With an air of guilt, Dalanesca begrudgingly removed herself from her own realm of Porta Inferi. She had been neglecting visiting a few of her fellow deities, and it was time for her to remedy that situation. She was due a visit to three of them. The furthest overdue was Naota, but she was unsure of how that visit would go. During the time she had been 'disagreeing' with Angela Rose, to put it lightly, Naota had paid her a visit and he had most certainly not been very happy with her. That put him a bit lower on the list to visit, in her eyes. Xunatar and Adraejen had both ascended around the same time - and Dalanesca had a very minimal history with both of them.

The extent of her knowing Xunatar came from his visit to her realm, in which she had tortured him with an incredibly toxic plant. There seemed to be an odd understanding between the two, a mutual respect of sorts, as Xunatar's nature had allowed him to grasp the concept behind Dalanesca's torture. Adraejen, on the other hand, was a different story. Dalanesca's relationship with him had came mostly from her relationship with Angela Rose, his wife. Adraejen and Dalanesca had become acquaintances, if not friends, by association. She found it much more necessary to pay him the customary, respectful visit as most deities did for one another. She did not need to have Angela coming to her, chastising her once more about following the standards that she tended to be a bit lax about.

She found it a bit odd that Drae had chosen for his realm to be located in Parvpora - after all, deities lost some of the strength when on that particular continent. However, she assumed there would be a good reason behind that decision on his part. Drae was married to Angela, after all, and she could not see Angela marrying someone who made impractical decisions.

Once she had made her way to Parvpora, it did not take Dalanesca long to find her way to Tar Eisalae. While her powers were dampened on the continent, she still had enough gusto to allow her instantaneous travel. She hung back for a few moments, folding her arms across her chest and admiring the work that had gone into the structure. As was customary, she would enter the temple as a mortal would, following its rules without hesitation. She approached the rock wall where the entrance would be, chuckling softly as she read the inscription within the emblem. It was clever, if one were to think about it - but she would expect nothing else from Drae.

She dragged her index finger gently across the letter ‘I,’ watching with curiosity as the doors opened to allow her entrance into the main hall of the temple. She walked slowly admiring the sights around her. As she walked through the archway that led further into the structure, she eyed the tome in which names were scribed with some curiosity. She could see her own name, as well as the time and date of her arrival, etching into the pages. She immediately noted a few names in particular that were familiar to her, and this caused her pause as she continued to peruse the pages, inadvertently forgetting the end destination of her journey was meant to be an audience with Drae, rather than admiring his magical book.

After a moment, she realized that she had been distracted, and continued on her way. Before long, she found herself in Tar Eisalae’s vast library. It did not take her long to find a comfortable place to sit. She chose one of the sparse couches located around the library, and made herself comfortable. One leg extended across the cushions, the other dangling lazily. She stretched out a bit, waiting until Drae would sense her presence in his realm and perhaps find her there.

All was quiet and calm. As it should have been, after all, this was a place of secrets, a place of study and learning. A few visitors sat among the shelves, taking advantage of the Keeper's hospitality to research things that they might not have had access to anywhere else in Parvpora or even Canelux. Books moved through the shelves, returning to their places among the collections as if placed there by invisible hands. 

There were many who wondered why Adraejen Porthyrius had chosen to place his tower there on the borders of the Zuijiuchu Mountains and the Jasumin Plains. Why, like the God of Light, had he chosen to build in a place where the Gods were fundamentally weakened when outside their immediate domain? The long and the short of it? Adraejen wasn't wholly convinced he had made any such decision. Many would have claimed that he had to have chosen the spot, but he disagreed, strictly on the principle of convenience. How the hell was being on a continent with no World Tree and being on the opposite side of the world as the domain of his beloved something of HIS decision. He had ranted and raved at the Voice and the World Tree about the decision for his Ascension, and he couldn't still be sure they weren't still completely off their rocker. Nothing about it was convenient or easy, as if anything in his life up until that point had actually been anything but. 

And while it was nice, he wasn't all too sure how he felt about having a magically sentient Temple either. As Dalanesca waited, it was clear that the sentience of Tar Eisalae sensed her, and a fine decanter of the finest whiskey appeared on the little side table beside the Harbinger's seat, with a scrawled note that said that Adraejen would be along shortly. 

At the same time, Adraejen was chest deep in books and alchemical ingredients in his personal work room deep within the Temple Library, so focused that he almost didn't notice the typically overwhelming magical force that made him aware when any powerful denizen, or deity, paid the Temple Library a visit. He was busy scrawling things in a journal as he added ingredients to a violently bubbling mixture in a cauldron. Tar Eisalae manifested its psyche in the form of a large tiger, who pawed quietly into the lab and batted lightly at the Keeper's leg to get his attention. 

"Not now," Drae said huffily as he waved the giant magical cat off. Again, Tar Eisalae batted at Drae as he added yet another ingredient, a little harder this time. 

"OUT," Drae said firmly, pointing to the door, still not looking up. Indignant that he was ignoring an important visitor, Tar Eisalae's form became significantly smaller, and the housecat sized manifestation jumped up onto the work table and sidled up onto a shelf directly above the cauldron. It meowed loudly and finally Drae looked up, just as the cat purposefully knocked a bottle into the cauldron. 

"Oh you little—"

The resulting explosion shook the very foundations of Tar Eisalae itself, and the natural light in the Temple Library dimmed as the Occulus far above was suddenly filled with thick black smoke. At the same time, a hole opened up in the wall directly across from the couch where Dalanesca sat, and out belched fire, pungent purple smoke and a coughing Drae, who looking quite singed and spattered with purple blotches was dumped unceremoniously onto the couch beside the Goddess. Coughing and spluttering, and waving a hand to clear the smoke away from himself, Adraejen whirled his hands around and a wind funnel sucked up the smoke before it was sent whizzing out the main door. 

There was a sudden uptake of chatter as the visitors and patrons of the Temple Library came to gawk. Adraejen, looked up at the Occulus. 
"Very funny," he rasped at the tower, and there was a crackle of disapproval in the magic. Furrowing his eyebrows he turned to look at the woman who sat on the couch. It took a moment for it to dawn on him. 
"Oh. Dalanesca, forgive me," he said before he stood up. "I'll be right back," he said, standing and giving her a curt head nod before the hole in the wall opened back up and he vanished into it, more of the purple smoke spilling out into the Temple Library as he did so. All was silent for a moment, the purple smoke being carefully blown out of the Temple Library again, but this time in a much more subtle fashion. 

The chatter died down as the guests went back to their work, and moments later Drae reappeared, no longer disheveled and smoking purple, but his usual clean cut, sharply dressed self. He swept up to Dalanesca and gently took her hand before he pressed a kiss to her knuckles. 

"Dalanesca, I do welcome you. Forgive my appearance a moment ago, I was not expecting you," he said with his usual charming smile. He noticed the bottle of whiskey. "I see that Tar Eisalae has made you feel at home."

As the whiskey that Tar Eisalae seemed to be able to sense that she would enjoy appeared, she gave a quick laugh and rose from her position, helping herself to the liquid. She returned to her comfortable location on the couch, sipping from the small cup of whiskey that she had taken.

Dalanesca gave minimal reaction to the explosion. It startled her, of course, but she merely shifted in her position on the couch, set her cup of whiskey down, and raised her eyebrows, her gaze focused on the newly formed hole in the wall across from her. The smoke smelled rather foul to her, but she could see that she was in a much better position than Drae. She caught sight of the purple blotches, which she assumed were a result of the explosion (seeing as the smoke that billowed out of the wall’s destruction matched the purple hue).

“No forgiveness needed,” she said to Drae, with a wave of her hand, as he recognized and acknowledged her. “I’ve got plenty of time, Drae,” she said, and gave him a smile coupled with a devious grin as he disappeared once more. She lounged a bit more as she waited him, giving him a warm smile when he returned a short time later.

“Ever the gentleman,” she said, with a smirk, as Drae gave her a proper greeting. “You look dashing, as usual,” she added, with the hint of flirtation that was ever present in her voice. She allowed her eyes to scan his form for a moment before averting her gaze back to his face. “You’ve not to ask for forgiveness as I said earlier,” she continued. “I was unexpected, after all.  I should be the one asking for forgiveness,” she added. “I should have sent word that I was coming - I am a bit overdue, after all,” she added. She followed his gaze back to the whiskey. “And yes… your realm is a smart one,” she said, smirking.

“My visit is merely social,” she said. “It seems I’ve been remiss in paying you a visit, as is customary - but I don’t know that you and I have ever had time to just sit and converse. It has always been a matter of life or death - quite literally - when we have been with one another.” She paused. “You are my best friend’s husband, after all - it is only fitting that we have a good relationship ourselves, is it not?” she asked.

"Tar Eisalae is a very impressive place,” she continued. “I would expect nothing less, of course.  You are, and have always been, an impressive man.”

He was a little mortified that Dalanesca had seen him in such an unseemly state. It was almost as bad as when he had been caught in the flour booby-trap at the Shrine in the Awakening Gardens when Angela had been confined the body of a small child. He had billowed flour all across the Shrine before he had managed to get cleaned up. This time, at least, he could control his mess. 

His reappearance made him feel a little more dignified now that he was looking proper enough to greet the esteemed company that had come to pay a visit. Having spoken to Dalanesca in Adeluna, that had been a rather informal event. And while this visit was unexpected, he decided as a new deity, he had to make a good impression on the Harbinger of Death. Impressing Naota had not been difficult, since the shiny light God was a man after Drae's own heart, and while Angela's approval meant everything to him, they were married and as such it ALMOST didn't count. 

"I'm no gentleman," Drae chuckled, "but I thank your graciousness all the same. You look positively ravishing yourself," he said, turning on his charming smile to full power.  "A visit from my son's Godmother, while unexpected, is never unwelcomed. And in all honesty, I can't guarantee that the outcome would not have been the same even if you HAD given me notice," he said. He sat down on the couch beside her and rolled his eyes at the comment about Tar Eisalae's intelligence. 

"There are times when I wonder exactly which of us is in charge here," he said. There was a disapproving crackle of energy again, and Drae raised his hand and indicated to the Occulus. "Worse than any wife, I swear," he chuckled. 

"Well, I'll admit, that if your visit wasn't social I might be a bit concerned for that very reason you mentioned," he nodded. "So I will take a social visit with a smile and a glass of fine wine any day," he reassured her.  "And I couldn't agree with you more. I may not necessarily always comply with social norms, but being friends with Angela's friends won't hurt me as much as being their enemies. And being the enemy of Death is simply not on my list of things to do EVER." A glass of fine wine appeared in his hand and he took a sip. 

"So, in light of all that, how have things been for you in Porta Inferi?"

Dalanesca quirked an eyebrow as Drae's charm went into overdrive while the two spoke, and she could not help but to emit a small chuckle.  While she knew that was just his general nature, she still found it rather funny as it would have no effect on her, save that of what she would allow it to.  Drae was, of course, the mate and spouse of her absolute best friend, and that made him completely off limits - save for her eyes, of course.  She met his smile with her own.  "Why thank you,"  she said, beaming at him.  "I need to get by to see Rohan, and soon," she said, with a bit of a frown.  She had not seen him since he was quite small, as things had gone awry between herself and Angela just as he was beginning to grow.  "I am worried that I will not even recognize him the next time I see him!"

She shifted slightly to face him as he sat beside her, readjusting her positioning so she could comfortably converse with him. She caught his eye roll, but did not comment on it at first, until he had elaborated a bit more.  "Sometimes it is a blessing to have a realm that can think for itself," she said, and it was clear that she was referring to the Circles of Inferos, rather than Tar Eisalae at the current moment - however, the two were more than likely transferable in the given conversation.  "But other times, I fear that it is becoming sentient and will kick me out and rule the Underworld on its own," she said, laughing quietly, though it was clear that it was a thought that had crossed her mind before.

When Drae made the comment about the Occulus being like a wife, she joined him in laughter.  "Oh, come on now… Nothing could be on Angela's level," she said, leaning over and nudging him slightly.  She loved Angela to death, but as she was the eldest of the Gods she could not even imagine the conversations that she and Drae had regarding deity-related issues.

"I promise, this is purely social," she said, giving him a warm smile.  "However, you take the wine, I'll take the whiskey," she added.  "Social norms are overrated, as it is," she said, shaking her head in a rather dismissive manner.  "Unless you do something uncalled for and very, very stupid… I don't think you have to worry about becoming my enemy,"  she continued.  "Though, I must say it is rather satisfying to hear someone dislike the idea of being my enemy so much.  Perhaps I am a force to be reckoned with, after all," she said, though it was very clear that she already knew this was the case.  

She took a sip of the whiskey that had been summoned for her by the realm earlier on, contemplating his question.  "Porta Inferi has been… rather boring," she said, and there was a slight hint of sadness to her voice that had not been there previously.  "I had a guest staying with me for quite some time… but some - events, I suppose you could call them - took place, and he's gone now.  Not entirely sure where he went, to be perfectly honest," she said, softly shrugging her shoulders.  She grew quiet for a moment, the memory of her guest running through her mind.  "Truth be told, it's making me wonder whether the male gender is the right choice - no offense, of course," she added quickly.  "I'm running up a bad track record.  I get married to one and he disappears, and I develop feelings for another and he takes off." She paused, giving Drae an awkward look.  "I suppose that is not the kind of information you were asking about, though.  Sorry, I get a bit carried away with so few people to converse with," she said. 

After a moment's silence, she decided to change the subject.  "What about you?" she asked.  "Have you any big plans for goings on within Tar Eisalae?" she asked, prodding for information.

"Well, grown he has, but I think you'd recognize him. A healthy and gifted young man he is, and his shifting abilities had to have been gifts from Moliira before she fell," Drae mused softly. "He's quite the prodigy. I do think you'd be proud of him," he chuckled. "He's even found his match, so to speak. Angela's sister Lily divined that he should later be wed to Bryony and Sebastian's daughter. A little early to say, perhaps, but the two are already fast friends," he told her, as though he was trying to show off his son like any normal father might. 

Drae chuckled at the notion that maybe Tar Eisalae would become so independent that it would run things on its own. "Well, let's hope that NEVER happens," he chuckled. "Tar Eisalae is more like a big cat. It does what it wants within reason, really." The idea was really comical though, if Tar Eisalae tried to kick him out. Technically it wouldn't work simply because Drae had executive power over the domain, and as often as it may lock him out, he could always create another door. 

"I guess you are right. I can't compare an over-sized magic infused cat to my wife. They really don't compare," he said with a nod. "We've seen what Angela is capable of." He rubbed his face and took another sip of wine. "Heaven forbid I do anything stupid then. It would go against the very foundation of my ascension," he laughed. Then his face turned serious. "I've tasted death before, and it didn't suit me much. Though, if it had been your face I had seen as the blackness enveloped me, I think it would have been far less terrifying. At least a pretty face is somewhat reassuring. Empty cold abyss is not. And I would rather not visit that place again," he admitted to her. 

"Hey, I asked," Drae said raising his hand to her apology. "Frankly, you aren't disappointing me. I would expect this kind of talk from Angela, or any woman that I speak with on a personal level," he said. He gave her a cunning look. "Apparently I appear more trustworthy than I really am," he said. His look became sincere again however. "In that topic, as we have discussed, you are I are not so different. It just means you have yet to find your 'Angela'. Whether or not you find it in a man is irrelevant I think. It will just take time, which as long as we remain worthy in the eyes of the World Tree, we both will have in abundance," he reassured her. 

He chuckled slightly at the question on what his plans were. "While I've been a God a while, I'm still trying to settle in, and come to completely understand my domain and the place I have come to call my home away from home. But if you are prodding to know if I have anything up my sleeve," his eyes flashed silver and he grinned. "Suffice it to say that there will be something quite grand on the horizon. You can be sure of that," he said giving her a wink. "I'm ready to make my grand entrance. Just waiting for the right moment, when the moons are at their brightest."

"I am connected to him.  I'll always recognize him," she said with a smile.  "I would be surprised if he were anything less than gifted, and that is probably an understatement.  With you and Angela as his parents, there is little to no chance that he would be any less," she said.  She listened as he spoke of them having already found a match for Rohan.  "I suspect if you are already viewing it as such, she must be an extraordinary little girl," she said with a smile.  She trusted the judgment of both Adraejen and Angela, and although Rohan was merely her godson, she felt pride in knowing that his future was being well planned.  She could not help but grin a bit wider at the pride that Drae had in his voice as he spoke of Rohan.

Dalanesca made a face when Drae referred to Tar Eisalae as a large cat.  "I dislike cats," she said, rather frankly, though there was a bit of a grin plastered on her face to give way to the lack of seriousness.  "That's your first mistake, Drae, allowing your realm sentience," she said, waggling her index finger at him in a chastising fashion.  "I do hope you've at least given yourself a fail safe?" she asked, though she was sure she already knew the answer.  Drae was a very smart man, and she knew he would not allow something such as that to go unmarked.

She did not say much, but she was certainly grateful for the fact that Drae did not judge her or get annoyed with her sudden urge to share the thoughts bustling around her head. "I would not trust you so easily, but if you have gained Angela's trust you have gained mine - and I do hope that you've got her trust, since you've wed each other and have a child with one another," she added, quirking an eyebrow at him.  She sighed, and leaned back again in her seat.  "It's funny, I just recently had this same discussion with your wife," she said, sadly laughing.  

She was grateful that the conversation's topic shifted back to Drae rather than focusing on her.  "Glad to hear you've got something planned," she said, giving him a wink.  It was not a knowing one by any means, but just one that indicated she was looking forward to seeing what he could accomplish.  "I look forward to that," she said, sitting up slightly from the relaxed position she had been in.  "That reminds me," she said suddenly.  "You've yet to come to Porta Inferi… If you can get past the fact that it is Revaliir's underworld, it's actually a very interesting place.  I've got a garden that is entirely made up of poisonous flora," she said, and the pride was apparent in her voice.  "You'll have to come see it sometime?  Of course, due to your divine nature you don't have to pass the trials in the Circles, but you might find them rather fascinating."

Drae gave Dalanesca a chuckle and a sideways smile with a slight nod. She was right, a sentient Temple was in fact dangerous. The only problem was that HE had not given Tar Eisalae any sentience. The stone that the temple had been formed of had a slight sentience, enough to know to defend itself, when it had fallen from the sky. The cat-like personality however, only developed after Queen Willow had brought him the HImiria frame that rotated around the Occulus. However, he maintained complete control. "Of course I have a fail-safe." He was lying through his teeth, it hadn't ever really crossed his mind. However, he would see to it as soon as Dalanesca departed. He was grateful that someone had thought of that, for it had not even crossed his mind. 

"If she is giving you the same relationship advice I am giving you, then I've let being a father go to my head far too much," he said. "Just don't give up. Sometimes you find things when you aren't looking for them," he said as he reached over and lightly patted her arm. 

He grinned broadly. "You and I both. I must say, that I am interested in what may come of it, and to see how the people take to it. I do hope you will find it enjoyable at the very least."

He sighed and nodded at the mention that he had yet to visit her realm. "Yes, yes. Yet another thing I have had on my list these past few years since I became a God. As a matter of fact, I need to visit Naota's Realm as well as Xunatar's Cradle. But fear not. I'll come calling with Rohan in the near future. The boy needs to see your domain as well, and as long as he travels with you or me, then he will be safe from the trials as well. How does that sound?"