Grave of the Cunning One
Aaralyn Crow watched with shining eyes as Princess Dakari lifted the Crown of the Isles from the cushion her father, Garrick, Commander of the Queen's Guard, and placed it on her head. Her brother Dane lifted her high as the crowd burst into applause, disturbing the small kudarung nesting in the rafters. Aara squealed in delight as they swirled around her new queen.
A week after their new queen was crowned Aara was exploring some of the more hidden spots of the palace. Queen Dakari's mother Daeshiah had let the gardens grow into mini jungles, some cultivated others wild. Aara liked to wonder off in some of the more wild places she could find.
Not watching where she was going, Aara tripped and fell, landing on stone instead of hard earth. She peered under her spread fingers. A grave marker was under her thin fingers. Oddly it read, The Cunning One. Next to it was another one that said, Nawat Crow. She frowned and racked her memory for something that would explain the hidden graves. Even nothing rose to the surface she hurried back to the palace and went to her father's study where she found her father and brother discussing her brother's agents.
"Daddy?" She asked. Her father smoothed her red-gold hair.
"Yes?"
"Who's the cunning one? And Who's Nawat Crow? Are we related to him?" Her father raised an eyebrow. She immediately stopped talking. Dane smiled at his father.
"I used to love that story, Da. You know, the story of how the Isles where taken over by luarin and liberated by the raka." His father laughed and picked up his daughter.
"Alright then. I guess I have time for the story." He opened his desk and took out two large journals. "Actually I have it all here." Aara burrowed into her father and Dane leaned forward and braced his elbows on his knees.
"This is an account of your great grandmother's adventures Aara. Her name was Alianne Crow."