Elly and Nelimir had begun to discuss their travel plans but Nora was barely paying attention; it was the first time she 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 a few minutes 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 she was determined 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, driving away those that spelled a darker outcome. Even knowing that Mitrel was hunting her down, she kept running heedless of the repercussions. 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 confounded her. The emotions had come too fast and too strong.
Being a goddess set her apart from her peers; it put her above them in both strength and social status. She had a perspective they would never acquire and through it she could control and change her own shortcomings as a dragon. It was through those changes that she managed to stand up to Mitrel, even if it meant betraying her race, her blood. Yet that same dragon blood running through her made itself clear when it came to Yvain in ways that no amount of introspection could change. No number of attempts to ignore it would bear fruit either. And unlike with Mitrel, she actually wanted what they had. Or maybe it was more accurate to say she needed it. Whatever connection was created when the two met was inviolable.
Though despite that connection she still had the presence of mind to understand that no matter how much she needed him, or how her racial characteristics affected her, it was impossible to feel as she did for anyone. Though impossible as it may be, she knew she couldn't leave the man anymore since the first time she saw him doing his silly dance. It was knowledge based off of pure instinct, knowledge that came at the flip of a switch.
That's when her roles of mother and lover violently clashed. It was as such that she had already cried two times more than she ever had since coming to this world. It was unnatural to say the least.
It was a miracle that she didn't cry again when the new center of her life easily accepted her daughter. The two conflicting forces had been pleasantly appeased and melded together. But just when she thought that her emotional balance had arrived, underneath her contentment 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. It was more of an observation rather than an objection. She didn't have any memories of her life before she came to this world, but she was still a goddess. Just like the rest of her kind, she paradoxically reveled in the emotions she felt, even the negative ones.
She wondered if the regret over her past choices was similar to Yvain's. She had seen it in his expression when he threatened Selt. While the circumstances and actors weren't the same, Nora saw some similarities in how she treated her daughter. But Yvain was fully human, he was able to quickly see his mistake and take action to rectify it.
If he had been in her shoes, what would he have done? She couldn't come up with an answer. It made her realize how little she knew of him or his thoughts, but the fact didn't bother her. Eagerness to learn more about her partner, preferably in bed, was all she could think of. Not even Mitrel, with all his exceptional traits, made her feel that way after being together for years.
"What do you think?"
"Hmm?" Nora was suddenly pulled from her thoughts when a voice was directed at her. Both Elly and Nelimir were looking at her.
"Since you'll be in charge of training us from now on I thought I'd let Elly take a look at your abilities," Nelmir said. Nora didn't know if the man was oblivious to the distaste showing on Elly's face or if he simply didn't care.
"More to placate her than to test your skills," he said a bit apologetically.
"Nelimir," Elly said in warning, but Nelimir brushed her off with an eye roll in her direction. The giant woman grunted in dissatisfaction and waited in silence for Nora's answer.
"I don't mind, should we do it now?" Nora said.
"I need to determine what route we'll be taking so it'll just be the two of you," Nelimir said. "But I trust Elly's judgment and self-control in this matter." He gave Elly a warning look, but the woman ignored him. 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 dishonest smile and Elly an honest scowl. Nora had the same animosity that Elly probably felt for her, but this was someone dear to Yvain. She had to at least try to create a respectful relationship, or maybe dispel whatever it was that had both of them standing at odds with barely a spoken word.
Nora had been trying to pinpoint the source of opposition since yesterday. When the trio had left the dungeon in a scramble, she had already noticed people waiting for them. She hadn't felt any type of hostility from the group, so she opted to just watch. But when Elly moved closer it was Nora who felt aggression grow inside her. Elly picked up on that too and returned the act in kind. No one had noticed but them.
Since that moment both women had been mentally circling each other ready to strike, neither understanding what was going on. Or at least Nora didn't, and she doubted Elly understood the situation any more than she did. A small part of the blame for her emotional turmoil until know fell on this tension that had formed between them.
"Do you always look so angry?" Nora asked. She couldn't stop the slight venom that spilled with the words.
Elly turned for the tallest door out of all of the ones there, obviously custom made for her. "Follow me," she said calmly 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 Elly's room was even bigger than the living room. Spaces created by nature were one thing, but this was all man-made--or woman-made in this case. She really needed to have a long conversation with Roesia.
Contrary to Yvain's modest style, Elly's room was covered wall to wall with all kinds of weapons. Like paintings strategically placed to create a view pleasing to the eye; bigger equipment lower in place than the smaller ones. A bed big enough for Elly and then some was at the corner almost forgotten. The central piece to the room was several practice dummies spread randomly over the floor, worn down by constant abuse.
"So how will you evaluate me?" Nora asked.
Elly 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." Elly 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 glaring at me since we saw each other, at least," Nora said, pointing out her smile. Her comment made Elly scowl again, the change so sudden and honest that Nora snorted through her nose in her failure to suppress a chuckle.
"I want you to leave Draconian's Tavern tonight," Elly said. "I'll tell Yvain and the rest that your loss of strength is permanent and, not wanting to be a burden, left to find your daughter."
"What makes you think I'll do as you say?" Nora said. She had already expected the tall woman to be against her joining the guild. It ticked her off. If Elly wasn't someone close to Yvain, if Nora had enough standing to decide the woman's fate, she'd be the one being told to leave. It was unfortunate that Nora being an empress didn't offer any advantages in that room.
"You're not only from the dragon race, but you're also the goddess of dragons," Elly said. "Leaving aside the matter of your race, 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 in your name." She walked up to one of the walls in the room and grabbed the biggest sword she could reach.
Nora's guard instantly went up, "They won't do such a thing unless told otherwise."
Elly scoffed, "I used to be in a guild before joining this one. One that was much more informed on the continent's happenings." She walked up to the dummy in front of Nora, weapon in hand, and swung the sword in a perfectly mastered arc. "We both know you can't guarantee that."
The group Yvain's master mentioned were the very people that raised Nora when she fell into this world. She wanted to deny the tag of zealots, but it was an unfortunate attitude many took; it was something not unique to her, many gods and goddesses had similar following. And Starchildren weren't omnipotent, things could get...out of hands sometimes.
"I understand," Nora said, "I've brought many dangers to this guild. If I could erase them all with the flick of my wrist I'd do so. But from my understanding you will all venture out eventually. Regardless of me being here or not, you will face many dangers on that fact alone."
Nora had been averse to Yvain's suggestion of teaching the group. She had never been a teacher to anyone, and despite her looks and status she didn't have enough experience to feel like she wouldn't make a mess of it. But maybe teaching the guild would be the ticket to finding her place inside the team.
"I can equip all of you with the skills necessary to protect yourselves."
"I do a well enough job," Elly said. Her speed when attacking the dummy had already surpassed what normal people could do.
Nora marveled at the woman's skill and ferocity, though she couldn't decide if she should be more impressed with the spectacle in front of her or the endurance of the poor dummy getting trashed. Impressive display aside, though, it wouldn't be enough. Especially if Yvain's explanation of his abilities was true.
"Can you use starlight?" she asked.
"Yes," Elly said.
"What's your rank?"
Elly didn't answer.
