The Crow Princess

TW: implied suicidal ideation and slight mentions (non-descriptive) of abuse and death

​

        Centuries ago, there was a mountain that stretched in the sky far taller than any known peak today. Unlike other mountains which often prefer to cluster together to form vast spines up and down the land, this mountain was lonely. This mountain was barren. Barren from its foothills, barren along its stretched out ridge, barren up to its peak. There was not the slightest sign of life. Not a plant and not a creature was floating on the breeze. 

        Surrounding the mountain, there was a vast valley, similarly empty. The only living being that ever happened to pass by was a singular ancient, shining, obsidian crow. 

-

        Crow flew over the mountain and its valley every fortnight and had done so for decades and nothing had ever changed. With every flight, the mountain remained bare and the valley remained empty and Crow flew alone. 

        One day, as Crow made his way over the valley, he noticed something that had not been there before. It, whatever it was, was nearly indistinguishable from the rest of the beige, desolate landscape. As he swooped closer, the figure began to grow clear. 

        Upon landing, Crow saw that the shape was a peak — the peak that had formerly been perched on top of the lonely mountain. It had been broken clean off — the soot and gravel that had been hidden were now exposed. Crow was perplexed. Crow pondered. Crow contemplated. How could this possibly have happened? What ungodly being would have the strength to amputate a mountain? 

        There was little to be done. After all, what could be done? The mountain was split and Crow had a flight to catch. Crow took off, continuing his flight across the valley, pushing the mystery of the mountain peak behind him. 

-

        As he neared the mountain, Crow saw that its silhouette had changed. But, then again, the sudden plateau of the formerly sharp formation was to be expected. The small figure sitting precariously on the edge was not. Crow flew closer.

        Eventually, Crow was able to make out colors other than the usual earth tones of landscape. There seemed to be a shimmering fall of  royal blue streaming down the sides of the rocks. Slightly above it, there seemed to be a gleaming black curtain, reflecting the harsh light of the blistering sun back in a dreamy white haze. 

        Crow reached the mountain. A girl was sitting on the edge. Her dress was made of shimmery blue silk, a shade of sapphire. Her hair was dark and wavy and smooth and long, reaching to her feet. She was crying.

-

        “Why do you cry, child?” Crow asked. 

 

        “I cry because I have been cast out,” Girl said. 

 

        “Who? Who has cast you out like a stone onto a lake in this desolate place? What have you done to be banished to the very ends of the earth?” 

 

        Crow looked at Girl’s sweet face and saw the sincerity in her tear filled eyes. It was difficult to believe that she should have committed a crime so terrible so as to deserve this punishment. 

 

        Girl raised her hands and wiped away her existing tears as she continued to cry out new ones.

 

        “It was my father, Crow,” Girl’s voice choked up,“I lost something important, Crow, you must understand. I didn’t mean to, you see! But my father is a cruel man. And a powerful one. And so he has sent me away.”

 

        “What did you lose, child? And when you say powerful…” Crow was concerned. And intrigued. 

 

        “He is the king of the land, Crow. The God King. I lost the golden sphere — his greatest treasure. I only ever meant to look at it! To peer into its golden depths, to see my reflection. But then the earth shook! And the ball rolled out of my hands far into the valley.” 

 

        Princess took a deep breath as she collected herself.

 

        “When Father found out, his rage was so great and so vast that it sent further shudders throughout the land. It wiped the peak of the lonely mountain clean off. And when Father looked back across the land, he decided that I must be made to sit on this plateau and peer into the valleys and search for the sphere until I have found it. Only then may I return.”

 

        “I see, Princess. Good luck with your search then. I shall see you in a fortnight.” 

 

        It was tragic but there was simply nothing to be done. Crow flew away and Princess continued to cry. 

- 

        In two weeks’ time, Crow returned. Princess still sat in her same spot on the mountain. Tears streamed down her face in a steady melancholic river like they had when Crow first laid eyes upon the lonely princess. But this time, Crow noticed that the valley had begun to grow covered by a shallow pool of tears. Through her tears, Princess was blinded to the presence of Crow. Crow flew on, and Princess continued to cry.

        Another fortnight passed. This time, the pool had turned a little more lakelike. Crow flew over the crying Princess once more. 

        The third time Crow flew over the valley, the quiet lake had since been turned into a churning, raging, gaping ocean. And Princess was gone from the mountain. Crow was perplexed. Had she somehow managed to find the sphere and return home? The notion did seem to be slightly outlandish. 

-

        Deep beneath the waves, Princess was drowning. The water had risen too high too quickly and had swept her off the mountain. Her beautiful, long, silk dress acted as an anchor, dragging her down. Her beautiful long hair tangled around her face, blocking her view. 

        Under the waves, Princess had finally stopped crying. A numbness had come over her and she had stopped flailing her arms some time ago. It seemed almost peaceful to her, there in the dark depths of the ocean of her own creation. 

        It didn’t seem to be that awful, truly. It seemed like a halfway peaceful death — an almost good one, perhaps. At the very least, poetic. Princess threw one last glance up where she assumed the surface to be. And then, she saw it. 

-

        The water distorted its shape and darkened its color, but it was undoubtedly the sphere. The sphere that Princess had been searching for for so long. A little golden ball of salvation. Princess felt the strength flooding back into her feeble body and felt her languid heart resume its frantic pounding. Feeling as though she had been born anew, she cut through the water in the direction of the golden glimmer. 

        Surfacing, Princess gasped and choked for air. She clutched at the slippery, golden surface, bobbing along with the waves. Her initial relief, however, quickly wore off as Princess remembered that she was still lost at sea with no sight of land. Hours passed and Princess remained in the waves. Just as she felt her heavy eyes falling shut and her weakened arms slip off of the globe, Princess was snapped back to attention by the sound of beating wings. 

-

        “You’ve found it, Princess! You’ve finally found it!” cried Crow. 

 

        Princess tried to speak, but the saltwater had scarred her lips and the sun had cracked them. It felt as if her throat had been torn out. 

 

        “But why are you not swimming, Princess?” Crow asked. “Should you not be heading home? Surely your father will forgive you now that you have the orb!” 

 

        “I cannot, Crow.” Princess had finally caught her ragged voice. “I have cried all my strength away.”

 

        “Perhaps if you leave the ball, Princess! Then you won’t have to pull its weight, and you can return to safety!”

 

        “I cannot leave the ball, Crow! I must bring it back! Without it, I am lost of my father’s love, my wealth, and my title! Without it, I have nothing.”

 

        “But you will have your life, Princess!” Crow protested. “If you remain here you will surely die.”

 

        “But even if I leave the ball, Crow, I still do not think that I would make it back.”

 

        “Perhaps I can help you, Princess. I know of a way. But you will have to leave the ball. And you will have to sacrifice your wealth and your title and your beauty. But you will have your life. And it will be free from the pain and the judgment of your father and it will be free of the expectations that you have placed upon yourself. It will be a golden life, Princess, as golden as that sphere.”

-

        Princess thought. Princess pondered. She recognized at last the pain that had consumed her in a way that had presented itself fortune. She looked up at the sky and saw for the first time not the wide blank sky as a punishment and the bright fiery sun as an executioner, but the shiny blue blanket as a comfort and the glowing yellow star as an idol. Princess made her decision. 

 

        “Please help me, Crow. Please. More than anything else, I wish to live.”

 

        “Alright, Princess. Brace yourself.” Crow gave a call. 

 

        There was a flash of light. When the brightness ebbed out, Princess was gone from the water. Two crows flew away from the valley in tandem. One golden sphere sailed lonely on the water. 

 

THE END