Settling Back In and Avery's Secret

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Getting back into the flow of things was fairly easy, even with the additional projects Ahsch had brought back with him. Training in his various disciplines - magic, physicality, bonds, and royal obligations - went smoothly with the additional time that his demi-plane bought him. His research and development with Sione also proceeded apace, though his newest angel was rather put out that he had created her to help him discover the very things that his first session of meditation had provided him; still, they found new avenues of study and started delving into the mysteries of his domain and divinity.

The meeting with Dorin and Talhort and his wives went well too, and the news about Ahsch’s new Imbue Change was received with a great deal of excitement and anticipation. While Dorin spoke with one of Talhort’s wives - a bear-monster woman named Bria who specialized in counseling people through their transitions - the shop owner and his other wives sat down with Ahsch to discuss how to implement the magic. The fact that it was an Innate Spell was only a minor issue, as any magic could be reverse-engineered given enough time and study, and with a literal angel dedicated to such pursuits on-hand, Ahsch wasn’t worried about developing a more widely-available spell for the shop owner and his family to use.

Getting Sti’el settled in had been somewhat more interesting. As his sister, she had been welcome in the Odestag suites without raising any eyebrows - though the attractive rabbit-girl had caught quite a few glances from the younger adult residents of R’sath. Still, the addition of yet another person to the formerly quite empty suites had Avery frowning at the uptick in noise and Butler muttering about hiring and shifts. It also brought to mind the letter he had written for Orleya some time ago regarding the issue of living arrangements between him and his royal wife and wife-to-be. The Queen hadn’t replied yet, despite several weeks having passed since he’d had it delivered. Though to be fair, with the tensions along the border and Ahsch having left for over a week, it probably ranked fairly low on the Queen’s priorities.

Beyond R’sath and the Capital itself, Ahsch also kept up-to-date on the Temple and refugee village. Not much had occurred at the former, though Elui’s research into the new flora, fauna, and other resources that the Ley Spring had produced was continuing, and with some promising leads from what Ahsch had gathered from a brief review of her reports. Only a few days after his return, following a brief meeting with Kiilira - and through her, Krutune - to discuss his new magic and development of a more widely-available spell, several warmasters from the 69th Order of Krutune arrived at the Temple to begin formally training the Sentinels, as well as the handful of Paladins who had been gathered through Maera’s persistence. As with Talhort, the problem of Imbue Change being an Innate Spell was relatively minor as far as the Avatar and Krutune herself were concerned.

As for the refugee village, construction had been officially completed the day before Ahsch’s return. While small and relatively out-of-place in the middle of the forest, each building was well-constructed, and there was enough room for the projected incoming population to live, with plenty of openings for work as well, though kickstarting a brand-new economy would be interesting, to say the least. The more critical issue, at least to Ahsch’s senses, was how… _soulless _it felt. Well-constructed though they were, the buildings had no character, no life to them. And with only a minimum of bonds, Ahsch’s bond sense was keenly aware of how desolate the place felt. He only hoped that the refugees found it acceptable and that sense of emptiness was replaced with life.

Between the Temple and the new village, an even newer settlement was still being set-up. Ivrine's herd was hard at work converting their nomadic lifestyle into something far more sedentary, a change that wasn’t going to occur overnight. However, the rather friendly, almost eager overtures from the satyr herd towards the neighboring Temple of Enochiel was well-received, and the not-so-feral monsters received assistance in the form of priests with some experience in construction, economy, and the like. They had been rather shocked to find several trinkets, blankets, banners, and carvings depicting Enochiel’s sigil had already found their way into the satyrs’ encampment, though they didn’t say much about it, aside from to smile and mention how fast the Prophet seemed to work, and how wide Enochiel’s embrace was.

Stisea, after only minor deliberation, decided to live with Ahsch in R’sath. Though she missed living in far more untamed environs among her fellow satyrs, she found the idea of not being with her mate and the father of her daughter to be quite repellent. Even more so when Ahsch informed her of Avery’s intent to bear his second ‘true’ child. The mousy satyr was actually _very _eager for the couple to get on with it and produce House Odestag’s heir, insistent that her and Avery’s children could grow up together and be such adorable children of their mutual father.

When Ahsch relayed his mate’s interest to his wife, Avery had been simultaneously amused, intrigued, concerned and protective, and anxious about the whole idea - emotions that seemed to swirl whenever the topic of her being pregnant and having a child seemed to come up. Though Ahsch noted that when the conversation focused on the pregnancy part was when the more negative emotions came up, but talking about her future baby seemed to bring out the more positive ones, though the concern was still there - for obvious reasons, as far as Ahsch was concerned.

Several days after he had returned, Ahsch and Avery were finishing up their last meeting regarding anything of note that he had missed during his trip when Butler came knocking. “My Lords,” the automata greeted them before focusing on Avery. “A letter has arrived for you from Lord Parelat - the courier claims it’s urgent and must be delivered directly to you, and that Lord Parelat insists on an immediate response.”

Avery sighed and pushed away from her desk. “Fine, I’ll go see what the fuss is about.” She shot Ahsch an annoyed smirk. “I’ll be back in a few minutes. The old fool is probably freaking out about some minor trade detail or something.”

Ahsch waved her away. “I can wait,” he reassured her, turning back to his notes. After a moment, he reached out and pulled one of the reports they had been reviewing over to his side of the desk and began to scribble down notes; after a few lines, his quill suddenly broke, the tip snapping off.

“Damnit,” he cursed, glaring at the damaged thing before setting it aside. “If only Accelerated Stitch worked on items. And backwards.” Frowning, he got up and went around the desk. “I think she keeps a few spares in here somewhere…” he muttered to himself, checking in drawers.

It was when he opened the third one that a tingle at the edge of his bond sense made him pause. A little investigation showed a small… button, on the underside of the drawer’s housing. Curious, he pressed it, and heard an almost-silent shifting of wood scraping by wood within the desk. A bit more investigation revealed another drawer with a second button - and when he pressed the two together, a hidden compartment opened.

His heart beat heavy and fast with subdued guilt as he peered inside and saw…

Isn’t that… poison?

Then the door opened and Avery walked in. Her apologetic smile quickly melted away when she saw her husband looking inside the concealed compartment. But rather than become angry - though anger flashed weakly among her emotions - she instead became worried. Anxious. Terrified.