Runa hacks a laugh and draws a ragged breath. "I haven't worn the Mitonsoul in centuries, my dear. I surrendered that weapon to Ullar's mages when I migrated into these lands some hundreds of years ago."
She glances between the earnest priest and the curious reporter then sighs and draws her legs in farther. "If you're going to listen to my tale, you'd better make yourselves comfortable."
Omylia claws at her garments looking for something to write with and on. She does not come away entirely empty handed. Her notepad is gone. It was in her bag with her camera and other gear. The orcs must've taken that and any other gear they spotted, but failed to check her breast pocket. Her hand comes away holding the pen Forsyth gave her. Holding it in her hand, she feels the pulsing bruise and swelling on her hip simmer down slightly.
Runa spies the pen and smiles softly, withdrawing a roll of paper from beneath her tattered jacket. She sifts through them, tucking away a few and hands the blank ones to Omylia. "The pen is mightier than the sword. An earthling told me that once. Perhaps we'll soon find out if that is true."
She raises her head as far as she can, scanning the rest of the dungeon. Her eyes fall on Lorca and fill with sadness. "I suppose that's as good a place as any to start," she says. It is the only preamble, "Frostwind Valley V1231, some three hundred years ago. Taelord, my uncle on my father's side, was slain at the Battle of Fox Creek. I know the histories record this, I provided much of that information. It's why Ullar regards me as a keeper of the history of his people.
"My uncle was killed by venocs following Ullar. They were a powerful warrior race and had their own kind of wisdom. It failed them that day, or perhaps their warlord was prepared to make the great sacrifice required to propel the war toward its end. Taelord's death rattled Utgar. He flew into a fury and raised all of Lower Frostwind, slaughtering thousands of venocs who held the river against him in the process. It gladdens me to see some of them survived," she says with a nod toward Lorca.
"My father's mind abandoned him completely from then on, and his lieutenants soon followed it out the door. I abandoned him also," she says softly, a tear escaping her eye. "I wish I could have saved him, but I realized then there was no chance. This is where the story diverts from the history. Something I should have shared but never did. You must understand. It was an act of love. I couldn't save Utgar, but I could try to save someone else...I didn't take something precious from Utgar's palace as the histories may have told you. I took SOMEONE. Tahyel, my baby brother.
"My father had him late, welped him on a slave girl taken in a raid on Jandar's lands. His mixed blood worked as a perfect disguise to include him among the children I had with Atlaga...my love..." the tears were flowing freely now as Runa recounted her story.
"I took the rest of our people west into Ullar's lands, parting with my lover for a time as a sign of good faith to Ullar. I released Atlaga who I'd kept as a prisoner for appearances sake. Atlaga knew the boy, Tahyel, wasn't mine, but he kept my secret out of mercy and faithfulness to me. He would not subject a boy to the ridicule or political machinations of a postwar society. He was a noble man...and we were soon rewarded with our two true children, Arthratr and Vaythrid."
"Tahyel's heritage wasn't the only secret Atlaga knew of. I shared everything with him, not just my life and body, but all my secrets. I'd taken something else from Utgar's lands, though not his palace. I took a large bottle of wellspring water. I used it to extend my life and health so I could watch over my people and settle them into a new land...and to watch over Tahyel. I must have watched him too closely, perhaps he felt my presence suffocating or perhaps he inherited his father's madness. He soon discovered the remnants of Utgar's armies in these caverns. He stole the last of the wellspring water, drank it, and declared himself a new archkyrie, the successor of Utgar. He disappeared into these caverns over a hundred years ago. I have tried to reach him many times, but all I was told is that he sleeps in a chamber deep beneath the surface...waiting to wake and lead his people from endless sleep."
Runa stops and draws a few ragged breaths to get her air back. She settles a pained gaze on her audience, "Does that answer your questions or merely spark more?"
