Iva jumped about as Angela put a dress on her. It was a beautiful one, one that was meant to impress. Her red curls were wild and the goddess had given up on trying to tame them. “Where are we going? We’re meeting people right?”

“We are not going anywhere sweet heart. Daddy is taking you to Adeluna and the reason why is just going to wait.” Angela pat the child’s head and pushed her over to Drae. “Please take good care of her. I would go, but I don’t feel like its my place. Also I would feel guilty.” After all, she was the one who let their son die.

“Why Adeluna? I’ve never been to Adeluna. Add-e-LUNA! IT HAS TO DO WITH THE MOON DOESN’T IT!” The girl bounced more as she clung to his leg. “Does Adeluna have to do with the moon Daddy?” The girl had absolutely no clue. “Can Winston come along?” She looked over to the bear and pulled a ribbon out of one of her belongings that matched her new dress.

“He needs to wear this Daddy.” She offered it up. “I can’t tie it like you do.”

Iva's excitement was contagious and Drae chuckled heartily as the little girl bounced around while her mother tried to get her dressed and ready to head off on the little adventure that the warlock had planned. 

"Calm down, little Imp and let your mother get you dressed," Drae insisted. "Yes, we will be meeting people," he laughed. He looked at Angela. "Don't worry. I doubt anything unseemly will happen. Besides, Adeluna is practically in the back yard," he reassured Angela as she ushered Iva to him, and the little girl grabbed his leg. 

Her sudden excitement over the name of the city and questions about whether it had something to do with the moon made Drae laugh outloud. "You know what, love. I don't know if the name of the city has anything to do with the moon or not. I wouldn't be surprised if it did though," he answered. "And of course he can!" 

Drae took the bear and the ribbon when she proffered it to him and he carefully tied the silk length into a fine intricate bow around the plush toy's neck, making him look quite regal. "There we go, now he is fit for an adventure," the half-elf smiled as he handed the bear back to his adoptive daughter. Drae moved over to Angela and slipped an arm about her. 
"Don't worry. We won't be gone too long," he promised. "Rohan was careful to give me specific directions, so I think we will be ok," he said. He bent down and picked up his satchel and offered his hand to Iva before he pressed a kiss to Angela's lips. 

"We'll be back soon. Come on, Iva. Give your mother a kiss goodbye, and let's go," Drae said. 

Iva squirmed as her mother dressed her and looked unimpressed by her step father’s words. “So new friends?” Her words were happy as Angela finished Iva. She was impressed with her father’s knowledge normally but her face told him she was slightly depressed. Though the news about Winston made her happy.

Her brown eyes watched curiously as the ribbon was tied around Winston’s neck. “He looks handsome like daddy Mama.” She took the bear and showed it to Angela. 

“Yes, he is.” Angela pat the girl’s head. Angela sighed a bit as he slipped around her. “Just be careful love. I don’t know these people.” She was nervous even though Rohan was the one who sent them on this mission. “She is just a little girl.”

Iva tilted her head a bit and smiled. “Okay!” She ran up to her mother and kissed her bye.

It wasn’t long before they were set out for Adeluna. The crowded streets had the little princess up in arms as she held onto Drae’s hand and held Winston close to her. “There’s a lot of people! I’ve never seen this many in my whole little life!” She yelled.

They managed to get out of the city and Iva was amazed at how little there were people around now. They walked out to a small farm and Iva let go of Drae’s hand quickly. “A COW! I’ve seen them in books.” She ran up to it and began to pet it’s face.”

“Hey! Little one, you shouldn’t do that!” An older man came up to her and made sure she wasn’t hurt. “Do you not have any sense.”

Iva made a face and looked at Drae. “Cows don’t hurt people do they? I’ve never read about them in any books.” She hugged Winston to her. “I’m sorry I touched your moo-moo.”

Drae held tight to Iva as they moved through the portal into the crowded streets of the biggest port city in Canelux. It was bustling and busy as Rohan had warned Drae, but on some levels it made Drae uncomfortable. These were not people he knew, not like he did the people of Wyllmochvar, and he found himself feeling an apprehension similar that which Angela felt. 

"Yes, love. There are a lot of people here. There are a lot of people in the world, and not very many of them ever make their way to your Mother's shrine," Drae told her and pulled her close to him so he didn't lose her in the crowd. They were jostled and bumped, but eventually the crowds thinned as they reached the outskirts of the city, and as they reached the more rural parts, the crowds disappeared completely until it was just one or two people taking their harvests towards the city. 

As they approached the small farm that had been described to Drae, Iva ran ahead to investigate a cow that was grazing just on the other side of a slat fence. 

"Iva! Hands off!" Drae called to her as he trotted to keep off, though she was quick to obey an elder gentleman who came up through the field. The warlock chuckled softly and came up behind Iva and placed his hands on her shoulders. 

"Well, all animals can be dangerous when provoke. Typically cows are very docile creatures, but just like all big beasts, they need their space and only those that know them should touch them, love," Drae answered her. He smiled at her as she apologized for touching the cow. 

"She meant no harm, sir. She has lived a very sheltered life," he explained to the gentleman. "Perhaps you can help us. We are looking for the family of one Rohan, a knight who faithfully served Adeluna."

Iva thought on his words for a moment before looking up at him, “Is the world really big?”  She appeared intensely interested in the whole world. She smiled up at him as he pulled her closer. She held Winston just as close as they dodged people. Once they were in the clear little Iva’s eyes lit up as she looked around. “A lot of people scare me Daddy.”

Once they got to the farm, Iva jumped as Drae yelled at her and ran over. She stared back at him and then over at the Moo-moo. Finally she settled down as she seen him laughing now. She snuggled into his hands as she stared up at the cow.

The man looked down at the little girl and sighed, “Well, you are lucky that Dot is a very nice cow. If you really want to pet her just go slow.” Iva’s eyes lit up as the man helped her up to pet the cow’s head. 

“Feels… Weird.” Iva giggled as she looked over at the man.

“Rohan? Yeah, we all knew him. Shame what happened to him. His family lives right over there. No one has heard from him since he went nuts talking about going to see the Goddess.”

“He’s not crazy!” Iva blew up as she kicked away and ran over to Drae. She grabbed his leg. “Tell him that he’s not crazy.” Iva had tears coming to her eyes. “He’s not.”

The old man looked genuinely confused. “Maybe we aren’t talking about the same Rohan Miss.”

Drae watched Iva affectionately as she pet the cow's face and remarked on how weird it felt. "No weirder than that behemoth of a hydra that came home with me and your mother, I am sure. At least the cow is softer than its barky skin, correct?" he asked his adopted daughter with a smile. 

He hadn't expected the man to say anything about Rohan being insane in his delusion to see Angela. He knew immediately that Iva was going to react badly and moved to collect her. 

"Iva honey, please don't be upset," Drae said as he picked up Iva. "Rohan was not crazy, honey. You and I and your mother all know that. But when he left his home to come find Mommy, he was very sick, and very weak. Not very many people believed he would actually go to the shrine. They thought his sickness was going to his head," Drae explained to her gently. Drae looked at the old man and approached the fence. 

"No, we speak of the same Rohan. We just happen to know how his story ended after he left here to seek out the shrine of the Mother," Drae explained to the farmer. "We are here to see his final wish fulfilled," he said as he held Iva. "Can you tell us if anyone is at home right now?" 

“But hydras have a ton of heads are much more entertaining…” She stared up at her step father before giggling.

The man appeared shocked when Iva flipped out. “I’m sorry I didn’t mean to upset the little girl. We always just thought he died on the way there. The trials of the mother are nothing to laugh at.” Iva stared at the man from Drae’s arms.

“He wasn’t weak!” Iva yelled at him but she quieted down as soon as she looked back at Drae.

The man looked into the girl’s eyes before looking up at Drae. “What’s the little one’s name? Iva, right?” Iva nodded furiously at him before the man smiled. “I’ll be damned. You know Iva is a story around these parts. Those brown eyes are awfully familiar.” He chuckled and nodded towards Drae. “His parents are home, they spend most of their days inside if they aren’t working on the farm. You should be able to just knock on the door and they’ll let you in. Good folk. I would just let them get a good look at the girl’s eyes. She has him written all over her.”

Iva appeared pleased as she smiled up at Drae. “Can we go meet them?”

Drae nodded to the man. "Thank you, very much," he said before he turned and walked towards the farmhouse. 

"Yes, of course we will meet them," Drae replied as he turned with Iva and began walking towards the house. With Iva in his arms, the warlock knocked upon the door and waited. 

The door was opened by a woman, weather-worn but kind and gentle looking with grey streaks through her long brown hair. She had the same eyes that Drae had seen upon the ghostly form of Rohan several days prior. 

"Yes, can I help you?" the woman asked. 

"Yes, Mrs. Prifti? I have come to bring news about your son, Rohan…"

The woman looked between the man and the girl with an interested eye. “It’s been five years what could possibly be told about my son?”

Iva looked at her with interest for a moment before staring deep into her eyes, sorta rudely. “You are old.” The woman laughed a bit as the girl reached out and pet the silver strands of hair. 

“You are a very curious little one. Come in from outside, can’t imagine this has been an easy trip with such a little tyke.”

Iva sprung into action as she as she was placed down. She began to look around the little cabin and noticed a man sitting in a chair eating a stew. Taking Winston she walked up to him and hummed a bit. “Does that taste good?”

The man looked bewildered for a moment. “Agnes, why is there a child here?”

“Hush dear, they come with news about Rohan.” The man had more of a bewildered look then before as Iva had her head behind Winston’s looking over with her brown eyes.

“Oh really? What brings you all this way dragging a little one out here? Can’t imagine it’s that big of news.”

Iva finally not being able to hold it in anymore started an outburst, “My daddy, left here to go to my mommy to have me.” She yelled at them. “And everyone thinks he was crazy.” She was upset again as she looked up at Drae. “Tell them he wasn’t crazy.”

The man and wife looked at each other. “What does the child mean her father left here? Are we suppose to believe that Rohan actually made it to the Goddess’s temple? Are we suppose to believe he wasn’t crazy?”

“He wasn’t! He loved me and mommy very much!” Iva got real quiet. “But he died before I knew him.” She shuffled over to Drae’s arms and lifted her arms up to him. “Why does no one believe us?”

The woman took a moment and began to panic, "We didn't mean to upset you! It's just very hard to believe he actually made it all the way there." The woman reached out to touched Iva's hair and Iva flinched a bit. "You don't have to be scared. You have a name don't you?"

"Iva. Iva Calliandra Rose." The man had his mouth wide as Iva spoke her name. "You are going to catch flies." She jabbed at him.

"She has quite the attitude. Is she always like that?" The man laughed a bit now. "Calliandra was Rohan's aunt. They were very close. Iva is a local legend. No one but those closest to Rohan would have known those things." The man eyed the girl for a moment or two. "Tell us more about her." He beckoned Drae to come sit. "Sit and eat with us."

Drae was about to answer the questions put forth by Rohan's father when Iva burst out the answers. Drae couldn't help but rub his face in exasperation at her outburst, but was quick to hide it when she looked back up at him and demanded that he tell the couple that Rohan was in fact not crazy. 

Again he was about to answer for Iva when Rohan's father questioned if they were supposed to believe that Rohan had actually made it to the shrine. He sighed as Iva told them more, and then came back to him for solace, asking him why no one would believe them. Drae sighe and picked her up and held her. 

"It's ok, love," he told her softly. The woman came forward to explain to Iva and touch her hair, but when the child flinched away from her Drae looked at Iva and shook his head at her. "Don't be scared, Iva," he told her softly. "Go ahead and answer her," he urged her. 

Iva's response to the question about her name, and given her response, Rohan's father's mouth fell open, and Iva's comment was perfect.  

"You have no idea," Drae chuckled with a bit of smile as he set her back down. "Come on, love, come have a seat," he said ushering the child to the table and lifting her into her seat. 

"What Iva said is true. Rohan did make it to the Shrine, and Angela did make the deal with him. She sustained his life for the nine months she carried their child. At the end of that length of time, Angela wanted to take his sickness away from him, so that he could stay with her. He wouldn't let her. He made her let him die, after he got the chance to hold Iva for the first time. It broke Angela's heart to follow through on her word, but your son, made her keep it," he explained. "His dying wish, was for when Iva was old enough, for her to be brought here to meet you," he said as he ruffled Iva's hair.