*** Goddess of the Fae ***

"So, Treedoc, how do you think your meeting with the great champion Alzi went?" I ask. Treedoc is at least smart enough to be on the ground grovelling. There's hope for this old Queen.

"Ok," Treedoc whispers.

"Ok," I repeat. "Ok, that isn't what a meeting with the newest true dragon should go. She's mated with Yzzorres. Completely. You saw the Valkyrie of Death, pregnant, by the way, behind her. She is the strongest woman, just going by the power of her harem. Eterna. Sure, you can take Eterna, but what if her mother comes by? All three of them? What happens then? I want to know. What happens if Yzzorres gets dragged out to your little forest? What do you think happens to my people then?"

"Would she come?"

"That doesn't answer my question."

"I don't know," Treedoc says.

"Death, probably," I answer. "I would save a few of you and hope they don't repeat the same stupidity. I understand your need to do stupid things. But there has to be a limit. You're a queen. I expect you to think things through. To understand limits. Yes, Alzi cheated by having her wife of a Goddess, protect her crown. But that doesn't mean you get to harass a woman that's been through everything she's been through."

"I'm sorry," Treedoc says.

I wish I were more intimidating. But all the fae in this world are small creatures, and I'm no different. At least they always forget about me. No need to worry about Justice trying to convince me to follow her stupidity. But I'm just not very scary, being only a few inches tall.

Even I'm scared of having any of Alzi or Fertility's children. Fertility wouldn't let me get pregnant through a bath. I would be a broken mess.

"You will suffer through this pregnancy," I say. "Then, when you give birth, you'll apologize to Alzi and personally teach Ioelena how to control her magic. It shouldn't take long; she's a smart girl. Prove to Alzi that you are worth investing in. No more cloth stealing or silly things. Just make her smile and laugh. If she wouldn't laugh with you at a prank, you won't do it."

"I understand, my Goddess," Treedoc says.

"Leave me," I say. Time to straighten out the other idiot. How are ancient beings messing this up?

Daisy pops into my treehouse, replacing the pink pixie queen.

"Greetings, my Greet Goddess," Daisy says.

"Hello," I say. "Now, to make this quick, you're doing better than the Pixies. Not the way I want to word this, but you leave me no choice. I want Alzi to have a good time with you. To see that we aren't all a bunch of idiots and losers. Ioelena has done nothing. I've waited too long for you to get your head out of your ass and work with the sweet girl. I can't risk it anymore. No mistakes, and I expect you to work on getting everyone to accept her. You're the Queen. Make it happen. You're all old enough to figure out how to be nice."

"Yes, My Goddess," Daisy says. "I apologize for not meeting your standards."

"Don't lie to me," I say. "You've known that you've been rude to Ioelena for no reason. Just make it happen. And don't think about going against Alzi tomorrow. You do as she asks and you thank her for it."

"Yes, My Goddess," Daisy says, and I send her away.

Age doesn't guarantee wisdom. The goddesses have proven that. But I would've thought those two would have more survival instincts. Alzi just needs to call over Yzzorres, and they'll be dead unless I intervene and beg the rest of the Goddesses to let them be. Alzi isn't even asking for anything crazy. Just wants them to be nice to her and her family.

Maybe that is the issue. She's being too humble. If she were more demanding, they would straighten out to the threat.