The servants walked into the room carrying platters of food, most of which had metal coverings over them. At first it seemed to be silver as fitting the wealth of the host but instead were simple polished iron. Each of the servants were using both hands to carry their platters so there would be no trip ups or mistakes. They walked from the adjoining room and all took up position around the large table.

After they were all in place they put down the platters in unison as if they had practiced this, good showmanship being important in the world of politics as it was. Timothy knew that this was all just one of the seemingly pointless ways the wealthy showed off at mealtime. The entire thing didn't seem to be impressing Jenna which made sense considering she was a goddess.

When the domes on the platters were removed it revealed quite the diverse feast of foodstuffs. There were various types of breads in the form of rolls and biscuits. There were vegetables both steamed and broiled. Even fruits like apples and pears both sliced and as ingredients in jams. Then of course there was the main dish itself: the succulent and expertly roasted porked pig. It sat upon the largest of the platters which took two people to carry in. The entire pig wasn't on the plate but most of it was. There was even honey slathered on it to give the salty meat a sweet tint.

Everything smelled so amazing and looked even more spectacular. Timothy's mouth was watering and he couldn't believe he was going to be able to eat from such a flamboyant feast. What his goddess was doing temporarily slipped his mind as his entire focus was consumed by the spread before him that he would soon be allowed to consume.

Jenna's eyes were glowing and opened wide as she looked over the food. Then when she finished glancing at all of it they went back to normal. She then sat back in her chair and looked over at Timothy.

Benedil had noticed this and smiled at her.

"I trust the food is to your liking goddess?"

Jenna sighed and tipped her head towards Timothy.

"Just checking if this would give him botulism."

Derby lifted his right and scratched his chin looking confused.

"I don't think I've heard of such a thing before. Is it bad?"

"Don't worry about it" Jenna replied. "By the way you know I don't need to eat food right? I can of course but its basically for fun."

Benedil smiled again and nodded.

"Of course goddess! I do hope that this meal I've prepared is at least enjoyable for you. I apologize if its not as decadent as your more refined palette."

The servants then brought out plates for each of them and sets of simple silverware. There was a fork, spoon, and cutting knife. They then stepped back and took up positions nearby the table for the time they might be needed again. There were already cloth napkins rolled up on the plates.

Timothy ogled the utensils as it proved they really were rich. He picked up the fork he was given and looked it over.

"Wow! Actually real silverware! I've only seen these on display in the temple!"

Jenna picked up the fork and spun it around in her fingers before gripping it in a manner Timothy had seen depicted in paintings. The other nobles were holding theirs in a similar fashion. Of course a goddess would know how to use a fork.

Benedil clapped his hands. "Well lets begin shall we?"

Timothy watched how the others took from the various platters of food as he was out of his element here. It seemed to be like any normal household's meal where people just took what they wanted and put it onto their plates, though of course here they were using special serving utensils instead of their hands.

All of the nobles were taking what seemed like large portions to Timothy but he wasn't sure what was normal for them. The rather tubby man was the only one where overeating seemed expected. Jenna herself only had a seemingly meager amount on her plate, either because she didn't actually need to eat or because she was trying to match what her she looked like. Timothy was worried about seeming greedy himself and so only took what he actually thought he could eat.

Everything tasted amazing to him, though he was always pretty poor in the grand scheme of the world. In fact it was almost too much him to handle. So many tastes and spices all at once! Despite how overwhelming it all was he wanted to try more and more of it, having to hold himself back from actually getting gluttonous.

Jenna however seemed very nonchalant about the food. Obviously she would have tasted much better, especially if that "soda" she had let him try was any indication. This food was probably so dull it could bring her to tears compared to what goddesses normally ate, if in fact they ever did regularly.

Florent was having a nice mouthful of the roasted pork.

"The food is simply marvelous Benedil!"

Derby nodded in agreement.

"Yes you certainly continue to impress!"

Jenna gave them a glance and then went back to eating the roasted potatoes on her plate.

"You know he didn't make it. Whoever he has as his cook is talented for sure."

Benedil nodded in agreement with the goddess.

"Yes indeed. I spent a great deal of time finding only the finest cook for my estate. He's served me for over six years and has never dropped in quality even once. Truly he is gifted!"

"Mmm. He's almost as good as my own chef" Florent said. "But I'll give him his due."

Everyone was quiet for a few moments as they ate their food. Timothy didn't want to say anything himself lest he speak out of turn. He jumped when he was suddenly addressed.

Benedil was looking over at him and pointed his fork.

"My boy Timothy. I've heard you grew up in a rather destitute background before you became the high priest. Tell us how it came to be you served such a beautiful goddess?"

Timothy gulped nervously and looked over at Jenna for guidance. She didn't give him any looks and thus we was left on his own.

"W-Well..." he started. "It was all pretty accidental if I'm honest. My family has always been poor and I had the job at the temple to help my father with the expenses. When Goddess Jenna showed up she just sort of chose me. I'm still not sure why."

"He deserved it most" Jenna said flatly.

This made Timothy blush and he wasn't sure what to say. To think she actually thought that about him. He wondered what made him so special in her eyes.

"Enough about the boy" Derby interrupted. "I'm absolutely dying to learn more about what its like to be a goddess! That is if you're willing to share Exalted One."

Benedil nodded and wiped his hands on his napkin. Florent also voiced his agreement.

"Yes indeed!"

Derby then bowed his head in Jenna's direction before raising it again.

"Won't you please enlighten us goddess? I've always wished and dreamed that I had real power like magics. I sadly am unable to use it and its been a source of great lament in my life. To be able to use it as freely as you! It must be intoxicating!"

Jenna let out a quick sigh and twirled some of her hair around the finger of her left hand.

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"I suppose it is pretty nice. I guess you could compare it to a waking dream. In your dreams you can do pretty much anything you want, the rules of the waking world don't apply. I'm in that state constantly I guess. Even powerful mages are surprised at what I can do."

"I'm sure you've met plenty of powerful mages goddess" Derby said nodding. "It's rare for humans to be born with the ability to use magic and its always tragic when one of them dies." He let out a sigh. "Like that girl from that poor family of mages out west. They had their daughter recently vanish without a trace into the mountains."

Jenna sat up and suddenly seemed extremely interested in the conversation. Her eyes were locked onto the noble when before she barely even glanced at him. She seemed tense.

"What family?"

Her voice sounded more serious than Timothy had ever heard it be before.

Derby looked like he was trying to remember something for a moment and didn't answer right away. Florent instead chimed in.

"I heard about that. It was the Nimelly family if I recall correctly. They live near a village in the far west of the kingdom, though I don't remember the village's name."

Timothy was watching Jenna intently and saw her gaze wander slightly to the left, her eyes not seeming to be looking at anything in particular. He could almost see a wheel inside her head turning as she thought about something. Eventually however her expression turned to one of pure unadulterated rage while her eyes lit up bright. It absolutely terrified him. He felt his heart stop beating in his chest, his blood run cold, and his eyes go wide. Her face changed back to her previous blank expression so quickly however he wondered if he had been seeing things.

"Is something the matter high priest?" Benedil's said.

The voice made Timothy jump and he sat up straight in his chair. He hadn't been paying attention to the conversation as he was looking at Jenna.

"Oh nothing sir! I'm nothing the matter! I mean I'm fine!"

Jenna was twisting her fork around on her plate and looking over at Derby, her expression almost pleasant now. No one else seemed to have noticed her momentary fit of rage which was probably for the better.

"It sounds like an awful tragedy. Knowing the antics mages get up to that girl probably got what she deserved."

Benedil took another bite of his pork and chewed before swallowing. He then spoke while looking over at her.

"While I can agree mages are schemers you seem to have an issue with nobility as a whole. May I inquire as to why goddess? I hope I'm one you have even a slight fondness of."

Before replying Jenna stabbed the plate with her fork. Her expression was angry but still calm, her voice low with deliberately spoken words.

"It's the rich I have a problem with. I hate the rich. All my memories of the rich or those in power prove the rule overrides the exceptions: scum. All of them. Exploitation of the weak, abuse of authority, the utter waste of their resources. Evil scum that make me sick."

Her eyes were glowing again as they darted up to look at Benedil. The effects were immediate as he froze stiff and looked extremely uncomfortable.

"You haven't done anything to piss me off yet. From what I've seen of this world the rule still applies though. You pass for now."

You could hear the heartbeat of the servants standing by the door it was so quiet. The servants who were looking with great curiosity at the little goddess sitting at the table, seemingly seeing her with new eyes. Timothy quickly spoke up in an attempt to ease the building tension.

"Goddess Jenna really hates evil people you see!" he started. His fear of things getting crazy brought clarity to his words. "The fact she came to this dinner just proves she thinks of you as some of the good ones! Right goddess?"

Jenna's eyes returned to normal and she looked over at him. Her emotions seemingly settled down.

"I guess so. I'm not one to just smite everyone I have a problem with anyway."

The three men seemed to let out a collective sigh of relief and their own body language showed a great tension leaving their bodies. It seemed they were safe from the potential vengeance of the actual deity sitting in the room among them.

"Well that's certainly good to hear" Benedil said. "Thank you for your benevolence goddess!"

After that exchange the table was quiet for almost a minute while everyone ate their food. Eventually the conversation started up again which Jenna mostly stayed out of, the goddess choosing to be very quiet. Timothy however found himself able to converse easier with these nobles then he had thought he ever would.

The conversation however soon changed into a topic he had no ability to speak on: war. He mostly just listened to the three as they talked about the effects of war on the economics, their businesses, and the politics of the court. Jenna was also getting more and more annoyed but said nothing.

Derby was getting hot and bothered about the current point of contention.

"Of course war has an important role in population control! The poor being sent to fight in wars ensures uprisings can't occur doesn't it?"

Benedil was rubbing his temples seemingly frusterated.

"Yes Derby. That is one of the beneficial side effects of wars but its not the reason why we start wars."

Jenna suddenly shouted and stood up, her fists slamming on the table.

"That's it! I hate war!"

Before anyone could respond to her outburst she had an almost instantaneous growth spurt. She grew to her normal goddess size while still inside the mansion. The walls and ceiling made horrible crunching sounds that assailed their eardrums as she crashed through the building. It wasn't even able to slow her down as her body expanded and blasted through everything. Everyone dove for cover or curled up in their chairs as the building collapsed around them. Soon the goddess was standing over the mansion itself as if it was merely a toy.

Miraculously no one had been hurt by the event and only half of the building seemed to be destroyed. Considering what had just happened the fact half of the mansion was still standing and lack of injuries was probably something she had ensured. The devastation was utter however and the night sky was now visible to everyone in and around the dining room. Thankfully the rain had stopped by now and the skies were clear.

Benedil was the first to recover from his utter shock and stood up in disbelief.

"My house!"

Jenna started walking away from the building, her booming steps shaking everything and threatening to collapse the rest of the structure. The rumbling thunder of her footfalls made people fall over and most cover their ears.

Timothy was able to stand thanks to his previous experiences with her walking at this size and started running out where there used to be a wall.

Florent shouted at him. "Where are you going boy? Are you insane?"

"I've got to go after her!" Timothy replied urgently.

"My house..." Benedil said still in shock.

Now Timothy was getting pissed off. These absolute asses really thought this dinner was just going to be like any other. Maybe the goddess's hatred of the rich was well founded after all.

"Sir Benedil!" he snapped in frustration. "She's a goddess for damn's sake! Did you actually think you could just entertain her like anyone else?"

The realization seemed to finally set in for Benedil and he was suddenly very pale. He had calmed down and spoke in a rather calm voice.

"What should we do?"

Jenna had stopped walking by now and was at least a mile away. She was standing with her back turned towards them and her arms crossed, just staring up at the sky.

Timothy turned from looking at her back to Benedil.

"First you should get me a horse. Then you should bow down and pray to her and beg for forgiveness."

Bendil and the other nobles nodded as Timothy ran from the half demolished building. He wasn't concerned about them, all he cared about was getting Jenna calmed down before she dis something even more drastic. Getting a horse and riding out to her thankfully wasn't difficult.

When he arrived he brought the horse to a stop near Jenna's left foot. He then slid off its back and ran closer to her massive boot completely unafraid as he called up to her.

"Goddess! Please come back! Sir Benedil is praying for forgiveness!"

Jenna was still looking ahead and into the shy. She huffed clearly still angry but seeming to calm down.

"I know. I hear it obviously. If he can't even apologize genuinely why should I enter his house? Well what's left of it. He can fix that with his war profiteering money."

Timothy knew that this was going to hurt her reputation in the kingdom even if she was in the right. As a goddess pretty much anything she said was right but she had such a volatile personality at times he knew it would cause problems. What could he do but beg her to make peace here?

"Please came back goddess?" He got on his knees. "Just make peace this once. I'm sure you can bring them around to be good people."

After looking down and seeing him kneeling Jenna let out a deep sigh and dropped her arms to her sides. A small smile came to her face and she turned to crouch down over him. Her body blocked out the sky and cast him into deep shadow.

"How can I be mad when you're around little Timtim? I'll forgive them for your sake."

She then promptly picked him up without ceremony and carried him back to the mansion. Her feet came to a stop right outside the building and she shrank back to her human size in but a moment. Timothy ended up standing next to her as he was deposited safely on the ground.

The three men had been sent sprawling around from her returning footsteps but managed to stand up again once she had stopped moving. They all came and bowed down before her in fear and begged for forgiveness. Even the servants who had been standing nearby for the dinner came and bowed down to her.

Jenna crossed her arms over her chest again and looked over to the young woman maid.

"You there maid. What's your name?"

The maid kept her head down and spoke in a trembling voice.

"Jarla g-goddess."

Jenna nodded and looked back at the three nobles. They had all been peeking up at her but quickly hid their faces again.

"I knew your name Jarla. Who do you serve?"

Jarla gulped and seemed confused but quickly answered.

"S-Sir Benedil goddess..."

"And who above that?"

The maid had to think for a few moments before answering.

"You goddess?"

Jenna nodded in satisfaction and fully addressed the nobles at her feet.

"Jarla here prays to me everyday and is loyal to me. You three need to decide if you serve me or money. Perhaps you should be more like this servant girl. She can be set as an example to you others and I'll continue listening to her prayers. So you nobles shouldn't be jealous of her or try to abuse her."

She then turned to Timothy.

"We're leaving. I want to return to my temple."

Timothy nodded and wondered if she meant the temple in the capital or not. He quickly figured out she meant her temple in the mountains as she once again changed to her goddess size. It all happened so suddenly that he didn't have a chance to regain his bearings before she once again scooped him up and opened a portal to that location far far away. All he could think about as he was whisked away from that ruined estate was just how thankful he was that this evening ended without bloodshed.