Angela made a face that Drae that showed she was hurt by his words. It was of the feeling that she was being snapped at. “Drae how am I supposed to know what not to ask about if you’ve never told me a thing about yourself before Eva. Even then… I never knew Eva’s name until she told me.” She had that deep frown in her face. “And he got what he had coming Drae.” She reached up and ran her hand through his hair. “As soon as I noticed it I threw him out. You might be a half elf but most of my children are halflings. I couldn’t have a man like that around my children. I didn’t feel anything for you when that happened but I would have protected you regardless from that. Rosenites are prosecuted for what we are. Outside of Sularia, we understand what that is like Drae. Some of us are hunted down and killed. But I go keep being married to you when I don’t know you Drae.” It was the little pieces that bothered her. “You don’t have to hide your past from me. We have a long time to be married and I would rather not hide things.” That was the truth of it for her as she leaned up and kissed his cheek. It hurt her that he still didn’t want to talk to her about things.

Angela frowned a bit at him and shook her head. “Love, there are more than one type of fair folk. I’m talking about the flying kind.” She gently flicked his nose. “And those fairies in Feeorin, not the elves, will sleep with anything. They are pretty to look at though.” She was glad he promised her that he had no regrets she kissed his cheek again and thought about it.

The thought at least made the two of them chuckle as she watched him kiss her palm. “Yeah, I could be dead right now.” She mused softly. It didn’t bother her as much as it had her younger self. She had a far greater understanding of what happened in her adult form compared to her younger. “I’m glad things are like this.”

She twirled his hair around her finger and smirked. “Well, even if you couldn’t I would have grown it back for you. Growing hair is the easiest thing in the world for a deity.” She chuckled a bit. “Though I couldn’t imagine you without hair.”

She tilted her head a bit as she thought about it. “I’ve had two hundred odd years of figuring out how to deal with it. It’s not really weird to me. Rosenites aren’t really shy creatures nor do we think its odd to mate with multiple people. We’re not really monogamous all the way. That comes from the shortage of men back home though.” She appeared to be musing the question. “I don’t really have feelings for anyone in the harem… I can easily throw them out and wash my hands of it. That is just how I am and that was the deal made. The people I’ve carried children for… most of them aren’t the noble type. They aren’t the good type but they were talented individuals who would spawn wonderful children. Sapphire. The twins. All of them. Well most… You think I would have children with just anyone? I’ve methodically picked out only the best to have children with. There have been a few that have been the exception. But sometimes the best aren’t fatherly or loving. Sapphire’s father was an amazing wood elf for example.”

She tried to think of the best way to describe him. “He was the fastest runner and the best archer that they had. The purple hair was completely me though… I hated his brown hair against those sapphire eyes so I changed her hair when she was in the womb.” Angela was trying to show how much thought she put into her children’s creations. “Purple seemed like a good and unique color. However, he was more shallow than Kalidan. Wood elves are normally so nice and pleasant but beneath that mask he was a terrible person. I’ve never told Sapphire that because mothers should never talk that way about the fathers of their children. One day when she is old enough to know and she asks I’ll tell her.”

Angela thought about her other children and laughed. “Basselina was completely unplanned and she is a complete brute. I was curious how a child of the highlands would turn out. She did not disappoint. Her father wanted everything to do with her. He loved her even though she had such strong magic running through her veins. Though we had to explain to his wife that our one night stand was a complete accident. That was the most awkward thing ever. Though his wife was from Adeluna so she ended up thinking Basselina as a gift, thank goodness. Basse has always been like her father. She was how I found out that no matter my age I can’t hold my liquor well. He was a good man but he was only human. Basse misses him greatly.”

Thinking on the twins she tilted her head. “Belle and Fern’s father was a vampire studying alchemical. He had come from Kurayo. He isn’t terribly bad but his attitude is sour. I kept the twins from him because his love for the poisonous arts is something I find atrocious. They don’t need to learn that but he was beautiful. They look like him actually.” She thought more. “Daphne doesn’t have a father. She has two mothers instead. She is my half nymph. I let her mother take her home with her and it was a mistake. Entire clan was completely wiped out by humans who were trying to get Daphne because she was my daughter. Her mother had bragged about it.” Angela rolled her eyes. “Took so long to help that girl get to where she could sleep at night without waking up screaming.”

She gave a smile as she figured she had gone on long enough. “I don’t think of it as using anyone but I do think I’ve given my children the best I can. Good bloodlines keep children strong, circumstances make people even stronger. Like you Drae. You would not be the person you are today if not for the hardships in your life. I would not be the person I am if not for my hardships. That’s just how it is. Our children will face their own problems but we must remember to let them deal with it. That is my weakness… Fighting their battles for them.”

She thought about the women he had been with and she shrugged. “Maybe, maybe not. You have to remember most marriages are forged to further a person’s wealth. Most don’t have a choice. People are odd like that, willing to be miserable for gold or silver. I guess I feel that way because Arri is not like that.”

After realizing her words probably shocked him earlier she had a blush come to her face. “I swear I wasn’t trying to sound shallow when it comes to making my children. Rosenites tend to breed the best bloodlines for children. In some cases houses will join and not love each other so what I said earlier isn’t completely true but it’s very rare. Naota’s wife Echo is a child from one of those relationships. She is a half elf half Rosenite from Arri. She is one of the youngest and most powerful mages in the Yellow Court. My sister is very, very proud of having her.”

Drae recoiled slightly, more out of surprise than anything. She was calling him out on keeping secrets, but that had never really been his intention. Between Eva and then just now telling her his background with Kaliden, it hadn't exactly dawned on him that he hadn't exactly disclosed anything about his past to her. He hadn't meant to be secretive, but Angela had never asked, and there had been no reason for Drae to bring it up. He looked at her bewildered, feeling a bit as though he had been hit in the stomach even though all she did was caress his hair and kiss his cheek. He shook his head as he rubbed his face vigorously.

"No, no. Ang, it's nothing like that, I swear," he said, almost exhaustedly as he rubbed his face. "And again, no to the fairies. I was still just a kid when I left Feeorin," he said with a sigh. "Not quite old enough for them to take a liking to…"

He didn't interrupt when she told him about the fathers of the other children, and he sighed. "It's not shallow, Ang. It's natural. In order for any species to survive, you have to pass on traits that will ensure that the offspring will be able to stay alive. It's natural selection, and while more sentient races try to claim they aren't swayed but such things, it is an inevitable fact," he said. "You want the best chance of survival for your children, so you give birth to children with fathers who showed they had the skills and breeding to make that happen," he said. He flopped back on the bed, and sighed, his mind still reeling at the idea that she thought he as being secretive.

"I'm not trying to keep secrets, Ang… it's never been my intention to keep you in the dark about me,"  he said as he stared up at the ceiling. "I'm bitter about my past, clearly, and I've never seen much good on dwelling on it. Eva, Kaliden, they were both parts of my past that I would almost rather forget completely… That's why I don't talk about it, and that's why I never bring it up, but never did I mean to keep it a secret. And truth be told… I'm not sure I really remember what I remember," he admitted. "It's… almost like a fog. I mean, I remember leaving, but there are other things that I can't be sure if it was a dream or its an actual memory," he explained. "Ugh… it's just confusing, and frankly I don't like to think about it," he said. "But I'll answer any questions you choose to ask to the best of my recollection," he promised her. 

Angela froze a bit as the conversation went back to what she had said earlier. She hadn’t intended for it to bother him so much like it was an accusation. It was more that they had never talked about it but when it had finally come up he seemed angry about it. Her hand drifted from him as she put her hands firmly in her lap. Her green eyes seemed distant and her lips were pursed. She was upset with herself mostly. Somehow she was on the edge of the bed and she had never felt more distant from him than she did at that moment.

Her eyes looked watery as she tried to hold back the feelings she was having. She felt like a jerk in that moment. Her fingers were twiddling together now as she thought about it. “I know and I knew that. I shouldn’t have been so harsh about it.” Her voice was soft, perhaps more soft than it had ever been around him. She wasn’t one to quickly lose her confidence or cheeriness but around him, she was just her. She had started to open up and let him in more and more to how she was beneath the godly and motherly nature she had to hold.

She heard the words he spoke about his home and she felt even more terrible at trying to get it out of him. He was the one person she never wanted to be displeased. She bent over and picked her dress up off the floor. “I’m sorry Drae. I’m so quick to try and pry people open. I shouldn’t do that with you.” She pushed herself off the bed and was slipping the dress back onto her body. She looked so distressed and relatively heartbroken towards herself that she had been like that with him. She hadn’t meant to be so harsh with him. Her movement was so slow and her hands were shaking a bit as she reached up to tie the back of her dress.

Drae sat up again and watched as Angela slowly got up and began getting dressed. She was apologizing to him for prying, and he could see her hands trembling and hear it in her voice. He hadn't meant to snap or make her feel bad, and he knew she hadn't meant to upset him in anyway. He sighed and got up from the bed and stepped up behind her and slipped his arms about her waist before she could manage to tie the back of her dress. 

"Stop," he whispered softly in her ear. "Don't do this to yourself," he insisted softly. "Please, neither of us deserve it," he told her as he held her close for a moment before he gently turned her so that she was facing him. He placed his hands on her cheeks and kissed her again, deeply, lovingly. "You have every right to ask," he told her, a gentle smile on his face. "We can't have secrecy in a relationship, you are right my love," he told her.  "And despite my resentment towards my past, I will never come to reconcile everything that happened in Srendyimor and even in Iria if I don't talk to someone about it," he told her. "And if you'll forgive my anger, then I will tell you whatever you want to hear," he promised her. He kissed her again, and pushed her dress back down off of her shoulders before he pulled her back to the bed. 

"Come here," he said as he pulled her back onto the fur blankets with him and curled up with her in his arms. 

Here in his temple, she couldn’t feel him getting closer. She only knew he was there when he put his hands on her waist. It made her jump only a little and it would have probably been hardly noticeable if it wasn’t for his elven blood. He was so close to her now as he whispered in her ear, moving her hair so he could do so. She shivered at the way his voice sounded when he wanted something. Her green eyes slid and she moved just enough so she could see his face.

He turned her all the way and she nuzzled into his hands as he cupped her face. Gently she kissed him back and added to his depth. She hadn’t answered him up until now but she knew he was right, her eyes spoke enough for her. “You said it.” Angela’s face looked confused for a moment. “You said Feeorin earlier but now you said Srendnyimor.” It was only confusion for a moment she was sure that she was just hearing things.

She kissed him again and watched the dress fall before she climbed into the bed, or rather was pulled into the bed. She snuggled up to him under the blankets and sighed happily once more. “Always.” In reply to his come here. She smiled up at him. “As long as you ask me to I’ll always come back.” She wrapped her body around his comfortably as she adjusted herself. “So is it closer to Srendnyimor or to Feeorin? Srendnyimor is a wasteland I thought… no one goes there.” She mused lightly.

"Did I say Srendyimor?" Drae asked, his eyebrows furrowing. He thought back to what he had told her, and slowly shook his head. "No… that's not even right," he said. He blinked a couple times, his eyes darting around trying to remember. 

"No…it is Srendyimor… but a the same time it isn't. I'm not from Feeorin… but… Sss…Sss… Sid? Sidhy… Sidhiel? Sidhiel!" he said, and actually sat up in surprise. "Holy– I actually remember!" he said with a laugh. He looked at Angela. "Srendyimor isn't what everyone thinks it is!" he told her before he laid back down beside her. He laughed in triumph. "I can actually remember my history lessons. I thought I actually completely forgot all of it…" he looked at Angela. "I know why I always said Feeorin. Several millenia ago, that island chain was actually a part Feeorin forest," he said with a grin. "Sidhiel is what we all knew it as," he said. "I don't understand why I didn't remember until now. As a matter of fact, I don't remember anything about the island itself after I took the boat to Feeorin… which I guess would explain why I would mistake it for Feeorin," he said. He actually stood up. 

"Come on!" he said as he threw on some clothes. "I think we need to consult the Codex!"

He actually startled her by his remembering. “I’ve never even heard of Sidhiel.” He would have known of course because he was from there but right now Angela thought he was a madman. She watched as he left the bed and she pouted at him. “Does it have to be now.” But it was too late her bare skin was exposed to the coolness of the room. She groaned as she pulled herself out of the bed and got dressed with him.

She walked with him down the stairs he had made with her and watched his excitement. “You are being very, very jolly about all this… All things considered.” She chuckled as they reached his throne room. She stood a huge sigh at the plate. “I mean if you really wanted to we could fly down because you are so excited.” She waved her hand at him and did whatever he wished.

"Fly? Oh, I won't be that cruel," Drae said as he slipped a hand around her waist. His feet were still bare, and he had barely thrown on his shirt and trousers, and his hair was a bit tousled, but he didn't seem to care, which was incredibly unusual as they vanished from the chamber and reappeared in the Temple Library in front of the Codex with a 'pop'. He was too much in a hurry for dramatic entrances, and as it had been when Angela had arrived, the library was still empty, so there was no one to question the Keeper's choice of attire. 

Looking like a child in a candy store like he had when he had discovered the means to attach Angela's soul to purified Lacriamium, Drae stepped up to the Codex and threw open the massive tome with a grand THUMP as he flipped to the S-section. He ran his fingers down the lists of topics beginning with S, his bright eyes almost glowing in the light that filtered down from the Occulus and through the Tree of Clarity. Even though he could have simply spoken the name of the places he was looking up, it was clear that Drae was far more old fashioned. After a few moments of silence on his behalf, Drae straightened up with a triumphant "Ah-hah!" as he tapped the page. The Codex responded and a single spider-thin strand of magic silk appeared in the warlock's hand. 

He grabbed Angela's hand and pulled her along with him as they followed the thread deep into the bowels of the Temple Library, shelves upon shelves of books expanding as they walked back past the various archways that would go into the other areas of the Temple Library, deep enough into the recesses of the library that the books there began to show signs of extreme aging and brittleness, with cracked spines, thick layers of dust, and faded or peeling lettering. 

He looked at Angela as he followed the Thread. "Tar Eisalae has collected all knowledge across Revaliir. It only makes sense that some knowledge is so old that it has almost been forgotten. These tomes here are ancient even by elvish standards," he  explained. Remarkably, they actually reached the furthest recesses of the library, and the spider thread went to a shelf that was full of tomes, books, and scrolls so dusty they might have crumbled at the slightest touch. 

Drae gingerly reached into the deep bookshelf, and took a small, thin book. Careful inspection revealed it was a journal of sorts. 
"Apparently this is the only record of Sidhiel in the whole library…" he commented softly.

She tilted her head when he said he wouldn’t be that cruel. She couldn’t tell if it was meant to her or meant at himself. Since now his preferred method of transportation was teleporting everywhere. She chuckled a bit as she held onto him as they walked. Now he was at the Codex and she watched as he flipped through. He was a lot like her in that aspect. Doing things the old fashioned way.

The ah-hah scared her a bit as she hadn’t been expecting it but he had been the excitable type always. He had that silly grin on his face and it made her chuckle. She hadn’t seen his face when he had found the way to save her and to be honest she hadn’t known he did until she was stuck in the lacriamium.

He pulled on her and she followed obediently. Her green eyes watched as the library expanded. She could smell the old pages and the dust intensify as they went further back into the ancient records that the temple had managed to collect.

Once they stopped she tilted her head and looked at the journal he pulled out. “Well, that doesn’t shock me, love. Not even the earth was completely understanding what the hell you were talking about. Meaning the memories in the earth were even glamorised.” She mused out loud.

Finally, a light blush appeared across her face. “Unless you got something up your sleeve you’ll have to read it to me. I can’t read most things…” It was true that she was a genius when it came to spoken language but not many knew that she didn’t know how to read those languages.

Drae chuckled. "Glamourized, forgotten, take your pick," he commented. "But, if something happened to the memory of the island before or around the fall of Verya, then it would make sense that those chosen by the Tree of Canelux would have lost memory. A lot happened around that time that changed Parvpora forever," he commented. 

He carefully untied the cracked leather thong that held the journal closed and layers of caked dust fell away as he opened the animal hide that had long protected the faded and aged parchment within. He glanced up at Angela when she admitted that he was probably going to have to read it to her and chuckled. 

"I forget that I had to take a crash course in Arriese to understand half of what was in your library," he commented with a slight smile. "Fortunately for you and anyone else who is as… not inclined to study other languages, Tar Eisalae has the capability of translating any text found here into the language that the reader is most familiar with," he smiled. "Not that it would help. This journal is insanely old and in a dialect of Feeorin Sylvan that even I am having trouble reading. If it wasn't so faded it might be easier," he commented. He snapped his fingers and a table and chairs appeared for them to sit down at. A sun stone floated over from the wall and hovered over the table for better light and Drae invited Angela over to sit down as he began pouring through the old faded pages. 

"From what I can see, this is the journal of a Sidhielian Half-elf like me," he commented. "He talks about Sidhiel, and how cruel the pure bloods are to him," he explained. "Sounds like despite a couple of millenia, nothing has changed there," he muttered grumpily. He flipped though pages and stopped again. 

"Here's something," he said. "Verya has called me. Me, who all in Sidhiel said would amount to nothing. I, who they cast out and threw stones at, have proven to be more than they ever will be. Maybe now they will see how wrong they were…" Drae trailed off. "He was called as a deity in Parvpora… the date here puts it just before Verya fell…" 

Drae flipped through more pages, until he reached the last few entries. 
"Nothing.. Nothing has changed. I have proven to be more powerful than they could ever dream and still they treat me with contempt… They treat those like me worse than ever, and have denounced me. I look to Verya for guidance, but something is not right with the Tree…"

Drae turned to the last entry in the journal and let his fingers dance over the words there. "They had their chances. Now they will learn from their mistakes. Even as Verya fades now, and I feel the twistedness of the magic corrupting even me, I will teach them the error of their ways… I will wipe them from the map, without wiping them out. No one will remember them, even as they live. They will remember as long as they do not leave, but from this day forward those who venture away from Sidhiel will have no memory of it. From now until another of Sidhiel half-blood answers the call of the Voice, they will be lost to the memories of those who have see the island. Wasted shall it appear, and unapproachable… this is my curse to them. It may be long before they can learn to save themselves. If Verya is too far gone, it might not be that they ever return to the memories of those who love Sidhiel. If the sway of the Voice is lost to Parvpora, long lasting shall be this curse. May they know now, that I was not the one they should have wronged…"

Drae looked up at Angela and slowly closed the journal and he sat back in his chair. "He put a glamour curse over Sidhiel. All memory of its location gone, all memory of having lived there replaced," he said. "They were to remain cursed this way until another half-blood from Sidhiel ascended," he summed up. "Sidhiel was to appear the desolate unreachable wastelands of Srendyimor until someone like me was called by the Voice to be a god again…"