The sun shone down warmly on the Valley of Vada. Dalanesca had to admit - the valley itself was a rather enchanting sight to see. It was a tad brighter than she preferred on a regular basis, but that didn’t deter her from spending an inordinate amount of time there, what with she and Angela had gotten up to. Presently, she found herself standing atop the large circular building the pair had constructed, looking down at those who dared to enter the mazes held within. She had sent word to Angela that she wanted her company, as she figured it would be rather relaxing and most likely amusing to watch the goings on at their behest.

She looked around the roof of the building, frowning. “Aha,” she said softly after a moment, and waved her hand. Two chaise loungers had appeared, one black and green, the other green and lavender, with a table in between them. The table held several different kinds of wine and whiskey, as well as fruits and cheeses. “Almost,” she said, smirking to herself. Another wave of her hand and a few of the men serving in her realm appeared, shirtless, of course. They held large fans in their hands, apparently ready to attend to Dalanesca and Angela if they needed.

Dalanesca kicked off her boots and reclined in one of the loungers, helping herself to a bit of wine and sipping on it. “Much better,” she said. With a wave of her hand, an orb appeared in the air before her, floating at the perfect angle so that it could be seen while she was reclined. On the orb, images were projected from within the entrances to the mazes, flickering back and forth between that and the mazes itself - she assumed this would be rather entertaining for both her and Angela, and she leaned back, awaiting her friend’s arrival.

Receiving Dalanesca’s letter Angela packed the two little ones up and appeared on the rooftop with her. “Hope you don’t mind the company.”

Poppy and Larkspur looked at her with big stormy eyes just like Drae’s. “AUNTIE DAL!” They squealed as they ran over to her and kissed her.

“AH!” Angela yelled as she stared the little redhead and the black haired boy. “What did I tell you… If I brought you what were you to do?”

The twins looked up at her and then at each other. “That we were to go play with our toys and behave so you could talk with Auntie Dal.” They were holding onto their toys and found a little spot not far from them.

“They needed to get out of the temple and they’ve been driving me up the wall lately.” She chuckled a bit and fell onto the chaise lounge that Dalanesca had made for her. She had a slinky green and gold dress that was elegant. She leaned her head back and chuckled. “This adventure is proving us both right it would seem. Many come for treasure but many come to prove to you the heart of man exists.”

“Mommy?” Poppy came over with a book in her hand. “What’s this word?” She slid it over to Angela and pointed out one word.

“That word is sleepy. The prince was very sleepy.” Angela read out the storyline for her and Poppy tilted her head.

“That’s weird.” The little girl went back to her brother and started to read the line that Angela had just taught her.

“Kids are entertained by the damnedest things.” Turning her attention to the orb she tilted her head as she watched it. “Don’t get me wrong Dalanesca I am still very cross about the whole thing with Xunatar. However, I understand why you did it. I suppose it is in my nature to be cross at such acts. I am the protector and Mother… If I wasn’t upset then that would be a tragedy in itself.”

Dalanesca had not exactly been expecting for Angela to bring her children with her, but it did not upset her. Instead, she set up quickly and gave each of the children a hug, returning their kisses in kind. “Hello kids,” she said, beaming at them, though she had to admit that she was internally grateful when Angela hushed them up and set them off to play.

“It’s no matter to me,” she said. “I don’t mind when you bring them along… at least it seems like they listen a bit more these days,” she added, giving Angela a bit of a wink. “Are you sure you aren’t the one driving them up the wall?” she asked, but it was clear that the comment was made purely in jest and she meant nothing ill-hearted by it.

“There’s nothing wrong with both of us being right, but I assure you, mortals are much more greedy than you think,” she added. “Take that one, for instance,” she said, gesturing towards a lone male who was entering the building. Of course, Dalanesca was able to discern things from the souls trapped in her Underworld. “Just two months ago, he slit his mother’s throat while she slept so he could sell her jewels to buy a new sword, that very sword he carries now,” she added, her tone darkening and her voice quieting so the children could not hear her.

She fell silent when Poppy came over, asking her mother to help her decipher one of the words in the book that she held. Dalanesca let out a little chuckle at the exchange between the two, turning back to Angela when Poppy walked back to Larkspur, her brother, and the pair continued their conversation.

“I figured as much,” she said, when Angela indicated that she was still upset about what she and Xunatar had done. “It was a lesson that I felt needed to be taught, and I see why you would be upset with it… especially with what went on in Sularia,” she said, pausing for effect. “Either way, it’s over now and we’re on to our next adventure,” she said, chuckling again. “Besides, Xunatar and I needed to… bond!” she said, clearly having difficulty in choosing the last word of her sentence. “After all, I’m sure you’ve heard rumors and murmurs ove the sort, but his brother, Jarmyr… I’ve grown quite fond of him, I suppose you could say,” she said, trailing off. “He’s something else,” she said, and for a moment her face softened as she thought back to her new companion.

“Those things aside, how have you been? Save our work on this… project, I’ve not seen much of you since our domains shifted,” she said, helping herself to a bit more wine and reclining against the lounge chair.

“I think it is Adraejen who drives me up the wall and they help.” She jested back at her good friend. After a few moments of Dalanesca letting her know what was going on Angela was silent. “Dal… If anyone knows how greedy they are… It is me and my people.” Her words were very solemn as she stared at the orb with little to no interest. “The world isn’t inherently like that. It’s not the world I want my children in… The light is always brightest in the deep darkness. When Egjora and Adeluna raped and killed my people because I was in the conclave… I was deeply bitter and angry. I wanted to lash out and I did. The number of people I let have my wrath was great but I didn’t extend it to people I knew had nothing to do with it.”

Angela, unlike Dalanesca, wasn’t quiet. The children looked up at her but it wasn’t something they had heard from her before. “The world is dark and frightening but for every bad person, there are two good people born. People are mostly not evil out of being born like that, some are, but the good majority were nurtured that way. The rules of the world applied to them. I’ve sat on top this world for how long Dalanesca? Too long most would say. I’ve seen both the evil and the good. I’ve been in your position. I’ve punished those that have deserved it. I’ve given birth to many of these creatures in a sense… and the weight is heavy.”

Helping Poppy Angela head Dalanesca and smiled up at her. “Sularia was affected but not as badly as the rest of the continent. The only thing was that you had me stuck in the same house as my sex craved daughter who was, by the way, torturing her husband who wasn’t affected.” She tilted her head and chuckled. “I could have killed you for that alone.” Tilting her head she chuckled a bit. “I know of Jarmyr quite well his son is courting my daughter. I can understand the need to bond with people. It is something I struggled with for a good majority when I was Death… though for other reasons.”

She rubbed the back of her head and looked at Dalanesca. “For good reason. I’ve been prepping my son Lucian to take my place for most things in Sularia… It is a lot of work and teaching. Not to mention the twins take up a lot of time because they are constantly punching each other in the face. Adraejen and I have been… involved a lot more… if you get what I mean. This shift to love has done a lot for us. Not to mention I’ve been working on Xunatar’s soon to be daughter in law’s eyesight. We just fixed it but it took both of us. Busy busy. How about you my dear what have you been up to?”

On cue Poppy lunged at her brother with a squealing roar and started to beat him up. “THAT WAS MY BOOK AND YOU RIPPED IT.”

“Didn’t do it on purpose Pops,” Lark yelled back at her as he pulled her hair and flipped them.

“ENOUGH THE BOTH OF YOU,” Angela roared and the ground shook. “Bring me the book,” Angela was calm now as Pops brought over the book and Angela fixed it with magic. “Stop fighting over stupid things and make sure to apologize to each other.” Hitting her daughter on her ass as she walked away Poppy rubbed it and made a face. “Make that face again and I’ll make it stick.” Instantly it was dropped and the twins were once again playing.

“Do not have twins…”

Dalanesca couldn’t help but laugh as Angela blamed Adraejen for her woes just as much as she did her children. When the conversation shifted to a more solemn topic, she merely nodded as Angela spoke, not wanting to rudely interrupt her friend as she spoke on such personal topics. “See, Angela, therein lies the problem. I think that sometimes, do to our long history together as friends, you forget who I have become… I’m the Devil you know,” she said, though there was no hint of joking to her words - it was clear she was being wholly serious. Though she and Angela did get along well, they were, in fact, polar opposites when it came to the spectrum of their spheres of influence. This did cause disagreements from time to time, but their friendship was so close that it would never destroy them.

“Sorry about your daughter,” she said, laughing as the mood of the conversation lightened again. She was glad that Angela seemed to understand where she was coming from, and of Jarmyr and of Xunatar of course. When the conversation turned back to the kids, Dalanesca laughed at Angela’s demeanor, though there was still sympathy laced within her laughter. She was glad to hear that Lucian was training to take over the Red Court - between all of her young children and her duties as a goddess, Dalanesca just couldn’t understand how Angela could ever have the time for that.

“I’m glad you and Drae have been well. It’s nice to see things going right for a change,” she added. “Well, you know what I’ve been up to. There was the bit with Xunatar, and now what we’ve done - and other than that it’s been working on keeping that damn Jazrael in line. She’s up to no good every time I look at her! I’ve tasked her with going through the mazes as punishment, but we’ll see if she actually does it,” she said with a sigh. “And then, of course, I’ve been spending my leisure time with Jarmyr and that has been… enjoyable, if you catch my drift,” she said, giving the red haired goddess a wink.

She fell silent as Angela had to chastise her children. When she warned her to not have twins, Dalanesca let out a bit of a chuckle. “I’ll keep that in mind if I ever decide to attempt having children again,” she said. The way she phrased the statement certainly proved how much she had changed since the loss of her child, back when she had held influence over order and balance, when Marth had still been around. “I think that, with Marth, that might have been it. I know that I loved him. I thought I loved Story, but… I don’t know about that,” she said, trailing off again. “And Jarmyr… he pulls me in. But I don’t know that I could ever go through the loss that I suffered with both Marth and the baby,” she said. She did not cry, she did not weep - her voice only took on a solemn tone.

She grinned after a moment, taking another sip of wine. “You know, if those twins of yours keep misbehaving, maybe you should send them for a weekend at Auntie Dal’s…” she added, winking. “Nothing to shape up naughty children than the depths of Hell itself!”

Drae felt the tremor through the ground and paused on the stairs. He had figured on the twins giving it at least ten more minutes before causing Angela to roar like that. It seemed he had overestimated his youngest two. He heaved a sigh with a smile as he continued up into the sitting area where Angela was conversing with Dalanesca. He was pleased to see that Poppy and Lark had in fact settled down. He put on his best smile and strode in, finally looking like his trim and slim self after losing all the muscle and bulk he had put on during the Ignius and Venti months. 

"Hello, Ladies. Angela, you roare– holy hells and cats teeth, Lark! What happened to your eye?!" He had been all set to make one of his dashing entrances, but the appearance of Lark having a massively puffed up black and red eye made him lose whatever façade of charm he had. His children did that to him. 

"Poppy," Lark said simply, while Poppy looked up at her father innocently. 
"He ripped my book." 

"Onnen give me strength," he said softly as he knelt down and lifted Lark's chin to get a better look. He looked at Poppy. "I sure hope he ripped your book apart if you gave him something like this," he told Poppy sternly. "Otherwise it was uncalled for."

He let go of Lark's chin and straightened up before he turned to join Angela and Dalanesca. 
"Lady Siren, you look ravishing as always," he said as he came over and placed a kiss to the back of Dalanesca's hand. As he did so, he took particular note of what the women were drinking and looked reproachfully at Angela before he lightly touched the rim of her glass, and it was purified to simple juice. 

"Ang, you KNOW you aren't supposed to be drinking."

“And here comes the balancing act”, Jarmyr muttered to himself as he stood among the crowd, watching as they overheard the goddess’ reason for organizing this little get together. The land was still feeling the aftershock of what Dalanesca and Xunatar had done. And from what he gathered, Angela was trying to mend the faith and mettle of the mortals. He wasn’t too surprised by this nor was he that many people came to prove themselves and her case. While the demon couldn’t very well say that they didn’t warrant what the sins had brought onto them, he could admit that they weren’t as stupid or weak as his brother believed them to be at times. Or at least not as much.

After the fun commenced and the crowds rushed off to their destined mazes, he hung back glanced back to where the goddess’ had been before he disappeared to take care of a few things himself. When the new day arrived, he returned with a reinforced silk rope and a single gorgeous red rose. In his right hand, laid a flute and once he placed it onto his lips, he started to play a joyous melody which in turn started to cause the rope to come to life and make its way up the building to the top of the balcony. Once it secured itself, Jarmyr took the rose into his teeth and begun to climb up the side, imagining the look on the face of the woman he had not too long ago shared a bed with. While he wasn’t strange of doing bizarre things, she inspired him to further push that envelope. To many others that didn’t understand would think of him as a madman, but to be fair, he had been invited by her, after all.

By the time he reached the edge, he could see that both goddess’ weren’t alone- there was another man by Angela’s side along with some children. Curiously enough, Dal had her own entourage with her as well. Such a thing actually brought him to tears with his laughter. “Love your friends”, he mumbled while the flora was still in his mouth. Jarmyr pulled himself up moved to the Reaper’s side and handed her his little gift. His eyes sought for the lucky bastard who was being used for a footstool and winked. “Especially this fellow” Without a thought needed, he moved in and kissed her cheek before addressing the other parties involved, “Angela, how nice to meet you again. I take it that you’ll be resting your feet on him as well”, he joked, pointing to Drae. With that out of the way, he turned to fetch a glass of wine and pour himself some and went to move to the back of Dalanesca's seat and leaned against it. “Love the shindig, by the way, ladies”