Chapter 6 Cronus' Point Of View

After talking with Ariston through Mera, she bid us goodnight and went upstairs to speak to her fianc in private. Soon after, Ennina led me upstairs to the spare room by my hand, glancing at me and giving me a sultry smile every now and then. If I had a heart, it would be pounding out of my chest. The room we were in in Mera's parents house was small and the twin bed was not big enough for the two of us, so we got permission from George and Anne to bring in a bigger bed. Once we got to our room, I closed the door behind us and my beautiful wife immediately wrapped her arms around me and kissed me deeply, leaning up to reach my lips. My fingers tangled in her soft brown curls, my hand on the back of her head to hold her lips to mine. I did not know how much time we had before Ariston might contact me to borrow my body again, but I knew that we were going to make the most of every moment we had together. Ennina ripped my button down shirt open, the buttons flying everywhere as the cloud silk threads dissipated. She slid her hands up my chest as she placed kissed on my skin that drove me wild. This goddess always has known exactly what to do to drive me over the edge. As she slid her hands over my shoulders, sliding my shirt off, she bit my neck and I could not help the moan that escaped my lips as my grip on her waist tightened. "My turn," I whispered in a husky voice into her ear and she smiled to me. I slid my hand out of her hair and to her cheek, where she kissed my palm, then down to the back of her neck where I undid the tie that held her dress up. It fell away to reveal her perfect torso and I slid the rest of the dress off of her hips with my hands. My arm snaked

around her waist to hold her warm, burning body to mine, and my other hand went into her hair to pull her head back so I could kiss her neck just as she likes it. I made my way back up to her lips and she slid her hands from behind my back and down to remove the only piece of clothing that remained between us. Ennina's warm hand left trails of fire in their wake as they ran up my chest, then began to push me back to the bed. I knew what she had planned from the look in her eyes and as she pushed my chest and I fell backwards towards the bed, I grabbed her hand and pulled her with me. She laughed as she straddled my waist and kissed my chest. I rolled on top of her with and her sweet laugh mingled with my own as I kissed her lips and held her closer. I ran my hand down her body and her body arched underneath my touch. Finally, I could not take it anymore and I descended upon her form as she clutched me close and we kissed away every thought but each other. It was just about to go further, to where we needed our actions to go, when there was a knock on the door. "Cronus?" Mera's voice sounded from the other side of the door. I sighed against my wife's neck and laughed once before looking into her eyes. She sighed and nodded. We have had six children together, this would not be the first time we were interrupted during an intimate moment. "Just a moment." I called to her. I kissed my wife once more, one long deep kiss that made me wish we had more time, then I got up. I found my pants and put them on and opened the door halfway so that my naked wife was hidden from sight. Mera looked at me, then glanced at my bare chest for a moment, her mouth falling open just a bit as a beautiful blush painted her cheeks. "I hope I am not interrupting anything." Mera said as she finally looked up into my eyes, her eyes just a bit shy and embarrassed. "Not yet." I told her with a smile and she blushed more, she is beautiful when she blushes. "Could we talk?" She asked. I looked behind me to see that Ennina was now wearing a long silk nightgown as she sat up against the headboard of the bed. "Of course, come in." I said, opening the door to let Mera in. I closed it behind her. "I am sorry for disturbing you." Mera said to Ennina. "It is alright." Ennina said. "I am glad I can talk to the both of you." Mera told us, then looked at Ennina. "I assume Cronus told you about my wanting a child sometime soon."

"Of course." Ennina told her. "He also told me about his offer to be the child's half father." "I am here to ask if I can take him up on that offer tonight." Mera said. "I just spoke with Ariston, and he thinks the sooner the better for this child to be conceived." I looked at Ennina and our eyes met. Are you all right with this? I asked her. Yes, Ennina replied with a smile. But you owe me for tonight. A debt I will be happy to repay, I told her and our smiles grew. I was lost in my wife's eyes as thoughts of my repayment coursed through my mind and hers. It was a few moments before I could look back to Mera. "Tonight it is." I told her, she looked into my eyes, a smile in her beautiful violet eyes that made me smile. "Oh," Mera said a moment later. "Ariston said that you would know what to give me to remove the effects of the seed." "Of course." I told her. I focused and the antidote appeared in my hand in the form of a small white pill. "Here you are." I held my hand out. Mera took the pill, her fingertips brushing against my hand and sending an all too familiar feeling through me. I closed my eyes, trying to fight it. I opened them again before Mera looked at me. She placed the pill on her tongue and kept looking into my eyes as a velvety feeling filled me. "Ariston said he would connect to you as soon as he can." She told me. "He is not with you now?" I asked in surprise, he is usually with her every night. "He heard footsteps." She said softly, I saw her worry in her eyes. I took her hand into mine. "He will be alright." I told her, she nodded and I gave her hand a bit of a squeeze. "Do you want for me to come and wait with you?" I asked her. She shook her head no as she slid her hand out of my grasp. "No, it is alright." She said and I nodded. "Then I will come to you when he connects to me," I told her. "Or I should say that Ariston will come to you." She nodded and with one last look into my eyes she left the

bedroom and I stood there for a moment in thought. I turned around to see my wife watching me. "I know that look." Ennina commented with a smile. I sighed and shrugged. "Hopeless isn't it?" I said to her with a smile. "I would not be so certain, judging by the way she looked at you." My wife told me and I smiled to her, thankful to have such a woman as my wife. She held her arms out to me and I went to her and laid down on top of her, my head resting on her chest, listening to her breathing as she wrapped her arms around me. This was all the comfort I needed. I waited and waited, but Ariston did not come. Ennina held me, running her fingers through my hair and kissing my head lovingly every now and then. "He should be here by now." I said to Ennina. "I am going to check on Mera, she must be worried." "Alright." Ennina said with a yawn. I gave her a kiss then made my way towards Mera's bedroom. I knocked on the door, it opened right away and the smile on Mera's face took my breath away. "Thank the gods, I was so worried." She just barely whispered and threw her arms around my neck. She was about to kiss me when I stopped her, pulling back just so. "It is me, not Ariston." I told her and watched her face fall, my soul twisting at the sight as she removed her arms and took a step back. "He should be here by now." She said. Mera closed up her robe, but not before I caught the sight of a purple lace piece of lingerie I knew I would not be able to forget. Though the sight of her naked was just as torturous and unforgettable. But that was not important right now, what matter was the worry on Mera's face. "Do you want me to stay with you while we wait for him?" I asked her and she nodded absentmindedly as she stared into space. I came in and shut the door behind me. Mera began pacing as I stood there, she could not keep still, I could read the fear on her face.

"He will be alright Mera." I promised her. I had no way of knowing that, I just had to hope that the Moirae would not be so cruel as to take Ariston away from her and not return him in due time. Mera made no response, she simple went to her window and looked out at the stars, taking deep breaths to calm herself. "Something is wrong." She said softly. "I can feel it. He will not connect to me. Something is wrong." She began pacing again, but this time I stepped into her path as she looked up to me, her eyes begging for comfort, for some reassurance. I did the only thing I could do, I kissed her forehead and wrapped my arms around her, stroking her hair and whispering comforts into her ear. She held onto me, laying her head on my chest and wrapping her arms around me. She took deep breaths, but she did not cry. I had to applaud her for her strength. "It is alright, it is alright." I told her and she nodded with her head against my chest. She yawned a few minutes later. "Why don't you get some sleep? I will wake you when he arrives." "I cannot sleep." She said. "Then why don't I just hold you on your bed while we wait?" I asked her. "Alright." She said as she yawned again. We made our way to her double bed and laid down on it with her on my chest. Just as I had thought, we were not there for five minutes before she was sound asleep. I held her as I waited for Ariston. I tried connecting with him, but it was no good. I stayed up all night waiting and dreading when Mera would awaken and I would have to tell her that he did not come. I did not want to think about the look that would be on her face or the pain and worry that would be within her eyes, within her soul.

Ariston's point of view

I was alive, for whatever reason, I was alive. It made no sense to me at all. After the Nameless One left my cell, his minions held me down as they clawed my flesh, searing my soul while at the same time trying over and over again to bond with my soul. As much as it shamed me, I did scream, though only once. I felt my soul growing weaker and weaker as the pain built and built, then suddenly, they stopped and left my cell.

I was barely there, barely alive. I knew that if I were to let go, there would be no more pain, there would be no more anything. All I had to do was let go and let myself die, but I had too much to live for to be able to take the easy way out. I prayed Kallisto and Mera were safe. Oh my Mera, please forgive me, I thought to myself. Even if I wanted to connect with her, I was far too weak and if I were to let my soul go like that to reach out to her, it would be my end. I heard footsteps. I love you Mera, I love you Kallisto, I thought, wishing they could hear me but knowing that I did not have the strength to make it so. I knew that they were coming back to finish me off and I prepared myself to die. The door creaked open and I knew that I was ready. I closed my eyes and thought of Mera, of all the beautiful moments we shared. I would die with her on my mind, with love for her within my soul because loving her meant far more than hating what has been done to me. "Eat this." The Nameless One voice sounded close to me. I opened my eyes and saw an ambrosia near my face. My eyes widened and I took it from his hand and bit into it, with just that first bite I felt my light and strength returning. I ate the lifesaving fruit down to the core, the juice dripping down my face. I looked up to see the Nameless One squatting next to me as he watched me, his eyes unreadable. He offered me his hand and I took it. He helped me sit up and get my back against the wall before handing me another ambrosia. Without any questions I ate that fruit as well as the Nameless One sat across from me in my cell. "Why am I still alive?" I asked him when I was finished. "Because as difficult as it is for me to accept, Mera loves you." He told me in his deep voice. "Killing you would destroy her and I will not hurt her like that." "Why do you care for her?" I asked. "She is Pandora's last Descendant, she is the only thing standing in between you and your goals." "Why do you love her?" He asked me instead of answering my question, his light blue eyes searched mine and I saw no reason not to tell him. "Because she is the first woman, the first being, in two thousand years to give me a reason to live." I told him. "I understand what you mean." He said to me. I saw something in his eyes that shocked me as much as it scared me. "You" I swallowed. "You are in love with her?" I asked, barely able to get the words out and completely dumbfounded. For the Nameless One to care about anything was shocking, but for him to love?

"Yes." He answered silently. "Talk about irony, my being in love with Pandora's Descendant." He shook his head. "How? Why?" I asked, not able to understand. But at that moment he got to his feet. "You are still not to contact Mera," The Nameless one informed me instead of answering my question. "I will be watching you." "She needs to know I am alive." I told him. "If you care about her at all, then let me tell her I am alive." "I cannot allow that to happen," He told me. "Not now." I let out a shaky breath, trying to control my rage. "So you are going to try and steal her away from me." I stated and to my surprise he laughed once. "You have that backwards," He said. "She was mine first, you stole her away from me." I was beyond confused and before I could ask him another question, he left my cell, closing the door behind me. What could he mean? I wondered, while worrying for Mera. I have enough faith in her and in our love to know that he will not be able to take her away from me. But the knowledge in his eyes it was more than clear that he knows something I do not.

Mera's point of view

I have not been able to sit still for the past eight days. Ariston has stopped connecting to me and no matter how much I reach out, how hard I try, I cannot connect to him. I have become a nervous wreck, I cannot sleep and the only reason I eat is because everyone in this house is determined to see me do so. That night when Ariston and I agreed to conceive a child through Cronus, I sat and thought for a while, realizing the magnitude of this. A child was no small matter, I knew it would change Ariston and I's lives in the most profound of ways. Once I came to grips with it, a huge smile spread across my face as I realized that in nine months I would be a mother. Of course I was already a mother to Kallisto, but this was a bit different. A fierce joy spread through me and I could not help imagining what our child would look like and how wonderful it will be to raise him or her with Ariston. I had not been that happy in a long time. After thinking things through, I went to Cronus and after talking with him and Ennina and taking that pill, I went back to my room to wait. Within an hour I knew something was wrong, I knew Ariston should have been there by then. I was thankful to have

Cronus there with me. When I woke the next morning, I looked at Cronus and he shook his head. It was hard for me to accept that Ariston had not come when he said he would. He has never broken a promise to me, and that fact had me worried the most. I have spent most of my time since then with Cronus so that when Ariston arrives, we can conceive our child but he has not come. I felt like a thousand voices were constantly whispering within my mind, some telling me that Ariston is dead and others telling me to hold on, that I have not lost him yet. For some reason it seemed all the worse today. I had to get out of the house, I had to get away from my own thoughts. After telling everyone where I was going, I ran out to the stables, hopped on Luna's back and galloped away. We cantered for a long time and ended up going to the beach. Luna's hooves splashed in the water as we walked along the beach. I breathed in the air and sighed. I did not know how much I missed the smell of the ocean, the sound of the crashing waves. To my left was the pacific ocean, stretching out as far as the eye could see, and to my right were high cliffs, in between the two was a good hundred feet of beach that stretched for miles in between the cliffs and crashing waves. As I rode Luna in the water, I understood why my emotions were so out of control. A storm was coming. But this knowledge did not just come from the humidity in the air and the strength of the wind. I could feel the storm, feel it in the sky, feel it within me. It unbearably heightened all of my emotions and magnified everything I was feeling. Ariston told me that I would most likely become a storm goddess because of this connection I have to the weather and its influence over my emotions and even my desires. I needed to do channel these emotions into something or I was liable to go crazy and start screaming. I looked out at the ocean and looked around to see that I was alone on the beach. Without thinking twice, I slipped off of Luna's back and began to strip down to my bra and underwear and walked into the cool water. I knew that I was a strong swimmer and that I would not be able to get cold, and so the coming storm did not scare me. Storms have never scared me, I suppose that is because they are a part of me, of my heritage. But this connection to the weather was heightened when Ariston and I first made love and each shared half of our souls with the other. I dove into the water and swam, not looking behind me. I kept swimming and swimming, the cold water felt refreshing against my skin and it felt great to channel my emotions into something useful. After a while I just floated, letting my body be carried by the waves. It had begun to rain by then, I smiled, the rain reminded me of Ariston. We always did enjoy getting caught in the rain together. A memory came to me. We were on Olympus at our home and it began to pour. Ariston began getting undressed and when I asked him what he was doing, he told me with a huge smile, "I am going to dance naked in the rain with my beautiful wife-to-be." I had smiled to him and undressed then we walked outside and into the downpour hand in hand. I could feel the storm within me as we laughed and danced around, of course we did not only dance in the rain. We began kissing and one thing led to another as it always

does with us. The memories of how our soaking wet bodies moved together as the rain pounded down upon us was something I would never be able to forget. Making love to him in that downpour was incredible, of course making love to him anytime, anywhere is incredible. As I floated in the ocean, I could still feel Ariston so strongly, those memories were alive and safe within me and even if it hurt to think on them, I would much rather hurt than feel nothing at all. It was only then that I decided I should start to swim back, and that was when I realized how far out I had swam, miles, I could just barely see the shore. I began swimming again and with time made it back to the shore. I sighed when I found that a rogue wave had taken my clothing, I could see them floating in the water in the distance. "You have got to me kidding me." I said to myself. I knew I could swim for them, but I was getting tired and hungry. "No snow today?" Came a voice behind me, I turned around to see Jason Gray standing there in a cropped leather jacket and faded jeans. His black curls glistened from the rain and his pale blue eyes smiled warmly into mine. I realized that my bra and underwear could easily pass as a bathing suit, so I held my head high and did my best to pretend it was such. I felt my body react to his and a blush come to my cheeks as my heart skipped a beat, but I knew it was only the storm driving me crazy, not the immortal standing on the beach and I knew that I could control myself. "I am not responsible for this storm." I told him. "Are you certain about that?" He asked with a smile and I gave him a half smile in return. He held out a huge white beach towel to me. "You look like you could use this." "Thank you." I said to him, sighing in relief as I walked up to him. "The tide seems to have stolen my clothing." I took the towel from his hand and began drying off with it before wrapping it around my body. Jason closed his eyes and a moment later my clothing appeared in his hands, though they were still wet. Thankfully they were made out of cloud silk, so they would dry soon. I looked at him, wondering if he was following me. "You do realize this is called stocking, correct?" I asked Jason and he laughed. "I am just keeping an eye on you, this is a dangerous path you walk." He told me with a warm smile. "Ennina and Cronus would like to meet you." I told him.

"I am afraid that will not be possible." He said. "Why not?" I asked. "I am taking enough risk just being around the Daughter of Pandora. If word were to get out that I was meeting with the soon to be king and queen of the Olympian's, it would mean my head." He told me. "So you are on their side?" I asked. "You fight for the Shadows?" I had to wonder, but there was something about his eyes, a kindness, that did not belong in someone's eyes if they were walking such a dark path. "Not exactly." He said. "I am helping you aren't I?" I did not have an answer to that, I did not know him well enough to know if he was sincere in helping me. "It would put my family at ease if you could just meet with them for a moment." I said, pleading with my eyes. "I am sure they can keep the meeting secret." "They do not trust me." He stated. "Why should they?" I asked him. "Do you trust me?" He asked, ignoring my question while taking a step closer to me. "Not yet." I told him, looking into his eyes. He just smiled. "You are a smart woman then, to not give your trust away so easily." He said. "I will take that as a complement." I said. "It was meant as one." He said. We were quiet for a moment before he spoke again. "How are you?" I looked down and took a deep breath. "Worse than I was and grateful for the family I have around me." I told him. "What happened?" He asked. "It does not matter." I told him. "Tell me." He said softly. I looked up into his eyes and decided to tell him. "I have not heard from Ariston in over a week," I told him. "I fear the worst. Cronus tells me that I would know if he were dead but I cannot help but wonder."

A tear ran down my cheek as I looked at the sand beneath my feet. I glanced up at Jason and he held my eyes as he lifted his hand. I knew his intention was to wipe away my tear, but I pulled away, not wanting the contact. "I should be going." I told him. "Must you?" He asked, I was surprised to hear a note of hurt in his voice. Like he had been dreading my saying those words. "I must." I told him. "I am making you uncomfortable again." He stated. "Forgive me for that. But I would be honored if you would just stay and talk with me for a few moments more." "Why?" I asked. "Would it be so awful if I were to admit that I miss you?" He asked to my surprise. "I do not think you know me well enough to miss me." I told him. He looked at me, there was a need in his eyes, a longing. "It would be a blessing to me, if you would just stay a few moments more." He said softly. I worried about what I saw in his eyes. I was not afraid of him hurting me, I was afraid of him wanting something from me that I could not give. "You need to know that soon I will be married to Ariston," I told him. "I can only guess at your interest in me, but this will go no further than friendship between you and I." "I will not ask for anything more." He told me. "I simply enjoy your company, I do not have much where I come from." His eyes pleaded with me to stay and I sighed. "I cannot stay for long," I told him. "My family is expecting me back and I am getting hungry." "Would you let me buy you lunch?" He asked, I looked at him and he sighed. "It was worth a try. How about a walk on the beach then?" He asked hopefully. "Alright." I said and we began to walk side by side. I looked ahead and saw Luna playing in the water, it made me smile. "I finally get to see your real smile, and it is about a horse." Jason said, shaking his head in disbelief. "I happen to love horses and riding them." I told him. "They are a part of my soul."

"I enjoy horses as well." He told me. "Do you have any of your own?" I asked him. "Not for a while now." He told me. "They just would not fit where I live." "That is a shame." I told him. "You should live somewhere else." "And where would you suggest?" He asked. "Somewhere green," I told him. "With rolling hills and sparkling rivers and forest to ride through." He smiled. "Perhaps someday I will." He said. "It would be nice to live in a place like that." "What is stopping you?" I asked. "More things than I can count." He told me, looking out onto the sea. "It is the choices I have made, the work I am doing." "Is your work important?" I asked him. "I used to think so," He told me, then shook his head. "Now I do not know. Everything seems such a mess and no one where I come from understands why I feel that way." "Tell me." I told him. I know what it is like to be confused, and if I could help him find some peace I would be glad of that. Sometimes all someone needs is someone to talk it out with, someone who will listen. "I cannot put this into words," He told me. "I have made countless mistakes, started a chain reaction of events that I do not know if I could stop if I wanted to." "I wish I could help." I told him. He smiled to me, his eyes so expressive. "You are doing enough right now. Your company is soothing to my soul in a way I cannot explain." He said to me, he looked at me then sighed. "Forgive my honesty." I was silent for a moment before I decided to try and change the subject. "Tell me something about yourself." I said. "About myself?" He asked. "You show up out of the blue and do not tell me a thing about who you are." I said. "Friends should know things about each other, wouldn't you agree?"

"Alright, but for every answer I give, you must answer a question of mine." He said with a smile. "Well this is childish." I said. "Then call it the rules of the game." He said. "Will you play?" "Alright." I told him with a half smile. "Where were you born?" "Greece, in the old home of the gods on Mt. Athos." He told me. "And your parents?" I asked. "That is two questions." He said. "Then I will answer two for you when you answer this one." I said. "It is not a happy tale." He warned me. "I want to know." I told him. "As you wish. My father forced himself on my mother, and when I was born from that 'union' I was left in the woods to die." He said to my shock. "Why?" I asked. "It is believed that children born from such an event have a kind of evil within their souls." He told me. "Of course that is rarely the case if the child is properly brought up, but my mother would not risk it. To my luck, a mortal woman found me and brought me home to her husband and two children. They were good people who brought me up as well as they could until I was ten. I never knew what I was. I noticed that I was different from my siblings but I never understood it until I performed a powerful bit of magic and my divine uncle found me. He brought me to his home and raised me from then on." I was speechless. "Now it is my turn to ask the questions." Jason said. "Tell me about him, this Ariston." "That is not a question." I said to him. "Alright," he said. "Tell me how you met him?" "It was at the Stables I worked at in Blueridge, Maine." I told him with a smile, thinking back on that day. "I was working there and he was bringing his horse to be boarded. He was an hour early and I was cleaning bridles and listening to music while singing at the top of my lungs and dancing around like a fool. I had hay in my hair and dirt and bits of shavings stuck to my skin from working. I did not know he was standing behind me until

I spun around and there he was in all his glory, watching me with a smile that left me breathless. "I fell so in love with him." I shook my head. "In that moment as our eyes met for the first time, we saw into each others souls and there was a a recognition between us, as if somewhere deep down, we knew that we had found the one we are destined for. Of course I would not admit it to myself at the time, but from that moment on, I have loved him." I looked at Jason, he was looking at the sea again, his face blank. When he noticed my looking at him, he put a smile on his face that did not touch his eyes. "Did you know he was a god?" He asked, using up his second question. "Not until a month after we met." I told him. "On the night that we admitted to loving each other, Shadows attacked us. I watched Ariston fight them off and then he came over to me and said, 'I fear I have not properly introduced myself. I am Ariston, son of Zeus.' After that, we talked and he told me about the Shadows, the Nameless One and Pandora. But I did not find out the whole truth about my destiny until weeks later. We had our first and only fight about that. He had made it so that I would not be able to join the army and I was not happy about it. Of course we made up shortly after and have not fought since." "Now it is my turn to ask a question." I said to him. "Be my guest." He said. "Have you ever been married?" I asked Jason. "Once, it did not last." He told me, he looked into my eyes and his smile grew. "Though there was another woman I wanted to marry long ago." "What was she like?" I asked him and his smile grew. "Beyond beautiful." He said with such a smile. "Brown hair, brown eyes and the sweetest lips I have ever tasted. But it was her soul that captured mine, it was how she loved me, the smile that would light her lips when she would look into my eyes, the unending kindness and forgiveness within her soul. I was a better man than I knew I could be when I was with her. She was my salvation." "So why are you not married to her then?" I asked him "She was taken from me and reborn." Jason told me. "Wherever she is now, I doubt she has any memory of me. But I have to have faith that someday she will remember me, that we will be together again. I cannot live without her." "You will find her." I told him, he smiled to me.

"I know." He said softly as he looked into my eyes. "What are you planning on doing if you get Ariston back?" He asked, truly curious. "When I get Ariston back," I corrected, there was no if's about it. "I am going to marry him and we are going to start a family together." "That is what you want?" He asked. "More than anything." I told him with a longing in my soul to have Ariston back in my arms. I wrapped my arms around myself to hold my soul together. "It seems like just yesterday we were planning our wedding then his sister was kidnapped by the Shadows. I knew I could not ask him to stay with me, no matter how much I needed him to. It was his sister that had been kidnapped after all, I could not beg him not to go and find her." I took a deep shaky breath. "And now I go to sleep alone and wake up wanting nothing more than to find him sleeping next to me. Just to see his face, his smile, his eyes, to hear his laughter, to kiss his lips and know that we will never be apart again. I cannot live with anything less than that, anything less than him." I looked up at Jason, he was taking deep breaths as we walked, I began to worry about him. There was some emotion on his face, a kind of pain that I did not want to see there. He looked at me and gave me a half smile that did not touch his eyes, I could have sworn I saw fear within his gaze. "Your turn." He said softly and I picked a question at random. "How old are you?" I asked him. "Far older than Ariston." He told me. "How would you know that?" I asked and he laughed once, though there was little humor to the sound. "Trust me." He said. "I should be going." I said to him. "I am starving and my family is already on me enough for not eating twenty plates of food a day. I do not need to miss a meal." I handed him back the towel and put my jeans and tee shirt back on before pulling on my boots. "We will have to play this game again sometime." Jason said. "Until next time." I told him. I began walking away, then turned back to him, looking into his pale blue eyes. "Jason, I do not know what is going on in your life, but I know that you have it in you to do the right thing." He nodded as he searched my eyes.

After a moment I turned back to Luna and after a fifteen-minute full on gallop, Luna and I reached the barn. I took care of her and went inside for a long hot shower, trying to clear my head. I got dressed and made my way downstairs to where everyone was relaxing in the living room. Everyone seemed perfectly at ease, but I could hardly keep still. "When is this storm going to pass?" I asked with a groan. I did not know how much more I could take. "In two hours." Ennina said, glancing at me she smiled. "It seems you will be a storm goddess." "So Ariston told me." I said. "How do you keep so calm? I feel like I want to jump out of my skin." Ennina and Kallisto laughed. "You get used to it after a while and find an outlet for your energies." Kallisto told me, looking into Aaron's eyes as they smiled to each other. "We will be back later." Kallisto said before they teleported out. My only outlet is locked away gods know where, I realized. I looked over at Ennina. She was looking into her husbands eyes as they smiled to each other. Then they sighed and Ennina went back to reading. Cronus looked into my eyes and in that moment I was truly tempted to take him upstairs to my bedroom, just to get this unbearable energy out of my system. I bit my lip and looked away from his eyes, wishing with all my being that Ariston was here with me now.

Cronus' point of view

The morning after the storm, all was well and calm. Last night, I was tempted to offer Mera my attentions and by the way she kept looking at me, I knew she was just as tempted. I know how Ennina is during a storm, especially before she learned how to harness her energy. I knew how her desires would drive her crazy if she did not have a lover to focus them on. But I decided that if Mera wanted me, she would ask me and so I stayed silent. It was around noontime as I sat on the chair adjacent from where Mera laid on the couch reading from her iPad. I did not know if anyone else noticed it, but I saw how she fidgets and glances around every now and then. Even though the storm has passed, she could barely sit still. She has been like this since Ariston did not connect with me that night a week and a half ago. I have been doing what I can for her, trying to help distract her from her thoughts. I know women well enough to know how to distract them. The right words her, look into her eyes in a certain way, smile in just the right way at just the right moment. Enticing

Mera was not my main goal though, I wanted to flirt with her to give her a respite from her from her worries and perhaps, just perhaps if I was lucky, I could manage a real smile from her. That would be a gift in itself. Her smile is far too beautiful to be lost to this sadness. It may not have been my intention to seduce her, but that did not mean I did not desire her. There are times when it is hard to think about anything else while I am around her, the memory of the acts of love she and Ariston shared that night I lent him my body were still fresh in my mind. But I would not act on my feelings, not when her giving into me would hurt her in the long run. No, if I end up in her bed it will be because she invited me, not because I asked to be there. Whatever happens between us will be her choice alone. I will not rush her into something she does not want. She may be attracted to me, but whether it is more than that remains to be seen. It was hard to see her so thin. I have watched over her for most of her life in order to protect her, she has never been over weight, especially because of the horse riding her body has always been fit and tone and perfect. But now, though she is eating again she is still too thin. "Come eat something." I said to Mera, she sighed. "Everyone is out and I do not feel like cooking." Was her halfhearted response. I could see how she worried. "I will make you something." I told her, she sighed again and looked up at me. "Please?" I begged. "Fine." She said and I gave her a smile as she got up and followed me into the kitchen. "Have a seat." I told her. Mera sat on the barstool behind the island and I opened the fridge, trying to think of what I could make her. I decided on a sandwich, that should be simple enough. I took out tomato, lettuce, onion and mayo along with some sliced chicken and found some bread. I looked up at Mera as I took a few pieces of bread out, looking into her sad eyes and wondering what I could do to help ease her mind. I knew what I could do, but I did not think that was what she wanted at the moment. Not from me at least. I looked down at the food and spread the mayo on the bread, then added the fillings and put the other piece of bread on top before slicing it in half and putting it on a plate. "Thank you." Mera said as I handed her the food and with my abilities, I cleaned everything up without having to lift a finger. I stood there leaning against the island, looking at Mera as she ate. Mera met my gaze with curiosity in her violet eyes and after she swallowed her bite she spoke.

"Oh gods," Mera whispered, her face half modified and half shocked. "He told you, didn't he?" "Told me know exactly?" I asked her. She raised an eyebrow and I smiled "Yes," I answered her truthfully. "He told me that if you asked me, he gives his blessing for me to make love to you." She blushed and looked away. "How did you know?" I asked. "You have been looking at me differently." She told me. "Like you are always trying to decide something." I sighed and laughed once. "You are far too perceptive for your own good Mera." I told her with a smile, before telling her just what is on my mine. "Seeing what you have been going through, there are times I find myself wondering if I should kiss you, just to take your mind off of things." Mera blushed and glanced away from my gaze. "I am sorry if I have made you uneasy, it was not my intention. The thought of kissing you can plague me sometimes, especially if it would help you." "Nothing like honesty." She said as she met my eyes again. "You asked for my thoughts and I told you the truth, just like I always will." I told her simply. Now that I had her interest I smiled a bit more, hoping to be able to distract her. "And I must admit that after that night I lent my body to Ariston," "Alright, I get the picture." Mera said, blushing, and I laughed a bit which brought a slight smile to her face. My smile grew, knowing that it was working. "You do not like the idea?" I asked her, a bit curious at what she thought of sleeping with me. "You are a married man." She told me. "And soon I will be a married woman. How could that be right in any way?" "First of all, Ariston, Ennina and Sif have given their consent." I told her, my eyes never leaving hers, my voice becoming more serious and less playful as I continued. "And second of all, it might help you through your worries and make this time of pain and confusion more bearable. I care about you greatly Mera, you must know that, and so you must understand that I would do anything to bring you happiness or at the very least comfort." "I know Cronus," She said to me softly, her eyes so uncertain. "I just do not know if I can give myself to you like that." "The choice is yours," I told her. "The offer is always there should you choose it, but I would never ask something of you that you did not want to willingly give."

I looked into her eyes as she gazed into mine, I could almost see the light blub go off in her mind. "You are trying to distract me from my thoughts by flirting with me." She said with a bit of a smile, I saw in her eyes that she was touched. "Is it working?" I asked her, leaning just a bit closer to her. Ennina walked through the back door just then. I closed my eyes, then opened them, looking at Mera's food as she began eating again and knowing that I would never live this down. "What is going on here?" Ennina asked with cheer in her voice as she walked in with Kallisto and Aaron behind her. "Cronus made me a sandwich." Mera said and a look of shock came over my wife's face. "I'm sorry, what?" Ennina asked, looking between Mera and I, her eyes settling on me. "It is just a few slices of bread with meat in between." I said defensively. "You cooked?" Ennina asked me in amazement and I heard Kallisto chuckle. "Am I the only one who is completely confused?" Mera asked, looking around at all of us. "Cronus hates cooking." My wife explained, still looking at me like Christmas had come early. "I have always teased him because he grows the most delicious fruits and vegetables but hates doing anything with them." "You hate cooking, but you cooked for me?" Mera asked, her voice had a note of a smile to it. I looked at her and was glad to see some warmth in her beautiful eyes. "If it will make you eat I would cook your every meal." I told her in all honesty and she smiled to me, a real smile that made me smile. "Does this mean you are going to start cooking for me?" Ennina asked me and I looked into her stunning sky blue eyes. "I cannot promise that." I told her. "But you will cook for her?" She asked playfully. I knew she really did not care, she was just giving me a hard time, something she loves to do. "Alright enough." I said, taking my beautiful wife into my arms and looking into her eyes with a smile she returned.

"Just a bit of good natured ribbing my husband." Ennina said as she caressed my cheek, her touch bringing warmth to me. "What am I going to do with you?" I asked her and she gave me a sultry smile that had me wanting here right then and there. "I am certain you will think of something." Ennina said as she leaned up and kissed me. I held her closer as I enjoyed her warm lips on mine and wanted every part of her on every part of me. Tonight, My wife whispered into my mind and I was tempted to take her upstairs right then. Most definitely tonight, I told her and with that she looked away from my eyes and to Mera as her cheeks glowed golden. "How about I make you some real food," Ennina offered Mera. "I am sure that sandwich cannot be all that edible." "It is actually not bad." Mera said, holding half of her sandwich out to my wife. Ennina took a bite and looked up at me surprised. "I guess watching you cook all these years has rubbed off on me." I told her, she smiled and kissed me. "Try some." She told me and held it up for me to take a bite. I tried it and was surprised to see that it was good, not nearly as good as my wife's cooking, but delicious nonetheless. We finished off the half of the sandwich together and then I sat down next to Mera and watched my wife cook, loving the times she would meet my eyes and her crooked smile would grow. Ennina took out fish from the fridge and used her abilities to quickly marinate it, adding just the right amount of spices. After putting a large quantity of fish in the oven, she went to work steaming some asparagus and cooking some flavored rice. I was getting hungry just from the scents alone. I felt Mera's eyes on me and I glanced at her, our eyes meeting as she smiled just a bit before looking away. By the time Mera's parents and grandmother joined us, the food was ready. We all ate together at the dining table and enjoyed some good conversation. "I am going to see Luna." Mera announced after she had eaten two large platefuls. I wished she had eaten more, but I let it go, there was still dinner. "I will accompany you." I said to her, she nodded and we walked outside and towards the barn side by side.

"Ennina is a great cook." Mera said. "I hear your cooking is great as well." I said to her. "Ariston would rave about it." She smiled, a bit of sadness on her face. "I have not cooked since before he left." She said absentmindedly. "I have always loved cooking." "Then you should cook us all dinner sometime." I told her and she looked at me with a bit of a smile. "I could try and teach you how to cook." She said, her smile growing a bit. I may hate cooking, but if it would make her happy then I would happily suffer. "You can try, Ennina has but she says I am hopeless." I told her. "I like watching you with her." Mera told me. "I love the way you look at each other, so in love even after all the years and trials you two have been through. It gives me hope for Ariston and I." "We are blessed." I told her. "I could not live without that goddess." "I know how you feel." Mera said. I could not stand the sadness in her voice and without thinking, I wrapped my arm around her shoulders as we walked. Mera did not pull away, she moved closer to me and leaned her head on my shoulder as she sighed. She did not have to say it, I knew how much she missed him and I hoped against hope that my arm around her was bringing her some comfort. She would not have moved closer to me if I did not bring her some kind of relief. When we neared the barn, Mera moved away from me and I let her go and walked with her to Luna's stall. It was beautiful to see the connection between Mera and her horse. Luna is a beautiful mare, truly stunning, a fit companion for Mera. "Are you going for another ride?" I asked Mera. "Perhaps," She said. "For whatever reason, I always seem to see Jason on my rides. Perhaps he has some more information." She shrugged. I could only wonder about this Jason Gray, and only hope that he is not who I think he is. "Have you found out anything about Colorado Springs?" Mera asked, meeting my eyes. "There are definitely Shadows there," I told her. "I want to learn a bit more before deciding what course to take." "What will happen then?" She asked.

"We will all move on to a house there," I told her. "There are a few properties on the market that could suffice." "We should do that," Mera told me. "I have a strong feeling about Colorado Springs." "Alright then." I told her. "I will speak to Ennina and Kallisto and once we have a house set up, we will move there." "Truly?" Mera asked in surprise, I wondered why she thought she would have to fight me for this. "Yes, truly." I told her with a smile. "I trust your instincts." That made her smile and she looked back to Luna. "I would like to meet this Jason Gray." I told her again. "He will not meet with anyone other than myself." She told me. "Don't you think that is a bit odd?" I asked her, hoping that even with what she is going through, she would be smart enough not to put her trust in the wrong person. "Yes, I do think it is odd." Mera admitted. "But I will not turn away any help in finding Ariston." I placed my hand on hers where it rested on the stall door. "Just please be careful," I begged of her. "There are great dangers out there, I do not want you getting hurt." She smiled and gave my hand a squeeze but did not reply. There was something in her eyes before she looked away, her silence said more than her words could have. I had seen this look before. When she did not look back to me, I gently took hold of her chin and turned her head to me so that she would meet my eyes. She could not look at me for long, she kept trying to look somewhere else. "You are a bad liar." I told her, she looked confused. "What do you mean?" She asked me. "There is something you are not telling me." I told her, still holding her chin and looking into her eyes, reading them. "Is it about Jason Gray?" I asked her. "No." She told me and her answer was truthful. "Is it about your safety?" I asked her, she glanced away again. "Tell me." I said at once. "It is nothing." She said, glancing away again as she spoke. "Tell me." I said again. "I cannot." She said.

"Does Ariston know whatever this is?" I asked her. "Yes," She told me, that at least was not a lie. "We promised we would tell no one of it and if I tell you, you will tell Ennina and she will tell Zeus and so on and so forth." "You are right, I will not lie to my wife." I told her. "But Ennina will not share whatever this is with anyone if you do not wish it." "Not even when Pandora's line is at stake?" Mera asked. "Please tell me." I begged her, not knowing was beginning to eat away at me. "I am going to die." She told me, I looked into her eyes, hoping for any sign of a lie, but there was none. "How? When?" I asked her. "I do not know." She told me. "The morning after Ariston purposed, we went to the Moirae and they prophesized that Ariston would be taken from me and that I would die. They did not say when, they did not say how, just that it would be, and that from my death will come three gifts that will meant the turning point in this war." I shook my head, not wanting to believe it, not wanting to imagine that this beautiful, extraordinary woman who has graced this planet with her presence would soon be taken away. I let go of her chin and turned around, taking a deep breath. I always knew there was a chance, but I thought, hoped, he would not come after her because of who she is to him. "I have watched over you since the day you were born," I said to Mera in a low voice with my back to her still. "I watched your first steps, I watched you ride your first horse, I watched you grow into the incredible, beautiful woman you are, and I long with my wife and the rest of the Twelve have protected your every movement, your every breath. Now you tell me that it was all in vain, that after all we have done and all we are doing to protect you, we are destined to fail once again." After a thousand years of failing to protect Pandora's line, I knew my soul would shatter if we failed with Mera as well. "But that does not mean the end of Pandora's line." Mera said, thinking that was the bulk of my worries. "That is why I am in such a rush to get pregnant. I need to have a child before I die." "Don't you get it?" I asked her softly, turning around and looking into her eyes. "This is not just about Pandora's line or winning this war. This is about you Mera." She looked into my eyes and suddenly seemed to understand what I feel for her. I closed my eyes for a moment and soon after felt Mera's warm hand on my cheek.

"Look at me." She said in a low voice, her breath dancing across my face. I opened my eyes and looked into hers. "Death will not be my end. You are a god, do you not understand this?" I thought for a moment then the realization came over me. "You are expecting rebirth or ascension into immortality." I came to understand at once and Mera nodded with a smile. Mera leaned up and placed a kiss on my cheek. "Death will not be my end." She said with certainty again, this time whispering it into my ear. I wrapped my arms around her and held her close, Mera returned the hug, holding me close while comforting me. "Mera," I said to her. "I can give you the child, right now if that is you wish." Mera pulled back to look into my eyes, blushing deeply all the while. "I have considered that but I need this child to be Ariston's," She told me. "That does not mean I do not care about you I just need him to be the father." "I understand." I told her, I was not hurt. I placed my hand upon her beautiful sun kissed cheek. "Even if you do ascend I do not want you to die." Mera smiled to me, a real smile. "Please do not worry about me." She said softly. "I am afraid that is impossible." I told her with a shake of my head. "I care about you too much." I stood there holding her for a few moments more and looking into her eyes. I would have kept holding her, but she chose to back away and I let her go. "I am going for a ride." Mera told me. I nodded, turned and walked away. I went back inside the house looking for Ennina. I found her and we nonchalantly left the room together. We made our way upstairs and I soundproofed the room. "Mera is going to die." I told her, her face looked as shocked as mine must have. I told her everything Mera told me as we sat next to each other on the bed. "You think the Nameless One is going to kill her." Ennina said, knowing my thoughts. "Yes." I said softly. "You really think he is capable of that?" Ennina asked. "After all he has done you have to ask?" I asked.

"He loves her." Ennina told me. "He loved my sister Theia, but that did not stop him from the crimes he committed." I said. "I doubt that he loved Theia the way he loves Mera." Ennina told me. "You know what he has done for her." The only answer I gave was a sigh. "It may be that her best chance of survival is with him." My wife added. "I know that." I said softly. "But I am not so certain that she still loves him as she once did. What is he going to do when he realizes that she is in love with someone else, that she does not want to be with him again?" "He is holding Ariston prisoner," Ennina said softly, worry for her brother evident. "Chances are, he already knows." "I just want to protect her." I said, shaking my head. "Protecting her from him is what got us into this mess in the first place." Ennina reminded me. "The choice is hers, only the Moirae know what she will choose."

My beautiful naked wife laid sleeping on my chest, her sweet, ethereal scent surrounding me in the dark of the night. A peaceful smile graced my lips, this was heaven to me, to have this goddess, my wife, in my arms after such a night together. She never disappoints, I thought with a growing smile. I kissed her hair, but I could not help but wonder about Mera, if she was alright tonight. "You should be sleeping." My wife murmured and I smiled. "I am worried about Mera." I told her. "Go check on her then." She said. "I do not want to get up." I told her. She laughed and cuddled closer to me, her head in the crook of my neck. "I will be here when you get back." She said so softly. "I love you my wife." I said softly, holding her close. "I love you my dear husband." She said, it never fails to make me smile when she says those words. I always become breathless. She steals my breath away without even trying.

I rolled a bit so that I was on top of her and kissed her lips, long and deep, needing to taste her. When the kiss was concluded, I laid my head on her chest and let out a sigh. I was torn, half of me wanted to check on Mera and the other half felt as if I might die if I were to leave this bed and my wife's warm body. "Go," Ennina said softly. "Check on her." I sighed and somehow found the will to get up, but not before kissing Ennina one last time. I slipped on a shirt and a pair of cloud silk pants before looking at my wife once more and leaving the room. I could not sense Mera because she was still wearing the jade dragon bracelet, so I peaked into her bedroom. Her bed was empty and her window was open. I looked out her bedroom window and saw the lights on in the barn in the distance. In a moment I teleported there, I knew she would be with Luna and sure enough, when I looked in the stall she was sound asleep curled up next to her mare. She had a few shavings in her hair and a piece of hay here and there. Ariston had told me about the first time he saw her, dancing in the stables after doing the morning barn work. I wondered for a moment if this was something like what he felt at that moment. I conjured a cloud silk blanket and laid it over her form as I knelt down next to her. I looked down on her sleeping peacefully before brushing a few strands of hair out of her face. It was not difficult to see why Ariston fell so in love with Mera. She is beautiful, stunningly so, not to mention that the beauty of her soul outshines that of her face a hundred fold. She is kind, loving, devoted, honorable, funny, the list goes on. Her eyes fluttered open at my touch and she looked up into my eyes but did not pull away from me. I found her sad violet eyes more beautiful than I could say, I felt myself falling into them. We did not speak at first, just looked at each other. "Do you want to sleep out here with Luna?" I asked her and she nodded. "Will you stay with me?" She asked, I nodded my yes. "Hold me." I curled up behind her and wrapped my arm around her waist, resting my head on my arm. Mera leaned back against me and placed her arm over mine, intertwining our fingers. I had no idea what she felt for me, I just hoped that I could bring her comfort, and the warmth of her body next to mine was a blessing in itself. Ennina, I am in the barn with Mera, I told my wife. She asked me to stay with her and hold her tonight. Alright, I will see you in the morning my husband, she replied. I love you. I love you my wife, I replied.

I laid awake for a time, just enjoying holding Mera close and breathing in the scent of her hair, which smelled a bit like her horse at the moment. Not that that was a bad thing. I wondered about so much, I worried. Mera is not the type of woman who would be happy being carried off and protected, but I was tempted. But she is a fighter, a protector, she will not give up until her death. I just hoped that that would not be soon, or ever. When I woke, it was daybreak and Mera was still sound asleep. I laid there for a while more before deciding to carry her back to her bed. I carefully got up and lifted the beautiful woman into my arms, her head lying against my chest. I opened the stall with my mind and then closed the door behind me. I could have just teleported her to her room, but I wanted to carry her there, to have her in my arms for a few minutes more. As I walked up the back steps of the house, Mera's father George was just walking out, he looked at us in surprise and went to speak but I silently shushed him, not wanting to wake the woman in my arms. He held the door open for me and I nodded a thank you to him before I carried her up the stairs and placed her in her bed, pulling the covers over her. I placed a kiss on her forehead before leaving the room. I could hear George's thoughts all the way down the stairs, he was worried about what I wanted from his daughter. I walked outside to where he sat on the porch attached to the back of his home and sat down across from him. "You want to speak with me?" I asked him, he looked surprised but nodded. "What are you intentions with my daughter?" George asked. "To give her what comfort I can." I told him. "And what exactly does that mean?" He inquired. "It is up to Mera what that will mean." I told him. "Right now she just needs a friend, someone who will hold her and tell her that everything will be alright, but if she should want more, Ariston gave me his permission to give it." He was silent for a time as she looked at me, upset and worry in his eyes. "Mera is going through hell right now," He said to me. "She may be strong, but she is also vulnerable. She loves Ariston and if she sleeps with you she is going to regret it." "I will not do anything to hurt Mera," I told him. "I love her. I know exactly what she is going through because I have been through it. Mera feels alone, she needs me and Ariston knows that, which is why he gave both Mera and myself full permission to do as we wish." "I just worry for her." He said, his hazel eyes still locked on mine.

"I have many daughters," I told him. "Believe me, I understand your concerns. I know you were raised differently than I was, but things can be much simpler. If Mera should choose to sleep with me, Ariston will not be upset with her." George was silent again. "Mera's choices are her own," George said. "And if she chooses to be with you, then that will be that. All I ask of you is to treat my little girl with the respect she deserves." "I would do nothing less." I told him. He nodded. "I need to take care of the horses." He said as he rose from his seat and walked away before stopping and turning to me. "Thank you for your honesty." I nodded and he walked away. After sitting there for a few minutes, Ennina walked out and kissed my lips before sitting on my lap. "How is she?" My wife asked. "Sleeping." I told her. "How are you?" She asked. "Afraid that I am falling in love again." I told her. Ennina smiled as she ran her hand over my cheek. There was no hurt within her at my admission. Just as I know that her loving her other husbands does not mean she loves me any less, Ennina knows that my loving Mera will change nothing between she and I. Ennina kissed me and I held her close. "You should go and hold her." Ennina said. "She will not like waking without you." I smiled to her, wondering how I was blessed with such an extraordinary wife. Our marriage may be far from traditional in the mortal sense, but it works perfectly for us. We can be together as often as possible, yet still be with the others we love. "She has a lot of you within her." I told Ennina. "What makes you say that?" She asked. "I keep wondering why it is so easy to have fallen for her." I told her and my wife kissed me. "I am going to miss you." She said. "What do you mean?" I asked.

"Mera needs you right now," Ennina said. "She is going to need you even more once she realizes what she feels for you. I give you my permission to spend the majority of your time with her while Ariston is gone, as long as you come to visit me in our bed from time to time and still hold me and kiss me when you feel the need." I caressed her cheek then slid my hand down to her neck and shook my head in wonder. "Do you know how much I love you?" I asked her with a smile. "Somewhere around as much as I love you." She said and I kissed her lips, holding her for a few more minutes, before she got up and walked inside with one last breathtaking smile to me. I took a deep breath as I stood up and walked upstairs and to Mera's bedroom. I looked down on the beautiful sleeping woman before lying down next to her and watching her sleep. Mera sighed and turned around in my arms so that she was facing me. She wrapped her arm around my back and held me close. "Where did you go?" She asked. "To talk with your father and my wife." I told her. "Oh goodness," Mera said. "What did my father say?" "Just to take care of you." I told her and she yawned. "Why don't you get some more sleep?" "Alright," She said. "Just stay here with me." "As you wish." I told her, kissing her forehead.

Mera's point of view

After waking with Cronus holding me, I went for a long run. Cronus offered to come with me, but I said no. I needed time to think, but all I could think about was him and how close we were becoming. I did not hate it, not in the least, it was just nothing I ever pictured for myself and I was in no way ready to give myself to him. I also knew that anything we had would end once I had Ariston back. I may need Cronus' comfort now, but things will be different once my Ariston is back in my arms. I was worried that if I started something with Cronus, I would end up hurting him and his soul if far too beautiful to inflict such pain upon. So for the moment, my thoughts had come to an impasse.

It was early afternoon when I got back to my parents house, I had been gone for hours. I went upstairs and took a long shower, still thinking. After drying off and putting on a pair of dark wash jeans and a purple tank top, I went downstairs to find Ennina lounging on the couch reading as she twirled one of her brown ringlets around her finger. She smiled to me when I took a seat across from her. "Where is Cronus?" I asked her. "With Sif." She told me with a smile. "He has been missing her." I could not help my disappointment. "He said to tell him if you needed him to return." "No," I said quickly. "I was just wondering. What are you reading?" I asked. "Venus and Adonis by Shakespeare," Ennina said. "It is so beautifully written. That man had a true gift." "I agree," I told her. "He had a way with words that cannot be matched." "Have you seen any of his plays performed?" Ennina asked. "Aaron took me to see Hamlet for our first anniversary," I told her, smiling a bit at the memory. After the play, we kissed in the limo for the whole ride to dinner, laughing every now and then. "And I went with Margret to see Romeo and Juliet." "I saw his plays when they were first performed." Ennina said with a wide smile. "Cronus loves them just as much, and since my other husbands fancy them as well, I have seen each one many times over." I looked at her in amazement, it is easy to forget her true age, that she was around for the last ice age and long before that. "So the stories about them are true?" I asked Ennina. "Aphrodite and Adonis?" "Not in their entirety." Ennina told me. "As you know, my granddaughter Aphrodite is now married to my brother Ares, but it was not always so. From the time she was a little girl Ares has his eye on her, and by the time she reached womanhood he was desperately in love with her. He tried to woo her, but her affections were elsewhere, with Adonis. She was so young when she fell in love with that mortal hunter, she was crazy about him, we all knew they would wed someday. But before they could marry, Adonis was killed by a wild boar during a hunt. It broke my granddaughters heart and shattered her soul to lose him, and she found out soon after that she was pregnant with his daughter. She was sixteen when she gave birth to that beautiful little girl. "Since Ares was known for turning into a boar from time to time, Aphrodite blamed him for Adonis' death, she even tried to have him thrown into Tartarus. We of course investigated, and he was found innocent, but that was not enough for her. She went on hating Ares and later married my brother Hephaestus for a time, though the marriage did not last. It took centuries for Aphrodite to forgive Ares and to realize that he was telling

the truth about not killing Adonis, bit with time she did. She fell in love with him and they married." Ennina finished the story. It was just then that Cronus teleported in, he smiled to his wife as he walked over to Ennina, leaned down and kissed her lips. "Hello my husband." She said with a laugh and he kissed her lips again. A part of me wished he would give me such a greeting. "Hello Mera." He greeted me as he sat down on the couch and his wife reclined against his chest as she read. "Hello Cronus." I greeted him. "How was your run?" He asked. "It was nice." I told him. "How is Sif?" "She is very well." He told me. "She says to tell you hello." I nodded. "I have been thinking," I told Ennina and Cronus. "I want to see the Moirae." The moment after I said the words, I felt light wrap around me and I felt myself being pulled somewhere else. I looked at Cronus for one moment and just barely caught his encouraging smile before all I could see was golden light. When the light faded, a feeling of vastness surrounded me and the room I stood in was unmistakable. Everything was dark and black except for the loom of the Moirae glowing brightly with every color imaginable. The sheer size of the loom alone was mind-boggling and the threads of souls were constantly moving and intertwining in amazing patterns. The Moirae, the three goddess who create the events of life and there for to a massive extent control the everything, were working in front of me. Clotho was the youngest, she looked just barely out of her teenage years. Atropos was a wizened old woman that was still beautiful and Lachesis was of an age in between the other two. They are the past, present and future. The beginning, middle and end of all things. "Welcome Mera," They greeted. "You wish to see us?" "Yes," I answered them, once my shock had subsided. "Yes, it was us who brought you here." Atropos told me, already knowing the questions. "Just tell me if he is still alive." I begged them.

"Yes, your Ariston is still living. As we prophesied before, you two will wed." Clotho informed me and I sighed in relief as tears ran down my face. I had almost forgotten about that, they prophesized that Ariston and I would marry and we have not yet. "Thank you." I said to them. "No, we will not tell you where he is." Lachesis answered my next question. "Because that would defeat the purpose of your quest." "How much longer until I find him?" I asked. "It will be months more." They told me and more tears came. "Why did you take him from me?" I asked. "We did not take him," Clotho told me. "The Shadows did, they are beyond our power since they have no souls and therefor no threads to be weaved." "So that is why the world is as it is." I suddenly realized. "You can only control good." "To some extent, yes." Atropos answered. "This quest of yours is of vital importance, ever step of it. There are times when you will feel lost, not knowing where to go. But remember that taking two steps forward and one step back still leaves you one step ahead of where you began." "I will." I told them. "Queen Persephone awaits to take you outside." They said in unison and I saw a light coming from behind me. I turned around and saw large doors open to the Underworld and there stood Persephone, the wife of Hades and queen of the Underworld. Her long blond hair fell in loose ringlets around her flawless oval shaped face and her eyes were still the same color I remembered them to be, a bright green like the first leafs of spring. Her gown was stunning and extravagant, something befitting a queen. The emerald color brought out her eyes and a golden girdle went around her slim waist, embellished with emeralds and sapphires in patterns of leaves and flowers. The cap sleeves of the dress were made out of woven gold and diamonds that sparkled brilliantly, and upon Persephone's regal head was a crown of gold, diamonds and emeralds. I looked back to the Moirae. "Thank you." I said to the powerful goddesses and they nodded. I walked outside and towards the goddess, the doors shut behind me.

"It is lovely to see you again Mera." Persephone said in her warm voice with a beautiful smile upon her face. "And you your grace." I said to her as I curtsied. She held her hands out when I drew near and I placed my hands within them as we kissed each other's cheek. "If I had known I was coming I would have dressed more appropriately." I said, realizing I was standing before the queen of the Underworld in jeans and a tank top. I did not think I could be more underdressed. "The Moirae will do that, summon someone who needs to speak with them. You look lovely." She told me and I smiled. "Come, the chariot awaits." Persephone and I walked side by side to the ebony chariot embellished with golden vines and delicate flowers. We were helped in by the driver and sat across from each other as we were driven off. "Could I tempt you into staying for dinner with my husband and myself?" Persephone asked. "I am honored at the offer, but I need to be getting back." I told her. "I am certain that Cronus, Ennina and Kallisto have everything in hand." Persephone assured me. "My children are away and I was hoping I could have some company." "As you wish." I said to her, one does not refuse a queen. Persephone smiled to me and I returned it as best I could. Twenty minutes later we reached the grand palace, a spectacular building of black marble veined with gold. Gemstones glittered everywhere in the most fascinating patterns and gold was woven over the doorway to look like leafs. We were helped out of the carriage in front of fifteen-foot tall double doors that were made of white marble, the vines in the stone looking to me made out of emerald. The doors opened and my eyes went wide. We came into a long hallway of black marble, the ceilings were so tall that I could not see the top and the grand marble columns that rose to its heights had sapphires glittering in them. A long red rug ran on the floor before us and up stairs, which curved outwards, and was rimmed with a band of gold. Torches made of red gold lined the walls, casting a mysterious light on all that was around us. "Your home is magnificent." I said to the queen in astonishment. "We do love it." Persephone told me. "This place was always beautiful, but my husband added in a few details here and there for me." She sighed with a smile on her lips.

"Would you like to change before dinner?" Persephone asked. "I have some dresses that would fit you." "That would be wonderful." I told her. I followed her up three flights of stairs and down many hallways until we came to a set of carved ash wood doors, their handles were carved out of solid emerald. Persephone opened the doors, behind which was a massive closet that put the one Ariston had built for me to shame. Walking in, there was a rectangular room with a plush looking couch and a few chairs. From all sides of this room were hallways leading into infinity, each one lined with dresses and shoes on each side. "I must warn you not to go looking through here by yourself," Persephone told me with a smile. "This closet is a maze and it is far too easy to get lost. Now, lets find you something to wear." The queen of the Underworld had a huge smile on her face as she took my hand and led me through this maze of color and fashion, I had to admire the beauty of the things she owned. One thing was for certain, Hades certainly gave his wife the absolute best of everything. Persephone hummed as she looked through her gowns, her voice was amazing, light and airy, like a breath of wind and sunshine, but there was soul to it. "Do all gods sing so well?" I asked her, she smiled to me and laughed. "Not by far," Persephone told me. "My father could not carry a tune to save his kingdom!" I had to laugh a little at that. I found myself discovering a kind of kinship to Persephone, like we have been the closest of friends for years. It made me think of Margret, the sister I always wanted. Margret and I were friends since the day I arrive at Blueridge Prep four years ago and have stayed friends. But I have not talked to her in months, I could not bring myself to tell another person what had happened to Ariston, I could not say the words again. I felt guilty for not speaking to her, I wondered how she was, if her boyfriend Jack Franklin was doing well. They could be engaged by now for all I know. "What do you think?" Persephone asked, startling me from my thoughts. "What?" I asked. "What dress would you like to wear?" She asked with a smile. I looked up, my mind in other places as I looked through the gowns. One seemed to be made of woven gold, it was the same color as my hair. Another was a beautiful purple

velvet and another was a lovely ivory with blue scroll work long the hem. I was not certain what I should pick. "Having trouble deciding?" Persephone asked. "Yes your grace." I told her. "Let me help," She said. "And please, call me Persephone." I nodded. She came up and looked through the dresses, it was only moments later that she pulled out a brilliant red silk gown and showed it to me. The skirt was A-line and the waist of the dress had a large yet intricate web of diamonds and sapphires going around it. The neckline was a low scoop and the straps were cap sleeves encrusted with sapphires on the edges. I had not worn anything so beautiful in a long while. "It is stunning." I said. "Red and blue are a few of my husbands favorite colors." Persephone told me. "Would you like me to help you dress?" "Sure." I said. I took my jeans off while she loosened the corset in the back of the gown. As I pulled my shirt over my head I heard Persephone gasp. "My gods you are thin." She said, worry clear in her voice. I finished removing the shirt and smiled sheepishly as her as she looked at me with worry. "I have not been eating as much as I should according to Cronus." I told her. "It was only a few weeks ago that I noticed how thin I had gotten. Between Cronus, Ennina, Kallisto and my parents and grandmother, they are all making sure I eat enough. They are stuffing me full of food as often as they can, but I have not put enough weight back on yet. It is just hard to think of food at a time like this." Persephone threw her arms around me. "I am so sorry." She said, I could hear how deeply sorry she truly was. "Everything will be alright once I am back in his arms." I said. Persephone nodded as she pulled away. "Now lets get you into this dress." She said. I nodded and stepped into the gown and Persephone pulled it on my too thin body as I put the arms through the straps. Persephone cinched the corset up nice and tight. One thing I love about the corsets the goddesses wear is that no matter how tight they are, they still give enough for you to breathe.

"You look stunning, come and see." Persephone guided me to the mirror and I looked at myself in the gown. I did look beautiful, a bit thin, but beautiful nonetheless. Seeing myself in such a dress brought so many memories back. I saw the dress Ariston bought for me for our first date, the long pink gown with an open back. He had filled my bedroom in the apartment I shared with Margret to the brim with red roses and left a blue box on my bed. I called him right afterwards and heard his sweet voice on the phone, I heard his laugh and my knees almost gave out. I smiled to myself in the mirror as tears formed in my eyes. I took a shaky breath but more memories came. The times we rode his huge white stallion Vrontos in the pouring rain, the first time he kissed me, all of the times we came so close to making love but he pulled away from me because he did not want to rush things. I chuckled once, so much for that, we ended up making love three days after we told each other I love you for the first time. All the times we made love flowed through my mind along with all the times he told me he loves me. Ariston filled my mind to the brim, bringing smiles and tears to my cheeks and longing and pain within me. I felt a hand on my shoulder and I looked at Persephone as she glanced at me with a sad smile. "Forgive me for crying." I said, wiping my tears away. The emotions had broken loose within me and I feared there would be no stopping the tears now, but I found a way to hold them in check. Until later when I was alone at least. "There is nothing to forgive." Persephone assured me. "About dinner," I said, changing the subject. "Are the myths about the Underworld food true? That if I eat it, I will not be able to leave?" She nodded. "If you eat enough of it." She told me. "But not to worry, I have been very clear that all the food served tonight will be from above." I nodded. In that moment a breathtaking smile broke out across Persephone's face. "My husband is home." She told me. Persephone took my hand and led me down the halls and to the dining room that was the size of a grand ballroom, with towering ceilings and black marble columns. The large white gold veined marble table was covered with foods that made my stomach rumble hungrily. There were four exquisite high backed chairs set up, all made out of white gold vined marble, two had royal blue cushions and two had red. The king of the Underworld was watching the flames in the fireplace that was easily taller than he was. He turned around with a smile when we entered and his wife let go of my hand, ran and leapt into her husbands waiting arms. They laughed together as he spun her around and kissed her.

"I take it I was missed?" He asked in a soft voice, though I could hear it clearly with my enhanced hearing. "The fact that you even have to ask after all these millennia astounds me." Persephone replied playfully and he laughed once and kissed her again. "We have a dinner guest." She added and he looked to me. I curtsied. "Your grace." I greeted him. "Your wife invited me to dinner, I do hope that is alright with you." "Of course it is," he said. "You are always welcome here Mera." I was surprised that he remembered my name, I only met him twice, but gods do have flawless memories. Hades glanced at his wife with searching eyes and she smiled just a bit, her eyes pleading with him. I was curious about what they were conversing about, but it was not for me to know. Hades walked up to me with his arm around his wife's waist and held his hand out for mine. I placed my hand in his and he kissed it. "You look lovely." He complemented. "It is your wife's work," I told him. "The Moirae summoned me wearing jeans and a tank top." He laughed once and kissed his wife's cheek. "Let's eat." He said. Hades held his arm out for me and I wrapped my arm through his as he led his wife and I to the dinner table. He held the chair out for his wife and I sat down in the other seat before Hades took his own seat. "It is a shame you cannot meet my children tonight." Hades said to me as we all helped ourselves to food. "How many children do you have your grace?" I asked him. "Four," He answered. "Two sons with Ennina and two daughters with Persephone." "How many children does Ennina have?" I asked and Hades and Persephone laughed. "Many," Hades told me, his dark blue eyes shining with humor. "She has always loved children and we need as many gods as we can get nowadays. Not to mention that she is a wonderful mother." "I would not be surprised if she has another one within the next few years." Persephone said with a smile. The thought of children had me distracted for a time, wondering about Ariston.

"I assure you the food is not poisoned." Hades said, I looked up at him to see a bit of a smile on his face. "Forgive me, I was lost in thought." I told him and then began eating, the food was delicious. At least you do not have to worry about me eating tonight, I sent the thought out to Cronus, knowing that since he is a god he would be able to hear me. Of course, even if Cronus made a reply I would not be able to hear it since we are not soul mates and I am not a goddess yet. "Would you care for some wine?" Hades asked. "I have drank far too much in the past few months," I told him. "I have decided not to drink for while, if I ever drink it again." He nodded. "Is there any news of Ariston?" Hades asked. I took a deep breath at his name. "Nothing yet," I told him. "But we are searching for him. We go on raids at least twice a week, but there is nothing so far." I told him. "I am doing what I can on this end to find out what I can." Hades promised. "How so? If I may ask?" I asked, wondering what the king of the dead could possibly do to help. "I am the king of this realm as well as one of the judges of the dead." Hades told me. "When I judge a soul, I see their whole lives, and through that I am shifting through what I find to see if they know anything about Ariston. I can judge thousands in a day." "Thank you for what you are doing." I said to him. I thought for a moment about that woman who we were to late to save on our first raid. "May I ask you about a someone? She died a few weeks ago and I have been wondering about her soul." "What is her name?" He asked. "Edna Wilson." I told him. "She is in Elysium with her parents." He told me. "I judged her myself, she had made a few mistakes in her life, but she is a good soul." I nodded my thanks and continued eating. I must have eaten three or four platefuls of food by the time we were finished. Then there was dessert, a wonderful chocolate and raspberry swirled mousse topped off with fresh whipped cream and sprinkled with white chocolate shavings. It was served in a large crystal goblet.

"Mera, you are more than welcome to stay the night if you wish," Hades said to me. "We have more than enough spare bedrooms." "It is kind of you to offer, but I really should be getting back." I told him. "As you wish," Hades said. "Charon will be waiting for you at the river." We said our goodbyes and Persephone gave me a warm blue cloak made out of cloud wool and showed me the way to the dock. It was nighttime, but there were no crickets and the stars in the sky had different constellations of stars. "Where are we exactly?" I asked the queen of this realm as we walked down the stone pathway that lead to the river Styx. Though it was more of an ocean than a river. "I suppose you could say that this is another dimension." Persephone informed me. "A different place in space and time than Earth is in. My husband and I choose when the sun rises and sets, we choose what grows, if anything, it is all under our control and subject to our royal whims." She finished with a smile. "That is fascinating." I told her. "I was also wondering why gods cannot simply teleport into this realm, why they must cross the river?" "That is the only way to enter this realm," She told me. "The river is more powerful than the gods, the water is a living entity, an ancient goddess. The only way across the river is a boat and since my husband and I choose whom we lend the boat to, we choose who enters our kingdom. It certainly helped with my mother when Hades and I were first married. I am thankful that with time she came to accept our union, I love my mother too much to lose her, but I could never give Hades up." "I am happy things worked out for you." I told her in all honesty. "So am I." She said with a smile. After walking for a bit more we reached the black marble dock and after bidding Persephone goodbye, I turned towards where Charon was waiting to help me into the beautifully carved boat. "And Mera," Persephone said. I turned and faced the queen of the Underworld. I was confused by the look in her spring green eyes, like there was so much she wanted to say. "Yes?" I asked her, she did not respond at first. "I hope you find him soon." She said after a moment. "I hope so too." I told her and she nodded.

I walked down a flight of steps and Charon helped me into the boat. I reclined on the cushions as he rowed us across the Styx. It was then that I noticed that there were two moons in the sky, one white and the other a pale blue, they reflected on the endless water. It was just as peaceful as I remembered, and just as silent, the only sounds being that of Charon's ores as they dipped into the water over and over again. I kept thinking about what I saw in Persephone's eyes. It was guilt, as if she had done a terrible wrong by me, something she could not forgive herself for. The plot thickens, I thought with a sigh. Will things ever be simple and easy again?

It was easy to see when the dock came into sight on the other side of the river of the dead, mainly because of the glow of the spirits all making their way down to the beautiful ships floating on the vast waters of Styx. The spirits were transparent and all different hues from bright white to a more muddied color, showing how good of a person they were. Bright white was obviously the purest. As the boat neared the dock, I suddenly wondered who would bring me back to the Earth and my parents home. But as I looked, even from this distance I could clearly make out Cronus standing at the end of the dock waiting for me. I smiled and waved to him and he waved back. Cronus helped me out of the boat and once both my feet were on the dock he teleported us back to my parents living room where everyone was waiting for news. Apparently, Cronus knew where I had gone and told them. "Ariston is alive," I told them all and they sighed in relief. Kallisto had tears of relief in her eyes and Aaron kissed her temple as he held her. "They said it will be a few months more before we find him and that every step of this journey is important." We talked a bit more and I answered their questions before bidding them all goodnight and making my way towards my bedroom. Cronus followed me up the stairs, I knew he was worried about me. I went into my bedroom and he closed the door behind me, he must think I need someone to talk to. "I am fine." I lied, removing my cloak with my back to him. I felt Cronus' hands on my shoulders as he stood behind me, that small gesture of kindness and tenderness made the tears begin to flow. "Please go." I said to him quietly. "I do not want you to see me like this." But he would not go, instead he wrapped his arms around my waist and held me close in a comforting way as he still stood behind me. I closed my eyes as more tears flowed.

"I promised Ariston I would take care of you," Cronus said softly. "I am not leaving you alone tonight. If you must cry, then I will be holding you while you do so." More tears came, I do not like crying in front of anyone but I did not want to be alone tonight either. "I am not going to make love to you." I told him. "I am not asking for that." He said. "Just please let me hold you tonight." He begged. I nodded and turned around in his arms, burring my face in his chest as I wrapped my arms around his torso and began crying. I was thankful that he was here, holding me, to know that I was not entirely alone. My legs went weak and Cronus picked me up into his arms and went to my bed. He laid down on my bed with me curled up into his side awkwardly because of my poufy dress. After a long while, my tears began to subside and I just laid there in his warmth as he rubbed my back. I felt better after I finished crying, not whole again, but better. I also felt exhausted, like my body did not have any energy left within it. "I would offer to help you out of that dress, but I am afraid you would take it the wrong way." Cronus said softly and I laughed once. "I could use some help with the corset." I told him. "You would be comfortable with that?" He asked. "You have seen me naked before," I said then added. "And I am going to ask you to turn around." "Of course." He said. I got up, sitting on my bed, then stood up. My legs went weak beneath me, I would have collapsed but Cronus caught me and held me upright. "Thank you," I said to him, finding my footing. "I am alright now." I told him. He let go of me slowly, careful that I did not fall again. When he was certain I had my footing, he removed his arms completely. I turned around and he began undoing the corset on my back, he seemed to be taking his time. When the dress was undone, I held it up with my hands and turned around to look at him. His eyes were tender and intimate, but he did not try to kiss me or entice me in anyway, he simply stood there looking into my eyes.

"Close your eyes." I told him, my voice quiet in a way I did not mean it to be. He did and for a moment more, I found myself looking at him before I walked around him and let the dress fall to my feet. I looked back towards him, but he was keeping his word and not looking my way. I looked through my things in my dresser, finding the cream-colored silk cami and shorts set, one of the few things that were not sheer. I looked at Cronus again, but he was still not looking. I smiled a bit at the perfect gentleman he was being as I put my clothing on. I went back up in front of him and was about to ask him to open his eyes when I got a better idea. I placed my hands on his shoulders and leaned up on my tiptoes to kiss his cheek. "Thank you for being here for me." I whispered in his ear and his hands went to my waist. "May I open my eyes now?" He asked softly. "If you like." I told him, he smiled and opened them, looking into my eyes. "Would you like for me to hold you tonight?" He asked. I nodded with a bit of a smile. "I do not want to be alone tonight." I admitted. "You will never be alone again." He promised me, his words made me smile. For just one moment, I was tempted to kiss him in thanks, but I thought against it and stepped away from the embrace we were in. I picked up Persephone's dress and hung it in my dresser then laid down in my bed. Cronus walked around to lay behind me, his arm wrapping around my waist as he held me tenderly. He kissed my shoulder once, then just held me. It was so comforting being in his arms. I did not sleep for a while, I stayed up thinking. Would it truly be so bad to be with him in these last few months before I find Ariston? I had to wonder. Cronus is compassionate, loving and truly wonderful. There are times that he reminds me of Ariston so much it hurts. Ariston wants me to be happy and is relived at the thought of my being with Cronus. I knew that I should not be, but I was highly tempted. I placed my hand over Cronus' as he slept behind me, his skin was too wonderfully warm. He does distract me from my worries, I do not know that I am ready to make love to him but what would be so wrong in just enjoying this for now? In just being in his arms when I need to be and having him hold me at night? I found myself smiling a bit at the thought of not being so alone anymore, not going to sleep in a cold bed every night. I found myself wondering what it would be like to kiss Cronus. If it feels anything like this comfort I feel right now with him holding me close, it would be wonderful.

I sighed, not certain I was ready for that. I would not tell him about this until I was more sure of it and that could take some time. I did not want to disappoint him or lead him on when there might be no conclusion. But in this moment, I knew that I was not so alone any more and more importantly, I knew that Ariston is still alive and that I will have him back. So for now, in this moment, I was alright. I just prayed that Ariston was okay. At least he is alive, I thought to myself with a sigh and a smile. I closed my eyes and let myself slip off into unconsciousness, feeling more peace than I have in a while.