The rest of the journey to Paraaja was uneventful, if only because it was only another night, which they didn't have to spend outside. During that time, Ruune learnt very little about Tikka, something she found quite remarkable, considering her penchant for randomly launching into long and passionate monologues about the state of the world, or justice, or the importance of a rigorous training regime. Ruune knew she herself also had a habit of talking too much -- if she ever had a conversational partner, that is -- but this was very different. Tikka didn't as much talk with her, as... at her.
It did give Ruune a little insight into Tikka's worldview, at least, if not to her person. She thought most City-states were bullshit, and that it was concerning how more and more power was being sapped from towns and villages in favour of boosting that of the City-states and their Houses of Grace, and that everyone should be taught how to wield a weapon.
"It almost sounds like you want to start a revolution," Ruune had said jokingly, and Tikka had gotten such a serious look on her face that a shiver had run down her spine. She had quickly changed the topic and not brought it up again.
She had also found out that Tikka was a very serious person. She wasn't without a sense of humour, but rather there was an intensity about her, colouring everything she did. If she said something, she meant it, and if she meant something... she said it. It was a quality Ruune quite admired in her. Was... almost a little jealous of. She'd always had trouble saying the things that were the most important. Of... standing up for herself.
Well, she had done it eventually, and now she was here. In Paraaja. Fixing a broken altar rya for the most pedantic Matriarch this side of the River.
Maybe Tikka had a point. Most City-states were bullshit.
Especially when it came to bureaucracy.
"Papers, please," said the guard, tired of his life, when Ruune and Tikka stepped up to his booth by the Southeast entrance. Dutifully, Ruune handed them over to him, and he began, just as tiredly, to flip through them. "Reason for your visit?"
His fingers paused. His eyes widened just a smidgen. Ruune smiled.
"Business," she said, and he gave her an appraising glance.
"Wow." He shuffled the papers back into a neat pile and handed them back. "You're the second most famous person to ever come through my check. It's an honour, Miss Norja. Enjoy your stay."
"Thank you," she said with a bow of her head and began to leave.
"Hold on."
She froze, her heart sinking to the pit of her stomach.
What was it? Had she forgotten something? Was there something wrong with her papers? Did she need a work visa or a new permit they'd just invented? Did he want to shake her hand??
"I need to check your companion's papers too."
Slowly she turned back around and gave the guard a polite smile.
"Of course," she said. "Silly me."
And then she continued to turn towards Tikka.
Honestly, she had no idea how she ever could have forgotten the woman was there, what with how loud and persistent and always there she was. Like a small rock stuck to her shoe. Or a baby bird that got imprinted on her. Or a tick. It was good to know she could make herself less obvious if she wanted. Although on the same note it was disheartening to know that she generally chose not to.
Or maybe Ruune was just too used to traveling alone.
Well, that won't be a problem ever again, a voice in her head pointed out, but she ignored it. "Come on then," she said instead, "show him your papers."
Tikka smiled. Ruune really, really didn't like that.
"I don't have any."
The following silence was unbearably heavy.
"What... do you mean, you don't have any?" Ruune finally asked.
The smile didn't falter. She could feel a headache coming.
"How can you not have papers?" she insisted. "Did you lose them? Was it the wyvern attack?"
She really should have checked the scene more thoroughly.
Tikka shook her head. "I lost them way before that," she said. "Or rather, I never had them." At Ruune's blank stare, she continued, "I mean, I did have papers, but I never had them."
Ruune blinked. "What?" Did she understand that correctly? "Then who has your papers?"
"No one anymore," Tikka said with a shrug.
Oh, yes. The headache was here. Ruune rubbed the bridge of her nose.
"What kind of a drifter are you?" she muttered.
"The kind that doesn't visit City-states," Tikka replied.
"Um," said the guard. "If she doesn't have papers, I'm afraid I can't let her in."
Tikka's hand shifted, ever so slightly, closer to her sword, and Ruune immediately stepped between her and the guard.
"Look, I... know this is unorthodox," she started, giving him her best pleading eyes. "But you saw my papers. This woman is Tikariina Airo and she is my," my what?! "personal vassal, so I will put my name as collateral for her entry. She will not cause any trouble." She turned to throw Tikka a glare. "Right?"
Tikka bowed, deep and reverent and just a tad mocking. "As you wish."
"Um," said the guard again. "I'm... not really sure I can do that." He flushed when Ruune turned back to him, letting all her disappointment show on her face. "Not that I don't believe you, Miss Norja, but you understand... regulations... and all that..."
She huffed. And turned to Tikka again. "Can you wait outside?"
"Depends," she replied, tapping her lips with her forefinger. "How deep into the city do you need to go?"
"Um. To the House of Grace, which is at heart of it."
"And how big is the city?"
"I, uh..." She turned to the guard, who startled momentarily.
"From here to the House of Grace, about 15 kilometres, ma'am," he said, and she gestured at him.
"Oh, then no can do," said Tikka with a shake of her head. "That's too far." Then she grinned. "You remember what happened the last time you tried to leave me behind."
Ruune groaned. How annoying! "I understand you're in a precarious position, sir," she said, addressing the guard again. "But is there any way for us to, perhaps get an escort or someone? I cannot stress enough how important my business is. The Matriarch was expecting me yesterday."
"Ah, well, hm," the guard said, taking off his cap and running a hand through his hair. "Alright, please come this way, I'll... call the House of Grace."
He guided them to the back, to some kind of waiting room -- or break room, perhaps -- and returned back to his duties. As the door closed, Ruune slumped in her chair and let out a soul deep sigh.
"I thought you said I wouldn't have to worry about you," she muttered, throwing Tikka another glare before placing the heels of her palms on her eyes. She pressed down a bit too hard for a bit too long, then dropped the hands down. Her vision swam.
"I'm sorry," said Tikka.
"No you're not," countered Ruune. She sighed. "Why didn't you tell me beforehand?"
Tikka shrugged. "That wouldn't have changed the situation."
"Yes it would have!" Ruune huffed. "For one I wouldn't have been made to look a fool. Also, maybe we could've come up with some kind of... plan or something, before we're literally at the gates!"
"Huh." Tikka rubbed at her lips again, thinking, and Ruune adamantly did not look at the movement. "You know, you're right. It's been so long since I lost my papers so I've just stopped trying to get anywhere that require them. But now it's not just me trying to think of a workaround. And your name does have a bit of weight to throw around, branch-family or not."
She grimaced, but didn't comment. It was true, after all, no matter how she didn't like it. The silence stretched on.
"So what's Paraaja's Matriarch like?" Tikka finally asked.
Not exactly a topic Ruune was more enthusiastic about, but at least it was relevant. "Serious," she answered. "Stubborn. Difficult to work with." She let out a laugh. "Kind of like you."
Tikka scoffed.
"But also not really anything like you," Ruune continued. "She's... very devout. A little bit unsympathetic."
"So like most matriarchs, then."
The bitterness was palpable in Tikka's voice, and Ruune glanced at her from the corner of her eye.
"You don't know a lot of matriarchs, do you?" she asked. "Most are extremely kind and compassionate, truly the pillars of their communities." Tikka rolled her eyes, but stayed silent. "But, I suppose, the bigger the House and the Neighbourhood surrounding, the more likely it is to require a stern matriarch. After all, when your congragation is the size of an entire City-state, you can't afford to get to know everyone on a first name basis, if you want to maintaining efficiency."
"And that's exactly what I was talking about earlier!" Tikka finally exclaimed. "The centralisation of power into the City-states, especially at the rate that it's happening, is very concerning! And besides--"
"Oh, heavens, please don't start this again..." Ruune muttered, standing up and stretching.
Tikka fell silent and crossed her arms, her leg bouncing up and down, and Ruune blinked. And looked at her. She clearly wanted to keep talking, almost vibrated with the need to continue her rant, but at the smallest of hints that Ruune didn't want to hear it, she completely shut off. That felt... wrong. Against her nature, almost.
"Hey, Tikka," she found her mouth saying, "can you promise me something?"
Tikka immediately looked up, something sparking to life in her gaze. "Of course," she said, a bit too quickly, too enthusiastically. "Anything."
"Don't hide things like this from me again."
She faltered, just slightly, Ruune could see the hesitation inside her.
"Big, important things, I mean," she specified. "Anything that could impact the both of us. Such as not having any identification."
Tikka made a face and rubbed at her neck. Again, her fingers seemed to catch on something.
"Or that," Ruune continued. She lifted her hand as Tikka blinked up at her. "This." She could feel the weight of the string around her wrist, around her soul. "In fact, now that we have time, I would very much like for you to explain this whole 'binding your life to mine' business."
"I've told you, it's..."
"Karma," she finished, holding Tikka's gaze tightly in her hold. "But what does that mean?"
She opened her mouth and then closed it, not producing any words, until finally she wrung her eyes away from Ruune's. Her hand slid to her side and rested against the hilt of her sword, gentle and... sad. "You're right, you deserve a proper explanation."
"Thank you," Ruune breathed, and the tension in the room dropped.
A brief knock echoed through the door, and she jumped and spun around just as it was pushed open. A young man in an acolyte's clothes held it open for his companion, and her eyes widened as she took in the form of the woman stepping through. Tall, fair-haired, and dressed in the finest vestments available, she exuded an air of untouchability and intenseness. She had a gilded cane in her hand, though clearly had no need for it despite pushing 60, since he posture was straighter than an arrow, a tightness to her shoulders and a sharpness to her expression.
The Matriarch herself.
"Y-your Grace," Ruune sputtered. She bowed her head and placed her palms together, slid her left hand down until only the tips of her fingers rested against the heel of her palm. Our Gratitude to the Heavens. "I-I wasn't expecting you to trouble youself personally--!"
The Matriarch placed her own palms together, then turned her left hand until the fingers pointed downwards. The Heavens' Blessings unto Earth. "Rise, child," she said in a steady voice, and Ruune lifted her face. "Your work is invaluable to the House, it is only natural I should come to aid you if there is an issue."
Her eyes flicked over Ruune's shoulder, to Tikka standing right behind her.
"So what is the issue?"
"Ah, well, you see," Ruune hurried to explain, not terribly thrilled about the almost tangible drop of temperature in the room. "My companion here has lost her papers, but it is imperative that she be able to join me in the city. So while I understand completely why the guard couldn't just let her in, I was wondering if, perhaps, if we had an official escort for example, and then we would leave as soon as my work was done..."
Snap.
The sound of Ruune's mouth closing was almost as loud as that of the Matriarch's cane hitting the floor.
"That's alright, Miss Norja," she said, and Ruune lowered her eyes again. She was painfully aware that the Matriach's own eyes were still on Tikka, just as they had been throughout her jumbled explanation. They were intent and assessing.
And while Ruune had no idea what kind of face Tikka was making behind her, she could hazard a guess that she assessed the Matriatch right back.
"What is your name, child?" she asked.
Ruune stepped hastily out of the way and then froze as Tikka answered, "Tikariina Metso."
Metso? She frowned. She was sure it was Airo...?
"And would you mind telling me what happened to your papers, Miss Metso?" the Matriarch asked, and Tikka shrugged. Again.
"I'm pretty sure they burned." She paused. "There was a fire."
"I see," the Matriarch said. "And you have no second copy?" Tikka shook her head. "I see," she repeated. And squinted.
Ruune did not breathe for at least ten seconds.
"How unfortunate," the Matriarch said, and Ruune's heart already dropped before she continued, "We shall have to see that she gets new identification made then."
"Huh," said Tikka.
"You can do that?" asked Ruune.
"Yes, of course," the Matriarch said, sounding almost confused. "This kind of thing is not uncommon, you know, people lose their identification in all manner of ways. We simply have to contact the House of Grace at her native City-state and get her information. We can easily draft her new papers." She smiled, just a little too tight. "It will probably take much less time than your work with the rya, Miss Norja."
Ruune was too stunned to speak for a moment. "Lovely!" she finally exclaimed, clapping her hands together. "Thank you so much, your Grace!" She bowed again, repeating gratitude gesture. She had no idea it could be that easy!
The Matriarch nodded and motioned for them to follow. The acolyte held the door for them as they left the guard house and entered the city proper, where they were quickly shown to a remarkably beautiful horse-drawn carriage. The acolyte helped the Matriarch in, followed by Ruune and Tikka. Once they had all found their seats -- the Matriarch on the bench facing forward, and the two of them side by side on the bench opposite -- the carriage lurched into motion.
Ignoring the hot press of Tikka's thigh against hers, Ruune preoccupied herself by gazing out of the carriage window at the passing cityscape. It was always so interesting to see the varying architectures of City-states, most of them very similar at the core, but each of them with their own unique ways of--
»Listen.»
She blinked and looked up. Tikka was silent next to her, staring across the way at the Matriarch, who had her eyes closed. Neither of them moved, or reacted in any way to someone saying something.
She frowned, wondering if she had imagined it, and went to turn back to the window.
»Listen.»
There is was again. It was definitely Tikka's voice, but... she hadn't said anything.
Ruune glanced over to her again, and now found her staring at her from the corner of her eye. She pressed her knee closer against Ruune's, and for a moment she could feel a spark of something there.
»I don't trust this.»
The voice was crystal clear in her mind. It was almost creepy.
»There's something in this city.»
She could say that again. There was always something going on in City-states. Something unsavoury.
»We should stay vigilant. I have a bad feeling.»
Ruune took a deep breath, gave Tikka a minute nod, and looked back out the window.
Her life was already thrown off course, something like this might just as well happen.
___________________________________________________
Y'all. Have no idea how long it took me to finish this part jsfghsftgfh anyway. Next topic is uhhh "Close".
Pede out.
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