The Ravenmaster's secret #3

The Ravenmaster's secret

Elvira Woodruff

Historical novel

97/214

Summary

Forrest and Rat, half way through the tower hear the sad but beautiful song of the new imprisoned girl. She sang with a Scottish accent so they couldn't make out the words. Forrest pushed open the heavy door and offered her the bread and the tea he brought. Forrest talks to her but she does not respond. But when Forrest and Rat was about to leave, she told them to "wait a bit" but backs away startled by Tuck turning back suddenly. She says that she has not eaten anything since the day before and Forrest tells her that she can't get anymore unless her family pays. To Forrest's surprise, Rat offers the ginger cookie he got from Forrest to the girl. They begin to talk about things and she asks about her father. Forrest tells her that he is kept in another tower and turns to leave. The girl finally asks him the Raven's name. Forrest tells her "Tuck" and leaves. He hears the girl's sob as he left but did not turn back as she is her enemy a Scot.

That evening at Forrest's house, his little sister pesters him and asks him about the girl and Forrest says that there is nothing to say about her. They play around with Bea, putting soot on her chin and their father comes in. They avoid getting caught and their mother simply thinks that Bea drooled on her clothes again. At the dinner table, they talk about the Scottish people. His father says that they are a treasonous bunch and those who are captured will pay with their heads coming off.,

The next morning, on the way back from the raven's cage, Forrest encounters the Finch and the bullies. They fire mud with their slingshot at Forrest and after a useless attempt to ignore them, he runs away and meets Rat. Rat gives him his lucky nail but Forrest replies with "that won't help". Rat's smile vanishes and Forrest feels guilty and takes it. Later that day, Forrest goes to the Bloddy Tower and gives the girl her daily food and both of them don't talk. This routine repeats except for the bad cold she develops from being in the damp tower. He is bothered by it to the point of putting extra food in her tray in secret. The next morning, Forrest walks to the Bloody Tower through the damp and hard wind imagining the fire in the hearth in the girl's prison. However, he realizes that the prison is "as chilled as a stairwell". The girl didn't know how to light a fire in the grate so Forrest helps her. Surprisingly, Tuck greets her like a friend, in a way he greets Forrest and Rat. They talk about the girl's homeland and exchange names and is told that her name is "Maddy". Then they find a rat in her cell and Forrest tells him that he will bring a rat catcher and soon regrets having said that. She asks about her father once again and Forrest keeps his silence and leaves but finds himself unable to hate the Scottish girl.

The next day, Forrest returns to Maddy's cell with Rat. Rat catches the rat skillfully as a rat catcher would. The girl asks if Rat has a real name instead of Rat. Rat replies with his name "Ned White" and Forrest feels guilty about not asking his best friend's real name. As Forrest and Rat give Maddy the bundle of rush they had brought, Forrest catches the hopeful spark in Maddy's eyes and tells her "You best put any thought of escape out of your mind. Then Forrest changes the topic and asks Maddy about how her homeland Glen is like. She tells them that it is wonderful in her homeland and when Forrest was engrossed, he hears the Ravenmaster's voice and remembers the chores he has to do and leaves. 

That night, Forrest dreams about himself in Glen playing in the fields but was awakened by the sound of the heavy rain pour against the roof. In the morning, Forrest is relieved that the rain had stopped because he only had to avoid the puddles to prevent his boots from getting wet for he only owned one pair. He goes make beds for the ravens and the biggest of them “Thor” complains. While talking to the ravens, Forrest sees the sweeper Simon Frick and 4 followers. He wonders who the fourth one is since there were only 3 the last time he met Simon Frick. It was hard to make out the face because they were covered in ashes from the chimneys but when the wind blew, Forrest realized that it was Ned. When Simon Frick went somewhere, Forrest runs to Ned and hears that he was sold to Simon Frick and that he needs money in order to be released. Forrest promises Ned that he will come back for him and leaves as Simon Frick returns.

Reflection

It was surprising to see that the Scottish girl and Forrest gets along fine and that Forrest can’t hate her. I think the girl will use this to her advantage to escape or escape with Forrest in the future. Also, I was astonished when Ned was sold. I think Forrest will free Ned and prove his courage somehow.

Passage

 “There is no love in England for these Scots”

This is how Forrest’s father and the other British people think of the Scots like Maddy. Seeing Forrest’s reaction of shuddering, I think Forrest will stand up for the Scots in a place where the British people rule the majority.