The situation wasn't great, whatever Idir really was, was dangerous, I had just been too blind to see it, too happy my old friend was himself again. How much could they sense, if I gave others this memory. would they give it away through their feelings?
'Too risky.' I thought, I was moving toward myself and looked at me in the eye. "It's time we I was whole again... What do I think?"
"I agree... Be better than I was, feel these things with a better head on your shoulders."
"I won't just be better than you. I'll be better than us, thought and feeling, the best of both, now give how do I..." I couldn't even finish asking how to merge us back together, he simply stopped being there and I felt... Everything.
It was a crushing responsibility, like being the sole guard protecting the whole world's wealth. Each bond I now felt a part of made itself known, as though interwoven with muscle fibre and actually holding every particle of every atom that made me together.
"No wonder he only focused on one, this is gonna be a learning curve, I feel like they're telling me how to move and act even.... Heartstrings... puppet strings more like. Sorry feelings I'll honour you in my own way, thank you very much. I can't stop being who I am, it'll only upset those I wish to see happy." The final sentiment seemed to bring it under control, but I felt that was only the case of my absolute will activating.
"See you soon Idir, in the flesh next time..." I said as I began to fade. 'Yes, the mortal flesh of a faulty mannequin.' I continued internally.
When I regained conciousness, Eve was holding me, rocking me and crying. "You know you're a goddess, why didn't you just use absolute will and tell me to hurry and wake up." I joked, fully expecting a slap, but she just blushed.
"I didn't think of that... I was too worried to think straight." Eve sobbed.
"My love, I know you were, I'm sorry but it worked... I'm whole now, listen." I whispered, moving to pull her ear to my chest, my heart racing at simply being so close to her.
"Well... If you're sure you're OK and it worked, then tell me, say what you struggled to say in the assembly that day." Her words were filled with longing, I knew what she wanted the moment she said "tell me".
"My love, Eve, Lady Evelith the high-priestess and the goddess she became... I love you, more than I can even fathom, I ask this with the weight of eternal life... Will you let me spend that time with you, as husband and wife. Will you be the mother of my children, adopted and our, will you be my queen in the kingdom of Eden and will you stay with me if some unknown law called us to The Black."
Eve was already crying, but the moment I started speaking she broke down completely over the period of my proposal, which I won't lie is why I dragged it out a bit and I had to give a shake of my head to Astrael when I realised she was aware and liable to rat me out.
Astrael's reaction was not the immediate priority though, what was concerning me at that moment, was the fact the woman I love had broken down so completely she was no longer cabable of human speech, stringing random letters together in a way I feared might summon an eldritch horror.
"aejjseijfaing"
"Es-faing..es fanig... Oh! Please-something ring!" I received the first of several slaps at that moment as I tried to translate Emotional Eve - coherent speech, but I wont say them all because that might actually call Cthulhu... or whatever that guy actually was, nice though, great sense of humour.
I finally managed to decode the message to "Please-re-give-me-the-ring", and everybody was actually impressed I managed it, then I slid the ring of her finger. "Eve, I'm scared you will literally die if I repeat my first proposal, so please, with everything I said before. Will you marry me in four-ish days." That was when I received both the final slap of the day and witnessed the most vigorous nodding of a human head that didn't leave a corpse behind and then I slid the finger back onto her finger.
After I received the most passionate kiss of all time, but it was kind of gross, her eyes were swollen shut like she had hay-fever, her nose was snotty, she couldn't see and headbutted me. I can honestly say though that kiss burnt itself into my mind, almost on par with the demoness force-feeding me soup incident.
"OK, Eve, I get it and I love you, but there is a child present, and a deva who wants to be our child,"
"Fal- infact everyone, you better leave for a while."
*cough* *cough* "Oh no, I'm not OK after all." I'm not proud of that one, but it was necessary, I knew she wanted to get married before we went the distance and that look in her eyes was screaming a lot of different things and not one of them was "Let's just wait most the week."
Luckily she was such a mess she believed me and stopped and Astrael got to Fala just as she was about to say "He looks OK to me... Is this a faker test again?"
Eve then picked me up and supported me back to the cabin, as I struggled with all my wait against the side-splitting pain telling me to laugh as I caught the expressions on all the ladies faces "You coward"... except two Cosmael's said "Thank you." and Falas said "Seriously I don't get what's happening".
Back in the cabin I ate like a dragon after a two-thousand year nap. "Blowing your head up really works up an appetite." I declared as I shovelled the remnants of my sixth omelette into my mouth.
"Did he just..."
"I guess I feel like dropping the no talking rule... Disrespect food at your own risk, but we can chat."
"OK, but sweetie, we talk between mouthfuls." Eve explained as if she had just won most unpleasant display of the week, then Astrael spoke and nearly started the apocalypse.
"I know for a fact you tried talking with your mouthful early hours yesterday morning..." Even though she knew how badly she messed up and she had the No Questions Asked card I gave her, ready, it wasn't immediate recognised as a listed use.
All the rest of us could do was hope beyond hope that it was accepted, whilst also hoping that Fala didn't ask what it meant and then the little child opened her mouth... And saved us.
"That was mean, eating next to him whilst he couldn't eat." Her timing was wrong, but not even Astrael was willing to push her luck any further and correct the mistaken child and Eve took that as a sign to forgive the deva with a death-wish.
With everything settled, I was free to honour my promise Layaera. "So, why don't we make that core for you? Like I say though, the core I'll produce for you will be of the domain of black, not the white that mortals know. You will be the first phoenix to receive such a thing if I'm not mistaken, so I don't know what changes you might undergo."
"Do it." She replied with the same determination. "My family lied, told me we were better than "monster races" for that one reason. If I change... Good, it will be a sign I'm different from them."
"Not to test your resolve, but you are a phoenix Layaera, your differences are clear and unmistakable."
"Yes, word will spread through my family. Then when they see the phoenix Layaera using holy magic, however it might look, the poison will not be able to spread further through the people."
"If your mind is made, but out of curiosity, you said "When they see me" what do you intend for them to see."
"... I wish to join your group, Candor, when your journey starts in a few years."
"It would be our honour." I extended my hand as if to shake hers, then grabbed her and formed the core before she could realise. "...Sorry I thought it best to get it over with."
She groaned with pain and discomfort for a few minutes before she could stand. "No, thank you. I'm feeling strangely tired though."
"Celesael, take her to get some rest, help her if she needs anything... Please tidy up any mess you make when she's better." I laughed.
Then we headed out to tell everyone the good news and reclaim our daughter, not that we were worried since this child could hug far tighter than Valo could manage unlike Fala. It was special to me though, I found myself nervous and my hands grew clammy.
"It's OK Adam, she is your daughter and your daughter she will just be happy to see you."