Akalfa listened to every word spoken with decent interest. Some places were less eventful than others but there was nothing wrong with that, not to her.
"Well, they say coming from humble beginnings leads to the birth of the greatest heroes you know. Coming from somewhere mundane just means we've got a lot more of the world to see and explore!" She said with an understanding nod and a grin. Hearing him question her origin, however, quickly made that smile dissipate.
With a somber look in her eye, she recounted her days. They weren't noble or heroic, the exact opposite. But she had come a long way from that place, and Akalfa never planned on returning. She was a different person now and decided to make peace with it. It would be a weight lifted. If they could be honest with her then she could do the very same. Assembling all the will she could a smile returned, although wistful.
"You would be correct. I come from the caverns below Goldaria, a city called Umbra. I was...an outcast amongst my people. You see, I was born a bit differently from the others," She almost chuckled thinking about it now. Ordinarily, the thought would make her feel ashamed but after everything they had been through it seemed so silly to fret over. Meeting Ishtar proved that their society could be ridiculous in how they measured power.
"Most Dark Elves, erm, have a..." It took her a moment to think of a good word for it. "Phallic appendage. I didn't. So they treated me less than favorable. Along suit, I lacked their domineering attitude. Never liked the idea of trying to force someone to do anything they didn't want to. And well, a Dark Elf who asks nicely doesn't turn many heads. Let's just say I didn't stack up to my peers in many ways. So desperate as can be, I tagged along with two Dark Elves of great renown seeking a little recognition of my own, Kharala and Xullrae. Trying to impress those two was...ugh." She really didn't want to get into the humiliating specifics, nor did she want to spin an hour-long fable.
"To keep things brief, I got tired of keeping house and trying to follow the dark ambitions set out for me. I didn't want to be a slaver or be in a harem and ran off. Not the bravest move, but I wanted out, simple as that. And I don't plan on ever going back." Finally finishing her beverage a genuine smile framed her face facing Dirk and Valira, one with real warmth.
"What I've achieved with you two is more than I could've hoped for."
