This is just a random idea I came up with one weekend that basically plagued my mind until I wrote it. It's a tribute to Rephaim's mom and it's so sad it almost moved me to tears. Besides how many of you have wondered HOW Rephaim's mom got pregnant. (Yes rape but I mean did Kalona just take her, did she go willingly or did her dad just say "here have her"). Well I was, (I always have been), curious so I decided to write this. I know I have a lot of work that needs to be done but still I felt like I need to write this. And it means a lot to me so..

R&R

Disclaimer: I do not own anything, all the names you will see I got off of Google and PC made Rephaim and Kalona for me.

Eternal blossom's love

By: Inquiete Nightshade

Rephaim was relaxing on the bed in their room. He had been thinking, he had been doing that a lot lately; thinking about his past, his choses, and his future. Today he thought about his mother. He didn't know much about her, Father never really talked about the women he raped. They were just simple objects to satiate his never ending lust and nothing more. And the tribe members never talked about her when he was around. He had only heard her name maybe once or perhaps twice. Her name is, or was, Aiyanna meaning Eternal blossom. It was a pretty name, a name that probably suit her well.

Unfortunately though that was the only thing he knew about his long dead mother. Though he wish he knew more, he wish he could have met her. But that was impossible; he had killed his mother when he had been brought into this world and wishing could not change that. Rephaim scowled out of all the crimes Rephaim has done in his life he believed that was the one he would never get redemption for. After all he had killed his mother. Ending her life before she had a chance to truly live; she probably hated him for it.

Stevie Rae told him that it wasn't his fault. She said that out of all of the things that he had done in his past that it wasn't his fault. "That was your daddy's doing Rephaim." She told him again and again. "Your daddy impregnated your momma not you. He's the one who raped her not you. You were just a baby; you didn't do that on purpose. Please Rephaim out of every bad thing that you did in your past that was not your fault. And I think if your momma was here she'd tell you that to."

Rephaim groaned, he loved Stevie Rae, he loved her with all his heart but this is one thing that he couldn't agree with her on. How could it not be his fault? How could she not hate him for what he did? He wished he could meet her so he could tell her how sorry he was. Rephaim put his head in between his knees and moaned. "Nyx I know I do not deserve this favor from you but please, please just let me speak with my mother. Let me just see her just this once. I will never ask for this again, I swear Nyx. Just let me speak with her just this one time."

That is not an unreasonable request my son. Nyx's smoothing voice echoed in his head. You may speak with your mother just this once. She even wishes to talk to you. She wants to explain something to you that I think you will want to hear. As Nyx finished her sentence there was a blinding flash of light, and when Rephaim looked up a beautiful Cherokee maiden sat near the edge of his bed smiling at him. "Mother?" he asked timidly. The woman smiled reassuringly and murmured softly. "Yes Rephaim I am your mother, Aiyanna."

Without thinking Rephaim buried his face into his mother's lap and sobbed. He kept blubbering "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, oh please forgive me I am sorry." Part of him realized he was acting like a small helpless child but at this point in time he couldn't care. He had always been self-reliant, never needing anyone. He had never really thought about what it would be like to have a mother; he never wished she was there. (Well besides recently anyway.) But all the sudden none of that mattered, all the sudden he was just a little boy who wanted his mother.

Aiyanna sighed in content and ran her fingers through his hair affectionately. "Oh my son, I have already long past forgiven you. In fact I am quite proud of you. Look at how far you've come! You have changed so much recently and come so far. How can I not be proud of you? Please Rephaim do not torment yourself with memories of the past. It is what you do from here that matters. And Stevie Rae is right my death was not your fault, Kalona is to blame for that, not you. In fact from the moment I learned of my pregnancy I have loved you very much. I was happy to bring you into this life. The only thing I regret is not being around to see you grow."

"How can you say that Mother?" he cried. "I have done so many terrible things in my life. So many people killed by my hand. How can you feel pride for a son who does nothing but bring pain? How can you not be ashamed of me Mother? How can you say you love me knowing what I am?" Aiyanna smiled sadly at her only child and spoke truthfully. "I have loved you from the beginning. I do not know why, call it faith, call it motherly protection I do not know. All I know, and all I care to know is that I love you fiercely and completely and I always will. Yes you have done horrible, unspeakable things in your time but you did not know better. You were just being a good son and doing what you were told. I know if I had raised you, you would have turned out so differently.

"And you have made so much progress in such a little time. You are sorry for your actions and you strive to mend them. You have fallen in love with a girl whose heart is so pure it has beckoned you into the Light." She paused, her eyes shining with love as she looked down at the boy she held in her arms. Then she said abruptly catching him by surprise. "Did anyone tell you anything about me Rephaim?"

Rephaim hesitated and then spoke truthfully. "No they did not Mother. No one in the tribe wished to speak about you near me. As if that would disrespect your spirit," he flinched, "and Father never really spoke much about the women he raped. He saw it a waste of time to bother with them. They were nothing but objects for his obsession nothing more. And I had never thought to ask." Aiyanna nodded thoughtfully and murmured, "Rephaim, my only son, I would like to show you my life. Well, that is, the part of my life when Kalona fell and wreaked havoc for the tribe; if you will let me."

Rephaim gasped and sat up that way he could look his mother in the eye. "Really you would let me? You would allow me to look upon your last days of life? Yes, I would like that very much, thank you Mother!" She tipped her head back and laughed joyfully. "All right then, let us begin. Shall we?" The air around them shivered and dissolved and the next thing Rephaim knew he was being hurtled into the past. Back eons ago, before even he was born.

…

Aiyanna paced back and forth in front of the entrance to a tent that lead outside. The tent was warm and was covered in furs and other assorted, meaningless things. She was restless, how could the tribe not see! Everyone praised Kalona and thought he was a gods-send. But not Aiyanna, she was not fooled by those gorgeous eyes and brilliant smile. Yet everyone seemed to fall to their knees at his presence, like he was a god to be worshipped not an intruder to ward off.

But Aiyanna knew what he was. And that was something not good at all, something full of Darkness and deceit. She wasn't quite sure what he was exactly but she knew that he was not the benevolent angel everyone thought he was. But no one would listen to her. No one believed Kalona was truly evil, and they all tried to shut her up as much as possible that way not to anger him.

At this moment her father, Bhim, Fearful, walked into the tent his face stern and full of anger. "Father what is that matter, is there something wrong?" Aiyanna asked warily. Who did Kalona hurt, what did he do to us now? "Where are the rest of your sisters" Bhim asked ignoring the question. "They are down by the stream, gathering water and picking food. Why have they done something wrong?" Father shook his head. "No, no nothing wrong, Kalona is in the mood for women and I told him that one of my own would be more than happy to…assist him."

Aiyanna's jaw dropped and she gasped. "What how could you say such a thing Father, to give your own daughters up to that…that demon like we're his whore, how can you permit that? What if we don't want to?" Bhim's face flushed with rage and he snapped. "Because if we please him our tribe stays happy; and all my other daughters seem to adore Kalona! It seems you are the only one that can't stand him, the gods only know why!" Aiyanna screamed, "Because he is evil! How anyone else in this tribe cannot see that I do not know! And my sisters would love to bed him because they are shallow women who fall for every pretty face and charming smile! But that does not mean you can take advantage of that and send them to the wolves!"

Bhim screamed in rage and grabbed her by the hair and pulled her from the tent. "How dare you disrespect me you wrench? How dare you talk about your sisters like that? You know I wasn't planning on giving you to Kalona, I figured I would give him someone who can actually appreciate it. But now I think it would do you some manners. Hello Kalona I think I found just the woman you've been looking for." Her father said when they reached Kalona's tent. Kalona leered cruelly and took Aiyanna by her arm and yanked her roughly and painfully inside. "Ow! Let go of me, let go! Don't you dare touch me, don't you dare touch me, DON'T YOU DARE TOUCH ME!"

Rephaim stood off to the distance, invisibly watching the past play out before him, listening to his mother's screams as she was raped by Kalona, Fallen Warrior of Nyx. Rephaim swallowed painfully and took his mother's hand, the one that was standing beside him, the one that decided to show him this scene. She squeezed his hand and smiled sadly. "I know it's painful, but it is something I think you have the right to see. Kalona raped me then as you know he became obsessed with women and raped the tribe. Ha, it's too bad I was too busy in the events that followed otherwise it would have been nice to say 'I told you so.' The kicker of it all was at first they all blamed me. They said that it was my fault Kalona became obsessed with women, that I had somehow displeased him in bed and that he would not be acting like this if I had just pleasured him. Then he would have just kept me and left all the other women alone."

"That's not true." Rephaim insisted automatically, and truthfully. "It did not matter who Kalona bedded he still would have became obsessed. It was his lust and absent love for Nyx that drove him to it. It had nothing to do with who he raped." Aiyanna nodded and said, "Aye, but they did not know that at first. All they knew is that Kalona had bedded me and now he couldn't get enough. It was only logical that I was to blame. And in some ways, I suppose it is." When Rephaim opened his mouth to argue Aiyanna said. "We all have a hand on the event to come and the events that would unfold in present time Rephaim and this was mine."

Rephaim closed his mouth and turned to face the spot where is Mother and Father had entered the tent and asked softly. "What happens now? Is there more you wish to show me?" Aiyanna nodded and said two simple words, "my pregnancy," as she said that the scene changed and Rephaim watched a few months go by and finally it stopped. They were in Aiyanna's house again and Bhim paced back and forth in the middle of the room well six girls stood in front of him. "My sisters," Aiyanna explained. "I don't know if you got to meet them or not. I hope you didn't they were a hateful lot, expect for when it came to sucking up to Father." Rephaim turned to face her and she grinned at him, her smile making her face shine bright and happy crinkles around her eyes making her look young and girly. "Can you tell I was the least favorite yet, can you tell I hated them?"

Rephaim smiled lightly and nodded before turning back to look at the scene. "Where is Aiyanna?" Bhim barked, the girls, his aunts apparently, all muttered softly and shook their heads. "None of you know where she is!" Bhim growled making them flinch, "no Father, we do not Father," they murmured in unison. Aiyanna snorted and snapped, "Sheep the lot of them. Horrible, disgusting, lazy sheep; I can't believe I have to call them my sisters." Rephaim bit his cheek to keep himself from laughing, he had never expected this from his mother and he surprisingly liked it. When she noticed that he was trying not to laugh she laughed and smacked his arm playfully. "Go ahead and laugh you know you want to." She declared playfully her grin stretching out her inter face. Now Rephaim did laugh, he couldn't help it, not when she was looking at him, looking so young and innocent. Then the smile slid off of his face and his laughter died as he remembered that she wasn't an innocent, not anymore. And she was young, too young to die the way she did. She was just a little bit older then Stevie Rae, maybe two or three years. Not that old at all, far too young to have her life stolen away.

Aiyanna's smile faded and she looked at him questioningly. She opened her mouth to say something but before she could the Aiyanna from the past ran into the room, her cheeks flushed and her stomach swollen with the beginning stages of pregnancy. "There you are you ungrateful bitch!" Bhim snapped. "And where have you been?" Aiyanna winced and murmured "picking flowers for-"Bhim tipped his head back and laughed bitterly. "Flowers for whom, no one here wants you, you're the one that caused all this. Ha, not even Kalona wants you-""Nor do I want him!" She screamed. "And Kalona doesn't want me as you say because he wants everyone. He will never be satisfied with one woman, never! He wants them all, and the evil that is that so called, man, is not my fault! It is not my fault none of you were able to see his evil before it was too late!"

Bhim shrieked in pure rage and grabbed her by her hair, dragging her across the floor and punching and kicking her. "How dare you, you should learn to hold your tongue girl! I've given you food, I've given you a home, and I've given you life. And what do I receive in return? I receive nothing but disrespect!" He took a swing at her lower abdomen but she covered her hands over there screaming, pleading. "No, no please I'll do anything just don't hurt Rephaim!"

Rephaim swallowed the lump in his throat as Bhim got off his daughter well the five others whispered in disgust and shock. Aiyanna continued running her hands along her stomach, sobbing and whispering soft words of love and comfort to the fetus that grew in her womb. "Don't worry my Rephaim your alright, grandpa Bhim isn't going to hurt you. Don't worry my sweet, sweet Rephaim you are safe, I'll always protect you. Mommy loves you very much Rephaim, you're such a good boy…"

This was spoken very softly mind you. So most of it the other's in the room didn't catch all of it and some not at all. But it came loud and clear to Rephaim and he found himself choking back tears and shaking softly. "Oh honey, I'm so sorry come here." His mother said pulling him into her arms; it wasn't until then that he allowed himself to truly cry. Later he would feel ashamed, the once favored son of Kalona crying like a child, more than once. But for now he just cried and let his mother hold him, for the first and probably last time.

"We can go if you like; you don't need to see this." Rephaim looked up at her and spoke truthfully. "But I do, I need to see this, what's more is I want to see this, please?" Aiyanna nodded and they both turned back to look at the memory of Aiyanna's last days of life. Bhim stopped pacing, (he had been pacing well Aiyanna had been blubbering and Rephaim had been crying), and slowly turned to face his crying daughter. "Who did you say those flowers were for?" Bhim asked slowly, suspicion in his eyes. Aiyanna hesitated, and then spoke honestly and defiantly, figuring there was no point in lying or hiding it now. "I picked them for Rephaim, to celebrate his coming into life. I plan on weaving a bed for him out of flowers and vines I found around the village. That way when he first lays his head for the night he will have a warm comfortable place to sleep."

"You will do no such thing!" Bhim roared. "I'm guessing that's Kalona's son yes? Then by gods I forbid you from doing anything of the sort! That thing is an abomination of life! He's a-"Aiyanna shot up. "You don't know anything about him!" "I know what its father is! Like father like son they always say, that bastard is going to end up just like its father you wait and see!" "NO!" Aiyanna screamed then covered the sides of her stomach with her hands. Like she was covering Rephaim's ears, as if the thing inside her might have been able to hear him and understand and might possibly be offended.

"Don't you listen to a thing he says Rephaim! Not a gods damn thing! He knows not what he speaks and you should not listen to a word he says. I won't let that happen to you Rephaim I won't!" At this one of her sisters burst out. "How can you be sure? How can you be sure that Kalona won't find out and take him away from you? Or maybe something in that thing's blood makes it like its father and he searches him out. What if Rephaim hurts us, what if he attacks us? Are you willing to pay the price for that child's actions?"

"That will never ha-"Aiyanna started to say but her sister interrupted her. "Father that thing's too dangerous to keep around. I don't care if Aiyanna wants to play mother! We don't even know what it is! We should kill it now before it has the chance to be born and destroy us." Aiyanna screamed no and raced for the door screaming, "I won't let you hurt him. I won't let you hurt my Rephaim! I don't care what he looks like, I don't care if he has wings, he is the son of an immortal he is bound to be different. But that does not mean death! I will not let you murder my only son!"

"Oh no you don't" Bhim growled scooping her up and pinned her to the wall as he reached for his hunting knife. "Now don't struggle so much Aiy we're going to cut that thing out of you and it will make this so much easier if you didn't struggle." Aiyanna screamed and struggled and tried everything she could to fight back. And just when the knife was inches from her womb she kicked out, catching her father between the loins and his moment of pain was enough for her to sneak out.

Rephaim let out the breath that he didn't know he was holding and turned to face the young woman who stood next to him. "I am sorry you had to go through that. It was my fault." Aiyanna turned around and stared at her son, disbelief clear in her eyes and expiration. "Your fault, by gods Rephaim I love your fiercely but do you blame yourself for everything? That was not your fault; it was my father's doing and no one else's. And to blame yourself when you weren't even born yet is very foolish. Now never let me catch you saying something like that again." Rephaim bowed his head in a sign of respect and murmured, "Yes Mother."

She nodded and without another word walked out of the place she once called home. Rephaim jogged after her and asked hesitantly "so what happens now?" Aiyanna cocked her head to the side and said thoughtfully, "Well I guess I should show you you're birth. Nothing much happens after that, I left the village undetected and spent the rest of my pregnancy out in the woods. Surviving mostly on berries, fruit, corn, and water; I found this cozy cave tucked into a water fall that I was going to raise you in. It was beautiful with shimmery purple rocks and lush forests. It was nicely sheltered from the cold and too much water didn't leak in from the waterfall." She chuckled softly, "just enough that you didn't have to go far to get a drink. It was the perfect spot to raise a child and I kept thinking that I couldn't wait for you to see it for your own eyes. That I couldn't wait for the day you would be able to share the pleasures of our home with me." She sighed, well she was explaining all this her eyes sparkled with joy and her voice was light and happy, but now her voice was sad and wistful.

"But as you know, what I dreamed was not to be. I had so many plans for the future, so many things but it all was ruined in the end. I don't blame you Rephaim, never have, I'm just sad that my dream for you never came true." Rephaim frowned and put his hand on her shoulder. He wanted to comfort her but was unsure what to say. So instead he asked. "What happened next? Please Mother I want to understand."

She nodded and started leading him through the twist and turns of the forest talking as they went. "One day I was out picking some berries for my evening meal, and I little bit for you. I knew my time was coming was very close and would be soon. And I wanted a fresh meal for you when you arrived. Of course every newborn needs milk from he's mother but I also wanted to crush some berries up and let you just try a few. I was just so excited to show you all the wonders of life I guess I got a little bit ahead of myself." She added sounding a little bit embarrassed.

"But you came just a little bit earlier than I expected and I had no way of making the birth easier, on both of us. So I just waited it out and prayed you were all right." Another pause then she continued. "Then I realized I was dying, you were just too strong for me and I couldn't hang on. I knew the birth was going to be hard, I was giving birth to an immortal's son after all but I didn't predict death…Then your father came and saw that I was pregnant, and when I was too close to death to stop him, he snatched you away from me and went to raise you as his own. If only I had been stronger, if only I hadn't been too weak from death, then maybe I could have protected you, maybe I would have been able to stop him." Rephaim shook his head "that wasn't your fault Mother."

They came across a clearing that was surrounded by berry bushes. And in the center of this clearing was Aiyanna laying on her back, her stomach swollen showing signs of giving birth, and gasping for breath. She placed one hand on her stomach and gasped, "don't worry Rephaim don't worry. We're going to make it out of this just fine you hear me? We are going to be just fine. You are going to see the world and when you do, Momma's going to give you a big hug. I already have your bed made for you; it's all soft and warm, adorned with flowers and vines and feathers, and really soft warm furs for you to sleep in. It's real comfy and you are going to love it so much. Momma can't wait to see you Rephaim, Momma loves you Rephaim with all her heart. Momma loves you so much."

Aiyanna gasped as a spasm overtook her and cried out in pain, blood coming out of her mouth. "Oh gods why, why must I die now, I want to see my baby grow. That's all I want, is that so wrong?" She cried out again and looked like she was pushing from within. Finally after many hours of this the child was born. Well, if you could call it a child. It was a small thing wrapped almost cocoon like in his wings. But you could see a bit of his beak and his glowing red eyes and tiny arms wrapped around his chest; like he was trying to protect himself from the outside world.

Aiyanna held her breath; waiting for him to give some sort of cry or noise to indicate that he was alive, just like so many newborns do. But it never came. He remained silent, keeping calm, quietly adjusting to his surroundings. Fear stabbed Aiyanna like a spear and she picked the child up and gently started to touch him, to try and get him to respond. "Rephaim look at me, it's alright now son your safe, your mother has you. I won't let anything happen to you." When the Raven Mocker didn't respond she sobbed. "Please Rephaim, don't die on me. I love you so much and you're the only thing I have left. Please Rephaim look at me, please Rephaim I need you to be alright."

She was going to go on when he gave a cry and turned to face her. He couldn't smile but there was a mischievous glint in his eyes has he touched his mother's cheek. Aiyanna gave a cry of pure joy and gasped. "Yes Rephaim, yes that's right I'm your mother! I'm your mother! And I love you! You're going to be alright now we're together and I'm never going to let you go." But she knew this was a lie. Even has she was speaking she could feel her strength leaving. His birth took a lot out of her, and though it was a sacrifice she would gladly pay it still was too much. She was dying and she was going to leave her baby unprotected here in these woods. With no way of taking care of himself; she looked up into his crimson eyes and blinked in shock for he was giving her a look that was far to intelligent and knowing to be coming from the eyes of someone so young.

Just then Aiyanna heard something that made her blood run cold and fear grip her heart. She heard the sound of wings flapping and saw a huge shadow pass over them and hover. "NO!" She cried. "No please not now I'll do anything! Please don't take him away from me!" She pulled Rephaim into her arms and tried to shield him using her hair and arms. But it was too late, for he had seen all that he needed to see. That child belonged to him and he was going to take him. Kalona landed in front of them and smiled cruelly down at his son.

"Well, well, well what have we here? You've been holding out on me Aiyanna. I did not know you were carrying. No matter no matter, I'll just take him off your dying hands." Aiyanna gasped and shuffled away from him crying out. "No, I won't let you take Rephaim away from me. I gave him my vow when I learned that I was pregnant to keep you away from him. To protect him from you, to give him a good life away from your evil; I won't let you take him away, I'll protect him with my life."

Kalona laughed and said. "But you don't have much of a life left. He is strong, far stronger than your weak mortal strength, and it seems he has killed you. Hm, perhaps it is a sign," he mused, "I cannot wait to hone his skills." She shook her head. "No, I won't let you!" Then speaking to Rephaim; "don't listen to a thing he says Rephaim. I swear that will never happen to you. He will never turn you into his weapon."

Kalona laughed, "You have no chose. He is my son and I will raise him as I see fit. But to show you some form of respect I will allow him to keep the name you have given him. After all it is the least I can do for giving him to me." Kalona glanced down at his son and said thoughtfully. "Rephaim, I kind of like that name. And it does suit him well. Oh well, I believe I will take him off your hands now." Aiyanna tried to protest but it was weak and faded. She was dying and she didn't have enough strength to protect her only son.

Kalona lifted Rephaim out of his mother's arms and carried him away from her dying body. Aiyanna sobbed watching as he floated up and up taking her only joy with him. And the last thing she heard before she died, it was faint but she still heard it, was one word that lifted her heart and caused her to smile. "Goodbye Mother."

…

Rephaim sat back on his bed watching the ghost of his mother fade. "Now do you understand son? Now do you see it's not your fault?" Rephaim nodded and murmured, "Yes Mother I understand." She nodded and said "good, I'm glad I got to show you. I have missed you and I'm glad we got to have this time together. But I'm afraid it's time for me to go." Rephaim choked back tears; he had already cried enough he would not cry any more. He wanted her to stay but he knew she had to go. "I love you Mother." He stammered softly. She smiled and said "I know, I love you to Rephaim please take care of yourself. Goodbye son." Then she disappeared, Rephaim murmured "Goodbye Mother;" and rolled over half digesting all that he had seen, half mourning his mother's death.