Trappings of a Warden

[Vanitas]

[A frayed, faded bag hangs from the woman’s shoulder. In the disorganized mess lay Books of Ezra, various religious writing, and pouches filled with herbs. However, amidst the chaos several interesting letters and trinkets can be found.]

Letters From Home
I
II
III

Poems Hidden Among Her Belongings
I
II

Cherished Items
I

[Vanitas]

[Near the top of her bag is a crumpled piece of paper. If unfolded, it appears to be a letter, tersely written and blotted messily with ink. It reads:]

Alessa –

Your siblings are well enough. Though, your brother misses you dearly. We are again with few coins to our name and I will likely be forced into some sort of servitude before this letter reaches you. I expect your next letter to contain coins for us. You may have left Borca, girl, but I will never allow you to forget us.

Mother

[Vanitas]

[An unsigned note, written in a hand much different from Scavo's, lay forgotten at the bottom of her bag. The page, wrinkled and torn, reads:]

   Follow your saint, follow with accents sweet;
Haste you, sad notes, fall at her flying feet.
There, wrapp'd in cloud of sorrow, pity move,
And tell the ravisher of my soul I perish for her love:
But if she scorns my never-ceasing pain,
Then burst with sighing in her sight and ne'er return again.

   All that I sung still to her praise did tend,
Still she was first; still she my songs did end;
Yet she my love and music both doth fly,
The music that her echo is and beauty's sympathy.
Then let my notes pursue her scornful flight:
It shall suffice that they were breath'd and died for her delight.

[Vanitas]

[A small straw doll, perhaps a gift, is tucked carefully away amongst the Warden's belongings. It appears to be entirely handmade and in green robes, resembling that of an anchorite of Ezra. The black yarn hair and small dark buttons of eyes that are meticulously added to the dolls head make it look vaguely like Alessa.]

[Vanitas]

[Another poem is hidden amongst her belongings. Found tucked between sermon notes, it reads:]

Joy of my life, full oft for loving you
    I bless my lot, that was so lucky placed:
    But then the more your own mishap I rue,
    That are so much by so mean love embased.
For had the equal heavens so much you graced
    In this as in the rest, ye might invent
    Some heavenly wit, whose verse could have enchased
    Your glorious name in golden monument.
But since ye deign’d so goodly to relent
    To me your thrall, in whom is little worth,
    That little that I am shall all be spent
    In setting your immortal praises forth;
Whose lofty argument uplifting me
    Shall lift you up unto an high degree.

[Vanitas]

[A letter, written hastily in Balok, is shoved to the bottom of the warden's bag.]

Alessandra –

Elisabetta has run away. It was her thirteenth birthday and you missed it. If you had been here, this never would have happened. But no, you had to leave us in squalor while you prance about in your robes and armor! What shall become of your sister now, Alessa? She shall be some common trollop, letting all manner of men do terrible things to her. The coin you keep promising to send us hasn’t come yet. Maybe if you sent that, your sister wouldn’t be lying about somewhere in an alley!

Yours,
Mother

[Vanitas]

[Neatly folded, and refolded, a letter is tucked carefully into a prayer book.]

Warden Scavo --

They found Elisabetta dead. She was thirteen. At that age, you were playing with dolls and braiding Elisabetta's hair. At that age, you were loving and kind. You respected me, Alessandra. Where did I go wrong raising you? A proper daughter would have married a wealthy man. A proper daughter would be here with me, mourning. But you have failed me once again. You failed your sister when you didn't come when I wrote to you about her being missing. This, her death... there is only one person to blame, Alessandra. You are no daughter of mine.

Concetta Scavo