33 First Kiss

Two days later, Hrod stood in her late husband's office. She touched the things on his desk and remembered the life they had shared. Luna came in and looked at her mother. Luna could not remember a time when her mother looked so vulnerable. Hrod was always proud and stood tall, but now she looked lost.

"Mother, Tyr still hasn't woken up. I just received word from Freyr that Aalto and Ludwig have fled the country. Did you want me to hunt them down?" Luna waited for a response but her mother was silent, "Mother?"

Hrod looked at her daughter and scratched her forehead."Who is Ludwig?" she asked. She did not understand why Luna would mention someone she did not know.

Luna's eyes widened. She did not know if her mother genuinely did not remember, or if the shock made her mind addled. "Ludwig is Skadi and Aalto's child," Luna remembered Skadi had sent a letter about forty years ago to inform them of her pregnancy. She also remembered her mother throwing the letter into the fire.

Hrod nodded her head she vaguely remembered Skadi sending a letter informing her that she was a grandmother. "No, no. It's fine. They already fled. Who cares," she waved her hand shooing Luna away. "Leave me. See that the remaining guests are sent home safely."

Luna closed the door and went to attend to the last guests who departed from the estate. Her mother had refused to leave the office since Skadi's betrayal. Luna, being the only Valois who could function, had to see to the guests and household.

****

Freyr was one of the first people to leave. His guards forced him to go back to the palace immediately. Freyr came to the estate using an airship, so his return to Marseille was quick. When he got back to Marseille, he sent most of the palace healers to help Tyr. Freyr worried about his cousin's life and had the healers take his airship. His advisors advised him against sending so many healers and his airship, but he did not care. Tyr needed the medical attention as fast as possible.

Tyr saved Freyr's life by taking a sword to his chest while they were fighting. Freyr did not see the attack coming and Tyr pushed him out of the way. This wound made Tyr weakened for the rest of the fight.

Freyr also felt responsible for his Uncle Hymir's death. He thought if Tyr had not taken the sword to his chest, then he and Tyr could have defended the family better. The regret weighed on Freyr's mind.

Freyr sent thirty healers to help Tyr. The medics worked day and night in shifts. They were the best healers that Marseille had, and they knew if Tyr died the king would be furious.

****

Tyr's eyes shot open and he scanned the room. The last thing he remembered was fighting Skadi's men. In the corner, he saw Macha sitting on his settee in his room. Dark bags formed under her eyes and dried blood covered her clothes and hands. She passed out while sitting up.

Aži rested in Macha's lap. He saw Tyr's eyes open and he was happy that Tyr was better. He worried about his friend over the past few days. Now that Tyr woke up and moved around, Aži could rest peacefully. Macha's worry over the past few days was so strong that it affected his sleep.

While Tyr lay unconscious, he dreamed that one of Skadi's mercenaries killed Macha. In the dream, Tyr had been too weak to move and could do nothing as a sword ran through her chest. Tyr got out of bed and inspected Macha. He wanted to make sure she was unhurt from the fight. He thanked Aži for helping him and moved his friend out of her lap. Tyr picked Macha up and place her on the bed.

Tyr went to shower off the blood and sweat that coated his own skin. While the steam rose in the shower, he thought about his sister Skadi. He had not seen her for at least 200 years. Although they were siblings, he was not close to her.

Skadi ran away when Hrod found out about her pregnancy. After Skadi ran away, she eloped with Aalto. He remembered that the child died due to complications. His father, Hymir, wanted to have the family reconcile, but Hrod refused. Tyr was not sure what Skadi had been doing for the past 200 years. He remembered seeing her once on the street, but she ignored him.

Tyr got out of the shower and inspected his body. No new scars formed on his body because he had received medical attention quickly. The two scars from the harpy attack still showed on his back. He assumed it would take about a hundred years for them to disappear completely.

Tyr picked up a comb and infused it with magic. Its silver teeth glowed purple, but the comb remained cool to the touch. His hair dried with each pass his comb made. While he looked in the mirror, Tyr hoped Macha would be all right after killing Skadi. It concerned him because killing a person differs from killing an animal.

Tyr peeked into his room and was relieved that Macha slept without a sound. She looked dirty and frail in his large bed. Tyr shook his head. A plate of barely eaten crackers lay in the room. He knew Macha had not taken care of herself.

Tyr bathed her like he did when she was sick with Longum Auris. While he washed her, sunlight shined through the window onto Macha's face. Tyr remembered how scared she looked as she crept up behind Skadi. Her hands shook and her form was terrible, but she helped them anyway.

"Thank you," Tyr whispered. Without thinking he leaned over and kissed her forehead. If Macha did not help them, he knew they would have died.

Hrod had opened the door to check up on her son. She still missed her husband but realized that she had to move on. The first thing she saw was her son bathing the small woman. Tyr touched the woman lightly as if she would break. Hrod made a grimace when he leaned over and gave Macha a light kiss on the forehead.

Hrod closed the door and walked away. She questioned her tactic of forbidding her children from loving whoever they wanted. Hrod married Hymir out of responsibility to her family. She grew to love her husband, so she expected her children to do the same. Hrod remembered how she pushed Skadi away when her daughter eloped. She was furious that her daughter disobeyed her. In the end, Skadi betrayed them because she wanted to take the throne.

Hrod's thoughts turned to Macha. She knew Macha helped save their lives and that Tyr appeared to care for her. Hrod's relationship with her son was turbulent at best. He listened to her but did not care to see her. She wondered if accepting Macha would change their relationship.

Hrod remembered that Freyr showed interest in the small woman. She decided that it would behoove her to accept Macha because the woman would end up with Freyr anyway. In her eyes, Freyr was the king, so Macha would naturally choose him over her son.

****

Macha's eyes fluttered open. She gazed out the window and watched the moons glowing in the sky. A book closed from across the room. The sound did not surprise her because she sensed Tyr's presence in the room.

Tyr was reading a book but heard Macha's breathing change slightly. When he looked up, he saw her staring out of the window. He walked over to the bed. "You feeling all right?"

Macha sat up, still a bit groggy. She barely slept the past few days. Her dreams were filled with nightmares between Tyr dying and killing Skadi. When Macha looked at Tyr, he looked healthy again and a great weight lifted from her chest. "Yes. I must have fallen asleep. Sorry, I'll go to my room now." She feared Tyr would have resentment towards her for killing his sister. She wanted to go to her room because she did not know what to say to him.

Tyr sat down on the bed. He was worried about her mental state after killing Skadi, he remembered how she reacted the day after killing the boar. He preferred her to stay with him for now so he could monitor her and make sure she would be all right. "I ordered food. You should eat before you go. I can tell you ignored your health while I was unconscious. Why don't you shower off and I'll go check on the food?" he lied. He was unable to think of a reason for her to stay other than fulfilling her basic needs.

Macha's stomach gurgled at the thought of food. She barely ate while Tyr was hurt, so her body now craved nutrients. "All right. Thanks," she mumbled. Macha looked away from Tyr and slid off the bed. She prayed that their relationship would not change and that he could forgive her.

Macha wanted to talk with Tyr about what happened but did not know how to start the conversation. She viewed him ordering food as a blessing and agreed to stay longer. As she made her way to the bathroom Tyr called her name. Macha stopped, afraid he had changed his mind and would not be able to stand the sight of her.

Tyr opened his dresser and got out a robe for Macha. He remembered she did not have a change of clothes, so she would need something to wear after she had showered. He walked over to give her the robe but noticed she looked at the ground instead of him. "Macha, go take a shower and we can talk over dinner." He was glad he convinced her to stay. She looked frightened and sad.

Macha nodded her head. Tyr's words felt like daggers stabbing her heart. He sounded serious and she feared their upcoming conversation. She fought back tears that crept into her eyes and she grabbed the robe from Tyr's hands. Not daring to look at him, she ran to the bathroom to shut the door.