Book One: Chapter One

Allora's Flight or Fly Away Home

A melody of sweet flute music rose from the small window of a stone manor house west of a small village and wheat fields. Through the open window was a bedroom with large rugs covering the stone floor. A short woman with an aging face and a tight bun covered in a laced shawl looked lazily towards twin girls playing on recorder-style flutes.  The identical twins had sky blue eyes and long raven-black hair which was covered on top with a linen skull cap. 

The twins looked young, in their mid to late teens, and each wore a full length dress covering nearly their entire body from chin to ankle and shoulder to wrist. One of the girls wore a gauzy light blue material over a dark blue dress beneath. The gauzy material was open at the sleaves beneath each shoulder, but the dark blue dress beneath covered her arms to her wrists and her legs down to her ankles. At the hem of the dress was a circular spiral design that was repeated about every three inches over the entire hem.

The other dress was very ornate and entirely white. The top was covered in a bodice tied in the back and covered in white on white paisley design with lace at the neck and waist. The sleaves were a bit puffed at the shoulders and tied with small white bows at the elbow and beneath the shoulder. The skirt section was wrapped in rows of elegant eyelet/lace design patterns.

"Quite good girls. Ye hast mastered another sonata,” said the old woman. The girls lowered their recorders. They had strings tied on the neck of the wooden instruments so that they could be worn like a necklace.

"May we take a break dunya (teacher)? We want to go outside, it's so nice."

"Ye hast earned a short rest, come back in half--"

The twins had already left, hand in hand, ignoring their teacher as they ran through the door and down the stairs. Next they went across the manor home, their sandals moving across the woven rushes that lined the floors. They snuck behind their mother who was busy instructing one of her servants as they entered the main kitchen. 

"Careful!" said a woman who was preparing soup as they ran to a backdoor. The twins opened the door and entered a small garden covered in grass and wildflowers. 

"Ally and Ady!" shouted a small female voice from the otherside of the garden, several hundred feet away, beneath a tree. "I found some sheep." The girl had a pale face and a small scar across her chin.

"Sarthie, shouldst you not be inside with mother?"

"She said she didn't need any help till after lunch," she replied. "Is that thy wedding dress? Why art thou wearing it?"

"Our Mother let us try it on this morning just to make sure it still fit," said the twin in the beautiful white dress. "But then she left when one of the servants asked for help."

"It's a bit of a walk, don't get it dirty."

The twins were holding hands since they ran out of the manor, and Sarthie grabbed one of the twin's other hand, tugging her into the woods. "Allora, come on let's go."

The girls ran across a path through bushes and trees until they reached a stream. They went carefully across damp stones to the other side.

"Is it much farther?" Allora asked.

"Not far,” the pale girl replied.

It was only a few minutes more across the narrow path until the forest opened up to a large field. A herd of sheep could be seen in nearby area of low and flat land. It took them about half an hour to get here. 

"There they are,” Sarthie said. The girls were eager to approach, amidst running to the herd. A figure on the far end of the animals was herding then along.

"So many sheep," Allora said.

"This one looks like Baron Yarkstaf,"  Sarthie said. The twins giggled.

"We should go back to continue our lesson," Adalla said. 

There were two black birds in the sky approaching. They looked like ravens. But when they got closer they seemed to get impossibly large. Each was bigger than a horse with huge wings.

Sarthie was the first to notice, pointing up towards them. 

"Fareik! Those birds are big!"

Allora turned to Sarthie, chastising her.

"Sarthie, thou shouldst not take in vain the name of--"

Suddenly she felt a painful squeeze around her waist. She looked down and saw a giant black talon wrapped around her.

"Fareik!" she shouted as the giant raven started flying away with her. The other raven had picked up a sheep which bleated loudly.

"Allora!" cried the young women as her twin sister was carried away. She ran after her, but stopped after about 10 yards. Sarthie ran next to her.

"Adalla, we need to go back to the manor and tell thy mother."

"Alright let's go."

They ran through the grass and to the trees. They were careful over the roots and rocks in the woods until they reached the stream. Although Adalla was scared and fearful of what had happened to her sister she couldn’t keep up.

“Not so fast Sarthie,” she panted.  She held her side. "The corset our mother makes us wear makes it difficult to breath,” she explained.

“But thou did say we had to hurry,” she replied.

When they finally reached the manor, Adalla ran inside through the kitchen.

“What’s wrong?” the cook asked, putting something in the oven. He was balding with short dark brown hair on the sides, a large nose and a short beard. He wore a gray smock and long brown tunic.

“Gerbe, my mother? Where is she?” Adalla asked, hunched over, clutching her stomach and struggling to breathe.

“In her room I believe,” she said with concern.

Adalla went through the main hall to a door at the far end. She opened the door and entered a bedroom.

“Adalla, I've told you before to knock,” an older woman sitting on a chair said. Standing next to her were two women in dark brown clothing.

“I’m sorry mother, but Allora’s been taken!” she said.

“What dost thee mean?”

Adalla bent down at her mother’s feet.  The other women around her looked a bit frightened.

“It was a giant black bird.  It came out of the sky and took her away along with the sheep.”

“Where were thee?”

“Less than a league away. The meadow with the sheep herds,” she cried.

The woman frowned.

“Now don’t cry,” she said.  “We’ll find Allora,” she said.

***

High in the sky the two giant ravens were flying. Although they were similar, one was larger and had distinctive white markings on its head and neck. It looked like the feathers might be painted. Along the sides of the neck and head, the feathers were painted to indicate the bones underneath. Allora was clutched in one of the claws of the painted raven.

"Help!" she shouted. "Let me go!"

A screeching voice came from the giant bird. "Are you daft?"

"Oh my!” she exclaimed. “Why does everyone ask me that?"

"If I let thee go, thou would fall."

"Oh right," Allora conceded.

The air buffeted across the young woman’s clothing and hair. The view was a bit frightening, the trees seemed so small below. They had flown to a small ridge of mountains and were following them East.

"How canst thou speak?" Allora shouted. Because of the wind she had to speak loudly, but the raven’s screeching voice easily cut through the whipping air.

"I have always been able to speak, flightless one.  Dost thou want to know how I learned thy language?"

“Yes!”

"I observed thy kind below. I took one many years ago and he spoke much for my learning."  

"Why didst thou come to capture me?"

"I'm teaching my son Sahvauje how to hunt.  I thought thee were a sheep because of thy white trappings. And I don't see as well as I used to." 

The bird turned it’s head slightly and Allora saw that the left eye was faded white, apparently blind. It looked like an old wound, the skin cut vertically on either side of the eye.

"But meat is meat," the bird said grimly.

"Where art thou flying with me?"

"I do wish THEE would be quiet!"

"I'm sorry."

"We'll be at the nest soon."

Allora opened her mouth to say something, but then closed it again. She appeared sullen.

They flew towards the highest mountain in the ridge. As they approached Allora made out a dark spot in the side. Getting closer she could see that it was an opening, perhaps a cave, filled with branches along the bottom.

Three large raven chicks, their feathers gray and downy, were chirping loudly as they approached.

The giant raven holding Allora dropped her into the nest before landing beside her.

"Aahh!" she cried out as she fell.

Then the other raven holding the sheep dropped it within the nest and landed.

The nest was made up of branches, most about the width of her wrist. There were bits of feathers, bones, egg fragments, and bird scat throughout the nest. The sheep seemed somewhat stunned and was having trouble walking in the nest.

The raven chicks kept their beaks up, chirping loudly. Allora crawled backwards over the nest until she was against the side of the cave, away from the chicks.

The largest raven with the white skull markings cawed loudly and the chicks stopped chirping for a second, but then they continued. Suddenly the raven bit down on the sheep's neck with a loud crunch. The animal gave one last bleat while its blood was spilt.

"Oh why didst thou kill it?" Allora asked with a shocked expression.

The raven used its mouth to bite at the sheep, breaking it into smaller chunks. Then the bird fed it to the chicks open and eager mouths.

"Oh," Allora said with fear in her voice. She tried to move further back, but the stone of the mountain was solid. When the meat of the sheep was gone the raven with the painted head turned towards the young woman.

"Now it is time for thee!" The raven said in its screeching voice. "I think I'll let my son finish thee.  He needs to learn how to kill."

Allora trembled as she heard the raven caw out sounds that sounded like words.

"Sahvawke, cawh haw auc!"

The other raven hunched over Allora as she shrank against the wall.

"Caw euk?" the raven's son replied.

"Oh!" Allora cried in shock with his loud shrieking voice. "Please don't eat me!" she cried. "I can't leave my sister behind. And I haven't even seen the cairn of King Uhgmaun of Deirkam the third yet.  I've never touched the ocean or sand.  I haven't been married yet!  I want to have children of my own! And elves, I always wanted to meet one. And…" she continued listing things she hadn't done or experienced yet, her voice becoming more and more faint.

The smaller raven tilted his head to the side looking at Allora with puzzlement.

"Caw haw auc, Sahvawke!" shrieked the larger raven.

The smaller raven moved forward, opening its sharp beak.

"Caw!"

Allora closed her eyes and cried out, "No!

A moment passed and nothing happened. She opened one eye tentatively.

"Huh?"

She saw the raven passively looking down at her curiously, but not hungrily. The smaller male bird cawed out a bit quieter now. And his taller mother replied in her harsh cawing language.

“Thou didst not eat me,” Allora said with a smile.

“Although he’s my oldest,” the largest raven began, in her screeching voice, “Sahvawke has never eaten a human before. Or any live meat.” She moved to the edge of the nest. “It’s time he learned. I know what will change his mind." The giant raven flapped its wings and flew up into the air.

Allora looked up into the sky, and then she smiled. "I can't believe she left." The young woman went to the side of the nest. There was a wall of branches without gaps. She started climbing up, the wall was only up to her neck in height. Because it was made of branches she could easily climb. But as she started going her dress got caught on a sharp piece of wood and it tore before she was able to avoid it. "Ouch," she said, as another sharp stick jabbed her thigh. Despite a few scratches and a torn dress, she was able to get over the wall onto the other side.

The chicks seemed to be chirping louder when she got over the nest. Allora looked down and saw past the small ledge which she was standing, nearly a straight drop down into trees and rocks. She got a little dizzy seeing such a fall.

"Oh!"

There seemed to be not much to climb down and she was hundreds of feet up, maybe a thousand.

"I'm stuck here," she said, grabbing one of the branches as she sat down on the ledge. She sat for a minute, hugging her knees. Then she noticed she still had her recorder around her neck. Around the top piece there was a ridge that had her name engraved in her native tongue of Deiru. She grabbed the recorder and placed it against her lips. She began playing the beautiful sonata she had just learned this morning. It was long, but as she played the music it made her feel light as if she was somewhere else entirely. The chicks calmed down, becoming nearly silent behind her. When she finished, she stood with a smile.

"You're so quiet. Did you like my music?"

The chicks chirped in appreciation.

"CAW! Like maw mu! Sic?" the raven called Sahvawke replied.

"You speak Deiru too?"

"Spek too?"

"Of course I do," Allora replied.

"Cahs!" he crowed.

"I'm scared of what will happen when thy mother returns.  Thou willst not eat me willst thou?"

"Nah eat' tho!" Sahvawke replied.

"Oh thou art kind," she said with a smile. She reached up a tentative hand and pet the raven's shoulder. "But thy mother is a terrible beast! If I stay she'll kill me for sure.  Maybe I can climb down?"

Allora faced the nest and grabbed one of the branches while she lowered her foot down to a narrow crack. She felt confident that she might be able to go slowly down when suddenly Sahvawke cawed loudly, startling her and causing her to fall backwards into the air.

She screamed, the air suddenly causing her bonnet to be knocked off of her head. 

***

Adalla looked out of her bedroom window. Sarthie stood next to her. Her mother had sent Sarthie and a servant back to the field with the sheep. They didn't see any indication of Allora, but they did find a giant raven feather. They brought it back and showed the twins' mother. She was very surprised. Adalla had been in her room at her mother's insistence. When Sarthie had returned to the bedroom she had found Adalla staring out into the sky. She had been standing there for over an hour now.

“What's wrong?” Sathie asked.

“Well... you promise not to tell?” Adalla replied.

"Of course, what is it?"

“I wanted to fly away. I prayed so hard and I think Fareik got Allora by mistake. It's my fault."

Sarthie thought for a moment before speaking.

"I don't think so. The giant bird picked up a sheep too."

"Maybe the sheep prayed too?" Adalla theorized, looking serious. 

Sarthie stifled a laugh.

***

"Oh Fareik!" Allora screamed as she plummeted towards the base of the mountain. She was approaching the tops of the trees when suddenly she started going back up.

"Whaa?"

She felt her butt resting on the feathers of the raven as he flew her higher.

"Oh thank thee Sahvawke!" She smiled and held on tightly to his feathers.

They started flying back up towards the mountain. 

"No don't take me back to thy nest, take me back to the sheep herd.  The Baa!"

Allora bent down her head by Sahvawke's and pointed in the direction she remembered them flying.

"That way," she said.

The giant raven turned and began flying in the direction she had indicated.

"Sahvawke!" A screeching voice called. It was the giant raven with the skull painted on her feathers.

Allora turned her heard towards the voice, her hair whipping in the wind. The giant raven was flying towards them with a sheep in her talons.

The birds screeched at each other as if talking. Then the raven with the painted feathers spoke in words that Allora could understand.

"Girl! How dare you bewitch my son.  I will devour you for your treachery!"

"I didn't do anything."

The raven drew closer to them.

"Die!" She screeched. And then she snapped her beak at Allora's head. The young maid ducked just in time, flattening her body against Sahvawke. 

They maneuvered for position, the mother raven speeding in front of them, but lower. Then she dropped the sheep and suddenly she shot straight up into Sahvawke using her powerful wings. It was a stunning blow. He tilted back and they began to fall. Allora held on tight as they picked up speed, gravity pulling them down in freefall.

"Wake up!" she shouted.

They continued to plummet, the trees seemed to be zooming up to meet them.

"Please wake up Sahvawke!"

His eye suddenly opened and he  began flapping his wings  

He squawked and screeched in fright as he flapped above the trees, only a few feet away from the points of the pines. 

"I can't believe it!" Allora exclaimed in relief.

Allora looked back and saw Sahvawke's mother closing in on them. 

"She's catching up to us!"

He swerved around a tall tree to the left and his mother hit it directly with a crash, because of her blind left eye. 

"That was close!" Allora said. "She hit hard."

They flew for quite a while before they saw the sheep down below. The herd had moved to the opposite side of the meadow from when they last saw them.

Sahvawke landed on the grass and Allora crawled off his back and stood next to him. He cocked his head to the side as she pet him.

"It's good to be back on the ground.  Thank thee."

"Caw?" He replied and tilted his head to the other side.

"What is it?" Allora asked.

The giant raven mother flew overhead the sheep back in her talons, but battered Nd bloody. Sahvawke suddenly started flapping his wings and flew up into the sky.

"Wait!"

They flew next to each other as they went back into the distance.

"That must be his mother," Allora said to herself. "Oh! I better get home to mine."

She walked through the forest, across rocks on the stream and back along the faint footpath until she saw the back of her house. From there she entered the kitchen where she found the cook, Gerbe cleaning up.

"Milady Allora! Thy mother is worried for thy safe return. Come with me."

He took her through the kitchen to the main hall. There they found the twins' mother sitting and eating along with a few other people that Allora recognized.

"Milady Meikell. Allora just came from outside into the kitchen."

"Oh mother," Allora said with a smile. 

"Thank Farleik you found her, Gerbe. Let's get her-." she frowned. "Wait- come here," she told her daughter. Allora approached tentatively. Lady Meikell put her hand along Allora's dress where there were several rips.

"Take her to my room," she scowled. "And no dinner."

"Yes milady."

Gerbe put his hand gently on Allora's shoulder and walked her across the hall and to the door on the opposite side to the kitchen. From here they entered a stairwell and passed through to Lady Meikell's room. 

"Wait here for your mother," he said.

Allora nodded, sitting at the edge of the large four post bed. She waited as best she could, but in all the excitement, and now the sudden boredom, she lay down on the edge of the bed and fell asleep.

Allora woke when her mother entered.

"Allora, I'm disappointed. Thou shouldst never wear thy wedding dress outside. Thou shouldst have never been so far from the manor."

"But-"

"Do not speak," Lady Meikell sighed heavily.  "Thou willst understand what I mean. Thou hast forced my hand. Bend over the bed."

Allora lay with her front on the top of the bed and was bent at the waist, her rear, covered in skirts facing her mother. The older woman took a stick from a group of several in the corner. It was about the thickness of her finger. She went to Allora and pulled up the wedding dress and petticoats, revealing Allora's bare bottom. Allora was trembling, closing her eyes and gripping the duvet cover tightly as she waited for the first strike.

Lady Meikell was quick with her wrist, the switch smacking against her daughter's skin and immediately causing a faint red mark. Allora cried out, but tried to shove her mouth onto the bed.

"Thou always cause trouble," Lady Meikell said. "This seems to be the only way thee canst learn." She struck again, another red line appearing. This continued for nearly five minutes, her mother lecturing her and then a hit would occur. When Lady Meikell was finished she set the switch down on the bed.

"I doubt this will be the last time thou makest me do that. At least once thou are married thou willst be Lord xx's problem."

Allora was crying, but staying as silent as she could.

"Now go, thou and thy sister are confined to thy room."

Allora turned and left the room, careful to not catch her mother's gaze. She entered the stairwell and rose up the steps. When she reached her room she opened the door and entered.

"Allora!" Sarthie and Adalla said. They rushed to her side.

"We thought Fareik took thee away," Adalla said.

"No it was that giant bird. It wanted to feed me to its chicks."

"Oh my," Adalla said. "How did you escape?"

"The mother birds son took a liking to me." 

"Thou feels alright now?" Sarthie asked. 

"Yes, but mother switched me for ripping our dress."

"She did us as well," Adalla said. "At least thou is safe."

"We were very worried," Sarthie said.

"We are confined to our room Adalla," Allora said.

"That's all right," Adalla said taking Allora's hand.

 They went to the bed, crawling on top and lying prone on the duvet of their large bed, side by side. Sarthie crawled up next to them. They had all shared this bed for the last few years.

"Thou has returned and that is all that matters," Adalla smiled. "Now tell us everything that happened."

Allora began...

Preface     B1.C01     B1.C02     B1.C03     B1.C04     B1.C05     B1.C06     B1.C07     B1.C08     B1.C09