The Tale Of Two Crows

Chapter 1 Ol Marie's port

A maid had been sent after the daughter of the King to bring her to meet the man ment to court her. "Lady Cora, James son of Arthur has arrived and is waiting for you in the thrown room with your father." The maid chirped wile setting freshly folded clothes on a small table in the corner of the room.
Cora turned from her book closing it overtop her hand. "Thank you Edith, I'll join them in just a moment." She sighed getting up from her seat and sliding the book into its spot on the old oakwood shelf. Making her way to the thrown room she glanced out one of the larger windows staring down at the sliver of Port visible.
She didn't want to marry this James but being in her position she had little choice. her fate was trapped within the walls of this very castle, she was shackled to her title as the princess destined to marry a man of high status and stay within the walls built to keep her there safe.
Standing there she wished once more to be down there, closer to the ocean. She always has been so close yet so far from it. It wasn't until several minutes had passed that she remembered why she had left her room in the first place. Tearing her gaze from the water she continued on her way to meet the man she was intended to merry.
Once she had made it to the thrown room she was immediately thrown into a situation she expected but was still cought off guard by it. James was there standing by her father and James' father King Arthur. "There you are Cora my dear, I had begun to get worried you got lost." James had spoke, he and Cora had met before and were familiar with one another but the mier fact he said "my dear" when greeting her left a bitter taste in her mouth. Not to mention the fact he suggested she had gotten lost within the castle she spent her whole life in. "Greetings James." She had spoken with sweetness in her voice that ment nothing to her, she wasn't ment to be sincere with her tone just sound the part. The two kings seemed pleased with the two getting along and how they took the news of their betrothed marriage.
"Seeing as the two of you are taking this well it would be safe to assume the marriage will happen as soon as possible?" King Arthur half asked half stated to wich James responded with a swift "Yes." Cora looked to James then her father, then King Arthur. They hadn't awaited her response and immediately took James word for both of them. "Splended, two weeks from today our kingdoms shall become one through marriage." Cora's father clapped his hands with the statement "the two of you will be sharing Cora's room until then. James beamed at how soon the wedding would be and with the prospect of sharing a room with Cora. Cora on the other hand was not so exited.
"E-excuse me please." Cora left the room immediately going for a balcony to process things. None of this was really a surprise as she had known this to be her fate since she was but a las. Still the news of everything had hit her like a hurricane.
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That night she had layed next to the man she was to marry in two weeks. She had been turned away from him and made no attempt at interaction now that she was nolonger under the eyes of her father. "I could always leave." She had thought to herself before rembering the last time she tried and got cought before she even got outside the castle walls. Getting out of bed she went for her book, catching another glance at Port this time she could see more. The barrels littering the docks, rope and water on every surface. She stared for what felt like an eternity making up her mind. She was going to somehow leave before she was married off to James.
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Days after the announcement of the marriage date and time maids had begun pulling Cora and James aside to work out preparations. James of corse had most of the say but some things were up to Cora, such as her dress. She couldn't help but feel bad for having them make a dress for her when she wouldn't even wear it on the occasion it was being made for.
Enduring the guilt and prolonged time with James during those two weeks was miserable. When she had begun running out of time fate threw her a bone and there she was at the docks outside a carriage. She was there to decide on certen imports wile they were freshly delivered, Mostly expensive wine.
People from all kinds of places were there, some merchants others civilians, even some of the navy were there. One specific ship with the carving of a rose on its front appeared ready to leave, at that perfect moment she ran for the ship wile the crew were all off getting the last of their supplies. She stumbled over her dress and others feet. Climbing aboard she hid in the ships storage betwene boxes of variying goods. A handful of people had come in with the remainder if the boxes of goods needed for their trip.
She stayed in there for a short wile. The ship tiped slightly to the side swaying more than It had before. Once the sounds of chatter from Port became fainter and hard to hear she got out from her hiding place and peered around the room taking in her surroundings. The corners of the room were dusty with scraps of crates and barrels from previous trips. The room seemed fairly well taken care of, one would think this was the ship of a merchant if the room wasn't so small.
Walking through the room she noticed the massive heap of dark cloth near the doorway. She looked at it inquisitively going to take a better look at it. Sails, these were the sails of a ship but she had never seen such dark sails in her hours of watching ships come in and out of the docks from her room. Thumping had become more rapid above deck the longer she was down there, eventually going closer to the door the was next to. Swiftly she returned to her hiding place behind crates and waited for the person to leave, but they didn't instead they came inside and the shuffling of fabric could be hear from where the sails were. She glanced up from behind the crated to see who it was. 7 people were moving the heavy sails out of the room and another 4 were bringing the white ones that had been on she ship earlier down there.
There was one person telling the crew instructions that seemed to be rehursed sevral times over. There was a crow sitting atop the persons shoulder. The charcoal bird cooked its head to the side watching Cora with great intrest clicking its beak every so often. Cora ducked behind the crates and the swift movement made the crow let out a sgarp caw before flying over to the crates she was behind looking down at her. The crow clicked its black again then produced a loud series of caws catching the lone persons attention as they turned to face the passerine bird . It was only now that Cora realised staring at this person, she was on a pirate's ship.