Chapter 2
“You have to go,” Narisa urged her daughter.
Raven paced around her room, her fingers tapping on her thigh and all she could process was the
rhythmic steps of her feet. Thump, thump, thump. She couldn’t concentrate on anything except for one
single line repeating through her mind: what do I do? She didn’t even know why the Queen requested
her, all she knew was that it was urgent and that she was needed. Her mother sat on her bed, her eyes
full of worry but Raven still didn’t know what to do. If she went, she would be leaving her mother alone,
here in this isolated home and even still; Raven hadn’t even gained full control of her powers. She
didn’t even know what she could do. And that scared. She didn’t want to know how far she could go.
But at the same time, she did. The only certain fact was that everyone in this damn world was afraid of
her face except for her mother and her friend. But if she went, what would it do? What would it do to
her?
“Mother, I don’t know what to do,” she moaned as collapsed her head on her mother’s lap. She felt
gentle hands stroke her matted hair, a habit.
“Darling,” her mother lifted Raven’s chin. “I don’t think you see how important it is that you go.”
Raven sat up, pushing her hair behind her ears, “I’ll be leaving you, all by yourself. I don’t want you to
be alone. You’re all I have.”
She felt her mother’s soft hands cup her face, stroking it lovingly the way only a mother ever could.
“We both knew what it meant by your birth. We knew that your life was not meant to be spent in this
small house with me and your days spent wandering with Aramis. We knew that someday, you would
have to play bigger part, elsewhere and if the Goddess wills you there then that’s where you’ll be. You
cannot run away from it, Raven.”
“But-”
“I can take care of myself,” Narisa interrupted. “I was alone, once before you came.”
Raven finally accepted that her mother was as stubborn as she was and probably even more. She sighed
in resignation and dropped her head back into Narisa’ lap. “Fine, Mother.”
“But,” Raven said, “Aramis goes with me.”
Her mother chuckled quietly, “I had a feeling you’d say that.” Raven rose to sit next to her mother and
rested her tired head on her shoulder.
“I think there’s something going on between you two. That boy is infatuated.”
“I don’t think so,” Raven dismissed.
“You’ll see,” her mother said simply.
They were quiet for a while. The night had set it, the moon shining through the window and the cool
night breeze blowing in.
Raven wrapped her hands around her mother, “I’ll miss you.”
“I’ll miss you, too,” Narisa said, wrapping her arms back around her child. “I love you.”
And with all certainty, Raven whispered in reply, “I love you, too,”
Raven swore as she remembered something she had forgotten. “Wait for a minute!” She called behind
her as she ran back into the house.
“Again?” Aramis asked, “be quick!”
Raven swept her room. Most things were clear now but still the plain, wooden bed remained, the
cupboard and her desk were all still there. Then her eyes caught sight of it. There is was, still on her
desk, sitting and glinting was her ring - a silver flying raven set on a plain, silver band – a gift from her
mother. Raven slid it on and suddenly the feeling that she was forgetting something disappeared.
“Raven!” she heard her mother shout. “Hurry up!”
“I’m coming!” she shouted in reply. She surveyed the room, drinking it all in from the open window to
the crisp, made sheets. This would be the last time she would set foot in this room for quite a while. She
turned around and made her way back outside.
“Are you okay?” her mother asked.
Raven nodded. The horses were ready and everything was packed. Aramis waited on top of one his face
anxious for what was to come; it was bright with excitement like a child being given a sweet. He looked
at her and cocked his head. Are you alright, he seemed to ask. Raven smiled at him in reassurance. His
expression slightly relaxed.
She felt a hand at her shoulder, her mother’s. “Time to say goodbye.”
She turned towards her mother and hugged her, savouring her warmth and committing it to memory so
that she wouldn’t forget during the time she would be away. “Stay safe,” her mother said.
“I will,” she replied. “Goodbye, I love you.”
“I love you, too. Now, go.” Her mother nudged towards her horse.
Raven smiled and swung her leg around the horse, surprised how tall she was now. She looked back at
Narisa and smiled sadly, waving her hand.
“Ready to go?” Aramis asked.
“Yes,” she replied, “I am.”
They begun to trot away from her home towards Pyla, the capital and she had a sense that wherever and
whatever she was riding to would no longer let her have the quiet life she had experienced so far. She
touched the ring at her hand, at the raven that was taking flight. She was named after the bird which was
dark and misunderstood. The bird that was much like her. But now, this time, this raven was flying.