and Trink, you know Nat, guy stuff." grinning at her. Smiling she told him to have fun, gave his pony a quick once over, then went back inside, feeling as if she was no longer needed in Hanks life. Looking for Kat, Natalie found her in the kitchen, planning menu's for the next week, Natalie smiled as she walked in, once again surprised at the cold reception she got. Asking Kat about where she might find some material to sew, Kat told her to make a list and Mathew would get it for her from the store room. Natalie feeling as though she had just been dismissed like a naughty child, thanked Kat and went to make her list. Natalie made a very careful list and then went to find Mathew. Looking over the list Mathew asked if she had MiLady's permission, nodding Natalie assured him that she had already spoken with Kat. Mathew told her, he would make sure everything was taken to her room, then turned and left. Natalie stood there blinking back tears, slowly she pulled her cape tighter around her and walked over to the large pasture out past the stables, she watched the stallion racing around, kicking up his heels, tossing his head and she smiled. Seeing her the stallion came charging over, stopping just at the fence, he nudged her shoulder and she laughed. "morning, you big baby, I see your enjoying your exercise." she said as she rubbed his neck. Drapper almost stopped breathing as he watched the young miss, climb up on the fence and swing her leg up over the stallions back, he shut his eyes expecting to open them and see a broken body on the ground. He almost jumped out of his skin as a hand slapped him on his back. "No she isn't dead." laughed Collin. Drapper opened his eyes and stood staring. Her cape flying behind her, Natalie and the stallion raced across the pasture, round and round they raced, her hands holding onto the horses mane, laying down almost flat against his neck, they could see her laughing. Her hair wiping in the wind. Coming to a long flat stretch, Natalie pulled the stallion up then as Collin and Drapper watched both not daring to breath, she slipped off her shoes and stood on the stallions back, they could see her talking to the horse, who slowly started to walk, then can'ter around in circles. Dropping back down on his back she laughed hugging the horses neck. Slipping off the horse she put her shoes back on, then made a hand motion to the horse, who had pranced off, he came running back and with one swift motion she was on his back again, galloping across the field.

Drapper looked at Collin in shock "what a horsewoman" he breathed. "So it would seem." replied Collin as he watched her ride back to the fence. she slipped off the horses back still laughing, her face alight with joy, she sat with the horse for a long time. Natalie was just climbing over the fence, when two strong hands grabbed her around the waist. "You were told to stay away from the stallion, don't you listen," Rav yelled at her. Collin and Drapper who had been walking in Natalie's direction stopped and watched Rav pull her off the fence and yell at her. "What are you going to do put me on a pony like Hank's? " she yelled back. "if you haven't the sense to stay away from a stallion, I doubt you would know how to even handle a pony." Rav yelled back. Natalie tried to pull her arm out of his grasp, but he only held on tighter. "Do I have to restrict you to the keep until you learn to follow instructions?" he snapped at her. "Why don't you just lock me in my room." she snapped back. They both turned and looked at Collin as he walked up to them, they saw Drapper walking back to the stables. "Rav, why don't you let Natalie go" said Collin quietly looking at his son. In surprise Rav realized he still had his hand tightly wrapped around Natalie's arm, he quickly let go. Rav looked at his father "I'm going to have one of the men take the stallion over to Brand's this afternoon." "why can't you leave him here?" asked Natalie, afraid that once again she would lose something she could love. "Because he is uncontrollable, the only thing he might be good for is stud service, something I'm sure you wouldn't understand." snapped Rav. "How dare you say such a thing!" and Natalie slapped him as hard as she could across the face. Trembling all over Natalie hissed at Rav, "at least a stallion waits for the mare to be in season and receptive." then she turned and stalked off, her back stiff, her eyes cold and angry. Rav stood there watching his wife stomp off in the direction of the keep, rubbing his cheek, "I think its time we had a talk, Rav, things are getting out of hand, lets go to the lair, where we can have some privacy." Rav could only nod, still shocked that his wife had actually slapped him. Natalie went back out in the garden, finding the secluded spot from the day before she sat down, tears streaming down her face, she put her face in her hands and sobbed, she had never hit anyone in her whole life, even when her uncle had been drunk and shouting at her, she had just stood there. She remembered being a little girl and hearing her parents fighting all the time and cried harder. She stayed in the garden until it was almost dark, then using her cape she wiped off her face, taking a deep breath she went inside to her room. Virlane sat in the hot water of the bathing pool and listened to Rav explain what had happened from the moment he and Natalie had left the ball. He watched Rav pacing back and forth, his long tail swishing in agitation. Finally Virlane said quietly "it seems to me, you've forgotten something, what happened to the Rav who listened with his heart and his mind, what happened to the dragon that could laugh at the ridicules and at himself. Did you consider that with the amount of time that Natalie spent with her aunt, the aunt probably filled her head full of all sorts of nonsense about making love, just because you got off to a rough start doesn't mean that Natalie has to pay for it every day, your angry because you want to be a husband to her and don't know how to do that, without hurting her again, but your taking your anger out on her and just scaring her further away." grinning Collin added "its time you seduced your wife, Rav." Rav joined his father in the hot pool and let out a sigh, his father was right, he had been going about everything all wrong. He had been so afraid that Natalie hated him. that he couldn't see past that, to her own insecurities and fears. Just before the two left, Virlane chuckled "your wife is one of the best horsewomen I've ever seen, she was almost dancing on the back of the stallion today." Natalie entered her room and was pleased to see all the things on her list laying on her bed, she ran her fingers through the floss, every color of the rainbow slide through her fingers, she picked up the canvas holding it up to the light, turning it this way and that, it would work perfectly. She carefully put everything away. knocking on Hanks door, he pulled the door open with a big grin, she smiled at him and quietly asked for the satchel she had once given him for safe keeping, talking the whole time about his pony he got her the old satchel. Natalie thanked Hank, told him she was thrilled with his pony and went back to her room. Hank kept looking at Natalie's empty chair all during dinner, no one commented on where she was or why she wasn't at dinner. Remembering the times at Aunt Patricia's when Natalie had been punished for one thing or another by not being given anything to eat for days at a time, Hank started to sneak food into his pockets, maybe this place wasn't going to be so different for Natalie after all, thought Hank. Finishing his dinner, Hank quietly excused himself. Everyone noticed the lack of a hug goodnight. Natalie was so busy writing letters she didn't even hear the little tapping at her door, Hank slipped in quietly saying her name. She had pulled several small tables together and was hunched over the papers. Looking up she was surprised to see Hank sitting in the other chair watching her, "oh, I'm sorry Hank, I didn't hear you come in" she smiled at him as she gathered the papers up and put them carefully back in the satchel. Hank started to pull the food out of his pockets "you missed dinner, I thought you might be hungry, Nat" Surprised Natalie said she had totally forgotten about dinner. then thanked Hank for thinking of her. As she sat eating a roll, Hank told her all about his pony and about Keebler and SheringCross. They giggled as Hank described Keebler running the stables like a pudgy little general ordering everyone about, even with cookie crumbs on his jacket. Sending a sleepy Hank off to bed with a hug and a kiss, Natalie spread the canvas out on the floor anchoring each corner with the leg of a chair or table, she started to draw. Just before dawn, Jacquilt started to pass by Natalie's room, seeing the candle light coming from under the door, he tapped on the door, Natalie opened the door a crack, her face had little smears of charcoal on it, "I just wanted to make sure everything was all right, Natalie." he said quietly. "Everything is just fine, thank you, Jacquilt" she replied quietly and closed the door. He stood there for a moment in thought, then headed downstairs and the kitchen. Mary who had come around the corner saw Jacquilt walking away from Natalie's door and frowned. Natalie finally satisfied with the canvas, carefully rolled it up and put it away, then crawled into bed, asleep before her head hit the pillow. Natalie awoke with a start, the door banging open, she blinked several times and looked at Mary, who was carrying in a tray, "you missed breakfast, AGAIN." said Mary as she none to gently put the tray down. "You didn't need to bring me a tray, Mary, I could have found something in the kitchen later." Muttering about Harriett being particular about who she let in her kitchen, Mary left banging the door behind her.