Fire Falling

“Water?” She frowned.

“For your head, tomorrow. Start now,” he panted.

“I don’t want water.” She stuck her tongue out at him and he laughed.

“Fine, but don’t cry to me in the morning.” He handed her his ale, and she took a sip before passing it back to him.

“It’s hot.” Vhalla swayed back and forth.

“Want to get some air?” he asked.

She nodded.

Instead of leading her out the main doors, he went up a side staircase. Vhalla slipped on one of the steps, and he caught her as they both burst into laughter. She leaned against the wall, trying to get her giggles under control.

“Vhalla, you’re too smart to be this stupid when you’re drunk,” Daniel wheezed between laughs. Something about the giddiness was infectious, and Vhalla slid against the wall. He caught her arm, pulling her to him. “Come on, we’ve barely taken ten steps.”

Daniel helped her upward, and the stairs led them onto the roof. They weren’t the only ones with this idea as a few others milled about enjoying the night air. Vhalla walked out to an empty corner of the roof and gasped faintly.

“It’s beautiful,” she whispered in misty awe. The Crossroads was lit up across the horizon. The rectangular windows of the flat-roofed square buildings glittered across the black desert. In some windows, bright curtains of reds and maroons tinted the light; in others, stained glass projected colors onto the roads and nearby buildings.

“It’s your first time, right?” Daniel sat onto the small ledge that bordered the edge of the roof. Vhalla sat also, swinging her legs over the side. “Vhalla, careful.” He grabbed her upper arm.

“Silly,” she laughed, swaying and placing her hand on the stony clay to lean close to him. “I can’t be hurt falling—well I can’t die.” He tilted his head curiously. “Fire can’t hurt Firebearers, water can’t hurt Waterrunners, earth can’t hurt Groundbreakers, I guess?” Vhalla found herself giggling again, she had no idea. “But wind can’t kill me; I’ve fallen from higher places and lived.” She began to ramble, turning away from him.

“It’s how I had my Awakening, actually. An Awakening is when a sorcerer first has their powers really shown in full to them. Before then they just Manifest in some ways here or there without control. This is the second time a man took me to a roof. But, the last time Aldrik decided to push me off.” She made a pushing motion with her hands and started laughing. “By the Mother, I was cross with him. I was a mess too. He gave me a pretty good apology after though. Aldrik’s wonderfully complex, had a reason for most of it, even if it’s still pretty awful knowing the reason. I wish more people could’ve seen his face when he apologized—he looked like a little kid!” Vhalla roared with laughter. Hadn’t she been upset with him a few hours ago? Slowly, her giggles faded as she caught a glimpse of Daniel’s face. “What?”

“Vhalla—” he murmured, bringing his heavy flagon to his lips, “—you’ve drunk too much.” He smiled tiredly and reached over. Daniel placed his palm on her head and stroked her hair once. “No more of that, before you say something you’ll really regret in the morning.”

She found she was somehow still holding the mug of water, and she drank deeply. Vhalla found herself swaying slightly in the breeze, or perhaps it was the feeling of ale in her head. She leaned to the side and her temple found his shoulder. They sat silently, he looked back toward the roof, and she looked out over the city.

“He’s lucky,” Daniel whispered.

“He doesn’t want me,” she said for the first time aloud. Daniel’s silence was an invitation for her to continue. “I think I’m a burden, or a tool, or an amusement. Nothing more.”

“I don’t think so,” Daniel murmured. “I’ve seen him around you—we all have.”

Vhalla wondered if she imagined the swordsman leaning toward her a fraction.

She took a deep breath and grabbed for his flagon, the water forgotten a moment. Daniel relinquished it. “He wants me for his father, for their war, that’s all.”

“Then he’s more of a fool and an ass than people give him credit for.” Daniel’s fingers brushed hers as she passed the flagon back to him.

“Do you have someone?” Vhalla already was certain she knew the answer was not going to be affirmative. If she was honest, she’d already begun to see the way her fellow Easterner looked at her when he thought she wasn’t paying attention.

“I did.” He took a long drink. “I returned from my last tour and found she’d decided that ‘when the war is over’ was too long to wait.”

“I’m sorry,” Vhalla sighed, accepting his flagon back.

“I’m getting over it.” He shrugged. He wasn’t convincing in the slightest.

“You know what will help?” She swung her legs back around and stood with a stumble and a laugh. “More alcohol, more dancing.” She held out her hands for him and he chuckled, resigning himself to her.

They both had something to run from, Vhalla realized, or rather someone. He ran from the shroud of this other woman, and she ran from the painful possibilities that surrounded her and Aldrik. Vhalla took the stairs with resolve, his hand wrapped in hers as she led him back below. Tonight they would run together.