Daughter of Power
It had been only five short months since what was becoming known as the Test of the Twins. It was night in Palanthas, and all were asleep. All accept one. Crysania of House Tarinius sat at her window, staring out with sightless eyes. Sighing, she put a hand on her stomach. It had grown large, and though she hoped with all her mind, she knew the truth in her heart. She was pregnant, and only one man could be the father. She started to sigh, but it came out as a racking sob. "Raistlin," she sobbed. "Where are you?"
Two Months Later
"Push Crysania, push!" the midwife cried. "I can see it's head! Just once more and the babe'll be out!" With a strangled cry, Crysania gave the child life. She fell unconscious with the effort of giving birth to her child, but the cleric there awakened her shortly. The baby was put into Crysania's arms. She was crying - for once, she was thankful for being blind, not wanting to see the child's face, to afraid of what it might look like. "It's a girl, Revered Daughter," the midwife said quietly. Crysania gave a sigh of relief. Surely, is the child was female, she would look nothing like Raistlin! Smiling, she asked what the girl looked like. The cleric explained in detail, watching the smile fade from Crysania's face. "Is something wrong, Revered Daughter?" the cleric asked. "Y-you said she has blue-gray eyes? And dark hair?" "The girl's eyes are gray, with a hint of blue. The hair seems black, but there hint of reddish-brown in it. She's fine-boned. And her hands - I've never seen hands quite like them. Her hands and fingers are slim, long, supple. Quite remarkable." Crysania let out a grievous moan. "Revered Daughter Crysania, are you sure you're well?" "Leave me," She whispered. "Of course, Revered Daughter. Paladine be with you." The Revered Son left, the midwife behind him. Crysania stared ahead, silent tears streaming down her face. Though she couldn't see the baby girl, she could imagine what she looked like. Black hair.But a hint of reddish-brown.It'll turn lighter, to his color.And her eyes.Her eyes are gray, like mine, but there's blue in them. They must have been his eye color when he was younger. Her eyes will turn blue. How can they not? She is your daughter, Raistlin. She will be a mage. Nothing I do will stop her. With you as the father, I can only hope to dull the fiery need, the longing for the magic. I will never be able to douse it completely.Oh, Raistlin. She sobbed, shuddering. She felt the girl squirm in her arms, tried to make her more comfortable. She held the girl to her breast, realizing she hadn't named her. Paladine, help me! Please, I need your help in my time of need. She sobbed, a shudder racking her body. Even through her blinded eyes, she saw the white flash. Her head jerked up, and she listened hard. "Who is there?" she called. In reply, she heard the confused voice of an old wizard. "Now where did that hat go? Where's that kender when you need him? " "Fi-Fizban?" She asked hesitantly. The voice softened, becoming less confused. "Yes, it is I, Revered Daughter." "Paladine," Crysania murmured, bowing her head. "I believe you called upon me for help, Crysania." Paladine said gently. "Yes," she replied, her voice cracking. "I don't know what to do, Paladine! She is His child! I cannot see her, but I know what she must look like. How can I bear to live with a daughter who will remind me of him? She'll want to be a mage, I know it. With her studying, how could I ever let myself forget? I can't keep her.My heart breaks, but I can't keep her." There was silence as Crysania cried. Paladine waited, letting her get it out. He also thought. When Crysania was done, he said lightly, "You could send her to a relative." "Who? His half-sister is dead - I wouldn't have sent her to Kitiara anyway - and why would I send her to Caramon? He has no children, I can't just spring one on him and just by looking upon her will remind him. He's gone through the Abyss and back! How could I ask him to take a child who will remind him of that journey?" "Let me take care of it. I'll see that he doesn't know who the child is, who her parents are. He'll raise her as his own. You know him. His heart is large." Crysania nodded. "Yes, yes it is." She was silent a moment, thinking. "You would do this for me, Great One?" she asked the god of good. She could not see his smile, but felt it. "Yes, Revered Daughter, I would do this for you." Crysania thought. After a moment that seemed like an eternity, she nodded with a strangled cry, and lifted the baby away from her, holding her out for Paladine to take. In an instant the baby was cradled in the god's arms. He was about to leave when he stopped, watching Crysania. Her head was in her hands, and she was sobbing uncontrollably, yet silent, obviously trying to be dignified. "What will you call her?" Paladine asked. Crysania's shoulders stopped shuddering for a moment, then began anew. "What else can I call her? Rivin. It has to be Rivin. Raistlin told me once that if he had a daughter, he would call her - Rivin." Paladine nodded gently, knowing the mortal woman would feel it. With the name in mind he left, disappearing back to his realm of gods. Knowing he was gone, Crysania let out a heart broken sob. "Raistlin.Take care of her Raistlin.Blessed be."
It had been only five short months since what was becoming known as the Test of the Twins. It was night in Palanthas, and all were asleep. All accept one. Crysania of House Tarinius sat at her window, staring out with sightless eyes. Sighing, she put a hand on her stomach. It had grown large, and though she hoped with all her mind, she knew the truth in her heart. She was pregnant, and only one man could be the father. She started to sigh, but it came out as a racking sob. "Raistlin," she sobbed. "Where are you?"
Two Months Later
"Push Crysania, push!" the midwife cried. "I can see it's head! Just once more and the babe'll be out!" With a strangled cry, Crysania gave the child life. She fell unconscious with the effort of giving birth to her child, but the cleric there awakened her shortly. The baby was put into Crysania's arms. She was crying - for once, she was thankful for being blind, not wanting to see the child's face, to afraid of what it might look like. "It's a girl, Revered Daughter," the midwife said quietly. Crysania gave a sigh of relief. Surely, is the child was female, she would look nothing like Raistlin! Smiling, she asked what the girl looked like. The cleric explained in detail, watching the smile fade from Crysania's face. "Is something wrong, Revered Daughter?" the cleric asked. "Y-you said she has blue-gray eyes? And dark hair?" "The girl's eyes are gray, with a hint of blue. The hair seems black, but there hint of reddish-brown in it. She's fine-boned. And her hands - I've never seen hands quite like them. Her hands and fingers are slim, long, supple. Quite remarkable." Crysania let out a grievous moan. "Revered Daughter Crysania, are you sure you're well?" "Leave me," She whispered. "Of course, Revered Daughter. Paladine be with you." The Revered Son left, the midwife behind him. Crysania stared ahead, silent tears streaming down her face. Though she couldn't see the baby girl, she could imagine what she looked like. Black hair.But a hint of reddish-brown.It'll turn lighter, to his color.And her eyes.Her eyes are gray, like mine, but there's blue in them. They must have been his eye color when he was younger. Her eyes will turn blue. How can they not? She is your daughter, Raistlin. She will be a mage. Nothing I do will stop her. With you as the father, I can only hope to dull the fiery need, the longing for the magic. I will never be able to douse it completely.Oh, Raistlin. She sobbed, shuddering. She felt the girl squirm in her arms, tried to make her more comfortable. She held the girl to her breast, realizing she hadn't named her. Paladine, help me! Please, I need your help in my time of need. She sobbed, a shudder racking her body. Even through her blinded eyes, she saw the white flash. Her head jerked up, and she listened hard. "Who is there?" she called. In reply, she heard the confused voice of an old wizard. "Now where did that hat go? Where's that kender when you need him? " "Fi-Fizban?" She asked hesitantly. The voice softened, becoming less confused. "Yes, it is I, Revered Daughter." "Paladine," Crysania murmured, bowing her head. "I believe you called upon me for help, Crysania." Paladine said gently. "Yes," she replied, her voice cracking. "I don't know what to do, Paladine! She is His child! I cannot see her, but I know what she must look like. How can I bear to live with a daughter who will remind me of him? She'll want to be a mage, I know it. With her studying, how could I ever let myself forget? I can't keep her.My heart breaks, but I can't keep her." There was silence as Crysania cried. Paladine waited, letting her get it out. He also thought. When Crysania was done, he said lightly, "You could send her to a relative." "Who? His half-sister is dead - I wouldn't have sent her to Kitiara anyway - and why would I send her to Caramon? He has no children, I can't just spring one on him and just by looking upon her will remind him. He's gone through the Abyss and back! How could I ask him to take a child who will remind him of that journey?" "Let me take care of it. I'll see that he doesn't know who the child is, who her parents are. He'll raise her as his own. You know him. His heart is large." Crysania nodded. "Yes, yes it is." She was silent a moment, thinking. "You would do this for me, Great One?" she asked the god of good. She could not see his smile, but felt it. "Yes, Revered Daughter, I would do this for you." Crysania thought. After a moment that seemed like an eternity, she nodded with a strangled cry, and lifted the baby away from her, holding her out for Paladine to take. In an instant the baby was cradled in the god's arms. He was about to leave when he stopped, watching Crysania. Her head was in her hands, and she was sobbing uncontrollably, yet silent, obviously trying to be dignified. "What will you call her?" Paladine asked. Crysania's shoulders stopped shuddering for a moment, then began anew. "What else can I call her? Rivin. It has to be Rivin. Raistlin told me once that if he had a daughter, he would call her - Rivin." Paladine nodded gently, knowing the mortal woman would feel it. With the name in mind he left, disappearing back to his realm of gods. Knowing he was gone, Crysania let out a heart broken sob. "Raistlin.Take care of her Raistlin.Blessed be."