There are times when I do feel sorry for Kavaa. Her demesne is inherently benevolent, yet it is all about pulling people out of poor situations. It is different from my demesne, where I could theoretically go decades only assisting kings and rulers and the worst I would see is someone get the flu. I think that the only person who deals with more death than Kavaa is the Neneria herself. Yet Neneria deals in death, Kavaa deals with suffering. In that regard, I need to be lenient. It is only natural that so much suffering would have an effect on a person.
But then I deal with Kavaa.
- Excerpt from Goddess Allasaria’s, of Light’s, private diary.
Kavaa blinked the morning sun of Anver away as the door to Arascus’ luxurious plane slid open to the pneumatic hissing of pressurized pistons. Behind her, the meagre amount of bureaucrats had given her in the initial sortie readied themselves. They had to hop off the oversized couches and slide down the massive chairs that were purpose built for beings the size of Divines. It was the height of luxury, with its own bar and everything made out of a soft material. Even the floors were carpeted in cream. Kavaa cracked the mint in her mouth and tossed it around with her tongue to cover up the smell of the gin she had been sipping.
The Goddess of Health felt the wind first, she had expected Anver to be warmer. Preparing the long coat that fell to past her knees and was lined with fur around the collar had been a good call. She looked at the arid mountains in the east, their snowcaps gleamed like giant lanterns in the morning sun. Kavaa looked around at the landscape as her eyes passed over the city not far from the airport. Maybe Helenna would be able to put it into better words, but Kavaa could only say it had that UNN feel about it. Big is what she would say. Far bigger than Epan cities, with plenty of skyscrapers and city blocks and huge streets separating them. Big and spacious. The landscape was much the same, big and spacious were the perfect words. It was as if someone had intertwined a field and a forest, with loose trees scattered everywhere, forever. Kavaa caught sight of some small rodents watching the sunrise near the end of the runway.
And Kavaa finally looked down at the small crowd which was waiting on this runway, far from the rest of the airport. Men and women in dark blue suits all waiting next to Etala. Kavaa had seen this Goddess of Democracy before, they had even met a few times. It had always been cold though, the most credit Kavaa could give the UNN was a recruitment ground for adventurous young souls which would then be sent to Arika to deal with the Jungle. That had been long in the past though. Kavaa looked at Etala and Etala looked at Kavaa.
Two Goddesses did not stare at each other. Kavaa started to walk to walk down the stairs without waiting for her assistants. These stairs were obviously made for humans, she comfortably took them two at a time and approached the Goddess of Democracy. Maybe there were important people here, the only people she knew to keep an eye out for were President Kochinski and then Ciria and Halkus. Kavaa had too many things going on in her own life to bother learning the names of every UNN politician. Etala actually took the initiative to approach Kavaa as her own backup waited for her. “I graciously invite you to into the Union of New Nations.” Etala said and extended her arm out for Kavaa to shake.
Well, that was an immediate difference in character compared to the timid Epan Divines. “It’s my pleasure.” Kavaa said and skipped the show of looking around, she simply followed up with her own question. “Is Ciria not here?”
“The Goddess of Civilization has declined to attend.”
“Well not to worry.” Kavaa said. “I assume you know what I am here for, we will begin today.” Etala was just shorter than her, that was the norm for Nationals. She met Kavaa’s gaze though and she didn’t seem timid. That was the most Kavaa could read, she was no Arascus nor any Kassandora.
Etala leaned to the side to look past Kavaa at the small team of men filtering out of the aeroplane. It was Imperial bureaucrats in suits, Kavaa rubbed her tongue against the roof of her mouth and tasted mint. Good, her breath should not smell of alcohol then. “I hope not to offend Goddess, but is that all you’ve brought?” She asked.
Kavaa did not even bother turning around to look at the Imperial administrators. “More will be coming.” Kavaa said. “These were just the ones who were unlucky enough to be about when I was taking off.” Nothing of what Kavaa just said was a lie.
“Oh.” Etala said.
“I’m the Goddess who creates Clerics.” Kavaa said. “They’re just here to assist in the immediate administration. They’ll be gone a month from now, don’t worry.” Etala raised an eyebrow.
“My apologies but how many more are coming?” She asked.
Kavaa didn’t know how she sensed what the woman was asking about, but she did. It was the phrasing, she had seen it before in officers, in Cleric Captains and in Kassandora. “They’re competent enough not to sleep on the streets.” Kavaa answered and Etala nodded.
“If you give us more time, we can find lodgings for them. Apologies but understand that you are doing this on short notice for us.”
“They’ll be fine.” Kavaa replied, her tone harder this time and more argumentative. Ultimately, a little camping has never killed anyone. Kavaa shut down this line of talk with the trump card Arascus had given her. “I’m not responsible for any of the Imperial decision making. Arascus sends me to do a job and he makes sure I have the tools I need.”
Etala narrowed her eyes at that comment. “Aren’t they people?” She asked.
The reply came instantly. “Figure of speech.” Kavaa had expected Etala to not be so soft after Arascus praised her.
And two Goddesses did stare at each other. Kavaa’s cold grey eyes met Etala’s deep blue ones. The Goddess of Democracy broke it off though. “I meant nothing by it. Apologies, I was just seeing what you would say.”
“No offense was taken.” Kavaa said. And this time, the stare went on for longer. Kavaa had nothing to say, she honestly did not know what Etala was waiting for. A normal passenger plane operated by Union Airlines landed on another runway. The wind blew everyone’s hair and clothes, although it only moved the hem of Kavaa’s buttoned black coat. She looked away to the airport and its odd design, like a series of tents that had been conjoined together. Then back to Etala. “Do you read minds like this?”
Etala’s lips cracked into a smile. “Is that a serious question?”
“It is.”
“I can’t, don’t and have never read someone’s mind. You’re not how I expected you to be.” Etala said. Kavaa felt the first inklings of her temper crack.
“How did you expect me to be?” She asked slowly and Etala’s smile revealed her pristine white teeth.
“More like how you are now.” She said. This was a Goddess suited for the White Pantheon. Kavaa threw Etala into that tidy little bin of Divines she did not particularly enjoy the company of. Well, little was not the way to describe that bin. It was huge and overflowing, but it had space for Etala none the less. And immediately, she retreated. It was the thought of Kassandora rather than Arascus which made her stop. Kassie would not act like this. Kassie could hate someone with all her heart and not say a single terrible word about them. Frankly, even though Kassie was the Goddess of War, Kavaa didn’t know if the woman was even capable of hatred. Not once had Kassie ever mentioned hating anyone.
“I’m the Goddess of Health.” Kavaa supposed an explanation or some sort of introduction was needed. This was the first time they had ever seriously interacted. If she was here to uphold some sort of alliance, and if Arascus had said she was amicable, then Kavaa could at least try. At least give her a shot. One chance. “I’m not some inane abstract like Democracy Etala and I’m not a manifestation of national consciousness. I’m the Goddess of Health and everything to go with it.” No reason to share that another title was the Goddess of Life, that was a throne Kavaa did not want. “I do not mean this badly in your regard Etala, nations are grand and democracy is an ideal, but I am streetsweeper for the greatest and most direct of humanities’ failings. That of poor health. I am the janitor that cleans up disease and the garbage man that takes out illness. That is my job. I am good at it insofar there is nothing that I cannot restore.” Baalka was the only exception so far. “The things I have seen, you cannot even imagine. My healing is unstoppable and it is repulsively painful. I doubt anyone would come to me if I could not send people to sleep.”
Kavaa’s tone became harsher as her own words made her angrier. “I will send you away and ask for Kochinski or for Ciria or for whoever else your nation has, or I will work alone if you make these snarky little judgements on my character.” And now that she was getting angrier, it did feel good. It felt just as good as when she had so honestly complained to the men she had made immortal before Operation Ratsweeper. At the end of the day, she was Kavaa, Goddess of Health. Who the fuck did not know about the Goddess of Health in this world? It would be akin to not knowing one’s own mother. It was the fucking Goddess of Health Etala! It was a title Legendary with a capital L.
“I expect you to know who I am, I also expect you to know that I am argumentative and quick to anger and easily annoyed because everyone I have ever met someone thinks they will be the one to somehow explain these character faults to me and help me overcome them. Etala, what happened in Continent Cracking and its aftermath is a tragedy, I am not so proud as to deny you that, but I formed in Worldbreaking. What do you think that looked like? The conception of me as Health came about specifically to deal with these events. Are you going to judge me for calling those bureaucrats tools? For reducing and making them less than human? Apologies Etala. That is what you’re going to get. The doctor is the last person you want to see because the doctor is the only person you don’t have a choice about seeing so there’s no nice fucking twiddling of thumbs and mincing of words and no need at politeness. The doctor’s job is not to deal with you but with the problems in you so shut the fuck up and let me do my fucking job or get out of way because I am sure that as we stand and tattle here with these pretty introductions, your countrymen are dying. Yours. Not mine.”
Those final words crushed Etala’s composure. Her face cracked and her lips quivered as she listened to the intruder on her land. Kavaa supposed she should at least attempt to be nice. “So no Etala, you’re a grand Goddess, I am a grander Goddess. That is how it is and that is how it will be.” Kavaa took a deep breath, amused at her own words. It was funny to her that she in hindsight that she thought that actually sounded nice. Some people said anger should not be bottled up, others said it should not be enabled. Kavaa was firmly in the former category. She did feel much better and even managed to smile at Etala. “Now that we have settled that, then yes, my character is poor. I have no intention of being pleasant and to be honest I did not come here to be your friend. I am here to solve a problem because Arascus told me to solve a problem. He is a man far more qualified to give advice on, well, anything.”
Etala straightened her back, but she actually did incline her head to Kavaa once the Goddess of Health finished. But those blue eyes were unfocused, almost stunned. Her lips kept on quivering. She blinked… Was the woman actually about to start crying? Kavaa rolled her grey eyes. “Get a hold of yourself Etala.” Kavaa said. “Salute me.” On command, Etala drew a salute. A UNN one, with the palm horizontal and in line with the eyebrow.
“Kassandora taught me that one. It refocuses you.” Kavaa replied and dismissed Etala with her own. She held out her hand. “Apologies.” She did not mean it in the slightest. Not one bit. From Etala’s lack of reaction, it was obvious that the other did not even particularly believe she was sorry either. “But let me indulge myself and give you some wisdom from an elder. When someone throws you a lifeline, you don’t bother questioning its colour.” Kavaa held out her arm. “Now I don’t really care what you have planned for the day or what sorts of meetings you want me to make. I have no intention of meeting with your government, if they missed me then they missed me. Their loss. The lifeline is not pleasant and it can sting, but it’s what you get. Are you going to help me do my job?” Kavaa asked.
Etala took her hand.