“Just do me a favor,” she chuckled, “don’t use ‘Yes, my lady’ against me in a fight. I want to continue finding it adorable.” It was just a joke but she let out a long yawn as she closed her eyes. “Get some sleep. We’ll go see my ma in the morning. Hope you’re ready.”

She kissed him good night before going to sleep. In the morning, she peeked her eyes open to see if he was really there. “Wesley,” she pulled herself up over him. “You are real right? You aren’t some ghost who found me?” She started to gently kiss all over his face. “You seemmmmm pretty real but I need to check.” Once he was awake enough she tickled his sides a little before rolling them to where he was over her.

“Rise and shine Beau,” she was laughing hard up at him. “We got a long day ahead of us,” she took her fingers and ran them through his hair. “You could end up getting harassed to the point of leaving me~”

"Understood." He said with a tired smile. 

Wesley closed his eyes and began to dream. After a good rest, the sun was in the sky already and he began to wake up. He felt somebody was near him and realized it was Hana. His eyes opened wide and he saw that she was real. Their nights together wasn't just a dream. It was all real. She was real. He felt her kiss all over his face and couldn't help but smile. Then she started tickling him which caused to burst out laughing. Hana rolled them to where he was over her. 

"Morning." He chuckled with a smile, "Don't worry. Nothing will make me leave you. Besides, I think I've already experienced the strangest of your mother's behavior." 

He had no idea what was ahead of him. Pushing himself to his feet, he held out his hand to Hana. He was under the impression that they would be heading to the cathedral again, since that is where he last met Angela. Then he noticed that their clothes were dirty. So where they. The last thing he wanted was to make a bad impression on the family, even if one of the parents had already seen them. 

"We should probably wash up before we go anywhere." He said, "And getting dressed might help too. I'd rather not be naked in the cathedral again."

Technically he had a blanket but still, he wanted to be properly dressed. Walking over to his pack, he checked for anything that would be useful. He did find a canteen with water in it. He wondered if there was a river around that they could use. The canteen of water wouldn't be terribly helpful. 

"There might be a river around we can use." Wesley suggested.

“I wouldn’t say that just yet… You gotta meet my family. Unlike most of my siblings, I also know my pa and visit regularly. So we will be stopping by the tribe once I figure out where they have migrated to. It’s proper to introduce your mate after all and Pa would be hurt if I didn’t.” She was serious about this. She wanted Wesley to stay and she liked him a lot.

Hana nimbly took his hand so he could help her up. She stretched once she was standing and let out a yawn. Her bruises already looked a lot better compared to the night before. “We aren’t going back to the cathedral. We’re going to her realm,” she said as a matter of fact. “Elysia isn’t a place you can just walk into so we can go when we are ready.”

She wrapped her arms around his waist, “We’re going to need soap… Do you have soap?” She knew he didn’t and she smirked. “And hair oils,” she kissed his lips in between all the words. “I’m going to make you smell yummy. More than you do.” She kissed his nose. “I’m going to go steal some. I’ll be right back.”

She shifted and took off towards the city. Once there she sneaked around to the noble districts and hopped through a window as a wolf. She put soap and oils into a towel and carried it back. Once she got back she held it up to him and shifted back. “Here we go! It smells floral though but you should be okay with that… Right?”

"Oh right. There's a dad." He said.

Fathers. They were the scary bunches. Mothers could be scary too but the fathers….they sometimes had more violent tendencies. At one point he was glad that Hana was wanting him to meet her dad but at the same time he also wasn't keen on possibly dying. If Angela was her mother then he couldn't possibly imagine what her father would be like. Still, he would respect the father and hope for things to go well. After all, Hana was a wonderful kind person and Angela wasn't that bad. Surely the father wouldn't be a problem…. Wesley hid his nervousness and nodded. 

"Soap would be good." He said with a chuckle, "Thank you, my lady." 

He would forever call her that. The only time he wouldn't is when they were arguing, like she requested. Otherwise it would be his favorite nickname for her. He watched as she shifted and took off towards the city. He decided to stay behind and look for a river to use the soap in. Wesley spotted one close to the campfire then returned and waited for Hana. She didn't take long and had plenty of soap along with oils and a towel. She was really talented at stealing. He was impressed. Once she shifted back, he stood up and gave her a kiss on the nose. Then he took some of the soap. 

"It's perfect. Now should we take turns or wash together?" He asked with a small smile, "There's a river nearby that has clean enough water." 

He felt like he was getting better at being smooth but he could never tell. As long as Hana liked the compliments and flirtation, that's all that really mattered.

“Yep, my pa is the beta for the tribe and he is the head warrior. Kind of like a general. My brother Jet is training to take over for him for when the chief’s son is ready to take over.” Once she realized that was probably scary she waved her hands. “Pa will be excited though because he's been waiting for me to take a mate. I’ve punched and kicked almost all of them… My last boyfriend didn’t make it an hour into the relationship. He asked me out and Ma showed up and… Well, you saw how she is. He took off.”

Once she was back she smirked and grabbed his wrist. “What else could I possibly be hiding from you that you shouldn’t bath with me? Come on now Beau this way,” there was a teasing sound to her voice as she pulled him along. Settling the soaps and oils by the river she lowered herself in and looked up at him. “I’ll wash you if you wash me~”

She held up her hand to him so she could help him into the water. “It’s cold just as a warning,” there was a chuckle. Taking the soap she began to wash him down and even lathered his hair really good. As she worked she hummed a Sularian lullaby. Gently she washed the water over him and pushed him down enough to not have to carry the water far for his hair. “So clean~” She rubbed the oils in trying to be as gentle as possible on him.

“Tell me if I accidentally hurt you okay?” Washing his front she reached up and pulled him down for a kiss holding him for a few moments. “This was a good idea but also a distraction~” Once more she was teasing him as she held him close. “It’s my turn Beau~”

Head warrior….he was so dead. And her brother is training to be the head warrior. Double dead. But if the father was wanting her to take a mate, then maybe he had a prayer. Still, he would stick by Hana no matter what. He was also glad he didn't have to worry about competing with an ex since Angela scared him away. He listened to her teasing voice and followed her to the river. Wesley dipped his toe in the river and gave a little shiver before stepping into the cold water. He'd been using river water and lake water to clean himself for a while but it was still cold every time he went in. He closed his eyes as she began to wash him. She got his hair, his back, his chest, every single part of him. Then she pushed him down into the cold water.  Then she started rubbing the oils in. He appreciated how gentle she was being. 

"Alright." He said before she pulled him down for a kiss. 

She held him close and he ran his wet hand through her hair. 

"I guess it is my turn." He said with a smile. 

He took the soap and began to work his way around her body. Wesley was careful to not press on her bruises but made sure that she was covered in soap. He moved onto her hair which was a bit harder since she had way more hair than he did. His hands ran through her hair and even massaged her scalp for a few moments. Soon he was done and was fairly certain he'd soaped all the dirt away. He had her move into the water to wash the soap off then began covering Hana in the oils. He was certain to make sure her chest was covered in the oil. 

"You're right about the getting distracted part." He said with a cheeky smile, "I think I'm done now." 

He stepped out of the river and held his hand out to Hana to help her leave the river. After helping her out, Wesley walked over to their cloves and began to put his shirt back on, which wasn't as clean but at least there wasn't a smell. Once he was dressed, he looked over to Hana, checking if she was dressed. 

There was a smirk on her face as he made sure she was covered in oil. “Told you~ Mother will probably have us stay in Elysia for the night… So we get a big bed for the evening.”

Hana got dressed and dusted the dirt off as much as possible. “Let’s pack up camp and then I’ll open the way to Elysia. Since you’ve never been there I’ll take you to the beach first!” She took his hand and calmly walked back to the campsite before packing their things up and put the backpack on her. “Knowing her she will load us up with supplies before we set out again. Pesky mas always caring.”

Keeping hold of his hand she held her free hand up and a red string appeared around her ring finger. One also appeared around Wesley’s. “Here we go,” Hana breathed in and she took a step pulling him with her. The world rippled like water around them and melted away until there was just the sound of gulls and the ocean.

Only this ocean was much different and much more alive. “This is the Twilight Beach… It’s the first part of your journey in Elysia.” Her boots clicked against the sea glass and she held Wesley back as the sea foam gave birth to a buck and a doe who ran off towards the forest. “This place is truly alive.” The water was the night sky as it tossed and turned. “At night the water becomes the day. Isn’t it pretty?”

Birds, frogs, and a bunch of other creatures were being born from the foam as they watched. “This is the cradle of life or so says Ma.”

"Oh there's a beach. That's so nice!" Wesley said in surprise. 

He'd never been to the realm before, obviously, and he'd never been to any god temple in general. This would be the first time he'd step into the home of a deity. He finished packing up his stuff, which was just a blanket and the violin. Luckily the violin was unharmed and he'd be able to play it some other day. Once he was ready he walked over to Hana and showed her he was ready. 

"Hey, I won't deny free supplies." He said with a smile. 

Wesley had no idea how they would get there so he made sure he was holding Hana's hand. He didn't know how easy it was to get lost in another realm but he didn't want to find out. When Hana held up her free hand he realized she had a red string on her finger. Looking down at his free hand, he saw the red ribbon around his own finger. Hana took a step and pulled him with her and soon the world rippled like water around them and melted away. Wesley blinked for a few moments, confused about what had just happened. When he looked around, he saw the sea foam give birth to a duck and a doe. Both of those creatures ran off into the forest. The ocean water was the night sky and apparently turned to day when it became night. His jaw dropped and his eyes grew wide with amazement. 

"Its incredible." He said softly before turning to her, "Appropriate name for a place like this. So all the animals and creatures are born here?"

This was the first time he got to hear about any of this. His parents just vaguely said that the life goddess helped with life. They never spoke of anything like this. Now he just wanted to watch the waves and see what creations were made. The creation of life was….beautiful. 

"So now where do we go?" He asked curiously. 

Hana laughed, “No, Ma gets bored and finds new ways to make it but all life in Elysia comes from the sea and when they die return to it.”

She took his hand and helped him across the sea glass to a path through the jungle of pink. It was hot and humid. “There is a carriage pickup up here.” The area became a bit darker before lights up in the trees flickered on. “Here we are,” there was a nice smell from the alstroemerias around the area. The stained glass carriage showed up with two white and gold nightmare horses leading it. “In we go. Otherwise, we have to take the stairs~”

She climbed up into the carriage and patted the seat next to her. “This is technically her new temple. I grew up in the Awakening Gardens and it was more like a large farmstead. We grew up playing in the wheat field and tracking rabbits that would go into the carrot gardens.

There was one thing she forgot to mention as the large white and gold palace came into sight. They stepped out of the carriage by the statue of her mother. The wine that flowed through the fountain made her smirk. “If you drink that… You’ll fall in love with me~” She had put her lips to his ear.

Then she realized all the clergy hanging out by the fountains were topless and started to chuckle. Most of the clergy her mother had were female. There must have been twenty-five bare chested women there talking and laughing. They were wearing just skirts and no sandals. They had flower crowns as well. “Let’s get you inside Beau,” Hana chuckled a bit and led him through the large doors.

Finally, they got to a pair of stained glass door and Hana opened it, “Ma, I’m home.” Four little girls ran screaming past them chasing each other and Angela had a table full of finger paints. “Babysitting?”

“Always.” Angela stood up and wiped her hands off as she came over and hugged Hana. “You need to come home more.”

“Maybe I will!” Hana smiled as she took Wesley’s hand and showed her mother.

“You two are just the cutest things! But you can’t be in my temple looking so scruffy.” She snapped her fingers and their clothing changed. Hana was in a dress now that barely came to her mid-thigh. It was cute on her as it was off her shoulders. It was a light blue which was nice against her skin. Her hair was in long curls with a crown of white flowers now. Wesley wore a matching silk tunic and fancy pants. Both weren’t wearing shoes anymore. “Shoes are overrated. I do hope you’ll spend a day or two here. Your old room’s bed has been upgraded for the two of you.”

Hana beamed, “That is fantastic! I was worried about fitting him in a small bed with me.” Angela turned and hugged Wesley now as well.

"Welcome home to you as well Wesley. As long as you are with my daughter we are all family."

Well at least he knew where he would end up if the father turned out to be violent. Turning away from the sea, he followed her across the sea glass to a path through a jungle of pin. The air was hot and humid, like an oasis in the desert. As they got closer to the carriage pickup, the area became slightly darker before lights up in the trees came on. A pleasant smell from the alstroemerias filled his nose. Then he spotted the glass carriage lead by two white and golden nightmare horses. He wasn't afraid of the horses, as he used to face his own nightmarish reflection for five years. Horses like that were nothing to fear in comparison. He helped Hana climb into the carriage then sat next to her. The carriage began to move and they were off to the temple. 

"I see. So she redecorated." He said with a smile. 

Soon the carriage stopped next to a giant fountain with wine flowing through it. He smiled at Hana's teasing when she put her lips to his ear. Then Wesley saw all the clergy around the fountains. His face grew red and he looked down, trying to be respectful of the women's privacy. His eyes gazed at the sidewalk and he carefully listened to Hana as she suggested to get inside. He nodded and followed Hana through large doors. He looked back up when they were at the glass stained doors. The second Hana opened the door, four little girls ran screaming past them, all chasing each other. The goddess Angela was near a table of finger paints. Were the children Miss Angela's? Then Hana spoke about babysitting which made more sense to him. 

He didn't say much but just smiled when he saw the reunion of Hana and her mother. Despite all of Hana's complaints about her mother, it was clear that she cared deeply for Angela. Hana took his hand and seemed to be showing him off. Not that Angela didn't already know that they were together but it was nice to make it official. Suddenly, Angela snapped her fingers and their clothing changed. Wesley was wearing a silk light blue tunic and the fanciest pants he had ever seen. He wasn't wearing shoes anymore, which he didn't mind that much. 

"Huh. I think this is the fanciest thing I've ever owned!" He chuckled. 

Then his eyes landed on his beautiful love, Hana. She was wearing a light blue dress that barely came to her mid-thigh and had a gorgeous crown of white flowers that complimented her curled hair. Wesley, was normally a polite and reserved person but this was an opportunity that couldn't go to waste. He accepted Hana's hug and gave her a snuggle before looking to Angela. 

"Thank you Miss Angela." He said politely. 

Once he was freed of the hug, he subtly placed his hands behind his back. A swirl of purple magic surrounded his hand as he sent a small gust of wind directly towards Hana's dress. The wind would blow upwards, causing her dress to lift just enough to get a peak. Wesley quickly stopped the magic afterwards and tried to pretend like he didn't do anything. He tried to act all innocent but knew that Angela probably had seen everything. This WAS her temple after all and she WAS a goddess. He just hoped she wouldn't call him out.