"You're not my father!" Rayla snapped at him. "Bring me back!"
Runaan's eyes hardened. "I may not be your father, but your parents have entrusted me to you. Which means you are under my care."
Rayla glared at him, eyes wet with tears. But they didn't fall. Moonshadow elf assasins never show emotions. With a cry, she rushed off to the border, only to be grabbed by the arm.
"Let me go! Let me go!" Rayla kicked and screamed.
"Rayla. You cannot go back."
"Let me go..." The child sobbed, falling to her knees. She reached out to the closed gates of the moonshadow elf territory, tears finally shed. "Let me go..."
Runaan released her arm and sat back, just watching the child cry. She would not be leaving now. She may be young, but she was also old enough to realize when it was useless to fight.
That lapse of thought was the chance Rayla took as she grabbed Runaan's sword and bolted for the gates.
"Rayla!"
Despite her swift legs and running start, she found herself greeting the dirt as Runaan pushed her on the ground, holding her down. He took the sword from her hands and tucked it back in his person.
Rayla struggled to get out of his hold, kicking and punching. Runaan just regarded her with a calculating look.
"Rayla." She paused at his sober tone. "You know what your parents have done. They are already dead."
"No they are not! They're still alive and out there."
"They ran away from their duties. They are dead to us. You would know more than anyone else."
It was cruel words for a child.
"But you can rise where your parents have fallen."
Rayla stopped her struggling. She glanced up at him. Runaan said, "I will train you. You will be my student and protege. You will be strong and no one shall question you. Your parents' failure will be irrelevant to your success."
Runaan? The greatest assassin in Xadia was willing to teach her?
Rayla quieted down and Runaan released her. She sat up and wiped her tears away. Looking up, Rayla regarded the master assassin before her. Regal, dangerous, and willing to take her under his wing.
"There is no one else, Rayla." Runaan softened. "And I don't think you can take care of yourself."
"I can take care of myself just fine." Rayla grouched.
Runaan's lips twitched. He stood up. Rayla scrambled up. Without a backward glance, he walked back to his home, only bidding her to him with one word.
"Come."