• FOR NEWCOMERS, PLEASE READ ALL PREVIOUS PARTS PRIOR TO THIS. I PROMISE, IT WILL MAKE LOADS MORE SENSE.

    FOR OTHERS WHO HAVE READ FROM THE BEGINNING, PLEASE CONTINUE! I HOPE IT'S AN EXCITING READ FOR YOU!

    PART SEVEN, COMING SOON TO AN ARENA NEAR YOU!

    NOW ON WITH THE STORY:::

    Gallaway awoke to hear soft mumerings on the other side of the small room. She didn't open her eyes, but strained to hear every word.

    "There was only some injury from the fall, nothing serious, however." It was someone new, a male. He sounded older, but Gallaway couldn't tell the age of anyone in Allylon.

    "How serious was it, then?" Her mother was speaking urgently.

    "She'll have a bump on the back of her head for a couple weeks is all. She'll be stuck in bed for the next few days though."

    "That's never good for our kind, Talmion, no matter how much it seems harmless." Footsteps led to Gallaway's side, and a cool hand stroked Gallaway's cheek.

    "She'll be alright, Nama. Please don't worry." The man, Talmion as her mother had called him, stepped closer. Nama was silent, her hand rested on Gallaway's face. Talmion stepped away quietly and closed the door behind him.

    "What are we going to do with you, Gallaway?" Nama asked and sat down once more. The door opened and closed, then a familiar pair of steps followed.

    "Is she awake yet?" It was Warren, no doubt to Gallaway.

    "I don't think so." Nama sighed, putting her hand on Gallaway's forehead. "She feels so warm. I hope nothing's wrong." The hand disappeared, followed by Warren's warm one.

    "She's still as freezing as ever, Mother. She's not warm at all." Warren said and let his hand linger on Gallaway's skin.

    "You've got that man's blood in you." Nama sounded bitter, and Warren's hand vanished as well.

    "You must've loved him at some point." Warren insisted, and Gallaway heard him sit down with some trouble. It must've been his arm that was in the way.

    "I did." Nama sighed. "But then I left for a bit, and he went balistic."

    "That was before she was born, wasn't it? I remember, you took me with you for a couple of months."

    "Mhmm." Nama murmered quietly.

    "So she really isn't his daughter, is she." It was more of a statement than a question, a disturbed sigh in his voice.

    "You know the man. Arrinal, one of the elders that came to meet us."

    "Does he know?"

    A pause, followed by a soft groan.

    "Mother, you didn't even tell him yet?"

    Another silence.

    "Aw, mother. He'll be worse off NOT knowing." The soft, cool hand played with Gallaway's hair.

    Arrinal is his name. Gallaway told herself, marvelling at what she'd heard.

    "We should go tell him, then?" Warren asked, and Gallaway's eyes popped open.

    "Can I come?" She sat up quickly and stared at Nama.

    "Gallaway! You were listening?" Nama sounded genuinely surprised, but Warren wasn't as much.

    "Can she come?" Warren leaned in closer, and Nama's head whipped up to him.

    "You knew!"

    "You knew?" Gallaway looked up as well. Warren shrugged.

    "Warren." Nama groaned and slapped her forehead. "We don't have to do this now... Gallaway's still faint."

    "No I'm not. I feel much better now." Gallaway rolled off the short bed and stood up next to Warren, only coming up to his shoulder.

    "He might be busy!" Nama argued. Gallaway and Warren glanced at each other with a knowing smirk, then each grabbed one of Nama's arms and pulled her out the door.


    Knock, knock, knock. Nama reluctantly tapped on the door to the strange house. It looked like it was made from vines instead of bricks or wood, and for all Gallaway knew, it could have been the same vine wrapped around more than once.

    "See, he's not here. We should go." Nama started to turn around, but Warren stopped her and turned her back to the door just before a tall elf opened the door. He had light brown hair and hazel eyes that scanned Gallaway and Warren without much hesitation. The stone on his circlet was a light teal, the same as Nama's. As soon as he saw Nama's hard face, however, his eyes lit up a fraction.

    "Come on in, everyone." He stood out of the way to let everyone pass through the small hole in the wall. Gallaway stepped through excitedly, Warren next, and Nama dragged her feet through the door last. Arrinal followed oddly closely when Nama stepped into the living room.

    "So, what's this all about, Nama?" Arrinal asked her, but Warren interrupted.

    "My name is Warren, and she's Gallaway. We have to talk to you." Warren started, then looked at Nama. She was sitting on the floor next to Gallaway's chair, sitting up too erect to be comfortable. She didn't look like she was going to say anything, so Gallaway spoke up.

    "She REALLY has something she wants to tell you." Gallaway nudged her with her knee, and Nama narrowed her eyes at her daughter.

    "Arrinal," Nama sighed, then gestured to Gallaway. "I'd like you to meet your daughter."