Meeting Rana

Macha jogged to keep up with Tyr's pace. He suddenly sped up and weaved through the crowd. "Are we really that late? I thought we arrived a little earlier than expected because of the tailwind." His actions worried her now. She pointed out, "A friend wouldn't be too upset if they were a few minutes late."

He looked down at her. "I think we should get there early. Sorry, I know you aren't dressed for running." He scooped her up and handed her the small chest to carry. While he ran through the streets, he gave her a quick kiss on the nose. "Forgive me, I don't want our day to be ruined."

Being carried was a nice change because her feet were feeling sore from jogging in high-heels. The situation seemed odd, but he did not mention that anything was wrong. She chose to ignore the nagging suspicion and said, "It's fine. You're taking responsibility by carrying me."

Immediately after saying those words, Macha looked behind them and noticed a few people running after them. Her voice raised, and she pulled on Tyr's lapel, "Tyr, there are some people following us."

He glanced down at her worried face. "Yeah, I know. It should be fine once we get to the restaurant." He understood Macha wanted an explanation, but his miscalculation would be too long to explain.

As they passed a silver platter, Tyr saw a man with a bow aimed at them in the platter's reflection. He shifted Macha to one arm and extended his hand at the bowman. The arrow shot through the air. A small wall of fire to erupted from his palm, melting the arrowhead and the shaft.

The air cooled around them just before the wall of flame erupted. She had never seen magic used so close in combat before, and it left her breathless. Tyr's skills were amazing, and she felt so weak compared to him. The countless hours she put into her training were a drop in the sea compared to the time Tyr trained throughout his life. Macha wondered if she would ever be skilled enough to join him on his adventures.

Tyr focused his energy into his legs and jumped onto the rooftops. He did not want another archer to get an attack off that he did not see. "Are you all right?" he asked in a concerned voice. While the arrow did not hit, he wanted to make sure a stray flame did not hurt her. There were more people chasing them than he expected and he did not have time to look at Macha. He needed to keep his attention on their surroundings.

"Yes, I'm fine. The chest is safe too," Macha hesitated, "I'm assuming this isn't a normal chest with a normal gift." She did not know why Tyr brought her along if he was doing a mission. If she had known she would not have come. At the very least he should have told her not to wear heels. Despite her frustration, she still trusted him to keep her safe.

A soft chuckle escaped Tyr's lips, "No. It's not. Sorry." He had no excuse for his decision. Wanting Macha to join him on this trip to Kochi was completely irresponsible. He had been selfish and wanted to spend more time with her. He dodged another arrow and asked, "Are you angry with me?"

Macha placed a hand on Tyr's chest, "I am not angry that we're in this situation, but I'm disappointed that you hid it from me. You shouldn't keep secrets." Patting his chest, she added, "Despite my frustration, I am positive you'll keep me safe." She had faith in his abilities and was not concerned about the people who pursued them. What concerned her, was his desire to hide things from her.

As he jumped from rooftop to rooftop, he nodded his head. "Fair enough. It's something I need to work on. I didn't tell you because I wanted you to have a good time. I didn't expect this to happen." Someone leaked the information about the drop-off and he did not know if it was on Kochi's side or Marseille's.

After a few more blocks, Tyr dropped to the ground floor and opened a red wooden door to the restaurant. He pushed Macha in and closed the door behind them. The restaurant had many armored soldiers inside. At a table in the middle, a woman with blonde hair sat down eating a dish that consisted of fish and rice. She had a dark tan and her grey eyes glanced at the entrance upon Tyr and Macha's arrival.

Rana did not expect Tyr to bring a female with him. She could not be sure if it was a woman or some creature, but their interactions seemed like they were in a close relationship. Rana had a clear and direct voice, "Tyr, come, sit and have some food. You are early. I was going to eat before our meeting. Who is this woman you bring?"

Many years passed since Tyr saw Rana. Her troops helped Marseille when they fought for independence. Time was good to her, and she looked no different from when they first met. "Thanks," he pulled a chair out for Macha, "This is my girlfriend, Macha. Macha, this is Rana. Rana is technically a princess here in Kochi, but she prefers to lead the country's military troops." Tyr put the chest on a chair next to him and took a seat.

Rana opened the chest up and inspected its contents while the attendants served Tyr and Macha. There were seven orbs in the chest. Each one glowed and flashed with different colored lights. Her grey eyes commanded Tyr's attention when she looked at him, "We only ordered six."

Tyr had been explaining how to eat the food in Kochi when Rana spoke. "The King said you can have the other one for free. It's a gift of friendship between our two countries. We hope you have a successful war."

The water Macha used to clean her fingers had a floral scent to it. She wondered what Freyr sent them. The orbs looked pretty and reminded her of the lights she and Luna used when they went for picnics in the waterways.

Tyr noticed Macha copying his actions. He knew she was self-conscious about her table manners in public, so he decided to feed her himself. Being in front of Princess Rana probably made Macha's uneasiness stronger.

Rana watched Tyr feed Macha and sipped her milk tea. The actions were so tender compared to the harsh man she remembered from before. She made small talk until Macha excused herself to use the restroom. A servant led Macha to the restroom and Rana crossed her arms. "Who is your woman?"

As soon as the question left Rana's lips, all the softness in Tyr's face turned to ice. "I told you. Why do you have such an interest in her?" he did not trust Rana and knew what kind of person she really was. She had killed her siblings to climb to the top and showed no remorse along the way.

"Now you show your true colors, eh?" Rana believed Tyr's loving actions were all an act. People like them, people who killed, they could never feel love. "Why pretend that you love her? What is she giving you?" She wanted to unearth if Macha was important or influential. She needed more allies like that.

After a moment because Tyr did not answer, she asked in a hushed voice, "I have seen no one who looks like her. What is she?" There had to be a reason he kept the small woman around.

Tyr wiped his hands with the napkin and tossed it on the table. He hissed, "I don't know why you think I'm incapable of love, but she is my woman. Macha doesn't give me anything beyond happiness. Seriously, what's wrong with you? What demon did you sell your spirit to?" He shook his head. He hated the cynical way Rana viewed the world.

Rana laughed and threw her hands up into the air. "Fine, fine. You play pretend. You are a killer, not a lover. We are alike, you and I." If Tyr wanted to live in his fantasy world, she would let him.

She once believed in that idea of love. A long time ago she had loved her brother, who planned on killing their father. They had kept their more than sibling relationship a secret. Rana remembered how painful it was to watch the light die out from her brother's eyes. Before she killed him, she spent one last night with him. That moment taught her that love was for fools. The world was cold and calculating, with no room for tender emotions.

Every word that dripped from Rana's mouth were words Tyr fretted over. He had wondered if he deserved Macha. He killed countless people in his life and wondered if he had the right to love. Over the many hours he spent pondering that question, he concluded he would be selfish. If Macha was willing to share even a fraction of love for him, then he would take it.

Rising out of his seat, Tyr gave a bow. "I'm full. I still want to show Macha the country. Forgive me for cutting out meal short." He then walked towards the restrooms to wait for her to come out.