Rune

After Talon had left them, Amrunela noticed that Jaekel looked faintly troubled. "What's wrong?"

 "Well, it's just… there is something he didn't say about the necklace. I don't know what – and I know it's completely safe, just…"

 She hung the pendant about her neck. "He often does not say as much as he could." It was true, Talon so far largely remained a mystery to her. One she was slightly curious about. "But speaking of… I haven't seen Zilanius since last night."

 "Hmm." Jaekel looked mildly perturbed still and unconsciously Amrunela reached out to brush her hand against his brow to smoothen it out. He smiled at her, flashing his dimples.

 "Well, I guess I should go see what it is Rena wanted to talk to me about." She rose and put the book away. She paused at the door, smiling at him. "See you later, Jaek."

 "Alright." He was still smiling when she left.

 As she left, she wondered at the odd feeling that had just swept over her. It was both familiar and unfamiliar at the same time. And she did not really understand it. It was a bit perturbing.

 She shook off the thought and instead wondered what it was that Rena wished to discuss with her. There were a lot of questions she had – and she had to wonder if perhaps she was about to get an answer she already had a suspicion might be the case – and if that was the answer how would she respond?

 She soon found herself back at the nursery she had found with her prince earlier. In it Rena was lightly touching the wood of the cradle, a far away look in her eyes. The much older sorceress looked up though as she entered, and smiled warmly, "Did you need something, my child?"

 "Talon said something about you needing to talk with me?"

 "Did he?" She looked down at the crib and sighed. A wistful look came across her face. "…You like stories, don't you? Would you be interested in hearing mine?"

 "Sure." Amrunela nodded.

 "I was born a long time ago – the world was different then. There were seven kingdoms, and Nireal was at the center of them – the seat of the High King. My father had been a member of the Order and his two daughters, me and my younger sister Ryliah, followed in his footsteps. It was not easy for an Enchantress to get very far in any of the magic orders, and some of the younger members did look down on us. But I applied myself thoroughly and eventually became quite invaluable. My dear little sister though struggled. She felt it more keenly than I did." She paused. "And Nilaren sorceresses often have to deal with unwanted attention." Again she paused, as if the next thing was painful.

 Amrunela though asked, "You and your sister are Nilaren Sorceresses? That is what my mother is."

 "Yes. I know. That's why people still will call me the Enchantress even though I have studied divination so much that I am way better at divining than any enchantments." She smiled. "But most Nilarens unfortunately struggle greatly. If we want a voice we have to work twice as hard to get it. I suppose I can not entirely fault my sister for cracking under the pressure. I should have paid more attention to her. But she began to delve into studies of dark magic. The Order kept some books for safekeeping, but we didn't expect one of our own to fall. I don't fully know how she learned what she did – not everything was in those books I later found in her room. But she made a deal with a lich that had been sealed away. There was no warning – and soon everyone around me was dead, for she asked the lich to destroy our Order. Only me she left alive – though she cursed me to never die at the time. I suppose even in her bitterness she still loved me. But it didn't stop there, instead darkness swept the entire land. Almost everything crumbled. A lich king is very powerful after all. Agreas managed to force him back into a seal – but five of the kingdoms had been destroyed – Nireal among them. And Agreas had given up his own life to do so. What followed was a huge panic. It lasted for several years. But Drez had not allowed those he had led to safety wallow in misery but had put them to work, farming and building. And so Lumna came into being, the first of the new kingdoms that would slowly grow. All of this I watched from the tower, unable to leave the vicinity as I was the only one left. And unable to go and be with those who had left me behind." Here she paused again, a sad smile on her face. "So years passed and then an oracle came. He told me of what would come – what is happening now. And he gave a sign that it was at hand. A sign that I dreaded. For it was a hard price to pay. That I would have to give up the raising of my own child was not something I wanted to do."

 "…You don't need to continue. I think I already understand."

 "You are quite smart after all." She smiled wistfully. "You take after your father like that."

 "…Do you often… check in on us?"

 "Yes. I often turn my divination to Carendlus. I will say this, my dear child, but it was never our intention for her to be all alone. We knew she would likely end up so in a few years. But Zilanius was supposed to go with her and raise her with whatever time he had left. Unfortunately he got caught up in something that required him to spend magic in order to protect her."

 Though Amrunela had already suspected that something like this might be the case, what with just how much this sorceress resembled her mother, she still was not quite sure how to feel on it. And so she did not say anything, but focused her attention on the wooden cradle. They both were silent for a very long time, until Amrunela finally turned and left the room. She wanted to find her prince. Just to be near him as she processed her own tumultuous heart.