Starry Resonance

Freya and Nelimir had begun to discuss something but she was barely paying attention. It was the first time that Nora had been away from Yvain since they first met. She made sure to hug the breath out of him before he left to search for his friend, making a point of ignoring the tall woman glaring at her. Yet not one minute in she already wanted to run after him.

Was she that horrible of a mother? Nora already knew she didn't deserve to call herself that, but when she escaped her home she was set on being better. She would slowly make up for her mistakes after saving her daughter. Thoughts of how their reunion would be like had kept pushing her to go faster, pushing away those that spelled a darker outcome. But when she first saw Yvain it was like he carved out by force a larger space than Charlotte's in her heart. And that space demanded to be constantly filled. It scared her to no end. The emotions had come too fast and too strong.

Despite that, she couldn't deny her base nature. Being a goddess gave her a certain perspective on herself and others. It allowed her to see that the dragon blood running through her was what created this dissonance. A large part of it though was whatever connection was created when the two met.

From the start, Nora knew she couldn't leave him anymore. It was knowledge based off of pure instinct, but it was undeniable all the same. That's when her roles of mother and lover started a violent clash. It was as such that she had already cried two times more than she ever had since coming to this world.

It was a miracle that she didn't cry again when the new center of her life easily accepted her other side. The two conflicting forces had been instantly appeased and melded together. But just when she thought that her emotional balance had arrived, images of her daughter suffering at the hands of others resurfaced. It formed heavy guilt at her current bliss and needs.

'Mortals really don't have it easy' Nora thought. She wondered if the regret she was feeling was similar to Yvain's. She had seen it in his expression when he threatened Selt. It made her realize how little she knew of him or his thoughts. It didn't bother her though. Excitement to learn more about her partner was all she felt. Not even Mitrel, with all his exceptional traits, made her feel that way when they first met.

"What do you think?"

"Hmm?" Nora was suddenly pulled from her thoughts when a voice was directed at her. Both Freya and Nelimir were looking at her.

"Since you'll be in charge of training us from now on I thought I'd let Freya take a look at your abilities," Nelmir said. Nora didn't know if the man was oblivious to the distaste showing in Freya's face or if he simply didn't care.

"More to placate her than to test your skills," he said a bit apologetically.

"Hey," Freya said in warning, but Nelimir brushed her off with an eye roll. The giant woman grunted in dissatisfaction and waited in silence for Nora's answer.

"I don't mind, should we do it now?"

The Draconian's Tavern leader gave a nod to Nora and left for his chambers. Now alone, both women just stared at each other. Nora with a pleasing but honest smile and Freya a scowl.

"Do you always look so angry?" Nora asked.

Freya ignored her and turned for the biggest door out of all of the ones there, obviously custom made for her. "Follow me," she said as she walked through the entrance. Nora, keeping her smile, did as told and closed the door behind her.

She was pleasantly surprised to find that Freya's room was much bigger than Yvain's. It was even bigger than the living room. Spaces created by nature were one thing, but this was all manmade. Or womanmade in this case.

Contrary to Yvain's modest style, Freya's room was covered wall to wall with all kinds of weapons. Like paintings strategically placed over a living space, they formed a view pleasing to the eye with bigger equipment lower in place than the smaller ones. A bed big enough for Freya, and a few more people, was at the corner almost forgotten. The central piece to the room was several practice dummies spread randomly over the place. Their constant use was obvious and it created a new sense of respect in Nora for the woman in front of her.

"So how will you evaluate me?" Nora asked.

Freya stopped in front of one of the dummies and ran her hand over its scars. "I won't," she said. "I asked Nelimir to let me test you only so we could have a private conversation without raising suspicion." Freya turned around with a self-mocking smile, "Though I suspect he already knows as much."

"That's a bit better than the way you've been scowling at me since we saw each other, at least," Nora said, ignoring Freya's words. Her comment made Freya scowl at her again and Nora couldn't help herself from laughing merrily. With how Yvain had treated her so far in bed, she was surprised he hadn't gone for Freya before meeting her. The woman felt easy to tease with how serious she always was. Though she guessed it was probably because of their relationship and similarities in strength.

"I want you to leave Draconian's Tavern without telling anyone tonight," Freya said. "I'll tell Yvain that your loss of strength is permanent, and not wanting to be a burden left to find your daughter on your own." Freya reached into her pocket and took out a piece of cloth, "I have some contacts that can help you find her. Once you do, you have to pull out of Empryon and never come back."

"You really don't want me here," Nora said absentmindedly.

"You're not only from the dragon race, but you're also the goddess of dragons. Leaving aside the matter of your status as an empress and the horrendous mistake you and my idiot apprentice made, the zealots that follow you will burn down their own people for you," Freya crossed her arms, her impressive b.r.e.a.s.ts standing up. "You're a danger to all of us, and I won't have my friends die just because Yvain couldn't keep it in his pants."

Nora wondered how Freya knew of her followers but she was more interested in something else. She folded the cloth once more and demurely held it in her hands. "Did you know who I was before I told everyone?"

"What does that have to do with this?" Freya asked.

"Did you?" Nora asked with the same patience as before, her tone of voice indicating she wouldn't budge. Yet Freya remained quiet; some sweat started to form around her forehead.

"You did, didn't you?" Nora said as if she already knew the answer to her own question. She took a step forward and Freya took a step back in synch while keeping her stern expression and threatening pose, but she remained quiet.

"I know who you are too, or at least what you are," Nora said with a predatory smile, happy to hold the conversation by herself. "Don't move," she said in a commanding tone only used when fulfilling her duties as an empress. Freya watched in disquiet as Nora closed the remaining distance between them.

"I'm honestly impressed with your bravery. You must have known of my grasp on your nature and you knew mine, yet decided to still face me like this," Nora said while looking up into Freya's trembling eyes. "And I think I know where that bravery comes from, which only puts you in and even better standing with me." Nora genuinely smiled but Freya just scowled harder.

"My real question is which race do you belong to," Nora said. Her hand gently set itself on Freya's cheek and started to feel the around the woman's soft face as if trying to find the answer there.

"Are you scared of me?" Nora asked disarmingly.

Freya searched her eyes for a few seconds before nodding her head.

Nora's smile widened and her hand remained where it was. "You'll have to forgive me if I don't do as you ask. Blame yourself and your honesty. It makes me like you more and more." She did as promised and for a few seconds indulged herself. Freya could do nothing but stand still and suffer Nora's ministrations.

"I won't force you to give me an answer," Nora finally said. "But there's something I'm curious about," Nora smiled teasingly, "I think it's obvious to everyone except the man in question, and maybe Selt, that you love Yvain." Freya didn't say anything, but Nora tried to see every change in her expression. The slight widening of her eyes, the imperceptible opening of her lips, and finally how she looked away.

"You haven't told him yet?" Nora was honestly confused. Maybe she was rejected? Freya didn't seem like the type of person to hold back. If she wanted something she would take it with no mind for the consequences. Very unlike Nora who was faced with the choice of killing Mitrel. To this day the thought that she could have prevented her daughter's kidnapping if she had just killed her ex-husband still haunted her.

Freya scoffed at Nora's question. "Tell him what? You heard what Roesia said, he hasn't held an ounce of romantic interest in anyone. We've bathed together so many times I've lost count. No matter how much we fight, train, and manhandle each other he shows no reaction to my body. I've been his master since he was a boy. We've never had a familial relationship, but growing up with me as his mentor couldn't have helped. And now," Freya's eyes turned sorrowful, "now he found someone stronger, prettier and of higher standing than me. He even recommended you to be our mentor, effectively getting rid of me without a second thought. And as if the gods were playing a joke on me, I have to watch you two being all over each other while carrying the knowledge that your mere presence will most likely get him killed." By the end, Freya was almost shouting. She poured out in one breath everything she had been holding back for years in face of what was probably her biggest enemy.

It was Nora's turn to be shocked. Did she screw up? Ever since she was 'born' into this world Nora hadn't had a single female friend. It was only either suitors or those that revered her. It wasn't wrong to say that she was completely inexperienced in regards to friendship. She had met other gods and goddesses in her time alive, but outside of their capital, most Starchildren kept to themselves and mostly interacted with mortals.

"I don't know about your relationship with him, but if you don't tell him anything you'll never know," Nora said with hesitation. She only ever had one relationship in her life and what she had with Yvain was far from her normal. But honesty could never be bad, right? "And why even mention us being all over each other. That sentiment might come from a human, but you?" Nora said, then she came to a realization. "Why do you look human?"

"That's none of your business," Freya said in a gloomy tone. Nora had seen with every passing second how her words and actions had affected the woman. Feeling bad for deflating Freya in such a way, she released her.

"You're right. It's up to you to decide what you'll do with yourself," Nora said and handed over the piece of cloth, "same as me." With the same gloomy look, Freya took the cloth and fixed her eyes on it.

"I know that me being here puts all of us in danger, but that's a risk me and the rest are willing to take. Even if that wasn't the case, I'll leave Yvain as soon as you do," Nora said. "Know that I'll teach all of you what I know only so that we can face whatever comes for us, not for some petty attempt to lord over your position." Despite their differences in height, Nora still grabbed Freya's chin and lifted it tenderly. "And if it pleases you, I can give you extracurricular lessons so that you can remain just a bit stronger than Yvain," she said with a wink.

Freya dismissed Nora's offer with a sharp release of breath from her nose, but a smile could be seen trying to fight its way out of her. "Let me at least see what you actually have to offer," she said.

Nora gave an expectant smile, "Good! A test it is."