top of page

The Bittersweet Duology

October 2024 Newsletter

After what seemed like an hour, Harlowe has done nothing of interest. He stopped and tried a vanilla latte, which from the scrunch of his nose and the immediate toss into the trash can it’s safe to say he wasn’t a fan. Then, he went to the library and kept tapping random books, never picking them up to read or even glance at the vague descriptions.

 

Finally, he stopped by a nearby park and laid on the soft moss covered ground to watch some birds. Tahlia remembered how before his fall, he would never bother walking, not that they could see anyway. Gorgeous eyes covered, cream wings always flapping and hanging about above the crowd. His smile was bright enough to battle the sun rays that always seemed to dance and follow him in tow. Besides the pity one offered to Saylor earlier, they had not seen that side of him. Tahlia was sure it still existed though. It has too.


​

image.png

Harlowe’s overenthusiastic flying was how they even became friends, upon finding the witch on the balcony he would flutter beside them majestically. Asking questions both of them knew he already knew the answers too, but the company was appreciated, so Tahlia never minded. One time he even took them for a small ride.

 

Don’t let Prince find out though, he would absolutely freak out, they fondly remembered the first time since Prince saved them from his father that they left the Lycario Bar. The way the wind wrapped around them in a coddling blanket of the warm brisk summer. Harlowe’s hands tightly across their shoulder blades and small of their back. He was so much taller than the witch when he flapped his wings in full extension they would wrap both of them inside them like a cocoon before expelling backwards and projecting them higher into the air. The little droplets kissed their cheeks the closer they got to the clouds, Harlowe telling them they could hear if they spoke to them.

 

So every time since that afternoon when Tahlia sees a cloud, they greet it quietly. Tahlia was too caught up in the fond memory to notice the shifting of the angel below. They were perched in a tiny nearby peach tree when Harlowe had finally had enough.

 

“How long do you plan on accompanying me?” his eyes never left the birds circling above.

 

“How long have you known?”

Legend: Hi, folks, I'm back! If anyone new has joined us, I'm Legend, she/ze, and this is the Teashop Between Worlds. We're going to let the author have a quick word as they have some content warnings on this one.​

​

Cee Cresti: Hello and thank you for having us! I’m Cee Cresti (pronounced like secrecy) and Tahlia Solenbarri is the dormant demigoddess turned full goddess of chaos and death in my fantasy romance Bittersweet Duology. Part one, The Icarian Bond (where she is the side character) comes out October 13, 2024 and part two, Praying for Keeps (where she becomes a MC) comes out October 31,2024. The answers do contain some of Tahlia’s backstory about almost being sacrificed to the gods via a volcano, them kind of being stuck in the underworld, them self sacrificing themself to stop them from ending the world, and their and their husband’s dad being not good people, but I tried not to be too graphic. 

​

Legend: Thanks, Cee. Without further ado, let's get to Tahlia. Welcome! First of all, please introduce yourself. Name, pronouns if you wish, and tell us an interesting fact about yourself.

 

Tahlia: Hi! It’s so wonderful to meet you! I’m Tahlia Solenbarri (née Black), 30 human years old, they/them. I spent the first 21 years of my life practically locked away after my “father” tried to sacrifice me to the gods... sucks for him I already am one. The goddess of chaos and death sounds scary, but I’m sweet as ice cream I promise. An interesting fact I have about me? Let’s make it a little embarrassing! I once bewitched my eyebrows off by trying to heat up my drink and they took 3 months to grow back! No magic worked!

 

Legend: That's hilarious. The eyebrows, not the dad thing. Bewitching an eyebrow off sounds like the kind of thing my mate would do. Can you tell us a bit about the world you live in?​

​

Tahlia: I grew up on the median, but currently reign in the circles of the underworld. There are several layers from Lust to Wrath to Greed to Frevde, etc. In total there are 9 circles, some palaces overlap and intertwine with others. I try to visit them all. I do miss the median though, I can’t stay long when I visit anymore. Don’t worry their auras don’t affect me like they would you, but I promise I’ve made a lot of changes since my father has ran this place! Hell isn’t all that bad, I pinkie promise!

​

Legend: We don't have a concept of 'Hell' per se, so I'm willing to go along with that. Let’s a have a quick-fire round of This or That. Try to just answer and not think too hard about it.

​

Tahlia:

  • Tea or coffee? 

    • Tea​

  • Sweet or savoury?

    • Sweet​

  • Music or sports?

    • Music​

  • Paperback or ebook?

    • Paperback ALWAYS​

  • Paint or pencil?

    • Pencil​

  • Countryside or city?

    • How can I choose! I am far too lonely for country life these days… city! ​

  • Fight or negotiate?

    • Negotiate when you can​

  • Sword or gun?

    • Swords are just so much cooler.​

  • Vampire or werewolf?

    • …I am friends with both and I don’t pick favorites (werewolves shhh. Don’t tell).​

  • FIlm or TV series?

    • TV series​

  • Morals or laws?

    • Morals​

  • Kids or puppies?

    • Both they are so adorable I love caring for others

  • Museum or beach?

    • Museum you absolutely must understand your past to know how to navigate your future

  • World peace or end famine?

    • End famine… I can do that.. world peace. Eh, you remember who I am right?​

  • Winter or summer?

    • Winter​

  • Dance or football?

    • Dance

  • Olives or sardines?

    • I refuse to eat either .. my husband loves sardines though. He is so gross sometimes.​

  • Rainbows or monochrome?

    • Monochrome​

  • Brain or gut?

    • Gut ALWAYS

  • Traditional or new?

    • A little bit of both

  • Revenge or justice?

    • Revenge. Justice is for knights in shining armor, I can see your corruption let’s be real. Everyone wants revenge. (Legend: Just checking *Scans crowd* Nope. None of the knights in shining armour are in today. They get a bit touchy on the subject.)

  • Fast zombies or slow zombies?

    • Slow zombies. They would be like cute little sims. That technically how the underworld works.​

  • Mountains or oceans?

    • Oceans… mountains and I don’t have the best track record.

  • Afterlife or ghost?

    • Afterlife is ghost? Are they not? I suppose you could be a ghoul.

  • Friendship or the law?

    • Friendship

  • Fantasy or reality?

    • Both. Keep your feet on the ground and your head’s in the clouds you can enjoy both it doesn’t have to be one or the other.

 

Legend: That was fun! What’s the craziest thing you’ve ever done?

 

Tahlia: The craziest thing I’ve done is probably summoning my demon bestfriend and using her passageway to sneak into the underworld to argue with my real father. That or my “horribly stupid habit” of hanging around volcanoes to the point I accidentally… kind of… sort of.. okay it was an accident, but I awoke every dormant volcano on earth that ever existed by sacrificing myself into one during a magical overload to save the world. Oops.​

​

Legend: Big oops. I like you. A certain little, white cat around here keeps threatening to portal people into a volcano, but he never does. Hope he's listening to this. They do tea leaf readings here. Would you ask about your future and, if so, what do you want to know?

​

Tahlia: My friend Jewel does tea readings all the time! How kind of you to offer! I have so many questions, but I’ve learned maybe they are best left unanswered. However, if you could tell me if I’ll ever be able to return home to the median I would be eternally grateful.

​

Ang: *A small, elderly woman wanders over and picks up Tahlia's teacup.*

​

Legend: This is my grandmother, by the way, in case anyone didn't know. She owns the teashop.

​

Ang: To return to a place is as simple as opening the door with that place in your heart. Returning home is a harder journey and one that leads to unexpected places. A median cannot be a home, for home is the highest and most perfect, and median discounts it. Be careful lest you too destroy that which you hold highest.

​

Legend: Grandmama, you did the thing where you didn't actually answer the question again.

​

Ang: *Examines the leaves again* Oh my, they are excited and chaotic today. Your path is like ever moving stepping stones over lava, yet it can lead home with the right dance. *She hands the teacup back and wanders off again.*

​

Legend: Thanks, Grandmama. That was as unhelpful as ever. *She waves after Ang* So, back to questions. How do you feel about magic? As you use magic, tell us a bit about it.

 

Tahlia: I love magic! I have the Black family witches' magic! It’s nowhere as near as strong as my cousin Richie’s, but it was the magic that kept me going. I am a master at illusions and hypnotism. On top of that I have my new goddess magic and I am currently learning my powers. I learn that destruction isn’t always a bad thing. I use my magic to sooth souls and break down things faster so Prince can help give it a new life. He has helped me love this new darker part of my magic.

 

Legend: Destruction can be healing as well as fun. *She waggles her fingers and electricity sparks* If you had the time and money, what new hobby/skill would you like to learn?

 

Tahlia: Knitting! How do people knit! I don’t have the time or hand-eye coordination let alone patience. 

​

Legend: Maybe it's just as well you're destruction, but you never know. You're never too old to learn a new skill. I learnt how to rollerblade recently and I'm five-hundred and change. It's awesome by the way. Will fell down a lot. Do you have anyone who is part of your family but not biologically or legally related to you?
​

Tahlia: Valen Eastwinde! My right-hand man! He keeps me company here in the underworld and I am forever thankful! I met him through Harlowe and Syrire, he helped save me. He has only ever been the guardian of the circles, I released his contract my father had tied to him, but he chose to stay. He is like the big brother I never had. Wise beyond his years which is saying a lot for a centuries old ice dragon shifter.

 

​Legend: I do love dragons. They're the best. Lucky you. Let's go the opposite way now. Are there any circumstances under which you’d kill someone?

​

Tahlia: I should say no right? My human father did however sacrifice my older sister who I wasn’t able to meet until I was 21 and killed my mother when trying to sacrifice me to the gods for more money to pay his debt, so forgive me if I turn an eye when his soul is in agony when they are stuck in an eternal frost between life and death not ever able to be reincarnated. My husband’s father did the same thing to him and his brother as well. They deserve what they get. After all I am a fair goddess. I don’t feel corruption or damnation. I am them. I don’t complete the sin… I avenge those who can’t do it themselves. 

 

Legend: With this crowd there are no wrong answers. You aren't the first death deity to grace this teashop. 

 

Tahlia: Okay last question? Let’s get a bit more light-hearted that got so dark! 

​

Legend: True. Many of our readers are *whispers* human *Normal voice* and they have delicate sensibilities. Not sure if it's light-hearted or not, so grin when you answer? If you were in charge of the country, what’s the first thing you would do?

​

​Tahlia: If I was in charge of a country I would make all housing and food free. I would also absolutely without a doubt make it the standard normal  to  walk around with your favorite plushie. Imagine the best plushie and friends tea breaks. I am so sure the world would be a less stressful place if everyone just had a nice weighted blanket, cup of tea, and a good plushie to rest on.

​

Legend: I completely agree. If you look in the nook behind that tree root you'll find our blanket stash. 
​
Tahlia: Thank you so much for having me! It has been a while since I could calmly communicate with anyone on the median besides my family. It was so nice meeting you. I could talk for hours if you let me, but I see duty calls. Bye now.

​

Legend: Lovely to meet you to. Well folks, that's it for this month's character interviews. Please hang around for brews and cookies. See you all in November!

​​

© Alethea Lyons.

bottom of page