Death and crows

it was night when it happened. we were all asleep, my grandmother had just gone to bed and so had everyone else. even though i was still awake, i found it difficult to fall asleep. i laid awake listening to the wind blow gently through my window. i knew it wouldn't do any good, i knew there was nothing i could really do but try to sleep. my poor mother was to be laid to rest in the morning. no one should have to see their mother die, least of all me.

when i hear something shift next to my bed, i turn over slightly to see what it might be. in the darkness it looks like a person standing beside my bed. my heart rate quickens until i realize it's actually a crow, large and black so dark I thought I could see the whole expanse of the night sky in his feathers. I looked into his eyes and froze a cold sweat breaking out all over my body I screamed. it wasn't long before the entire castle woke up. everyone rushing into the rooms screaming for me to wake up. i stayed silent, my eyes wide open staring straight at him.

"ELOWEN!" i heard someone scream out. suddenly they had yanked me away from the crow.

"Elowen?" the voice asked again, this time closer than before. "you're awake now, you need to tell us what you saw." a young woman, presumably one of the maids, stood by my bedside. "can you tell us what was happening?" i couldn't answer her. "Elowen?"

I managed to finally speak " I'm okay just a night terror is all I'm sorry to have woken everyone" I said with a small smile. everyone left and then I fell into a dreamless sleep.

the next morning came and it was time to bury mother,the maids ran around me and fussed with me to get me dressed and ready for the worst day of my life. once everything was done, we started to leave the castle to the family crypt,they pulled me onto the carriage and sat me down on one of the cushions. as they drove I noticed there was more than one guard riding ahead of us.

as we neared, I saw the crypt large and marble with a huge iron gate at the entrance, a marble statue of an angel adorned the top of the crypt the lifeless look in the angel's eyes made my stomach feel like it was twisting itself in knots as we approached the tomb, we arrived in front of a group of guards with torches. they stood at attention and nodded towards the cart which the servants rolled forward. the driver stopped the horses right by the entrance, the knights dismounted first and stepped to either side. one knight held an iron key that he handed to another knight.

first the knights and father the king walked into the crypt with mother's casket. they each picked up a corner and carried it into the crypt, the maids followed carrying the torches. they laid mother inside and covered her face with her veil. mother always looked beautiful even in death, maybe especially in death. father spoke to the servants, telling them that they should clean out the chambers once they are done. they agreed and left the room. once everyone was alone, father took my hand in his own,he squeezed it gently then let go.

"remember to pray," father said looking directly into my eyes. " he had such a heart renched look on his face father looked much older now, he has aged so quickly I thought to myself.

"Elowen " grandmother called to me to sit with her, she gave me a warm smile, " remember when mother died, your father would carry you around while singing that song you liked so much." i giggled then remembered back to when my mother used to sing it to me as a baby. the song of the crows ."weather wind or rain take me away I will always come back on the wings of the crows they know my face they know my place they will bring us home".

I smiled back up at her, tears welled up in my eyes. "I'll never forget the sound of mother's voice. I will sing it everyday for the rest of my life, she is the reason why I am alive."

mother used to say that sometimes the birds can sense that you need them.

the service was long and sorrowful I went to take one last look at mother before they closed her tomb. the lanterns lit the way for us the crows follow as we made our way home.