Tales of the Ice Harpy from Glacia

For her part, Rook was sitting on Karla's bed, squished up in a corner as far away from Raven as she could possibly get while remaining in the same room. She was clutching tightly to a pillow, whether she intended to use it as a shield or a possible weapon was unclear.

"She--she is awful, Maman," Rook said in a shaking voice. "Evil. She has done such things--such horrible things. To you, to me, to Step-father. You have told me my whole life that I must not let her catch me or she will take me away forever."

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After making sure someone had an eye on Elizabeth (and not realizing she would promptly start teleporting around the island), Raven made her way down to Karla's room. She had no idea why Rook was so terrified of her, but she had a really bad feeling about it.

She knocked hesitantly at the door.

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Karla opened it and waved Raven to a chair, giving her friend a quick hug. From what she'd gotten from Rook so far, she expected Raven would need it. And probably a few more. "I've made us some lavender and chamomile tea," she said, pressing a mug into Raven's hands. "Soothing."

Taking another mug, she sat back down on her bed, wrapping her arm around Rook, who promptly buried her face in Karla's shoulder, only looking at Raven occasionally to glare.

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Raven accepted the mug, letting it warm her hands because they felt very cold for some reason. She settled on the edge of Gabrielle's bed, keeping her distance from Rook to try not to frighten her. "I do not understand," she said. "What is going on?"

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Karla nudged Rook a little bit. "C'mon, sweetheart. Please tell us what's going on. You have us both very concerned. You said Raven is your mother? How?"

Lowering her voice a little, she added, "You have nothing to fear. I'll protect you, I promise. You have nothing to fear from her; she's a good person. Even so, she has to get through me to get to you and that will never happen. I promise."

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Rook was still trembling, but she pulled away slightly, talking to her lap. "I do not know everything," she said quietly. "Neither Maman nor Step-Father like to speak of it. I only know what I have glimpsed from Maman's dreams sometimes. She has nightmares of it often. Especially now that Step-Father is gone and she has been....injured." Rook darted a quick glance in Karla's direction, hoping she wouldn't notice--or, at least, challenge--that slight evasion.

"It was Maman's and Step-Father's wedding day," she continued, voice hardening as she looked up to glare at Raven again. "And then you showed up and ruined everything. As you always do. You sent people to kill Step-Father and you grabbed Maman and you kissed her, implanting me inside Maman's womb."

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What.

"No," Raven said, shaking her head. That wasn't possibly, it had to be some sort of story or a nightmare Rook herself had had.

"I am certain I would be pleased to see Karla and Warren wed someday," she protested, the sick feeling in her stomach becoming worse. "I would never interrupt such a joyous day." Especially by impregnating Karla with a kiss.

What.

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Karla was all aflail. She knew that she and Warren were married in Rook's future, but hearing about their wedding day just made that seem much more immediate. And then to hear about one of her best friends to ruin that day and then...impregnate her with a kiss?

"Darling, are you certain of this?"

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Rook nodded. "Maman dreams of this frequently," she said. "Always the same dream. For years now. Down to saying the same exact things. And my birthday is nine months after their wedding. I am not Step-Father's child."

She gave Raven a hard look. "I am your get, Mother. Maman has always been very clear that I am yours. At the same time she tells me to keep far away from you. You are a danger! To me and to Maman and to everyone else!"

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"No, no, no," Raven said, but the memory of the costumed boy on the roof who had told her she'd interrupted his brother's wedding came to mind, and her heart almost seemed to stop.

"I am not that same Raven," she said, standing up and taking a step toward Karla's bed, wanting to reassure Rook as much as herself. "That was not me. I would never do such a thing, I swear."

She'd been so scared her dark side wasn't vanquished with her father. And now she knew she'd been right to be worried.

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As Raven took that step closer, Rook squealed and tried to burrow behind Karla. Her fear was very real, arcing out from her in waves. An Ebon-gray shield shot up encasing Karla and Rook both.

"She cannot get us, Maman," Rook babbled. "The shield will keep us safe."

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Pardon Karla for a moment. She was just going to marvel at the shield, reaching out to touch it. It was hers. It felt like her, like her own Craft. But so much more than she had access to right now.

"I--your Maman made this for you?" she asked. It hadn't faded to invisibility like her shields usually did, but instead a kind of hazy translucence that pulsed ever few seconds, sending out a beacon of Craft.

Way to stay focused on what's important Karla.

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Rook nodded, pulling out a small pendant. She didn't have a Jewel like the others did--she didn't even have proper Craft--but her Maman had created a special necklace for her to wear, with an Ebon-gray chip set inside.

"You made this for me after she tried to snatch me away one time," Rook explained. "You knew my dreams could leave me vulnerable, so you made me a dreamscape to play in, whenever I went to sleep, Maman. But Mother found her way inside. Called me a cuckoo, said that I was the reason that you and Step-Father could never have the children you wanted." Rook drooped a bit; looking guilty. "So I tried to run away and Mother was waiting. But then Step-Father flew up to get me back. He and Mother quarreled, but he took me away and brought me home to you, Maman. And so you made me this necklace so I could always be safe."

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Raven sank down to the floor between the beds, sitting back on her heels. "I am sorry, Rook," she murmured. "I am sorry that this is the Raven you have come to know, and for all that she has done to you and your Maman and Step-Father. But I swear to you, I am not she, nor do I ever wish to be. Is there anything I can do to prove this to you?"

It was hard to hold on to any hope that there was, though. Her fear was so strong, and to know that somehow she was the cause made Raven want to run away and throw up.

Edited Date: 2011-02-14 08:12 pm (UTC)

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"Take the shield down, Rook," Karla commanded gently. It was odd, being inside a shield of her own Craft that she couldn't control or break free of.

She sent a pulse of love and comfort Raven's way, an empathic hug since she couldn't let go of Rook to do so. It would be cruel to the little girl to do that.

"You must listed to your mo--to Raven," she continued. "This is not the woman you have feared your whole life. She is my friend and a good person. She loves me and your Step-Father very, very much. She's a Healer and a protector. She would never, ever hurt you or anyone you love."

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Rook watched Raven distrustfully for another minute and then reluctantly brought down the shield. "If she loves him so much, why did she take him away?" she muttered. "She sends you a bouquet of feathers sometimes. She says she will give him back if you give me to her, but you refuse. She is not good, Maman. She is evil."

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"Do you possess powers like mine?" Raven asked carefully. "Are you able to sense the emotions of others?"

She let her shields drop completely, hiding nothing from the child if she chose to look. All of it, her horror at what her other self had done, her fear that she would ever do the same, her deep affection for Karla (and, well, her stunning inescapable awkwardness with Warren), was there for her to see.

"Look at me, Rook," she said. "Tell me what you feel."

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"Maman says I am not supposed to speak of what I can do," Rook said. "She says if you knew what I am capable of, you would redouble your efforts to get to me. I must never use my abilities where others may see."

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"This Maman says you may," Karla said quietly. "In fact, I am asking you to. Whatever the Raven in your home is like, this is not the same one. She will never become the mother you so fear. I won't let her. But you must understand that no matter what the future may hold for all of us, this Raven is not the one you know. And the things you say are hurting her, because she loves us both very much."

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Rook was troubled but she trusted her Maman more than anything in the whole world. So, trembling, she leaned forward and met Raven's eyes for the first time.

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Raven looked back, almost afraid of what she'd find. But she drew in a surprised breath, her eyes growing wider. Much like Karla had felt the link to the magic of the Ebon-gray shield Rook had created, Raven felt a connection to this girl, but something much deeper than magic. In her eyes she saw her own soul.

"Karla," she said, tearing her gaze away to look at her friend. "She is me."

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"Nooooo!" Rook howled tearing herself away and diving behind Karla. "Not! Not! Not! Not! Not! Not! Not! I am not evil! I am myself and no one else!"

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Karla grabbed for her, pulling the little girl into her lap and holding her close. "Shhh, shhh," she said, rocking gently. "It's okay, little love. I'm here. I'm here."

And fixing Raven with a 'No, seriously, wtf?!?'expression.

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Her shields were still down, so Raven tried to think back to her to spare traumatizing Rook even more. Her thought were tinted with guilt for that. No, nothing evil, I did not feel that. It is not a sense of being related to me, though there is that, too. Within her is my soul...like the Ramat Stone.

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