Balm in Gilead Interlude (Patreon)

A/N: Releasing this chapter a day before it would go live on Space Battles. Commissioned chapters are a different than my normal chapters and active stories, as their length is fixed and I have less flexibility over setting them up. That said, I would like to let my Patrons take a peek at them before I post them normally.

Hope you all enjoy.

Interlude: To Err is Human, to Forgive, Divine

Hestia really wasn’t as naïve as people thought she was!

She spent every day, sunrise to sunset, selling delicious jagamarukuns to the people of Orario, and you didn’t spend that much time around people without picking up a thing or two! That’s why she knew her beloved child was feeling down after coming back from the dungeon, so she decided to take her out to dinner.

“C’mon, c’mon!” She tapped her heels against Taylor’s sides. The girl was so tall! Hestia was one of the shortest goddesses, but sitting on Taylor’s shoulders opened up a whole new perspective for her. “We’re almost there!”

Taylor laughed, lengthening her stride as they made their way down the street. Hestia was pretty well known in this part of Orario, since it was close to where she worked. She gave happy smiles to some people she thought she recognized as Taylor’s massive strides ate up the ground.

“Why are we going out to eat again?” her child asked. “I can cook.”

“Because you’re acting all upset about something.” Hestia grinned, even though Taylor couldn’t see it. “That means it’s my job to cheer you up.”

Taylor shook her head, her long dark hair feeling ticklish against Hestia’s thighs. “Well if that’s the case, you’re gonna have to get off.”

“Mou…” Hestia pouted, adopting a pained affect. “Don’t you like spending time with me?”

“Of course. But I’d rather not hit you against the doorframe.”

With a blink, Hestia looked up, realizing that they were in fact in front of the Hostess of Fertility. It made the diminutive goddess boggle in surprise. It took her so much longer to get this far on her way to work!

“Long legs aren’t fair,” Hestia grumbled.

Taylor just laughed again, helping her goddess back to the ground as they entered the restaurant.

“Welcome to the Hostess of Fertility!” Hestia smiled as a waitress came over to seat them. The girl had a joyful kind of energy that Hestia loved to see. “Oh! New customers! Welcome, welcome!”

To her side, Taylor stopped for a moment. “Um.”

Hestia tilted her head. “Taylor, what’s wrong?”

“Nothing.” Taylor shook her head. “Sorry, you just looked like someone else.”

The waitress flicked her silver hair cheerfully. “Someone pretty?”

“Yes.”

The girl giggled. “I’ll take it as a compliment then!” She stepped back, gesturing for them to follow her into the restaurant. “I’m Syr, and I’ll be seating you this evening!”

“Thank you!” Hestia pulled Taylor along behind her. The inside of the Hostess was warm, lit by the buttery yellow light of Magic Lanterns. Even though it was early yet, the room was packed full of adventurers feasting and reveling. Waitresses in flattering green dresses and white aprons like Syr wore darted between the tables, carrying trays full of food and drinks.

Hestia heard Taylor laugh. Well, it wasn’t really a laugh in the traditional sense, more like an amused exhalation.

But Hestia knew it was just the laugh of someone who felt she had to put up a mask in front of other people. Not like the unabashed laughter as they made their way to the restaurant, when they were just another face in the middle of a crowd.

“If it’s this packed, the food must be good.”

“You bet!” Syr spun, pulling out a chair for Hestia at a small table tucked into the corner. “Table for two, right?”

“Yep!” Hestia hopped up into her chair, ignoring how it was a little bit higher than Taylor’s. Pallums needed chairs too, and it only made sense that such a successful restaurant would cater to all vertically challenged individuals, goddesses included.

“What do you recommend?” Taylor asked.

Syr hummed. “We have some lovely shared entrees, if you’re interested.”

A small smile flicked over Taylor’s face. “I’m afraid you have the wrong idea, Hestia is my goddess.”

Syr just smiled happily. “Love knows no bounds, between mortals or the divine.”

Hestia felt a blush start to grow on her cheeks as she realized what the two were talking about.

Taylor snorted. “We also have a coupon.” Taylor fetched it from her pocket. “So two entrees, please.”

Syr smiled, unphased by Taylor’s blunt demeanor. That was good! Taylor really would have more friends if she was less prickly around other people. But failing that, having people who were less likely to get prickled was good too!

“In that case, I suggest the shepherd’s pie along with the meatloaf with mashed potatoes!” Syr crossed her arms assuredly. “They’re really filling and delicious!”

Taylor flicked a glance in Hestia’s direction, so the goddess just smiled. She’d be happy with anything so long as she got to share it with her beloved child.

Really, it was almost a shame she’d turned down a shared meal. They sounded really interesting from Hestia’s point of view.

“We’ll take those then,” Taylor said. “And some water, please.”

“Water.” Syr put a hand in front of her mouth, hiding a friendly smile. “I can get you some water if you’d like, but are you sure you wouldn’t like something stronger? This is the best pub in Orario, and we have the best alcohol you can get this side of Soma himself!”

An interesting expression flickered over Taylor’s face at the word ‘Soma’, causing Hestia to tilt her head. But her child was too good at keeping her expression under wraps.

Instead, Taylor nodded. “Hm, in that case,” she raised two fingers on her hand, “I’ll take two waters then.”

Syr giggled, marking it all down on a small notepad. “Got it! We’ll have those right out for you!” She twirled once more, slipping in between the tables on the way to the kitchen.

“Mou, Taylor.” Hestia leaned against the table. “Would it have been so bad to order some wine? We’re celebrating after all.”

“If you’d like a glass of wine that’s fine.” A strange smile flickered over Taylor’s face. “I’m not old enough to drink, you know.”

“Hm? Says who?”

Taylor gave a low chuckle. “I suppose it doesn’t matter. I don’t really feel like drinking, is the real reason.”

Hestia tilted her head. “Does it have something to do with Soma?” Taylor blinked. “You looked funny for a second when she mentioned him.”

“I… not really.” Taylor shook her head. “I did have a run in with some of his familia in the dungeon, but it wasn’t anything I couldn’t handle.”

Hestia frowned at that. “And you didn’t tell me?”

“Well, someone wanted to go out to dinner right away.” Taylor shot her a small smile that made Hesita’s heart flutter in her chest. “We didn’t even update my status, you know.”

“W-well, I just wanted to make sure you were happy.”

This time, Taylor laughed for real, that private laugh she’d only let out when no one else could hear.

No one other than Hestia, at least.

“I’m always happy with you, my goddess.”

Hestia swallowed, smiling brightly.

She’d thought she’d understood love, back when she still lived in heaven.

But every day, she learned that there was so much more to love than even a goddess could hope to grasp.

“Right!”

***

Freya understood love.

She was a goddess of it after all.

It was why she sought out beautiful souls, so she could nurture them and see the fullness of their ability. That’s what love was, after all, bringing out the best in others.

Freya was a goddess of beauty, and so she also cherished beautiful things because they were beautiful.

Which was why she noticed right away when that strange soul entered into her little tavern.

Freya dined at the Hostess only rarely, just enough to keep an eye on dear Mia, and help her ex-captain out should the woman need anything. That the girl from the street would also show up on the exact same day…

Freya sighed, leaning against the charmed wall. “It must be fate.” Via the enchantments on her private dining room, she could look out onto the hall below. It always made her smile, to see how well Mia had done for herself. Not that Freya expected any different.

She wound a lock of her silver hair around a finger as her eyes slipped towards the corner, where she saw the latest object of her affections.

Externally, the girl was far from beautiful, that much Freya could easily see.

But she was striking and wore her skin with an easy confidence that few mortals could ever achieve. There was beauty in that as well. Of course, that wasn’t what drew Freya to the nameless girl. Taken alone, it wouldn’t be worth a second glance.

There were countless mortals of beautiful visage, with confidence or without it.

But beauty was only skin deep.

No, what drew Freya back for a second glance was the almost offhand way the little girl had ignored her. Her, a goddess of love and beauty.

Freya bit her finger at the thought; someone who didn’t just fall in love with her, when even other gods and goddesses weren’t immune from her charms? To think that a mortal could look at Freya, and then turn their face away was almost enough to make her weep with joy.

And so she’d looked at the girl’s soul.

“It is just fascinating…”

She did so again now, letting her silver lashes dust her cheeks as she leaned into her sight, the room beyond taking on aspects of a night sky. Most of the stars were dim and pitiful little things.

But the girl…

She didn’t shine in the way Freya was expecting; instead, it was cracked, tarnished, and shot through with all sorts of imperfections.

And yet…

It brought to mind the image of a warrior, standing before the very gates of hell, sword shattered, bloodied by arrow and shot, armor blackened by fire and flames, rent with claws, as torn and shredded as the bodies at their feet.

And yet, still standing.

And with each breath, she was a little brighter than before, standing a little taller than before, as the wounds of the past were healed.

Freya waited with bated breath for that wounded warrior to take a single step forward. She yearned to push them onward, to polish off the tarnish and restore that gemstone to the shine it deserved. So much so that her breath caught in her throat.

“Oh Hestia.” Freya pressed a hand against the wall, trailing a finger over the tiny goddess at the lovely girl’s side. “Of course it would be you, who could put a soul so broken back together.”

And make it all the more alluring for having been shattered once.

She tilted her head as the door to her room clicked open.

“Brought your usual.” Freya smiled as Mia walked into the room with a plate of food and a glass of red wine.

“My thanks.” Freya spread her arms as Mia set the food down.

The gruff dwarven woman hesitated for a moment, but then she sighed and slipped into Freya’s embrace, just as the goddess knew she would. “It is good to see you again, dear one.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Mia pulled back after a second, trying to hide the smile on her face. “Need anything else? ‘Cause if not, I’ve got more work to do.”

Freya hummed, turning back towards the enchanted wall. “That girl, with one arm.” She traced a finger down her neck. “Do you know her name?”

Mia grumbled for a second. “My girls say it’s Taylor.”

“Taylor…” Freya tasted the word.

“Anything else, Lady Freya?”

The goddess hummed, rolling Taylor back and forth across her tongue like a fine wine.

She barely noticed as the door clicked shut behind her.

Slowly, she felt a smile slip across her face.

“It’s perfect.” She stretched her arms wide, fingers splayed. “I couldn’t have done it better myself. Oh, Hestia, darling, you’ve done me such a wonderful favor!”

The girl’s soul was so utterly beautiful, somehow even moreso for its flaws.

But when it was whole once again… it would be breathtaking.

“And who better than the goddess of the hearth!” Freya laughed, giggles bouncing off the walls of the room. “All that’s left is to wait for her efforts to bear fruit, so I can see what a masterpiece that little goddess managed to uncover all on her lonesome.” Her laughter calmed slightly, and Freya took a sip of her wine. “It really must be fate.”

She couldn’t keep the smile off her face however, and found herself drawing close to the wall once again, eyes drinking in every inch of that striking visage, and peering into the soul beneath.

Of course… it wouldn’t hurt to give her a push, now would it? She could see already that the soul was shining brighter now, the light of battle chipping away at the rust. She’d have to find out the details so she could plan out the next bit of this lovely journey.

Freya would see this soul shine as bright as it deserved, so bright that the world would love it as much as she did. Oh she could all but see it now…

Hestia would handle the cracks and faults.

It would be Freya’s to handle the tarnish.

And then the girl would shine.

***

Soma didn’t know a thing about love.

He just wanted to make wine.

He sighed as he sipped at the contents of a jug, before pushing it to the side. Another failed batch. The ingredients the others brought to him this time around were subpar. If he were lucky, he’d only make a single good batch or two.

Not even enough to push his craft a little farther.

So much left to do, so much left to do.

He blinked as the door to the winery opened behind him, allowing his captain… Zaris, Zanis?

Something like that.

To enter.

Zenith coughed as he moved over to Soma’s side. “Lord Soma.” Soma felt a sigh of disappointment run through him as the man licked his lips. “Is it… ready?”

Soma waved a hand to the one good jar he’d managed thus far, turning back to his workbench. Another batch of ingredients would have to be prepared to distill. There was still much work to be done, even if this month was looking more and more like a failure.

Zeris swept up the jar immediately, eyes dilating on the open lid, where the wine of Soma rippled gently. Soma couldn’t hold back the sigh this time.

He just wanted to make wine, and have someone worthwhile to appreciate it with.

None of this nonsense.

He was about to put the matter out of his mind entirely, when Zanid shifted. “Ah, Lord Soma, you also have visitors.”

“I don’t care.”

Zenis shuffled. “It is Lady Freya, and one of her adventurers… they wish to speak with you.”

Soma grunted.

Freya? She was pretty important, right? He brushed the thought aside.

In any case, if he didn’t give her what she wanted now, she’d make it harder for him to brew his wine for a long time.

Soma sighed again.

Why couldn’t things ever go according to plan?

“Send her in. The extra can wait outside.”

“And if…”

Soma turned his back on Zanthis, and the man coughed again. “I understand, Lord Soma.”

Perhaps he should ask Freya for her adventurers to procure him some higher tier ingredients.

“Leave the wine.”

Zarvis stilled for a second, before Soma heard a soft clunk as the large jar of wine was placed back on the floor. He scurried out of the room. Soma drummed his fingers on the table, annoyed that he couldn’t begin.

They should have just brought Freya up right away. At least then he could get this annoyance over with. Now he couldn’t even start on the next batch, because he had no clue how long this meeting would take. It would be almost painful to ruin another batch.

So much to do, so much to do.

Soma picked at a loose thread of his robes. A knock came to the door, before someone opened it.

Freya swept into the room, disturbing the air. Soma sighed. He’d have to get someone to scrub the walls again.

“Soma.”

“Yes.” He turned towards the goddess. “What do you want?”

“Come now.” She flashed a smile at him. “Is that really any way to treat a lady?”

Soma shrugged. “You’re interrupting my work.”

Freya sighed, pulling up a stool and taking a seat. “You really have not changed a bit.”

If Soma cared about such things, he might have noted that the goddess made the rough wooden stool look like a throne, but he was already glancing towards his ingredients. They wouldn’t keep for forever, after all.

“Soma.”

“Hm?” He turned back. “Did you decide you wanted something?”

She sighed, placing a hand upon her chest. “Yes, I want your familia to do something for me.”

Soma blinked. He supposed they would do things if he told them to. It would take away from his time to brew, however.

“Have some wine.”

Freya raised an eyebrow.

Soma just shrugged. “Have some wine, then we’ll talk.”

With a sigh, Freya withdrew a crystal glass. She held it out, and Soma stood, pouring the wine—his success of course—into the cup.

Freya twirled the glass once, letting the wine breathe. She held it up, inhaling the fragrance, before taking a single sip.

Soma could see how she held it in her mouth, letting the flavor wash across her tongue. She closed her eyes for a second.

Then she swallowed, and set the rest of the glass, still more than half full, on the dusty wooden floor of his workshop.

“Nearly perfect.”

Soma allowed himself a bit of a smile at that. If nothing else, Freya knew how to appreciate a good cup of wine.

“Still, it’s not quite the same, is it.”

Soma shook his head. He still had so much left to do, so much left to do.

Still, a deal was a deal.

“What do you want?”

Freya smiled.