Awenasa, child of the land: A Mother's Love

I ran my hand along my stomach. During my travels, I ended up in every village on my land. Every elder had told me the same thing.

"Dear Awenasa, child of the land we wander. You are gifted with children. The children of the earth and sky. These children are destined for greatness."

"Gaho..." I murmured happily as I envisioned the children I was now carrying. I wondered; will they be two brave warriors or two beautiful brides? Will they look like me? What kind of greatness are they destined for? How hard will it be for them to achieve it? How could I help?

"My darling children, I will love you both eternally." I whispered before I started to sing a lullaby

Hey hey watenay,

Hey hey watenay,

Hey hey watenay

Kay-o-kay-nah

Kay-o-kay-nah.

!

"Brave Young warriors our dear Awenasa has birthed us!" I was currently with the Sioux tribe when my children came to be. After the blood was cleaned off the elder's eyes widened as she handed me my two boys. I was also taken aback.

I had helped deliver babies before, and none were as pale as the children I had birthed myself.

"Bilagaana." the elder muttered to herself.

Both young ones had skin like milk. The louder one was screaming making his face a bright red. The softer baby was whimpering with distaste. Both had hair like corn. And when they had calmed down enough to open their eyes, I had gotten over the shock and smiled. I loved them all the same.

"My louder Son, with the eyes of a bluebird's feathers. Is the child of the earth. His name will be Mahkah. My softer son, with the twilight skied eyes, is the child of the sky and will be named Mahpee." I decided for the stunned elders.

"My dear sons, I will help you all I can to achieve your destinies." As Mahkah started to get fussy again I started to sing the lullaby that was ingrained into my mind at a young age.

Hey hey watenay,

Hey hey watenay,

Hey hey watenay

Kay-o-kay-nah

Kay-o-kay-nah.

!

There was news of bilagaana strangers along the eastern shores. Concerned for my people I knew I had to bring Mahkah and Mahpee, lest they run into trouble. Both could barely walk! And neither had spoken yet. I set the boys down to play every time I examined these strangers I couldn't have Mahkah start to laugh or beat on Mahpee and ruin my cover.

And then one day, they both finally started to talk. I couldn't believe it. They were speaking in the tongue the strangers used. I tried to get them to speak one of our true languages, or at least call me Gaho instead of 'Mother'. It didn't work.

And at that point I knew that they were not allowed to be my children anymore.

For their destinies to be realized,

I had to leave them to the bilagaana strangers.

It was easy enough to trade a few buffalo pelts to get a couple of white 'cotton parka's for my children, they would look more like the bilagaana strangers with them on. Our simple deer skinned parka's wouldn't be enough to convince them.

I knew I would have to say goodbye, even as I sang my boys to sleep.

Hey hey watenay,

Hey hey watenay,

Hey hey watenay

Kay-o-kay-nah

Kay-o-kay-nah.

!

With a heavy heart I brought Mahkah over to an area I'd seen two of the bilagaana men talk. I set Mahkah down and kissed his forehead.

"Never forget My dearest Mahkah, Never forget that your Gaho, Your 'Mother' loves you with all her might. And I am so proud of what you will become. You will be a hero. And you will be great."

"I'll be a hero for you Mother! I love you!" I couldn't understand a word of what he said, but I think I know that that was his way of saying goodbye. I kissed his forehead again, and that was returned with a kiss to my cheek. He ran off with a wave goodbye. And I knew he'd never answer to his name again. He'd be given a name one of the bilagaana strangers had.

As I walked off I chanted the words to the lullaby to both myself and Mahpee. They couldn't be together when they were found.

Hey hey watenay,

Hey hey watenay,

Hey hey watenay

Kay-o-kay-nah

Kay-o-kay-nah.

!

I dropped Mahpee off north. One of the two bilagaana strangers was wondering there. He looked sad, and since Mahkah wasn't with him, I assumed the grass eyed stranger had taken him. So I set Mahpee off with another kiss to the forehead and presenting him with a small white bear cub I had found earlier.

"I've been calling him Avonaco, but You can pic a new name for him. He will be your companion. Please be kind towards all around you and rule the northern half of the lands with fairness. Don't let anyone tell you who you are. Dearest Mahpee, never forget that Gaho...'Mother' loves you with all her strength, and that no matter what happens, I am so proud of you and your brother. You will be great." Mahpee looked to me with tear stained eyes

"Mother, I love you too. No one will say that I'm mean!" he walked off holding the bear cub in his arms.

"'Cmon Mr. Kumajiro! We get to go exploring now!"

"Who are you?"

"I'm your owner now! My name is Mahpee!"

"Mahpee. Got it."

Now alone with no one to offer comfort, I walked off into the forest singing the song through my tears,

Hey hey watenay,

Hey hey watenay,

Hey hey watenay

Kay-o-kay-nah

Kay-o-kay-nah.

!

My people were up against Mahkah's. Well, apparently his name was now 'Alfred F. Jones', and he was the 'Personification of The United States of America'. I had heard through my northern tribes that Mahpee was now called 'Matthew Williams'.

My dear children weren't mine anymore.

When there was no one left to hear it but the scared children of my tribes, I still sang the song.

Hey hey watenay,

Hey hey watenay,

Hey hey watenay

Kay-o-kay-nah

Kay-o-kay-nah.

!

Alfred had come to find me he had said that his 'President', which I heard was the same as a tribe's chief but for the entire 'Nation', had told him to discuss territory with me.

"You have gotten big in your time." I whispered hiding the hitch in my voice. He'd grown so much... he was a man now.

We sat down in a teepee I had set up earlier as he spread out a map. He said that almost all the area of the west now belonged to his country. I told him that my people would not appreciate such a forceful 'trade'. He raised a brow and showed a red line that cut across the land.

"All of your people will be moved along this trail. My president said that this is needed for our civilization. We can't have a bunch of savages ruining our expansion plans."

"'Savages'?"

"It's an English term for your people."

"I know what it means. You should treat your Gaho with more respect Mahkah."

"What the hell does that mean? Were you insulting me then?" He stood up and glared at me. I could see it in his eyes, even behind the glass frames, he didn't recognize me. He turned and left with a curt.

"Your people make me sick..."

"What?"

"My men will be coming along to lead the trail the savages must take." with that he mounted his horse and left.

My child... he hated me my brothers, his brothers, made him sick? My knees collapsed under me and I started to cry. No one and nothing was there to bring any comfort just the lonesome lullaby.

Hey hey watenay,

Hey hey watenay,

Hey hey watenay

Kay-o-kay-nah

Kay-o-kay-nah.

!

My people wouldn't give up without a fight. Because this was our last stand, I had to join in on the fight. I was very hesitant as I prepared my bow. Alfred, my Mahkah's children would be against mine. This will prove to be nothing but senseless violence for a dream called 'Manifest Destiny'. As the preparation for battle began I wondered if this destiny was Alfred's. I was in two minds about this, all the way until we were all at the front line. I was beside the chief as he pulled out his own bow. Ready to fire. The bilagaana soldiers were aiming their rifles at us.

And that's when I noticed.

There was Alfred. My little Mahkah, Aiming a rifle at the chief. I wanted to cry, but I knew I couldn't.

I could only pray he made it out of this battle alive, and wherever Mahpee was, that he was safe.

Hey hey watenay,

Hey hey watenay,

Hey hey watenay

Kay-o-kay-nah

Kay-o-kay-nah.

!

The battle raged on. Although according to them, the bilagaana soldiers were more 'advanced' in weaponry, it was hard for them to defeat us. I took out my hatchet and cut into a soldiers throat. My mind had immediately gone to Mahkah, Where was he? Was he hurt? Was he dead? I heard a click and a voice that was distinctly familiar.

"Don't move Awenasa." I turned and saw My dear eldest son. He had an eye closed with his rifle under his tilted head.

"Mahkah...How did how know my name?" It was as if all the fighting around us had faded and it was only my son, the rifle, and me.

"I don't know what you're callin' me in your savage tongue, But I've heard allot about 'Awenasa the child of our land' coming from your people. Now, let's think about this, if you die, all your tribes will be easy pickin's, and My destiny and dream will be fulfilled. Without their 'all mother' it'll be easy. With a smirk I heard a bang.

Sharp pain seized my stomach. I fell to the ground. His rifle had pierced me. I knew what would happen know. I would join the spirits of my peoples ancestors. I would join My old friends, Aztec, Inca and Maya.

I would die.

I heard footsteps as a figure approach me.

Through the haze of pain I could see terrified blue eyes.

"I'm sorry! I thought I would make it painless! I didn't want to see a girl suffer like that!" Mahkah reached to his chest and gripped over his heart.

"Why does it hurt me to see you like this?" I could feel my strength fade as I summoned what was left to lift an arm and brush his cheek.

"Do not worry Mahkah. My dear little one. Do not fret. I'm glad I could help you achieve your dream."

"What do you mean? What is 'Mahkah'?" He whispered in confusion. Even so I continued.

" You needed to be with the bilagaana men, You'd never be the big strong man you are now if you knew me."

"What are you talking about? Who are you really?"

" Tell your brother that Gaho...'Mother' loves you both with all her strength. And that I am so proud of you both."

"What?" I could hear the horror in his voice. "What? You're... You're, my... me an' Mattie's'"

"Shh..." I whispered, I was honestly surprised how long it was taking for me to die... but maybe that was because I was a child of the land. I reached up and wiped his eye.

"Hey hey watenay,

Hey hey watenay,

Hey hey watenay

Kay-o-kay-nah

Kay-o-kay-nah.

Sleep sleep little one

Sleep sleep little one

Sleep sleep little one

Now go to sleep Now go to sleep." I don't know how I knew the translations, but it brought even more tears to his eyes.

"Is Mahkah, my real name? What's Mattie's?"

"...Mahpee... You two are my earth and sky. Continue to make me proud... Both...of..."

Everything went dark.

!

"Awenasa? Awenasa!" Alfred gently shook her shoulders. The bleeding had stopped. 'It had stopped with her heart.' He didn't want to believe it.

This woman,

He'd called her a savage for years.

He knew that every time he'd make her land a state, she'd weaken,

he'd killed thousands of her people.

And know he'd given the ultimate punishment

"Awenasa...Mother." He choked on the word the shaking became more adamant.

"Mother! Mother! Mom! G... Gaho!" He quickly put a hand over her heart to hope he was mistaken.

No pulse.

He'd killed his mother.

"Gaho! Mom! MOM!" He shrieked in the battlefield. Soldiers and warriors alike stopped as he rested his head upon her collarbone, violent sobs racking his frame.

"Sir? What's wrong?" He heard one of his luitenints ask.

"AWENASA!" A warrior shrieked in terror before he felt a hand grab his hair. And yank him away from his mother.

"You killed the child of our land. You must suffer." He felt a stone ax press up against his scalp. Before another bang as the warrior was struck down.

Through the panic of war, the only thing he heard was the lullaby.

Hey hey watenay,

Hey hey watenay,

Hey hey watenay

Kay-o-kay-nah

Kay-o-kay-nah.

!

He was the only white man present at his mothers funeral. He could hear the sobs coming from the elders and chiefs of every tribe. All came to mourn the beloved child of their land. Her grave was marked by her bow and harvest basket.

The tribes would all fall later.

He would achieve his dream.

He would never forget who he had to kill to make it true.

So on one day, every year, every night.

The anniversary of the battle.

He'd be alone, he'd call Matthew, but never see him. And the only thing that could put him to bed was the song he'd heard from her.

Hey hey watenay,

Hey hey watenay,

Hey hey watenay

Kay-o-kay-nah

Kay-o-kay-nah.

One day maybe Alfred could tell Matthew his Mothers Message.

And maybe one day he'd fulfill his promise to her, and he'd be a real hero, instead of just pretending to be one.

But until then he only had the thought that maybe she wasn't disappointed with him, and that when it was his time, he could say it to her.

!

It was night.

That night.

But as he cuddled up in his blankets to recall the melody that would always calm him, he felt a hand touch his cheek and wipe away the stray tear stinging his eye.

"My darling little Mahkah. You are a hero." He looked up.

She was translucent, but beautiful as the earliest day he could remember seeing her.

"Gaho" She smiled as she brushed back his bangs.

"My darling Mahkah..."

"I love you with all my might too, Gaho." She smiled as she stroked his forehead.

"Hey hey watenay,

Hey hey watenay,

Hey hey watenay

Kay-o-kay-nah

Kay-o-kay-nah."

As the song and the sound of her voice calmed him she whispered into his ear while he was on the verge of sleep.

"My darling boys, I will love you both eternally."

!

When Alfred woke up the first thing he did was pull out his cell phone.

"Al? Why are you calling so early?"

"Mattie, there's something we need to talk about."

!End!

-Key-

Awenasa- My home

Gaho- Mother

Mahkah- Earth

Mahpee- Sky

Bilagaana- White person

Avonaco- lean bear

A/N

So, the story of America and Canada's Mother. Awenasa, child of the land. As allot of people think, I also believe that America and Canada did have a Mother. This is meant to be truthful, not offensive. all flamers will be promptly ignored.

And all those that are waiting for me to update Star Streak, I'm just a little stuck on how to work out the current scene, after that it'll be easy to finish it.