The door slammed open, and there she stood, highlighted in the doorway by the setting sun behind her. For a moment, everything was still.

 

Ravenna DarkEye, they whispered. Assassin. Lone Wolf. No one to trifle with.

 

The slight breeze blew at The DarkEye’s hair, lifting it slightly, but beyond that she could have been a statue. Hers was a cold, dangerous stillness, and everyone knew it.

She moved inside, the door shutting slowly behind her. Her weight balanced easily over the balls of her feet, and her step was silent. Her stride was long, and loose-limbed – hunter’s grace and quiet athleticism in her lean, rangy build.

 

All eyes were on her as the crowd gathered there held their breath. They were motionless, an instinctive freezing- the hare before the hunting fox. This was a formidable, capable woman.

 

Ravenna reached the front, leaning one-elbowed on the counter. The shopkeep behind it swallowed, the sound eerily loud in the unnatural silence.

 

“Can I…. can I help you?”

 

“Coffee.” Ravenna paused, staring hard, and then added, “Black. Strong.”

 

Everyone nodded. Of course. Of course a woman like this would take her coffee black. None of that sissy stuff, not for a warrior such as she—

“Ma’am? Ma’am? Excuse me, ma’am?”

“What? Oh. Oh, sorry, I was daydreaming. Hi.”

“Welcome to Starbucks! What can I get you?”

“I’ll take a grande salted caramel latte, but can I substitute white mocha instead of the regular mocha?”

“Of course.”

“And only half sweet please – just 2 pumps of toffee nut, and two pumps of white mocha….and instead of regular milk, can you make it breve, – with the half and half?”

“Certainly! That will be –“

“Oh! I almost forgot. Can I get it in a venti cup instead of a grande cup, so I can extra, extra whipped cream?”

“Of course.”

“Name on the cup?”

“Becky Bean.”

“Oh my gosh, what an absolutely adorable name! I love it! Becky Bean! It sounds like a character from a book.”

“Thanks. I always thought it sounded like the comedic sidekick, or something. But it suits me. You got the extra, extra whipped cream part, right?”

“Yup!”

“Thanks.”