RETURN OF THE CRIMSON CROW

The Crimson Crow made an appearance this weekend after possessed sorcerers attempted an attack on the small farming town of Adel. Staying true to her promise to protect the Great Plains from harm when she was released last fall, the Crimson Crow, also known as Holly Damus, swooped in to save the day.

The attempted attack was headed by Otto Prakash, Dean of the Study of Sorcerers and Magicians at the University of Connecticut and a recent affiliate of Military Commander Hank Furrow.

Prakash, over the last few years, had managed to illegally take control of sorcerers' stones and manipulate their power, controlling both their minds and magic. Furrow and Prakash had agreed to test out the magic Prakash had been working on in the vacant farmland just outside of Adel. The two men were allegedly trying to test the limits of such magic just outside of Adel for possible military integration, which the Great Plains' military has yet to confirm.

Unfortunately, it seems, the controlling magic drove the sorcerers insane, causing them to burn and destroy the surroundings in a frenzy. The Crimson Crow, who allegedly flew in and intervened to save the small town, is now being regarded as a hero by locals.

This incident led to a falling out between Furrow and Prakash, with Prakash stealing Furrow's gun and shooting him in the chest, killing him instantly.

Robert Nakoda, a local fur trapper in the area, managed to witness the whole incident, as he had been in the woods checking his traps that afternoon when the incident occurred.

"It was crazy," Nakoda told reporters. "I couldn't tell who was more crazed, the possessed sorcerers or the man who controlled them."

Prakash denies all claims against him, instead blaming Nakoda for killing Furrow. However, all the sorcerers who have been set free from the brainwashing magic confirm Nakoda's claim of Prakash stealing and controlling their heart stones, with several set to stand trial next Friday as witnesses.

" [Prakash] had changed recently," Prakash's brother, Robin Prakash, told reporters. "When he first came to visit Adel, the way he behaved was almost unrecognizable. We had to kick him out of the house and tell him to stay at a local inn, because he was acting so strangely."

Otto Prakash had come into the small farm town a few weeks before the attack, visiting his brother, the local doctor, and his new fiancée at their home in—

__________________

"Fiancée?!" Doctor Don yelled over the dull chatter of the Deadwood Tavern, causing Robin to choke on his whiskey, a few patrons turning to blink at the startled doctor in confusion.

Adel's two doctors were enjoying a few drinks after a quick day of making rounds together at the Deadwood Tavern's bar. A quiet had settled over them as Doctor Don began reading the daily newspaper he had picked up on the way in, eager to read the report on the 'most exciting thing to happen in Adel after the bell tower that was built only 30 years ago,' as so many locals giddily claimed. However, the silence was very abruptly broken by the old man's outburst.

"Oh... d-did they put that in there—" Robin murmured with a nervous laugh.

"We've been talking all day, and you didn't think to bring this up once?" the old man shouted accusingly, his face turning red, hurt and betrayal spreading across his wrinkled features. "I don't know what hurts more, boy—the fact you didn't tell me, or the fact you didn't take up my offer to help with any preparations."

"Well," Robin started, humiliation rushing to his cheeks, "I-I didn't say anything because technically, it's not true... I didn't ask her, yet."

"What?" Don cried, his voice rising, causing even more curious glances to turn their way.

"I just said that to the press so that people would—um, you know... better understand our relationship and not misjudge either of our characters."

"What?" Don repeated once again, in the same way he had before, his shock only deepening. "Boy, you shouldn't worry about other people's 'better understanding'... You should worry more about one woman's misunderstanding."

Robin scoffed and shook his head, but a bit of worry began to grow in his chest. "And what is that supposed to mean?"

"She's gonna read this and see you called her your fiancée without a ring on her finger! What kind of proposal would that be?"

"I think it's a great proposal," Miss Jackie interrupted, passing through the swing doors that led to the kitchen behind the bar. "How romantic is it to be proposed to via printing press? Robin's practically confessing his love to her for the whole world."

Robin felt heat rise to his face at that statement... it hadn't been his intention to have that news article be his proposal. He just said it offhandedly as he thought it would be easier for them to understand his living situation if Robin were living here with his fiancée. He also thought it might help protect his own innocence, should others claim he was a part of Otto's schemes, as Robin had initially come to Adel in search of his brother, who had not arrived yet. He honestly hadn't expected the press to add it into the article at all.

"Well, there is no need to worry about whether or not it's a proposal," Robin argued with a shrug, pushing his whiskey glass forward to invite Miss Jackie to pour him another round. "Holly never reads any mail or news that arrives at our door. She won't even know I said it."

Miss Jackie let out a knowing hum and raised a knowing brow at Robin, throwing him a mischievous smirk.

"Oh? So certain of that, pretty boy?" Miss Jackie mused as she leaned over the wooden counter, her rings knocking against the wood as she drummed her fingers on the bar. "Isn't it grand, then, that she stopped in here this morning and I handed her a copy personally? Watched her as she read the whole thing."

Robin felt his stomach drop to the floor.

His face must have shown it too, as Miss Jackie burst out laughing, slamming her fists on the counter as she hunched over in her wicked joy. Doctor Don let out a few disbelieving chuckles too, quickly glancing between Miss Jackie and Robin, as if wondering whose side to be on in this situation.

"I couldn't let that little lover girl get away with being proposed to and not telling me," Miss Jackie said, wiping away tears. "Little did I know, she wasn't told either."

"Wh—Did... Well, did she—How—" Robin quickly floundered, his heart racing as he ran his hands through his hair. His mind racing, suddenly uncertain about what he was to do now, uncertain as to how Holly might have reacted to being labeled his fiancée without her consent.

For him, Robin knew he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. Whether she wanted the same, he wasn't sure, but Robin was okay with waiting his whole life just to find out, as long as that time was spent by her side. Over the last few days, he could barely pull himself away from her, trying to spend any moment he could in her presence, and from what he could tell, Holly seemed to feel the same way with him.

This was the first day they had decided to go separate ways, and Robin had done so very unwillingly, but Holly had some orders in the shop that were scheduled to be picked up, so he reluctantly joined Doctor Don for the day. He and Don had finished early, which led to them grabbing drinks, as Holly's shop wouldn't close for another two hours, and Robin knew he would be very unhelpful to her should he decide to show up to her shop before closing.

"She seemed very flustered, that's all I can tell you. A very happy flustered," Miss Jackie hinted, giving him a wink. "But it seems you will have to go find her to get any further information on how she is feeling," she added, tossing a bar rag over her shoulder before swiping the glass he had pushed towards her. Setting it with the other dirty glasses, as he began gesturing towards the Deadwood Tavern's swing door.

Robin blinked at her, panic filling his veins. His head was a mess of jumbled thoughts as he tried to come up with a plan.

"Do you even have a ring, son?" Don asked hesitantly, his whiskery brows raised in worry.

"No..."

Doctor Don hummed and nodded. "Well, I could have helped you out with that if you had let me know earlier," Don muttered, jaded, and giving Robin a sideways glare, "but honestly, by now Holly's probably made herself a ring."

Robin's stomach somehow managed to drop lower.

Doctor Don chuckled, taking a drink of his beer. "Now, hurry up and get out of here. I better see a ring on both your fingers tomorrow, whether she has to make them or not, or I'll ship you back to Kingsbury myself."

Robin blinked at the old man's threat, stumbling to his feet.

"Wha—What do I say to her?" Robin stammered as he backed away from the bar.

Don raised his brows again as his aged skin folded in a teasing grin.

"Well... do you love her?"

"Of course."

"Then just tell her that," Don said with a small chuckle. "Tell her that, and don't stop proving to her just how much you mean it."

"Okay..." Robin mumbled, making up his mind to find her and do as Don suggested, as he turned on his heels to dash out the door. "Okay. I will."

Robin rushed through the wooden swing doors of the tavern and darted down the alley, quickly turning into the dusty side street that led into Adel's main square.

From where he stood, Robin could see Miss Ivy's Fashion and Jewels, where the small shop sat on the opposite side of the square.

Robin jogged across the courthouse's park and the brick roads that surrounded it, hurriedly pulling on the jewelry store's door once he made it to the shop, only to find it locked.

Robin cursed under his breath as he pressed his face against the glass, peering through the windows, and trying to make out Holly's form in the darkness of the shop, but he saw nothing. Even Sugar Cookie's bed in the corner behind the counter was vacant.

Robin let out an exasperated breath and ran his hands through his hair. For a moment, he felt a brief feeling of relief, as no complete plan on what he would say should he have found her, let alone interrupted an important conversation with a customer. 

The toll of the bell on the bell tower interrupted his thoughts, announcing the hour. A softer, higher bell sounded in the distance, announcing the arrival of the trolley at its stop at the town hall.

Quickly turning on his heel, Robin jogged back across the brick road to the front of the courthouse, joining the small crowd of other patrons waiting for the four o'clock trolley.

One of the patrons shot him a glare as he approached. Robin immediately recognized her as the trolley's cranky old lady, the one Holly had once warned him about when the three of them had gotten pear tarts from the side of the road. Robin did his best to give the woman a polite nod, but she arrogantly turned her nose up at him, crossing her arms and turning away to push her way to the front of the crowd as the trolley approached. Casting Robin one last glare as she ascended the trolley steps.

"Good afternoon, Robin," the old conductor, Kalavee, cheerfully greeted as it was Robin's turn to board the car. "I regret to inform you," he continued, lowering his voice and casting a glance at the grumpy old woman who had seated herself at the front, "but I will not be able to take any unauthorized stops today for Sunshine Acres."

"Ah," Robin mumbled, stealing a glance at the old woman, who seemed to be glaring at him with pride, satisfied with what she must view as a victory. "No worries then... I'll jump."

Kalavee chuckled at Robin's suggestion, hitting him in the arm. "What a match you two are, huh?" Kalavee mused, a gleeful smile spreading across his face. "And to think, I was the one to deliver you to her door... I can't help but feel like I was the one who set you two up," Kalavee said proudly.

Robin wasn't sure that was quite true, but didn't feel like it was appropriate to correct him.

"Congratulations, by the way," Kalavee continued. "I was thinking of knitting you both some matching caps as a wedding present."

Robin chuckled at the old man's offer. Kalavee had yet to knit Robin a 'Great Plains hat', as he had once claimed he would, so Robin wasn't quite sure if he meant what he said with this wedding gift as well.

"That would be very kind of you, Kalavee," Robin replied, patting the old man on the shoulder. "Just don't be surprised if Jo comes asking for one too. She hates being left out."

Kalavee let out a joyful chuckle. "Of course, might as well make one for Sugar Cookie too while I'm at it.... Just don't plan the wedding too soon, okay?" he added with a wink.

"Well, I'll see what I can do, I'm not the one who will decide when this wedding will be," Robin replied nervously with a shake of his head. Giving Kalavee a grateful smile as he turned and made his way to the back of the trolley, somehow feeling more nervous to reach Sunshine Acres this afternoon than he had been his first time, many months ago

Author's Note:

~Hi Ya'll! ~

This is part one of the epilogue, because I got sick and wasn't able to edit it all to post today... so part two will come out next Wednesday! Sorry for the inconvenience! Part two is going to be very enjoyable for the chapter 10 pond scene enjoyers, and I can't wait to share it with you. 

Side note: I hope you enjoyed seeing some of your favorite side characters~ It was fun to bring them all back for this :)