A/N: Hopefully all will be made clear in this chapter. I know the chapter title is very cheesy, but, it works. (by the way, it's supposed to be ÔSarra (The Backstory).')

---

Her father was at the cottage door, looking rather displeased with his daughter. Well, reflected Alysapet, it's not like I'm not allowed to visit the Human Realms. But she slowed noticeably and approached the cottage slowly, nonetheless.

"Where have you been?" he demanded, as soon as she was near.

"Elsewhere," she replied curtly.

His eyes flashed, and he stepped towards Alysapet. She moved aside. Her father turned, and told her, "I said that you could not visit your sister.

"Don't got a sister.

"For the love of mercy," he growled. It was an expression he had taken to using, since Alysapet had been living there the past few years. "Your half-sister, then!

"Oh, you mean Daine?

"Yes!

"It's none of your business!

"My daughter is my business.

"It doesn't exactly help that you're confined to the Divine Realms, does it?

Alysapet and her father argued often, and mostly about Daine. It wasn't Alysapet's fault that she was curious Ð well, not really, anyway. Their arguments usually followed the same path, but today, her father changed it.

"I forbid you from visiting Daine!' he roared, fed up with Alysapet.

"You deal with Mithros, then, when her asks why the Mercy goddess isn't helping her. 'Cause I'm sure not going to.

Her father closed eyes, wondering, once again, why he had ever let Alysapet become the goddess of mercy. It was continually getting in the way of fatherly wrath.

--

Alysapet strode past him, and into the house. Sarra was there, making dinner. "Smells good," commented Alysapet.

Sarra smiled. "It's one of my favorites.

"Can I help?

"Of course," Sarra answered, and Alysapet set to work, doing what Sarra asked.

Her own mother, whom she barely remembered, had not been as cheerful as Sarra. In fact, Lea had always seemed rather depressed to her daughter. It had been a long time since Alysapet had last seen her mother, though. To the people who lived now, they would have been considered Old Ones. She might have been mad about Sarra becoming a goddess Ð Sarra had always said she would understand if she had Ð but she wasn't. Sarra was perfectly suited to being the Green Lady, and Alysapet just couldn't see Lea happy in the Divine Realms.

When Weiryn, her father, came inside for dinner, he seemed to have recovered from the fight. He normally did, and if he hadn't, Alysapet would have felt awful. It was the way she was. There were a lot of times when she wished she wasn't.

The dinner was just as good as it had smelled. At first, when Sarra was just getting the hang of Divine Realms cooking, it hadn't been, but now every meal was fantastic. Alysapet was glad she was there Ð she couldn't cook well at all.

After dinner, Alysapet was called away. Unlike the Green Lady, she usually went physically to the places where people called on her. It was frequently many places at once, so she tried to pick the most important. It was difficult. At mealtimes, she ignored all but the most urgent. Right now, she went to Corus.

Her work carried her near the palace, and so she went to visit Daine. On her last visit, Diane had asked her to please come again Ð it was rare she found people who like animals for animals in a city. Of course, Alysapet had left out the fact that she had wild magic too, but Daine's request had served for a good excuse.

As she walked towards the palace, a group ahead of her caught her eye. They were talking loudly among themselves. She so interested in their conversation Ð she could barely hear it Ð that she did not notice the figure until they had collided.

---

A/N: Cliffhanger!

Alysapet: Suffer, foolish mortals! Éhey, don't look at me like that! Gainel told me to say it

I am very happy right now, because I got to eat bagels/cheese-and-applesauce for dinner, plus I got Princess in Pink! And I have Adobe Photoshop AND Adobe Elements!

So

Yay to my reviewers!

Jade Limill: Hopefully it's not confusing now!

FoolishlyBraveShadowedStar: Am I free of lunch table damage? Have I told you how long your penname is recently? And, courtesy of FoolishlyBraveShadowedStar, to people reading this: FoolishlyBraveShadowedStar is my other half, and I am not mean and cruel to everyone who reviews Ð just her.