Hidden Earth Short Tales

Caw Caw

The moonlight sparkles in her crystal eyes. He finds himself unable to look away, drowning in her gaze.

"Vasco?" Her voice is as smooth and playful as brook. "Vaaasco?"

He blinks and looks between his knees at the grass. "Sorry."

She laughs and leans her head on his shoulder, her dark, wavy locks rest against his chest. "Was I doing it again?"

"Doing what?" He glances at her, clearing his throat, hoping his cheeks were not as flushed as they burned.

"The thing."

"What thing?"

"Vasco." She looks up at him, frowning.

Vasco looks at her and sighs. "Not that I'm aware, my dear. But I do not care if you were or not, I love you regardless."

"But it matters to me." She sits up and picks at the grass, sighing. "Accidentally enchanting my husband...it's just...so infantile of me."

"Estella, no." He softly caresses her chin in his hand and turns her to look at him. "It's not at all infantile, it's instinctual. Remember your past lovers? You're only protecting yourself."

"But I don't want you to love me against your will." She takes his hand from her chin and kisses it.

"I love you, Estella. Don't worry about such matters, really. It's me who should have to worry about enchanting you." He gently pecks her cheek.

Estella raises a brow at him. "Oh really?"

"Yes! Have you not seen how the others look at you?! Beautiful as the moon, lovely as a lark, loving as a cat. You're out of a crow's league." He laughs hollowly, pulling at his collar.

"You're not a crow. You're a raven."

"Raven, crow, not as beautiful as a starlark even still."

"No! You take that back! Only one of us at a time can have a self esteem crisis! You remember our deal!"

Vasco laughs and pulls her close. "I must be growing forgetful."

"Ah! So I have been enchanting you! That's a symptom, right? Forgetfulness?"

Groaning, he lays back into the grass. "You're impossible!"

Estella lays beside him, smirking. "And yet you love me anyway."

"Til the day I die and you sing a little song to bring me crawling back." He chuckles. "And then I'll love you still til I die again because I'm a clumsy old crow."

She giggles and pokes his nose. "Maybe I should work on enchanting your motor skills instead of your heart."

"If you wish." He grins. "But then you must tell me what I may enchant about you. You're too perfect."

"I'm sure you'll think of something one day." She leans her head on his chest and closes her eyes. Her voice trails off and the night grows silent.

Vasco blinks his eyes open and looks around himself. He is alone. The grassy hill, gone. He sits up, sighing and shakes his head. "Bertramus, you old crow...Why do you taunt yourself so?" He mutters, rubbing his smooth, gloved hands across his face.

He sighs and then stares at the gnarled pale winter grass around him. Bleak, cheerless, dead. He could have been staring in the mirror. However, he shakes the feeling away and stands up, grabbing his pack and shouldering it.

"I'll find her one day, even if it kills me and I have to wander the entire world. One day, I'll find her and he will pay." He growls.

"CAW."

Vasco whirls around and glares at the raven in a nearby thin tree. "Don't you caw me, sir!"

"Caw."

He points at the bird. "I'll have you know it wasn't my fault. I wasn't home." He snarls.

"Caw."

Vasco grips his fists by his side and turns away. "You're just a stupid crow, what would you know about anything? Nothing! You just know crow stuff! Leave me alone!" He walks off.

The raven flitters after him to the next tree. "Caw!"

"Stop saying that! It's not my fault! I did what I had to do. I was away on assignment." He snaps.

"CAW!"

"BE QUIET YOU STUPID BIRD!"

"CAWCAW!"

Vasco snarls and with a wave of his hand, creates a sharp wind that blows the bird from the tree. "Maybe THIS will teach you to MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS!" He then stomps away without a glance back.

"I had feared of this..."

He stops in his tracks and his eyes grow wide.

"I have been worried for awhile since that night...Oh Bertramus, you've let hurt and anger take you over. That is dangerous for our kind, you know." The voice is soft and delicate as a feather.

Vasco turns and looks at the silver haired woman, but does not look her in the eyes. "Pulsatilla...I-I had no idea that was you. I'm so sorry." He stutters, swallowing.

"It doesn't matter if it were me or an actual bird, this is not how a wizard behaves." She sighs, shaking her head. "I know you're in pain after Calandra's loss, but you have to control yourself like a wizard, not a dog. Not a crow."

"Of course..." He looks at the ground.

Pulsatilla rests her slender hand on his shoulder. "I must relieve you of your duties until you learn how to correctly conduct yourself and your place in life. To do this, you will live the life of a raven and perceive the world through a bird's vision for the next fifteen years. That will not be much more than a blink of an eye to her and you both. I hope you'll learn the difference between a crow and a raven and which you really are." She strokes her hand over his dark hair and he shrinks in size and feathers sprout over him.

"I'll learn my lesson...I promise." He hangs his head, looking at his new three toed feet.

"I hope so, Bertramus. I really do."