The Halfing

Chapter 3: Memories

"Runaan? What are you—"

He put a finger to his lips.

"Where's your husband?" he whispered.

"Down the hall. I'm not sure how far."

"And Sarai?"

"I have no idea. Callum got her away from Claudia and sent her to get help."

Obviously Sarai had not found Runaan.

"Ethari is at your home. He offered to wait there while I searched."

"Good luck gettin' me out. Grate's a little small for me to squeeze through nowadays."

"I'll return. But I'll return with help to defeat the guard and break you both out."

"Thank you, Runaan."

He gave her a silent nod and she nodded back. Then he was gone and she was alone again.

It meant a lot that her relationship with Runaan had been repaired over the years. Ethari and Runaan were the only family members that they'd been able to keep contact with after the upheaval in Neolandia and Del Bar and Ethari had doted on Sarai from the moment he met her after she was born. Runaan did, too, although his visits were less frequent due to the fact that he didn't exactly approve of her choice in a husband. It didn't bother Rayla or Callum; after all, Callum had been part of the reason that Rayla and Runaan's relationship had become strained in the first place when she'd chosen the dragon egg over her mission to kill Harrow and Ezran. In fact, it was mostly because of Sarai that her relationship with her foster father was better now.

Knock knock.

"Are you expecting someone?" Rayla asked Callum. He looked up from the book of spells he'd been reading in confusion.

"No. You?"

"Who'd visit me?"

"Um... well-wishers for Sarai?"

"Open the damn door, Callum. I'll get my blades."

Callum obeyed his wife's command and opened the door to see two Moonshadow elves. He raised his eyebrows; Ethari had regularly been a visitor since they moved into their little home but Runaan avoided them at all costs.

"Ethari!" There was a clatter as Rayla dropped her weapons and ran for her foster parents. "Runaan!"

The two males hugged her tightly as Callum relaxed.

"What brings you two by?" he asked.

"Ethari told me you two had a healthy baby girl. I would like to see her," Runaan replied.

"She's asleep right now," Rayla told them.

A cry came from upstairs and Callum was heading there before Rayla could open her mouth. Sometimes she swore that Callum was Sarai's mother instead of her; his parental instincts were so much stronger than hers when it came to their daughter. While they waited for him to come back, Rayla offered a seat to their visitors.

"You have a lovely home," Runaan commented.

"Oh, right. You haven't been by since we got married."

"I still don't approve."

"Neither do elves or humans. Only a select few do."

"It's like I told her when she told me about that boy in the first place—as long as she's happy I don't mind."