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[Anastasia]

It's a meal of tropical fruits, grilled fish and little cream filled puff pastries, topped with golden strawberries. A pitcher of ambrosia is in the center. Once Antenora returns in due time, she smiles at it and says, "Details, Syala?"

"Details," Syala smiles widely, "Even Marie could tell Alicia was curious."

[Ebiris]

Even Marie is underselling it considering as Alicia's former familiar she should be naturally in tune with Alicia's moods and desires. "Please, unless it's anything you're sworn to secrecy about," she seconds.

[Anastasia]

Food is taken - the fish is fresh and hot, while the fruit is Sylica's new, tropical bounty from various islands. As you take a bite out of a sweet, tangy fruit Syala calls a aylberry, Antenora has a pastry puff before going on. "To begin with, he commended me for seeing to my newfound duties," Antenora states, "For vigilantly serving the both of you."

Popping a bit of fish into her mouth and enjoying that before replying, "You are ever dutiful," Syala agrees, and with a growing smile, "Then what did he tell you on your private walk?"

"That Creation needs more that remember their duty and serve what is just," Antenora continues, going for another pastry. "A sentiment I agree with completely."

[Ebiris]

"Just making early positive contact, then?" Alicia asks after eating a berry. "I suppose the niceties are important to keep our interactions with other powers running smoothly."

[Anastasia]

"That's right," Antenora agrees, "Also," Antenora pours herself a glass of ambrosia, taking a long sip, "He asked for me to aid Zariel if needed; of course I agreed to that."

[Ebiris]

"Naturally, we're all invested in her redemption," Alicia agrees. "I'm going to set up a small hideaway for her in the Wychwood that she can use whenever she comes back here."

[Anastasia]

Antenora goes for another puff, and after taking a bite, "I'll have to visit her when she's there. Also...hot cinnamon?" she asks Syala.

"Mmm-hmm," Syala smiles, "It goes well in the cream. I'll practice with you, see if your divine will can make those yet."

Finishing her puff off with a contented look, "That was all we talked about - it wasn't anything secret, I believe Helm wanted it to be one on one as equals."

[Ebiris]

"That's important," Alicia says, pausing to have a drink of ambrosia. "We stand together, but we stand as equals. Jessica got a lot out of meeting with Red Knight and treating with her on the same level."

[Anastasia]

"We stand," Antenora raises her glass to that. After that and a long drink she smiles widely, surely feeling the ambrosia. "Also. Now that I have ascended and become One...that will complicate any children Marie and I have, when we choose to have them. How have the two of you dealt with that?"

Syala sips her own, "We've held off. As much as we want to, there's too much going on for us, too many threats. If things come to a head and I was pregnant and infirm, I couldn't live with myself if I sat aside...and if Alicia didn't make it when I could have been there?" Taking a much heavier drink to follow, "I suggest the same for you, even if Marie decides she's ready."

[Ebiris]

"The Neverborn quite thoroughly put me off the idea of deities procreating, even if Seira and Amaryl proved it could be done," Alicia says a bit glumly. "Though," she forces a little cheer, "When we have more avatars it would be easier to make time for it. Syala's right that right now isn't the best time for it, though."

[Anastasia]

That rather pauses the conversation, Antenora looking to you, "That poor thing. No one deserves that, even if their nature would make them a monster."

"I know," Syala says, a flex of divine will giving you all extra privacy. "The righteous aren't the only ones that suffer from him. Pale Night, the Neverborn - they're victims, too."

[Ebiris]

"How much of Pale Night's misdeeds then are a result of her own desires, and how much being forced to wear a cloak of chaos and evil to fit Creation?" Alicia asks. "And does it make a meaningful difference insofar as how we treat with her?"

[Anastasia]

"Morally," Antenora says slowly, "We should strive to make things better. Pale Night suffers a dreadful injustice, but we know not enough about her to say beyond that."

"Morally," Syala butts in, drawing a bit of fruit to her with a flex of her will, then sitting back as she munches it down, "I don't think we can say, but we have to stop her if she's evil. If we ever find out more or can stop or free her for good, we'd revisit it then. It's all well and gone, and horrifying, but we can only deal in the here and now."

[Ebiris]

"She could have been a destructive invader to Creation like so many others, only the Incarnations made use of her rather than just killing her... for now though there's nothing we can do about her. She has Sylian to advance her interests where all this is concerned, so we'll worry about him first," Alicia says, unwilling to risk openly talking to Pale Night about Ao without a guarantee that the Arbiter can shield her from notice as well.

[Anastasia]

"One day." Antenora vows. She then gently closes her eyes and murmurs, "Cute." Opening them, "I believe Latha just prayed to me, and her exact prayer was, 'Are you paying attention, Antenora?'"