Macha's Journey

In order to get the help that was needed, Macha and Tyr planned a large party for the guild. A few of the members played in bands so there would be live music, food, and activities for the children. Partic.i.p.ation was not mandatory, but it was highly encouraged for the members to show up and a.s.sist in the construction.

Before the celebration, Tyr stood in front of the mirror in his bedroom and looked at his reflection. His gaze fell on the hole in the silk tunic he had on. He planned to get rid of this shirt, but Macha had him save it for today.

He frowned at his appearance. Although he was not a vain man, he still preferred to dress well. He spent years dressing how his mother wanted him to, and it had influenced his preferences. "Are you sure this is appropriate? I"m the guild leader. Shouldn"t I be wearing a suit?"

Macha wore a tight pair of breeches and one of Tyr"s old shirts. "Up to you, but I don"t see a reason to wear something nice when you"re just going to ruin it while painting and what not. I think it seems wasteful."

He understood her point of view, but still felt uncertain about the hole in his tunic. It made him seem too approachable and he worried people would want to talk to him more. Reaching into the closet he grabbed a different black shirt, "I"m going to change," he stated. Mama Ocllo embroidered this shirt just below the collar with a golden thread that highlighted his broad shoulders.

Macha took the old tunic from him and put it in her bag. Although he did not want to wear the tunic, she would bring it anyway for when they started painting.

She looked over and saw him b.u.t.toning up his dress shirt and shook her head. "Are you sure you want to wear one that nice?" she questioned with her arms crossed.

Now he appeared less friendly. He rolled up his cuffs and tucked in his shirt. He inspected his appearance and gave a nod of approval. Glancing at Macha"s reflection through the mirror, he said, "This makes me look more like the Captain. You should put on something that matches as well."

Everywhere they went people always talked with Macha. He hoped if she dressed more formally today, people would leave them alone.

"Really? It will be so difficult to work in heels and a dress," she whined. She placed her hands on her hips. Now she thought he was being ridiculous.

He made no sign of taking back his suggestion, so she raised her hands into the air. "Fine, I"ll wear something nicer, but I"m bringing these clothes to change into later. When we actually begin working, I want you to change as well. I like that shirt you have on and would hate for it to get ruined."

****

The turn out was bigger than expected and most of the guild showed up for the party. Tyr and Macha spent most of the time greeting families as they arrived. She also made as many introductions as she could.

As they stood at the entrance, Tyr regretted to agreeing to this event. Everyone wished to talk to them and he was tired of standing and socializing. All the guild members were nice enough people, but sometimes they asked him to do the stupidest things. He failed to see why they would ask if he wanted to hold their babies. He detested babies, and they hated him. It was a mutual dislike. Every time someone pushed a baby into his arms, the little thing would cry.

Macha could tell he grew irritated from greeting the many guild members, so she sweetly asked him to make a plate of food for them to share. She did not mind standing at the entrance to greet others and guessed he would take his time getting the meal.

When Tyr returned, she did not expect him to bring one of everything for them to share. There were over a hundred different menu items and she did not understand how he thought they could finish the five plates of food he balanced in his arms.

Tyr got more food than he intended to. Every time someone turned to him to begin a conversation, he quickly put something on his plate and walked away. He did not want to talk and in the end; he had gotten five plates that were stacked high.

When he looked at Macha, she just shook her head at him. Wanting to defend his actions he mumbled, "I"m hungry," and sat down.

In the end, he was happy that he picked up so much food. It gave him an excuse for not talking while Macha greeted people. He expected to only be at the front for two hours but there had been a constant stream of people coming and going.

Tyr estimated that the turnout was close to eighty percent. Due to the enormous amount of help, the painting and cabinets were all installed before dinner.

Everyone seemed to appreciate having a hand in their future homes. A few people came up to Macha and thanked her for letting them help. They said that it really made the guild feel welcoming and that the guild seemed like a large family. The strong sense of community had been what she hoped for, so hearing that caused her to smile for the rest of the evening.

After the party, when everyone was cleaning up, Tyr turned to Macha. He was exhausted from having to converse with so many people. "We still haven"t worked on our apartment yet," he mentioned.

Not being able to work on their own home was not a big issue for him. Although it did not overly bother him, it had been something he sincerely hoped to do because he wanted her to feel welcomed. He believed it would have helped to live in a place they created with both of their efforts.

He realized that she hesitated in making too many changes to their current apartment. That was why he made sure to design the layout and pick the furniture with her for this one. Every decision was one they made together.

Their new home was a lot bigger and had two guest rooms as well as a huge walk-in closet for their armor and weapons. The kitchen counters were adjustable so they could both work on them without needing a box for Macha to stand on.

There would even be enough s.p.a.ce for a large dining table. To his dismay, she insisted they have that so they could invite friends over for dinner.

Aži had his own suite, joined to their living room. He was getting bigger and Tyr wanted to build an area he could grow into that would last a few hundred more years. The portal he used to come and go was becoming too small for him, so his new room had a slideable gla.s.s wall that led to the balcony.

While partic.i.p.ating in the actual construction had not been in their initial plans, the notion grew on him. Now he lamented over the potential memories that were lost.

Macha wiped down a table and studied Tyr. He appeared dissatisfied, so she reminded him of the event"s success. "It was a lot busier than I expected. You said yourself it"s important we fulfill the contracts we made with the new guild members. Today worked out perfectly! Don"t worry, we can always work on our apartment later."

Hearing his own words repeated back to him left him dissatisfied. It sounded so stiff and did not completely align with what he really desired. It was true that he wished to fulfill his bargain with the guild members, but he also wanted to move into the new apartment with her as soon as possible.

Tyr cleared his throat. "I want to hire another contractor to finish up the place within the next week or so." To him, the apartment felt like a new chapter for their relationship. It would not be a coincidence that they lived together, it was a choice.

Macha giggled at his impatience. "All right. If you insist, go ahead. I don"t mind waiting though."

In the corner of her eye, she spotted Aierim and Zian leaving the construction site. As they walked away, she noticed that they were holding hands. A smile escaped her lips, and she thought back to her talk with Aierim. She had asked her friend if she would regret not talking to Zian if something happened to him. Now she redirected her question to her own feelings for Tyr.

Putting the rag down, she walked over to him. He was taking apart a makeshift table they used for the buffet. When he saw her coming, he handed the tabletop to a worker. "Done?" he asked.

"Yep. Do you think we can have a special dinner the night we move into the apartment?" She decided to bake him a chocolate cake and write "I love you" on a chocolate plaque. Macha wanted the first time she told him she loved him to be memorable.

The dinner plans pleased Tyr. It showed that she was excited about moving into the penthouse and regarded it as something to celebrate. He took her hand and placed it on his arm, "Shall we cook the special dinner together since the kitchen is designed for both of us?"

Macha had forgotten that he enjoyed being in the kitchen with her. If he helped, it would ruin her surprise. She chuckled nervously, "Oh, why don"t I make the meal for our first dinner there? I have a secret surprise in mind for you."

So far he liked most of Macha"s surprises. There were some he preferred to pa.s.s on, but they mostly dealt with her deciding to go on a mission while he was away.

With a grin, he replied, "If you insist."