Macha's Journey

Tyr eyed his mother warily, "Don"t you disapprove of Macha? Why would you be willing to give her an airship?"

Something did not seem right and his eyes drifted to admire the sea. The rolling waves calmed his nerves. They stood on a high platform which docked their airship. It was parked above another ocean vessel they owned. The waves slapped against the lower ship"s hull, causing it to sway below them.

He turned to look at his mother and wished he was better at reading people.

Hrod stood on the gangplank attached to her ship. Today she wore a red dress asymmetrical dress, which stood out against the clear blue sky. It"s long skirt snapped in the wind, wrapping itself around her lean figure.

Her hand rested on a railing, "After this visit, I am still not fine with her, but she is showing progress. I thought about how people are not just a name. After all, my brother was a brilliant man who led this country. If Macha continues to improve, perhaps one day I might truly see her as an equal."

This would be another lie she needed to maintain to get what she wanted. Her delivery had been perfect, so she watched and waited to see what her son would do.

This was a new side of his mother which Tyr had been surprised to discover. He never expected her to take what he said to heart. In all his years he did not remember a single time when she actually listened to him. He would usually be inclined to distrust anything that came out of her mouth, but she admitted that she still did not like Macha.

He took a moment to weigh if it would be disadvantageous for him to ignore her or not. As far as he could foresee, there were no negative reprocussions in humoring her. Even if she was lying, it would not inconvenience him.

Choosing to believe her words, he clarified, "What sort of improvements would she need to make?"

If he could, he would like Hrod to accept the woman he loved. That would make his life easier. He also knew Macha would be happier with his mother"s approval.

"The Swats are n.o.bility, but of inferior standing. There is nothing to be done about that. Of course, we do not require any help financially, the Valois family is the crème de la crème. Despite that, she should not come to us as a penurious beggar."

It offended her that Tyr chose another poor woman to be with. He had so many options, but he continually looked elsewhere.

There were many offenses that the small woman possessed, so Hrod picked the worst ones so her argument would be more believable, "Macha also needs to learn about quality. She acts so middle cla.s.s." She said the word "middle cla.s.s" with distain. The thought made her shudder. "If you showed her off to the n.o.bility, they would laugh at her. Please don"t embarra.s.s us amongst our peers."

She turned and strode up the gangplank a bit more. The wind changed and blew her long skirt towards him, the scarlet hem slapped Tyr"s chest.

As she walked she continued, "That is intertwined with my final point. You need her to focus on becoming educated. She does not know our country"s history yet. Yesterday I tried to converse with her about politics, but that was impossible. What would she talk about with others during a dinner or party? You may not like to socialize, but she obviously does."

After giving her opinion, Hrod went back to her main point, "So, if you are serious about her, she should have her own airship. I will need one as well, therefore we require two. I"ll gift her the one we already have, she can think of it as a late birthday present."

Tyr contemplated the points Hrod brought up. He could not argue with most of them, but so far Macha did not have a problem conversing with anyone. She was the most amicable person he ever met. Only his mother and Magni seemed to find any issues with her as far as he knew.

The airship would be a good birthday present for Macha and it coming from his mother would mean the world to her.

He looked up at the ship. "Fine. Go ahead and order yourself another," he turned to leave and then remembered that Macha gave him an amber-colored velvet pouch to give to Hrod.

Handing it over, he added, "Macha wanted to give you a present as a thank you for your help."

****

Later Hrod relaxed in her room on the airship. She sat at a table in her bedroom and untied the golden thread which bound the soft velvet cloth. When the fabric fell away, she found a duo-toned bead that had runes that wrapped around it. She ran her fingers along the purple and green stone, rolling it across her palm.

Beside the memory bead was a pink piece of paper that was elaborately folded into the shape of a heart. Hrod turned the pink heart around in her hand, confused as to how Macha learned such an interesting technique. When she unfolded the pink stationery, she found a beautifully written letter, which surprised her. She did not expect the small woman to write so proficiently.

"Dear Lady Valois,

I take this moment to communicate my deepest heartfelt sentiments to you for your a.s.sistance with decorating the armory. I would also like to inform you of the joy your visit bestowed upon us. We were honored that you set aside your precious time to be with us. Please take this as a modest token of appreciation for your guidance. I hope to have many more memories like this in the future.

Sincerely yours,

Macha Swat"

Hrod placed the letter down on the table and picked up the bead. She examined the custom-made piece and noted that it the words "Thank You" engraved on it.

She closed her eyes and let a stream of energy activate the stone.

The memory began with Tyr and Hrod sitting at the dining table in the apartment. The candle lights gave a soft glow that lit up their faces.

Hrod admired how in this memory, her son"s striking features reminded her of her late husband. His dark bangs framed his face, and she felt pride swell in her heart that she produced such a handsome-looking son.

In the memory she was talking about decorating and how her late husband, Hymir, always mentioned how he was able to relax because of her attention to details.

Tyr took a sip of his red wine and listened to her recount her anecdote. He did not have the cold and guarded expression on his face like he usually did. Instead, the edges of his lips were turned up, and he gave a pensive smile. His eyes were filled with affection as he watched at her.

The memory ended and Hrod"s lashes fluttered open. She squeezed the bead in her palm. Never in Tyr"s adult life had she seen him stare at her like that. The last time she remembered him look at her with such warmth was when he was a child.