Baby Winnowill - A Haken's Clan Fanfic

[Leanan]

Baby Winnowill

A Haken's Clan Fanfic


It was raining, big drops of rain like tears from the sky.

Haken watched from the shadows as Vol Golden, standing under a tree, told a story to his younger brother, Young Voll. Some words caught his ears: “…Haken was their Passion, driving them forward, while Gibra was their Caution, holding them back. And that was the Circle of Nine. There were others, many others, but the task of the Circle was to steer the Palace through time and space…”

Haken walked away. He should have known it was just the story of the Palace for the hundredth time again, instead of actual gossip about Haken and Gibra. He took great care not to let anyone gossip about him. What they said of Gibra was no business of his.

Long ago, Haken had left the other Firstcomers, to make war on humans, which the others, led by Timmain, had refused to take part in. He had even fought Timmain in his rage. And then he had fled. To his surprise other firstcomers had joined him on his journeys, ones who had been separated from Timmain’s group when the Palace landed and they all fled the humans in panic. And then one had come to him who had once bowed her head to Timmain’s leadership. Gibra, with a child in her arms, Vol, later to be known as Golden. It was plain this golden-haired babe was no child of Haken’s, yet Haken had looked after the child like a father would, and taken Gibra as his lovemate.

But Gibra’s councel, when, years later, she felt brave enough to give it, had the taste of ashes. Gibra was too cautious. She had told Haken to stop fighting humans. Haken’s response was that she had to forget such talk and never mention humans again, or leave, child and all. Gibra chose to stay, but ended their lovemating. She would call Haken Lord, but her body was hers, and she gave of her love willingly, to any who would have her, apart from Haken. Years passed, and Gibra mastered the art of getting pregnant once again, and gave birth to Young Voll, the second Firstborn in Haken’s Clan. Again, Haken was certain he was not the father, for very simple reasons.

Haken walked to the stone alcove behind his throne, where the cocoons were stored. Gibra was the one to the right. She had been injured by humans, and the Clan had no healer. Little preservers wrapped up those who were seriously injured, or dangerously ill. Little wounds were healed with bandages and time, common ailments cured by herblore. And here stood Haken, rooted to the ground, his hand on the cocoon of his former lovemate…

While elsewhere Rayeen was giving birth to a Firstborn. And not any Firstborn but Haken’s child, a child of Recognition. And according to Rayeen, this child would be a healer, the strongest Healer ever.

Rayeen cried as the females attended her. She had been nothing to Haken until eyes met eyes, gripped by this wild new force that came no one knew whence, and did what it wanted among them. They had done what their blood asked them to do, and after that, Haken had seen to it Rayeen was looked after, protected, and guarded against herself. Rayeen was his Lady, but Rayeen was his prisoner too – for the moment before their souls passed through each other, Rayeen had been asking his permission to leave Haken’s Clan. Now, all such thoughts were out of the question. Indeed, Haken had not spoken to Rayeen at all. She did not matter, what mattered was that she bore his child, his firstborn, his heir.

Rayeen cried, and not because of pain. Who was Haken to rule her life? And of course she knew who he was, knew him like no one, not even Gibra, had even known him. Haken was our Passion, driving us forward. And all of Haken’s Clan wanted to be driven forward by his passion. She shivered, remembering Haken’s body pressed against hers. He had been the gentlest of lovers, he had seen into her soul and known just what she needed, and he had been wise enough to give her that. And yet, Rayeen was given no opportunity to love him. He had not asked her opinion about anything. He didn’t even talk to her. He simply assumed she still wanted to leave, and took precautions against it.

The attendants helped Rayeen to the birthing chair. The pain was worse now, and Rayeen realized her baby was sending her unwillingness to come out into the world. Rayeen gave in. **Haken! Your child is being born!** She sent, and shivered at the coldness of his mind at her touch.

There was no reply to the sending, but instead, moments later there was Haken himself, wet from the rain, fury in his eyes. **It is Lord Haken to the likes of you.**
Elaya, the midwife, spoke up. ~**Lord Haken, it is a difficult birth. We can save either mother or child, but not both. Which one shall we attempt to keep alive?”**~ She asked in private sending.
~**The child. You must save the child. Need you even ask?**~
The midwife stared at him.
~**Go on, do it! Or if you think the decision is not mine to make, then ask her, she will say the same!**~
Elaya knelt beside Rayeen and explained the situation to her. Rayeen managed a faltering sending: **My child must live. But summon the preservers, for we shall have a Healer, soon. This is why my child must live. She shall be the Healer.**
A maiden was sent to fetch the preservers. Haken knelt beside Rayeen and took her hand in his.
~**I never allowed myself to love anyone after Gibra. But I should have seen you were meant for me. I feared your eyes, Rayeen, for they saw too deep and discovered all my buried secrets.**~
~**If you had but looked in my eyes again, Lord Haken, you would have seen my love for you. But now is too late, my child has decided she wants to be born.**~
Elaya, unaware of the locked sendings, tapped Haken’s shoulder. “My lord, it is better if you leave now. This will not be a pretty sight.” An odd shape of metal glinted in her hand.
“No! You must save them both! Elaya, you must save them both! The preservers will come, we will wrap her up, and her own daughter the Healer can mend her, in time!” Haken demanded.
Elaya shook her head. ~**Preservers never fly in the rain.**~ She told him, and set about saving the life of Haken’s daughter, because it was what had to be done, and it had to be done now.

Haken watched, and held Rayeen’s body as the life escaped from her. Someone finally brought preservers, sheltered from rain in a sack, but it was too late, Haken had felt the spirit of Rayeen escape. He rocked the body in his arms and would not let go, until Elaya placed in his arms a lighter bundle, his newborn daughter, her skin pink from her first bath, her eyes the eyes of Rayeen, her hair dark as Haken’s, her little flower-petal mouth just as perfect as the rest of her. Haken held her, and looked into her eyes, and pulled her close, then cried. The baby’s hand touched his face, his tears. Most likely by accident, but Haken felt his very soul being touched and comforted. Rayeen was lost, but here was his daughter, dearer to his heart than any other ever would be.

“Her name is Winnowill.” Haken told the gathered elves. Quite a few had arrived to witness the scene.

Young Voll stepped up first, and touched the baby’s hand. The little fingers clasped around his long, delicate finger. Young Voll laughed in delight, having never seen a baby before. Then he seemed to realize laughter was not fitting for a night such as this one, and bowed his head, awaiting punishment. But Haken laughed too, and as he laughed, thunder roared somewhere over the distant hills.

“Young Voll, I give you the task of looking after my daughter. Feed her with animal milk. Play with her. Keep her clothes clean. Rayeen was meant to do all of these things, but she is gone. I know you well, Gibra’s son. I know you were Rayeen’s companion during her pregnancy, I know you touched her swelling stomach and wondered at the little miracle inside. I know you envied me for having fathered a child. Here is a child for you, but never let her call you father. She must grow up knowing her true parents. I will visit her, as often as I can, but I cannot raise her, I am too busy, much too busy.”

Young Voll looked up, his eyes shining. “Thank you, Lord Haken!” He breathed. Nothing else could have won the heart of Gibra’s youngest to serve Haken, nothing but Winnowill, the innocent one born of such great sorrow. Maybe it was rain on his cheeks, maybe it was tears. On Haken’s face, it had to be rain, Voll thought as the lightning struck a tree not far from them and lit the countenance of Haken, ‘who was their passion’. After all, everyone knew he did not care about Rayeen. Thunder rolled, Baby Winnowill began to cry, and Haken gave the child to Young Voll, and as soon as Winnowill was in his arms, she stopped crying. The son of Gibra had never been so proud, not even when he first shaped Haken a throne.

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Baby Winnowill Fanfic (more comments wanted! Is Haken evil, mad or both?)

[Leanan]

Yeah. I know. It is overly dramatic, preposterous, contradictory, it is not canon, it contradicts what everyone knows, and it is not about Recognition as we know it.

I suppose no one has dared to comment because they'd have to tell me these things, or worse?

Don't be afraid. I live for criticism, as long as it is constructive, as long as you tell me how the story could be better, instead of simply ridiculing my mistakes.

And you know what? Haken as I know him is overly dramatic, preposterous, contradictory, not always 'canon', and not what most people think he was (Lifemated to Gibra, sort of like a High One Rayek, father of Voll, etc... you've read it all in fanfics so often you think it is mentioned in canon EQ.). And Recognition, however it first began, was not at first what it is when Brill and Sunstream Recognize 'long-distance'. It is something alive, and I think it was formed by accident, perhaps from the dreams of High Ones cocooned to sleep till healing... This is my theory, feel free to offer a better one, and if you win me over, I will edit the story.

This is my version. My Haken, my Rayeen, my Voll and my Winnowill. Yours may be different, and you are welcome to keep them. All I ask is a comment on my writing, and whether this fic is even possible in theory. I still haven't read all of ElfQuest, I am saving the bits I've missed for when I really need some more. So it could be there's something in Rogue's Curse or somewhere else about the childhood of Winnowill. All I ask is, point it out to me.

Be not afraid.

For my avatar is actually Raenafel.
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Baby Winnowill Fanfic (more comments wanted! Is Haken evil, mad or both?)

[WolfMoonSky]

Baby Winnowil, never thought of that Poor Rayeen, Haken is mean and this is a Good story

[Leanan]

*gives Wolfmoon a whole jar of cookies* yay a comment!

Haken is mean... but not evil. He is just mad. Completely cuckoo. He thinks he is lord high and mighty High One on his throne in the woods... he hasn't even bothered for a roof for his hall... just because he is one of the Circle, and the only other of the Circle of Nine there, Gibra, is cocooned as you can see... You thought Bearclaw was stupid when drunk? You thought Winnowill was insane beyond healing? You thought Rayek was ambitious? You thought Kahvi was fated to die? You thought right... but Haken is all that and worse. And perhaps Winnowill was not his firstborn... perhaps someone in Timmain's group was left with a little surprise some seasons later, long after 'our Passion' was gone... perhaps there is Haken in Bearclaw, in Rayek, in Kahvi...
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Baby Winnowill Fanfic (more comments wanted! Is Haken evil, mad or both?)

[WolfMoonSky]

yay Cookies!!!! * eats all of them*

Haken is so full of himself, I hate it when someone thinks that they're better or the lord!

What I don't understand that you said that he is not evil but i think he is, I find him very evil

I forgot to say that Young Voll was cute

[Leanan]

He is not evil... because he honestly thinks that everything he does is for the benefit of others. All the grandiose plans, the war on humans, giving his baby away... he's always doing it for someone else, and then he gets frustrated when they don't undertand it is for their own good, and aren't grateful... he thinks they should all be grateful, like the rest of the Circle were grateful to Timmain.

He is their Passion, driving them forward...

But passion needs caution to temper it, and he refused Gibra's counsel... he took her advice in smaller matters, which is why the Clan has survived so long... now that she is sleeping... it is all passion, and no caution.

Kinda like Cutter without Leetah, Rayek without Ekuar, Bearclaw without Joyleaf, Kahvi without the Palace, Clearbrook without One-Eye... Voll without Winnowill... Winnowill without Voll... Leetah without Cutter... Ember without Skywise... Door without Dodia...

Mad.

But never evil. No elf in EQ is evil, according to what the Pinis have said I forget where...
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Baby Winnowill Fanfic (more comments wanted! Is Haken evil, mad or both?)

[manga]

Sorry Leanan - been busy with repainting the house and wringing the last drops of quiet out of my holiday.

I find the characterizations uncomfortable and a little confusing sometimes but not necessarily wrong. As you pointed out, we don't actually know that much about Haken and a lot of what we do know is more fanon than canon.

Two things:
We don't actually see anything like war on the humans. It's kinda mentioned but it's not really present. It would help to bring it out more.

When Toorah was carrying Leetah, Savah said "See how Toorah shines with perfect health! Little Leetah is already at work!" So why did Reyeen die birthing Winnowill? Wouldn't Wittle Winnie (sorry, couldn't resist!) have taken care of her?
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http://www.darkhuntress.com/rayek
Joselle rocks my socks!

[Leanan]

1. There will be more about the war in the other Haken's Clan fanfics I am planning to write.

2. Winnowill's healer abilities were completely dormant for years. Like Redlance's treeshaping. Baby Winnowill could sense Rayeen was ill, but she could do nothing about it. Like Redlance in that comic where he earned his name. Redlance was able to save Bearclaw by using a spear instead of magic, but what could a baby not even born yet do? Leetah had it easier, Winnowill's magic came to her much like Rayek's, and with much the same effects. I will write about that, too.
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Baby Winnowill Fanfic (more comments wanted! Is Haken evil, mad or both?)

[wildfire]

I like it. I'll be checking back for updates ^^

Really, I rather like this version of pre-Blue Mountain. It's very.. Haken (who I personally don't think is evil. Just.. disturbed and misled)

[Miss Gillespie]

perfect health? perfect health?
They seem in pretty good shape all the time can they be in an even better condition?

...


ok, drawing little scratches and bruises all the time is probably a bit wearisome, and no one wants to see an elf with a running nose...

[manga]

Leanan - I thought that might be the case (Winnowill's magic) but thought it was worth asking after.

Miss Gillespie - Before Leetah was born, there was no healer in the Sun Village. Rayek had lost the use of his right arm after being attacked by jackals. Also, a few of Ahdri's ancestors had died of things like fever and rattlesnake bites. Yes Wendy usually draws them in pretty good health (though you can see a huge bruise on Rayek's cheek after the Trial of Head) but that doesn't mean they're always a-ok.

And I totally apologize if I've just told you something you already know.
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http://www.darkhuntress.com/rayek
Joselle rocks my socks!

[Leanan]

Thanks for all the comments! *gives everyone five different kinds of cookies*

I agree with manga on that one - they really needed a Healer, which might be why Leetah was born with active powers.

Which doesn't explain why Winnowill wasn't. But that could be explained by Recognition not having learned to provide what is needed, yet.

I believe that Recognition has over the millenia become sentient, to a certain level. I have argued about this before, I think I asked, 'Is Recognition God?' in some topic or other. I know now the answer to that is 'No'. But I also see why I thought it might be 'Yes'. Recognition makes people's choices for them. If it does not have a mind, at least the elves imagine sentient minds are behind it - The Will of the High Ones.

I have learned since writing this story that the first ones to Recognize were Timmorn and Murrel.

So this means, unless I edit my story, Haken's Clan is not 'canon-compatible'. What do you think? Edit Rayeen to be Haken's chosen Lady after Gibra dumped him, or leave it as it is, and add 'worldpool' to the title?
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Baby Winnowill Fanfic (more comments wanted! Is Haken evil, mad or both?)

[Willowspring2]

*runs in,skidding past thr door before falling with a crash. Getting to my feet, i walk calmly through the door*

BABY WINNI!!!!! *pounces and huggles the baby*

Leanan, you come up with the best ideas!!!

*huggles the Haken* I love Haken too!!! I liked him Altraverse too ^.^
Haken... put the... HAKEN! *holds onto Winni's a little tighter*

**Winni, tell your poppa to stop the meanness**
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Willowspring is back!!!!
"The tiger lies low not out of fear, but for better aim"

[jeb]

I don't know about anyone else, but I don't worry about canon at all when I read a story, just whether it feels right for the EQ world or characters and whether it's well written. So far I think all your stuff is well written and I like this one. And I also don't know anything about the first comers so it's all new to me. Haken seems very cold, but he also seems to be a good precursor to Winnowill and Rayek, and there seems to be a trend to align physicality and temperament.

As far as Winnie healing her mother, maybe Leetah could kind of enhance her mother's well-being, but there's nothing to say that she could heal the kind of trauma that causes death in childbirth. It'd be easy to imagine that the healing gift would require some kind of understanding of the injury to heal it.
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"Despite myself I got a floodlet of that warm 'n' fuzzy feeling like you're a scoop of ice cream and somebody's pouring hot butterscotch over you." - Brian D'Amato, In the Courts of the Sun

[manga]