Eefa, the husband to the greatest warrior in the village, finds that the constant conflict and pain of sending children off to war has grown too much for her. Her wife catches her running away once and persuades her to return by promising her next child will not be be scarred at birth to become a soldier. So Eefa returns and begs Talaan to stay home from the war to protect her unborn child.

But the Emperor visits their home personally, and Talaan the Lion along with her only son Tuvo, head out six days later. Tuvo does not make it back, and Talaan grieves hard, though he had died in battle, with honor. When Talaan finally gives birth to a baby daughter soon after, Eefa goes to the temple to bless the baby. She returns to find the baby freshly scarred, wailing. Talaan was unable to keep her promise.

So Eefa runs once more, but this time, she is caught before she leaves the house. Talaan doesn't try to stop her this time—in fact, she gives her Tuvoss, the newborn baby, and tells her to take her best warhorse, to save themselves. Eefa knows without being told that Talaan is going to the Palace to go kill the Emperor. Perhaps they will be rid of all this war and death yet.