– T A Y A H –

It took five more mugs of ale until I started to feel the ever perfect senses start to dull. I grinned at the impossibly beautiful goddess over the light of the candle. It had flicked out when I laughed too closely to it. But when I moved to use my ability I felt it vanish from my reach. I pouted up at the blonde.

"Do not even think about it." She told me flatly as she moved her fingers over it and it sparked back to life.

"Such a model immortal." I smiled, trailing my fingers over the table towards her.

"Such a reckless one." She returned trying to take my mug away. I swiped it out of reach with a lazy smile.

"You have barely touched yours."

"For good reason." She muttered. "And to protect you from yourself."

"I've never seen you drunk." I stated with a mischievous look.

She pinched the bridge of her nose. "Yes that sounds like a marvellous idea. Stumbling down the streets with the powers of the gods."

"You don't see–me stumbling." I said between a hiccup.

Her serious expression broke and she laughed quietly. Gods every time it caught me off guard... that sound. Those eyes. Those lips–

"That's because I would catch you, Tayah Ashrive." She answered me quietly.

I felt my face heat for the hundredth time this night but I didn't care. Every time words like this left her lips I felt the meaning behind them. Saw the seriousness in her eyes and I fell all over again.

"I forgave you before you even sat down." I told her, leaning forward and matching her look. It still didn't stop the surprise that crossed her face. "Don't act so shocked. I can't even stay away from you for two slithers let alone hold a grudge."

"You managed longer than that." She allowed with amusement dancing in those burning eyes.

"I didn't enjoy a moment of it." I responded honestly.

"Not even your new teacher?" She asked with faux shock.

Instead of the obvious I let my eyes wander off in thought. "Well... she is quite impressive with the fire elemental."

Kára allowed me to play the game with a neutral expression. "Oh?"

"She showed me–quite closely I might add–how to really get to grips with my power." I said with a thoughtful expression. She leant forward slowly with the same emotionless expression and it took everything in me to not grin.

"Anything else?" She murmured in lethal calm.

"We shared a moment. She placed her hand on my shoulder, looked me dead in the eyes–"

Her hand landed on my leg suddenly and I felt the buzz of her power in the air. Now I couldn't hide the grin as she stared me down.

"The fact that you are not lying so far makes me want to return to that warehouse and take her head from her shoulders–or did you want to continue playing this game?" She growled darkly.

I was about to answer her when I smelt burning and glanced under the table.

"I have a hole in my riding trousers!" I hissed.

She didn't move her hand as she spoke. "Accidents happen. Maybe I should let your teacher know as much."

I placed my own hand over hers beneath the table. "You really think anyone comes close to you?" I asked, closing the distance between us. Her eyes watched me intently over the candle flame.

"Why is your heart beating so fast, immortal?" She murmured. I dropped my hand and looked away.

"Because I am really starting to notice the feel of your hand a little too much, immortal." I retorted bluntly.

Now her own heart rate picked up and I smirked slowly. 

"There you were telling me your forgiveness did not come cheap. Now you look ready for a lot more than forgiveness." She said with a dark smile.

"Stop dancing around it, Valkyrie. If you want something take it." I stated, repeating her words to me all that time ago. The difference now... we were both painfully aware of exactly what we wanted. Spent nights among the mountains, the forests, the dunes of Valhalla, exploring everything we wanted–

My entire body shivered when her hand started moving leisurely up my thigh.

"Who says I cannot take my time?" She asked me as if we were talking of the weather and not her hand trailing a line of fire up and down my leg. 

"The others..?" I got out, not really caring for the answer.

"Will see us tomorrow morning." She returned easily.

I glanced at the patrons beyond our corner as they laughed and chatted carefree while the immortal watched me with more darkness than the night. Mortals that would drink their drinks and go home with their lovers... why could we not have the same for one night?

"You look uneasy, immortal." She said with a smile as she leant forward again with one hand under her chin and the other... I grit my teeth when it climbed dangerously high up my thigh. It was like her own personal game. Watching me burn before her. Knowing exactly what she did to me every damn time.

"I think restless is a better word." I said, strained. 

"Are you sleeping enough?" She asked innocently, tilting her head.

"I could use another in my bed."

Her energy pulsed again and her hand gripped my leg a little tighter making me smirk.

"Luckily I've found quite the nice inn during my stay here." She murmured, running her hand closer to the inside of my leg making me loose my mind and focus and every other sane part.

"Why are we not there." I said flatly, gripping one edge of the table.

"Because I think I've found my new favourite hobby." She answered, but I stopped her hand from climbing any higher. She grinned over the table as I moved to stand swiftly.

"Either you are going to take us there or I am going to do something stupid. Your choice." I said without room for negotiating.

"Stupid does sound interesting." She admitted, tempting me with her eyes.

"Stand. Stormbringer."

"Why don't you make me, Ashrive?" She smiled at me from under her hand, completely unbothered and ready for whatever response I had. So I set both hands on the table and leant close to her. The candle flashed out with half a thought but she didn't break my stare.

"I don't care if you're one of the originals, I will drag your ass out of this tavern. One way or the other you are leaving with me. Now." I stated down to her.

She rose to my height slowly and pulled my face forward until our lips had only inches apart. The scent of her slapped me wide awake along with every other part.

"I do like it when you make demands, Ashrive." She whispered onto my mouth making everything so much worse. Then she drew back, pulling her hood over her golden braids and waltzing off to the tavern exit with a sway in her hips that I was going to think about for a long time tonight.

* * * * *

We walked leisurely down the cobblestoned streets for once. Lantern light catching the sides of our faces as we passed shop faces and empty market stalls. Everyone was inside now. The bite of winter air gave me a comforting feeling–any hard wintered dweller would agree after such an absence.

I glanced sidelong at Kára who stepped silently and watched the shadows. After what she had admitted tonight I had a lot more on my mind than just what we would do later. I always had the nagging feeling that she held back in a fight before. That something smouldered below the surface–but gods... She had faced the power mad god when they lost so many.

"I can hear you brooding from here." She murmured as she stared into a black alley.

I chuckled and tilted my head at her as we crossed an open road to a thinner passage between stone and thatched houses.

"It's nothing."

"It's always something. Or would you have me guess?"

I raised an eyebrow at her before watching a lone figure enter a house and close the door behind.

"You wonder what else I haven't told you. How I can be trusted for leaving out such history about myself." She answered, finally glancing at me with a neutral expression. But behind her mask I saw nerves.

I smiled and shook my head. "You told me something in the beginning. That lying is easy. It's only when you come across another liar that it becomes difficult." She was about to speak but I continued. "You said that after all you would know. You admitted you were omitting the truth even from the start. Whether Odin had a hand in what you let on or not I respect your decision."

She tried to speak but seemed lost for words entirely. Finally those silver eyes cut to me with confusion. "Why doesn't this bother you?"

"Because in all honesty, I would probably have done the same." I stated, splashing a puddle beneath my boot. "The people I meet rarely get my truths."

"I agreed with Odin that it was best. If I was to train a mortal I could not let on the extent of my true power. I was meant to stand as an example for what you would become but... I think we both know it's a bit more complicated. The energy I have can be abused by any other with the will to do so." She finished darkly.

"Anselle." I answered, connecting the dots.

Her eyes flashed to mine in understanding. "She was not among the first. But she was clearly made at a time of great turmoil on the mortal realm."

"You never came across her once?"

"Perhaps I did." She shrugged non-committed. "I didn't take note of many around me and I doubt she would have. The time I have had on this realm and that one." She said flicking her eyes skyward. "Made certain aspects blur together. I spent a lot of it going through mortal history and culture..." She trailed off, pulling the collar of her tunic up around her neck against the cold.

I began taking the fur cloak off my shoulders easily when she stopped me with a hand.

"Keep it. It hides my armour." She said quietly, before adding. "It suits you too." She smirked.

I batted her hand away with a head shake. "I can be chivalrous too." I grumbled.

She laughed lightly and I lingered on it and the joy on her face. I had missed her more than she knew. If I knew I had the ability to portal myself to the mortal realm I would have done it without a second thought. 

"You have no idea how much I wanted to leave the mortal realm once I had found you." She chuckled.

I glared hard. "Just what every woman wants to hear."

Without warning she drew me in close under her arm while I tried to elbowed her. "You're officially not forgiven. You'll have to beg me now–"

She kissed my forehead and I almost tripped over making her laugh again. It was all entirely unfair in every sense. The warmth and minty, wild scent of her was invading my thoughts.

"Listen immortal and listen well."

"I sense a lecture–"

She covered my mouth with the arm draped over my shoulders.

"You have no idea how much I wanted to leave because–" she said giving me a stern look before going on, "–of how much you terrified the life out of me. Imagine walking this realm and the next–even the underworld–for as long as I have and suddenly finding fear again. In a mortal of all things."

I considered this as she removed her hand. The way she had spoke of time before this was too laced in her words. The truth without her saying it. When she had told me in Ravensbrooke that all things lost their novelty eventually. The only thing that didn't was... The realisation slapped me in the face and she smirked at me as I arrived at the same notion.

"It took you thousands of years just to figure love out?!"

She shoved me off her hard and growled playfully. It did not stop the laugh that left me and echoed off the streets around us. 

"That's not what–"

"Your words really make sense now..." I mused with a grin. "Everything was so boring to you right up until this magnificent creature." I drawled with a new strut and a hand flick.

"Tayah Ashrive you have an ego larger than the gods themselves."

"Do tell me more about how mundane your life was without me." I teased, pulling the furs of her cloak closely around my face.

"You know the rest." She muttered, "It's not my fault I fell hopelessly for a narcissistic–"

Grey smoke suddenly exploded around us in multiple clouds from above. I had sucked in a lungful and tried to cough it viciously out.

"Tayah!" Kára called out before I heard the clash of steel on stone. I whirled to the sound and lunged into it. My throat burned and I turned in the smoke unable to make out inches in front of me.

I grit my teeth and drew flames into my fist turning the grey into an orange haze around me. These fucking guilds. 

I heard the song of metal slicing the air and rolled away from a dagger that swept over where my head was. I drew another dagger and ignited both in flames growling.

"It's a bit late for cowardly rats tonight." I snapped as I scanned the smoke and darted forward only to make out more grey. Hells burn it all I was about finished with this. I heard something roll along the ground near my feet and made out a small metal and leather pouch. 

Shit.

It blew outwards in a tint of yellows and greens and I choked in more of it. But I knew the smell before it had even filled my lungs. Jaded Fylerns. Again. I would kill them all for this.

"Kára!" I shouted out through a hard cough. I rolled away from it all and tried to find a wall or an edge to the chaos. But my mind was already starting to blur. If I was mortal I'm sure I would already be on the floor thinking of cheese and sheep.

"Ká–" I couldn't finish as something hard hit my back and I dropped to a knee snarling. My power was rising now. I whirled and sent a ball of fire out behind me. Only to be knocked off my feet by something large in front of me.

The world spun faster in the smoke and I set a hand against the stone. "You're all–going to die." I got out as an arrow cut through the air and I caught it in a hand. I burned it to ash and stood taller as more flew towards me coated in a substance I did not recognise.

The immortal energy hummed in my blood trying to counter the effects in my lungs but I could feel the drain. I let the fire cut out and darted quickly to the side only finding more smoke to choke on. When the next around fired blindly in it sunk into my leg and I snarled into my teeth as I dropped to a knee. There had to be dozens of them. This was planned. Where was Kára in this all? I had heard nothing–

Another arrow bounced off the armour and I could feel my legs slowing. The feeling in them disappearing and the Fylerns taking on a strange distorted reality. My jaw felt heavy.

Something kicked me hard in the back and I took the ground hard–the armour clattering along it. My vision spun and my arms were being bound behind me quickly. With the consciousness I had left I rolled off my arms and kicked hard at the hooded figure that crashed back into the smoke.

A cloth was thrown over my mouth and the blackness hit me.