A priestess of Nesirith, blue robe rippling like water, leads her to a small round room in the back of the temple.

There's a boy about her age there, leaning against the wall with an air of casual boredom, and a priestess of Vaneda standing calmly with her hands folded; they both look at the door when Tila enters the room.

Does the boy have something to do with why she was brought here? Presumably.

"Hello," she tells him.

"Hi," he says, smiling. The priestesses gesture for the two of them to stand facing each other in the middle of the room.

"Amideth Tila Adaen," says Nesirith's priestess.

"And Ashazei Tael Ismani," says Vaneda's.

"The gods have seen the balance of the world reflected in you," Nesirith's priestess continues. "On the first day of the coming year, you are invited to return to this temple and join your hearts in marriage."

"We are pleased to offer you these gifts as tokens of your betrothal," says Vaneda's priestess, and she produces a god-star pendant made of silver and set with beautiful gems in the six divine colours, which she gives to Tael. Nesirith's priestess gives a similar necklace to Tila.

Wait what.

Okay it's kind of obvious what. Just. What??? She doesn't really think of herself as a destined soulmate kind of person--who is this fellow--she's sure he's lovely, the gods are supposed to be very good at this. Just. Her? Really?

She tentatively smiles at her--fiance. Gosh. If this turns out to be some kind of huge mistake they have until the first of the year to figure it out, right, and this is probably a good thing.

He grins at her and steps forward to take her hand.

"Nice to meet you!" he says. "I know the way out of the temple and after that I'll be completely lost, I got in on the skytrain two hours ago."

"Nice to meet you! Do you at least have somewhere to stay? Don't worry, I know the city like the back of my hand."

"Oh, they gave me a house, I just haven't been to it yet. Thirty-something Rose Street? I have it written down."

"Oh, good. Well--do you want me to show you the way there, or do you want to do something datelike, what with the whole being-engaged thing."

"House first, I think. But then maybe a datelike thing."

"Cool. I'm guessing if you're my soulmate you'll like at least one of cute little tea shop, cute little food shop, and cute little knife shop. If none of those appeal or they do but don't sound sufficiently datelike I can come up with other suggestions!"

He just kinda beams at her.

She giggles and twirls a little. "C'mon, let's go find your house."

He leads her out of the temple and then, as promised, has no idea where to go from there.

Fortunately, she does! Rose street is in the fancy part of town; Tila's been there less than most of the less-fancy parts, but not none.

"Wow," she says when they get to his house. "Nice house."

"That is a nicer house than I was expecting," he says, gazing up at it. "Like, a lot nicer. Wow. Not that I was expecting a shack, but," he gestures up at the - muchness of it.

"I mean I figured it'd be fancy since, you know, Rose street, but yeah this is beyond what I was thinking of." No do not say--no. Wait. Soulmate. "It honestly kind of feels like it's challenging us to have sex in every room of it."

—he looks at her and bursts into delighted giggles.

"What?"

"You're amazing, that's what."

She gives him a brief speculative look and kisses him.

He kisses back.

Mmmm, excellent. Best outcome.

Eventually she breaks the kiss and beams at him.

He beams back.

"I guess there really is something to this whole soulmate business!"

He giggles, hugs her, and kisses her again.