The Goddess of Death and Her Empress

Kyrie disappeared when Lena stripped off, and was washed by her attendants. Nuri and Nadya were gentle, and thorough with their care of the Empress, even polishing her skin with gentle rubs, and brushing her hair until it seemed to glow.

Once washed, and dressed, the goddess reappeared. The only reason she left was to prevent herself from ogling the Empress, as it was difficult to suppress her desires. Lena smirked a little at her when she reappeared, though she tried to appear nonchalant.

"Nuri, you are my transport to the main hall. Nadya, carry the goddess properly." Lena said, and was eagerly swept into Nuri's arms, and carried so that she was seated like she was in a chair.

"Naughty girl." Kyrie said, and was also swept up into Nadya's arms. Kyrie gently stroked Nadya's cheek. "I shall have to have some fun with you later, Nadya." Nadya blushed.

"I belong to the Empress, goddess. You must ask her first." Nadya said. Kyrie grinned.

"Good girl. Always be obedient to my Lena. She will rule Haven with me in time." Kyrie said so softly, only Nadya could hear her.

"I understand. I've always felt she was your consort." Nadya's words made her smile, as she looked at Lena.

"More than a consort. An equal partner. A young human who has grown strong enough to rival the children of the younger gods under my brother. She is strong enough to devour demigods, and shred the young gods into scraps." Kyrie sighed a bit. "I can't wait to see her grow over the coming years."

It was left unsaid that such a thing should be impossible for a human. Kyrie's energy had a habit of gathering within her, so she invested it in Haven, without knowing that it was her celestial body. She also invested it in her people. This did not weaken her in the slightest.

It only slowed down her eventual evolution into a higher state of existence.

* * *

"Goddess!" The waking elders trembled and quickly knelt down to pay their respects. Kyrie gazed at her girl, who smirked a little.

"Elders. I am the Empress, a companion of the goddess." Kyrie straightened up and hissed at her. The elders trembled as they feared the Empress would be in trouble.

"You are not my companion! You are my partner!" She growled, but noticed Lena's smile. "You little tease." She heard Lena's laughter and felt warm inside as the laugh was light, and happy.

"Sorry about that. My Kyrie needed to state our relationship before you believed it." Lena said with a smile. She looked at the elders, and smiled gently. "Your age catches up with you, elders of the Elorshin. You have many options to choose from. Allow old age to take you. Perform an Offering a month after a cleansing. Or you can be advisers until you decide to go to the goddess." Lena watched their eyes to see their intentions.

"The Elorshin should choose new elders to take up the burden you have born all these years, so you may rest well within the temple. Here, you'll be around those who have the energy the goddess gives her people in Haven." She waved a hand. "Sol. One of my close advisers from Haven, a former Asmarian soldier who became a pilgrim to walk the sands of the Great Desert. She sought the voice of her goddess there as that is where the goddess took a portion of her mother's realm to her own." Kyrie poked her.

"I didn't have any life on Haven. Mother let me too." She said with a small voice.

"I didn't say you stole a part of Imera. What mother would deny her child a way to grow up?" Lena said and lightly poked her back. Kyrie blushed a bit. She turned back to the elders.

"Imera is the mother of the goddess. My Kyrie wants to take her servants to Haven to live. It is a place where they can live without other gods or people abusing them." She touched Nuri's hand that held her up. "I have been assigned wonderful servants, both the Shadows who were born of the Elorshin, and some from beyond the Great Desert. Some from Ados, Caeda, Aervik, and some from Asmaria, like Sol." Lena looked at each of the four remaining elders.

"Do you need some time to decide?"

* * *

"Empress, why didn't you allow them to have an Offering immediately?" Nuri asked as she took Lena outside to walk around. Kyrie followed behind them with Nadya holding her own hand as a guide.

"They slept for a long period of time, aging slowly, but only had themselves for company. Now, they have an opportunity to be around the Others, those who are dedicated to Kyrie, and love her deeply." Lena said, and inhaled deep before she let out the breath slowly.

"Can you sense it, Nuri? The temple had a small vibration of Kyrie's energy within it at first. Now, it hums with life, and with more of her power." Lena said. Nuri blinked, and looked around in surprise.

"It does feel like Haven here now. How did that happen?" Nuri asked quietly.

"Imera let her daughter exist here." Lena said simply. At Nuri's confused look, Lena smiled. "Kyrie is Imera's daughter. Their energy is compatible. She would never try to steal Imera's energy, so what you feel is laid on top, instead of overwriting it." Kyrie smiled.

"You're right, Lena." Kyrie said. "By staying here for a period of time, they can get used to how it feels, and sense how the Others see themselves. They can get a sense for their faith, and how they worship their goddess." Kyrie grinned.

"Although my Empress doesn't worship me like they do." Kyrie said and watched as Lena turned back, and looked quite indignant.

"Not worship you?! If I loved you any more, I would go insane from how much I need to be near you!" Lena's eyes narrowed and she slowly calmed down. "Like they need to be near you." She meant the Others. "Clever twist of words to see my reaction." Kyrie grinned and enveloped her in a warm hug.

"Never a test. Just showing off to everyone else how much my little Lena loves me." Kyrie said and saw a pout slide onto Lena's lips.

"So mean."