I checked my guild and settlement quest summaries.

We should totally rename the guild “Blue Men group” that’d be hilarious.

Choose now eh. Pushy, I shook my head, and got back to work.

Ok Long, long term gain, economic and power. Short term to midterm gain, industrial, or short-term gain commercial and political. I would normally pick the long-term gain. But we’re literally sitting at the center of a Gold rush here. That could mean 20 years of boomtimes. Access to external markets and external gold prices will be massive. It’s pretty much exactly what I envisioned when I got that epic building gem.

But GOOOLEEEEMMMS! I want Golems!

Massive Fireballs! I want Earth Shattering Kabooms!

Bah, You are evil young lady, cruel and Evil!

The wind in the tree above me took on a note of Laughter.

”Fine Point Goddess. But you owe me at least a point for that Alliance with Miss Death there.”

Danu’s laughing voice was suddenly in my head as well. [Ok points Bill, 5-3 Goddesses favor, you have to admit, I pinned you on your own desires quite nicely there. You get one for one for the ceasefire, one for the alliance, and got a point for putting Rey Pasqual on your friends list as well. Nice long-term move.]

[I told you, I had a feeling he was a nice kid, despite the Guatemalan connection]

Granny Piped in then, her old voice strong and sure, cutting off my conversation with Danu [Bill, am I still managing the settlement and guild Carte Blanche?]

[Settlement sure, I have plans for the Guild, and the Epic Buildings though, that fair?]

[Sure, I’d love a hundred golems at my beck and call, but I guess that’s fair.]

[Granny do you want the Settlement Job permanently? Its there if you want it.]

Granny’s voice came back light and airy, with a dollop of humor too. [Oh no William, I have long term plans. I took my share of the loot and made myself the first priestess of Danu on this planet. That will be my focus. Short term. That’s here in Danusholm, but eventually I’m going to have bigger responsibilities. I want to build the healing house, and use it as a hospital and orphanage for now. I will however be training subordinates; I’ll line one up for Danusholm if you don’t mind.]

My eyes squinted and my hackles rose… A clue! a clue! [Do you have Divine Chat now Granny?]

Definitely more bubbles now, bordering on musical. [Oh yes William, and I’ve be eavesdropping religiously, excuse the pun. Danu and I have also been firming up plans, now that I’m her 1 and only priestess.”]

Danu was clearly delighted with the whole thing. [Don’t let her fool you William, she also bought back 20 years of Age Disadvantages too., Plus her plan is to make the healing house into a Healing College leveraging the Ancient Tome I gave you. Danusholm will in 20 years be the finest healing college on the planet. Ms. Grandin here doesn’t aim low.]

Granny laughed back, like an old friend [Well, dear, 30 years of following the armies has opened my eyes to the practical possibilities. When Bill there chose that Major Regeneration skill, my path was laid before me like verdant valley. Bill probably deserves a point for that to by the way Danu]

[But I set it up for him!] Danu shot back, half exasperated now.

[Fair is fair, look at how much of our plans are hinging on that one choice darling.] Granny shot back, cool as a cucumber. Err, Reverend mother Granny?

[Fine, 5-4, but if he passes me Ms. Gatlin, I’m holding you Responsible!] a dollop of the laughter was back.]

I spoke up on my behalf [Lets just go ahead and transfer that point to Granny Golddigger over there, you know that’s her long-term plan anyway. I’m on to you Reverend Mother Granny]

Danu and Granny Gatlin both burst out in peals of laughter. Honestly it did my soul a wonderful amount of good just to sit there and listen to it My face split in a wide grin. Whatever had been knotting up inside me at the earlier conversation letting loose again.

Granny spoke First [I feel like he caught me by the ear on that one, but I’ll definitely take it. And one of those building crystals too, if you don’t mind.] her tone picking up a bargaining note amid the laughter.

This time it was my turn to laugh, [I know when I’m outflanked Reverend Haggler, take the Gem.]

[Done! I have work to do, I’ll see you both later. As to your choice William, trust your gut and your heart and you’ll seldom go wrong.]

If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

Still Chuckling I said to Danu [I’m slightly frightened of what granny will get up to with 2000 points, she took 500 and swept my feet out from under me.]

[Bill, you’re a sap for kids and ladies of every age, you always have been. She didn’t need a single point to sweep you like that. Besides she’s honest, she will not spend a point of that settlement balance on herself, more likely all of it will go to the Healing House.]

My stomach fell on that one. Dropped right out from under me. I’d forgotten, I’d forgotten who I was working for. The Laughter, the smiles the mothering. I’d forgotten the predatory looks when the thought she could push into taking unbound favors. I’d forgotten she was the real queen of the Fey.

[Fair enough] I continued as coolly as I could. But even I heard the quaver in my voice, [can I ask some questions about the epic buildings, since you are -forcing- me to choose right now?]

That “Choose now” had been nagging at me, it felt like a false choice, what magicians in my world called a “force”.

[Sure, but the choice is yours, I’m not going to make it for you. That’s the whole point.]

Yes, I think I’m starting to see her … She’s a loving mother, but still a real mother.

[Ok, Fair. The mage college, will it do any good before we recruit faculty?]

[About as much good as the Tome to be honest, it’ll take decades to amount to much. It would synergize nicely with the healing school granny is building though when both are running.]

Fair, got that hook spotted.

[The golems what materials are needed to make each golem]

She got a steady clear note to her voice there, too steady [Golems are commonly made from Clay, wood, metal and flesh. But don’t build the last, I don’t want to be a goddess of Frankenstein’s]

Yep, she was definitely hiding something.

[And the rare, trace, and magical ingredients?] My voice was to steady now too, the quaver was being replaced with Granite.

[Gold and silver which you have in abundance, plus magical artifacts to give them power]

[What kind of artifacts, Danu, specifically?] My voice like two slabs of granite, Grinding against each other now. Cold Implacable. Angry.

Sighing in defeat she said [Building gems, and favors of the divine, or the equivalent, but once enabled they last until destroyed]

[So in reality, they are actually a long term benefit too, short term I’ll be trading one kind of industrial boost for another.]

[Yes]

Okay, that’s 2 hooks discovered, time for the real choice, the one I’m being maneuvered into making. So the positive and negative effects are my choice, on me. My Problems, My Fault.

[The gate. How many destinations are out there for gates?]

[Oh, tens of thousands] light and airy, like she didn’t have a care in the world.

Definitely too light and airy there. Remember, she may be fun, but she birthed and raised the Tuatha de Dannan. I wasn’t fooled.

[and how many for our gate, if we build it here and now, how many destinations?]

[There are perhaps a dozen gates on this planet which yours can reach]

[and how many of them are open for us to visit?]

[None] quieter now, not defeated, but wary

[How many are open to visit us, if we leave ours open?]

[All of them]

[Ok, now we are on to something. Why are all the gates locked down?]

[Because not everyone on the network is good or kind, just like in the rest of the world, William] The mothering tone, now. But she’d forgotten who my mother was. How she was. Most of all, she’d forgotten what that made me.

[Bullshit, spill it. Now.]

She sighed, clearly realizing I’d seen it coming. Seen her coming. After the mothering comes, what? Logic, cold, cold logic or reassurances? Fast talk? All three?

[Because one of the gates is a gate to hell, but as long as you build it here in Danuholm, in the glade, devils will get rapidly get destroyed if they come.] She sped up on that last half as if reassuring me. Or selling me.

[Who benefits if daemons get destroyed?]

[All good and right people benefit when deamons are destroyed]

[Bullshit, who specifically benefits in an immediate and material way when a deamon or devil gets destroyed after coming through a teleport gate to Danusholm?]

A deep sigh now... [You are mean Bill, just plain mean. Can’t a girl keep any secrets around you? I benefit if my power slays them.]

[And could they damage anything before they die?]

[Oh no Bill, not if you give it room, they last less than a second. But in that second anything next to them is in trouble. With basic precautions it can be managed safely for daemons of any strength... Do you think I’m the kind of goddess to let you kill yourselves like that Bill?]

Only Deamons eh, skipping devils, then she frames her answer as a question, instead of answering it.

[How much do you benefit from each deamon or devil, that you kill]

[I get their CP and any loot, each one is different, just like men]

[How much per deamon of each grade on average, and how much for devils of each grade on average]

[Now you are just getting nasty Bill]

[Can you tell me or Yamina a Lie, Danu]

[Ugh, Fine. 1k for the lowest daemons on average, 100k for the average devil. Up to Millions if the big ones come. But they will not come, you don’t get that old by being careless]

[Can you tell me or Yamina a Lie, Danu]

This time her voice cracked like a whip [Dammit Bill, you are starting to make me angry, I thought you were starting to trust me Bill.]

[I was, till you tried to force my hands on this one Danu. I’m on your team Danu, I literally work for you. Can Yamina tell me a Lie, Danu? Yes or No Answer]

[No, Yamina can mislead you, but she cannot lie]

[And Yamina inherits this from you? Yes or No Danu]

[Yes]

[Now I know your feelings are hurt Danu, but was that really so hard? You know I suspected it of you from the beginning You are the Mother of the Fae after all.]

[Bet you shake your Christmas present too, Bill]

[Yes I did Danu, till I was old enough to realize It spoiled the fun once you knew what they were. You Picked me Danu, You -knew- I had a thing about being manipulated. You -knew- I had a -major- thing about being manipulated. Playing your hand close to your chest is one thing. Laying good chances out in front of me, But direct manipulation Danu. You -knew- this about me. Then you did it anyway.]

[It sounded like a strength at the time, I didn’t think you’d be digging you heels in and pointing it at me, and not just my enemies]

[Are we Broken Danu? is this irreparable, Because I’m not sure we shouldn’t just go our separate ways, and I just move on to what’s next. If I can’t deal with you straight, that may be the best choice. The only choice. ]

[Please Bill, All the cards are on the table, We’re both upset right now. Let’s not make hasty decisions. Even if you are angry with me Bill, think about what that would do to Yamina at least.]

[All the cards aren’t on the table, Danu, we operate at difference tables. Yours is the size of a universe at least. Mine barely fits 4 people. At best all the cards from this hand are on the table. In the end I only ever have 1 card, Danu, I hold it, or I play it, or I fold it. Those have been my only options from day one. Danu. Remember what you said the day we met?

“You are dead, you can never go back No Earth, no Wife no Kids, no Mortgage, no Taxes, nada zilch, that’s a done deal. You have exactly two choices, stay here and serve my interests, or move on and see what next.”

[I remember]

[Okay, last question Danu, for all the marbles. Did you have any part in arranging my death in my old world to bring me here? Did you have any part in taking me away from my wife and children.]

[Oh Gods Bill, I’m so sorry! I had -nothing- to do with your death. You were just a card that got dealt onto my table after your death. Sure I picked you up, and played you, but Death, Death dealt the cards, not me. I’m immense and inscrutable, but I swear on my power. I just picked you up after the dealing that’s all. Death holds power over all of us. Even Gods -Die- Bill. I -did-not- take you from your family Bill. That was already over before I ever came into the picture. I’m so sorry you ever even had to ask that question, to worry about that from me.]

[Okay, Let’s take a few days to think, and then we’ll discuss this again. Till then, lets keep some space between us ok? In the mean time.]