While she much preferred staying in Nearv to participating in battle, Runa was restless. She didn\u2019t like Nearv, with the constant flow of new soldiers flooding through it, the noise and the commotion. She wanted to get out of the village, but she had promised Vraen she would stay near his hall. So she spent most of her time in the small room he had given her, trying to shut out the chaotic sounds beyond the walls.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What she most wanted was to see her father again, and to talk to him. But it was another two days until Utgar returned from the south. She did not know he had arrived, and was surprised when he appeared in her doorway.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She ran to him and flung her arms around him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He hugged her tightly. \u201cRuna, Runa,\u201d he whispered. He held her at arm\u2019s length. \u201cHow are you?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cFine,\u201d Runa said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She had spoken too quickly. Utgar looked at her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cFine,\u201d Runa repeated, slower this time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But he knew her too well to be fooled. \u201cWhat\u2019s wrong?\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Runa turned and sat down on the foot of her bed. Outside, someone shouted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI don\u2019t like it here.\u201d The words came out of her in a tumble.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Utgar looked at her. \u201cWhy not?\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Runa looked up at him. His voice was gentle, not accusing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI just,\u201d \u2014 she paused, looking at the wall \u2014 \u201cI want to live back at our old home. Just you and me, like we used to.\u201d She looked up at him. \u201cI know we can\u2019t, but\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOur home is burned,\u201d Utgar said slowly. \u201cI saw it. This is our home now, Runa.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Runa looked down. She felt hot tears stinging her eyes, and tried to blink them away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI hate being a Valkyrie,\u201d she finally whispered. She stared at her hands. The tears would not leave. \u201cI hate the Wellspring,\u201d she said. \u201cI hate this war. I want it all to end. I want it over. I want to leave.\u201d She stopped. She hadn\u2019t meant to say so much.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Utgar knelt and took her hands in his own. \u201cWe promised Vraen, Runa,\u201d he said quietly. \u201cWe promised we\u2019d help him do just that. We can\u2019t back out now.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Runa nodded, wiping away her tears before they could fall. \u201cI know,\u201d she said. \u201cIt\u2019s just\u2026 I don\u2019t like Nearv. I don\u2019t like the people here. I don\u2019t like Vraen.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhy not?\u201d Utgar said, looking at her with surprise. \u201cVraen is our friend.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHe doesn\u2019t feel like a friend.\u201d The words came before Runa could stop them. She looked at Utgar. \u201cHe feels\u2026 He feels like he doesn\u2019t care. No one here cares.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Utgar hugged her. \u201cHe cares,\u201d he said, \u201cbelieve me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Runa leaned against her father as he held her. \u201cI don\u2019t trust him,\u201d she whispered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI do.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Runa looked up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI do,\u201d Utgar repeated, looking down at her. \u201cI\u2019ve known Vraen a long time,\u201d he said. \u201cHe\u2019s a man who knows what he wants and how to get it. But he\u2019s also a friend. And he doesn\u2019t turn his back on his friends.\u201d He paused. \u201cEven when they turn theirs on him.\u201d He hugged her again. \u201cWe can trust him, Runa.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAre you sure?\u201d Runa asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Utgar looked at her. \u201cRuna,\u201d he said, \u201ceven if Vraen found the Wellspring himself tomorrow, he wouldn\u2019t abandon us. You can trust him.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Runa sighed. \u201cIf you trust him,\u201d she said, \u201cthen I can too. But I still don\u2019t like him,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Utgar smiled. \u201cI\u2019ll be back,\u201d he said, getting up. \u201cVraen wants to talk over strategies with me. I\u2019ll see you tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSee you tonight,\u201d Runa said. She got up as well. She was tired of sitting in her room and doing nothing. She followed Utgar through the doorway, and stepped outside. Utgar stayed within the hall, waiting for Vraen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Runa turned, and began walking slowly around the hall. She would have walked down one of the many narrow alleys between the tents, but she had promised Vraen she would stay close to the hall.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Vraen. Maybe she could trust him, but could she trust anyone else here? Vraen clearly thought she couldn\u2019t, and her father probably agreed. But she wanted to trust them. People weren\u2019t all traitors and thieves. There were good people here. There had to be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But as Runa paused and looked out over the teeming village, she had to admit that she hadn\u2019t found any yet. Aside from Vraen and Utgar, everyone here only respected her because she was a Valkyrie. Without the Wellspring, she was nothing to them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She glanced down a side street, and saw Taelord, a long way down it. She paused. He, at least, had acted different. Everyone here treated her like a Valkyrie, looking at her with fear or praising every little thing she did. But he had treated her like a normal kyrie. He might have been cold and distant, but it was a welcome change nonetheless. She had to admit she was curious why he was different.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She was pulled from her thoughts by the sight of the same bully she had seen a few days ago. He and his two friends were in the same alley as Taelord, and they were moving towards him. Taelord hadn\u2019t seen them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Runa only hesitated a fraction of a second, and then plunged into the alley, running towards Taelord. The people in the street seemed to melt away from her as they saw her, giving her a clear path. But she was much further away from Taelord than the bullies were, and they easily reached him first.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
They attacked him from behind. Caught off guard, Runa saw Taelord fall to the ground and out of sight beneath their blows. She hastened to reach him, but when she finally arrived, she stopped, surprised by a scene much different than what she had expected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Taelord was on his feet and fighting. One of the bullies was already on the ground, curled up and whimpering in pain. And though it was two on one, it was clear to Runa that Taelord was winning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSTOP!\u201d she cried, moving forwards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The bullies saw her, pulled up their fallen companion between them, and ran from her. Taelord, his knuckles bleeding and his face bruised, turned to her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhat did you do that for!\u201d he shouted at her. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Runa took a step backwards in surprise. \u201cWhat \u2013 I was helping you,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI don\u2019t need your help,\u201d Taelord said. \u201cI had them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Runa looked at him for a moment, not understanding. He glared back at her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cFine,\u201d she said. \u201cYou\u2019re welcome.\u201d And she turned, unfolded her wings, and jumped skyward. There was a stone building nearby, and she alighted on its roof.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Well, he certainly doesn\u2019t treat me like everyone else does, <\/em>Runa thought bitterly. She had expected some gratitude. Or at least a nod of recognition. She glanced back into the alley, and saw the bullies watching Taelord from a safe distance, clearly checking to see if he was alone again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Fine,<\/em> she thought, as they began to creep towards him. He wants me to stay out of it? I will. That\u2019s all anyone around here wants to do anyway: fight.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Unseen from the roof, she watched as the three bullies drew closer. She turned, intending to fly back to Vraen\u2019s hall, but after standing still for a few moments, folded her wings and turned back. She couldn\u2019t do it. She couldn\u2019t leave him outnumbered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n She crept back to the edge of the roof and looked down. Again, she was surprised by what she saw.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Three on one, Taelord was winning again. Armed with nothing but his two fists, he slammed them again and again into his opponents, delivering blows to their heads when he could, and ribs when he couldn\u2019t. They seemed unused to fighting someone who fought back; they cowered beneath his blows, trying to shelter their heads.<\/p>\n\n\n\n One fell as Runa watched, Taelord having punched him in the stomach, winding him. Another quickly followed, stunned by a blow to the head. Taelord grabbed the final bully, who Runa recognized as the leader, and flung him to the ground as well. The leader tried to get up, but Taelord kicked him down, and then knelt on him, his knee in the leader\u2019s gut. He drew back his fist, and slammed it into the leader\u2019s head.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The bully fell back to the ground. Taelord pulled back the other fist, but the leader blocked the blow, and drove his own fist upwards into Taelord\u2019s diaphragm. Taelord seemed not to notice or care. He grappled with the leader, and the pair rolled in the sand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The leader came up on top, and Runa was able to see Taelord\u2019s face, bruised and bloodied. His mouth was twisted into a snarl, and his eyes were full of anger. Even with the bully on top of him, he still swung his fists, catching the leader off guard. They rolled again, and Taelord was back on top. Sparks flew from his fists as he punched the leader.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Lyr,<\/em> Runa realized. His inma <\/em>was the same as Utgar\u2019s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Finally, the leader stopped fighting. Maybe he was stunned, maybe he just gave up, but Taelord was the only one left punching. He drew back once more, and the leader just lay there, waiting for the blow to fall.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It never did. Taelord was still for a moment, and then stood, looking down at the bully.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cFinish it,\u201d the bully spat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cNo,\u201d Taelord said. His voice was calm, devoid of rage or any other emotion. \u201cI can beat you. You know it now.\u201d He and the leader looked at each other silently.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cGo,\u201d Taelord said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The leader didn\u2019t need to be told twice. He pulled himself to his feet, and limped away down the alley, his two friends close behind. Taelord watched them go, wiping the blood from his eyes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Runa dropped to the ground. Taelord turned at the sound, but Runa didn\u2019t approach him. She was waiting to see if he would shout at her again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He didn\u2019t. They looked at each other in silence for a moment, Taelord\u2019s expression blank.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhat?\u201d Runa finally said. He was just staring at her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI had to beat them,\u201d Taelord said. \u201cI had to show them I could. Otherwise I would have been fighting them forever.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cSo that\u2019s why you yelled at me?\u201d Runa said, unable to keep an edge from her voice. \u201cI stopped you from making them respect you?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI don\u2019t want their respect,\u201d Taelord said. \u201cI just\u2026 wanted them to stop.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n He glanced at her, almost as if hoping for some sort of confirmation that he had done the right thing. But then he looked away. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cLet me heal you,\u201d Runa said. His knuckles were bleeding freely, and several bruises were turning a dubious shade of yellow on his face.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He said nothing, but nodded shortly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Runa crossed to him, and began healing him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhy did you let him go, though?\u201d she said. \u201cThe leader?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHe knew I could beat him,\u201d Taelord said shortly. \u201cThere was no reason to continue.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAnyone else would have kept going,\u201d Runa said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2019m not anyone else,\u201d Taelord said, his voice suddenly harsh.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Runa looked up, startled at the anger in his voice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cSorry,\u201d Taelord said, mumbling the word as if he was unaccustomed to it. \u201cIt\u2019s just\u2026 I\u2019m not one of them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Of that, Runa had no doubt. She stepped forward, and finished healing him. When she was done, Taelord thanked her, and left, leaving her to wonder.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" While she much preferred staying in Nearv to participating in battle, Runa was restless. She didn\u2019t like Nearv, with the constant flow of new soldiers flooding through it, the noise and the commotion. She wanted to get out of the village, but she had promised Vraen she would stay near his hall. So she spent … Continue reading Chapter Eleven<\/span>