Dalanesca could not help but smile at the interaction between the goddess and her child.  The daughter looked at her mother with such love and admiration, and it was obvious that although, according to Iva, the goddess had many children, she loved them all equally.  She watched with amazement as her weapon turned into a staff, and she took in her beautiful appearance.  She offered the goddess a smile as Iva introduced her, finding the nickname that the child had bestowed upon her to be endearing.

She sat down at one of the chairs that had been summoned after the goddess had seated herself and listened to the interaction between the two, unable to stifle a smile.  She had never had children, but she couldn’t imagine having to put up with so many at one time, even if one was a divine being.  

She took the tea that was offered to her, relishing in the warmth that radiated from the cup.  ”Thank you,” she said quietly.  ”No sugar for me, thank you,” she responded, opting for the less sweet flavor for the time being.  She took a sip and felt the scalding liquid seep down her throat, loving the feeling and the taste.  ”This is quite delicious,” she said, nodding her head towards the cup.  

”I didn’t mean to intrude on your realm,” she said respectfully.  ”I was out for a walk and I tripped, and there must have been a broken archway on the ground.  Next thing I knew I was flying through the sky, and then some plants, or vines… or something, I don’t know… something grabbed me.”  She paused, thinking quietly for a moment, before continuing.  ”Then, little Iva here showed up and got them to stop.  She and Sir Winston were very brave and helpful!” she said, more specifically to Iva.  

”Is there a way for me to get home from here?” she asked.  The place was very beautiful, but she knew that she would want to leave eventually.  ”I don’t know anything about magic, so I’m kind of at a loss,” she admitted, shrugging her shoulders and taking another sip of the tea.

Angela smiled at her and nodded. "Thank you my dear. I make tea for everyone. Often I drop them off to my conclave siblings. I make wine in my spare time as well. Not that there is much spare time with someone running around muddying up the temple." She gave a sly look to Iva who was happily drinking her tea. 

Listening contently to the girl tell her story Angela nodded to her. "You don't intrude at all. Everyone is welcome to my realm. Here I am at my peek form and so not many things terrify me here. However, the arch being broken explains why you took a trip through the sky. I'll have to fix that one, again. It would probably be plants from the other edges of the realm." Angela patted Iva's head. "I am glad that she was able to rescue you." She kissed the top of the little one's head.

"I just did what I knew Momma would do." Iva squeaked out before she asked for more tea. Angela chuckled and filled up the tea cup once more.
"Of course there is! It would be terrible if I had to trek all the way back to the beginning and open a portal! I simply open a portal wherever I am though I do so when I am ready to leave." She leaned back into her chair and looked up at the sky. "Being a Goddess has its perks. Like being able to manage things timely and there's creating your home out of thin air." She chuckled more.

"So tell me Dalanesca what is it you do for a living? Rather what is it that you would like to do? Not everyone is long-lived to be able to figure it out." She set her teacup down and thought about it. "I was already a goddess by your age. I was very young when the Tree called. Been about two hundred years now give or take. I'm a little fuzzy on the numbers. I was originally part of the healers' academy. I know my way around wound care like nobody's business. I've delivered countless babies and every other thing you can think of."

She picked up her staff and tapped it on the table. Sweets appeared along with fruits. Iva squealed and got up on her knees on the chair to lean in to grab a handful. Angela promptly smacked her hands and gave her one. "You and sweets are like me and alcohol. It's a disaster."

"Then maybe you shouldn't drink so much." Iva had her hand on her hip and was tossing those red curls around.

"Want me to take that away? Maybe I can double your lessons tomorrow? Or smiting I can always smite you." Angela teased.

"Nooo," Iva whined and got really sad for a moment before bouncing, "we've talked about this, gods don't smite their children they love them and feed them sweets."

"Nice try. No more after that." Iva sat down in her chair to pout as Angela pushed the sweets towards Dalanesca. "Everything is from my gardens here. Fresh and not even with magic. Take your time here and relax. A young thing like you shouldn't work yourself to the bone. I see that way too much these days. My children especially are like that. My daughter Basselina is hundred and fifteen and she still works like she did when she was twenty."

”I love wine,” she said with a bit of a laugh, internally hoping that she would perhaps have the chance to try the concoction at some point or another.  She took another sip of her tea, she nodded at the mention of the goddess being happy that Iva was able to save her.  ”I’m quite grateful as well,” she said, a warm tone to her voice.  ”She’s got a strong head on her shoulders, that one,” she said with a bit of a smile.  It was true – Iva’s determination to help others was an admirable quality, but she could see from Angela where the girl had gotten it from.

She listened intently to everything the goddess said to her, choosing silence over responses for the most part, as most of the things she said didn’t make room for a response.  It seemed that, unlike Dalanesca, the goddess liked to talk – and she was fine with that, because she liked to listen.  Iva sweetly requested more tea from her mother, to which her mother obliged instantly.  

She hesitated when Angela asked her what she did for a living, eventually deciding that lying to a deity would be a terrible decision.  After a moment’s silence, she answered her truthfully.  ”To be truthful, I am, or rather, I was… an assassin,” she said, a hint of shame to her voice.  ”But to be perfectly honest, I’m getting out of that,” she said.  She was fully prepared to face the wrath of this deity, for it seemed like she was quite the opposite of a life taker, but rather a life bringer.  

”It’s just not for me – I find myself questioning if what I am doing is wrong, or right,” she said, with a bit of a shrug.  ”The money’s been great, but I don’t think any amount of coin is worth just taking a life for no particular reason,” she added, looking to the goddess for a reaction and hoping it would be positive as she was speaking of a disdain for life taking.  

The mood lightened when Iva launched forward for the sweets on the table.  Dalanesca opted for a piece of fruit herself, and took a bite of what ended up being the sweetest tasting fruit she could ever remember.  Her mouth watered with the bite and she immediately took another.  She nearly choked on her second bite when the small child told her mother not to drink so much.  She looked quite sassy with her tiny hands on her hips and her hair flopping ‘round her head, Dalanesca couldn’t help but chuckle.

She watched the exchange between mother and child before Angela offered to her to take her time and to relax.  She was not sure how long she would be able to handle being in that realm, but everything at the moment sounded great to her.  ”Relaxing doesn’t sound like a bad idea,” she said, taking another sip of the tea that the goddess had given her earlier.  ”If I am to be here, is there anything that you would request in return for me?  I’m capable of many things,” she said, her way of offering her services to the goddess.  ”That is, if you are truly comfortable with me being here for any amount of time.  If you wish it I could gladly take my leave if you would instruct me as to how,” she said, though there was a soft tone to her voice that indicated she might wish that the goddess would allow her to stay just a bit longer.

A sweet smile came to her face as she listened and she nodded. "We shall do wine tasting though one is off limits simply because it will kill you." A proud look came to the Rosenite as she listened to her daughter. "Her father was a knight. It doesn't shock me that she got some of his attitude."

For a moment she could see the hesitation in the woman's body language. She tapped her chin for a moment and laughed. "I wouldn't be too upset about something like that. You see while I am a good goddess, where I help everyone. My motto is an eye for an eye. I have my own assassins and while you might not know if the reasoning is just every one needs coin in their pockets. I may bring life but I also know how to take it and I am not afraid to fight to protect the ones I love. I am not afraid to manipulate to get what I want. The only way to advance in the world of nobles is to know these things and that's what I was before I was a goddess."

Though she could see that Dalanesca was stuck she closed her eyes for a moment. "If what you are doing is conflicting with your feelings and you find yourself struggling to be one without emotion then assassinating people is out of the question. You do not want to destroy who you are. You will hate yourself and I don't want to see such a pretty woman do that to herself."

Thinking for a deep while she laughed. "I'm comfortable here with you Dalanesca. I can see your truest desire. Mainly it will probably just be keeping up with the younger ones. Sapphire and Iva. Sapphire isn't too much of a pain but she sneaked out of the temple and went to a very dangerous place. Iva doesn't leave the realm but she gets into enough trouble that she might as well be." Leaning back she looked over at Iva and smiled. "You'll be provided with a room of your own for enjoyment and fresh clothes to relax in if you wish."

Leaning in she propped herself up on the table using her hands. "And if you ever wish to know your desires the one to go to would be Mendean. Though I would be careful with that one."

She raised an eyebrow at the goddess mentioning a wine that would literally kill her.  ”Yes, I think it would be best to avoid that one,” she agreed, shaking her head softly.  She assumed that it was brewed with powerful herbs or plants, or perhaps with magic that was simply too strong for someone mortal such as herself.    She smiled at the mention of Iva’s father being a night – it seemed that she came from a good heritage and would no doubt grow up to be an intelligent and prosperous young woman.  She let out a chuckle at the mention of her attitude.  ”Out of the mouths of babes, isn’t that how the saying goes?”

She was glad that the goddess seemed to be understanding of her past.  She went on to explain to Dalanesca just why she was so understanding about it, and she was glad to hear the morality in her voice.  She had no experience with deities and it was nice to know that this one seemed to be somewhat normal.  She seemed to understand that sometimes life required unsavory decisions and that was the only way to go about it.  She had felt that way too many times to count, and it was nice to know that she was not the only one who felt that tug of conscience at certain happenings.

”I’ve given it much thought,” she said, quietly.  ”I know that assassination is pretty much out of the question for me,” she said with a cold laugh.  ”I’m not even really sure who I am,” she said, the honesty palpable in her voice.  ”I haven’t been able to remember since… well, since I got here… and I’m still not sure how that happened,” she said.  She was currently awaiting someone else to assist her with that endeavor, but he had other pressing matters to take care of – that’s why she had been out for her stroll, while she bode her time.  ”I don’t wish to hate myself but I fear that could happen if I am not careful.”

When the goddess became silent, she did as well.  She was glad to hear Angela say that she was comfortable with her being in her realm, especially with the fact that she had so many children there.  She mentioned something about keeping up with the children, and Dalanesca was alright with that.  She did not particularly care for children but she had definitely found Iva to be amusing and not a nuisance.  ”I wouldn’t mind that in the slightest,” she said honestly.  ”I’ll do my best to keep them out of trouble whilst I am here,” she promised, and she meant it.  She did not know how long she planned on staying, but she would make herself useful if she could.

When Angela mentioned Mendean, she wasn’t quite sure who the goddess spoke of.  She was not well versed on the deities of the land, as she did not make it her practice to follow any of them.  ”Who’s that?” she asked, hoping she didn’t sound idiotic to the deity.  

Angela sat there at the table and listened the woman for a long time. "We all could hate ourselves Child but there must be a line we have to draw. Dance along that line but never pass it. Even being the purest of heart one can make a decision that make them hate themselves."

Looking over at young Iva Angela winked at Dalanesca. "Iva do you remember when you ruined your favorite blanket because you decided to take it outside?" Iva nodded now a bit sheepish. "How did you feel about it?"

"I hated myself because it was my fault. I did something that wasn't okay and I was told that but I didn't listen."

"Children do not have the choices we do Dalanesca however, they have the same emotions we have. A lot of the time they are like very honest drunks. They will always tell you the truth. Unless someone has corrupted their innocence though it makes me shiver to think about that.  I admit to not knowing if something is a good idea but I talk to my children about it. They give me the very best advice on certain things." She took another drink of her tea and savored it for a few. "I am an eye for an eye person though. My children understand that. No one who is set out to destroy things will ever take it easy on you. It's a kill or be killed type of world for some things, that is why I don't dislike what you do. I've played the political game for far too long not to know how useful a good assassin is. Sometimes the assassin is the much needed pawn in a game of chess.  It can be the one key player to get a checkmate. It's ugly but it's necessary for a safe kingdom sometimes."

Dalanesca's words made Iva giggle and Angela smiled. "You might enjoy Sapphire as well. She is normally in the library. She is the polar opposite of Little Iva. She is sometimes very quiet and withdrawn. Likes her books more than people most of the time. The others can take care of themselves."

Angela leaned forward and looked at Dalanesca. "Not many know his face. Not many even remember meeting him or if it was a dream. He is a god that drifts through dreams. You might be able to learn something from him. I cannot assist you with that journey though. That is something you'll have to figure out on your own. When you are ready for him it will happen. That's how I here he comes to people. Mysterious one that one is but he is generally a good soul."

Looking over to Iva she smiled and stared at Dalanesca. "Would you like something more comfortable to lounge in around here? Perhaps an herbal bath or Iva can show you to your room. She will probably introduce you to all of her stuffed animals…"

Iva squealed, "Tea party!"

She nodded as Angela spoke, understanding that the goddess did, in fact, make a valid point.  One could make any number of mistakes throughout his or her life and never forgive oneself, or one could take those same mistakes and turn them into a learning experience.  Everything threaded together into a lesson for life, and Angela seemed very apt to express that.

She could not help but smile as Angela asked Iva about the blanket, and she could see the shame on the child’s face - which caused her own smile to fade.  Iva seemed to feel truly terrible about whatever had happened with the blanket, and it was apparent that it had happened because she had chosen not to heed whatever instructions or warnings had been given to her by her mother.

Listening intently, she could not help but feel uncomfortable at the thought of a child inadvertently losing its innocence, and she found herself hoping that any sort of monster that would do that to a child found the wrath of damnation swiftly.  She found it interesting that Angela put so much faith into the thoughts of her children, but it began to make sense - they were pure and had not yet been corrupted by the atrocities of the adult world, therefore their ideas and thoughts were much more simple and rational.  The mention of an assassin being like a pawn in a game of chess struck home for her, for that was how she had found herself feeling at times.

As Iva giggled at what Dalanesca said to her, she gave the little girl a wink.  ”Perhaps Iva can take me to meet her sister?” she asked, offering the little girl another wink and smiling at her delight.

She turned back to Angela as she ventured to explain Mendean to the best of her abilities, and it made sense why she had never heard of him before - but the way that Angela explained to go about seeing him didn’t make much sense to her - but according to the goddess she currently stood in the presence of, it would make sense when it was supposed to.

She looked down at the clothing she wore at Angela’s question, and nodded.  ”Something more comfortable than this wouldn’t be horrible… and a bath would be quite nice,” she said, nodding.  She smiled sweetly at Angela.  ”Thank you so much for the hospitality,” she added, and turned to Iva.

”So, stuffed animals?  Care to take me to meet them, and then we can see about that tea party?” she asked.  She assumed that Angela had mentioned spending time with Iva and Sapphire due to the fact that she was probably quite busy and would like the usefulness of having someone else keep an eye on her little ones… and truth be told at the moment she did not mind in the slightest.