“Why?" she finally asked.

Algra waited a beat after that. The simple question came as something of a surprise.

“Why are you asking me now? You haven't been interested before."

“Because I thought you were a coward." Ulla made the statement as blunt as possible. "You not only left my brother. You Left our people to hide out here.”

“Yes. That is true." Algra's tone became less defensive, and she let out a slow breath.

"No, it isn't. I saw you in battle. You were..." ULla's orcish honesty momentarily clashed with her pride.

“I had thought I would kill you easily. I was wrong.”

“You were." Algra nodded.

Ulla visibly tried to hold back a frown at hearing that. She told herself that she'd come to talk, and so resisted the urge to start a fight over her injured ego.

“You are no coward, Algra. I saw you charge through fire into a hopeless fight. You were an army unto yourself. I know now that if you were at my brother's side, he would still be here. So I ask you. Why?

Why did you leave him to die? He was my brother Algra. He taught me to fight. He taught me honour. He made me Laugh when no other could."

Algra was momentarily taken aback when, upon speaking those last words,

Ulla's eyes filled with tears. The words themselves hit her like a punch in the gut, for they were as true for Algra as they were for

Ulla. Rowun was nobility personified, a warrior beyond all others, and if he so desired he could have made a fallen tree laugh itself back upright.

At any other moment, she might have fended off Ulla‘s question. It was better for Algra to suffer alone. The burden was hers to bear after all, and so was the shame. So, she spoke the truth to the first Living soul since the day she'd heard of Rowun's death.

"I was with child."

Those words escaped from between her tusks before she could even consider them. Ulla's eyes visibly widened, and a tear spilled down her cheek that had been welling up for some time. Since the girl was clearly stunned, Algra felt the need to press on and the truth spilled out in a tide.

“Only he and Grolfir knew of it. The signs were unmistakable. He asked me to stay behind. I... disagreed. We fought. No. I fought. He refused to fight back, even when I almost bit his ear off. Nothing would change his mind. He was alpha. It was the only time he ever attempted to weigh down his rank upon me. I broke his nose.

Then, he said that he would protect the people for a time, and asked me to protect our child for him. He told me that if he knew that our pup was in danger he wouldn't be able to fight as he should. He actually apologized for the weakness. I embraced him and told him I loved him.

Then I never saw him again