And the first drink's free

[the_fires_deep]

A young woman opens a door, and quirks an eyebrow. There is a bar where there should not be one.

She considers her options, briefly, then decides that she really can't resist investigating. Risky? Perhaps. But it'll bug her if she doesn't figure out what's going on. She informs several people that should likely know that she is going into a strange magic bar thing, and then in she goes.

Comments

[seewhathappens]

"All right."

He describes upcoming public works projects to her: routine adjustments like managing the water table and boosting crop growth in underperforming areas, rarer interventions like altering the course of rivers, things rarer still like creating veins of ore to be mined - if 'mined' is the word when all the mortals have to do is come chip it out of the walls of caves. His people know that they can petition him for these things and be pretty sure of getting them if they put persuasive enough arguments or numerous enough supporters behind it.

[the_fires_deep]

Once she has a good handle on what sorts of things would be expected of her - she happily accepts.

[seewhathappens]

There is much debate between the provinces over where the new province should go. Eventually, they agree on a location: off the western coast, south of Falver and west of Navehneni. The immediate neighbours aren't the only ones who get input into what it should be named, however; the whole empire gets a say, and the winning name is Alaiha, chosen because more people agreed it was pretty than any of the other candidates.

Kirovalin expands his domain under the ocean in the chosen spot and raises a large island, comparable in size to the neighbouring province of Navehneni, which is also an island of its own. The size isn't arbitrary; he makes sure there is room for every citizen who wants to settle there immediately, plus more space to expand into later.

And then he unclaims the island and lets Tisvetaia move in, along with shiploads and shiploads of mortal settlers.

[the_fires_deep]

Tisvetaia turns out to be very good at being a goddess of a province.

She's organized, efficient, and she pays attention. She notes that Kiro's citizens aren't used to warmer temperatures, and keeps the province purposefully colder than her original domain. It's still noticeably warmer than the rest of the empire, but not so much that the citizens are uncomfortable with the shift. She has an easier time with farms and fertility, as well - she doesn't have to fight with temperatures and her soil naturally is very rich. She manages the water table and watches the crops and tends to send gentle rains during the night to water them when necessary. She adds little interesting fruit trees to the islands and small fuzzy creatures that everyone agrees are adorable and make excellent pets. She sets up hot springs with little stairs already carved up the mountain (technically a volcano, but she'll never erupt). She has her manifested birds subtly preserve buildings (to resist rot and the like) and works out where roads are going to go with the governor and then makes them herself.

She obviously enjoys herself a lot, and works very hard to keep citizens happy.

[seewhathappens]

Her new citizens adore her! It is widely agreed that this was an excellent move on Kirovalin's part.

Time passes, and passes, and passes some more.



When Tisvetaia has been overseeing her province for a little over a year, a new set of coins are struck at the Imperial Mint. Instead of Kirovalin's face on one side and his bird form on the other, they have Kirovalin and Tisvetaia on both sides, human and bird. The old coins are still valid, but all new ones will follow the new style.

[the_fires_deep]

... Tisvetaia is very briefly speechless when she learns about this.

"That," says her manifested form in Milliways, once she's recovered, "is atrociously adorable."

[seewhathappens]

Innocently: "What is?"

[the_fires_deep]

She laughs. "You put my face. On your coin."

[seewhathappens]

He grins.

"I'm glad you like it."

[the_fires_deep]

She giggles.

"Thank you. May I hug you? I would like to hug you."

[seewhathappens]

"You may."

[the_fires_deep]

So she does!

Hug!

[seewhathappens]

Hug.

[the_fires_deep]

It is a few months later that she reasons out that not only is it safe for her to offer him acolytehood, but also a good idea. And more importantly, she's actually willing to.

(Look, he put her face on his coin, he purposefully gave her an island, she's pretty willing to just. Trust him.)

"So," muses her Milliways manifestation, as if this was a random thought instead of several months of careful deliberation. "It occurs to me that there is an obvious way to become more efficient at this 'poking all mortals' business." She circles the rim of her cup of tea with a finger, only a little nervous. He can likely tell, by now. "How do you feel about being made an acolyte?"

[seewhathappens]

Surprised! Surprised seems to be how he feels.

[the_fires_deep]

Yep, she sort of figured he would be. She can wait, even if it's a little maddening. She doesn't need to fidget in this body. One of her birds hops nervously on top of a rooftop. Hop, hop. Fidget fidget. Good, that's out of the way. Her Milliways manifestation stays still and waits for his answer to that particular question.

[seewhathappens]

"...That would be... extremely useful," he says. "Much more efficient than each of us having to cover the same population separately."

And an incredible gesture of trust.

[the_fires_deep]

"Yes." Pause. A little shyly: "I trust you."

[seewhathappens]

Kirovalin smiles.

"Then... yes. I would like to be your acolyte."

[the_fires_deep]

She smiles back.

"Well all right then."

And then... he is her acolyte. He can tell immediately. It's rather like the goddess has given him the key to her soul.



"Unfortunately, now your birds will have to wear necklaces. For maximum efficiency," she says, dryly.

[seewhathappens]

"I'm sure I will look very fashionable."

[the_fires_deep]

"That's the spirit! All of the other birds will be jealous. Watch for projectiles. They might get vindictive."

[seewhathappens]

He laughs.

[the_fires_deep]

She grins.

Well! That worked out well. She might send a bird to have a bit of a panic attack for her later, but she sincerely thinks he won't make her regret this choice.

[seewhathappens]

He does not make her regret this choice!

All of his manifestations take to wearing her holy objects, in her customary dark stone and the large-round-pendant form that is the Imperial standard for acolytes. Distributing the benefits of their respective powers becomes vastly more efficient.



About a month later, Kirovalin's manifestation in the bar finds Tisvetaia's, and hands her a wooden acolyte pendant.