The following morning opened clear and sunny, and Ruune was desperate to get back on the road. With no sign of yesterday's storm, she entertained the idea of slipping out on her own just to spite karma or destiny or whatever bullshit it was that was trying to toy with her, but coming down into the main room she knew it wouldn't happen. Tikariina was already there, sitting at the counter, and when their eyes met, she knew that she wouldn't be able to outrun her.
The woman was a blood hound -- a hunter of extraordinary skill and determination.
And as such, Ruune surrendered to her fate, accepting the fact that at least for now, she would have a companion on her journey.
It was probably fine, she thought, as a little while later she headed out on her way again, this time with Tikariina in tow. Travelling alone had its perks, but so did travelling with someone else. You could split your belongings for a more even weight, you had more eyes to make sure nothing jumped you, and you... had someone to share body heat with in the cold winter nights.
And all things considered, a skilled warrior was one of the best people to have tag along, for extra protection. Provided, of course, that that skill won't turn against her.
"It won't."
She jolted and glanced over her shoulder at Tikariina, walking half a step behind her on the slushy path. "Sorry?"
She flashed her a grin. "My life is yours now," she said, like that was no big deal. "I am physically incapable of doing anything to harm you."
"Oh," Ruune said and pressed her lips tightly together. They stayed silent for a moment. "But you are capable of reading my mind?"
Tikariina laughed. "Not as such," she said and then ran her finger down her throat. It almost looked like it caught on something, though there wasn't anything visible there. "But I suppose you could say I can sense your mood through our connection. Also, your face is very easy to read."
Ruune felt said face flush and quickly turned away. "That's a bit unfair," she huffed. "I can't sense anything from you."
There was a hum, slightly strained, and she looked back to find the smile on Tikariina's face tighter than before. "Yeah, I have... well, practice." She noticed her staring and immediately the tension disappeared. "You'll figure it out eventually, I'm sure of it."
"I don't really want to," Ruune sighed, gaining another laugh.
"You really don't have any kind of filter, do you?"
"Not really, no," she agreed, before coming to an abrupt stop. "Look, Tikariina..."
"Tikka."
She blinked. "Huh?"
"Call me Tikka. Only my mother calls me..." There was a slight pause, heavy and meaningful. "...called me Tikariina."
"Oh," she said, but didn't let out the apology sitting on her tongue. "Well, Tikka, then." She shook her head, to clear it from the odd atmosphere. "I don't really know what all this," she gestured vaguely between them, "this is, but I have a lot going on right now and I don't have the time to--"
"That's fine," Tikka interrupted her, quite rudely to be honest. "I'll go wherever you go, so don't worry about me."
"That just makes me more worried..." Ruune muttered and then fixed Tikka with an appraising look. "Don't you have plans of your own?" She shook her head. "No goal? No place you were going to?"
"Not really," she said, a bit too easily in Ruune's opinion. "I've been a... drifter for years now. I arrive somewhere, do some jobs for food, and then move on. Nothing more and nothing less."
That explained the lack of belongings. Aside from her clothes and sword, she really didn't have anything on her. A drifter, huh?
"Isn't that hard?" Ruune couldn't help but ask. Tikka shrugged.
"Sometimes. But it's the only way I can live." She looked up to the sky, and the sunlight behind her softened her features. "A warrior without a Lord is nothing but a man adrift."
And in that moment, there was something in her face, in her eyes, that was unlike anything Ruune had seen from her before. She was more than a warrior, she was more than a drifter, more than a pest that was now stuck to Ruune's side -- she was scared and she was vulnerable and she was human.
And just as soon as it appeared, it was hidden once more, and Tikka's grin was bright and wide. It didn't quite reach her eyes.
"But you're kind of my Lord now," she said, and Ruune suppressed the urge to reach over to cradle her face. "So it's alright again."
Oh no, she thought. There was no future where this wouldn't end up a disaster. But what the hell else was she supposed to do?
"Fine," she said and resumed her march down the road. "No time to waste then. As I said, I have a lot going on, and if you're going to insist on tagging along, I need you to keep up."
"Sure thing," Tikka said, already by Ruune's side. "So, where are we going... my Lord?"
Ruune's breath stuck in her throat, but she resolutely ignored it.
"To Paraaja," she said dismissively. "I have a job there."
"What kind of a job?"
She had known Tikka absolutely wouldn't let her leave it at that, but she was still annoyed. She gave her a glare before answering, "One of the altar ryas in their House of Grace got torn up so they hired me to fix it, as well as check and reinforce the rest of the holy tapestries while I'm at it."
She didn't really care for that particular City-state, and she especially didn't care for the Matriarch at the House of Grace, but she went where she had to. Her skills didn't have a whole lot of demand, but when she was needed, she was really needed. A lot of the traditional weaving techniques had fallen almost to obscurity already, and she was among only a handful who could fix almost any tapestry.
"Oh, that's cool," Tikka said, followed by a long, expectant pause. "You really are a Norja, huh?"
Ruune bristled. "What's that supposed to mean?" She had known that revealing her family name would bring nothing but trouble, apparently in more ways that one.
"Nothing!" Tikka assured, waving her hands. She winced a little as she lifted her right arm and urged by Ruune's narrowing eyes quickly lowered it back into the sling. "I was just thinking, what with the Norja family being essentially in charge of Konnavuo and its massive dyed yarn import, it makes sense you'd know your way around knots."
Ruune let out a low hum, but said nothing. Thought of nothing. Kept on walking.
"But really, I thought you lot were so rich you'd have no need to send one of your own to Paraaja to fix some ryas."
"Well," she bit out as she tried and failed to unclench her jaw, "it's a big family. A lot of branches that are not quite as prosperous as the main one."
She hadn't meant to raise her voice, so she bit her tongue to keep it in check and drew her lungs full of cold, calming air. In, out, in, out... On the third exhale she let the frustration flow out with it, her whole body relaxing.
"Sorry," Tikka said, her voice quiet.
"It's fine," Ruune said, even though it kind of wasn't.
"It's not though."
She blinked and once more turned to Tikka. Her expression was apologetic and tender, but most of all understanding, and for a second time Ruune caught a glimpse of the human underneath it.
She smiled. "Thank you," she said and, "It's fine."
And this time she meant it.
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Ooh, things! Intrigue!! Background!!!! I really am enjoying this quite a bit, can't wait to know what happens next!
Topic for tomorrow is "Bound"(/Bind), see you then~
Pede out.
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