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It has been a couple of months now since the wedding, since the revelation about Jovah. Isabella has been busy. She is not as overt as some of her counterparts. It is not now impossible on Samaria to commit crimes of violence, for example - although anyone who gets going with one will tend to feel a sensation of being watched, and this is enough to noticeably ding reports of such misbehavior.
She's been noticed.
Linus has been calling all of the changes, collectively - because once one or two got overt attention the others were plain as day - "Jovah's hand moving among us".
Isabella is all right with the ship getting credit for her handiwork. It will be more accepted that way. No one riots over the god choosing to peer closely at them if they raise their hands to strike; no one theorizes about the appropriateness of meddling in the natural processes of things like childbirth when they believe Jovah is the active party.
Meanwhile she shadows Delilah. She makes routine visits to Monteverde to talk with Linus about this or that. (She can bring Micaiah, now that they're married.)
She gets steadily more pregnant. The heaviness is no burden to an angel, but it is somewhat physically awkward to be so bulky. She works around it. She's going to have a baby, and she just glows with it.
And, one day, for the first time since before the wedding, she finds Milliways in her and Micaiah's guest room in Monteverde.
"Oh, here it is, I was wondering when it would come by again," Isabella says.
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jovahs_heiress
jovahs_heiress
"When we can get in and out without having to wait for Milliways, then yes, absolutely."
jovahs_heiress
Angela leaves them be to check in with the Belltower. There's nothing substantial since her last visit except Shell Bell's report of her failure at using nine-pointed coins to secure interdimensional travel.
Angela casts her vote for storming Downside as soon as four or more minted Bells are all in Milliways at the same time.
And then she leaves the bar.
Angela casts her vote for storming Downside as soon as four or more minted Bells are all in Milliways at the same time.
And then she leaves the bar.
And there is Nathaniel.
jovahs_heiress
"Hello, Nathaniel," Isabella sighs. "I found out why Shell Bell and Sherlock reacted like that."
He waits.
jovahs_heiress
"There are several of me - Shell Bell's just one of them. We're all a lot alike. We look the same - though I'm the only one with wings - we have a lot of the same quirks. The same basic personality formed in different places and times. And it turns out that Shell Bell has met someone who is a version of you. She didn't realize it at first. He was older, and she never saw his face. But she recognized your voice."
"Oh," he says softly.
jovahs_heiress
Isabella squats so her face is level with Nathaniel's. "You're not the same person as that other one. Just like I'm not Shell Bell, only myself and the things I choose to do. But you should be warned, because you might have some of the same tendencies as your alts. And Shell Bell was so, so badly hurt, when she met that one, that when she heard you speak she was afraid."
Nathaniel freezes in place.
"Am... am I going to be punished?" he asks hesitantly.
jovahs_heiress
"No. You didn't do anything. I wouldn't be punished for anything Shell Bell did and you aren't going to be punished for anything your alt did. I'm only warning you just in case."
He relaxes a little.
"Thank you, angela."
"Thank you, angela."
jovahs_heiress
"You're welcome," she says, glad he didn't ask for details about how Shell Bell was hurt.
Softly: "May I go now?"
jovahs_heiress
"Yes, of course. I think your group leaves to go back to the Eyrie in an hour and it won't do if you're missing when they set out."
He nods, and goes.
jovahs_heiress
[I found a door when Nathaniel was following me around, and I thought I might as well take him through and show him the place, and Shell Bell was there, and every time he spoke she just twitched like someone had pricked her with a pin unexpectedly. Nathaniel left, Shell Bell doored Downside, Sherlock confirmed the match.]