The Raven's Unkindness

Prologue

She always flitted around him, a bird upon his shoulder. She was our sister, but she was ever the Raven following after the Wolf. My greatest regret is that I let her leave, I let the Raven leave.

*****

Icy wind whistled through the windows, freezing the blood oozing from my wrists where the chains had ripped through my skin. I blinked away the icicles that had formed on my eyelashes while I slept, and took stock of my surroundings.

I was sitting on a cold stone floor with my wrists pulled above my head by chains secured to the domed roof several strides above my head. On four of the walls were windows: through three of the windows I could see mountainsides while the fourth showed the sea and dark clouds away over the forest. The room itself was at least ten strides across and had no furniture except two low tables on either side of the only doorway. Through the doorway, which was really just more of an open archway, I could see the stairs begin their spiral downwards.

I stood up and began stomping and stretching to get the blood moving again. After a couple of minutes, I was able to feel my toes and fingers again. Once I had my fingers under my control I began fidgeting with the chains that bound my hands.

I paused in my lock-picking attempts when I heard distant footsteps ascending the steps below me, I stashed the small knife back in its sheath, strapped to the inside of my arm, and sat down again.

Three figures issued forth from the shadowed stairway and approached: two wore strange mottled white and grey hooded cloaks, underneath were dark leathers and swords at their hips, while the third wore similar, but more ornate, leather armor. Upon the shoulder was a design of two curved silver swords crossed over an emerald leaf. The third waved the first two towards the doorway, where they took up positions on either side, while he approached me. He was shorter than the other two and had dirty blond hair that framed a thin face with even thinner lips, a long sharp nose, and two emerald eyes set deep within their sockets.

"I am Manuel von Skyhawk, Quartermaster of this citadel. I have been instructed by my lord to find out whence you came from and what purposes have brought you to our lands." The man spoke with a lilt to his voice and bore himself as if he had authority over me.

I silently stared him in the eye before slowly stretching up to my full height, forcing him to either look up at me or step back. I stood a full four and a half hands taller, and as I looked down at him I saw fear flash across his face for a brief moment before he was able to mask it. We stood there for a long moment until he finally spoke, "I guess the brute doesn't speak. Send for the seekers; maybe they can get something out of him." He spun on his heel and began moving with an amusing amount of alacrity towards the doorway.

"I'll only speak with your chief; bring him to me little birdie, and then I will tell my tale," I said to his back, and without waiting for a response began once more studying the two guards.

The Quartermaster whirled about and stalked towards me again, this time bearing the light of anger in his eyes. "You will speak with me and only me. You do not have the authority to demand an audience; you have been given a great boon in that you are even allowed to speak, and that we did not stain the snow red with your blood."

I stared at him for a second before allowing my best wolfish grin to spread across my face. "You think me a mindless barbarian from the north. Well, let me inform you of who I am. I am Callum Ravensteel: Child of the Wolf, Bearer of Landrasil, and Heir of the Frozen Citadel. I have every authority to request an audience with your chieftain. As for you, you should curb your tongue or else I shall endeavor to remove it from your beak, little birdie." He began to sputter with outrage before pivoting and practically running through the archway.

*****

The wind stopped, but not before leaving small mounds of snow behind on the windowsills. My attention was torn away from the window as footsteps once again began to sound from the stairway. I turned towards the entrance as this time a single figure entered my cell. The figure was clad in metal armor engraved with depictions of wolves and the same mottled white and gray cloak that the guards had worn earlier.

"I was told that you requested an audience with the captain of this citadel. Tell me what information you could possibly have that would be of interest to me."

I studied him for a moment before responding. "I have come for two reasons. One, to bring a warning, and two, to forge an alliance, hopefully."

"A warning of what? And an alliance with who? You raise more questions than you answer," the man said as he scrutinized me.

"Perhaps we could move to more comfortable accommodations to continue our conversation," I said, motioning with my chained hands to the barren tower room we stood in. "Perhaps you could also tell me with whom I am speaking, and introduce the two hiding around the corner," I said, nodding towards the doorway. As I finished speaking he let out a hearty chuckle.

"Not much gets past you, does it? Well, forgive my impropriety, I am Nairden son of Finsaer, and, for now, Captain of this Citadel. As for the two outside, they would be Findeleigh and Findelin, my twin shadows; I can never seem to be rid of them," he said with a smile still upon his lips. "But let us be rid of those shackles and we shall continue this downstairs."

He turned swiftly and snapped several commands in a strange language to his two companions. They stepped to attention before nodding wordlessly and turning into the room as Nairden started down the stairs. The two were clad in what I now realized was a uniform. They quickly strode across the room, the male drawing forth a key which he inserted into the lock on my shackles.

I stood up stretching and bowed my head slightly to them, thanking them before I made my way to the arch and peered down the dimly lit stairway. Findelin and Findeleigh moved to stand behind me, one on each flank.

I started off down the stairway, the stairs just a little too short for me, and began to scan the lower parts of the tower. We went past several levels of dormitories before the stairs ended and we came into a great hall. The hall was at least thirty strides across and over a hundred strides from end to end with tall ceilings reaching upward. From the ceiling hung massive iron chandeliers just above several balconies that ran around the upper levels of the hall. In the center of the chamber long lines of tables ran beside fires set into the floor before coming to a raised table with a throne.

In the throne sat Nairden, who waved me over as several servants deposited trays, food, and several mugs in front of him. "Now then. We can relax by the fires, fill our bellies, drink our fill, and you can tell me your story," he declared as he waved for my two escorts to join us.

"My story?" I asked. "Do we not have matters to discuss?"

"We do," he assured me as he began to place food on his plate, "but I know nothing of you and I am wary of you, so give me a reason to trust you. Tell me the tale of how you came to my lands."

"If you insist," I said, seating myself and sniffing the contents of my mug before taking a swig. "I suppose I should start at the beginning-"

"That would be appreciated." Nairden interjected with a smile. "Now, shall we begin?"

"Humph," I grunted, taking another swig from my mug. "Just don't interrupt me after I start. I suppose it all began when I found my sister..."