Elayne Trakand
Encyclopedia
Elayne Trakand is one of the main characters of the Wheel of Time
fantasy series by Robert Jordan
. She bears a resemblance both in name and appearance to Ilyena, the doomed wife of Lews Therin Telamon
from the Age of Legends.
throughout her childhood as only women can hold the Lion Throne of Andor
. She is thus known as the Daughter-Heir of Andor and since the Knife of Dreams, is the Queen of Andor. Her personal sigil is a golden lily.
Elayne's first appearance in the series, in The Eye of The World, is when Rand al'Thor
literally falls into the Royal Garden and makes acquaintances with Elayne, her older brother Gawyn Trakand
and their half-brother Galad Damodred
, and even Queen Morgase herself. Later in the series, it is revealed that Elayne fell in love with Rand at first sight. However, she was unable to follow Rand both due to her royal duties and because, as a daughter of House Trakand, she was required by tradition to train at the White Tower, though she was the only daughter heir in Andor history to have had true strength in the One Power. She is currently the first Aes Sedai queen of any country since the last queen of Manetheren died.
and Egwene al'Vere
. While at the Tower, she befriended some folk who, by coincidence, knew Rand quite well: his (former) childhood sweetheart Egwene al'Vere, and his village's Wisdom, Nynaeve al'Meara
. She also got to know Min Farshaw
, a young woman who had met Rand and was in the Tower for "safekeeping" at the time.
, and was present when Rand drew Callandor and proclaimed himself the Dragon Reborn
.
At this point, Elayne finally got her chance to express her feelings for Rand when Egwene renounced him; the two had worked it out in advance, though Elayne's part of the conversation did not go quite according to plan. Unfortunately, their time was limited, soon Rand and Egwene went to Rhuidean and Elayne and Nynaeve to Tarabon. They traveled by way of a Sea Folk ship, reputedly the fastest ships available, and Elayne quickly discovered that Sea Folk Windfinders can channel. Elayne promised to keep this secret, as the Sea Folk fear Aes Sedai meddling. Sent by Lan
and Rand to look after the two were Juilin Sandar and Thom
, whom Elayne eventually recognized from dusty childhood memories as her mother's former lover. She has come to see Thom as a surrogate father, a role he gladly accepts.
In Tarabon they were instrumental in routing the Black Ajah and returning the Panarch Amathera to her office. On the way to Salidar, a bizarre series of events led to Birgitte Silverbow, one of the Heroes of the Horn, being ripped from Tel'aran'rhiod
and expelled into the waking world to die. To save her, Elayne bonded Birgitte as her Warder
, and the famed archer has been a constant companion since. The Warder bond between the two women is not the same as the Bond between an Aes Sedai and a male Warder. Many believe that it is because both of them are women, a bonding that has never happened before and is under much scrutiny. The group arrived in Salidar just in time to receive the brand new Amyrlin Seat
, Egwene al'Vere. Egwene made Elayne and Nynaeve full Aes Sedai upon her ascension. Elayne went with Nynaeve, Aviendha and Mat Cauthon
to Ebou Dar
and after using the Bowl of the Winds to break the endless summer caused by the Dark one, shepherded a large group of channelers, known as the Kin
, to Caemlyn when the Seanchan
invaded. When she returned to Caemlyn she declared for the throne of Andor following her mother's absence and supposed death (Morgase abdicated the throne in her exile, making Elayne the legal Queen) She secured the Throne of Andor following a Succession war which included her opponents besieging Caemlyn. She has also rediscovered the ability to create ter'angreal. For a short time, she also used Mat as an unwilling tutor in cursing and swearing.
and Min
); the three have agreed to share him, and recently Bonded him as their mutual Warder
, partly for the side effect of being able to tell what the other person is feeling. Shortly after that, she and Rand found some time together alone in a room with a bed, almost immediately demonstrating one of the downsides of the Warder bond and leading Birgitte, Min and Aviendha to get blinding drunk as soon as possible. According to Min's visions, Elayne has conceived Rand's fraternal twins, a son and daughter, who will come out "just fine." Because Min's visions are supposedly always true, Elayne believes, whether correctly or not, that she can come to no harm while she is pregnant and has not flinched from danger since.
It is not known if Elayne is a reincarnation of Ilyena Therin Moerelle, but there have been some hints to that effect, particularly in their similar physical appearance and first names. However, known examples of reincarnation do not show a continuity in names or physical characteristics: two of Birgitte's incarnations are named Teadra and Maerion, and the only similarity between Rand and Lews Therin Telamon is height, all else being completely different. Having said that, some personality traits are known to carry over between reincarnations: Birgitte is always an archer and always linked to Gaidal Cain, while Lews Therin was noted for his stubbornness and nobility.
women besting her raw strength. She has also demonstrated an immense degree of talent in the copying and creation of ter'angreal. She has successfully made copies of the twisted ring ter'angreal that Egwene obtained from Verin Sedai
, a'dam, and several other objects. While recreating the a'dam she also modified the design without a leash between the collar and bracelet, which is unnecessary for maintaining the forced link. She has also made some original ter'angreal, including one which makes the user invisible and was able to re-create Mat Cauthon's foxhead medallion which repels the use of the one power, although the copies currently do not work quite as well. She has expressed interest in learning how to make angreal or sa'angreal, but as of late her studies have taken a back seat to her political campaign and pregnancy.
The Wheel of Time
The Wheel of Time is a series of epic fantasy novels written by American author James Oliver Rigney, Jr., under the pen name Robert Jordan. Originally planned as a six-book series, the length was increased by increments; at the time of Rigney's death, he expected it to be 12, but it will actually...
fantasy series by Robert Jordan
Robert Jordan
Robert Jordan was the pen name of James Oliver Rigney, Jr. , under which he was best known as the author of the bestselling The Wheel of Time fantasy series. He also wrote under the pseudonyms Reagan O'Neal and Jackson O'Reilly.-Biography:Jordan was born in Charleston, South Carolina...
. She bears a resemblance both in name and appearance to Ilyena, the doomed wife of Lews Therin Telamon
Lews Therin Telamon
Lews Therin Telamon is a fictional character in Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time fantasy series. He was the Dragon of the Age of Legends. He is the most powerful, most hated, and most feared man in history, for his part in the Breaking of the World and killing his loved ones, earning him the...
from the Age of Legends.
Description
She is described as exceedingly beautiful, about 5'7", with blue eyes and red-gold hair framing an oval face.Life as Royalty
The youngest child and only daughter of Queen Morgase Trakand of Andor, Elayne grew up in the Royal Palace in Caemlyn. She was heir apparentHeir apparent
An heir apparent or heiress apparent is a person who is first in line of succession and cannot be displaced from inheriting, except by a change in the rules of succession....
throughout her childhood as only women can hold the Lion Throne of Andor
Andor (Wheel of Time)
Andor is a country set in Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time series of fantasy fiction novels.Andor is one of the strongest countries in the Westlands of the main continent. It is located in the middle of the Westlands, and is one of the largest nations...
. She is thus known as the Daughter-Heir of Andor and since the Knife of Dreams, is the Queen of Andor. Her personal sigil is a golden lily.
Elayne's first appearance in the series, in The Eye of The World, is when Rand al'Thor
Rand al'Thor
Rand al'Thor, also known as the Dragon Reborn, is the fictional main character and protagonist of The Wheel of Time, a series of fantasy novels by Robert Jordan.Rand al'Thor has many other titles within the series:...
literally falls into the Royal Garden and makes acquaintances with Elayne, her older brother Gawyn Trakand
Gawyn Trakand
Gawyn Trakand is a fictional character in the Wheel of Time fantasy series by Robert Jordan.Lord Gawyn of House Trakand is the son of Taringail and Queen Morgase, as well as the brother of Elayne and half-brother to Galad Damodred...
and their half-brother Galad Damodred
Galad Damodred
Lord Galadedrid of House Damodred, called "Galad" for short, is a fictional character in the Wheel of Time fantasy series by Robert Jordan....
, and even Queen Morgase herself. Later in the series, it is revealed that Elayne fell in love with Rand at first sight. However, she was unable to follow Rand both due to her royal duties and because, as a daughter of House Trakand, she was required by tradition to train at the White Tower, though she was the only daughter heir in Andor history to have had true strength in the One Power. She is currently the first Aes Sedai queen of any country since the last queen of Manetheren died.
To the White Tower
Elayne is the first heir of House Trakand in a thousand years to actually be able to channel the One Power with enough strength to become Aes Sedai; she is about as strong as her friends AviendhaAviendha
Aviendha of the Nine Valleys sept of the Taardad Aiel is one of the main characters of the Wheel of Time fantasy series by Robert Jordan.-Description:...
and Egwene al'Vere
Egwene al'Vere
Egwene al'Vere is one of the main characters of the Wheel of Time fantasy series by Robert Jordan.-Description:She is described as beautiful, with large brown eyes and long dark hair. Like all adult women in her home village of Emond's Field, she initially wore her hair in a long braid, but as soon...
. While at the Tower, she befriended some folk who, by coincidence, knew Rand quite well: his (former) childhood sweetheart Egwene al'Vere, and his village's Wisdom, Nynaeve al'Meara
Nynaeve al'Meara
Nynaeve al'Meara is one of the main characters of The Wheel of Time fantasy series by Robert Jordan.-Personality:Nynaeve's personality often runs a gamut of emotions, meek at times before more experienced women but also able to stand up and run down others. While she will deny it, Nynaeve is...
. She also got to know Min Farshaw
Min Farshaw
Elmindreda "Min" Farshaw is one of the main characters of The Wheel of Time fantasy series by Robert Jordan.- Description :She is slender, a little taller than Moiraine , and has short dark hair that becomes curly when grown long. She has large, dark eyes...
, a young woman who had met Rand and was in the Tower for "safekeeping" at the time.
Out of the Tower
She went to Falme (having been tricked into going there by Aes Sedai of the Black Ajah) and then to Tear, where she was sent along with Nynaeve and Egwene to hunt the Black Ajah by then-Amyrlin Siuan SancheSiuan Sanche
Siuan Sanche is a character of the Wheel of Time fantasy series by Robert Jordan.The sharp-tongued daughter of a fisherman from Tear, Siuan Sanche joined the White Tower at the same time as Moiraine Damodred...
, and was present when Rand drew Callandor and proclaimed himself the Dragon Reborn
Dragon (Wheel of Time)
In the fictional Wheel of Time fantasy series by Robert Jordan, the Dragon is the champion of the Light and the Creator against the evil Dark One. Although the Dark One was imprisoned by the Creator at the moment of creation, he continually seeks to break free of his prison. In each Age, the Dragon...
.
At this point, Elayne finally got her chance to express her feelings for Rand when Egwene renounced him; the two had worked it out in advance, though Elayne's part of the conversation did not go quite according to plan. Unfortunately, their time was limited, soon Rand and Egwene went to Rhuidean and Elayne and Nynaeve to Tarabon. They traveled by way of a Sea Folk ship, reputedly the fastest ships available, and Elayne quickly discovered that Sea Folk Windfinders can channel. Elayne promised to keep this secret, as the Sea Folk fear Aes Sedai meddling. Sent by Lan
Lan Mandragoran
Al'Lan Mandragoran is one of the main characters of the Wheel of Time fantasy series by Robert Jordan.Lan is very similar in characterization to Aragorn from The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien...
and Rand to look after the two were Juilin Sandar and Thom
Thom Merrilin
Thomdril "Thom" Merrilin is one of the main characters of the Wheel of Time fantasy series by Robert Jordan.Not much of his early life is known, although he was Bard to the young Lady Morgase of House Trakand. He helped her ascend to the throne of Andor and became her Court Bard, and was renowned...
, whom Elayne eventually recognized from dusty childhood memories as her mother's former lover. She has come to see Thom as a surrogate father, a role he gladly accepts.
In Tarabon they were instrumental in routing the Black Ajah and returning the Panarch Amathera to her office. On the way to Salidar, a bizarre series of events led to Birgitte Silverbow, one of the Heroes of the Horn, being ripped from Tel'aran'rhiod
Tel'aran'rhiod
Tel'aran'rhiod or the World of Dreams is a fictional reality where the reality is mutable, mentioned in the fictional world of Robert Jordan's fantasy series The Wheel of Time. The word itself is from the in-universe language known as the Old Tongue, and literally means 'the unseen world'...
and expelled into the waking world to die. To save her, Elayne bonded Birgitte as her Warder
Warder (Wheel of Time)
A Warder in the world of Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series is a person bonded by an Aes Sedai through the use of saidar to become her bodyguard as she travels....
, and the famed archer has been a constant companion since. The Warder bond between the two women is not the same as the Bond between an Aes Sedai and a male Warder. Many believe that it is because both of them are women, a bonding that has never happened before and is under much scrutiny. The group arrived in Salidar just in time to receive the brand new Amyrlin Seat
Amyrlin Seat
The Amyrlin Seat is a fictional title from Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series.The Amyrlin Seat, or Amyrlin as it is often shortened to, is the leader of the Aes Sedai in Tar Valon. The term can also refer to the actual seat upon which the Amyrlin sits...
, Egwene al'Vere. Egwene made Elayne and Nynaeve full Aes Sedai upon her ascension. Elayne went with Nynaeve, Aviendha and Mat Cauthon
Mat Cauthon
Matrim "Mat" Cauthon is a fictional character in Robert Jordan's fantasy series The Wheel of Time. He is one of the primary protagonists and has moved over the course of the series from his beginnings as a mischievous farm lad into the role of a powerful, shrewd and successful general and...
to Ebou Dar
Altara
Altara is a fictional country in Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time fantasy series.-Geography:Altara is located between Illian and Amadicia. The river Eldar forms its western border.-Politics and government:...
and after using the Bowl of the Winds to break the endless summer caused by the Dark one, shepherded a large group of channelers, known as the Kin
The Kin
The Kin is an organization in the world of Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time fantasy series.The Kin are a secret group of female channelers hiding from the White Tower. They offered a safe haven for others who had been put out of the Tower due to their failure to measure up to the Tower's standards...
, to Caemlyn when the Seanchan
Seanchan
In the fictional world of Robert Jordan's fantasy series The Wheel of Time, Seanchan is the name of a continent, the empire that occupies it, and the people that live in the empire...
invaded. When she returned to Caemlyn she declared for the throne of Andor following her mother's absence and supposed death (Morgase abdicated the throne in her exile, making Elayne the legal Queen) She secured the Throne of Andor following a Succession war which included her opponents besieging Caemlyn. She has also rediscovered the ability to create ter'angreal. For a short time, she also used Mat as an unwilling tutor in cursing and swearing.
Rand's Lovers
Elayne is one of three women who love Rand al'Thor, and is close friends with the other two (AviendhaAviendha
Aviendha of the Nine Valleys sept of the Taardad Aiel is one of the main characters of the Wheel of Time fantasy series by Robert Jordan.-Description:...
and Min
Min Farshaw
Elmindreda "Min" Farshaw is one of the main characters of The Wheel of Time fantasy series by Robert Jordan.- Description :She is slender, a little taller than Moiraine , and has short dark hair that becomes curly when grown long. She has large, dark eyes...
); the three have agreed to share him, and recently Bonded him as their mutual Warder
Warder (Wheel of Time)
A Warder in the world of Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series is a person bonded by an Aes Sedai through the use of saidar to become her bodyguard as she travels....
, partly for the side effect of being able to tell what the other person is feeling. Shortly after that, she and Rand found some time together alone in a room with a bed, almost immediately demonstrating one of the downsides of the Warder bond and leading Birgitte, Min and Aviendha to get blinding drunk as soon as possible. According to Min's visions, Elayne has conceived Rand's fraternal twins, a son and daughter, who will come out "just fine." Because Min's visions are supposedly always true, Elayne believes, whether correctly or not, that she can come to no harm while she is pregnant and has not flinched from danger since.
It is not known if Elayne is a reincarnation of Ilyena Therin Moerelle, but there have been some hints to that effect, particularly in their similar physical appearance and first names. However, known examples of reincarnation do not show a continuity in names or physical characteristics: two of Birgitte's incarnations are named Teadra and Maerion, and the only similarity between Rand and Lews Therin Telamon is height, all else being completely different. Having said that, some personality traits are known to carry over between reincarnations: Birgitte is always an archer and always linked to Gaidal Cain, while Lews Therin was noted for his stubbornness and nobility.
Skills and abilities
Elayne is among the most powerful female channelers of the past thousand years, with fewer than ten living non-ForsakenForsaken (Wheel of Time)
In the fictional world of Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time fantasy series, the Forsaken are the most powerful and favored servants of the Dark One. They were formerly Aes Sedai, but became corrupted by the desire for power and immortality...
women besting her raw strength. She has also demonstrated an immense degree of talent in the copying and creation of ter'angreal. She has successfully made copies of the twisted ring ter'angreal that Egwene obtained from Verin Sedai
Verin Mathwin
Verin Mathwin is a fictional character in The Wheel of Time series of fantasy novels by Robert Jordan.-Description:Verin is an Aes Sedai of the Brown Ajah. Verin has grayed hair and is considered to be one of the oldest Aes Sedai alive; likely over 200 years old...
, a'dam, and several other objects. While recreating the a'dam she also modified the design without a leash between the collar and bracelet, which is unnecessary for maintaining the forced link. She has also made some original ter'angreal, including one which makes the user invisible and was able to re-create Mat Cauthon's foxhead medallion which repels the use of the one power, although the copies currently do not work quite as well. She has expressed interest in learning how to make angreal or sa'angreal, but as of late her studies have taken a back seat to her political campaign and pregnancy.