In a matter of only a few minutes the maid had returned with a teapot and several teacups. There was also a small plate with several varieties of small cookies. Even though Timothy came from a poor family he still knew what sweets looked like. He had even tried one before when his father was cooking for a particularly rich person. It was always impressive to see so much sugar packed into such a tiny food item. He tried one of the cookies but didn't end up finishing it due to how overbearingly sweet it was.
Salferia was also quite impressed with the sweet foods humans had. Fairies rarely had cooked food according to her, preferring to live off the land by foraging for food. They did cook of course, just not anything more complicated than bread or perhaps simple tarts. Something like granular sugar was certainly something the average fairy would never have even dreamed of experiencing.
When Timothy turned to look at Jenna he noticed she was not impressed in the slightest at the cookie she was sampling. She was holding one in her left hand and had taken a bite out of it but her expression looked bored. It made sense that an actual goddess would find human food, even the expensive kind, paling in comparison to whatever she was used to having.
Salferia was currently sitting on the chair summoned for her by the goddess and eating a large chunk of cookie she had broken off the one Timothy had originally had. At her tiny size a full cookie was big enough for her to use as a bed, so even tiny crumbs broken off it were plentiful mouthfuls. She also was trying some of the tea, though with no cups tiny enough for a fairy she had ended up making one herself using magic.
It was easy to forget that fairies had mastery of the same item creation magic that goddesses did, something that Timothy found himself constantly marveling over. Of course a goddess could do much more on a wider scale, unimaginably so. But the simple fact someone so tiny could do the same thing on a tiny scale where humans couldn't at all was something to behold.
Turshok was still sitting in his original position and similarly was not partaking in the cookies. It was obvious that he hadn't brought such things out for himself since the suggestion was made. This was for his guests and in the rare example of true leadership among the nobility he was allowing others to enjoy something he himself refrained from doing. He had noticed the overall lack of enthusiasm from Jenna and seemed a bit concerned about it.
With a smile he placed his teacup back down on its small saucer and looked over to the goddess.
“I'm sorry if the sweets aren't up to the standards of your pallet goddess.” He said with an apologetic tone. “Please if there's anything else I can get for you simply name it, as absurd of a notion as that seems for a human to say to a goddess.”
Jenna put the cookie down on the little saucer in front of her and then placed her hands together on the table. She let out a small sigh and then turned to look down at the fairy sitting on the table. Whatever was going through her mind was beyond human understanding as she seemed to be almost jealous of the tiny being's great enjoyment.
“Oh don't worry about it dude.” Jenna said calmly. “I've just never been all too into sweets. Salt has always been my preferred go to for snacks.”
This response got both young men to pause and think in bewilderment. The only thing they could think of that fit such a description would be jerky, though eating that was hardly pleasant. It was a ration for long journeys.
Turshok decided to break the question where his compatriot was too shy to.
“Pray what kind of snack would that be?” He asked genuinely curious.
Jenna sat back in her chair and twirled her index fingers in the air while keeping her hands together on the table.
“Oh nothing you've every heard of I guess.” She replied. “There's these things called potato chips I really loved. A specific kind anyway.” Then she looked down at her hands and got a very hungry look in her eyes. “They were just potatoes sliced into really thin pucks and cooked in oil. Then they were coated in pure vinegar and sprinkled in salt!”
The excitement in the goddess's voice was unmistakable and it almost seemed like her mouth was about to start watering at any moment. If indeed it wasn't already.
Both of the humans were wide eyed in shock. The mere idea of eating food not only covered in salt but drenched in vinegar as well, much less for fun, was simply astounding. Just thinking about such a food made their mouths pucker up at the sheer audacity to the taste buds. Either this goddess was representative to her kind or some kind of outrageous outlier, with both options leading them to believe they really had no idea what goddess food was like.
Salferia just laughed and kicked her legs up in the air as she clung to her cookie piece. There were crumbs all over her cute clothing and face, not to mention her well wrapped bosom.
“Give to a goddess to like such ridiculous food!” She giggled. “I guess it sure explains your personality!”
Jenna looked down at the fairy with a relatively tame glare considering what Timothy had seen her do with others. In order to prevent any hard feelings from developing, at least hopefully, the young man immediately interjected.
With a gentle hand he reached down and used his fingers to press Salferia back down into her seat. This got a pouting expression from the fairy but she didn't protest otherwise.
“It's not nice to make fun of people like that.” He said sternly. “Much less a goddess!” He half chuckled in a fit of nerves.
Jenna looked down at the tiny fairy with a bit of a sneer on her lips.
“It's fine Timmabbo. At least by skipping out on sugar I'll avoid getting fat!” She then smirked. “It'd be such a shame to get fat you know? A lady has to keep up her figure!”
Salferia looked shocked as she stared at the cookie chunk she was holding. Then she looked up at Jenna's face and glared angrily.
“I'm not going to be fat you dumb goddess!” She exclaimed in protest. “Its just one cookie one time!”
It was Jenna's turn to giggle, showing actual mirth for the first time this entire meeting. She sat back in her chair and looked over at the prince. Then her face got serious once again for seemingly no reason at all.
“They're here.” She said suddenly.
The two humans looked at each other in confusion in silence, then a sudden knock on the door made them both jump.
Turshok looked in that direction and called out.
“Come in!”
The large ornate doors of the meeting room opened slowly with a slight creak. There on the other side was revealed to be the other members of the meeting. The head mage, and only elf, of the royal court Illiad Westbow and the somewhat tubby lead advisor of the king Benedil Daughterly.
Both men were somewhat unenthused when they saw the little girl sitting at the table, even more so when she turned around to look at them. There was even a hint of fear in the humans eyes and one of disgust in the eyes of the elf. They both then noticed Timothy sitting there and had their each own looks of disapproval.
Benedil was the first to comment on the situation. His hands slipping into his robes in a show of false refinement.
“I forgot one of the poors would be joining us today. If I had known I would have dressed down for the occasion.”
Jenna's eyes were shooting daggers at the tubby man, thankfully in the figurative sense. Though Timothy had no questions in his mind that she was capable of doing it literally should she choose. It was thanks to the quick action of the crown prince however that things didn't get ugly.
“Now now Benedil.” Turshok said smiling pleasantly. “That's no way to speak to my guest. He is the head priest of the temple now. As I'm sure you're aware.”
Suddenly and without warning Salferia leapt from her chair and into the air, her wings fluttering and scattering dust about as she hovered over Timothy's head.
“Oh!” She exclaimed excitedly. “Is that shitty elf here?” She grinned deviously at the elf across the room from her. “That's what they call you've I've heard.”
Illiad was visibly shocked at the appearance of the fairy and while his expression was one of extreme disappointment he held his tongue. He simply gave a disapproving look at the fairy and then turned his attention to the others at the table.
“I apologize for our late arrival.” He said giving a shallow bow. “I hope it hasn't caused any concerns or problems.”
Salferia shook her fists at the elf angrily and started flying towards him.
“Don't ignore me you little- Eek!”
Her sentence was cut off suddenly with a shrill shriek as Timothy grabbed her out of the air. He was gentle of course but he had to something before this got out of hand. Carefully he had grasped her around the waist and brought her back towards himself.
“I'll turn you into a flea and crush you with my boot!” She was shouting in protest.
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Before he could say anything to calm her down Jenna spoke up and looked with a very serious, and frightening, expression down at the fairy in his hand.
“You're going to be on your best behavior aren't you little lady?” She said in a dangerous tone.
Salferia took one look at the goddess and let out a shriek of fear. Almost too quickly for the eye to follow she squirmed her way out of Timothy's loose grip and flew up into the hood of his cloak. Quickly she buried herself out of sight, close to his body and safely snuggled away. It was clear she wouldn't be an issue going forward now.
Illiad grunted and walked over to the table with his companion following behind him.
“If there shall be no other interruptions shall we get this meeting properly underway?”
Benedil had been visibly nervous ever since the door opened as he had a certain history with the goddess himself. Seeing the fairy had only made his disposition more unnerved, though it was clear he was trying to keep up appearnces.
“Yes.” He said quickly. “I take it we're all aware of this new menace? Perhaps we can begin the meeting by going over what we know so far.”
Illiad took his seat next to the prince while Benedil sat down at end of the table. He was immediately next to Jenna and seemed rather uncomfortable about it, though he couldn't complain in fear of the social implications.
As they sat down Turshok nodded and looked at them each in turn.
“I suppose that's a fine idea.” He said. “There's no objections I assume?”
Jenna lifted her left hand and put it down again.
“None from me.”
Timothy smiled weakly and put both his hands in his lap.
“Not a problem with me either! Please go ahead!”
Honestly he knew the least of anyone here about what was going on. This was a good opportunity for him to get more informed and he wanted to keep up appearances that he knew anyway.
What followed what was to be best described as a truly boring meeting, something that while Timothy did his best to retain he found much of the information going straight through his mind like a sieve. It was almost marvelous how these men could make even such fantastical happenings as the rising threat of an undead menace to be such borderline boring conversation.
Of course Jenna was privy to such information herself and likely knew all of their musings and reports well beforehand, of that Timothy was sure, though she acted with such tact when playing along with their show of knowedness. Honestly all a boring peasant turned priest like him could do was nod along with the pretense of understanding when it came to these long explanations of places and people he had never heard of in his life.
It seemed that there were undead sightings and even tentative attacks in villages and towns all across the south-western province of Rellabellum. The goddess herself had even intervened to defend some of these places, including a village of refugees that had apparently been living deep in the wilderness before now. She seemed almost hesitant to go into more detail about them than that and none present even sought the need to press her for more. Timothy could tell there was something important she was leaving out and didn't want to press her himself.
The issue of a vampire woman capable of performing the outlawed magic of necromancy was also mentioned by the goddess, someone who apparently was still at large in the world. She was working on tracking her down, explaining the issue she had with undead creatures being difficult to track even with goddess powers. At least for now she claimed. There was also mention of a particularity nasty sounding “Demon Mage of Henjuk” to whom Illiad seemed familiar.
Illiad crossed his arms across his chest, an angry frown furrowing his brows.
“I'm familiar with this so called demon mage.” He said in a serious tone. “Though our goddess is doubtless aware I shall explain for the rest of you with permission.”
Turshok held out his hands towards the elf.
“Please do! I've not heard mention of this man myself.”
Illiad looked to the prince, nodded, and then continued speaking.
“He was a man known as Barthenor that lived many thousands of years ago. Long enough ago for his name and deeds to be passed into myth.” He sighed and shook his head. “While I wasn't there personally, being only a few centuries old myself, I am well aware of his legacy.” He then straightened up again. “The idiom he is so well known for comes from the last act he committed against the world. An entire city at the base of the Hejuk mountains was laid to waste by his magical prowess.”
Everyone around the table let out gasps of surprise or shock, even the goddess herself being caught with her eyes going wide. Timothy himself couldn't believe it. That sort of power sounded like it belonged solely to goddesses. To think that a human could come even close to one in power was astounding.
Illiad then shrugged. “I know not what manner of spell he used to this end, though it is known he was particularly practiced in necromancy. Many of his close friends and even family died in war and some believe that is what drove him into madness. Rest assured he is long dead and this vampiress is simply using his name in order to claim clout otherwise undeserved. As a rogue mage she should be dealt with swiftly before more damage is done.”
Jenna huffed and crossed her arms over chest.
“I've got my own champion on the case.” She rolled her eyes. “At least I plan to. I'll be sending him out into the mountains to look around. Its reasonable to think this vampire will be using whatever base this Barthenor did so long ago. A monster lairing in the lair of another monster and whatnot.”
Benedil looked somewhat unconcerned considering the information they had been going over. He shrugged and sat back in his chair.
“I really don't see what all the fuss is about.” He said dismissively. “I mean... Its only a few villages and towns in the far end of the kingdom. Those are poor places filled with poor peasants. Even if they were to be taken out it shouldn't be too large of an issue.”
This level of heartlessness got an immediate response from Jenna who snapped at him in anger.
“I'd like my worshipers to be protected thank you very much!”
Illiad spoke out in anger for his owns reasons as well.
“You pitiful fool!” He sneered. “And where do you imagine this vampire will move after consuming all those peasants in undeath? She'll be marching on to more populated areas like the capital you shit brained twit!”
Turshok sat there in silence as the others voiced their opinions. It was clear he was thinking about it himself and would rather not risk the ire of the goddess himself. Whatever his outlook on the situation was it would be his alone for the time being.
Benedil looked actually surprised and taken aback by the vitriol of the reaction he had brought out. He looked sheepishly over to the prince for support and when he received none he had a rise in anger himself. His face went red and he slammed his hands down on the table.
“Look I understand the treat she poses alright?” He said angrily. “It's just from the objective standpoint losing a few villages worth of poors isn't as drastic as you lot make it out to be!”
Timothy's heart almost stopped when he saw Jenna's eyes suddenly burst into a brilliant white glow. It was as if time stood still as he witnessed it and a wave of panic washed over his body. This was an extremely bad thing. Yet he sat trapped in this moment as he watched one of her fingers flick upwards.
Instantaneously the room was filled with blaring heat as Benedil's entire body was engulfed in flames. He was literally a man on fire as his clothing ignited, the man immediately leaping up from his chair and screaming in both panic and pain. The others at the table were just as shocked as he was and could feel the heat of the flames licking at their own skin.
Then just as suddenly as it had begun it ended. The flames vanished with a puff of smoke as if they had never been. Benedil was covered in burns with his clothes blackened. Even his hair was all but singed away with little ends still smoldering. The man was miraculously still alive, though he looked like he had just run through a bonfire.
Jenna was standing up with her chair pushed to the side. There was a look of cold fury on her face around her glowing eyes, her finger once again returned into her closed fist.
“This meeting is over.” She said with finality.
Illiad was staring with honest shock, frozen in fear himself as he stared at the fury filled little girl before him. Turshok had leapt from his chair in terror and was just now able to collect himself. Meanwhile the maid had let out a shriek of panic and was flattened into the wall. It was Timothy alone who wasn't as fearful as the others. He could even feel Salferia shivering inside his clothing.
Without another word Jenna turned and began stomping away from the table.
Timothy leapt up from his chair almost knocking it over.
“W-Wait for me!” He stammered.
He quickly followed after her, stumbling over his own feet as he looked back in both surprise and pity at the other men around the table. Whatever had possessed his goddess before was back and true danger was close at hand. As the doors to the room opened without anyone touching them he caught up with her.
“G-Goddess!” He said timidly. “H-Hold on just a second!”
The two of them passed through the door and the pair of surprised guards. Neither of the armed men said anything as their expressions clearly displayed that they felt the overwhelming aura of bloodlust coming from the girl. The doors slammed shut with a bang and the odd pairing of goddess and priest continued walking down the hallway.
“I said wait!” Timothy said. He was mustering up all the courage he had and ran up in front of Jenna. “Who are you and what have you done with my goddess?”
He demanded this with such a firm tone that he shocked even himself. Lost in the moment the bravery that came over him made him feel he had nothing to lose. As he came to a stop in front of his goddess he expected her to smite him down immediately but instead she stopped and looked up at him with those glowing eyes.
“You know you're cute.” Jenna said with a very different tone than her usual voice. “Because you're so tiny and pathetic like a little pet bug.”
The bravery Timothy was feeling allowed him to become filled with actual anger and he stood his ground.
“Who the hells are you?” He almost shouted. “My goddess would never say something like that!”
This brought an expression of surprise and confusion to Jenna's face. She looked up at the young man with a blank expression as if she didn't understand the question. After a short pause she replied however with her fury seeming to be quickly fading.
“I am Jenna.” She said flatly.
Timothy shook his head and his right hand both.
“No no! You're definitely not her!” He replied. “Who are you?”
Once again the little girl before him looked up at him in confusion. Then she looked down for several moments as if thinking about something.
“I am Jenna.” She said once again looking back up at Timothy. Then as she continue to speak her tone of voice shifted back to what she usually used while simultaneously the glow in her eyes faded away. “Just forget about it.”
As Timothy stood there in surprise so too did the goddess. Jenna blinked several times and looked around, a sudden blush of embarrassment coming over her face.
A wave of relief came over him as he saw his goddess returning to normal. Quickly he got down on his knees and reached out with his hands, putting them on her shoulders as small tears of relief slid down his cheeks. It was only now that his fairy friend peeked her head out of his clothing as well, though she remained silently watching.
“Thank goodness you're back!” Timothy exclaimed in relief. “I was so scared when you were possessed again! Please tell me what's going on goddess!”
Jenna looked up at him in obvious embarrassment and then quickly averted her eyes, a slight flush coming over her cheeks.
“L-Listen Timmy.” She said sheepishly. “I'm not being possessed alright?” She looked up at him again and saw her explanation wasn't sufficient. Then with a deep sigh her shoulders slumped in defeat. “Fine! I'll explain things when we get somewhere more private. Acceptable?”
Timothy let out a sigh of relief and stood up once again, removing his hands from his goddess's shoulders and dropping them to his sides. A small weak smile came over his face as he looked down at her.
“Y-Yes goddess.” He replied. “It is.”
With everything now returned to normal Timothy allowed himself to take full breaths and calm himself down completely. It was clear whatever was going on wasn't something that this adorable goddess would have to shoulder alone. While he had no idea what it even was or how a mere human like him could hope to help her overcome it he was thankful to finally be able to at least hear an explication of what it was.
Timothy stepped back and away from Jenna to remove himself from being in her way. She looked up at him for only a moment before turning her head in apparent embarrassment still. Using one of her hands she swiped through the air and opened a portal to what appeared to be her castle domain. Then she walked through after waiting for Timothy to come follow behind her. Timothy had full faith in his goddess and stepped into the portal after her and into the secrets that awaited beyond.