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“It’s not that I don’t understand, believe me I do. But Resurrection is a much different spell than Revivify. It takes more power and has a higher chance at failing. I’m not sure that even with our help that your friend-“
“Laudna.” Imogen’s outburst cut through the soft voice of Vex’ahlia, Lady de Rolo. “Her name is Laudna.”
Lady de Rolo nodded her head, eye soft with a mixture of pity and empathy. “Laudna. I’m not sure that Laudna would be able to return in the same way, not with… what she is.”
Imogen’s voice pushed through her vocal chords like gravel, anger and sorrow and pain all mixed, “What she is is an innocent. She was targeted because of me. She doesn’t deserve this, she… she’s so full of life.” Voice cracking on the last word, her hand reached out and gently brushed Laudna’s hair, hand as light as a feather as it traced the curve of her gold ear cuffs.
Orym’s hand reached up and gently held her free one as he stood beside her, balanced in a near fighting stance, eyes intent on the other woman on the other side of the table.
Keyleth, the Voice of the Tempest spoke, eyes intent upon the group. “Vex understands that. But there are other things to consider. Beyond Laudna’s state before she fell, Whitestone is a city that the Raven Queen watches over quite closely. Laudna was already given a second chance at life, I’m not entirely sure that she would be allowed another.”
“It wasn’t a life.” Imogen’s hand gripped Orym’s as the Bell’s Hells watched, letting Imogen take the lead. “What she had before, it wasn’t a life. It wasn’t even her choice and she spent decades hiding and running because people were frightened of her. That’s not living, that’s… that’s,” Imogen’s voice broke, tears rolling down her face “Whatever it was, it’s not a life.”
Keyleth nodded, still maintaining the same calm demeanor Orym had grown up admiring. “I understand. Or I understand as much as I’m able to. I only wish to remind you that the Raven Queen often keeps what she is given - there is no guarantee that the spell will work, and there might be interference from the magic that brought Laudna back-“
“It doesn’t matter.” Every eye in the room flew to Orym, who stepped forward. “It doesn’t matter because you owe her.” An uncharacteristic rage burned in him and guided his hand until it pointed at Lady Vex’ahlia, who raised an eyebrow.
“What do you mean by that?”
“Do you know who Laudna is?” Orym’s voice was quiet, unflinching as the heavy gaze of two individuals he’d been raised to know as heroes rested on him.
Vex’s eyes flicked over Laudna’s still face, then returned to Orym. “I don’t believe I do. Should I?”
He strode forward again, standing in front of the table that Laudna rested on. “She looked different the last time you saw her.” Orym’s eyes shifted to the Tempest’s. “I know the story of Whitestone. I know of the Briarwoods. I know of the warning left on the Sun Tree when Vox Machina rode into town.” He reached up and gently - oh so gently - removed the gold ear cuff from Laudna’s ear, brushing her hair out of the way so that the mutilated point could be seen.
The silence in the room was deafening.
“Orym,” Keyleth spoke again, voice low and serious, “are you saying that Laudna was one of the people killed by the Briarwoods?”
“One of the-“ Vex’s voice trailed off, her eyes locked on Laudna’s dark hair as it framed the mockery of her own pointed ears.
“Laudna wasn’t just one of the people killed by the Briarwoods. She was hung from the Sun Tree, her body dressed up. A warning to you.” Orym felt like he was floating above it all, the anger and the guilt blurring until he could hardly separate the two as he tossed the ear cuff at the Lady de Rolo, unmoving as she nearly dropped it in horror. “You might not have killed her, but she was killed for you. She has been a victim for decades and whether it works or not, you have the the power to try and we don’t.”
Another silence fell upon the room, the air heavy with tension.
Imogen broke it, her voice thick with tears. “Please, she doesn’t deserve this. She’s been fighting to escape her past for so long. And now she might be stuck with-“
“Imogen.” Orym’s voice cut her off as he shook his head at her over his shoulder. “It doesn’t matter. Not now.” He kept his eyes on hers until she nodded.
Keyleth missed nothing. “Stuck with who? Orym, what aren’t you telling us?” Her eyes weren’t unkind, but they were firm as they locked with his.
But Orym couldn’t find it within him to care about his leader and boss at this time. He couldn’t - wouldn’t - risk Laudna. He met Keyleth’s eyes evenly, his own flinty and dark. He stayed silent.
“Orym-“
“No Keyleth.” Vex finally found her voice, hand still cradling the ear cuff. “He’s right. It doesn’t matter, whatever it is. I’ll find a diamond - I’ll ask one of the clerics if I must, but I trust you.”
Keyleth’s gaze remained on Orym, worry mixing in her gaze at his unusual abruptness. After a moment, she looked at Vex and nodded. “Of course.”
The sigh of relief that exploded from Imogen seemed as loud as a gunshot in the small and tense room.
Keyleth moved forward and set her hand gently on Laudna’s head as Vex left the room to gather a diamond. “Three of you must offer something - words or a physical item - to help convince Laudna’s soul to return to this plane of existence. Which of you will do so?”
Orym was dimly aware of Imogen and Ashton moving forward to stand beside him, but the sound of his own heartbeat in his ears was deafening, muffled everything around him. He’d never felt like this before, like every movement would bring someone to their knees. Staring at Laudna’s face, he could only hope he could harness that energy to bring her back like she deserved.