RAVENSONG

Brian L. Hayes

FOREWORD

Qissa – Pakistan’s first self-publishing platform has published almost 100 authors within last six (06) months of its inception. These short stories have been read over 50,000 times with an average reading time of five (05) minutes.

In this year, we not only joined hands with Telenor Pakistan but also secured 2500$ micro-grant to empower writers to generate theme-based stories on local issues to spread awareness.

The Stories Untold  –  Season  2’s theme was ‘A War Within’ where we discussed how external pressures like peer pressure and family restrictions force youth to involve themselves in extremist activities which disrupt peace and harmony in society.

Explore the beautifully knitted, neatly crafted and skillfully weaved short stories which will change the way you think, act and respond to conflict.

Happy Reading!

Copyright © 2017 by Daastan

All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

Printed in Pakistan First Printing, 2017

Daastan Publications www.Daastan.com

ISBN 978-969-696-0065

Editor

Aimen Siddiqui

Book Cover Copyrights 

Waneeza Z.

SPONSORS

PARTNERS

Acknowledgements

I would like to acknowledge those who help make this story possible. First the wonderful people at Daastan and The Ancient Souls for sponsoring the competition. Second the wonderful members and readers at The Ancient Souls, Shades Below Poetry and International Writers and Poets Community for supporting and encouraging my writing. There are so many wonderful writers who have encouraged me that I want to thank, I won’t try to name all of you as I will probably leave one of you out, thank you all of you. Finally, and not lastly, I want to acknowledge Fatima Bukhari who got me writing on Facebook and had more confidence in me than I had in myself.

Dedication

I would like to take this space to remember my wife, Barbara MacLean, who has supported me through many difficult years, she is my rock. I also want to remember Suchitra Shetty and Mahnoor Naseer, two of the most loyal and supportive friends anyone could ever ask for, as well as talented and who encouraged me to write this story. Also, Aimen Siddiqui for her patient and valuable mentoring. Finally, you gentle readers for taking the time to read this.

This story made it to "Top 25" finalists of 'The Stories Untold - Season

1.

Gromli was conceived in a bout of fevered love making during a lunar eclipse. Nine months later to the cries of his mother, Seraya, he drew his first breath during the darkness of a solar eclipse. Gromli’s birth was not looked upon as a happy event by the elders of his village. His birth was seen as occurring in inauspicious times. The midwife muttered things after the birth about its strangeness.

The midwife seeing the raven shaped birthmark on his shoulder moaned “Oh child, poor child, you never deserved this.” He bore the mark of Hrafn, The Master of Shadows; the Trickster, the courier between the living and the dead; the one who with a roll of the die won a night with the Queen of Heaven; Hrafn, who could fulfill your wildest dreams but make you pay with your soul.; he had marked a child of the village. She went to the other women of the village moaning “The child is cursed. The Raven has marked him.

Woe,   his   mother   knows   not   but heartbreak.”

After his birth Gromli’s family was shunned, the other mothers no longer talked to his mother. The merchants were no longer friendly. The people kept coming to see his father as he was the only blacksmith in the village, but they were cold and wary where once they were warm and friendly. The other children were not allowed to play with Gromli growing up and would often gang up to tease him and call him names. However, his quick tongue would often leave them in tears instead, and angry, mothers then would descend on his house to complain about how he had made her “baby” cry. The son of the Mayor of the village in particular liked to tease Gromli thinking his standing made him immune to retaliation. One day Orley went up to Gromli and said, “You think you are something special because you bear the mark of the Raven,” he said tauntingly. He continued, “That means your mother slept with someone who would not marry her, just leave her pregnant with you.”