Tales of the Ice Harpy from Glacia

"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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*How is that even possible?!*

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She said I -- this other Raven -- implanted her within you. But I do not understand why she would do such a thing if she were evil. You are truly someone I would entrust with my soul, but to place it within you as an act of violence...I could never do that.

She looked at Rook, her heart aching to comfort the girl, but she didn't dare move closer.

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*So Rook is kind of...one giant, living, breathing Ramat Stone?* Karla was having a hard time wrapping her mind around that concept. *But she's...also a little girl! She's not a miniature you! She doesn't look like you or sound like you. She's her own person, isn't she?*

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Raven was struggling with the concept as well. I think so. She has her own soul. But there is a piece of me as well, pure and untainted.

But why would she force that within Karla and then try to take the results back?

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*But why...?* Karla's thoughts were a mirror to Raven's, yes. *Okay, so...Rook is like a miniature Ramat stone, yes? Why did you give me mine?* she asked, darting a look towards her jewelry box.

Though her thoughts were elsewhere, her arms were still wrapped around her--their--daughter, whispering words and endearments to her. "Don't cry, my love. It's all right. Maman's here."

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So if something happened to me, if I became overcome by evil again, you could find me and use it to restore me. Raven's brow furrowed. But I did that now, when I am in control, as a precaution. If I were evil, I would not wish to give you that power. Unless she somehow did not know that was what she was doing.

Oh, canon, you so wacky.

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*Or maybe she wasn't entirely evil?* Karla asked, feeling like she was groping for metaphorical straws. *She still had the part of her that was good enough for the Ramat Stone, right? Maybe the good part was in control long enough to give it to me because she knew I'd protect Rook? And now there's nothing left but evil?*

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Perhaps, Raven thought, gnawing on her lower lip. Though if it was in control, I do not think she would allow herself to hurt you as she did.

She shook her head, rubbing her temple. None of this made any sense.

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"Maman?" Rook poked her head back up. "I am scared. I do not wish to have more of her in me than necessary."

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"Rook, darling, you must understand. This Raven is not evil."

Karla thought for a moment and called in her jewelry box, glancing up to Raven for permission before looking back down and sifting through items for a small red stone.

"Take this, Rook," Karla said, holding the stone out for the child. "Tell me what you feel when you touch it."

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Giving the stone a curious look, Rook did as she was bid, picking up the gemstone and examining it. "It is not a Jewel," she said quietly. "But it feels...familiar. Warm. Gentle. More than anything, I sense a deep love and an abiding trust. It makes me happy when I hold it. Maman, what is this?"

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Karla's smile was directed towards Raven even as she answered her daughter's question.

"It's a shard of Raven's soul," she replied. "This Raven. All that love and trust and gentleness you feel? Comes from her. That's what Raven means, when she says you have a part of her inside you. Something very much like that stone, made of love and goodness."

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"I do not know what has happened to the Raven of your world," Raven said gently, remaining where she was so as to not spook Rook again. "But it feels that creating you within your Maman was not an act of evil. There was some goodness in her, and she gave that part to your Maman to protect and hold safe. She could not stop the dark part of her from doing what she did, but she could do that much."

She hoped they were understanding this correctly. Nothing else made sense.

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"That's not what Maman thinks," Rook said stubbornly. "She has never said anything about me having part of Mother within me."

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"I'm willing to bet she doesn't know," Karla said thoughtfully. "It's not like evil Raven would have told her. And I'll bet she's never allowed you mother to get close enough to you to see."

She tilted Rook's chin up to look into the girl's eyes. "You're her daughter. She loves you very, very much. She had to fight her own body's instinctive response to your conception to keep you. She'll do anything she can to protect you and keep you safe. I know that for a fact."

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"That is likely why I -- why she wants to get you back so desperately," Raven said. To destroy her, she added for Karla alone. Just like she'd told Karla that if she'd turned evil again, she'd want to destroy the Ramat Stones if she'd known about them.

And if Rook were killed, there might be little they could do to stop her evil self.

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Karla's arms tightened around her daughter. *Not gonna happen,* she returned flatly. "But your Maman will never her get you," she said aloud. "You're just as much hers are you are your mother's. More, even."

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"Perhaps I can stay here then," Rook said. "Far away, somewhere mother can never find me. And maybe then, mother will see Maman does not have me anymore and she will relent and return Step-Father. And perhaps even Heal Maman's legs so she is not so sick anymore! Aunt Jaenelle is trying, but there is not much more she can do."

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