The Crow Targeting Me - Chapter 1: Marriage with the Raven

“El, tell me what you think.”

Elena found herself standing before the most significant decision of her life. Her eyes, often compared to the vibrant blue of the Jarte Sea, were clouded with deep worry as they stared down at her silk-clad feet. Finally, the princess broke the silence.

“Look up and meet my gaze.”

When Elena’s eyes met the princess’s, the usual playfulness had vanished, replaced by confusion and fear. A soft sigh escaped the princess’s lips.

Elena, the daughter of the Duke of Selum, was one of the princess’s handmaidens and had grown up with her as though they were sisters. The princess cherished Elena as dearly as her own flesh and blood. This made the predicament Elena was facing all the more heartbreaking.

“You must be feeling overwhelmed… But trust me. I swear on my name that this match is far better than becoming my brother’s concubine.”

Hearing this, Elena’s expression darkened slightly. The crown prince wanted her—not as his wife, but as his mistress. The prince was already married and had a crown princess by his side.

The southern part of the empire, where the capital was located, had a reputation—generously put—as a region that embraced indulgence in romantic pleasures. Put less charitably, it was a place rife with licentiousness. It wasn’t uncommon for people to have official spouses while keeping mistresses.

The Selum Duchy, however, where Elena had been born and raised, was an exception to this norm. Her father had remained devoted only to her mother, and Elena, too, had grown up dreaming of a loving, monogamous marriage like her parents’.

And now she was being asked to become the crown prince’s mistress? Naturally, the very idea repulsed her.

“How could I possibly doubt you, Your Highness?”

Despite Elena’s heartfelt words, the princess merely smiled warmly, as if Elena’s sincerity were endearing. The princess’s familiar smile had a way of melting Elena’s tension. She knew from long experience that the princess would never put her in harm’s way. Reassured, she finally asked:

“Who do you wish to arrange my marriage with, Your Highness?”

“With the Grand Duke of Barsian in the north.”

The Grand Duke of Barsian in the north. The one called the King of Ravens. Elena’s thoughts went blank for a moment. Noticing her reaction, the princess nodded in understanding.

“The tragic incident with the previous Grand Duke and his wife… It’s truly unfortunate. I’m well aware that because of it, the northerners harbor resentment toward us. That’s why the choice is entirely yours to make.”

Elena bit down gently on the inside of her cheek. As if reading her inner turmoil, the princess added:

“Fortunately, I hear that northern men only take one woman as their wife for life. In fact, it’s not unheard of for one woman to have multiple husbands there. I suppose they don’t have much choice, given how rare women are in the north.”

Even if Elena were to marry a nobleman from the capital, there was no escaping the crown prince’s grasp. He didn’t care whether or not she was married—he only wanted to possess her body. As long as she remained in the capital, he would never give up on her.

In truth, Elena had no choice.

“El, have you made up your mind?”

“Yes,” Elena answered.

“I will take the Grand Duke of Barsian as my husband.”

The princess swiftly granted Elena’s request.

Now seated in a carriage heading north for her marriage to the Grand Duke of Barsian, Elena gazed out the window in awe.

“Nanny, look at all that snow piled up so beautifully!”

“My goodness, young lady! What will you do if you catch a cold?”

The nanny, quickly shutting the carriage window, grumbled nonstop.

“I always thought I’d be born, live, and die in the south. But now, the north? Oh, young lady…”

Elena could sympathize with her nanny’s complaints about traveling to the frigid, snow-covered northern lands, infamous for their eternal winters. But after listening to the same lamentations for over two weeks in the carriage, she’d run out of comforting words to offer. She gave a weak smile.

“The north can’t be all bad. People live there too, so it can’t be that different.”

“I really don’t understand what possessed you to agree to this marriage, young lady.”

The nanny shook her head in exasperation. She dared not blame the emperor or Duke of Selum, who had arranged the marriage, but her frustration was evident.

Elena, however, let her nanny remain in the dark. If the real reason became known, the old woman would surely forget her age, fly into a rage, and shout until she exhausted herself.

The crown prince desired Elena—not out of love, but because she was the one woman on the continent he had failed to conquer. Elena was convinced he viewed her as no more than a trophy, a jewel to add to his collection.

She wanted to refuse him outright. But even the mighty Selum Dukedom, famed for its influence and power, was helpless before the imperial family. After all, the source of the dukedom’s authority was the imperial court itself.

It was at this critical juncture that the princess intervened. Standing before the emperor, she made her plea:

“For decades, the north has served as a fortress, holding back the barbarian hordes from across the sea. Surely Your Majesty has not forgotten the fierce Battle of Hezenso just seven years ago? And yet, how has our court treated them? A starving dog will not recognize its master and may bite them in desperation. If we wish to ensure the continued loyalty of the north, we must cease neglecting them and instead provide appropriate rewards to appease them.”

The princess’s words carried more weight than those of the crown prince, who had scandalously intended to take a mistress less than a year after his marriage. Moreover, the emperor, who had grown more benevolent with age, seemed to feel sympathy for the neglected crown princess.

Eventually, the emperor approved Elena’s marriage while the crown prince was away on a hunting trip. Without delay, he sent her off to the north, along with a generous dowry of grain, treasures, and other gifts.

Everything had unfolded so hastily that Elena barely had time to bid farewell to her beloved friends.

“From now on, I’ll have to think of the north as my home…”

Elena’s murmured words were a promise to herself. Perhaps sensing her resolve, the usually talkative nanny refrained from commenting for once.

Just then, the carriage came to an abrupt halt, leaving both Elena and her nanny looking puzzled. They had already stopped for a break not long before, so it was unlikely the halt was for rest.

“Could it be bandits?”

“If it were, it wouldn’t be this quiet.”

Elena responded calmly to the frightened nanny’s question.

“I’ll step out and see what’s going on. Stay here, young lady.”

“There’s no need for that.”

Before the nanny could take action, Elena rapped on the carriage window with her hand. Sir Jace, who had been riding alongside the carriage, approached immediately. Elena opened the window.

“Your orders, my lady?”

“Why has the carriage stopped?”

“We’ve encountered knights from the north on the road.”

Knights from the north. Elena silently repeated the words to herself before making a decision.

“I’ll step outside.”

With the assistance of one of the waiting guards, Elena disembarked from the carriage.

“I greet the lady of the House of Selum. I am Arthur, captain of the Barsian knights.”

Upon seeing Elena, Sir Arthur knelt on one knee in a respectful bow. Elena’s gaze shifted to the raven perched on his shoulder, then to the jet-black raven insignia engraved on his breastplate. She responded with a slight nod and a polite smile.

Even without the introduction, anyone—child or adult—would recognize these infamous northern “Ravens.”

“Please rise. Have you come to escort us?”

“Please lower your words, my lady. You are to be our mistress, after all.”

Elena offered no reply and only smiled faintly. Rising to his feet, Sir Arthur studied her reaction briefly before continuing.

“By the Grand Duke of Barsian’s command, we will take over your escort from here onward.”

“I cannot accept this.”

Sir Lanchester, who was in charge of the current procession, voiced his strong objection. If the northern knights were merely joining the escort, he would not have protested so vehemently.

Elena, guessing the true reason for his resistance, extended her hand toward him. He promptly handed over a document bearing an official seal. As Elena read through its contents, her expression hardened.

After returning the paper to Sir Lanchester, she turned to Sir Arthur and asked, “Are you certain I am the only one allowed to pass through the north?”

“Yes, my lady,” Arthur replied without a hint of hesitation.

The Grand Duke of Barsian, it seemed, intended to strip Elena of her support even before she set foot in the north. A faint frown crossed her brow.

“My lady, there is no reason for you to blindly follow this man’s orders,” Sir Lanchester protested. “We will accompany you all the way to the north.”

“The Grand Duke of Barsian would not take kindly to unauthorized knights setting foot in his territory,” Sir Arthur countered, his tone firm.

The tension between the two knights was palpable. After a brief moment of thought, Elena stepped in to mediate.

“Lanchester, I am now one of Barsian’s people. I must obey the Grand Duke’s commands.”

“My lady!”

“Take the knights back with you. Please look after my nanny as well.”

Sir Lanchester looked devastated, as though she were marching straight into a den of evil. Her nanny, who had been eavesdropping behind the carriage door, appeared no less distraught.

“Young lady! What are you saying? You’re going to travel that long, dangerous road alone? Who will care for you without your nanny by your side?”

“The Grand Duke of Barsian has generously arranged for attendants to serve her ladyship,” Sir Arthur declared loudly, as if to reassure everyone.

Elena, however, could only think bitterly of how “generous” the Grand Duke had been—he had even sent a flock of ravens, circling ominously above their heads as if to intimidate.

Her nanny, now sitting on the ground, sobbed uncontrollably. Elena shot Sir Arthur a look that was a mix of playful reproach and irritation. Sensing her displeasure, he wisely stepped away.

With the help of Sir Jace, Elena helped her nanny to her feet.

“Don’t worry about me,” Elena said softly. “Besides, you were the one saying just a moment ago that you didn’t want to leave the capital.”

“But I never meant to return to the capital without you!”

Elena’s heart ached at the thought of parting with her nanny. But instead of shedding tears, she hugged her tightly.

“Please, for my sake, don’t cry,” she whispered.

Realizing that Elena herself was holding back tears, her nanny quickly wiped her own away.

“At least your wish will come true,” Elena added with a faint smile. “You’ll be able to live and rest in the south, just as you’ve always wanted.”

Her nanny had often said her lifelong dream was to be born, live, and die in the south. But now, shaking her head, she muttered, “It’s all my fault for foolishly wishing such things. Because of me, you… How will you survive in such a harsh place, all alone?”

“I’ll be fine. It’s you who wouldn’t last a week in the north,” Elena replied, patting her nanny’s back.

As Elena comforted her, she noticed Sir Arthur approaching, ready for departure.

“Send me letters when you return to the capital,” Elena told her nanny.

The older woman promised repeatedly, tears streaming down her face, that she would.

“Please board the carriage we’ve prepared for you,” Sir Arthur said.

Following his lead, Elena turned to look back one last time. Behind her lay her home, her people, and everything she held dear. Turning away from it all, she stepped into the carriage provided by the Grand Duke of Barsian.

Before closing the door, Sir Arthur removed his thick cloak and offered it to her.

“Take this, my lady. The weather in the north is far harsher than you might imagine.”

“What about you?” she asked.

“I am a northerner, my lady. You needn’t worry about me.”

When she accepted the cloak, he gave her a polite bow before shutting the door.

Left alone in the carriage, a single tear rolled down Elena’s cheek.