Ed was laying in bed sleeping. The two had spent a good part of the night wrapped in each other's arms. Ed knew that night, that when he came back to go north. He was going to take her home again, and this time he might not leave. He was going to think of ways to finish this whole thing so that he never had to go after he dropped her off.
Priya dreamt about home for the first time in months. She dreamed about setting up a house by the creek. A little simple cabin at first to live in. They would travel with her in-laws while Ed repaired metalwork for the surrounding farms. For the first time in a long time. She was at home.
As the sun was starting to change the night from dark blue to pale shades of yellow Ed felt something at his hand. He looked over his shoulder and saw his personal house goblin.
"What is it Laviche?" Ed whispered.
"Visitor young master. He is already here." The goblin said with concern in his voice. That meant it was one of the divines.
Ed nodded. "Thank you, you can go, I will handle it."
Golliad was sitting in a dark corner of the room. "Very diplomatic," his quiet voice coming from inside the shadows. Ed jumped when he realized he was already in the room. He contemplated the fact that they were naked and how to protect her modesty. "Oh don't worry, I have charmed her a little. No matter what you do... She won't wake up."
Ed looked at Priya as he sat up and worked his arm out from under her body. She grabbed at his arm and whispered something. He wiggled himself free and got off the bed before he pulled the covers over her. She smiled to herself and spoke quietly under her breath again.
"Big risk coming to the capitol to see me Golliad," Ed said standing in the middle of the room. He didn't care he was naked. Frankly, he was pissed he had been disturbed.
"Don't get mad yet. This is important. Ysennia has sent Erust out after the other souls. She hasn't told them to kill them or anything. She has given him a list and the finder I modified. You remember that don't you?"
Ed nodded. "Yeah, I do. But I have the finder don't I?" Ed was trying to think of what he had in his bag. He could have sworn he was playing with it earlier.
Golliad shook his head. "No, I stole it. However, I modified it to avoid you, which means that it won't avoid your partners though. It will only take one or two times before someone catches on that something is wrong so you will need to move quickly. Your body double is down near the port headed north. He doesn't know where the souls are, only the names. You know where they are but not the names. I don't have the list or I would have given it to you."
Ed shook his head and sat down on the edge of the bed. "Thank you for the heads up. What happens when this is all done."
Golliad smiled. "Honestly Ed, even we don't know. We know that the Lord approved your life plan but it has too many variables. Some of the divines are on your side. Besides myself, a few others believe we shouldn't go against the Lord. Ysennia and her camp want to protect themselves. For them, it's just a desire to save themselves."
Ed sighed. That was the most human thing he had heard of them doing lately. "So no magic portals or flying animals to help me get there? Nothing to make this that much easier?"
Golliad chuckled. "No, and I know you are considering just taking this woman home and living out the rest of your days at her farm. I wouldn't blame you. But I have to remind you that if you do when you die we start this all over again. And I doubt Ysennia would let you keep your memories from this life."
Ed looked at Priya. "Why can't you tell her that. I don't think she understands why."
Golliad looked at the woman asleep on the bed. She was covered and snoring softly. "I can wake her if you'd like."
Ed thought about it. "Come see her later maybe. Or send her one of your messengers. I hate to wake her up right now."
Golliad smiled, "You could wake her and... you know..."
Ed sneered for a minute, "Do you divines watch everything I do?"
Golliad stood up and laughed. "Of course. I lost a bet over this one tonight too. I thought you might stay loyal to that cat girl, Ashra."
Ed sighed. "She is part of Erust life... She would never believe me."
"Maybe you just don't want to try. You know that Ysennia removed the aversion from her when you were removed. You could resume your marriage. Find the baby and raise your own kids."
Ed shifted uncomfortably, "Is she happy right now?"
Golliad leaned back and steepled his fingers. "Yes very much, she is in love with Erust and trusts him with her heart. She knows something is missing but doesn't know what. That has not stopped her from fully loving and supporting the false being that is her husband."
"Is Erust going to die when this all plays out?"
"Hard to say. It depends on what happens to him. However the longer you are apart the more she will grow fond of him and not know who you are thought."
Ed looked out the window, amber was creeping up the sky little by little. For"Ten should be here in a while to get him. "Then I see no reason to disturb her happiness. All I know is the pain I caused her. Just like this poor thing. Look what happened to her. As long as she is safe and happy, then I will not bother her."
Golliad sighed, "You're so boring sometimes Ed. You could have had two families. Maybe one big extended family together..." Ed couldn't miss the salacious tone in his voice. It was true Priya knew about Ashra but he hadn't stressed that he was looking for her. Only to retrieve the baby and find a way to give it back to her.
"Yeah right, like that would ever happen." Ed sighed. "Anything else Golliad? Can I use that tax ledger your men gave me?"
"You haven't cashed that in? I suggest you have Ko'Loss draw up a writ of lineage so that your family members can use it just in case. No reason to let that all go back to the state. I say you draw out enough gold for your travels. Save the rest for afterward."
Golliad stood up from his chair and stretched his body out. This was ironic because divines were supposed to be impervious to any kind of aches and pains. It was a habit leftover from his human days. "Anything else Ed? Pants maybe?"
Ed's anger flared for a moment, in a moment of defiance he jumped off the bed and stood with his feet apart. "Does this bother you Golliad? I mean you just watched it all night right?"
The laughter resumed. Humans were so peculiar. "I guess I have. Hold on, let me help you out there." Golliad snapped a finger. Nothing obvious happened and this scared Ed more than anything.
"What did you do now Golliad?"
"A present from me to you when you decide to wake her up." He waved his hand at Priya. "I will tell you I have slowed down your morning for you. Enjoy this last fleeting moment before you take off on adventures again."
Ed sighed. "Thank you Golliad, I guess. Can I go back to bed now?"
Golliad walked towards the door. "You can crawl back into bed and she won't wake up until after you fall back asleep. Have a good rest Ed, and be safe on your travels. I don't know when the next time we will talk will be."
"Okay, thank you," Ed said and straightened himself again. Golliad walked through the door without opening it. The only sound was Ed's frustrated sigh. He turned around and looked at his bed and pulled back the covers. Priya shifted just a little as the cold air hit her back.
Ed managed to get his arm under her head. She reached around and pulled his hand over her side and put it on her stomach, just below the navel.
He laid his head up into her hair and used the soft smell of her scent to drift him back off again. The magic on her wouldn't wear off until he woke back up.
It felt like only seconds before he felt her hand on his face. "Good Morning sleepy head." she smiled at him and touched his cheek.
"Good morning. Did you sleep well?" Ed was curious just how deeply his magic had affected her.
She smiled. "I was great until I woke up and realized that it was going to end."
Ed sighed. The sun was still just a sliver of yellow glowing over the edge of the city walls. "We have time until we need to leave. Just stay here for a minute."
She smiled and pulled the blankets up around them. After a few minutes snuggles turned into kisses, which turned into groping, and then they were entangled again. For a minute, time really did stand still. Golliad smiled from his position just outside of the world. He couldn't let him have what he wanted just yet. But he could let him enjoy a moment for just a little bit longer.
When they were done the sun rose the rest of the way and lit up the room. Priya and Ed sat on the bed smiling at each other. Her face changed and looked at Ed for a moment. "I heard you talking to someone in my sleep. I wanted to wake up but I couldn't. I think I understand why you have to do this."
Ed smiled reassuringly at her and put a hand on her leg. "I am sorry about that. The divines show up at the worst time. Golliad is helping me so he didn't want to startle you."
She shook her head, "He watched us... The least he could do is introduce himself. The gods are perverts aren't they?"
Ed nodded, "Always it seems."
She got up from the bed and stood before Ed, there were no secrets between them now. She knew everything. She knew bout Ed and his trials, Ashra, Erust, and why he couldn't be happy. He was trapped. She now felt close enough to him to not worry about him coming back. With the support of the divines, he had some level of safety.
"Promise me you will come home to me after this is all done." She put her hands on his shoulders and looked him in the eyes.
"Yes, I promise, no matter what I will come home." He smiled. It wasn't an empty promise. He would come home. That was his goal, get this over with and find a family.
She reached in and kissed him. They stayed like that for a minute before a knock on the door interrupted them. "You up yet?" For'Ten said from outside.
Priya spoke before Ed could stop her, "He's getting dressed. Give us a few minutes okay?"
For'Ten choked on his words and then laughed. "Okay, He better be well-rested! We have a long trip to start today."
She turned to the door and grabbed her nightgown. "I don't think you have to worry about that."
Ed smiled to himself. For once Golliad had given him something he couldn't replace. He knew that anything could happen between now and the end. He wanted to keep that promise though, For just a minute in time, he had tasted what he wanted for himself.