“Really,” Jurao asked.

“Really,” Minaz shrugged, “You probably didn’t notice it, but when we got back, I started training you to be the next General instead of just regular officer training.”

“I had no idea,” the King confirmed, “That was centuries before I actually became General.”

“Yeah, well, you had some catching up to do,” Minaz snorted, “I was honestly shocked you knew court etiquette at all.”

“You’re welcome,” Feyl preened, then asked, “So, Braelin, was it about what you expected?”

“I didn’t really have any expectations,” the human replied with a soft smile, “But it was a good story. I liked learning how Jurao and Minaz met, at least.”

Minaz stepped up from the hearth, stretching her arms above her head and behind her back, “Yeah, it was a hell of a way to meet, too. It’s getting pretty late, though - will we be seeing you at breakfast, Braelin?”

“Ah,” Braelin blinked a few times, “I hadn’t considered that yet.”

“Well, either way is fine,” Minaz shrugged, headed for the door, “Have a good night, at least.”

“Should I stop by tonight?” Feyl asked, “You two seem like you might retire early.”

Jurao looked to his partner.

“Retiring early sounds good,” the human sighed.

“Then I shall see you both tomorrow,” Feyl replied, also getting to his feet and leaving with a wave.

“That was nice,” Braelin said, getting to his own feet with a smile, “Learning more about you from your friends.”

Jurao carded a hand into his partner’s hair, “Do you feel better.”

Braelin nodded, leaning into the contact, “It would still be nice to go to bed, though.”

“Of course,” the King replied, getting up so they could walk to his quarters together. They bid Alae good night as well on their way to the halls.

“What happened to the rest of your group from back then?” Braelin asked as they walked, “Mekkest married a beast hunter, so I imagine… fae joined up with them?”

“Fae did, yes,” Jurao nodded - both to confirm the assumption and the pronoun use, “Darve and Exka are married, and he serves as her Right Hand.”

“And Apaje?” Braelin prompted.

“Was recruited into our spy network by Vajur’s parent and predecessor, Faeor,” the King replied, “As I understand it, ce found the work better suited to cer temperament.”

Braelin nodded, then yawned, “What is a Right Hand?”

Jurao hummed, “I’m not sure if there is an easy human equivalent - I believe the position is based on the relationship between Maenscul and Vemera, but it has been some time since I learned about the deities.”

“Maenscul is the Deity of Kings, right?” his partner asked.

Jurao nodded, “And Vemera, the Goddess of Judgment. I would need to refresh my memory on their relationship before I felt confident explaining the mortal position of Right Hand derived from it.”

“Fair enough,” Braelin nodded.

As planned, they returned to Jurao’s quarters and went to bed - though, unusually, Braelin faced Jurao when they laid down. The King chose not to comment on it, being able to discern it was a measure for comfort well enough on his own.

In dreams, Jurao found himself before Maenscul.

“You forgot the story behind Vemera and I’s relationship?” they grinned, seeming more pleased than offended.

Jurao took a moment to observe their surroundings - he was floating just above two of the deity’s cupped palms, as if wrapped in an invisible protective shield. Surrounding them was the daytime sky - but shifting between different colors in a patchwork of skies combined into one.

He looked back to the deity and replied, “Apologies - when I was a child, no one felt it was necessary for me to memorize your stories.”

Maenscul laughed, throwing their head back - they were seated on a throne made of clouds and rainbows. While in the Thousand Caves of Torment, they had appeared around fifteen feet tall to Jurao - they now had a more divine height of at least fifty feet.

That was the only difference in their appearance, however - they still had six arms and a horn that formed a circle above their head, with the Divine Eye on their forehead giving them five total glowing white eyes. Their skin was golden, with white cloud-like markings that subtly shifted in their places. Pale blue, wispy hair was caught in a never-ending gentle breeze.

“No, I suppose they wouldn’t have had much reason to believe you’d Ascend,” Maenscul sighed in amusement as they regained their composure, “Which reminds me of the actual reason I came to speak with you - who is your patron, Jurao?”

“Nosu,” Jurao replied easily.

“Nosu?” Maenscul blinked, then laughed again, “That little shit - they didn’t say anything when I asked my sibling if you were one of theirs.”

More laughter sounded - deeper than Maensculs, accompanied by a burst of rainbow light as a new voice said, “And what of it? You never asked me.”

Jurao had to turn to see the newcomer - which was, naturally, his patron deity - Nosu, the Deity of Wisdom.

They stood at a smaller thirty feet compared to Maenscul, with green skin that matched the hue of the moon they ruled over. Their five eyes were solid black, and their markings were swirling, shifting rainbow light. Their hair, too, was made of rainbow light - spilling off around them like polar lights. Like Maenscul, they had six arms and a ring-shaped horn.

“It’s true I didn’t ask directly,” Maenscul conceded, “But I’m surprised you weren’t curious about one of yours Ascending.”

“Unlike the rest of you, I have few that are born under my gaze,” Nosu replied, gently lifting Jurao from Maenscul’s hands into their own, “So I keep track of them all - I knew Jurao would Ascend the moment Ergirri nominated him.”

“Is that meant as a compliment,” Jurao asked - the only deity he’d met in this face-to-face manner previously was Maenscul when he’d Ascended. He was naturally curious about his patron.

Curiosity Nosu seemed to share as they examined him and replied, “Just an observation - you are your mothers’ son. No one was going to best you in the field of combat.”

Hearing that always caused a blossom of warmth in Jurao’s chest - but hearing it from his patron felt somehow… more.

“Were they yours as well?” Maenscul asked, appearing at ease.

Nosu shook their head, “Soken and Enaroy - though one of them was Beloved of Aeganes.”

“My vaokis,” Jurao asked - he’d never heard that his birth-giving mother, Jeakke, was Beloved. It made a great deal of sense, however, and there was a fair chance she herself had been unaware. Deities rarely announced their favor, and neither of his mothers frequented any temples.

“That’s right,” Nosu nodded, “The blessing was not passed on to you, however - as fierce a combatant as you may be, you do not have the same pure love of combat and weaponry Jeakke did.”

“I am told few did,” Jurao smiled, pleased that, for once, he would have something new to tell his aunt about her sister.

“This is all very…” Maenscul waved a few hands vaguely, “Touching, but there is a reason I needed to know your patron - also, I know you’ve been busy since your return, but remember to make time to visit my temple in the city, hm?”

“As you surely noticed,” Nosu said lowly, “Maenscul has trouble keeping track of the recipients of their favor - they need you to check in because they’ll forget.”

“I heard that,” Maenscul flashed a grin, “But it’s true, so do visit.”

“What is the reason you need to know my patron,” Jurao asked, unconcerned with the godly banter.

“Well, firstly, to be polite,” Maenscul shrugged, “With deities lower in the pantheon, my greater blessing of Ascension can completely overpower their influence - essentially making me the recipient’s new patron. It also happens with those born under Vouscu’s gaze - since their influence is spread so far across the Realm. I make sure to inform them since I am far from the only deity with too many mortals to keep track of.”

“Despite acting like this,” Nosu waved one hand at the deity of kings, “Maenscul is a responsible king.”

Maenscul rolled their eyes, “Secondly is for situations like this - patrons with enough power that my greater blessing doesn’t overwrite their influence. There has never been a King with Nosu as a patron - it could have… unforeseen effects on the Ascension blessing.”

“You may gain an additional power your predecessors did not have,” Nosu clarified, “For example, there was a King named Vaest born under Sciekles’s gaze who gained Champion in addition to Dominion and Tenfold Strength.”

“Champion,” Jurao asked.

“She could share her Tenfold Strength with the soldiers around her,” Maenscul waved a hand, “Though the additional strength they gained was lessened with distance from her person. I’m less worried now, however - my sibling-in-law here will no doubt be eagerly studying any such phenomena.”

“But will I share my findings, ah, who knows?” Nosu chuckled.

“I wonder what caused you to tarry here so long,” said yet another new voice, and Vouscu, Deity of the Hearth, appeared over Nosu’s shoulder, “The latest King, is it?”

“And one of mine,” Nosu smiled up at them.

“No wonder you’ve been in such a mischievous mood lately,” Vouscu smiled. They, like Maenscul, appeared at least fifty feet tall. Their five eyes were red, as was their skin - though the latter had a more earthen tone. Shimmering white star-like markings graced their skin in rolling waves, and impossibly long black hair like true ink fell to the floor around their shoulders.

“In any case,” Maenscul sighed, waving a hand dismissively, “I only meant to warn you of the possibility, so I am done with you for now.”

“I did have some further questions,” Nosu said.

Maenscul waved for them to go on.

“Your human partner,” Nosu asked, “They arrived so recently, I haven’t much information on them - what is their name?”

“His name is Braelin,” Jurao replied.

“A human?” Vouscu frowned.

Nosu reached up with one hand to gently tap their comaes’s cheek, asking, “And do you know which human deity may know more about him for me to ask? It is a very rare occurrence, a Demon King courting a human. I like to keep accurate records, you know.”

Jurao did know this - Nosu was also the deity of scholars, after all. So he replied, “I believe Dwarla would be the best candidate.”

“Ah,” Nosu said, tilting their head with a far more sly smile as they said, “That certainly helps explain how he became Beloved of Iescula.”

There was a momentary pause.

“My daughter has a human Beloved?” Maenscul asked, rising from their throne, “Since when?”

Vouscu sighed and shook their head, “You’ve had much to amuse yourself with, my flint.”

Nosu chuckled and said, “I believe, Jurao, it is time you woke.”

And with that, they parted their hands - Jurao gently falling down through the divine skies.

He woke in his own bed, feeling rested and content despite the dream meeting with the three most powerful demon deities.

Jurao carefully sat up, shifting Braelin as little as possible so he could look down at his partner.

The human was sleeping peacefully, no trace of the previous day’s distress.

Jurao hummed, reaching out to brush some stray hair out of the man’s face - it made perfect sense for Braelin to be a Beloved in hindsight. What else would have stalled the garden from harming or at least capturing him long enough for him to earn its affection?

One of the curtains of his bed was pulled back, revealing Feyl, who snorted, “Oh, you’re awake - you missed your training this morning. It’s unlike you to sleep in.”

“I was visited by the deities in my dreams,” Jurao replied, still considering his partner.

“Really?” Feyl chuckled nervously, seeming uncertain, “Which ones?”

“Maenscul, Nosu, and Vouscu,” Jurao replied, “Maenscul wanted to know who my patron was. Nosu arrived when I named them.”

“Is that all they wanted?” his valet asked, “There’s no big disaster headed our way, is there?”

The King shook his head, “No - though Maenscul also reminded me to visit their temple.”

“You didn’t piss them off, did you?” Feyl asked.

“They did not appear upset,” Jurao shrugged, then finally looked up, “Ah, were you concerned.”

Feyl sighed, running a hand through his hair, “Jurao, most people don’t meet the deities - it’s a bit concerning you seem so… unphased by the experience.”

“Well, I am King now,” Jurao shrugged, “I suppose I expected it, since Ergirri often spoke of talking with Maenscul.”

“I suppose,” his valet sighed with a wry smile.

“Though I was surprised to learn Braelin is Beloved of Iescula,” the King added.

“I-” Feyl’s face scrunched up for a moment, then he shook his head, “I don’t even know where to start with that…”