The Night Before

As it turned out the creature in question was rare but not entirely uncommon to the area, though one had never grown to the size they encountered. Even once she had purged whatever was ailing it the creature was the size of a dog, or possibly a very fat cat.

Midori had named him Popcorn almost instantly and it seemed to bond with her quite quickly, taking to climbing and resting along her neck or in her lap whenever she was sitting or at rest. She had a weakness for furry critters, especially ones that looked a bit unusual.

“Okay but why Popcorn?” Rune asked as he flopped down next to her, he was the only one Popcorn did not hiss at when approached.

“Well, he smells kind of like popcorn. Which you might have here but it’s this really light and delicious snack made from corn kernels. I kind of love it, but it gets caught in my teeth and that’s sort of annoying,” looking up as she rambled her face flushed seeing Rune’s smile and hearing his gentle chuckle.

“You have such a beautiful mind.”

Her face flushed further and she cleared her throat before looking down at the curled up bearcat creature in her lap. She brushed it’s fur gently and as the fire crackled a thought came to her mind.

“Hey Rune? You never told me about why you have a fear of fire.”

As he looked at her the smile lessened and his wine coloured eyes drifted to the flickering flame in the middle of their camp, watching the way it licked at the edges of the large cauldron Gray used to prepare what had been their final meal before the battle for Nythe.

“You don’t have to tell me, if you don’t want to.” She added taking notice of the hesitation in his eyes.

“I want to tell you, it’s just…it’s hard to relive.”

Taking a slow breath Rune untied and slowly unwrapped the bandages around his chest revealing the intricate tattoo weaving along his broad and muscular chest; along with the mastectomy-style scars there too. Setting the bandages aside he ran his fingertips along the flaking, charred skin at the centre of his chest.

“It goes back to when I got this.”

-----

Staring up at the stars Rune felt yet another knot of anxiety tie in his stomach and he silently prayed to the spirits for success.

A crowd of people had gathered around the large subterranean arena that they were now walking into. Large flat stones encircled the arena and bones of various beasts lined the stones like some glorified barrier of violence. In the centre of the arena an enormous bonfire roared, and through the flames was the face of their foe.

A crown of pointed hair rested atop a wide, grinning face as the towering form of a man emerged from one of the two entryways. His eyes were wild like that of a rabid animal, and as he walked into the arena he laughed heartily a deep, guttural laugh.

“Zah hah hah hah! Are you sure you want to do this little girl?”

The insult only stoked the fire in Rune’s chest. Today was the day he, and the rest of this damned city, called him the name he chose.

“After today, Kuruk, you will never insult me like that again.” Rune stood proudly on the other side, muscles tensed ready to leap into action the moment the signal was given.

The booming horn blew, and the battle began as a thunderous roar of excitement came over the crowd.

Rushing forward Rune leaped over the fire and unleashed a blinding kick that was blocked, just as he expected. Twisting his body he unleashed a flurry of strikes at the muscular wall of a chest in front of them. It seemed to barely have an effect, but he leaped back ready to try again.

“You’ve been training, little flower. But you should be learning recipe’s for the day we are wed!”

Roaring in anger Rune rushed forward and was caught off guard as an enormous forearm slammed into their neck, his body crashing to the ground and the wind forced from his lungs as Kuruk’s fist slammed into his stomach.

Gasping for air Rune crawled away while the enormous figure laughed, slowly walking toward them.

“To marry me would be an honour, Rumi, and still you resist. Why?”

The seriousness with which he asked set the fire of anger inside Rune blazing once more.

“My name is Rune!”

Leaping toward Kuruk once more with hands outward Rune had every intention to claw the man’s eyes out, to carve his face up with their bare hands. The fight didn’t matter anymore, he just needed to hurt this bastard.

Instead a meaty hand closed around his neck and Kuruk’s fetid breath permeated Rune’s nostrils. A stench he would never forget.

“Such fire in you, little flower,” reaching up he cupped their face and a shiver went through Rune’s body. And then suddenly Kuruk’s hand seized the horn on their head and, in one swift motion, snapped it off.

Shrieking in pain as he laughed Rune did not hear what the oaf said next. All they remembered was the feeling of being thrown into the bonfire.

Rune was not sure whether the sound he heard was himself screaming, or the shrieking sound of his skin sizzling as it began to pop and slowly char.

Heat and smoke burned his lungs while they gasped futilely for a breath that would never come.

-----

“Rune, I’m so sorry that’s…” No word she thought of felt fitting.

“When I woke I was marked like you, this came…later.” his fingertips brushed the wound. “And not long after I removed the things that drew Kuruk to me. For that I was banished to the ends of the green sea.”

Midori did not say anything, just let him explain as much as he was comfortable sharing.

“I’ve always felt the soul of a man burning inside me, but my body did not conform to the needs of that. There were some that called me the name I desired. However because Kuruk refused to, and many feared him, I was a spectacle to be mocked…Rumi the Broken they called me.”

“You aren’t broken Rune!”

Unable to keep silent she reached out and took Rune’s hand in hers. He smiled at her but it was a smile filled with sadness. Tears rolled down his cheeks in thin streams and her heart broke.

“Where I’m from there are other people like you. People whose gender does not match the body they were born into. Even there people make it a bigger thing than it should be, make it their problem when no one was asking them.”

“When I am Khan I will make these lands safe for all who struggle.”

The bold declaration made Midori smile but she could not help but think about the struggles in her own world, “and when others refuse to accept that?”

“I will sit with them, as long as I need—as I did with Roy, as you did with Sahaela—to show them not merely the harm of their view but the futility of such hatred.”

“The lands you plan to make sound lovely, Rune. I hope you’ll be able to make that dream a reality.”

“Would you help me?”

He looked at her with such seriousness her breath was momentarily caught in her throat.

“I…I have to go home though, my family…”

Her mind flashed and she saw the shouting, disappointed faces of her parents; and a pang of guilt stabbed at her stomach as she realized that the past week and few days had been the most enjoyable she’d had in a long time.

“And I mean, my friends too…I think they’d want to go home for sure.”

“But would you?”

“I…I don’t know…I won’t lie, spending this time with you has been kind of…fun. And when I’m here, even though I’m an actual outsider, no one looks at me like I’m some sort of circus attraction. I fit in more here than back home! But I feel like I should want to go home. And I’m pregnant! I mean, that’s a whole other thing!”

Looking over at Rune she swallowed hard finally admitting something that had been plaguing her recently, “I don’t know if this is the wife you deserve...”

There was a pause before suddenly, “I am sorry Midori.”

“What? Why are you sorry?” Confusion painted boldly on her face.

“When you first arrived I declared you my wife, as if you were a thing to be won or taken. But you are not that, nor have you ever been. My actions toward you bear little difference to Kuruk’s own. I know well the rage of being forced into a role you do not want.”

She smiled and nodded, understanding now his apology. She had never considered the declaration to be very serious, but she greatly appreciated the apology regardless.

“It is alright Rune, but thank you.” She swallowed the lump in her throat and decided to be brave. “But…would I be someone you want still?”

He chuckled and reached out to place his hand over her own.

“Of course I would, Midori. I would build us a land where your child…” He smiled and put his other hand over her stomach, “where our child could grow up safe and strong.”

Turning her hand over she slowly laced her fingers together with Rune’s.

“Would you hold me tonight, Rune?”

It was warm that evening, but nonetheless she appreciated the warmth of him as he held her.