The Crow Goddess - Chapter 1

Instructions

In the Mind of a Goddess, who Only Wants Peace for her Kingdoms... ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Peace. Maintaining peace is what I do best around these areas. There are other areas, however, where I'm best known for starting wars, bringing famine and sickness to those who aren't doing that which is fair and just. There are a select few kingdoms where I am known for both. However, I am not known by many, nor am I in control of all. I typically keep to the shadows, taking to flight when doing my usual work gets dull. Right now would happen to be one of those times; as I'm flying around the kingdom, watching everyone engage in their usual activities. This time, I listen to the girls who usually gossip in the center of town. I heard them say "captured", and wanted to know what they were talking about. "Oh no, that’s awful!" One of them had red hair that was done into braids, a brown dress, and was sitting on the edge of a fountain. “How does the rest of the palace plan to get him back?” Another, with long black hair and a green dress asked. “We already don’t have enough money in the treasury to pay the ransom!” Ransom? How odd. I decided to fly over to the palace instead. I find two of the guards talking about the same thing. “Have we received any new reports on our situation with the king?” One guard said. They were both keeping watch over the entrance to the courtyard. “Not that I know of,” the other responded. “The ransom is still set at 200 gold coins.” The first guard reacts with a look of shock. “200 gold coins!” He exclaims, scratching his head under the helmet he was wearing. “That’s almost a third of our treasury!” “That’s correct.” So the king is being held hostage by one of the neighboring kingdoms… I don’t believe that was my doing. No matter, I still have to give this kingdom a way to get him back… and that way, shall be a bake sale. It is, after all, the most peaceful option I can find that has a high chance of working well. And peace is this kingdom’s way of life. This meant that I had to convince the local baker, Cassian Dragomir, to do so. Of course, this meant I had to use my usual human disguise; not too much of a problem, I look good in purple and black, and I can pay a visit to my friend. Convincing Cassian to help me with the bake sale went relatively smoothly. He was skeptical about baking multiple dozen batches of bread, but he agreed on the condition that I help him. I’m alright with this, but I despise the fact that I’m not allowed to let my crows keep me company at all. Just for that, I’ll allow them to steal some of his bread a few days after this. “Okay,” he went. “You take that side of the kitchen, and I will show you what to do.” He walks around his kitchen as though he knows everything, but he couldn’t even differentiate between a stone and a pulled pork sandwich (absolutely disgusting). “Alright,” I simply nod. I go to the side of the kitchen he pointed at, and I just start making the bread. I can almost hear the way he’s staring at me with pure malice. You’re not the only one who makes bread, Cassian. Almost a full day later, we finished making the bread. Cassian told me to go take a break while he sets the bread out for sale, and I do just so. I make my way behind the bakery, and after making sure nobody sees me, I turn into a crow and fly into the nearby forest. That’s where I find Morgan, one of my crow friends. I sit on a tree branch and turn back into a human, and Morgan perches on my shoulder. “Hello, Morgan.” “Hello, Cornix.” I absolutely love the name I’ve made for myself. I typically go by either “Cornicula”, or “Cornix”; but both are Latin for “Crow”. “Where have you been? You appear to be tired.” Her feathers are quite a bit messier than usual. “I visited a neighboring kingdom, the one by the river.” The one by the river. Where I had sent a viking raid. I hadn’t sent it out of pure boredom, I’m not a monster. That kingdom’s king had been very disloyal to his wife, as both Morgan had told me. “Is that so?” “Yes, I wanted to watch the raid you had sent. I found the raiders’ armor quite funny.” I laughed. It’s no wonder crows are sometimes seen as a bad omen, but they’re still quite humorous. “And the kingdom?” I ask. I hadn’t checked yet. “The raiders broke into the treasury and stole approximately 200 gold coins.” Hmm, I wasn’t expecting that. I suddenly hear Cassian yelling for me to return because the bake sale was about to begin. I really wish he would have more respect for others. I say goodbye to Morgan, return to the ground and walk out of the forest.