The scene of the Looking Glass changed, shifting through more and more memories of Leron and Vladstin's childhood.
"Please! Just show me Vladstin!" He begged to the round mirror. Leron's legs had grown weak, hunger eating at his insides.
A raven flew through the open ceiling of the Palace ruins, carrying a satchel to Leron.
"What is this?" Leron asked, and opened the tattered and dirty satchel.
Inside were biscuits and rations, and a flask of clean water.
Leron stared at the raven's translucent eyes, seeing a figure within them. "Vladstin? Vladstin, is it you!?"
"Craaaok!" The raven pecked on his arm.
"Vladstin, come back! Where did you get this?" Leron knew that the satchel's design was Ilvedian.
The raven cocked its head to the side, mockingly. It's like it was saying, 'Where do you think, idiot?'
"I can't take this if you stole it from someone else." Leron peered at the satchel, gulping. He was really hungry and thirsty, but he had already done enough sins in this life.
The raven gave a low, guttural croak like it was scoffing. It then went to lie on his back, eyes wide. It was playing dead.
"The owner is dead?" Leron guessed, then gritted his teeth. "Did you kill them!? That's more the reason for me not to accept it!"
The raven flew up and peck Leron in the forehead, as if reprimanding him. 'Why do you always assume things, stupid bunny?'
The raven used its beak to point at the satchel, then shook its head from side to side. 'No, I did not kill the owner.'
"You didn't kill them? Then, I...." Leron took the satchel meekly. "Thank you."
The raven turned away. 'I don't need your thanks. Just eat up.'
"Wait, Vladstin! Don't go! Where are you? When are you coming back?" Leron begged to the small black bird. "Please, just leave my people alone!"
The bird cawed like it was laughing, lifting its head up. 'Why should I listen to you? Wahahaha!'
Leron took the bird with both hands and stared it at one of its beady eyes. "Please, Vladstin! Just kill me already! Don't make me suffer like this!"
The raven stabbed its beak on his hand hard, enough for it to bleed. Leron was forced to let go. The raven flew with one final cruel caw, rising to the dark clouds victoriously.
Leron was left with the biscuits and water, all alone, tears falling down his cheeks again. "Vladstin, come back.... Vladstin..."
The Looking Glass also showed a scene involving a raven, colors spiraling like a kaleidoscope, and eventually turning into a picture of a happy memory.
The raven in the mirror almost looked identical to the one Vladstin was controlling, its beak holding a letter instead of a satchel.
"Look, Leron! Mother and Father had sent us a message!" Young Vladstin's chubby face came to view, his golden eyes glowing wide. "Thanks, Elenore!"
The black fowl rubbed its head affectionately against Vladstin's palm, responding to the name.
"You use ravens to send messages?" Leron came beside him, observing the little bird.
"Yes, they're very efficient." Vladstin nodded. "Elenore, this is Leron. Leron, this is Elenore. He's pretty, isn't he?"
"Who are you talking to, Your Highness? Me or the bird?" Leron wanted to make sure. "I do agree that it was pretty for a raven."
"I was referring to both of you! You're both pretty boys!' Vladstin ruffled Elenore's feathers. "Don't you agree, Elenore? The Prince of Ilvedia complimented you, go compliment him back."
"Croak!" Elenore made a disapproving sound at Leron, spreading its wings in hostility.
"It doesn't appear to like me." Leron frowned, and moved back. The raven looked scary and vicious.
"How is that possible? He was just not used to you, I'm sure he'll like you eventually." Vladstin patted Elenore's back. "Calm down, Elenore. You can trust Leron. He's a good person, no need to be wary of him."
"Craaaaoak." Elenore still eyed Leron suspiciously.
The young Leron suddenly felt paranoid, like the ebony little bird could see through his soul. It was judging him using the instincts of the wild, and could tell that he was not trustworthy.
Vladstin frowned. "What's wrong with you? You're not like this when other people are around."
"I think I should go, Your Highness...." Leron stepped back shyly. "I'm a little afraid of your pet."
"Don't be! You'll get along, I promise!" Vladstin said, and grabbed something from his pocket. "Here, why don't you try to feed him?"
It was a squash seed. Vladstin took Leron's hand and place it on his palm.
"I don't know how to feed birds." Leron protested.
"Just show it to him. Bring your hand closer to his beak."
"What if he pecks me?"
"I'll scold him if he does." Vladstin said, and warned Elenore. "If you hurt Leron, I'll roast you for dinner!"
The bird panicked and scrambled to the side.
"I'm just kidding. Just eat the seed." Vladstin told the bird.
Elenore perched above Leron's wrist cautiously. It scanned Leron with one beady eye after another. Leron tried to calm his heartbeat, thinking that he shouldn't show the bird his nervousness so it would trust him.
Then, Elenore gently took the seed.
"See? He likes you!" Vladstin clapped happily. "We could use Elenore to send messages to each other if we ever get far away. Though I wouldn't like that to happen, I wish you'd always be with me."
Leron became flustered from being too scared of a measly bird. "I-I see."
But Vladstin interpreted it differently. He thought: Is he blushing because of me?
"Why do you use ravens though? " Leron, said.
Elenore seems to glare at him, so he added. "I mean, they're beautiful creatures after all.... But do they symbolize something? Why them out of birds? And they are scavengers too, they eat dead meat whenever they get the chance."
"That's just how our ancestors send messages to each other, it's how we do since the start." Vladstin shrugged. "You guys never send letters through ravens before?"
"Ravens are a bad omen to our religion." Leron explained, distancing himself from the black, grumpy bird in case it gets offended and attack. "There was a story on how the raven decided not to send a message during a great war, because it was too lazy. When all the soldiers are dead, that is only when it sent the general's message. The king was angry and cursed the raven to make a horrible sound, making them a hated fowl for the rest of their generations. Ravens had always symbolized death and betrayal in the future."
"That's such a silly story. To us, ravens symbolize remembrance of former bonds." Vladstin petted Lenore fondly. "We use them to send messages because they are clever and intelligent, and they will do anything to continue on their way if there are obstacles on their path. They are also good at scavenging battlefields, in case someone had tried to leave a keepsake for their loved ones."
"Our version of the story is that the raven, pitying the people who had died and was forsaken in the battlefield, took the last remaining heirlooms and mementos of every soldier. Despite the cold rain, the raven flew, glide, and skipped back and forth just to bring back the keepsakes to the people. It made sure that the fallen soldiers, no matter how insignificant they are, would not be forgotten and leave something behind. That's why we rely on them the most to send messages from our loved ones, and to hunt for missing bodies that perished in battles."
"I never considered that before." Leron said. "We only use doves because they are white and symbolizes purity."
"Is there a story behind why you use doves?" Vladstin asked, interested.
Leron shook his head. "No. We merely chose it because of its kind and gentle appearance. Ravens and crows look menacing and many believe they are untamable."
"Your people are missing out, if they base their carrier birds merely in appearance, they would never learn to appreciate the magnificence of birds like ravens." Vladstin gave another seed to Elenore.
Leron felt like he should defend his people. "Well, ravens eat dead people, so there's a good reason why we distrust them...."
"But do they kill people? And they may be viewed as initially evil in your kingdom, but can't that change?" Vladstin said. "If ravens show an act of goodwill like delivering messages and goods, would you still hate them?"
"I guess not." Leron looked down.
His kingdom sees the Crescentians like ravens. They are savages, with strange traditions and rituals, and known to put their enemies' heads on the spikes of their gates whenever they won a battle. In his history lessons with the tutor, the descriptions of their fighting styles paint them as ruthless and grotesque caricatures of what they actually are.
The young Leron despised these Crescentians that are like ravens, but soon realized that there is goodness in them after all. More goodness than they, the Ilvedians, who are only pure in appearance, could ever have.
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