How long had it been?

Weeks, if not months, of walking through cold streets at night, praying under the stars for guidance. She had neither committed to battle, nor declared any serious campaign of late. The Gilded lily, after the meteor had struck and the treaty formed with the Brotherhood, had become dedicated to rebuilding society, and that was what Philomel's attentions had been on mostly for the late while. That, and the declaration by the crew of her ship, the Feisty Fox, that they were now thing to go it alone and be independent.

Which was fine. It was days and weeks ago now. Besides, philomel has new, much more recent and pressing matters on her mind.

Or rather, on her tummy. In her tummy, really, which was now quite impossible to hide on her fine musclef physique.

Another baby. And this time entirely unplanned, and she had no idea who the father was.

Once again after was alone. At least, in her terms. Veridian would never leave her be - he was her soul'd other half after all. He sat on her shoulders as she traipsed through the long grasses, saying nothing but being an ear to hear her sighs. Beneath them, inevitably, deep in the belly of the earth, dug the mighty wyrm dragon, Delath, whom she has adopted long ago, and had been blessed by her goddess. But quite if she was blessed now, quite if this child, like her daughter, was a gift from Drys, Philomel knew not.

She had received no response from Drys recently in her 'why' prayers and she was beginning to feel like this was all that terrible thing she had heard of.

A 'test'.