If you thought I was Tamora Pierce, wow…I don't even know what to say to that, except that I'm not.

I FINALLY HAVE PROOF THAT POSTING MAKES MISTAKES! My copy of chapter 6 has there being a space between the words 'Equitus' and 'seemed'. But the post shows there NOT being a space. Whaho! What now posting system? WHAT. NOW! Mwahahaha! …Yes, I'm a loony.

Review Responses! Find your name here!

Thanks everyone who reviewed! And yes, Gainel is really powerful and cool (would I like him so much if he wasn't?), Gainel is at least as powerful as Mithros, he's one of he Great Gods, and in my Universes there's a BIG difference between the Great Gods and Lesser Gods; that's why Equitus was being really stupid in acting so snobbish. I don't know if I impressed that enough in the last chapter; but undermining a great gods authority by being a little twit is so beyond any sort of insult I can conjure to explain it so…yeah

Colleen, yay a new reviewer! Thanks for the review! Yes, I like to keep everyone as in character as possible and do the original stories justice, while still having it be something new and different, I'm glad you like how this is turning out! Woohoo, Gainel! I need to make a fanclub; anyone who wants-in is welcome, even if you don't thoroughly love him…like I do…you can just like him, we'll be the Gainel-Groopies…

Numair's Lover, hope you had a great vacation! I know when my family drove up to Oklahoma this summer from southern California, that the drive was annoying as hell. I dunno if you ever had to do a two day straight drive, but it's pretty boring, a lot of sleeping, (or just lying there anyways) went on. That's actually when I started writing up this fic, pretty nifty eh?

And I know I like long chapters, so I like to make mine as lengthy as the story will allow. This story's chapters didn't turn out very long, but my sailor moon fanfic had chapters that were +6,000 words, which was pretty insane to try and write.

Well, keep reviewing, I love reviews, I think they make me update faster, seriously.

Ivory Nightshade, if you review you'll be up here! Thanks for the review on this chapter!

Nativewildmage thanks for reviewing! The bird is actually kind of important, it'll be in later chapters, glad you like her; I'm still trying to think of a name for herthough, I don't know why but I keep thinking of only weird names…whatever. Yeah, the last one was a long chapter for this fic, but don't worry this one's shorter, it's the last installment of part one, after that its full speed into part too.

Review please! I love reviews…

Providence Smiles

By LGR

Part I: The Court of the Gods

Equitus seemed to realize he'd made a grave mistake. He was shaking and his own godly sheen seemed drab, even pitiful in comparison to the sheer amount of energy radiating from Gainel's person.

"Milord, I…" he stammered, but Gainel waved his hand and the messenger immediately became mute.

"Silence, you'll have time to make your inconsequential excuses in the Court of the Gods. If my guess is correct, then you have a proclamation summoning us there, yes? Then do your job, don't just stand there gaping like a fool." Gainel commanded.

Equitus nodded furiously, eager to do as he was told, barely taking note of the mortal standing just behind the Great God and the large immortal standing on her shoulder.

"If you would please follow me, Milord, lady." The herald of the gods bowed almost to his knees then nervously led them through the divine realms to the court of the gods.

"Come," Gainel said, and held out his hand for Lynn to take.

Lynn nearly hesitated; the court of Mithros was where mortals came to be judged after they died. She was scared of what would become of her there, but as she thought about it realized she wasn't dead, and even if there was some sort of judgment, she'd done nothing wrong and been a passably good person up to this point in her life.

And besides, Gainel was there. She trusted him and he'd promised to get her home somehow, so if anything happened, he'd help her out of it; she was sure.

The bird-immortal let out a chain of echoing chimes, as Lynn took the Lord of Dream's hand and began to phase as Gainel did so to follow Equitus. The shield made by Gainel was still enveloping her senses and she couldn't make out the landscapes they passed by, it was mostly black, with a few lighter splashes ever now and again.

Equitus was nearly lured out as well. The Herald's godly aura pulsated at a slightly uneven rate, and though he shined with a great light, the shield Gainel had placed to keep her senses safe from the gods' auras, made him simply glow slightly. Gainel's aura however, was threatening to swallow the other gods up, as well as make Lynn squint, even through the dark screen.

From the darkness, a giant set of Gold double-doors, both bearing the Sun-in-circle emblem of Mithros made themselves known and Equitus looked extremely relieved to have arrived, even after such a short trip.

The Herald pulled a Golden trumpet seemingly out of nowhere, and was about to blow on it when the bird immortal chimed a little tune. The God fumbled, startled and sweating bullets even as he realized he was keeping Gainel from the court.

Narrowing his eyes at the bird, he blew a blasting metallic tone from the trumpet and the doors swung open.

A slight breath of wind swept past Lynn as the Giant doors moved apart soundlessly. The air seemed to fizz and snap as Gainel walked in, pulling her along behind him, after he was announced.

It's lucky for me that Gainel had been clever enough to put that shield up, Lynn thought as she walked into the hall. Even with he shield it was dangerously bright. She was stunned to silence as she saw a dark-skinned man in full-gold-metal plate-armor and a helm-like crown marked with the sun insignia and rays of tremendous heat. In his right hand, he held a golden spear, in his left, a magistrate's hammer in his right.

To his left was a bare-chested, ivory-skinned woman with pleats of silver chiffon flowing from her bodice, in layers of light fabric that cove all but her feet and arms, which were wrapped by giant jade-colored snakes. The silver crown atop her dark tresses had a veil of silver moon-rays that cast shadows and ripples upon all they touched.

Mithros and The Great Mother Goddess; they were the monarchs of the Gods.

Arrayed alongside them were a number of other gods, many she did not recognize, although she could tell they were Great Gods by the sheer amount of glorious light they exuded.

Among the gods she did recognize were The Black God, his features hidden beneath a great, black robe, and Kyprioth the Great Trickster God, in his Copper Isles clothing, peppered-beard and elder-statesman-feel. Aly had described him too her once.

He was snickering and giving Gainel the 'thumbs-up' sign; Gainel was shaking his head wearily, wearing his blank-face, but Lynn felt that the Trickster's reaction had heartened him.

Lynn wasn't quite sure what Kyprioth thought was so funny, until she noticed the looks displayed on every other god in the hall. They were staring at Gainel in utter shock.

"Gainel, Brother," Mithros asked warily, in a voice like the clash of steel, "What has angered you so that you would come to the Hall of the Gods with such a display? You were summoned only so that we may understand what took place in your Realm."

Gainel raised an eyebrow at Mithros's statement, and Lynn had he feeling that Mithros was not Gainel's favorite relative. The bolts of heat lightening that zigzagged alone Gainel's aura where the two lights clashed, also gave it away.

Mithros seemed to have noticed them to and was looking at them from the corner of his eye with a slight frown. A strange goddess that gave Lynn the impression of wind was leaning to look at the edge of Gainel's aura curiously when a small bolt of lightening shot to singe her finger, and she snapped back with a slight yelp.

All of the Great Gods looked slightly bewildered, whether they were bothering to hide it or not, and Lynn got the impression of muffled voices as if the Gods were convening, even though none moved to so much as open their mouths.

Apparently, however, Mithros must have noticed as well, for he beat his hammer on the block, calling for silence, and the sounds of whispering voices stopped.

"Brother, why don't you speak?" Mithros asked.

"I wish to be listened to, Brother, not merely heard." was Gainel's emotionless answer. Mithros and The Goddess exchanged confused glances.

"We are listening Brother," The Goddess told him, seeming almost anxious. All the Gods held blank-faces, but Lynn could sense that most had never seen Gainel acting this way, and were on their guard.

"My Realm was attacked by Uusoae's constructs" he told them, and the air was flooded with muffled voices, just unable to be distinguished, but loud enough that they were blaring in Lynn's mind even with Gainel's shield protecting her week mortal senses.

They hadn't known about the attack, Lynn realized, they only knew that something important had happened. Mithros banged the hammer, calling for silence once again, as Gainel explained what had happened from the moment Sarralyn had arrived to the present.

She did notice, however, that he didn't mention that she's claimed him as his patron. But Lynn was not sad or disappointed; in fact, she was relieved. Lynn had the distinct feeling that if any of the other Gods found out about it Gainel could be in trouble.

She also didn't want to draw attention to herself; the other gods were already casting her odd glances, after Gainel had revealed his opinion that the chaos-constructs had been specifically dispatched to capture her.

"Mortal," The goddess said addressing her with a voice like the baying of hounds, "Have you any insight as to why Uusoae covets you?"

Lynn felt the full attention of the Great Goddess pointed at her and almost bent knee to worship her before she could make her legs stop. Gainel was her Patron, not the Goddess; Lynn needed only to respect her greatness.

Lynn thought she saw the Dreamer smile but when she turned he wore only a peaceful expression.

"No, your greatness." Lynn answered, trying not to betray her fear, "I don't have any idea." The Immortal bird crooned a chiming agreement.

The Gods continued to talk, but Lynn wasn't listening; she hadn't realized how tired she was until how. Her legs were aching, she didn't know how long she'd been standing in the Golden Hall, but it seemed like ages.

"Then it is agreed," the voice of Mithros boomed throughout the hall, "Gainel has already agreed to watch the mortal, for interference by Uusoae," Mithros seemed to be slightly suspicious as to how this would be accomplished, but didn't say anything against it. "Now, to the problem of the seals upon the realm of chaos…" he began as he turned his head and eying Equitus who was standing at his post in front of the doors to the gold hall, sweating buckets and looking fit or a panic-attack.

"Ah, Divine Brother…"

"Yes, Brother, I have not forgotten. We will send the mortal back to the living realms." Mithros assured Gainel.

The Dream King bent down to speak with her.

"This is goodbye, it seems," he said sadly, now in his normal whisper, while all the other gods chatted, occasionally casting disapproving looks to the Herald standing at the door, and not paying attention to them at all.

"But not forever, right? I'll see you again, won't I?" Lynn felt like crying; the way Gainel was talking this seemed permanent.

"You have this girl here to watch out for you," he told her absently petting the large winged-immortal, "She'll tell me if you are in trouble," he assured her, but Lynn wasn't satisfied.

"But can't you come to see me? Or I could come to see you, if you can't. Maybe I'll figure out how to—"

"No," he interrupted, the shadows under his eyes were retuning and lynn nearly wept at the sight of them, "Even if you could, I would not want you to. It is much easier for Uusoae to capture you here, then it would be in the living realms."

"But…" she sighed, dejected. Was she never going to see him again?

Gainel saw the disappointment written all over the young girl's face. He had thought she'd be happy to be rid of him, but it seemed that she disliked it almost as much as he did. And he wasnt hurting like he hadn't in ages.

"I could…" he began, not sure if he was being too presumptuous, "visit you…in your dreams. If you didn't mind." He suggested nervously, but Lynn's face shown with a great smile.

"If your not too busy…" The hope was clear on her face

"I won't be too busy."

"You Promise?" she asked.

"I promise." He said, "Good bye, Lynn." And he backed away from her as Mithros asked her if she was ready.

She nodded absent-mindedly, her grey eyes not leaving the shifting pools of the Master of Dream's.

There was a great light and she felt like she was being hurled at a high speed—

—And she landed with a flop on the ordinary armchair of the dark Palace Library, dappled twilight filtering through the open windows, four days after the day she'd disappeared, and feeling like her world had lost all it's meaning.

The Ether-being known as Providence sighed in resignation, looking forward towards the future…