Ol' Flint the Crow

Flint's Tale pt. 5

"So... you came back," Granny said in surprise, lifting of her grey eyebrows.

Signaling me to come into the house, she led me into the resistance's home base, packed to full capacity. The citizens of Dermid were clothed in dark colors. Black hoods covered their heads as their noses peaked out of it. In their hands, they held pickaxes, clubs, and anything else they could find to use as a weapon. All their hope lay on reaching the armory for more effective weaponry since what they had would be useless against heavily armed soldiers.

You would think based on their numbers that the house would echo with pre-battle excitement, but it was, in fact, almost disturbingly quiet. Only a select few spoke to one another, and it was in low whispers. They could not risk the patrol guards snooping through the covered windows.

Surveying the massive assemblage, I noticed that their expressions were grim. None smiled. All were focused as their fingers twitched on their weapon handles. It was only natural, having suffered so much from the royal family and the gallows. They had lost sons and daughters, fathers and mothers, friends and loving spouses. I was rather pleased with myself, believing I was going to help win them back their freedom. If I only knew what would happen after tonight.

The people caught sight of me walking in the midst of them with my lanky legs cautiously moving forward, one after the other. Their eyes did not stray from me. They stared in awe. Todd and Granny must have told them about my ability to speak. A few murmured amongst themselves as they pointed.

I lowered my head, not enjoying this rabble gawking at me, and strode to the center table where Todd was seated. The bearded man had one arm flat on the table. His other hand gripped securely on a crude short sword.

Looking up at the man as his eyes seemed to set fire to my feathers, I timidly stuttered, "I- I did as I promised! The way is open."

There was a hush throughout the dimly lit room as the words flowed out of my mouth like a normal human. Rolling my eyes at the easily impressed crowd, I waited for Todd to speak. However, Todd was silent and only stood up in reply. He scanned his comrades with his menacing eyes.

"Everyone," the man spoke with his hands still firmly on the table. "This here is the talkin' crow. It's here to come help defeat those who have wronged us. Tonight we'll have our revenge! All those we've lost will rest peacefully tomorrow. Don't hesitate and have no fear. Don't be seen. Once we reach the armory we'll have enough weapons to destroy the nobility. Follow the instructions I gave ya'. With any luck, we'll live to make our children a better life."

Turing to me, Todd asked in an authoritative voice, "Where's the passage?"

"In the graveyard not too far from here," I confessed as my neck shrunk into my shoulders. Not wanting him to forget about our deal, I yelped, "You're not forgetting my part of the bargain right? No unnecessary killing!"

"Yeah, I got it!" Todd said in a way that did not assure me in the slightest.

Shivering, I added, "And the princess... she lives!"

Without answering me, he spoke to a few in the group saying, "Send word to the others. We leave in five minutes. Small groups of seven, mind you. We can't risk being caught by night guards. Make sure everyone stayin' with the children are ready for reprisals. Now go!"

Four people in the crowded room instantly rushed out of the building with their hoods covering them. All the others that remained, quivered in their boots as they waited.

Todd picked up his cloak hanging on of the chairs and swung it over his back with a flourish. Strapping the strings to his neck, the man walked to a mirror and looked deeply into his charcoal colored eyes. He sighed and continued to stare at himself with his eyelids drooping down miserably. His chest heaved in and out as I watched him. Studying his posture, I knew he must be thinking about something... or someone. All the light in his eyes was dim with a grey haze.