How nice it was to have everything back to normal… or at least to some semblance of normality. The air was quiet and peaceful as it had been before Dalanesca's grief had overrun her, the Soul Stream was back to normal and so the dying were dying properly and the dead were more or less staying dead now, and life was running its proper course. Angela back now, but that was probably the one thing that was not normal yet. Yes, she had come back, but the Voice had brought her back as a small child, which was apparently Angela's punishment for her part in what had transpired. Dalanesca's punishment was to raise Angela for a week before she again became an adult. And Adraejen was stuck firmly in between, effectively raising three young children without the aid of his wife. Granted, Angela was more Dalanesca's charge than his, but she was still with him more than she was with Dalanesca, who was frequently coming and going, and some of Angela's new implementations were just plain silly. 

Adraejen brushed away yet another fluffy candy cloud that wafted past his head. It was not helping Iva's nor Angela's hyperactivity, and it was all Drae could do to keep Rohan out of the sugar. While he loved tiny Angela, he desperately hoped that the week would go by quickly, because he wanted he wife back.

He moved through the halls and paused. It was too quiet, which didn't bode well for his nerves. He could only guess what trouble his child-wife, youngest daughter, and infant son were getting into at that moment.

Angela was running amuck in her new body, that much was for sure. She was so happy and not timid that it struck everyone on both good and bad nerves. Things that the goddess normally wouldn’t do she was doing. She was completing each gift without taking something in return. Well, that wasn’t entirely true, her wants were that of a child. Candy, playtime, a tea party, and many other things. She had a special love for bears of the real and not real kind. It was probably the part of her that wanted to be with Drae the most.

Her red hair bounced as she made her way through the temple. She quickly opened and closed all of the doors. She hadn’t the slightest clue to use her own magic to locate him. Before long she had found him and she was ecstatic when she did. “DRAE!” She bounded for him and leaped into him as she clung close. “I missed you so much.”

She put her ear to his chest and closed her eyes. “Thump. Thump. Thump.” She had a habit of doing it. Maybe it was because in the darkness of the gem she had been close to his heart. It was giving her a sense of safety as she clung to him. No matter how powerful she was… she was having a hard time with being left alone and if she was anywhere near the darkness there was a part of her that would start crying. The firefly lights that Drae had made for the children were what brought her comfort but she most liked to be with Dalanesca and Drae. Though Dalanesca was darkness there was a warmness to the Triune sister that she found herself loving more than ever.

“Will you play with me? Or snuggle? I’m lonely.”

Drae caught up Angela in his arms as she jumped on him with a happy shout of his name. He held her even though his surprise at her sudden attack had almost made him lose his footing. He chuckled. "Missed me? I only left you an hour ago," he said incredulously. She was more clingy than Iva was after a nightmare, which was incredibly clingy. He sighed as she listened to the beating of his heart and smiled softly. 

"Of course, but how can you be lonely? You have Dalanesca, me, Iva and Rohan, or is Rohan taking a nap?" he asked with a raised eyebrow. Still, he cuddled her closed and stroked her beautiful cascade of red curls. "What would you like to do? Snuggle, or would you like to play?" he asked, knowing that she was most likely going to want to play, which meant time spent as a giant black bear for her to ride around on, usually with Rohan trotting alongside in his own adorable cub form. "You also have all of Iva's toys you can play with," he added. "Or is she being stingy about sharing again?"

Angela looked up at him sadly. “I never thought I would see you again. I will always miss you when you aren’t with me.” She clung to him and closed her eyes so she could listen to his heartbeat. When she was down she lifted up her head and stared up at him with big green eyes.

“I just want to cuddle.” It was a timid little reply unlike her as she sat in his arms and rested against him. “I don’t know why I feel lonely I just do. I only feel better when I’m with you and Dal.” It had to be from the shock of dying, her elder mind told her but it couldn’t come out of her child's mouth. It was frustrating but she snuggled back into Drae and hid her face. “Just cuddling.”

Her tiny hands clung to his shirt. “She is being a savage again.” She pouted up at him. “She won’t let me touch Winston or the other toys. She even took away my sweets. She is an absolute horrible savage.” A smile slowly came to her face. “But the joke is on the savage child because I have the best bear ever.” She clung to her husband and looked around. “Whatcha doing anyways.”

Drae had a feeling that this might have been a side effect of what she had been through, a sort of form of post traumatic stress disorder, for she had in fact been through a trauma. He did as she asked and picked her up and carried her to their bedroom where he sat down in a comfy chair by the fireplace and just held her in his arms. 

"They are her toys, Ang. You know how special Winston is to her, after all," he pointed out. "And if Iva took away your sweets, it means even SHE thinks you've had enough today," he chuckled. "The only reason she is savage is because YOU are her mother, remember. Right now, she gets to pretend you are more like a little sister, which she doesn't have. She's just treating you the way the older girls treat her. You remember how she would always complain about them being savages too, right?" he smiled. 

"As for me, I'm just making sure everything is running smooth. I don't want to leave the shrine unless Dalanesca or Foxglove is here to watch after things. So for now, I am just yours," he smiled as he held her and pressed a kiss to the top of her head. 

"How are you doing, love. Are you adjusting all right to this new change?"

She gripped onto his shirt as he picked her and carried her. Her tiny head rested against his shoulder and watched around them as they walked. She saw a few of her daughters and one of her sons walking around the temple. She said nothing not because she didn’t want to but because right now they were in fact savages. They had all been helping to keep her in line.

Her eyes moved to the fire as she pulled a comfy blanket up on them and she snuggled into him. “Well… can I have toys too?” She blinked a bit as she looked up at him. “Not a lot… just enough.” She snuggled more until there was no point in trying anymore besides nuzzling him. “Savages all of them.” Then the most brilliant idea popped up into her head. “I CAN MAKE HER A LITTLE SISTER!”

The horror came to her face as she began to retract her statement. “If I make a little sister you would have to take care of her… and that would take you away from me more. I don’t think I want that.” Her child mind was wonderful as she was internally screaming at herself to stop the thought process altogether.

She squealed as he kissed the top of her head and she moved so she could kiss his cheek. “Good! Keep the savages in line! Foxglove is an okay savage, though.” She moved back to his shoulder and snuggled back in. “You are always mine just not in the room with me.” She reminded him boldly. 

Thinking about the question she shook her head. “I hate it. I’m too small. I can’t reach the cabinets. No one is taking me seriously. I can’t go anywhere by myself. The savages are patrolling… but I am small enough to ride on your back so there’s that.” She was now cheery as she gave a smile and looked back out at the fire. “And I fit good in your lap for cuddling…”

Drae's eyes got really wide when little Angela suggested she make Iva a new little sister. 

"What?" he said but then all of a sudden Angela realized what that would mean and changed her mind. She was just like Iva right now, with how changeful her mind was. He smiled at her reconsideration. 

"Yes, of course, I am always yours," he replied with a smile. "You shouldn't call them savages though. Imagine what they are going to be calling you," he pointed out. "Besides, they are only trying to help," he added. "As for the being short, by the end of the week that will be fixed. Everyone takes you plenty serious, but sometimes it is hard when you make giant candy clouds and are so hopped up on sugar that you don't make any sense and are running amok around the Gardens," he pointed out. "And those savages are your children, and they only want to make sure that everything is running smoothly and that you are taken care of."

He smiled and snuggled her close. "I'll always be big enough to give you bear rides," he promised. "And I'll tell you a secret," he said as he leaned in. "You've always been the perfect size for my lap," he reassured her. 

Drae got her attention fairly easy. “Yes!” She clung to him and smiled a bit more. “Savages,” this time she sounded out each syllable so he knew she was serious. “They are strong they can deal with it.” She crossed her arms. “I’m fragile. I can’t deal with it.” She knew in her mind that she was way more durable than they were but they would be alright. It was her way of saying they were awfully strong. 

“I guess I love the little savages.” Though in her eyes she did. It was true but she was trying to be stubborn with him as she clung. “I just want everything to be happy that’s all. Candy clouds are happy clouds.” She snuggled close and clung to his arms.

“Always and forever?” She looked back up at him. “I’m glad that I’ve always been perfect.” She closed her eyes as she formed a frown. It looked like she was about to cry. “I got a message yesterday… and I’ve been avoiding telling anyone other than who brought it to me… Because a lot is going on and I am too small to deal with it.”

She looked back at the fire. “Your enchantment on Cyprus is gone. I don’t know where she went.” She closed her eyes and took a big breath. “She sent a bear head to me. A big black one.”

"Always and forever," Drae promised. "As long as the Voice allows you to keep me alive, and as long as it sees fit to keep you alive. Even then, we will be together in the Soul Stream," he promised. His brow furrowed when the troubled look creased her face, and he prepared for a flood of tears. However, she showed that she was still quite the grown up on the inside and managed to keep it in and explain her troubles. 

It was Drae's turn to look concerned. As a matter of fact, all the blood ran out of his face upon hearing the news. The gift his former patroness made his stomach turn, but her breaking out so soon from his little demon trap was what panicked him the most. Those were some of his most potent spells and arcane marks that he had used, and he had barely contained her for a matter of weeks. 

It also dawned on him, that perhaps, the threatening gift might have suggested that it wasn't just him that was meant. His stomach churned on him, and he felt the immediate need to go and check on Rohan. 

His hands turned into fists and he took a steadying breath. "I wish you had come to me about this yesterday," he said softly. "Inquiries need to be made… she couldn't have broken the enchantments on her own…" he said softly. 

She pushed her forehead up to his and kissed his nose. She was affectionate but not in the way that she used to be. These were little innocent things. She loved Drae and she knew she was his wife but these were all innocent thoughts. She had sworn a lifetime with Drae and she would not go back on it. 

Angela looked up at her husband’s face and frowned a bit. “Rohan is in his room and Iva is in the courtyard.” In times like this she knew where the little savages were. Even in her tiny form, she knew what was on his mind. She took his hands and squeezed them tightly. “Inquiries were made…” She tilted her head.

“It looked like it was a team that got her out. Probably those still loyal. I sent my little shadows out for information. I may be small but I am still their mother.” She looked back up at him and her eyes were angry. “And she is getting on my last nerve.” There was a poison in her voice that was terrifying considering her size.

She pulled the blanket up and rolled in his lap so she could put her head into his stomach. “I don’t want you to go anywhere right now. I just want you here and I will deal with her when I am bigger. I shall inquiry Dalanesca if she can help.” One green eye stared up at Drae. "Will you tell me a story like you do Iva?"