Omake: The Three Goddesses Receive a Letter

Omake: The Three Goddesses Receive a Letter

Omake: The Three Goddesses Receive a Letter

Aida lounged back in her lounge chair, enjoying the softness of cushions filled with the down plumage of swans and wrapped in the finest silk. She had a drink by her side, the crystal cup covered in a layer of condensation and clinking merrily whenever the ice within shifted. That ice required that they keep a Terror mage working in their kitchens, but it was entirely worth it to beat back the oppressive Iarian warmth.

This, she concluded as she peered across a room lavishly decorated in silks and finery, was decadence itself, and it was worth every bead of sweat and lost tear over her long, long life.

Unfortunately, it was decadence shared.

And then she has the gall, the gall, to ask me what I know of childbirth. Me! Allegra whined.

The goddess of Matrons was laying upon a heap of cushions next to a knee-high table in the centre of the room, her free arm--the other holding her own cooled beverage--waving and gesturing for emphasis.

So? Alisa asked. The goddess of Maidens was always quick to poke at her oldest counterpart.The source of this content nov(el)bi((n))

Aida sighed. As the Goddess of Mothers herself, she was something of the middle ground between her two sister goddesses. Though truly, they shared little to no blood. Their domains overlapped, more so than nearly any god or goddess in the pantheon. That would, under ordinary circumstances, mean that they were weaker, but they had found their own way around that.

If sharing one's domain meant losing a third of ones potential power, then so be it. Three gods with two-thirds of their power working together was still far stronger than one god on their own.

More or less. Math and the esoteric nature of power and divinity did not mix all that well.

Do we need to have this argument again? Aida asked.

Alisa groaned. But Aida, Im bored. The least the old one can do is provide some entertainment. Alisa leaned back, her loose robes riding up to expose a dangerous amount of leg.

Aida and Allegra both gave her a flat look. Their youngest member was always the one who was looking for trouble, and she often found it. Aida shook her head. Dont start, she said.

Alisa huffed, but she didnt push things. Fine. Can we at least get some of those pretty looking templars to move the furniture again?

For the goddess of Maidens, you sure do like looking. Allegra snapped.

Alisas cheeks reddened, but she soon smiled a very conspiratorial sort of smile. I wouldnt mind being the goddess of young men with firm buttocks.

A cushion was flung across the room, and Alisa laughed as a burst of wind spun out of the air and into her waiting arms. Pervert, Allegra accused.

I saw you looking too, old hag!

The matron frowned, staring at the letter more intently. Then she shifted and sat up properly. Aida felt herself tensing too.

Luciana had a child?!

It took a moment for the words to register, and longer for them to make sense.

The Dark Goddess. That most terrifying of monsters. The one Goddess that refused to be part of the wider pantheon, and who met any foray into her lands or domain with incredible violence, the three headed dragon... had a child?

What? Aida asked.

I mean, its not impossible, right? Alisa asked. Shes, uh, a woman, right? Shes got all the bits and bobs for that. Dont know who she, uh, found to do that kind of thing with though.

Nevermind that, Aida said as she climbed to her feet. She walked over to Allegra and sat on one of the cushions next to the older goddess, then she carefully took the letter and scanned through it. ...Is this a joke?

I sense that its genuine, Allegra said. Though it wouldnt be beyond the Dark Goddess to make someone believe that theyre her loving daughter. There was some clearly audible disgust at the idea.

I cant imagine an actual child of the Dark Goddess being... this optimistic. Or nice. This Valeria girl sounds downright sickeningly sweet.

That fits, doesnt it? Alisa said. It earned her a look from the other two. I mean, children either grow very similar to their parents, or they try to be very different. Maybe this Valeria girl is just very different?

Aida considered it, but the idea was hard to wrap her head around. It was too far fetched. How do we respond to this? Shes asking for the kind of advice that wed be best positioned to give.

Can I see? Alisa asked. She took the letter and read through it. Aww, shes sweet. Well, we dont have a choice but to answer, I think.

Really? Allegra asked. Not answering is an answer in and of itself.

Oh yeah, lets leave this girl, whos worried that her evil mother isnt a good mother, to fend for herself, Alisa said with dripping sarcasm.

Aida nodded. I see where youre coming from. Both of you. In this case, I think it would be best to reply. The question remains, how should we reply?

Honestly, Alisa said. She asked some honest questions, so lets answer them the same way. Then the Goddess of Maidens grinned. Though theres nothing stopping us from flinging a few barbs.

That had Aida and Allegra paying attention. There was nothing the three of them enjoyed more than a bit of bickering and gossip.

This might be fun, Alisa said.

***