#harrow fic

[sorinethemastermind]

Reunion

In which Harrow sees his sons again. [because @lunanightriderofthecove wanted a sequel to this one where Harrow sees his sons again and I thought that was a splendid idea. Happy Birdthday to the King of Katolis!]

Harrow cocked his head, glancing up at Opeli above him, adjusting his perch on her arm. He ruffled his feathers and let out a small coo, drawing her attention. She looked at him with an expression someplace between confusion and pi-

Oh, was that a bug?

Harrow lifted off from her arm, surroundings temporarily forgotten, and soared through the great double doors Soren had just opened to land on the red carpeted floor. He hurried forward, jabbing at the ground with his beak until he'd managed to skewer the cricket.

A loud thump came from behind him and he jumped, images of Viren and cage doors slamming flashing through his mind. He took to the skies again, except the sky had been replaced by a marble ceiling, cloudless and white. He squawked, panicking filling for a moment before-

"Dad?"

The voice snapped him back into his own mind again and he settled on a nearby table, turning to search for it's source. There was a throne at the end off the great hall, familiar though the wood was now scorched and blackened. And seated in it was...

He flew forward, wings flapping frantically. He looked so different, so much older. But Harrow would have known that face anywhere. It didn't matter how long he hadn't been himself, it was his son. He lighted on the arm of the throne, staring up into Ezran's big blue eyes as they filled with tears.

He was certainly older, and not just physically. Harrow could see the crown - silver in place of gold, but still just as heavy - sitting on his brow. The lines under his eyes that no child should have. Except he was no longer a child, was he? A teenager?

Harrow experienced the strange sensation of knowing that he was crying without the capacity to cry. The same feeling but none of the affects. He took a tentative step forward, talons hooking into the wood as he leaned as close as he could. He reached out, brushing his hand against Ezran's outstretched hand. He cooed, knowing his words didn't matter but wanting to say them anyway.

Except Ezran smiled through the tears, a small laugh forming in the back of his throat, "Yeah, I'm okay. I missed you, too."

Harrow stared up at him, then leapt forward into his lap, gazing up into his eyes as he began twittering again.

Ezran wrapping both hands gently around him, thumb gently stroking his feathers. But Harrow knew the touch for what it was. A hold, tight, but not constricting. As though he was afraid he'd slip through his fingers at any moment.

"Yes, he's okay, too." Ezran glanced across the room for a moment, "Soren, will you go and get Callum? And Rayla, too."

"You got it!"

Harrow turned to watch the Crownguard spin on his heel and hurry from the room, Opeli right on his heels. He had grown so much, too. But not just that, he had also changed. So much had changed. And he had missed all of it.

Harrow turned back to his son, cooing another question.

Ezran smiled, tears still spilling silently down his cheeks, "You'll like Rayla. She's Callum's girlfriend."

Harrow twittered and watched Ezran's face fall. He hopped closer, cocking his head to the side worriedly.

"Yeah I... I guess he did finally get over her. There's a lot to tell you, Dad. I don't really know where to start."

The beginning, Harrow prompted. He would have been happy to listen to Ezran talk about anything for hours, anything at all.

His son took a deep breath, but instead of answering his questions, he asked one of his own, "Did Lord Viren do this to you?"

Harrow's eyes narrowed and he dipped his head, squawking a frustrated confirmation. When he got his han- talons on that traitorous mage he would-

"He's dead," Ezran told him, gently.

Harrow stopped his squawking, staring up at him. A wave of emotion crashed over him, confusing and unexpected. Surely not... sadness. Not after everything Viren had done?

"I'll explain everything once Callum is here," Ezran assured him. Then he added; "I'm so glad you're back, Dad."

Harrow cooed in agreement, rubbing his head against Ezran's hand once again. Just then the doors flew open behind them and he turned to find Callum standing in the doorway, taller and wearing-

Wearing the robes of the High Mage's office, a white streak through his hair.

An image of Viren, not much older than his son must now be, standing in a similar outfit and a similar castle flashed before his eyes.

But then Callum took a hesitant step forward, gait breaking into a run, and the image was forgotten.

"Dad!" he cried, dropping to his knees before the throne to throw his arms around Harrow, who stepped forward into his son's embrace. He cooed softly, nuzzling Callum's cheek with his head.

"He says he's glad you're okay, and that he loves you very much," Ezran supplied.

Callum pulled away after a moment, staring down at him with wide eyes. "We're going to get you out of there," he said, a small smile tugging at his lips. "I know a spell that will fix all of this."

Harrow stared up at him, once again the image of Viren flashing over his son's face. He looked away, gaze wandering over the room to land on-

The assassins. They had found him. Somehow they were here.

Harrow launched himself into the air, squawking furiously as he tried to draw Callum and Ezran's attention. The elf, who had previously been skulking in the doorway, flinched back. He saw Soren reach out towards her and for a moment felt reassured, but the Crownguard merely patted her on the shoulder before pushing her gently into the room. Of course. Why had he trusted Viren's son?

Except then Callum turned, eyes lighting up at the sight of her, and beckoned her forward as well. She walked hesitantly to his side and his son straightened up, tucking an arm around her waist. Harrow stopped cawing and lighted back on the arm of the throne, wings spread protectively before Ezran.

"Dad, this is Rayla. My girlfriend," Callum said. The elf gave a small wave.

"We're at peace now, with the elves," Ezran said from behind him and Harrow turned to look at him. "Didn't Soren tell you?"

An image of a green haired elf surfaced from his memory, hand outstretched and full of berries. Harrow lowered his wings, cooing softly with embarrassment. He remembered, now, Soren introducing him. And- and there had been another person there, too. Not one of Viren's children. Corvin? Corvus! He had been there as well, working alongside the elf with comfortable familiarity.

Harrow dipped his head beneath his wing. It was becoming harder and harder to connect the dots. To hold onto the pieces of himself that weren't as close to his heart. He could feel things slipping away from him, things he knew he should know and remember. But the image of his sons had always remained clear in his mind, an anchor holding him together at his center, keeping all the drifting pieces together. Or as together as they could be.

"It's okay," Ezran reached out and stroked his head, seeming to sense his worry. "Callum is going to get you back."

Harrow looked up at his sons, glancing between them. Ezran gave him a watery eyed smile and Callum knelt back down to reach out and hold him again. The three of them reunited at last.

Whatever had happened over the years he'd been gone, however much they had grown and changed, these were his sons. And so long as he held onto that knowledge, he knew nothing else mattered.

[sorinethemastermind]

Fluffcember 2024: Family Gathering| Rayllum & Sorvus & Clauderry Callum is determined to ask Rayla to be his girlfriend this Winter Break. But if he can't even start a fire, how is he supposed to create the perfect moment? Soren has decided to stay on campus this Christmas, but with Rayla and Callum as his only company, he's starting to feel like a third wheel. Except maybe it's not just the three of them left on campus after all. Meanwhile Claudia is trying to have a nice Christmas with her family, but maybe her family isn't at home...

 Rayla watched Soren go with all the rest of them, and winced a little bit as she heard the door shut behind him with a loud click. Harrow cast an apologetic glance around the room.

 “Anybody got any dishes for me to do? I’m about to run a load.”

 “I can help.” Rayla blurted before she could think better of it, rising to her feet. 

 He smiled at her. “Thank you, Rayla.”

 She trailed after him, collecting a few empty plates, and they went into the kitchen. 

 “You have a lovely home.” she said after a moment, voice sounding flat even to her own ears. She cringed.

 Harrow turned on her, eyes narrowing. “So, you think you’re good enough for my Callum, do you?”

 Rayla’s eyes widened and she froze before squaring her shoulders and taking a defiant step forward. “Yes. I do.”

 His expression melted into a boisterous laugh. “Good. I think so, too.”

 Rayla felt her face grow warm. “You were messing with me.”

 “And smart, too.” Harrow winked at her. “Yes, I was messing with you. Sorry if I gave you a start.” He turned on the sink, starting to wash the dishes they’d brought in from the living room. “Callum talks about you a lot.”

 “He does?” Rayla felt the flush in her cheeks intensify.

 “Yes. All the time, in fact. You’re just about the only thing that seems to be on his mind.”

 “And what does he say?” Rayla asked, leaning on the counter, a little curious.

 Harrow chuckled. “All good things. He says that you’re very smart, and funny, and kind. And that you don’t give yourself enough credit.” he glanced over at her. “You don’t have to try and prove anything to me. If Callum likes you, then that’s good enough for me.”

 Rayla let out a breath, smiling. “Thank you.”

 “Oh, don’t thank me yet. I’m not the one you need to impress.” Harrow asked, returning his attention to the dishes. “That’s his Aunt Amaya.”

 Rayla gave him a nervous look. “And… how likely am I to impress her?”

 “Depends.” Harrow threw her a sidelong glance, smiling. “Do you have any plans to break my son’s heart?”

 “Of course not-” Rayla spluttered.

 “Then you should do just fine.” Harrow grinned at her. “So, how did you two meet?”

 “I’d have thought he already told you, seeing as he talks about me all the time.”

 “He did. But I want to hear it from you.”

 “Well,” Rayla began, “it was in fencing club. I mean, technically we’d met before then, but I didn’t know his name or anything. But then he showed up at fencing club and he was just so awful at it-” she laughed fondly, remembering the way he’d tripped over his own feet “-but he kept coming every week, and I couldn’t figure out why and then one day we got paired together and…”

 “The rest was history?” Harrow offered.

 “Nah, I kicked his butt.” Rayla smirked. “Then the rest was history.”

 “He didn’t mention that bit, oddly enough.” he said, drying off the last dish and putting it away. “He just said that you asked him out.”

 “I did that after.”

 “And what made you want to ask him out, if you had just wiped the floor with him.” Harrow asked, leaning back against the counter to look at her.

 “That he kept showing up.” Rayla admitted. “Even after everyone on the team had walloped him. Plus, he was cute.”

 Harrow laughed. “He is determined. He gets that from his mother.”

 “She sounds lovely.” Rayla offered, seeing the shadow flicker across his face. 

 “She was.” Harrow said. “The strongest, kindest person I’ve ever met. Callum says you remind him of her. I think he’s right.” “Oh.” Rayla tucked a strand of hair out of her face. “Thank you.”

 Harrow smiled. “You’re very welcome.”

 The door creaked open nearby and Rayla turned around, glancing into the hall. She watched as Corvus melted out of the shadows and held his arms open for Soren, letting his partner hide in them. She took a step towards them, but Harrow placed a hand on her shoulder.

 “Go back out to the others, and bring that plate of food.” he inclined his head towards a nearby tray of snacks on the counter. “I’ll handle this.”

 She nodded, taking it and starting back towards the living room, where she could hear the others debating which movie to put on next. Something made her linger, though, just outside the doorway. She heard Harrow’s voice, quiet and calm.

 “Are you alright?”

 Then Corvus’, quieter still. “Just give us a minute.”

 “Wait-” Soren sounded a little strained, like he was fighting to keep his voice level. “That friend of yours you mention, would they still-”

 “I’ll text you their information.” Harrow replied. “There’s an empty guest room up the stairs and to the left, if you need a minute before rejoining the others..”

 “Thank you.” Corvus' voice came again, and then she heard their footsteps recede.

 Rayla smiled. Harrow reminded her of someone, too.

 It hadn’t been easy, leaving her home and going someplace entirely new. Especially after everything. It had felt like leaving the last little remnants of her parents behind. Like they’d stayed and she’d gone, somehow. Even though it had been the opposite. She’d thought she would be all alone; no family and no home.

 But Ethari had opened his arms and welcomed her in immediately. Not because she was flesh and blood, not because it had been easy (she had certainly not made it that), but because some people are just fathers whether you’re their flesh and blood or not. Some people are just family. 

 Rayla carried the little platter of food out to yet another family that had found her and welcome her in.

[sorinethemastermind]

Whumpuary 2025 | Prompt: "I Didn't Ask For This"

 Viren slammed the door shut behind him, hearing it shake on it's hinges. He paced across the room, head in his hands, fingers furiously combing through his hair. All for nothing. All of it was for nothing. 

 His fist slammed down on the table, “Nothing!”

 The bird cooed in the corner, tilting it’s head at him quizzically from inside the cage. He glared at it. 

 “Are you mocking me, now? Is this kingdom’s doom amusing to you?”

 The bird said nothing, merely adjusted it’s footing on the perch. Viren scowled. It was becoming harder and harder to tell what was bird and what was… what wasn’t. How long could you be trapped in something else’s body before you became that thing? How long could you cling to someone you no longer were before it was lost entirely?

 It was something he might have pondered, once. Discussed with Harrow. Written theories on. Something Kpp’Ar would have found-

 Viren sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose between thumb and forefinger, “I’m sorry. You need your seed, don’t you?”

 He opened one of the nearby cupboards, pulling out the little sack of bird feed he kept there. He walked over to the cage, sprinkling some in through the bars. He knew better than to open it. Not after last time.

 Pulling back a chair, he passed the bag of seed between his hands and watched as the bird ate. It pecked at the floor, scrounging for every scrap and morsel. Viren looked away, unable to watch.

 “I didn’t have a choice, you know,” he said, addressing the far wall. “You left me no choice.” When no reply came (how could it?) he continued. “It was the only way forward. For our kingdom. For humanity. The only way I could protect them. It was the only way forward for you,” he did look at the bird, then. At it’s unsettlingly strange yet familiar eyes, “You’ll thank me someday.”

 It said nothing.

 Viren stood, leaving the bag of seed on the table, and began to pace the room. “I didn’t ask for this,” he told the bird. It lifted a seed in it’s beak and cracked it.

 Viren snarled, “See, you say that but-” he paused, catching himself, and stared at the bird. It had said nothing. Could say nothing. It was just a bird. And yet-

 Viren’s hands clenched into fists at his sides, and he sank back into the chair, staring at it as it ate, “Are you even listening?”

 The bird picked up another seed, tilted it’s head back, and swallowed it. Viren sighed, running a hand through his hair. “Can you even listen?”

 The bird said nothing. 

 “I am not going to give up. Not on humanity, not on this kingdom, and not on you.” Viren stood, brushing his hands down his front to straighten out the wrinkles in his robe, “No matter what you think of me.” 

The bird said nothing as he swept from the room, closing the door with a sharp click behind him.

[sorinethemastermind]

Fluffcember 2024: Cold Turkey | Rayllum & Sorvus & Clauderry Callum is determined to ask Rayla to be his girlfriend this Winter Break. But if he can't even start a fire, how is he supposed to create the perfect moment? Soren has decided to stay on campus this Christmas, but with Rayla and Callum as his only company, he's starting to feel like a third wheel. Except maybe it's not just the three of them left on campus after all. Meanwhile Claudia is trying to have a nice Christmas with her family, but maybe her family isn't at home...

 Viren glanced from his phone back to the tupperware of cold spaghetti, then to the phone again. He poked absently at the mass of cold noodles and congealed sauce. It had split into red blobs of tomato and a thin, watery orange liquid. Stabbing into it with a fork, he lifted a clump and inspected it. He couldn’t remember making spaghetti. So either Claudia had made this while she was here, or it was very old. 

 He took a tentative sniff as the doorbell rang. Setting the fork down, he pushed the chair back.

 “Give me a moment!” Viren called, stepping into his slippers and shuffling down the hall.

 He didn’t know who it could be. Certainly not Soren, not after yesterday. Perhaps Claudia had changed her mind about speaking to him?

 “Viren.” Harrow smiled at him as he opened the door. “May I join you?”

 “Ah. Harrow, yes, of course.” he stepped aside, letting his friend go past him and into the house. 

 Viren closed the door behind him, turning around to find Harrow holding out a tupperware he’d brought with him.

 “I brought some leftovers. I know it’s not much.”

 “Thank you.” Viren took it. “So then… is that all?”

 “What?” Harrow raised an eyebrow, then laughed. “No. Not until I’m sure you’ve eaten it.”

 He led the way into the kitchen, Viren trailing after him. “So… how did it go with Soren?”

 Viren sighed. “My daughter doesn’t want to speak with me and my son hates me. It went how you might expect. You could have warned me he was there.”

 Harrow winced. “Yes. I’m sorry. I knew how things were between the two of you, I wanted him to feel safe. I didn’t want to betray his trust.”

 Viren let out a harsh laugh. “You wanted him to feel safe so you hid him from me. His father.”

 “You know that’s not the way I meant it.” Harrow said, taking the tupperware when Viren made no move to do anything with it. He took out a tray and began scooping the leftovers onto it before sticking it in the microwave.

 Viren sat back down at the table with a sigh. “I am aware of how you meant it.”

 Harrow sat down across from him. “What did he say?”

 “Apparently I have hurt him, somehow. And broken our family.” Viren informed his friend.

 “So what are you going to do?” Harrow asked, patiently.

 “What would you have me do? I believe he and his mother have made it clear that I have already done more than enough.”

 “That’s not the Viren I know.”

 “Perhaps I am not the man you once thought you knew.” Viren said, propping his elbows on the table and clasping his hands before himself.

 “He’s in there someplace.” Harrow assured him, getting up and taking the tray out of the microwave as it beeped. He split it onto two plates, pushing one across the table to him.

 Viren poked the mass of congealed mashed potatoes and the few pieces of dried out turkey that were probably still cold in the center.

 “So, what are you going to do?” Harrow prompted again, somehow already halfway through his plate. 

 “Nothing.”

 “No creative solutions?”

 “This isn’t my career, Harrow. It’s my family.”

 “Which is all the more reason to try.” Harrow pushed. “If there’s one thing I know about you, Viren, it's that you would do anything for your family.”

 “I would.”

 “Well? Did Soren… send you anything?”

 “So that was you, then.” Viren sighed. He picked up his phone again, staring at the screen. The phone number, website link, and the message from his son. Just consider it.

 “He asked me for the information.” Harrow said, gently. “What did you say?”

 “Nothing, yet.” Viren put his phone back down. “Lissa and I tried counseling. It didn’t work.”

 “It might help you and Soren.”

 “I doubt that.”

 “It might help Soren.” Harrow said. 

 Viren stabbing his fork into a piece of turkey before looking up at his friend again. “He’s already seeing someone about me, isn’t he?”

 Harrow rubbed at his beard. “He said it’s helping.”

 Viren sighed, burying his face in his hands. “Where did I go so wrong?”

 “Do you actually want me to answer that question?”

 “Stop being such a therapist right now.” Viren sighed. “I could just use a friend.”

 “I think you could use both.” Harrow said, getting up and placing his now empty plate in the sink. He looked back at him, leaning on the counter. “If Soren thinks family counseling could help him, then shouldn’t you try it, even if you don’t think it will? Isn’t that the very thing he’s asking you to do?”

 Viren wrinkled his nose. “I don’t see how both my children telling a stranger how much they hate me while I sit there is going to help us.”

 “That’s not how counseling works.”

 “That’s how it felt with Lissa.”

 “That was one bad experience, Viren. Don’t let it shape your entire life.”

 Viren sighed, glancing back over at his phone. He picked it up.

 Viren: Would Claudia be present?

 The little bubble appeared to tell him Soren was typing almost immediately, vanished, then returned. 

 Soren: yeah

 Viren: I’ll give them a call and see about setting up an appointment.

 Viren: I don’t know if I could have your mother be present.

 Soren: that’s fine

 Soren: thx

 Viren stared at the final message until Harrow walked around the table to see what he was looking at. His friend clapped a hand on his shoulder.

 “See? If you listen, and you make a gesture, they see it.”

 “I don’t think our problems are solved just because he thanked me for something.” Viren said, still staring at the phone.

 “No.” Harrow admitted. “But isn’t it something?”

 “Yes.” Viren said. “Yes, it is.” his finger hovered over the message, hesitantly. Then he clicked on it quickly, reacting with a heart before he could overthink it. Harrow smiled at him. Viren set the phone facedown on the table again. 

 “Was that so bad?”

 “Oh, stop being so smug.” Viren said, returning to his food. It had gotten cold again.

 Harrow sat down across from him, that same smile on his face.

 “You’re not being any less smug.” Viren informed him.

 “How do you feel?”

 “...Better.” Viren admitted. “I doubt it will accomplish anything but-”

 “It feels nice to have a solution?” Harrow offered.

 “Yes.” Viren agreed. “A way forward. A different path.”