Pyzis blushed when he called her out on her impatience, but a clergy member rushed in and delivered the bad news. Angela was sick, was vomiting up the metal she had used to bind Dalenesca to her realm. How was it that a Goddess could be sick? What would that mean for her and Thyme if her realm fell? There would be no safe haven for them and their future child if they stepped outside Angela's realm. Look what had happened when Thyme had done so! He had barely managed to escape with his life, if Angela hadn't intervened he would have! Panic gripped her as she looked into his eyes and pressed a hand to her flat belly. The loss of control over the entire situation made Pyzis angry, she had no say over the fate of the man she loved. All she could do was wait.

Thyme and Pyzis spent a week waiting for more news on Angela, despite their efforts there was nothing they could do to help. Both packed up what little belongings they could in case the realm fell apart around them. Instead of reveling in the joyous news of their pending child, Pyzis was a beside herself with worry. Despite all of Thymes efforts to distract her from her fear, she spent most of her time pacing. One evening a clergy member arrived with a somber expression.

"The Mother went outside to meet Dalenesca's wrath. She is gone!" sobbed the woman, before leaving them to deal with their grief on their own. 

Pyzis felt her knees shake beneath her until she found herself kneeling on the ground. With tear filled eyes she looked to Thyme because while she loved Angela, Angela wasn't her mother. Slowly she stood and with shaking hands, she wrapped her arms around her love. The Goddess that had saved her life and set her on her current path was gone. She owed so much to the Mother and now she wouldn't get the chance to repay her for her kindness.

"Thyme, I'm so sorry" she whispered as she ran her hands gently through his blonde curls. Pyzis felt so helpless in that moment, her grief was nothing next to Thyme's. It was a time for her to comfort him as best she could. She planted a soft kiss on his cheek and rested her head on his chest, trying to hide her tears.

Thyme was in shock, to say the least when the news came in that his mother had passed. What was worse was when the realm decided not to fall. He stood there shaking but his mind went to his unborn child. Gently he picked Pyzis up and into his arms. “Please stay calm.” He buried his head into her. “Something isn’t entirely right about this.”

He stroked her head. “We leave the moment the realm starts to fall. Until then we are staying here where it is safe.” And stay there they did. It wasn’t until there was a knock on their door that Thyme got up from his seat. “Is it happening?” It was one of his many sisters.

“You might want to have a look at this… both of you.” It wasn’t that the realm was falling it was something else. He pulled Pyzis up from the bed and walked with her out into the throne room. A little girl with dark red curls sat on the throne now. She was getting into sweets. 

When her green eyes hit his Thyme’s mouth fell open. “Mother?!” There was no denying that smell.

It was a full week that they spent waiting in fear, clinging to each other in their grief. In moments of calm, they spoke of their plans for their child as if the world around them couldn't fall apart at a moments notice. Pyzis would not stay more than an arm's length away from Thyme, she couldn't bear being without his touch for more than a moment. She was aware that at any moment could be their last if they were forced to leave. Their jungle room became the sweetest sanctuary for the couple, so long as they were within, Pyzis imagined the outside world could not harm them. 

When the knock on their door came and one of Thyme's sisters delivered her message, the two of them made their way to the throne room. For the first time in two weeks, hope made Pyzis' chest swell with warmth. A little girl with red curls sat on the throne and it could be none other than the Mother herself. With a sigh, she let go of all the tension and doubt she had had for so long. The realm would not fall today, if ever. While it was a curiosity as to why she was a child, Pyzis knew that so long as Angela lived, no matter how young, they were safe. Since the Goddess' life force was tied to her realm it could not fall. 

"Goddess?" Pyzis said breathlessly. She took a few steps toward the throne before a smile broke out on her face. The red headed girl was eating sweets. Pyzis wondered what Iva was getting into if her mother was the same age as she. They were bound to get into mischief, but Pyzis didn't see Iva at the moment.

"I'm so happy to see you here again," Pyzis said reverently. She wasn't sure just what to expect from the child Angela, perhaps she was the same in a smaller form, but those sweets hinted differently. If she acted as young as she looked she knew the clergy would be busy keeping things from chaos. 

Pyzis let go of Thyme's hand so he could go see that his mother was safe. She smiled as the two of them locked eyes and she knew this moment would forever be in her memories. The happiness in the throne room was a tangible thing, it was infectious and encompassed each person thuroughly. After the depression and enxiety that had riddled each of Angela's followers it was beautiful to see smiles once more. 

Angela looked up from her sweets and popped one in her mouth. She let the chocolate melt in her mouth before she stood up on the throne and stared at Pyzis and Thyme. “Hello, Savages.” She waved for a moment and Thyme’s mouth dropped a bit.

She reached for the sweets and one of the clergy members smacked her hand. “Lady Angela, we’ve talked about this. Pace yourself or you’ll make yourself sick.”

Angela did a displeased noise. “You can tell that to Iva or the other savages but I am immortal. I don’t get sick.” She hastily grabbed more and sat back down in her throne as she bobbed her head. The clergy member did a defeated sigh.

“Savage Pyzis approach me.” She chuckled a bit as she addressed her future daughter in law.

“Mother please don’t call Pyzis a sa–” Thyme was cut off as he defended his lover.

“Savage, I’ll do as I please. I pushed you out remember.” The groans in the room showed that she had been difficult all day. Angela offered up one of her chocolates to Pyzis. “Are you feeling okay? You are carrying a little savage now.” Angela reached out to feel her grandchild in Pyzis’s womb and smiled. “Very healthy and strong.” She gave her belly a few pats before summoning a chair for Pyzis.

“Do you have names?”

Pyzis covered her mouth as she suppressed a giggle, it wasn't often that one got to see a Goddess in child form. It was troubling though seeing as her child would be part Angela too. She could feel the light-heartedness this brought to the realm and it was possibly the best thing that could have happened after the fear had ended. With most of the staff and Angela's children, focused on keeping her from doing harm, there was little room for sadness. 

Pyzis approached the small red head and cocked her head to the side in curiosity. If anything it seemed as if The Mother had become more commanding than as her regular self. Pyzis observed the pigeon toed stance the Goddess stood in as she demanded more sweets. The smile on her face was fully visible now as she listened to Angela reprimand her son who was twice the size of her.

"We do if it's a girl, I was thinking Ember or Honeysuckle," she mentioned as she sat in the summoned chair. It didn't bother her at all to be called a savage. At this point, Angela could call her anything and she would be happy since she was alive. The future of their child was safe and inviting. This was the first moment she could actually enjoy the idea of having a baby since she found out. First Thyme had been injured and then their mourning of Angela. 

"What do you think? Thyme was saying something about Rosenites mostly being female. I knew he has many sisters, but I wasn't sure if that was because of their race or pure luck. I wanted to thank you for the gift you have given us." she said as she stood and curtsied to the pint-sized Goddess before sitting again. Pyzis looked to Thyme at the back of the room with a warm smile. He looked more shocked at the entire encounter than anything. She reached out her hand and beaconed him to come hold it. Pyzis still didn't want him far from her side. The last few weeks had made one thing clear, she never wanted to be parted from him again unless absolutely necessary. 

There was a slight commotion from outside the throne room, and quite unexpectedly Drae appeared in the door way covered from head to foot in a white powder, looking very irate. His steely eyes were flashing, and a vein throbbed in his forehead, threatening to pop. He strode towards the throne, a cloud of what would later be discovered to be flour, flying off of his black clothing as he moved before he moved past Thyme and Pyzis and leaned very close to Angela, his long nose merely inches from her tiny button. 

"Tell me you haven't been in the pantry with Iva." It wasn't really a request, for the warlock was furious. "Look me in the eyes, Angela and tell me you and the Imp have not been in the pantry so much today that your older children saw fit to booby trap the place," he ground out. 

He saw the sweets sitting nearby and and his eyes blazed. "Angela…" he said, trying to keep his temper in check. It was the first time in a long time that Drae had gotten this angry while in the shrine. The intensity of his stare made the sweets ignite and he looked back at Angela. 

"You, my dear, are GROUNDED!" 

“Those are good Rosenite names! Both of them.” Angela nodded in agreement with both names. “I don’t know which one I like more.” Thinking about the statistics Angela looked puzzled. “You have a good chance with Rosen blood that it is a girl.” Smiling she chuckled. “You are very welcome!” She stared at Thyme who came up to his beloved and took her hand. He was still more shocked at his mother.

Though the biggest shock was when Drae came in covered in flour. When he got down to Angela’s level she bopped his nose with her own before licking the flour off. Her eyes were speaking volumes, though. They were so soft and big as she frowned towards him. “The chocolates were a present. I haven’t gotten into the sweets closet today but the Imp she might have.” She was telling the tooth but the trouble had been caused last night. Therefore she wasn’t lying.

“I don’t get into the sweets cabinet when everyone is around. I wait until they are asleep.”  Angela took her small hands and cleaned off her husband’s face. Before he could get overly upset with her she pointed to Pyzis. “We’re going to be grandparents!” Hopefully, that would be enough to help get her out of the mess she was in. “Honeysuckle or Ember what name do you like better Drae?”

Staring over at Pyzis she frowned. “You have never met Pyzis have you? She is Thyme’s lover and she is carrying our grandchild.” It must have looked weird seeing such a small child say that.

Drae's eyes widened slightly as Angela licked his nose with her chocolate covered tongue, and he recoiled almost violently, and wiped the chocolately saliva from his nose with a white-covered sleeve as she frowned at him in a rather adorable fashion that made his anger melt away. He sighed in frustration, but leaned in close again as Angela began wiping the flour from his face, explaining that she only got into the pantry when no one was around. That didn't help his mood, but she was rapidly changing the subject, and he turned and looked at the woman that Angela motioned to and Thyme. 

"GRANDPARENTS?" he asked, practically shouting it, his face becoming visibly red from beneath the flour. "I was getting used to being a FATHER!" he sighed heavily, but looked at the young woman as Angela introduced her, and he bowed. "Forgive my outburst," he said apologetically. "Thyme has told me about you, but I don't think he paid you the credit you deserve," he said as he took Pyzis's hand and laid a light kiss to her knuckles, and quickly brushed away the flour residue he left behind. 

"It isn't up to me what you decide to name the child. Both names are fine ones, and Honeysuckle would follow the family line of names very well," he replied. He cleared his throat. "Well, I must ask you to excuse me. I would rather not stand around looking like a baker's bad day. I would love to speak to you more, Pyzis," he said grandly. He turned and looked at Iva. "Stay out of the pantry," he warned her before he bowed lightly to Pyzis and clapped Thyme on the shoulder before he left the throne room again, flour still following him in a cloud. 

Pyzis had learned better than to ask after the sometimes odd circumstances here in Angela's realm. In the eighteen month's she had been here she had yet to meet The Mother's husband Drae. Thyme had mentioned him to her, but in the vastness of the realm, neither of them had run into each other. She couldn't say she wasn't busy working on alchemy or playing with Thyme. They had spent almost all of their time in the many gardens, studying the plant life or running through the trees. 

When Drae kissed her knuckles and left a smudge of flour, Pyzis let another giggle escape. It was hard not to laugh when a tall muscular man covered in flour kissed your knuckles. Especially when this one was scolding a fiery Goddess that looked five years old. While he didn't look old enough to be a grandparent Pyzis knew it wouldn't make a difference. She herself was over fifty years of age and looked only nineteen. At least their child would grow up in a place surrounded by family members, something Pyzis had never known.

"It's nice to meet you too Adraejen. Thyme has told me about you too, but it's nice to finally meet you face to face." she responded with a smile. "I can't wait for you to meet the new addition, though it will be a while. Perhaps all of us could have lunch some day soon and get to know eachother better?" Pyzis bowed her head to Andraejen polietely. While he wasn't exactly royalty, she wasn't sure how to address him since he was the Goddess' husband.

Pyzis watched as Adrajen left in a cloud of flour and locked eyes with Thyme. She burst out laughing in the throne room, hands pressed against her belly. The ridiculousness of all of it was too much for her. Pyzis wiped her eyes and walked up to Thyme and ksised him chastely on the mouth. Nothing was ever dull here.

"If it's a girl she will have many aunts to keep her company here. At least I wont have to worry about her being lonely, she will have an Uncle only almost two years older. Thyme, what was it like having so many siblings around? I only had my parents and left when I was pretty young." she asked as she stood behind him and wrapped her arms around his muscular waist. He dwarfed her in size and she peeked out at Angela from behind him. Pyzis just wanted to touch him and share this amazing moment with him. She concentrated and tried to memorize the events of the night. The bubbling happiness and the joy of their new arrival made this moment special to her. Pyzis was surrounded by her family, in a place she could honestly call home. This was the first time in her exsistance that she felt accepted and utterly loved. 

Drae suddenly reappeared again, and walked up to Pyzis, still covered in flour. He'd been struck with sudden inspiration and he wanted to divulge it before he lost it like the flour he planned to wash away. He leaned in, and raised a finger to her. 

"Osiria," he said simply. It was one word. "Consider the name Osiria," he said, and in his hand appeared a very unique rose. He offered the bloom to Pyzis. "Osiria is a rare and unique breed of rose. While the inside of the petal can be any shade of red varying from blood to blush pink, the outside of the petals are always a silvery white," he said showing off the blood red and silver-white flower to her. "Blood Rose, like Thyme, but also purity and rebirth, like you my dear," he explained. "Osiria."

He placed the stem in her fingers and then once again swept away, the flour cloud greatly lessened this time, and he vanished from view.