"It has not occurred to your husband that women are prettier at 24 than at 30, he would not agree that having borne a child makes anyone uglier, you've spent much more time thinking she's hot than he has, and he is interpreting her as having told him to stop being friendly."

Is humiliation really a less powerful emotion than grief about people being dead because she feels like she could light the whole mountain range on fire with it. 

"She's sad about Hell."

"Yes. She discarded the concept that the gods could decide for her what was right, and then she watched people die, and she knew in her heart that it was wrong. You walked a different path - you studied where to place your trust, and whatever happens you know in your heart that you placed it well.

I am proud of you both. I expect to need you both, before all the worlds are healed and all the wars won."

"Still don't know what to say to Leareth."

"That there are so, so many people it is not too late to save."

And then they are alone, in their palace in Cheliax, the sun slowly warming Carissa's altar, where three tiny magic hatpin-swords stand balanced on their blades.

Leareth turns to look at Carissa. His cheeks are damp with tears. 

(...Strange, how before he felt like he needed to hide this from Mhalir, as though letting slip that it was hurting him would damage Mhalir's trust in him, or something equally silly. But, of course, it can't possibly be an update for Mhalir, that Leareth grieves for dead people, any more than it surprised Leareth that Aroden was still, at almost ten thousand years old, capable of feeling pain.) 

:I love you: he sends to Carissa. :I - am so grateful that if I need to face something like this, I can do it with you: 

Hug. :I love you.:

He sighs, heavily. :I am considering what to do next. I think that I want to introduce Mhalir to our Aroden, but - honestly, if we are going to sit down and have a conversation with our other selves, I would somewhat like to consolidate it, and bring the older Ma'ar here as well. And the human Aroden, who fought the war with Asmodeus in their world. I thought I might send Mhalir's ship to collect them: 

:Yes, that seems like a good idea.:

:Mhalir, do you need to go with the ship?: 

Mhalir isn't totally sure how answering works but he tries to just think it back, the way Carissa was.

:Hmm. I think not necessarily for Ma'ar. It sounds straightforward enough and I trust my people; I can delegate it, and tell them to return and fetch me if there are complications. ...I ought probably go in person to collect Aroden, the others - are rather intimidated by him. But that is not really the same direction in hyperspace, it makes equal sense to do two trips.:

:We should introduce you to Ayodele so you can have a host if Carissa's not ready yet.:

:Right, yes, that. Also, I think I ought have Mhalir in my head at least briefly before he departs to talk to his Aroden: Leareth is wearing the slightly unfocused, scattered look that means he's attempting to hang onto and chase down a dozen trains of thought at the same time; he's already reaching for his note-paper. 

:What was the other thing I– oh, Carissa, what do you think on the question of including Tadesse in our planning or not? He seems a little better to me, and a concrete challenge might be helpful for him, but it could also just be too much, at this point: 

:Maybe we can bring him in on some contained piece of it. I'll think what. And you should definitely have Mhalir before he leaves, I think that'll be really valuable and I'm very curious what the - differences are - if anyone can explain them - between a you Ma'ar's age and a you your age...:

:Mhalir was in Aroden's head before, no? ...I suppose maybe that muddles matters more than it clarifies him, since Aroden was a god who tried to cram himself into a human mind: 

:It was very disorienting: Mhalir agrees. :He seemed - more patient? But also more decisive - it is hard to explain: 

:I think of Leareth as both patient and decisive? Aroden just seems - partly a god already, very haunted...:

:...Yes, there is that. He - it felt as though half of his entire mind was the memory of dying as a god, it cannot literally have been but it was very distracting. And then...having to start over, alone, with almost nothing, and he had lost so much...: 

:Yeah. I think it's - much better, now that he's a god again.:

:I imagine so: Leareth sits back. :Hmm. How about you give me Mhalir, for now, and then go collect Ayodele and bring her here? - And I suppose we ought check...: 

His eyes go unfocused. :- She is still in the bedroom. The other Carissa, I mean: He didn't read her mind, just skimmed enough to sense that she was there at all. 

...He is weirdly intimidated or nervous or something about the prospect of infesting Leareth now. 

:I think it'll be okay.: she attempts to reassure him even though this feels ridiculous. :He's nice.:

Somehow Mhalir doubts that - at least, 'nice' is not one of the top five traits he would associate with himself and surely Leareth can't be that different - but nonetheless, ridiculous or not, he feels a bit reassured. 

He eases himself loose from Carissa's brain and slips out from her ear, just as oozy and squishy as before. 

It's less disconcerting this time. Leareth holds out his hand. 

She hands him over with only a tiny bit of squeamishness. "Have fun. I'll go get Ayodele?"