TYRION

Chapter 10

Tyrion found himself standing at Isolde's doorstep, a perplexed expression etched on his face as he hesitated to knock. Uncertain if his actions were right, his hand finally moved, creating a soft tap on the door. The creaking sound of the door opening resonated, revealing Selena, Isolde's step sister instead.
"Tyrion" Selena whispered, surprise lighting up her features. "Why are you here?" she inquired, her voice barely audible to avoid their mother hearing.
Before Tyrion could respond, approaching footsteps interrupted. The empty space beside Selena was swiftly occupied by Isolde. She gasped as her eyes locked onto Tyrion.

"I'm here to see you, Isolde" Tyrion declared. Isolde swallowed, and Selena wore an inscrutable expression. Glancing around, while avoiding eye contact, Selena excused herself. Once she left, Tyrion seized Isolde's left hand, leading her behind the house. She followed without objection.
They came to halt and their eyes locked as a profound silence enveloped them.
Breaking the stillness, Isolde spoke first. "You told me we'd never meet again. Why are you here?" she asked, visibly agitated.
"I am leaving" Tyrion replied, his gaze unwavering. Isolde swallowed hard, trying to process his words.
"Y... you are leaving to where?"
"I am a traveler on a mission. My time here is up" he explained. Silence lingered before he continued, "I just wanted to see you before I leave."
"Why?" she asked.
"Why what?"
"Why did you want to tell me? Why didn't you just leave?" Isolde questioned in a cold tone that didn't sound distant. Tyrion opened his mouth to respond, hesitated, then finally spoke.
"I was with the princess this afternoon. She wanted me to marry her, but I turned her down."

"Why must I know all of this?" Isolde inquired once more. Involuntarily, one of Tyrion's hands gently cradled Isolde's face. Without any pretense, she closed her eyes to relish the sensation. The touch of his hand on her cheek strangely brought her comfort. Knowing he was leaving, she saw no reason to resist when she truly desired it. She opened her eyes to meet Tyrion's, which intensely locked onto hers as if contemplating an idea.

"I think I love you, Isolde" he confessed, not holding back this time. If Isolde's chest was merely heaving before, it now pulsated with emotion.
"Go away" she silently muttered, surprising Tyrion.
"What?"
"I said go away" she declared with newfound strength.
"I think your expression says otherwise" Tyrion remarked, a small smile playing on his lips as he slowly stepped back.
"I'm leaving at dusk. Goodbye, Isolde." With a final deep gaze at her, he turned and departed. After he left, Isolde found herself still rooted to the spot where he had held her, foreign thoughts swirling in her mind.

***
"Son of Xander," Alan, Tyrion's spiritual guardian voice, captured his attention as he prepared his backpack for the journey. Having spoken with Alan just the day before, Tyrion's curiosity heightened, wondering what message he had this time.
"Alan," Tyrion called out, pausing to listen.
'Your only mission is to kill the witch and save the lands, do not be distracted. You need your full strength and focus for this mission,' Alan advised.
"That's why I'm leaving tonight. I am detaching myself from everything here," Tyrion responded. For a moment, he thought Alan had departed until the voice spoke again.

"I await the moment to be fully proud of you," Alan said before disappearing.
Without dwelling on Alan's words, Tyrion slung his backpack over his shoulder and headed for the door. He had left a letter for Alaric, who was away to hunt.
Upon opening the door, a sense of not being alone washed over him. As he fully stepped outside, he felt a presence. He swiftly spun around, and spotted a seated figure resembling that of a woman. She became clearer as he approached, initially thinking he had imagined it, but there she was—seated on the wooden bench just outside the house, looking up at him.
"Isolde?" he called out, though he was already certain.
Isolde stood up as he approached, clutching her arm tightly to her body as the cold consumed her. The sky rumbled, giving hints of coming rain.

"You're cold; come in," Tyrion observed and led her inside, closing the door after they both entered. He dropped his backpack and faced her, his expression one of worry.
"Do you have a message for me? Regardless, it's dangerous to have come here alone at this hour of the night," He expressed as concern washed through him.
"I couldn't make peace with watching you go. I became restless after you left me at that spot," Isolde started. Tyrion's eyes squinted as he processed her words, his focus glued on her.
"I... I don't think I want you to go. It's strange, but I feel different in your presence, and I love it when you..." she paused for a moment, Tyrion watching her intently without interruption, his chest slowly heaving as he listened to her.
"When you look at me like that" her voice grew softer as she became more conscious of her own words. The lantern across the room casted a faint glow on their faces, making her blue eyes sparkle in the dark.
Her two hands gently moved to hold Tyrion's, and suddenly, her breath hitched as a result of her own action. His hands were cold yet warmly welcomed hers. She looked up to Tyrion before withdrawing her hands, nestling under his arms as she laid her head on his rock-hard chest, separated from her by the material he wore.
Tyrion's heart pounded rapidly against his chest, and she could hear it, but she didn't mind. Happiness enveloped her as she embraced him in a tight hug. She withdrew and returned to look at him, a shared moment of warmth and connection passed between them.

"You said you love me earlier; did you mean it?" she asked. Tyrion's gaze continued to linger on her as he slowly closed the space between them. His two hands gently cupped her face, lowering his face to hers until their noses touched.
"This is dangerous for you" Tryrion muttered to her in a voice that's now low and raspy. Isolde responded with a longing gasp. The slight facial contact left them both yearning for more; her grip on Tyrion's fabric tightened before he closed the remaining space between them and met his lips with hers.

Gently but deeply, he moved his lips against hers, and she reciprocated. He kissed her as if he had been waiting for a long time to do that. Soon, their hands were all over the place, undressing each other. She shivered under his touch as he held her waist against him. Tyrion's breath hitched when her lips met his bare chest; he had hesitated to go further, but not anymore. With a tender gesture, he lifted her in his arms and motioned towards the bed as deep desires for one another consumed them. The thunder crashed and the rain fell violently as they proceeded to make love.