Eight #3
I blushed again, embarrassed. "Ummm."
"Being humble about it is also a point in your favor. I want you to know that one of your and Tia's children will go back to Saladin, once they're old enough, and be raised there."
That surprised me. "Why?"
"Because Fel would not only like to have someone who is descended from him living in his realm, he would like it so much more if that person was descended from both of us."
I paused for a moment, letting that sink in, and then it hit me. "You two really loved each other, didn't you?"
She smiled beatifically at me. "Yes, actually, we did. However, circumstances disrupted our plans, sadly."
"May I ask?"
"I was pregnant with our first child when what is now called the 'third ring' connected to the second ring.
Almost instantly, a number of things in this realm changed.
One was that Felicianus immediately reverted to his catfolk form.
Catfolk were unknown here at the time, so that led to a great many problems, and he had to flee.
Our society, as it was then, would not have allowed us to be together. "
"I'm sorry."
"Don't be," she said, smiling again. "Now that we, as gods, have found each other once again, we're both quite happy. I'd explain it, but you wouldn't understand."
I accepted that and nodded.
"The next thing I want to say to you is that if there are any women aboard Tia's flagship you would not mind fathering a child with, please do so."
I blinked. "And I thought Fel was bad!"
She laughed again. "Yes, he confided in me that you were a rather slow starter, and after all the work he put into you! But it seems you've unbent a fair bit over the last decade."
I blushed again. "So, urm, why?"
"Because you are the best, and they deserve the best. All of those women have earned their place because of their service to me. I wouldn't be who I am if I didn't try to help them get you into their beds, now would I?"
She laughed again at my embarrassment. "You should also see about siring more children back at home. Again, you're a good father, and it would spread those wonderful genes of yours among Fel's faithful."
"Ummm."
"The last thing I wanted to discuss was your mythic status."
"Oh?" I said, trying not to get whiplash at the sudden change of topic.
"You are a mythic in Rossiya. You can gate to my temple, same as you would to Fel's, though you can only take yourself through, unless it's someone from here who is a follower of mine."
"What about your churches?"
"In time, I may allow that, once you've acquired the ability." She suddenly smiled again. "So now you don't have an excuse not to visit."
I had to laugh at that, because it made me happy. A thought occurred to me then. "Can I gate to either of Fel's churches here, or any of Vikoria's churches or shrines?"
"Fel's churches? Yes. Vikoria's? I do not know. You would have to ask one of her priestesses, as I don't wish to speak for her."
I nodded.
"Also, tell Tia that you're a mythic here and what that means."
"Should I wake her up, or wait until we wake up?"
"The latter."
"Thank you for letting me have a daughter with her, Ulhn. She is special, and it really does mean a lot to me."
"It means a lot to her, too…" she paused a moment, "…
as well as to me. Knowing that Felicianus chose to remember me when he ascended, just as I chose to remember him, meant a lot, William.
As you know from your own dealings as a godslayer, the gods can be swayed.
When we are swayed for something good, something beautiful, something righteous, it is always a wondrous thing. "
"You know I'm going to tease him about this," I said, trying not to laugh.
"As it should be."
"Oh, one last thing?"
"Yes, maybe one day you should take Tia to Saladin to meet Fel. I suspect he would enjoy it."
§ §
I woke to the sound of someone knocking on the door and calling us to breakfast. Tia woke up with me, and I took a moment to appreciate the view as she stretched.
"I talked to Ulhn last night," I told her.
"Yes, she mentioned to me that she would be doing that."
"In that case, I'll get right to the point. I'm a mythic now in Rossiya, not just a champion."
"What's a mythic?"
"It's like a champion, but I get more abilities, more powers—neither of which I've completely figured out yet. It also means that for as long as my myth survives, I will exist."
"Excuse me?" she asked, blinking.
"I'll be here pretty much forever, now. When I decide to retire, while I'll go to Feliogustus' afterlife to be with Rachel, I'll also still be here. I'll be able to travel to the places where I'm a mythic, and probably a few others, as well. I'll be immortal."
"Does Ulhn know?"
"Yes, and she told me to tell you."
"All right, so what does it mean for us that she wanted you to tell me?"
"I can gate here, just like you can, and I can do it from anywhere in the infinite."
Tia smiled. "Does that mean you'll visit more often?"
"Yes."
She hugged me. "Then it can't be bad. Let's go eat. You can tell me anything else I need to know about it later."