– T A Y A H –

As it turned out we were not the only pale skinned dwellers in Vargos. Though I had heard none speaking the Uccellon tongue in the streets. But it was becoming clear dark colours were a taboo for women. I glared down what seemed like the hundredth set of male eyes as I strutted past in shambles dark clothing. But the sun was almost gone. My face would soon be shadows.

They muttered something in the foreign tongue and I bit the urge to set their own clothes alight. I wonder if they would have such issues with mine then–

"John you seem to be the smallest male here." Kaden quipped with no small enjoyment.

John sulked beside me and pulled his hood lower.

"A city full of trees. What do you make of it Ashrive?" He mumbled.

I grunted.

"She gets me." John concluded.

It was then that I noticed the lack of immortal presence in our group. I glanced over my shoulder and grew slightly colder seeing nothing but frozen cobbles and foreigners behind.

"Where is Kára?" I demanded, scanning the streets.

John made a show of dramatic concern before turning back to the street ahead. "Though it is another tragic loss–we must move on."

I didn't bother to hit him. I let my senses leave me and try to scent her. How long had she drifted from our group without my notice? With my thoughts so consumed in loss. Loss of the boy. Loss of control. So much to be taken... The fire in my veins burned hotter again and I tightened a fist.

I paced off quickly back the direction we had come and shouldered past a heavily sworded man who spat something in my direction. I growled and spun on him. Two more men flanked him and called out what I assumed were insults. Kaden and John approached cautiously. My power was rising quickly to the surface ready to melt their skin when I felt it disappear just as quickly. I grit my teeth because I knew the reason why.

She set a glove on my shoulder. 

Then lowered her hood and spoke smoothly in the foreign tongue. I watched the men gawk at her beauty and words, equally enthralled by both. The tallest man released his dagger and dropped into a bow with a sort of embarrassment rushing him. It somehow made me more angry. I whirled from them all in the opposite direction.

It did not take her long to appear at my side with a sweet smelling bag to me.

"Remind me not to bring you sustenance again." Kára drawled. I eyed the bag and knew they were those delicious smelling baked goods I had spied on our way in. Of course it had not escaped her notice.

"Are those sweet rolls?" Kaden demanded, eyeing over my shoulder.

My relief that she was unharmed was short lived and the watering in my mouth dried. I threw her a brief glare before ignoring her and the offer of peace. "Yes, Kaden. Enjoy them." I bit out, moving past.

I heard her sigh behind me as Kaden jumped eagerly to seize the bag. I started back down the cobbles with a familiar burn in my mind and hunger in my stomach.

"I thought you favoured sweet things?" She asked lightly, dodging the men and falling into stride beside me. 

"I favour wanting to slap you this span." I retorted dryly.

She chuckled and rested a hand on her dagger hilt. "Anger aside. I know you are hungry."

"Oh you care for my wants now?" I stated bitterly, keeping my eyes on the houses ahead. I felt her burning eyes on the side of my face. Perhaps a flash of something painful crossed them. Well it was not underserved. She saw no issue in disregarding my needs earlier and preferring solitude.

"Do I really need to grace that with an answer?"

I laughed humourless and a few more citizens threw us cautious looks.

"No. You do not. You do not need to do anything, demi-god. Hells you can follow your own path if it is too unbearable to deal with–"

"Tayah you are being unreasonable." She sighed, eyeing a pair of guards as they passed us. I heard John and Kaden stuffing their faces behind.

"Instead of telling me what I am, perhaps you could reflect on your own actions." I grit out, "I am confused and tormented by a power I cannot control. The one thing you say can help me frightens the life from me–"

She pulled me to a stop and Kaden almost flew into my back but soon sensed the tension and took John to the side with the rolls to give us privacy. She yanked my elbow down between the shadow of two stone buildings and pressed a glove near my head. Her eyes burned a sudden hot and impatient silver. 

I finally felt her power more brightly and it was not calm. It felt so much like before, when it was us and things were more simple. 

When I was mortal.

"There is nothing. Nothing. On this realm I have wanted to do but help you master your powers and restore your peace of mind. But for reasons out of my control we have been hunted, separated, and divided more times than I can count. Tayah, if I had my way you would still be in Valhalla learning the ways of the Valkyrie in safety but that is not the fate dealt to us. We must, move forward. I know the cost and I know the pain. But lingering on the past does you nothing anymore." She finished in a heavy puff.

Her chest moved from the build up of emotion tearing through into her words and eyes. She was  before me now and all the anger and confusion melted out of me as if it were a poison draining away. I slumped back against the wall heavily and took a deep breath.

"I do not blame anyone for our past. As you say it is done now. I want to move forward–truly I want to control my power and my emotions that run so hot... but sometimes–I just wish it were more simple. More mortal and less infinite." I murmured, dragging a hand into my hair and pushing my hood down.

Instead of the insult I expected her to take to entire existence, her expression softened in the darkness. She nodded before me and dropped her hand from the wall. But her warmth still felt like a welcome presence in the coldest city.

"You are the most mortal immortal I have ever come across. While it may seem like a curse to you, it has been redeeming to me in many ways... I know you are conflicted. Much like I am about my own existence since we met." She paused and collected her thoughts. I moved closer and she breathed in the space between us. "I think we need to–"

Shouts from the streets cut off her words and we both stiffened in the darkness before turning to the street commotion. The men flew around the corner into our cover and Kára threw Kaden off her and into the dark behind before analysing the running citizens and distant sound of horns.

"What are they saying?" I demanded.

But my immortal frowned still picking up fragmented shouts and more running. It sounded like a crowd was growing down the cobbles.

"Come. This is not about us." She murmured, stepping out into the streets with a low hood.

I nodded at the men and we melted into the growing number of people in the streets moving towards the same thing. Streams were picking up in volume and cheering. It was not a chaotic crowd–but a joyous one. I frowned as some raised fists and called out in the foreign tongue.

"Kára?" I pressed.

She glanced at me with a slow smirk. "The word has got out. The Warlord's son is returned. There will be celebrations in the great halls of the city tonight."

I returned the smile, feeling an odd warmth. A collective celebration among the dwellers. Our group shrouded in hoods having returned him but staying among the shadows. John nudged me with his shoulder.

"We could be the new Four Lions here, Tay." He grinned. "Splendour aplenty, wealth and famed Uccellons saving a prince of war!"

"Keep your voice down idiot." I snorted.

We joined a much larger crowd growing in the town square. A messenger stood on the wooden block above them and calling out in the Kanton language joyously. I watched as the people grew more animated and cheered the longer he spoke. He then raised a finger to the sky and pressed it to his brow. The crowd returned it. Kára rolled her eyes and shook her head.

"What does he say?"

"He is rambling about a Sun God casting the boy back to the realm. Other nonsense I will not translate."

I fought a smirk and looked back to the truly happy people. "You mentioned a celebration?"

She smirked down at me this time. Something else warmed her eyes.

"Usually the roasted pig and ale sort. They gather in great stone halls for such nights and consume their weight in ale and wine until sunrise. The guards surely will not trouble us now."

"I thought you wanted to continue my training..."

"I think this is a good distraction for all of us." She shrugged her fur shoulders. "Your mind has been too consumed with the gods and it is about time you saw a free night to relax with your mortals over an ale."

"I must have misheard you, immortal." I murmured, raising a brow. But she continued to surprise me.

"Perhaps it is also time I showed you how a Valkyrie handles her drink."

My jaw dropped and she turned back to the shouting mortal causing more noise. John yelled something beside me with a laugh but I still watched the blonde who pulled her hood lower and winked across at me.

"Ale Kaden! ALE!" John roared, turning to the nearest citizen and shaking them.

* * * * *

The great stone halls were much like Vayleron castles in many ways. Only much longer. They were lined with stone pillars and hung with great candle chandeliers. Large fireplaces burned at the edges of the hall, stoked by the many servers distributing casks of wine and ale down long tables.

Voices boomed and the music was alight in stringed instruments and singing. The mortals seemed truly happy for their warlord's family reunion. I couldn't imagine the people of Vayleron would act the same for a member of the royal family...

We blended in nicely between the drinkers and diners along the long wooden benches. The men took it upon themselves to fit as much in their mouths as humanly possible. It suited me. I still found myself outside the mood to hold long conversations. I turned the thick red liquid around in a goblet as I watched the mortals dance and chat.

My immortal did not touch the food but she had a similar goblet in her hand as she scanned the smiling Kantons. She propped her chin under her hand and turned to me.

"It pains me to see you so sombre. I expected you to be three casks down by this point with those buffoons." She nodded across at Kaden as he washed down a chicken leg with more ale. John choked briefly before getting a slap on the back by the man.

My stoic features didn't crack.

"Perhaps I miss the boy." I shrugged.

"Aye. I eat when I feel such sadness." Kaden added around a meaty bone.

The goddess ignored him and pushed my plate towards me. "Eat something at least."

"The hollowness I feel cannot be filled by such things." I sighed, pushing it back. "I never even said thank you to him." I muttered.

A sudden slow smile caught her lips and I frowned, turning to her properly. 

"You might still get that chance."

My frown increased and then I turned to where she stared. Off at the end of the hall on the higher set long table emerged a thickly muscled man with a gloriously long, black beard. And there, in his meaty grip, stood Yanu with a shy expression and a fresh set of clothes.

My head snapped up and I slapped Kaden across the forehead. He swore and swiped back before I grabbed his jaw–full of whatever meat–and turned him to the high table. His jaw dropped and I saw too much of his meal as he swallowed suddenly and almost choked. The crowds cheered much louder now as the huge man holding the boy's shoulder boomed down the hall.

"What are you–" John began before catching the spectacle and grinning widely. "Look tree! Your little sapling looks well!"

Despite the jab Kaden boomed a laugh and pointed a thick finger. "He comes from a large lineage. He will be a man of great size like me!"

"Maybe we could get a word in when they are all drunk." I mused, making Kára stiffen beside me and the men become animated. 

"They won't have any qualms with Uccellons after a cask or two." Kaden agreed quickly, grasping the table like he couldn't contain himself. "Look at those silks–the lad is a true prince!" He said dripping pride like he had a hand in the garment.

Despite us getting ahead of ourselves Kára remained uncharacteristically quite. It made me uneasy but grateful at the same time. I was not yet ready to give up the boy anyway. I stabbed a piece of meat and chewed quickly before taking a deep gulp of wine.

"You." I stated at Kaden's grin. "With me. Let us assess how close we can get without rising suspicion."

"M'lady." He rumbled, dropping a half bow and getting to his feet without hesitation. 

I heard her sigh beside me but couldn't focus on that now. I wanted one more night with the boy that had cared for my injury in a dark cell all those spans ago with no power or familiar faces. Kaden practically bounced on his feet as he came over the table and took my hand in the similar custom to most. His towering form finally common place among the men.

We drifted among the dancers before the fires who jumped and stomped to the strings. All the while edging closer to the high table at the end of the hall. 

Kaden kept my hand and occasionally twirled me among the dancers in his huge grip. I found a small smile grace my lips as he moved with all the grace of a boar in a pottery. He caught my smile and grinned back before swiping someone's tankard from the table and taking a deep gulp. He offered it to me and I sunk the rest before dropping the tankard. He chuckled deeply and turned us closer through the heavy crowds of laughter.

Yanu was in clear view to us now. Being passed among what I assumed were warriors who ruffled his hair and slapped his shoulder with loud laughing. 

"Easy now." I murmured near Kaden's ear. "These are not the Kantons to piss off this night."

"Agreed." He said in building excitement. "Who'd have thought our boy has such powerful company?"

I grinned and twisted dramatically before him. As I spun I caught the burning silver eyes of my Valkyrie leaning against a wall much closer that I had noticed. Her hood was low and the orange of the fireplace flickered over half her face. She did not meet my eyes but I know she was aware of our every move. A silent warrior waiting on the first drop of trouble. But not tonight. This night was for reunion.

"Come." I told him, moving us near enough to be brushing against their group's shoulders. They were all heavy in furs and wore their weapons like they were part of the outfit. A trophy of status to show their power. All but for Yanu who had my dagger still at his belt despite the new garments.

Kaden stared openly at his little face as a warrior hefted him into the air with his arms. A little giggle floated towards us among the laughter and it made me ache with bittersweet pain.

"Maybe this was not a good idea." I told him, watching the way Kaden admired his joy from afar. "Is it not enough to know he is happy rather than disrupt his life again?" I murmured.

Kaden's face took a painful wince before he dropped his gaze down to me. "You speak a painful truth little Ashrive. But how I would love to toss him into the air like kin." He mumbled, casting his eyes down. I stole a nearby goblet from table and offered it. He gave me a sad smile and took a long drink. He gave me the rest and I despatched the drink just as eagerly.

"Let us enjoy our night from afar? We need not leave."

He nodded more seriously and threw Yanu one last look. A frown suddenly crossed his features. I tugged his arm but he froze all at once. My heart lurched.

"Kaden?"

"Something's not right."

"Kaden where–"

He pushed past a couple beside us cutting straight for them. My blood flooded me in hot anticipation and I rushed after him, dodging furred shoulders and heavy weapons. But my man was adamant and cast aside all subtlety. Whatever he saw it was important–

He lunged suddenly and my confusion melted into adrenaline.

A man screamed in the foreign tongue as Kaden caught a dagger mid-swing and punched the man off his feet cleanly. It was like that was the signal. 

The signal for the entire room to slip into hells.