The Halfing

Chapter 5: History

Runaan felt apprehensive as he approached Rayla and Callum's home.

I found them. But the question is where I go for aid...

Opening the door, he was surprised to see that there were several humans inside. One he recognized as a general of Lux Aurea—Amaya. There was also the insipid blonde brute who had once chained him and kept him in the dungeon of Katolis. Perhaps the most shocking was the king of Katolis himself—Ezran, Rayla's brother-in-law. His eyes didn't rest on them for long, however, as his gaze soon swept over the room again as he realized that Sarai was home. His precious granddaughter had come home again.

"Sarai!" he gasped in joy. She spotted him and her eyes lit up as she ran towards him. Runaan swept her into a hug as the other humans (and Queen Janai was there as well for some reason) smiled at the scene.

"Grampy! You're back!"

"Of course I am. Where have you been?"

"I went to Katolis and found Uncle Ezran and they're gonna help us save Mama and Papa!" Runaan sighed, a happy smile still on his face.

"We heard you found them?" the blonde inquired.

"Yes. There's a fortress a few days' journey away. I saw Rayla myself."

"And Callum?" pressed Ezran.

"According to her, he was just down the hall. I scouted it a little more. Our old enemy is there. As is his daughter.

"Viren and Claudia..."

"I wasn't seen, but it was a close call. I've spent the last several days trying to shake any of their men who might be following."

"There are some around here," Corvus sighed. "One almost killed Sarai last night—a Moonshadow elf. It's because of Janai that she's here now."

Runaan clutched Sarai even tighter, if that was possible, and stood up with her in his arms.

"We must set out to save them as soon as possible."

The other adults in the room nodded and Runaan set his granddaughter down. The sun was setting now and it would be time for her to go to sleep soon while the rest of them made plans for the coming battle. His throat tightened at the bandages around hers. He could remember a time, shortly before she'd married, that Rayla had been brought to him in a severely-injured state. It had been an incident which confirmed in his mind that, despite his disapproval, despite the glaring looks and not-so-subtle threats to the boy's physical state, Callum was never going to leave Rayla's side willingly.

"She's got to be all right, right?!"

Runaan sighed as he watched Callum anxiously pacing. He'd seen Lain behave much the same way when Tiadrin was giving birth to Rayla, although back then Runaan had been just as anxious to see his 'sister' pull through. He knew Rayla would be fine; Ethari was caring for her. His husband had simply shooed their daughter's fiancé out of the room while he worked to get some peace.

"Rayla is one of the best assassins to ever come from the Silvergrove—at least, in terms of skill. She will be fine."

"I just... if..." The boy was panicking now, the worry more obvious on his face. "I can't lose her. I just can't ."

"I hear humans have a tendency to remarry if they lose a spouse," Runaan mused out loud.

"Some do. Others are like my stepdad was and they never do." Callum finally sat down, allowing Runaan to feel a little less annoyed.