Breaking the Moon

21: The Tree of Life

.^^ The Tree of Life ^^

— Haven —

Fäden looked at the Diamond Eyes I'd given him, and nodded slowly. "Impressive... and Potent. This should give you the Starlight you need for those Amulets."

I took one of them back, placing it in my velvet pouch. "And What will you trade me for one of the Eyes of Odin? Soon to be the only of its kind?"

He smiled, and nodded slowly. "I don't have anything magical that would help you... but what about a rather impressive Upgrade to your Kitchen and Whiskey Vault? I've held on to every cask of ale, wine, or whiskey I've ever come across, and my ancestors as well. That's 3,000 years of repressed alcoholism." He smirked.

"So you give me a new kitchen, and a Vault filled with the finest aged whiskeys and wines on the planet? In exchange for the Eye of Odin? Or Woden, whatever he likes to call himself, this incarnation at least." I hummed.

"Correct." He nodded.

"Feels a bit light, actually... no amount of alcohol would match the Starlight in this eye, together, they match the Eye of Ymir..." I hummed.

He sighed, then grinned. "Fine... how about something similar to the Eye? Something that I can't use. I don't have the right powers, and it'll help you in your little missions."

"That sounds interesting... what is it?" I asked warily.

He waved a hand at a small box on a random pedestal.

I opened it carefully, and blinked. "Seeds?"

"They'll grow impressively fast, with the right... nutrients." He chuckled.

I nodded, and placed the box into my pocket. "Alright. Deal. Now about that pregnancy I promised you. I don't want to screw you, no offense-"

"None taken, much obliged." He murmured.

"-So I'll need your seed." I held out a hand expectantly.

He nodded and placed a vial in my open palm. "This will keep for three days. After that it's no longer viable."

"I'm aware how insemination works, love. I expect that kitchen when I wake up... and the best coffee machine and beans you can find!" I laughed and walked out, and down the strip of moonlight that was slowly leaving the shore.

I yelped, sprinting down the path, and halted at the edge, backing away slowly as the fifteen foot gap widened.

A pitch-black tail with white diamond patterns slowly settled under my feet, thicker than the Path itself, and when I stepped onto it, it casually lifted me to the shore.

"Uhm... Thanks?" I looked for the source of the tail, and flinched when I noticed the massive swath of stars that Thatch's nearly-invisible body blocked.

He nodded slowly, and dove back under the surf, causing almost no ripples at all.

"I see you've finally seen Thatch's true form. He's scary, isn't he? But beautiful." Ryan leaned against my shoulder.

"Yeah. Wow." I shivered, and led her to the bar.

—

The process of inseminating oneself was terribly simple, when it came down to details, so I spared no time, and got it done. "Taking one for the team?" Mother asked, leaning against the door.

"Nah. It was my plan all along. After all, if I'm supposed to be a baby factory, according to Fate, I might as well strengthen my Clan, eh?" I chuckled.