A retelling of the Grimm Brothers' The Raven. Chapters will not be long, but I hope the update dates will make up for it. Hope everyone enjoys; reviews, critiques and such are greatly appreciated. :)

Neither Teen Titans nor The Raven is mine, I disclaim.

Scarcely had she spoken the words before the child was changed into a raven and flew from her arms out of the window. It flew into the dark forest, and stayed in it a long time, and the parents heard nothing of their child. – The Raven, the Brothers Grimm

The forest is quiet tonight, he thought, and went on polishing his sword. I might be able to rest here for the night. It seems safe enough.

He held the newly-polished sword up to the moonlight, and when its gleam satisfied him, he sheathed it again, and mounted his steed. "Let us find shelter for tonight, friend."

Caw, caw. Croak, rustle.

"Do you hear that, Mahogany?" The stallion just grunted in reply. Out of curiosity, Richard followed the sound, though Mahogany occasionally whinnied in protest and unconcealed fear – the forest only grew darker and more sinister towards its heart.

Stranger still was the source of the sound. A sleek black raven, perched on a particularly shadowed tree on its smallest branch, the bird made hitched sounds, its caw stopped before it was fully uttered. It would have been quite funny, as it almost sounded as if it were continually sneezing, but for the solemn air it carried about.

It was only then that Richard realized that the large black bird, larger than the norm (it could have been the size of a bald eagle), was actually crying.

Now more intrigued than ever – for who had ever heard of a crying crow, or raven, or whatever it was? – he spoke to the raven, not really expecting an answer, "Sorrows burden even the happiest of men, I gather."

And so he was very well beyond surprised when it answered, in its raspy, withered voice, "You do not have the slightest idea. I cry for others, and not for myself."

Thunderstruck, he looked at the fowl, expecting himself to wake up at any moment, but asked, "What are you?" Suddenly he had a terrible idea, and withdrew his sword out at once. "A demon disguised, or are you not?"

Caw. "I am not a demon," the raven said, seeming greatly offended, but grave, and he could swear that there was a hidden meaning in the sentence. "Alas, Fate has not been on my side, but she never has been." It locked its shining, onyx eyes, with deep intelligence, onto his face. "Should it benefit you, a cursed priestess' daughter is what I am. I have been waiting for years for someone to help me break the curse, but never has anyone approached me – until now."

Richard perceived that to really be a question as to whether he'd help her or not, and he could feel that the raven was telling the truth. He answered, quite sincerely, "I would help if only you showed me how."

The raven stared hard at him for a few moments, and then realigned its head to watch the sky. "…No matter. I have foreseen that you would fail."

He was even more surprised, but did not let it show. There was also a new determination, and although he did not understand why it appeared nor cared how, it felt strange. "I will still help," he insisted. "Please let me. Now what am I to do?"

The bird, looking greatly surprised at his declaration, snapped its head back toward his direction. "If you insist, I do not have any other choice but tell you; but do be careful, because I certainly wouldn't like your life at stake." It cocked its head to the side, and straightened again. "There is a house, not far from here. An elderly lady lives there, who will almost certainly offer you food and drinks, but you shouldn't – you shouldn't, you hear me? – accept any of it from her, for even a drop of the drink or a taste of the food will lull you into sleep, and you won't be able to help me. Behind this house, there is a small hill, on which you must stand on and wait for me. I will come, every afternoon as the clock strikes two, for three days. You will know it is me from my horses; on the first day, they will be white, the second, chestnut brown, but the third time, they will be black steeds. However, if you fall asleep, I won't be able to be set free."

Again, the bird looked up, and, in a resigned tone, added, "But I know already that you will take something from the woman, and fall asleep."

Richard shook his head vigorously. "I won't," he promised. "If it means that your freedom is at stake, I won't touch a thing that lady will offer me."