“Nope. I’m done.” Peter, currently under his bedsheets and pillow over his head, rebuked Traya as she had e to wake him up and, mier when she came back to che him… found him still lying/hiding in bed. “Peytr…” She frowned, fused by this behaviranted she had known him for barely a week, but this felt… out of character for him. “This week has been hell.” Peter frowned, his muffled voice souired, “I ’t imagine how Ennalyssa has survived five years of this crap if I barely go a week.” He paused, “… IS there a hell? Like… a p the afterlife that’s punishment for bad people? Does your pantheon even do that sort of thing?” “I… well, we do have a goddess of Death…” Traya said as she stood at his bedside, looking down at the lump that was her friend uhe covers, “You aren’t thinking of…” “What? No. No…” He shot up into a sitting position, which was amusing sihe pillow and bs went with him, like a fabric wave swelling, “I just want to curse properly.” He muttered as he waved his arms around, trying to pull the sheet and b from his head, revealing himself finally.

  Though she had seeer when he first arrived, she quickly looked away in shoow, though, and she was embarrassed to admit it, she took a much lohan-necessary look at his bare chest and slight belly. His arms were muscled; she could see the definition, though not excessively there. And his belly, while present, wasn’t off-putting.She found herself realizing he was actually quite strong, more than likely, with as thick a core as he had.Peter covered himself with the b, cheeks ruddy as he looked away. Why is he blushing?She had to wonder; some of the things Peter said and did holy fused her but the answer was obvious — he came from a different world. It was also hat he took the time to expin things, even if they were veiled as an apology; seemingly embarrassed by doing or saying whatever he did or said that fused her.

  “Do you really think you should be cursing or cussing around Enna?” Traya gave a teasing grin, “She’s young and impressionable, after all. And you do want to be a good role model, don’t you?”

  “I am not young and impressionable, godsdammit!” Ennalyssa snapped from her hiding pce, peeking around the well of Peter’s door, then gasped and cussed again at being discovered, “Shit.” “Well, you’re young at the very least.” Traya argued, “And rude, listening in on our versation like that.” “Traya, it’s fine…” Peter said gently, “Though I do agree eavesdropping is not a good habit… I also don’t want to keep things from her.”

  Ennalyssa peeked around the er, “… You’re dressed, yeah?” “And covered up.” Peter assured her.The young teenager made her way into the room, “Besides, I wasn’t eavesdropping… the door en and he was being loud.” She snarked. “…” Traya frowned, mouth open and pointing a finger as she tried to ter-argue.Peter chuckled, “She has a point.” “Peytr… what do you mean ‘done’?” She asked, standing by his bedside with Traya.Blushing, Peter ran a hand through his hair in his chagrin, sighing, “This week has been… stressful for me.” He expined, “One of the soldiers has been or had been, rather, spreading nasty rumors about me, and the guards I had beeo spar with all figured that that would be a good time to ‘get back’ at me for what they were told I did and said.” He frowugging at his long hair and pulling it into the short ponytail he had, “Though there were… three days where things were quiet. Though I’m not totally sure the higher officer stopped spreading rumors, or the uards figured they’d better not try anything more after finding out that higher ranking o in trouble with d’Zaier.”

  Peter did not miss the attempt at holding back a heavy wihat both of the dies did, indepe of each other.He tinued, however, without calling attention to it, only giving a ‘mhm’ in his throat.

  “But yesterday…” He sighed.Sitting on the bed cross-legged, Ennalyssa leaowards him, “What happened yesterday?”Traya put her hand oer’s shoulder nodding a silent encement to him. “I… don’t want to start things…” “I hate to say it but ‘things’ were already started.” Ennalyssa snarked, huffing a snort through her nose, “You’re the sed person I’ve seen actively stand up to Havengard and Shepherd d’Zaier.” “Did something happen during your training again?” Traya asked gently.Peter, sighing, buried his fa his hands, “I… I don’t know if it’s reted, or what but… yeah. Something happened during training.” “I remember there being a otioerday.” Ennalyssa piped up, earning a whine from Peter at ‘otion’, “Sorry, Peytr… but you were putting on a pretty good show with that magic.” She pointed out, “When did you learn those other spells?” “I, ah, didn’t learn them… I just sorta…” He tapped the side of his head, “I pictured them and tried my best to make them happen.” “What?” The ten-year-old gasped, “That’s amazing!”He shrugged, “I still got beaten by that Senior cilor…” “cilor Hea?” Traya asked, “She is rather powerful but…” She wrinkled her arting to say something but stopping herself. “But?” Peter looked up at her from the bed expetly. “No, I shouldn’t say.” The young woman shook her head, “I don’t want to speak ill of a superior.” She expined. “Well.” Peter sighed, “Speaking ill or not… I’m not too happy with what she tried to do: getting unfortably close is ohing… she also seemed ied in me.” He held up his hands, “But I really ’t say for sure. I was never good figuring that stuff out in my old life… and then, of course, different cultures between here and there.” He sighed, “Then there was that… chewy dy thing she gave me. And her voice…” “She gave you a dy?” Ennalyssa asked.Traya frowned a little, “Did it have a sort of acrid smell, mixed with this almost sharp ‘cool’ st?”Peter nodded. “Bumynt.” She wrinkled her nose. “She said it would help me rex, it didn’t smell or taste that bad…” Peter frowned. “You don’t o worry. One dy chew isn’t going to do much except exactly that.” Traya expined, “Bumynt is actually good for that — though processed for its oil it’s a little strohan if you just chewed on a leaf you plucked yourself.” She shrugged, “There’s no danger. Alcohol is more addictive than bumynt… but like all things, you overindulge with it.” “So, otle chew isn’t going to harm me.” Peter visibly rexed. “You were that worried?” Ennalyssa asked.Peter nodded, shrugging, “Again, different world. Different pnts. I don’t know how anything will affect me here.” Granted, irely true sidering Na’at had told him he was able to eat and drink as he normally would have back when he was alive. ing pure poison and ing out fine, of course, but the jury was still out on how he’d be affected by certain substances since he never imbibed those substances ba his old life.

  “What worries me more is… you said something about her voice?” Traya asked.Peter, exhaling, shrugged, “I don’t know how to describe it other than her voice sounded… different.” He offered, “Her words seemed to reach deeper than normal. Like there was something more to them? Behind them?” “Behind the words?” Ennalyssa asked.He nodded, “Like… something was giving her words actual power.” “If that’s the case… she’s…” Traya mused, then clucked her tongue, “Enna, please go get ready, and thehe table? I’m going to try a Peytr out of bed.”

  Ennalyssa started to sit up straight as she inhaled, a sure sign she was about to vehemently protest Traya’s gently-worded request but the words came out as more of an ‘eh’ as Peter, with a soft touch to her shoulder shook his head. “Enna, please do as she asks? She is right, you o get ready for training today, and we have our lessons after.” “Mrhg…” She huffed, pouting as she slipped from Peter’s bed and wordlessly left his room.

  Traya followed, shutting the door to Peter’s room before returning to his side, sittio him now, “What did it feel like? These words that had something behind them?”Peter looked at her, not likione and what they might insinuate, but inhaled as he sat up straighter and sighed, “Like… they sounded like a good idea. Or the right thing to do. That they made seo me in the moment.” He frowned, “I could still think and have my own thoughts but…”Traya nodded, “You said they sounded different?” “It was still her voice but there was somethira to it.” He firmed. “I see.” Traya worried at her bottom lip in thought, “Did she say these words before or after you ate the dy?” “Before. Telling me she just wao help me. That she could help me calm down… stuff like that.” Peter expined, “I got… fuzzy-headed. And she kinda… guided me iing the dy chew.” “I ’t firm, or deny, what happened… but I think she used magic to coerce you iing it. Just enough to get your defenses lowered.” “I… I see.” Peter frowned, his hand gripping at the b and sheet that still covered him. “You… aren’t alright, are you.”Peter shook his head, “I am not.” He whispered, inhaling deeply, shaking his head again, “But I have to be, for you and Enna.” “Peytr…”He smiled, moving a hand to her. She looked down, surprised that it was not shaking, or shivering.“I’m not okay now, but I will be.” He whispered, “I’m sorry it took so long to get me out of bed.”“Peytr. This is bad. That sort of thing is not allowed. Arkynik coer is—” She sighed, “It’s not illegal but it’s not legal-legal. Someone ’t just do that to another person, say, out oreet, or over an athyrcast—” “A what?” “I’ll expin ter. My point is that this is something not allowed and we should report it.” “To who? d’Zaier?” He asked, sn. Though he had to admit that he was surprised that the Shepherd had stepped in with Havengard’s as against him during training. “No. Someone of equal rank, though.” Traya shook her head, “I’ll speak with Shepherd Vaunn while you two are at training.” “Maybe we’ll get lucky and he’ll be able to do something.”Traya nodded, “Now. I know you don’t want to be te, so please get out of bed and join us for breakfast. I made ft-cakes.” “Yay~”She giggled, “You really like my cooking that much?” “I really like food, and cooking, and different fvors.” Peytr pat his belly through the b, “This was much bigger before I came to Aetyros.”Again, Traya giggled and nodded, standing up and leaving him to get ready. Will I be okay?The thought was not just to himself, but to Na’at and, perhaps, Di’si’thlya. ?You will be.? Na’at’s voice was almost immediately there in his ‘mental ear’, whisperily, and his body was surrounded by that now-familiar gentle warmth of her presence as it ed him in a ‘hug’, ?Your affinity for Chaos-aligned magic helped protect you. I didn’t think to warn you this sort of magic existed. I am so so sorry, my son.” I…I’m not mad. I ’t be mad. Even if you did tell me things to prepare myself, it’s entirely possible tet something. ?You are being awfully calm…?Peter sighed. I am holy trying not to freak out. This is going to be reported. And I have you. He frowned, I think… tonight… we should talk. ‘Flying uhe radar’ is out the window, I think, they still don’t know I’m a Godchild… but I’ve shown off enough that they might think something is up. Hell. She ft-out said I had been holding back about myself. ?That… is true. Alright, tonight, when you go to bed, we’ll talk. I’ll give you all the information I that won’t melt your brain.?Useful knowledge to help me survive day to day would be hings like currency, and political figures too, maybe. Religions, taboos, cultural things… so I blend in I have to leave the Church grounds. ?I’ll get right on that.? She whispered, aer felt an increase of her presence localized at his cheek — as good a kiss as they could get.Then she was gone.

  However, it was soon repced with a different presence, ohat was being familiar. Di’si’thlya? |Hey, nephew. Had to wait til your Mom left so I didn’t overwhelm you with two divine presen ygin. Possible, but you’d o practice it.| Fair. What are you doing here? |I o apologize as well. I told you that Hea had a fair bit of magic at her disposal. I should have warned you.| About that… coeragibsp; |Yes. I’m sorry, Peter, and I hope you believe me.| She whispered in his ‘mental ear’, |We of The Family may be gods and goddesses but we are not perfect. We know a lot more, do a lot more but…|Peter sighed as he finally got out of bed. I don’t know. I think that may be better. Everything else is imperfect… why should the gods be any different? If they’re perfect, why not make a perfect Creation?He rubbed his head, “I am eoo un-caffeinated for this sort of existential crisis.” He muttered aloud. |Well. Yical defenses are solid. I’d have to do a deep dive to see just what Na’at did when she made this body for you. I gave her some help, of course, but I left her the keys, such as it is, to py around with the ‘g’. You’ll be fine.|====================