After the Quatal's astute and succinct allocation of guilt we had dinner and went to bed as a family. Having her with us as we watched one of the movies I had committed to memory, was a joy I never thought I'd experience, mainly because I never really enjoyed watching them before.
Holding my family, I felt at peace and the day was fast approaching when that peace would be cemented.
The next day I ran through every detail of the big day again, my memory was good but that required absolute perfection. Luckily I would have three deva with me who had such perfect memories, but the less they had to remind me of the better.
At lunch time I teleported over to the demon's domain with Kriel, ready to bring them back to Eden. Kriel's master stopped next to me, thanked me for letting Sinfree live and I saw the pain of a man losing something like a daughter to him, a feeling I could now fully grasp.
"I'm truly sorry, if I had known things would turn out this way, I would have let her swear her oath to me. I can never make amends, but I will try to have Sil free her from her duty if I can. That's the only plan Kriel and I have so far."
"Don't hold your breath, Sil was steadfast and may not even be satisfied from that. I understand the gravity of the situation, I only ask you let me hate you for it." I said, a small hollow smile forming on his face.
"Hate away, I would be disgusted if you didn't." Those were the final words spoken before we teleported back.
That night Eve reminded me of one thing I had truly forgotten...
"Don't forget that tomorrow night, we have the party for attending high-class guests" She prodded, putting sarcastic emphasis on the description. "After that, you will be going home with Leeson, for the parting." The last bit practically poured ice water over us, we were both unashamedly clingy and spent every possible second together, the fact I required supervision to not get into trouble was barely even a veil to that at that point.
I decided to focus on the slightly less painful matter. "I had forgotten, admittedly by choice. Can't we just say I'm under lock and key so I don't run?"
Eve laughed. "Who would believe that? The only direction you'll ever run is mine, if Quatal's ever the destination I'll either be at your side, on your back or making my own way there."
"Apart from a few, why are they even here? Most of these people have never met me and you aren't the same woman they knew." Eve then explained boring political nonsense I couldn't care less about. "Seriously, I'm not a king yet, I hope no one expects me to act the part."
"We are well aware, my love, now where's Quatal?"
Eve was struggling, her eyes turning black every time we were alone and her impressionable daughter was the only one who could keep her at bay. Not to say I was in a better position, but I just kept telling myself "Someone could walk in any second." though it had become more accurate to say "Somebody please walk in right now."
The next day was calm, everyone at breakfast including Vedna who arrived the night before and Midra, who arrived only an hour prior.
Then the time I dreaded arrived and we were at the party, my ears burned, unknown and putting my all into going largely unseen, aside from a few highly skilled and very amused retainers who clocked on to my covert antics, then Eve found me and lectured me much to their increased enjoyment.
Despite the telling-off, I was in a fairly good mood and then I heard it. Spoken amongst a few noble ladies... "So that the ex-high-priestess, how many times do you think she had to confess her lustful ways before they finally excommunicated her?"
The room turned black, so black that even the deva's bodies were contrasted slightly. As everyone started to look around, they gradually noticed me and how Eve was desperately trying to ask me to leave it, but it was only Quatal saying she was scared that snapped me out of it.
"You are no longer welcome in this land, leave. Anyone offended or like minded, join her. Don't try to hide your feelings the deva will see through it. First however, I should explain myself." That is exactly what I did, I explained. I made it clear that insulting my family was unforgivable and I explained that my family was more important than the world itself.
"Sorry, my daughter is just at the age where her mouth moves faster than her mind."
"A good father, defending your daughter out of paternal love..." I looked to Astrael, who shook her head. "... Or maybe not, regardless a terrible excuse for something that has no good one to begin with. Let me prove it, how old is the brainless wretch?"
I could see the anger in his eyes, not at mu insulting his daughter, but at being publicly denied by someone of no rank or station, yet still possessed enough personal might to render his meaningless if he attempted anything. "She's twenty." He spat, before flinching at the sound of my laughter.
"Twenty, a full adult in almost every time and nation I have ever experienced. Maybe she simply needs a better education, as much as you need a sense of perspective. Why don't I share a memory of my life with you, when I was ten..." The words were spoken as a challenge and the man was foolish enough to accept out of pride.
I held out a hand and produced the orb. "let's make it a wager, if you can walk straight after this, I will apologise for everything I said."
"And if I can't?" The question was born from the sudden awareness of an unwinnable situation.
"I'll do you a favour since you have nothing I wish. You disinherit that fool so the world never has to suffer her with actual means to do harm beyond venomous words." The pair of them turned ashen, but he nodded and gripped the orb.
A moment later he was violently sick, eyes wide as he hugged himself for comfort.
I knelt down, bereft of any compassion but used magic to clean him and floor. "Come now, a noble should maintain their dignity. That wasn't even the worst I suffered back then. I'll leave you to think about things though, you have other matters to attend to... Just do it in your own lands, no one else should have to suffer her venom."
I quickly turned my back on them, apologising to both Eve and Quatal for the display, Eve wasn't exactly happy, but seeing me bottle such rage so quickly for Quatal was curbing her anger.
"Lord, I have been reading everyone and they are all on your side. They feel disgusted by what was said. They are a bit scared of you now though, maybe comfort them a bit as well." Astrael offered telepathically to me and Eve.
"How exactly?" I muttered, annoyed at the idea of having to give anyone else my attention.
"I dunno, sing a song?" She laughed back at me, making Eve stifle one as well.
"Fiiiine..." I sighed, readying to conjure a guitar.
"Nooooo, no no no. I was joking, jeez, how can you notice Valo and Doran before two empaths but not that? Talk to them, apologise for them dampening the atmosphere." Astrael ranted at her having to run damage control.
"Everyone! I would like to apologise, I would have done so sooner but as I said my family will always come first... and always is a long time considering none of us will age much." I garnered a weak chuckle from a few present. "I'm sure I'm not what most of you expected me to be, many of you I am meeting for the first time and you have come here with minds full of rumours and retellings." Most of the crowd's heads began to bob in agreement.
I went on to tell them how I would make the time to talk to them and get to know them over the next few days. "I'll be honest, most of you know full well the next ceremony happening here and who it involves and that is why you are attending. This wedding however is just two people of no rank expressing their desire to spend eternity together, so it makes sense that only friends, family and acquaintances attend." The air filled with a slight disappointment and trepidation as they wondered if I was about to rescind their invites.
"But. That's why we are here! We are here to become acquainted, with luck friends and with time... If I know my daughter.... many will become aunts and uncles. So I apologise, for jeopardising that chance, I am emotionally immature, aside from the certainty that I love my family I have a tendency to act on impulse and if you don't believe you can measure Halsan's hairline during your stay. I will happily work out the odds for the rate of recession if popular demand calls for wagers." My speech erased the tension, uprising me for a moment until Astrael reminded me of my own past.