Ding Ding

Belle Scarlet Street was a good girl, she might not be a regular to church especially since moving to hub full time but she still held fast to her morals and her indiscretions last night were quite honestly inexcusable. If Arjay had been single than perhaps she could have justified it as a little bit of drunk fun. Instead of what it was, her knowingly tempting a man to betray his lover. Now he might say that part of his role as a champion included sexual or romantic leaning encounters; but that seemed a whole different kettle of fish than him dailing with a friend.

Which was what brought us to this moment; Belle nose scrunched up in concentration, glasses pushed up while she carefully re-read the religious text she’d picked up in the market, there was a ritual to gain the attention of the Goddess Sune. Well. Actually there had been a few but this was the one that hadn’t involved...well things Belle was distinctly uncomfortable doing.

Her room was redolent with the scents of incense and Belle had carefully dressed for this hopeful encounter, she expected to wait, after all a goddess didn’t drop everything just to come at the polite knock of a stranger after all!

@alex

Once upon a time, Sune may have actually needed someone to complete a ritual to gather her attention, her power too slim to be aware of all individuals actively seeking her favour. That was before she became The Avatar of Love. Now, especially with those who were close to her beloved, she needed far less to find those who sought her.

Belle was a particularly easy one to locate with the blessing Sune had already placed upon her, and the ties of love so evident between her and Arjay. It made Sune quite glad to see others recognizing the incredible nature of the young deity. Sune was tempted to just pop in when Belle started thinking to speak to her, yet she had thought Belle may speak to Arjay further if she thought it the only way to speak to his Goddess.

This was inarguably more entertaining. Seeing the way the young woman had flustered at some of the rituals was quite funny, and Sune almost felt bad for laughing instead of correcting the book. Though she certainly appreciated the raw beauty, love, and passion often inherent in the actions- Sune was just as happy with any offering that was filled with such things. Like. A pie. She would have enjoyed a beautiful pie, made with affection, and by one such as Belle who had true passion for the endeavour.

Even Arjay's offerings had been of music more often than not. Something beautiful that he could do for those he loved and do so with passion.

Sune smiled, her feet landing soundlessly on the ground behind Belle, reaching forward and resting an enamel flower against her fellow redhead's hair. The flower then turned to true greenery, growing through Belle's hair and pulling it into an updo. "I hope you don't mind, but I am quite fond of red hair and I saw the relief my beloved gave you when you took your hair down. This should prevent your hair from needing to be pulled tight to stay still and hopefully aid in your future comfort." Sune offered lightly, swishing around the room to investigate all that there was to offer. Sune eventually settled on a chair that appeared out of the ether as she sat, indicating a chair that now sat opposite to her for Belle to take.

"All you'll have to do to remove it is just pluck one of the flowers from the vine and it will turn back into the small flower it was before. Quite convenient." Sune offered, sipping at the tea that seemingly came from nowhere.

"Now how may I be of service, lovely Belle? You have been so good to my Arjay, especially caring for him in that barbaric world beyond my magic." Sune added, skimming Belle's thoughts even as she asked aloud. "It is no wonder he is attracted to you. Were I not invested in seeing how your relationships develop, I may even approach you myself, and I have less of a bias towards redheaded human women as Arjay does." Sune offered with a wink, quite content to lead the conversation.

@kel

Lavender satin capri pants were crisply ironed, white kitten heels matched the pleated lacefront blouse, her cats eye reading glasses completed her ‘60s librarian look.

Shocked blue eyes widened at the sudden sensation of vines growing through her loosely braided hair, pulling it up into a more polished updo. “Ms. Sune!” Belle scrambled to her feet, hand going to her hair - “Thank you-” she really didn’t have a prepared response, she hadn’t been expecting such a quick response and very much less a gift!

“Ah hope I’m not disturbing you-” she flustered, hands dancing out as a chair appeared out of nowhere, mocking the failure of her hospitality.

“Ah wanted to apologize-” Belle’s head was spinning at the unexpected turn the conversation had taken before she could even begin it! “An’ make clear that I had, have no intent to hurt you. Or your relationship with Arjay-” Belle had to assume that a goddess knew more than a normal woman would- “An’ will be better in my behavior.”

@alex

Sune waved off the lovely woman's thanks. The flower was merely a convenient trinket, and did not deserve any special appreciation. It wasn't even unique. She had put a color changing spell on it, certainly, but that was achievable even through mortal means. "Please. No need to call me Ms. For a true heart such as yourself, I am more than content to allow you to call me Sune." She hummed, the words dancing along the air. Truly she had allowed most she had encountered in the hub to call her by her name rather than her title.

She laughed at the concern. "Beautiful, if I had been busy, it would have mattered little, I can be in more than one place at once. As it was, I was simply watching my daughter as she slept. I can do that and this at the same time."

Sune listened to the poor flustered girl for a moment, allowing her to say some of the things that were on her mind. Then, Sune stood up, lifted Belle up and sat her down in the other chair before returning to her own seat. "Belle, do you know what it is to be a Goddess of Love? I am not truly capable of exclusivity. Though I consider Arjay to be my partner of sorts, and I am more fond of him then others- I still have others with whom I share my bed. I am made to love and to be loved. Though he has begun ascending to divinity, Arjay is not capable of supplying me with all the love I need, nor is he capable of holding the weight of all the love I must give."

She smiled softly. "Belle, he must share me. And although he still raises in divinity from the lowest of ranks, he too is a God of Love, who needs to be loved and to love others. You- are special." Sune leaned forward, brushing along the beautiful woman's warm cheek. "Your brother knows this, as does the other of your kind in the hub. But Belle- there are five people in the hub who can see me, despite any mortal guise I may adopt. Arjay, obviously, as my champion and exarch. A woman named Kailani, who serves the force that is love. And three others. A man named Kaalth, Your Brother, and Yourself. All of whom love so fully that they are incapable of not recognizing Love in any shape."

Snuggling back in her chair, she smirked over her cup of tea. "Also I think you and Arjay are quite arousing together. Though you don't need it- You have my blessing. Enjoy." Sune winked and waited for the young woman to process all that she had shared.

@kel

Belle’s mouth wiggled into a little mout of discomfort; it would be very very hard for her to obey that request. Belle had learned an old fashioned sort of manners, and Sune was a woman/god to respect, and respect meant some sort of honorific.

“Oh-” Belle’s expression softened at the mention of the baby, “she is well ah hope? An’ watching a little sleep soothin’ to the mind isn’t it?” Belle had never had a child, but she was a woman who craved a house full of babies, of her body or of her heart Belle’s goal in life was to settle down into a comfortable life and raise a brood happy and hale. Simple goals for a self admitted simple woman.

Blinking from her new perch Belle shifted to sit dainty, right ankle over left; “Ah know.” she replied more seriously, feeling the weight of the conversation and responsibility as his friend - “An’..it’s na my place to meddle-” Belle wanted to squirm uncomfortably, but held her ground. “He needs more.” she whispered hating to be ‘that person’ that tried to ‘fix’ a relationship.

Belle’s vibrant hair bounced, constricted with her head shake; “It’s not my place-” to be that more, or to do what Sune was so freely offering. “He loves you. More than anything, anyone. You will always be first in his heart-” And Belle could never be happy with less than that, it would tear her up to love Arjay with all her heart and know that he would always love someone else more. “An’ its hurting him that you can’t give him the same back.” They had that in common it seemed.

Belle gathered her courage to meet the goddesses gaze head on - “I don’t mean to hurt you, or harm what you have. But -” Belle’s body canted forward earnestly - “Is it possible someday he could be first in your heart? I truly believe he wouldn’t mind other loves if he were first.” that was really not needed to be said, but Belle needed to say it because it was in her mind a real concern. But than she wasn’t a goddess.

@alex

Sune smiled at the thought of the copper haired angel that was so sweet when she slept, and whose cries when she woke resembled the form of her name. Love's Melody. Though she gave not always the most organized of musical notes, Mel'inde already had a voice that could catch the hearts of any who heard it. Her eyes went ever so slightly unfocused as she reached forward and brushed the cheek of her beautiful daughter before snapping back to this here and now.

"Yes. She is well. Not terribly surprising when one is immune to almost every illness, but relieving nonetheless. My immortal beloveds are so taken with her. Though not nearly so much as I. I have not loved any child this much since her eldest brother. And I have loved them all dearly." Sune offered, happy as always to share conversation about her daughter. She didn't want to be that mother who turned all conversation to the topic of their children, but it was hard to prevent such, when your child is as perfect as she could possibly be.

Sune hadn't intended to allow Belle to ramble as she did, but the goddess had been so surprised that she hadn't thought to tell her to stop. At first she had moved to agree that he did need more, which is why Sune was so happy to have others love him as she did. But then her words were stolen from her tongue, a furrow of confusion marring her perfect brow.

When finally, Sune was certain the other redhead had finished speaking, she cleared her throat slightly to give Belle a moment and to allow Sune to breathe before she accidentally lay into Belle too harshly.

"Happy Love, He is the first in my heart. He knows as much at that, and I can promise you that any worries that plague his mind are of his own making. He has guided me through a depth of emotion I have never felt for another before. Mind you, it's not a depth of emotion that he is capable of yet, but none the less." Sune sipped her tea as an excuse to breathe simply for a moment. "He has held me while I told him of my fear of losing him. How I could not help but think that he would be better off without me in his life, and yet I held not the strength to free him. Arjay knows more of my heart than any ever has."

Sune rose only long enough to reach forward and stroke Belle's cheek. "I appreciate that you wish to see him happy. As do I, and as I said, he does need more. He is first in my heart, but both of us have hearts made to be shared. And not only with one other. Though he is my home, and I am his, the love we share would be destroyed were we to attempt to find all we need in each other." Sune murmured, straightening in her seat and rearranging the drapes of her gown. "We do not love each other less for finding loves with others as well."

@kel

Belle tried to suppress the flinch the words ‘immortal beloveds’ caused - that was rather the point wasn’t it? So many gods and men competing for her attention and Arjay caught right with them.

“I don’t know your ways.” Belle demurred honestly not wishing to offend - “But how can he make any woman happy when he loves you so very deeply? What sort of woman could accept the leftovers and not feel slighted? Come to resent him. No matter how much she loved him he could never give her his full heart?” Belle’s hands twisted around a scrap of cloth - “He’s not happy, and if it's from doubts spawned in his own mind or not...the reason is you.” courage was fighting for what you thought was right, for someone you loved even if it meant offending a being capable of destroying you with a errant thought - “You are a goddess of Love - but as a woman….you must also do the work of a relationship mustn’t you? If you weren’t gods i’d say go on a vacation together and reaffirm your bond so he not longer has doubts.”

@alex
@mike

Sune chuckled lightly at the obvious response from the young woman. The way all of her muscles tensed at the comment- it was clear enough that Belle didn't understand what the Goddess had meant. She leaned forward just enough to pat Belle's knee. "Lovely, I mean my friends. My worshippers. Except they are a great deal more than worshippers to me, and rather more than just friends as well. They are all dear to me, all beloved in their own right- and" Sune straightened up again, making certain each of her words was clear as she spoke. "Arjay is the only immortal with whom I share a romantic love." She explained, confident that that assessment would be enough, without pointing out that even if there were others, she would not allow them near her child.

As for the rest of Belle's reply...

She went too far. She had overstepped her boundaries greatly, and Sune's hair was curling with the flames of her ire. Taking a sharp inhale through her nose, the Goddess pulled her hair over her shoulder, to prevent it scorching the upholstery.

For a moment, she allowed rage to choke her words. This naive wench was presuming to know more about Sune's relationship than the very Goddess of Love did- it was all the Goddess could do, not to strip her of her blessing, lay her bare against the harsh realities of the world once more-

Even then, the warmth that the Goddess naturally exuded began to seep into each corner of the room, until her presence there could be almost stifling for the mortal across from her. Pursing her lips rather than gritting her teeth, Sune finally spoke. "You speak of things you do not understand." She took another sharp breath to prevent the insult that sat on her tongue. "For one thing, any who is loved by a god, never finds them wanting." She offered, standing with a sort of grace that made it appear as though she had always been towering over the other redhead.

"Though you speak as though you know his heart, do not be fooled. I have known his soul for two hundred years, and you speak without context. Even in the time you have known him, he has shown you the truth you are too blind to see. Though there are struggles between us- Arjay has never been happier than he is when is with me." Gripping Belle's chin, Sune forced her eyes to meet the Goddess's own emerald gaze. "The only reason you did not notice his melancholy at first was simply because he was so oft melancholy that you had no moments of his joy with which to compare them. Our relationship is imperfect, as none in existence are without flaw, without occasional strife- but we are happy together."

Sune's lip twitched upwards into a snarl that she held at bay with a concerted effort. "I carried our child to term. I come when he calls to me. I encourage him to find those who fill needs I am unable to. I sought him out long before he understood religion or devotion, and I waited for him to be in a place where my love would not cause him undue trauma. I have put work into this relationship. Do not speak of what you do not know." She added finally, her voice booming through the room.

With a last spark of an idea, her hand moved from its hold on the human woman's chin to move up to her temple, and then Sune laid a fraction of her love for Arjay down upon this woman, so that she might feel the crushing weight of a Goddess's affections. After a moment, she pulled the force back in to herself. She returned to her seat, closing her eyes and focusing on the thought of her child instead, until at last she had the emotional control needed to pull her power back in to herself. "That love I laid upon you is but a piece of what I feel for Arjay. And the biggest reason I cannot give him anymore of my heart for now. Even as a newly ascended deity, I am Love Incarnate. Were I to lay my full emotion upon him, he would be ground to nothing beneath it."

Taking a sip of her tea, Sune thought through other things she might say. "It is why I want him to find others. Because I can not give him myself in totality, and I do not want to be greedy when he can not. Others can be there for him when he needs someone other than me. Others, like you."

@kel

Belle was not a god, she was not a meta human, all she was was a woman, simple, well intentioned but conditioned by her experiences and limited to what she knew. And while she tried to communicate with a being that loved on a level that Belle could never truely grasp, the red head honestly thought she was trying to help.

Arjay was her friend, one of her very best and Belle had seen his pain, she had already put her foot into it, meddling where no friend really should,and now come hell or high water she was going to get this out.

At least that was her intent.

Burning fingers closed around her chin and Belle’s blue eyes burned with a spark of stubborn pride. Her spine stiffened, a instinctive reaction to being manhandled. Smart? No but this was the woman who had slapped the Joker after he killed a man in front of her. Sensible was not always her first reaction.

Her eyes closed for a heartbeat as she reminded herself that this was not - this wasn’t about her. When she opened them again the fire was tempered with referance - “I don’t know your love, your life. All i know is what he said, what i saw in his eyes, the exhaustion and pain i felt from him when i held him.” Her voice was soft, “I don’t doubt you love him, or he you-“ her eyes softened even more -“I want him, you, your family t’be happy.” And Sune would feel the burning sincerity of those words. “All ah want is that-“ Belle’s Voice was choked off -

No mortal was meant to be filled by a gods love, even filtered and dull for her senses, better, stronger souls than her had gone mad from it -

Belle found herself on the floor, nails digging in bitingly into the hard hood, splintering into her nail beds-

Her mind felt as though a cannon had gone off next to her, shocked, shaken, distant from reality.

“He only wants you.” She whispered, half hearing, half understanding the words through the white wrapping around her mind.

@moon

Sune's voice was torn with emotion when she mustered her reply. "I cannot give him all of me!" She yelled, her throat closing around the words. Those words had cut her deeper than a knife. Not Belle's- No. The mortal woman while lovely and brave, was not capable of inflicting such trauma in Sune's heart.

The wounds she held were carved by her own hand. By the choice she had made, to allow herself to love Arjay no matter the pain it may offer them both. Because she did- love Arjay. Endlessly. When one had an infinite amount of love- they could love others and still love one with an infinite portion.

Sune forced her hair to curl only by it's style once more, the flames returning to the silken curtain it usually was.

"The thing- One of the things- that you miss, Beauty, is that I am all love. I am not Goddess of Romantic love. Nor Goddess of Healthy loves. And I am most certainly not Goddess of Happy Love. I am all love. I am the love that you have for a cat, I am the love that is corrupt and tears you down, I am the love that leaves scars on your heart for so long as you live." She offered, voice laden with sorrow. Oh how she wished it were another way. That she could encourage only that which would bring happiness and growth.

Closing her eyes for a moment, she added on. "And I do not exaggerate when I say we are beings of love. I am a spark of divinity, wrapped in the love of my followers. I am shaped by what they need of me. I am fueled by their devotion. As now, is Arjay. He is incapable of providing me with the love and devotion I need to be who I am. If he tried- we would both waste away into nothing. Though I could provide Arjay with all the love and devotion he would ever need- he would also never grow or change again. He would be static, forever, and he would never come to match my power." She offered finally. It was not a truth she shared with many. That she was dependent on mortals for their power. But she was desperate to make this woman understand. Sune was often desperate when it came to Arjay.

@kel
(Also @mike if you want to read Sune and Belle talking some more about Arjay)

Belle wasn’t sure how to call her current state; not quite nauseous, not quite mirgine-y though it came close; she actually was reminded of the time she had scarlet fever as a child. Achey, confused, seeing the world through clouded mind..

Yes having a goddess of love pour that feeling into a purely mortal form was quite a lot like scarlet fever.

Like puzzle pieces, the world slowly came into focus, first the splintered nails slowly seeping blood into her floor where she had gouged out thin groves.

Huh.

She was faintly impressed with herself for that.

Than the searing heat at her chest, her ring was burning, it was supposed to protect her wasn’t it?
That clouded memory came as all her thoughts at this time - distant and confused.

“Why did you make him a god?!” The betrayed whisper shouldn’t have been spoken and she had no excuse for it, “if you can’t love him fully as man or god why?”

There was the defiance, there was the fire.

Belle was a sweet woman, soft and caring, she was also a passionate one who normally never let that side of her be exposed, not since she was a teenager did she let herself lose her temper like this-

Fire curled over her locks, the ring at her chest awakening that power in her moment of rage, slipping over her body to make her something more than purely human.

“You said you can give him all the love he needed as a man. Only the god would waste away from the lack!” Defending a man she loved, regardless that if at this moment it was only deep friendship.

Challenging a Goddess? Not the dumbest thing Belle had done sadly.

@alex
@mike

Sune shuddered with the flood of rage and emotion through her veins. Though a goddess of love she remained, the passion of fury made it all too easy to surrender herself. For a moment, all she saw was red, her eyes seeing past Belle to the futures that branched from this moment. There were things said that Belle would interpret incorrectly, but Sune could see in her soul that she would have always found a way to blame herself, and to blame Sune rather than accepting the truth of Arjay's mistakes-

But Sune also saw the futures where she gave into her anger and tore this absurd mortal limb from limb. She knew that despite his love for her, Arjay would be forever wounded by such a reality coming to pass.

Taking a deep breath, she allowed her form to dissipate, centering herself once more on the tiny beauty that lay asleep in her crib. Unable to resist the need to hold her, Sune cradled her daughter in her arms, returning back to the home of the impudent mortal with Mel'inde in tow.

Sune didn't even dare tear her eyes off of her sweet infant, knowing her rage still simmered under her skin. "This is why." She offered quietly, so as to not wake the copper haired princess whose head was tucked so neatly into the crook of her elbow. "A fellow Goddess within this realm blessed me, many a fortnight ago. My children, being born of love, have never chosen immortality over the chance to grow old with those who they hold dear. And I have had many children. The blessing she provided was that the next child I bore would have a life unending as mine by nature."

Sune took another deep breath, this time finally turning to Belle. "I asked Arjay to provide the other spark needed to create such. He agreed, as a man who has always been devoted to his Goddess and loved her in a way few are allowed. From there we grew ever closer. No longer just Goddess and Devout follower, or even lovers. We grew as a pair who would have a family together." She rearranged the blanket that her daughter was wrapped in, such that Belle might make out the wonder of the godchild she held.

Carefully sitting back down in her chair, Sune allowed her power to flow outwards, undoing the damage to the floor, before holding itself out to Belle, as though offering her a hand. Where she to take it, the damage that had been done to her body would too be healed. "I did not make him a God. I asked him if he would become immortal and stay by my side. He agreed- I gave him the spark of divinity that would allow immortality. Arjay is the one who has cultivated it to bring himself to become a deity in his own right. In the parleyance of your religion, I made him a saint. He chose what prayers to receive. He chose to seek out further worship that would give him power of his own rather than the power that he received from me. We have entered into this life together with both sides involved in all choices."

When her words finally quieted, her daughter startled awake, the soothing sound of her mother's voice no longer keeping her at rest. With a mighty wiggle she attempted to free herself from the blanket, letting out a displeased cry with her restraints.

@kel @mike