The Three Gifts: Chapter 7

7/31/2019 The Three Gifts: Chapter 7

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Chapter 7

Meras Point Of View

I laid on the couch reading, all too aware of Cronus' eyes on me from where he sat on a

chair near by. I met his eyes from time to time, smiling a bit when I did and he would

return the smile, which made my smile grow in response. His presence is soothing,

calming, I must admit that I am grateful that he spend most of his time with me.

My parents were out shopping, my grandmother was at her house, Ennina was getting

things ready for our move to Colorado Springs next week and Kallisto and Aaron were

still at their house on Olympus. They chose to spend the day together. So that left Cronus

and I alone in myparents house.

"Get dressed, I am taking you out to lunch." Cronus said all of the sudden.

"I am not feeling up to it." I told him.

"No is not an answer I will accept on this." He told me, getting up from where he sat and

holding his hands out to me with a smile on his face.

I smiled to him as I shook my head and placed my hands in his, his smile grew as he

helped me to my feet and we stood there for a moment, desperately lost in each others

eyes as we stood so close together still holding hands. His hands caressed mine ever soslightly and my heart was beating faster, my lips tingling at the thought of kissing him. I

was feeling warmer and warmer as the seconds ticked by, I could feel the blush upon my

cheeks.

These moments are as torturous as they are beautiful. I wanted him to kiss me, to just

take me into his embrace and press warm his lips to mine, I wanted to see what it feels


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like, what he taste like. I could only wonder why he has not kissed me yet, I can see in his

eyes how much he wants to.Is he waiting for me to make the first move?

"You should get dressed." He said softly, his hot breath washing across my lips, making

it even more difficult for me to think.

"What should I wear?" I asked a few moments later.

"Something beautiful." He told me. "You do not dress up as much as you used to."

"I am not on Olympus anymore," I told him, still lost in this moment as my body burned

for his touch and kiss. "Those kinds of dresses and gems would not fit in around this

town."

"But, you my dear, are royalty," He told me, making me smile a bit. "You do not have to

dress like everyone else, you were born to stand out, to be an example to others."

"I do not have anything like that here." I told him.

"I could bring you to your house if you like." He said and my smile faded away as pain

took its place, the sweet moment dying with it.

The thought of my home with Ariston was too much to bear. I finally understood why

Ariston did not live in that house for two thousand years after his wife died. Walking

through those halls without him, all those memories the grief alone was sure to kill me.

"I cannot go there." I said softly.

"Of course, forgive me." He said, realizing it was a stupid thing to suggest. "Why don't

we go out shopping then? Rodeo Drive is not too far away. You could use some new

things."

"You sound like Ariston." I told him, my voice sad but a bit of a smile on my face. I

closed my eyes and laughed once as tears ran down my cheeks.

I took a deep breath to steady myself and felt Cronus' warm hands on my cheeks as he

wiped my tears away. I opened my eyes and looked up into the bright pale green eyes of

this kind and wonderful god.

"There are times you remind me so much of Ariston it hurts." I told him.

"Well I did raise his father, and I had a hand in raising Ariston." Cronus told me.

"You did?" I asked and he nodded with a soft smile that brought me comfort to see.


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"With all his duties, Zeus could not always be there when he needed to be, when he

wanted to be." Cronus told me softly. "But when Zeus was there, it was clear that Ariston

was his world, that boy always knew how much his father loves him. Since Zeus was

busy so often, Ennina and I would visit Ariston and his mother Demetria as often as we

could. Ariston was a handful from the day he was born." I laughed and Cronus joined in.

"Let me run a brush through my hair before we go." I said, he nodded.

I went upstairs to the hall bathroom and splashed some water on my face before drying it

off and brushing my hair. What am I doing, getting so close to him? I wondered. I cannot

count the number of times I have had to remind myself that Ariston wants me to be with

Cronus. I want this, to be with him, I want it more than I should, it feels so natural yetthere is still a part of me that is holding back. I still partly feel like I am betraying Ariston

by being with Cronus.

I looked at myself in the mirror, I still had not returned to my normal weight and so my

face was just slightly gaunt, the bones just a little too apparent underneath my skin. Ilooked into my violet eyes and sighed, I knew all too well I was fall for Cronus and no

matter what I did, I could not seem to stop caring for him like this. I was nowhere near

ready to tell him that I feel like this for him, I was still so uncertain about how I felt about

this. A smile came to my lips and I shook my head, letting out another sigh. This feeling

was a good feeling, his love is healing and as much as I might want to deny it, I need

him, fighting that fact was hopeless.

I pushed myself away from the sink and made my way back downstairs. Cronus was

waiting for me at the landing and I had a flash back to the night Ariston asked me to

marry him. He stood in that very spot as I walked down the stairs to him in the dress he

picked out for me. The memory of the look of wonder on his face when he saw mealmost brought tears to my eyes as I walked down the stairs.

"What is it?" Cronus asked softly.

"Memories of him are everywhere," I told him. "There is nowhere I can go that I do not

think of him and some moment we spent together."

"You are going to have countless more of those moments, he will be in your arms again."

Cronus told me and I nodded, his words did comfort me.

He held his hand out to me and I took it. To my surprise, he led me out the door where alimo was waiting for us.

"We are not teleporting there?" I asked Cronus.

"If you are going shopping we are going to need a lot of space." He told me with a smile.

"What makes you think I am going to buy so much?" I asked him.


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"Because the new season is out." He told me, I was surprised that he would know that. "I

have two wives who love fashion, they keep me in the loop." He said, making me laugh

once.

He helped me into the limo then slid in next to me. Inside there was a bowl of ambrosia, I

picked one up and began eating it. I glanced at Cronus to see him smiling to me a widegrin.

"And I did not even have to twist your arm." He said, speaking of me eating.

"I am hungry." I said with a shrug.

Cronus makes sure that I eat ambrosia everyday to help keep up my strength and health.

The fruit was delicious and satisfying, I ate about five of them and Cronus ate three on

the ride. Once we reached Rodeo Drive, we got out of the limo and went into a few stores

so I could shop. Cronus reminded me of Ariston yet again as he walked around with me

and helped me choose things.

I walked out of the first boutique wearing a beautiful three quarter sleeve dress made of

navy blue lace and trimmed in white. It reached just barely below my mid thigh and had a

boat-neck. With that I wore white Gucci shoes with horse bit detail and a white purse to

match. I had to admit that I felt a lot more like myself dressed like this, Cronus was right

about my not being the kind of woman who was meant to fit in.

My new things were carried out to the limo by some of the stores employees, and after

thanking them Cronus gave them each a hundred dollar bill as a tip. It made me smile to

see how their eyes lit up.

Cronus held his arm out to me and I slid my arm through his with a bit of a smile. He lead

me down the street and to an outdoor caf where we got a table in the sunshine. It was

only moments before a waiter came up, I did not miss the way he looked at me, but it

made no matter to me. After welcoming us to the caf he asked us for our order.

"What would you like?" The waiter asked me.

"Steak salad, BBQ chicken pizza, lobster risotto, a garden burger and the meyer lemon

tart for dessert." I said to him.

"And I will have the Maine lobster salad, tandoori chicken and that lobster risotto soundsdelicious." Cronus said. "And the coffee hazelnut dacquoise for desert." The waiter

looked at us curiously.

"How many others will be joining you?" The waiter asked.

"It will be just this lovely young woman and myself." Cronus said, the waiter was

obviously trying to tell if he were joking with him.


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"I will be back with your drinks." The waiter said as he walked away.

Cronus looked at me and we both started laughing.

"Did you see his face?" Cronus asked in a low voice.

"Well surely someone my size would not be able to eat all of that." I said and he laughed

again.

I looked at the banner behind Cronus and saw that at a local museum was having a

showcase of art on Greek Mythology. I laughed and Cronus gave me a curious look. I

pointed behind him at the banner.

"We should go." I said to him, he looked at the banner and smiled.

"After lunch." He said and my smile grew.

"We have to come here again." I said to Cronus as we walked out of the restaurant arm in

arm after paying the bill. Cronus gave me a big beautiful smile in response.

"I would love to take you here again," He said. "Perhaps for dinner."

"Agreed." I said and kissed his cheek out of pure instinct.

We walked through the sunshine to the museum and Cronus bought our tickets.

"You two are adorable together." The women who gave us our tickets commented. I saw

Cronus was about to say something but I chose to reply first.

"Thank you." I said to her and Cronus looked at me in surprise, I shrugged as we walked

away.

"I thought it would be easier to thank her than to try and describe what is going on

between us." I told him.

Cronus just smiled, I was thankful that he did not ask me what was going on between us

because at the moment, I was not entirely certain. I was enjoying our day together far toomuch to want to get into a deep conversation like that.

The first painting we came upon was "Judgment of Paris" by Peter Paul Rubens. It was a

masterpiece showing when prince Paris of Troy judged the beauty Hera, Aphrodite and

Athena.


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"Now that caused quite a mess." Cronus said softly as we looked at the painting. "It is

amazing to think that the Trojan War began because of a golden apple. He would have

been better off choosing my wife instead of my granddaughter."

"You are going to have to tell me that story sometime." I told him.

The next painting was "Danae" by Vezellio Titsiano. It featured the princess Danae,

mother of Perseus, locked in her tower and laying in wait for Zeus to arrive.

"Of course you must know the story behind this painting." Cronus said.

"I would love to hear you tell it though." I said and he smiled to me before beginning.

"King Acrisius had one daughter, Danae, but no sons, and so he went to the oracle in

Delphi to find out what he needed to do to 'properly impregnate' his wife. But instead of

that answer, he was given a prophecy that his daughter Danae would one day birth a son

who would kill king Acrisius.

"For fear of what his grandson would do, he locked away his young daughter Danae in a

tower and mortared the entrance so that she would not be able to escape. He did not have

the heart to kill his daughter with his bare hands, and so he hopped she would starve to

death." Cronus told me. "Little did he know that Zeus already had his eye upon her and

once she was alone easily snuck in every night to give her the things she needed and

make love to her. Around nine months after she was put in that tower, cries were heard

from it. The king could get no sleep and soon ordered that the wall be torn down so that

he could find out what that noise was from. He thought his daughter was dead by then,

and was beyond shocked and horrified when he entered her chamber to find her holding

her brand new son in her arms. The cries he heard were his daughter giving birth.

"Danae looked up at her father and boldly said, 'I have named him avenger.' The Greek

name for avenger is of course Perseus. When she told him that Zeus was the father, he

took her and the child and locked them both in a coffin and threw them into the ocean.

Zeus knew this was coming and told her before hand not to be afraid, that he would make

sure that she and their son would make it to a new home safe and sound.

"Danae's father through the casket carrying his daughter and grandson into the ocean and

Poseidon made certain it arrived safely at its destination. Perseus grew into a fine young

man and ended up killing the gorgon Medusa, saving princess Andromeda who he later

married, saving his mother from an unwanted marriage and later killing his grandfather ashe was destined to and becoming a king." Cronus finished.

"Wow." Was all I could say and Cronus smiled and led me on to the next painting.

This painting was "Artemis and Callisto" by Sebastiano Ricci. It showed Artemis

ordering that her follower nymph be disrobed because the goddesses suspected she was

with child. In the myth, Callisto was pregnant with Zeus' child. I had met the real


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Callisto, the daughter of Artemis and Orion, the goddess who Ariston and Elianna named

their daughter after.

"Zeus did not actually sleep with his granddaughter, right?" I asked Cronus in a low

voice.

"Yes he did," Cronus told me to my shock. "You see, the reason mortals so detest incest

is because we made it that way. The mortals body, their genetics are not strong enough to

withstand interfamilial mating, their children do not develop correctly. It is far different

for gods and so we were not raised to find such an act disgusting."

"Good gods." I breathed and Cronus laughed lightly.

"I know how odd that sounds." He told me. "But when you are raised that way, it just

seems natural."

"What about the law that Apollo spoke of?" I asked him.

"It is not so much of a law as a guideline," He told me. "The gods do not like being told

what to do, and who are we to keep two devoted immortal lovers apart when there is no

harm in their being together?"

"So many of the gods still practice this?" I asked him.

"Some, though not nearly as many as before." He told me.

"Like who?" I asked.

"Ennina for one." He told me to my shock. "She was with her father of Zeus for a number

of years after she left me. They have three children together, a daughter and two sons."

"Ennina left you?" I asked in shock, my voice a little louder than I meant it to come out.

That one fact was more shocking than anything else, it was unfathomable. "Forgive me."

I said to him, he just smiled.

"But I learned my lesson." He told me, in just the same tone I had used so that those

around us would hear and hopefully not try and listen in.

"But why?" I asked him, with a softer voice this time. If anyone were to spend just a fewminutes with Ennina and Cronus they would see how utterly in love and devoted they are

to each other.

In answer, Cronus led me to a portrait of the decapitated head of the gorgon Medusa, the

shrieking woman had snakes for hair and a terrifying face.

"Medusa?" I asked.


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"She was the worst mistake Poseidon and I ever made." He told me softly.

"You?" I asked, completely confused.

"Ennina and I's marriage was not always as it is now." Cronus told me. "There was a time

when it was just the two of us against the world and we wanted it no other way. Medusawas not always a monster, she was once incredibly beautiful. She is Ennina's half sister,

she was born from an affair Zeus had with a love goddess from another faction." He took

a deep breath before continuing.

"The eyes of a love goddess are a dangerous thing," Cronus told me, then a smile came to

his face. "Though Ennina's eyes were drawing men into their depths since long before she

became a love goddess." Cronus gave a little sigh before returning to the story at hand.

"Medusa had an incredible power over men, she was manipulative and unbearably

seductive by nature and I was too weak of a god to resist her." He told me.

"You cheated on Ennina?" I asked, hardly believing it.

"As I said, it was the worst mistake I ever made." I could see how this still haunted him.

"Ennina left me because of it and to this day there are times I cannot forgive myself for

how I hurt her. Medusa only slept with me because she was jealous of all Ennina had.

Medusa wanted me, she wanted Ennina's life.

"Ennina leaving me was a wake up call, I told Medusa I never wanted to see her again

and tried to get Ennina back but it was too late, I had lost her." He took a shaky breath

and I gave his arm a squeeze.

"It took Ennina two thousand years to forgive me for what I did," He said. "And the onlyreason I was able to forgive myself for hurting her like that was because she begged me

to. She did not want me to live in guilt." Cronus smiled, taking another deep breath.

"While Ennina and I were apart, she fell in love with many of the gods she is now

married to, among a few others."

"Like Hades?" I asked and he nodded.

"Like Hades." He said. "They were good for each other, she still loves him." I smiled to

him. "Anyways, while Ennina was with Poseidon, Medusa seduced him in Ennina's own

temple. When she caught them in the act she was furious and she turned Medusa into the

monster she became. With all the power Ennina possesses as the granddaughter of Chaos,she took away Medusa's immortality and built a prison of hideous flesh around her soul.

Instead of the long black hair she had once had, snakes grew from her head and her lower

half was also that of a snake. Ennina gave her one power though, any mortal man she

looked upon would be turned to stone and Ennina made that body immortal so that

Medusa's soul would forever be imprisoned within it. My wife then banished her sister to

a remote island so that no one would have to look upon her. Medusa resided within that

prison of flesh for hundreds of years after that.


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"When Ennina's brother Perseus needed help in saving his mother from an unwanted

marriage, Ennina gave him the tools he needed to slay Medusa. By that time, Ennina had

begun to pity her sister and though she would not give her her immortality back, she

decided to free her of her prison. When Perseus slayed Medusa by cutting off her head,

her soul was freed and went to Hades realm where, with time, she was reborn into a new

life with no memory of her past, and thank the Moirae, with time, my wife came toforgive me." Cronus ended the story and I looked up at him with a sad heart for all he had

been through.

"I am sorry you went through that." I told him.

"You should not be sorry for me," He said. "I was the idiot who was too weak to resist

her. Ennina told me that the worst part was that I did not love Medusa, that it was only

sex I wanted from her. If I had loved her, Ennina would have been able to somewhat

understand at the time but the fact that I cared nothing for her only made it hurt worse.

Once we were back together, we chose to have an open marriage. We knew that we

would neverallow something so frivolous as sex part us ever again."

"I am still sorry that you hurt," I told him. "I understand now why you said that you know

what I am going through." He gave my hand a squeeze. I brought his hand to my lips and

placed a kiss on it, Cronus smiled to me, his eyes becoming tender as he met my gaze.

We walked through the rest of the exhibit before going shopping again.

We got back to my parents house after a great day together. Cronus teleported all of my

new things upstairs for me, before we entered the house through the front door. To mysurprise, everyone was still out.

"It seems we are still alone." Cronus commented and I nodded with my back to him as I

stood a few feet ahead of him in the hallway between the front and back door, I was

shaking a bit. "Are you alright Mera?" Cronus asked. "Your heart is racing, you are

trembling."

"Can I ask you something?" I asked him.

"Anything." He said. I took a deep breath before my words came out in a race.

"Are you going to kiss me first or am I going to have to take the initiative?" I asked. He

was silent for a moment.

"Anything that happens between us will be your choice, not mine." He said. "And so to

answer you question, our first kiss is yours for the taking when you want it."


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I took a deep breath and turned around to see Cronus watching me, his eyes a mixture of

tenderness and desire. I was still trembling as I walked up to him and placed my hand on

his warm cheek. I wondered for a moment if this was what I put Aaron and Ariston

through, this uncertainty, this waiting for the right time to make the first move. Cronus

lips parted just a bit as he glanced at my lips before meeting my eyes again.

My curiosity has been driving me crazy, I had to know what it would feel like to kiss

him. I took a deep breath then leaned up and for the first time brushed my lips against

Cronus' in a soft kiss that made me melt into him. A moan left my lips and my arms

wrapped around him and his arms wrapped around me. We held each other close, my

body flush against his rock hard form, and deepened the kiss. I had no idea how badly I

needed to be kissed until this moment, how was I to know kissing him would feel this

good?

The kiss lasted and lasted as I felt a part of me coming to life, something that had been

dormant since Ariston did not connect to me that night. Not even the storm awakened

this. When our kiss did end, we were left there holding each other and I could tell by thelook in his eyes and by the way he held my body to his that he was just as blown away by

that kiss as I was. We both seemed to have the same thought at the same time because

instead of him kissing me next, or my kissing him again, we kissed each other at the same

time and with the same passion as one kiss lead seamlessly into another. It was not long

before he licked my lips and with that we began French kissing, I could not describe how

he tasted, but it was dangerously addicting and my body, my very soul was burning for

more and praying this would not stop.

"Oh, excuse me." Came my mothers voice from behind me.

I broke away from Cronus and turned around to see my mother and father standing therein the doorway. My cheeks were as red as they could be as I looked at her guiltily, my

breathing still deep and fast.

"We will be in the kitchen." My shocked mother said and walked through the doorway on

the right and to the kitchen with my father following her.

I turned back to Cronus, his breathing was still erratic as he looked at me with a huge

smile and desire clear in his eyes. My heart was beating like mad, I wanted to kiss him

again, to feel that passion but I sighed and closed my eyes.

"I need some time to think." I said to him and he nodded, still smiling, which made me

smile.

I went outside and began walking towards the woods in a kind of daze, my thoughts filled

with Cronus and the passionate kisses we shared. After walking for a time through the

woods I stopped at a patch of spring grass.


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Ennina and Cronus went with Ariston as his advisors and left their duties to their

children. Ariston called them Nina and Orin in public. He was a good king to his people.

A few months into his reign, a powerful king from the mainland, a man named emperor

Terello sailed to Thera with three thousand ships. Ariston knew that the emperor would

not have needed even half that number to crush his little island and realized that the kinghad another purpose. Ariston invited emperor Terello to a feast in his honor and the

emperor came with his widowed daughter princess Shaena. Though she was very

beautiful, Ariston disliked the woman the moment he laid eyes upon her. "She was

controlling, manipulative and demanding." Were Ariston's exact words. But her two little

daughters, Agatha and Chloe, he found to be absolutely adorable. Ariston always has

loved children, loved raising them and watching them grow.

Emperor Terello gave Ariston a choice, he could either marry his daughter Shaena or

Thera would be conquered by sunset. Ariston had no choice and that very night they

married and consummated their union, though apparently it was more dutiful that

passionate for the both of them. A year later their son Cristo was born, he looked a lotlike Ariston from the painting of him that I had seen hanging in our home on Olympus.

Ariston allowed Shaena to control the household, it kept her out of his hair. The only

things he would not allow her to control were his people and his children. Even though

Agatha and Chloe were Shaena's daughters from her first marriage, Ariston considered

them his own and raised them as such along with his son Cristo, their brother.

Sex became Ariston's only escape, he would either choose a willing woman from within

his domain or visit the abode of the nymphs when he could. As unhappy as he was in that

loveless marriage, he did not dare divorce Shaena. The woman had her father wrapped

around her little finger and kept reminding Ariston that if he ever considered divorcingher, she would have his island, his home, burned to the ground. They went on like this for

the next thirty years.

Ariston died when he was fifty-six years old. A neighboring island wanted to expand and

tried to invade. Ariston and his people were great warriors but vastly outnumbered and

there was no time to call for help from his father-in-law, but the gods were on his side.

Poseidon sent many storms by sea and destroyed countless ships, but nonetheless,

hundreds made it to the shores of Ariston's kingdom.

Before he left for battle he told Shaena that when he returned, their marriage would be

over, he would divorce her and send her away. He had had enough of the half-life he had

been living with her. Shaena vowed that Ariston would regret those words. Ariston

fought of the invaders and saved his island at the cost of his own life. He told me that to

this day, he does not know if the arrow that killed him was from the enemy or one of

Shaena's men.

When Ariston died, he ascended to become a god. His son Cristo became king after him

and did something that Ariston never dared to until the end. He sent his mother away and


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kept his sisters with him. When emperor Terello died, Cristo became emperor of what

was the largest empire on earth in those days, married a wonderful woman named

Alitheia and had many beautiful children with her.

Ariston was beyond thankful to be free from Shaena and enjoyed immortality greatly. He

watched over his line for thousands of years as they ruled over their vast lands, until theywere overthrown by what would become the Persian Empire. Some of his siblings would

suggest from time to time that Ariston take another wife, but he always refused, not

willing to become trapped like he as with Shaena again. He saw that marriage worked for

some, but he was against the idea for three thousand years before he met his Elianna,

Kallisto's mother.

He knew that he would never be trapped with her, that he wanted every moment with her.

Elianna was a mortal, but Ariston was so in love with her that he was certain that she was

his soul mate and therefor that she would be given immortality. He had never been so

certain of anything as he was of her, she was it, the woman he was always destined for.

He was beyond shocked when the Moirae told them that she was not his soul mate andwould not receive immortality.

Elianna told him that she would be honored to be his wife for her mortal lifetime, but he

did not want her for just eighty years, he wanted her for the rest of forever. They decided

to marry and treasure every day together. Ariston considers Elianna his first wife because

what he had with Shaena was no marriage.

Ariston and Elianna were blissfully happy and had three sons together, first Sophros, then

Elijah, then Solon. Sophros and Solon were partners in crime and drove their mother

crazy with all their mischief, and even though Elijah looked the most like Ariston out of

his sons, he always took after his mother Elianna in her kindness and good nature.

After each one of Ariston's sons were born, he brought them to the Moirae to find out if

they would be immortal after they died, but to his disappointment and devastation, none

of them would ever reach immortality. He had already watched one son grow old and die

along with his two daughters, while he stayed the same. He knew that one day he would

lose his wife, his Elianna, and he wanted to have a piece of her that he could keep with

him always. He knew he could not watch another of his children die, but he had no

choice. It was ten years later that Kallisto was born and to his utter wonder and undying

gratitude, it was foretold that after she died she would become immortal.

Ariston lived a wonderful life with Elianna, but he always knew that one day he would

lose her. That day came when Elianna was eighty-nine years old and still so beautiful in

Ariston's eyes. She saw her children and grandchildren one last time, then spoke to

Kallisto and Ariston in private, telling them to take care of each other and that death

would not be her end, that she would be reborn someday into a new life. She was truly at

peace with her passing.


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Ariston held her as she died and Elianna told him not to morn her, that he needed to find

a way to move on and love again. She placed the rose diamond, which was originally a

gift from Zeus to Ariston's mother for protection, into Ariston's hand and told him to give

it to the woman he was meant to be with. They said their I love you's once more before

Elianna passed away in peace in her loving husbands arms.

Ariston was a different man after Elianna passed, he went through what I did when I

thought he was dead, only he went through that for two thousand years. Two thousand

years of numbness and nothing, two thousand years of bedding women he cared nothing

for just to escape his pains, two thousand years of being alone with no hope. Then, by

some miracle of the Moirae, he met me and from the moment our eyes met he has been a

different man.

The moment we met I saw the sadness in his eyes and that very day I made a promise to

myself that I would help him if he would let me. We fell deeper and deeper in love as

time passed and once Ariston knew I was his, the sadness left his eyes completely. On the

night Ariston and I first made love, he gave me the Rose Diamond, a huge bold pinkdiamond that had been skillfully cut into the shape of an open rose, and told me the story

behind the necklace. Within the diamond is a kind of spell that makes it so that a Shadow

cannot bind with the wearer's soul. Ariston asked me to promise him that I would always

wear it and since that night it has not left my neck once.

It was three or four months ago that another piece of Ariston's past fell into place. Ariston

has been protecting and recruiting my ancestors, Pandora's Active Descendants, for a

very long time. But with everything the gods have done to protect Pandora's line, not one

of them has lived past the age of twenty-five since the Nameless One escaped Tartarus a

thousand years ago. The Nameless One has been hunting down Pandora's Descendants

for one reason alone, because only one of her blood will be able to operate her box,which has the ability to trap Shadows within it. If one of Pandora's Active Descendants

were to get their hands on the box, they would be able to lock the Shadows away again

and that would GREATLY weaken the Nameless One. He needs me dead since I am

Pandora's last Descendant, and so it is my duty to survive at least until I can bear a child,

another in Pandora's line.

For this reason above all Ariston did not want me to join the Army of Descendants, he

wanted to protect me and keep me safe. He had seen first hand what the Shadows could

do, he was the one who recruited my grandmother Andrea along with many of my

ancestors.

Ariston and Andrea had been very close, she, like myself, saw the sadness within him and

wanted to help him. Once when Ariston was drunk at a party, she kissed him and they

began making out until Ariston realized what he was doing and pulled away from her.

Before myself, Ariston did what he could to stay away from younger women. He told me

that they usually want more than sex and he knew he was in no position to offer a

relationship.


15/44


16/44

"Better than it should have." I told him. "It made me want so much more. Ariston told

me that if I should find someone who could give me comfort in this time, that I had his

full permission to be with him. He was relieved when he realized that I began developing

feelings for Cronus. He told me it was because he knew that Cronus would take care of

me and treat me with the respect I deserved."

"And how far do you plan on taking this relationship?" Jason asked, I could hear the

upset he tried to hide. I looked into his eyes, his face was only a foot away from mine.

"I never planned on beginning this in the first place." I told him. "I just could not help

myself. I am deeply attracted to him."

Jason looked deep into my eyes and I saw a hunger deep within his pale blue orbs as he

studied my face and licked his lips. A feeling began to grow within me, my heart began

to beat faster and my lips parted as I laid there next to him. I could feel the heat in my

cheeks, my whole body felt warmer. I wondered why my body would react like this to

him when he was not even touching me. He slowly began leaning closer to me and myface seemed to be moving closer to him of its own accordance.

"Jason," I said softly.

"Yes?" He answered just as softly.

I knew it would be a good idea to move away right about now, but I could not seem to

make any part of me do anything but move a bit closer to him.

"What are you doing?" I asked him.

"What do you want me to do?" He asked, our breath intermingling and making me

tremble ever so slightly as I looked into his eyes. I sighed and looked away as I sat up.

"Jason this is so not the time." I said to him in agitation. "With all that is on my mind,

were you seriously going to try and kiss me?"

"My apologies." He said in a low voice and I closed my eyes as I found that I had no

choice but to forgive him. I did not like the hurt I heard in his voice. "It was difficult to

resist you when we were so close."

"I do not need something to happen right now which would complicate things further." Itold him.

"So caring for me would be a complication?" He asked as his fingers gently stroked my

spine and warmth shot through me and I took a deep breath in.


17/44

I turned my head around, looked into his eyes and nodded, wondering why I was so taken

with him. It was not right. Cronus is one thing but this is something entirely different.

He sighed and removed his hand from my back.

"Thank you." I said.

"For not touching you?" He asked, a resigned look in his eyes.

"For respecting my wishes." I said to him. He was silent for a while again before he

spoke.

"Nothing from Ariston as of yet?" Jason asked.

"No, but I know he is alive." I told him. "I just worry about what that bastardis doing to

my husband."

"Husband?" He asked. "Did I miss the wedding?" I rolled my eyes at the sarcasm in hisvoice.

"There are times it is easy to forget that we are not officially married yet." I told him. "I

love him, he is the one I am meant to be with, my soul mate." I looked into his eyes and it

felt as if his soul was an open book, like I understood his every emotion and I could see

he was hurting and troubled. "How are you doing?" I asked him.

"Me?" He asked in surprise.

"The last time we spoke, you worried about the path you were on." I told him.

"You worry about me?" He asked with a smile.

"Only when I can spare a thought for you." I told him. "When my mind is not so clouded

by the pain Ariston could be going through again."

"How do you know of the pain the bonding process causes?" Jason asked curiously.

"The first time Ariston connected to me after he had been taken, he did not mean to," I

told him, looking at the green grass beneath where I sat. "It was in a dream, I saw through

his eyes and felt his emotions. He was so weak, so cold. When he realized that he had

unintentionally connected to me, he pushed me away, telling me to stay out.

"When I woke, I myself was cold even under the warm furs in my bed, my breath frosted

in the air." I said to him. "I realized that it was not just a dream and I told Ennina about it.

She said that I had to connect with him as soon as I could, before he found the strength to

keep me out again. I reached out for him, he tried to push me away but was not strong

enough. Then I was there, in his body, seeing though his eyes and feeling everything he


18/44

felt. We talked before he heard footsteps and I felt such fear fill him. He begged me to go

away but I would not let go of him for fear that I would never feel him again.

"The door to his cell opened, and Nameless One came in with his Shadows," I told Jason.

"Ariston begged me to go, but I could not let go of him I felt how that Shadow went

into him, how badly it hurt him as it twisted inside of his soul trying to grab hold. I feltevery bit of pain Ariston felt, only unlike him, I did scream out, more than once."

I saw out of the corner of my eye that Jason had sat up next to me. I looked at his face to

see an expression of horror and regret come over his features as he looked at me.

"No," He just barely whispered and I saw tears in his eyes as he took my hand ever so

softly. To my shock, he wrapped his arms around me and held me close. "I am so sorry,

more sorry than you will ever know that they hurt you." His voice was filled with deep

emotions. I put my arms around him to comfort him, not wanting him to be this upset.

"It is not your fault." I told him, amazed to see how upset he was by this. "It was theNameless Ones doing, not your own."

"Ariston is alright, he will not be harmed again." He said after a moment and I looked at

him in shock.

"How do you know this?" I asked him.

"I cannot tell you how," He said. "All I can say is that I know this to be true." I nodded

with tears in my eyes and a smile broke across my face.

"He really is alive then?" I asked. "He is alright."

"From what I hear." Jason said. "The Nameless One is keeping him alive for whatever

reason and has no more intention of harming him."

"Thank the Moirae." I said and smiled, seeing the truth of this on his face.

I leaned in and kissed Jason's cheek and hugged him close, so thankful for this piece of

information, even though I already heard it from the Moirae it was wonderful to hear

again. I held Jason close and his arms wrapped around me, it seemed like his whole body

relaxed against mine, curved against my shape. I heard him inhale my scent and pulled

away from him.

"Thank you again." I told him and he smiled to me while searching my eyes, I wondered

what he was looking for, what he saw within my gaze. "I need to be going." I got to my

feet and found him standing in front of me.

"May I kiss you?" He asked all of the sudden.


19/44

"What?" I asked in shock and he shook his head.

"I meant your cheek." He said. "You always pull away from me when I go to touch you,

so I thought it would be best to ask first."

"If you like." I said.

He leaned down slowly and I saw his eyes slide shut as he placed the softest of kisses

upon my cheek. He lingered for a moment, his breath caressing my skin and giving me

goose bumps. To my shock, there was something eerily familiar about that feeling, his

breath on my skin.

For just a moment, within my mind, I saw something that made no sense.

My arms were wrapped around Jason as he kissed my neck and I moaned as I pulled him

closer.

"You are so unbearably beautiful." He whispered into the hollow of my throat.

"Blame my mother, I get my looks from her." I said every so slightly as my fingers

tangled into his curls and we laughed together.

I came back to the present to see Jason taking a step back from me and holding out his

hand. As I looked into his eyes, I felt the oddest connection to him, as if we had known

each other before this.

"Why do you feel so familiar?" I asked him, suddenly hope came into his eyes and a

breathtaking smile broke across his face.

"When you figure that out, let me know." He told me. "Must I ask to kiss your hand as

well?" He asked with a smile and I blushed and shook my head as I placed my hand in

his.

His skin was not as warm as a gods, but it was still warm and something about it seemed

too familiar now as he lifted my hand to his lips and placed a gossamer kiss there that

made my heart skip a beat.

I turned and walked away from him, not trusting myself to glance back. I walked the path

back to the barn as the birds sang above me. It was a beautiful day. I went to see Luna inher paddock. Her silver mane and forelock blew in the slight breeze, her black body was

as lithe as ever and her blue eyes shone with kindness and strength.

"Why are things so complicated?" I asked the mare as I stroked her black coat.


20/44

She nudged my shoulder a bit, telling me to cheer up and I smiled and hugged her. It is

amazing the comfort horses can bring. I breathed in her scent and just held her for a while

longer as I stroked her neck.

"I love you Luna." I said to her and kissed her neck. I could feel her telling me that she

loves me too. I puled back to look at her face and placed a kiss on her muzzle.

"Avoiding me again?" Came Cronus voice from behind me. I smiled and turned around

shaking my head.

"No." I told him simply.

"Can we talk?" He asked, I nodded. "Lets take a walk." I nodded again and we left the

paddock. It was soothing to be in his company again.

"I suppose you want to know what this means for us." I said, speaking of our kissing

earlier.

"I am curious." He said. "But it does not have to mean anything if you do not want it to."

"What did it feel like to you? Kissing me?" I asked him.

"Like my entire being was coming to life," He said in a kind of wonder. "You surrounded

me, your arms, your scent, your lips, your tongue, you filled my every sense to the brim.

Everything was you and my soul was yours." He shook his head. "And even that does not

describe it correctly. It is certainly something I will not be able to get off of my mind for

the next few millennia."

"Cronus, the reason I have been holding back is because I do not want to hurt you." I told

him.

"Why would you think you would hurt me?" He asked.

"Because whatever happens between us, it will be over once I have Ariston back." I told

him.

"I already knew that." He told me.

"I am just scared." I told him. We had stopped walking and Cronus placed his hand onmy cheek as he stepped up close to me.

"Then let me kiss away your fears." He said and without waiting for a response his lips

were on mine once again.


21/44

This time it was only one sweet, long, tender kiss we shared. It felt good, far too good, to

be kissing him. It felt natural and wonderful and made me doubt my doubts. When our

lips softly parted we were still close.

"I do not know if I can do this," I told him. "Us, I mean. But that does not mean I do not

want it, that I do not want you." He nodded.

"That is alright." He said. "Take all the time you need." I nodded and he kissed my

forehead as he intertwined his fingers with my own. "Lets get something to eat." I

laughed.

"Is food all you think about?" I asked and he met my eyes, a hunger that food could never

satisfy was evident.

"After that kiss? Far from it." He said with a smile before continuing to lead me back to

the house and I chuckled just a bit as I moved closer to him and put his arm around my

shoulders.

Aaron's Point Of View

I laid in bed on my side as Kallisto laid on her back by my side. I could not even come up

with words for how beautiful she looked, how her platinum blond curls glistened, how

her sky blue eyes sparkled with her love for me. Not to mention her body, the curves she

possesses, every part of her is beyond perfect. A peaceful smile graced her lips and I

could not help kissing those lips that capture me as much as her eyes do. I am hers,

completely and utterly hers in every single way. Her hand ran through my sandy blondhair as she pulled me to her to deepen and lengthen our kiss. Her body turned to meet

mine and my hand ran down her back as her leg wrapped around my waist and she bit my

neck softly. I moaned and clutched her closer as she giggled, a truly sweet sound.

"Are you laughing at me?" I asked her, trying and failing horribly to be serious. All I

could do was smile as her teasing blue eyes met mine.

"What if I am?" She asked.

"Then I just might have to kiss that grin away." I said.

"Kissing me will only make me smile more." She told me and kissed me as I rolled on

top of her, delighting in the feeling of how her firm body wrapped around mine. "You are

too much." I said, already panting, and I knew from experience that she was not even

trying to seduce me.


22/44

Kallisto laughed again and it was my turn to kiss her neck, which made her giggle more.

Like all gods, her skin is a solid as granite, if I bit down hard enough I would break a

tooth or two, but it never took much pressure to make her gasp when I bite her neck.

With her strength she easily had me on my back as she looked down at me and just

watched me while fingering my chest. We do this a lot, not make love but just playaround, it can be almost as much fun as making love. It was not easy for me at first, since

every time she touches me I want to devour her, but Kallisto told me that I needed to

learn to enjoy these little pleasures and not only making love. She told me that it was all a

part of the wonderful process and I found that I enjoyed it immensely once I learned

some self-restraint. It was teasing and laughing and kissing and touching but nothing

more and by the gods it is fun!

Kallisto bit her lip in an all too enticing way as her hands ran over my chest, causing heat

to flare through me and me to inhale quickly as my hands caressed her hips and naked

form. I ran my hand up her chest and to caress her neck and she let out a sound that drove

me crazy, my heart pounding in my chest.

"You are getting good." She told me as she kissed my hand, I laughed and just like that

had her pinned to the bed, though my strength was no match for hers as a goddess.

"I am yours." She said softly, laying her hand upon my cheek. "Always yours my Aaron."

"Do I even have to tell you how you possess me?" I asked her as I kissed her neck. "You

have changed me so completely, become such a part of my being that I would surely go

mad and die without you." I looked into her eyes and brushed my nose against the tip of

hers. "I love you Kallisto. I honestly do not know how else to describe how much I love

you."

I kissed her and the teasing and holding back was gone from us both as we clutched each

other closer and our kisses became more intense

I laid there with that beautiful goddess laying on my chest, we were both lost in the bliss

of the aftermath. All I could think about was the fact that I could never live without her.

"We have never spoken of marriage." I said to her, and felt a flutter within her that I took

for a good sign.

She raised herself up on her elbow and looked down at me.

"I thought that since you are still young, you would want to wait a few more years before

making such a serious commitment." She said and I laughed.

"As if I could live without you or love anyone else." I shook my head, caressing her

cheek, she kissed my palm and looked back into my eyes. "I might as well be married to

you already. There is only you my love, you are it."


23/44

"So you want to marry me?" She asked with a wide smile that made my smile grow.

"More than anything." I told her. "I have been waiting to bring up the subject because I

want your fathers permission." A little sadness came into her and she nodded. She laid

her head on my chest and sighed. "I am sorry for bringing him up."

"It is alright." She told me. "I miss my father, more than I could possibly say. I miss how

I could tell him anything and no matter what, he was always on my side. I miss how he

would laugh with me, I miss him holding me when I am upset, knowing how much he

loves me as his daughter. He never saw me in the way that some immortals see their

daughters, but we were always incredibly close, from the day I was born. My mother

always said I was so like him, no matter how much I looked like her I would always be

my fathers daughter."

I felt a tear fall onto my chest and I held her closer, kissing her curls.

"He is a great man," I said to her. "We will have him back soon."

"I pray." She said.

"The Moirae themselves said it would be." I reminded her. "Do you want to go and visit

Vrontos again?" I asked, speaking of her fathers horse and felt her nod against my chest.

"Later." She said and I just held her, wishing there was something I could do to bring

Ariston back for her sake and Mera's. "I love you." She whispered.

"I love you my Kallisto." I whispered to her, loving the knowledge that she is mine.

We laid there for most of the day before getting up, bathing each other and dressing. That

was when my phone rang, I looked at the screen.

"It is my mom." I told Kallisto as she put earrings in and I answered the phone. "Hey

mom." I greeted her.

"I take it you are coming to town for your birthday tomorrow?" She asked at once.

"Mom," I groaned and heard Kallisto laugh. "I told you I do not want a party."

"It is just a little one," My mother said. "Come on, everyone is dying to see you."

"Little to you would put the queens ball to shame." I told her.

With everything going on, how in the world could she expect me to enjoy a party? Of

course she does not know much about what is going on. She does not even know that I

am a Descendant, or even what a Descendant is.


24/44

"Aaron, I have not seen you since you left for that school in Greece." My mother said in

her curt tone and I sighed, knowing there was no way out of this.

My mother had been very upset when I told her that I had transfused to a 'school' in

Greece to finish up my education, but since I had been eighteen at the time, there was

nothing she could do about it. I looked at Kallisto, knowing that she could hear everyword of the conversation.

We do not have to go if you do not want to, I thought to her.

I would love to go and meet your mother and family, She told me.

My mom has not been the same since my father died, I told her what she already knew.

She still thinks I should be with Mera, I do not know how she will receive you.

You need to realize that I can handle myself, She told me, coming up to caress my cheek.

I am certain that I have handled more difficult people than your mother.

I do not know about that, she is the most stubborn woman I have ever met, I thought to

her and Kallisto laughed.

That would be an inherent trait from Zeus, though you would never know it when you

meet him, Kallisto told me. I will be just fine, and besides, I have you.

"Aaron, are you still there?" My mother asked.

"Kallisto and I would love to come." I told her, looking down into Kallisto's eyes.

"So I get to meet the infamous Kallisto?" She asked, sounding interested.

"Of course," I told her. "She is looking forward to meeting you."

"I look forward to the meeting as well," My mother said. "Oh and invite Mera and her

family, it will be lovely to see them again." I rolled my eyes.

She most likely just wanted to get Mera alone and beg her to take me back. But

nonetheless, it would not feel right without Mera being there. Still having her in my life

as such a good friend is a blessing.

"I will," I told her. "And I have a few other friends I would like to invite as well."

"Yes, yes, of course." My mother said. "When will you and Kallisto be arriving?"

"Tomorrow afternoon Kallisto and I will be driving up." I told her.


25/44

Mera's Point Of View

"It would seem that we are all invited to Aaron's birthday party tonight." I told Cronus

after getting off of the phone with Aaron. Cronus and I were sitting on the couch in my

parent's living room by ourselves.

Even after kissing Cronus for the first time yesterday, thing have not changed between us.

We are still as close and I still slept in his arms on his bare chest last night.

"Why don't you give me the honor of being your date to Aaron's party?" Cronus asked

me.

"What about Ennina?" I asked him.

"Thor is going to take her," He told me. "She has been dying to see him." I almost

laughed, loving how he already had everything planned out even though we just learned

of this party a few minutes ago.

"I do not know about that." I said to him, not sure how I would feel about us showing up

there with him as my date.

"My dear Mera, I know how difficult it can be to be by yourself at a party," Cronus said

as he softly caressed my cheek. "I know what it is like to feel alone, to see so many happy

couples and know that your other half is not there with you. I do not want you to feel like

that tonight, I want to be at your side, holding your hand." Cronus looked into my eyes,

his persuasive gaze pleading with me.

"That is not fair." I said to him softly after a moment.

"What isn't?" Cronus asked.

"Your eyes." I told him and his smile grew. "You may take me, but if anyone asks, we are

just good friends."

"But that is what we are." He told me, still looking into my eyes as our smiles grew.

I leaned in and kissed him, it felt like second nature. He leaned into the kiss, moving in

closer to me and gently pulling my body to his as something between a moan and a sigh

came from me. When the kiss ended, he just looked into my eyes, clearly wanting moreas much as I did.

"Please keep kissing me." I said to him.

His even smile was beyond beautiful and our lips met again as we sat on the couch and

began making out. It was wonderful just to be in his arms and kiss his lips, knowing it did

not have to go any further than that, no matter how our hands explored each other and our


26/44

tongues danced together. When we stopped kissing, I leaned against his chest, my head in

the crook of his neck and his arms around me as we sat on the couch.

"You should wear the purple dress tonight." Cronus said. "The one you bought

yesterday."

"Why is that?" I asked.

"It brings out your beautiful eyes." He told me, I smiled and placed a single kiss on his

neck before relaxing into my haven again and he placed a kiss on my forehead.

Ariston's Point Of View

I opened the locket Mera gave me, looking at the photos for the thousandth time of my

daughter and my soon to be wife. Tears came to my eyes and I found it hard to breath.

With the torture I have endured in this cell, I did not cry, not once, yet looking at the

photos of these two goddesses, my Kallisto and my Mera, was enough to make me break

down. I thanked the Moirae that the Shadows had not taken this locket from me and I

thanked Mera for giving me this early wedding gift before I left.

I wondered where she was, if she was alright, if she had taken me up on my offer for her

to be with Cronus. I hoped that she has, that she is in his arms right now and he is

comforting her. I hoped that he makes her smile, makes her laugh like I used to and

hopefully will again. I knew that Cronus would never take Mera away from me, but I

wondered what I would come home to, if I am able to come home at all. Will she be in

love with Cronus as well? Will she want him in her life, in her bed? If that is what shewants, what she needs, I will not hold her back. I know that she will never leave me.

From the moment I met her, I never wanted to share her with anyone, she was mine and

mine alone. But I will not ask her to suffer along with me, not when there is someone

who will love her and care for her. If because of that she falls in love with him as well, I

will consent to share her if it is her wish and with time I will be okay with that.

I also wondered about the Nameless One's supposed connection with Mera. He said that

she was his first, that he is in love with her. That makes no sense at all. The only other

man Mera has been in a relationship with is Aaron. She has been watched over her whole

life, since the moment she was conceived for her protection.

I have watched over and recruited many if not most of Mera's ancestors. The Twelve

have always tried to protect them, but they have never been so cautious and vigilant as

they have been with Mera. She may not realize it, but from the moment she was born, she

has never been alone, she has always been watched over personally by one of the Twelve.

The only time they did not watch over Mera was when I was with her.


27/44

I knew that they did not want the Nameless One to get to Mera, but now I had to wonder

what exactly they were protecting her from. I always accepted that they were simply

guarding her so closely because she is the last of Pandora's Descendants but what ifthere were another reason? What if the Twelve knew of the Nameless One's interest in

Mera and wanted to protect her not from death, but from him?

The more I thought about it, the more I thought I might understand. The only way the

Nameless One could have been with Mera before me would be if it were in one of her

past lives. When I accepted the assignment to protect her and recruit her, I went to look

into her records of her past lives since sometimes they can effect the present in interesting

ways. But when I requested her files, I found that all but a select few were restricted from

access by order of the Twelve. From what little I could find out, she had died young in

every life from 'untold circumstances.'

I looked at the photo of my beautiful wife-to-be and wondered once again if there was

any truth to what the Nameless One has told me. He has no reason to tell me the truth,

and my family has warned me time and time again, as they have warned every god, ofjust how manipulative the king of the Shadows can be but there was something

different about this. I have always been good at reading people, mortal and immortal

alike, and when he spoke of Mera there was a difference in his eyes, there was love,

worry, regret and determination.

I was so lost in these thoughts and wonderings that I did not notice the Nameless Ones

arrival until the door squeaked open and he strode in and sat across from me, tossing me

another ambrosia which I caught with ease. He brings me one everyday now.

"Hello Ariston." He greeted me as I took a bite of the fruit.

"I am starting to think I am your favorite prisoner." I said to him, still not understanding

why he comes to visit my cell so often.

"You are my only prisoner for the moment." He told me. "The other cells are empty for

the time being and I had nothing better to do." He shrugged, he was not in such a good

mood today.

"Not that I am ungrateful," I said to him. "But why are you no longer trying to bind my

soul?"

"A promise was made." He said, his voice low. "Why did you not tell me she was withyou when I tried to bind your soul?" He asked, anger in his voice though he did not raise

it. "I would have stopped." I wondered how he knew that Mera had been with me.

"I was not aware at the time of your fondness for her." I told him. "In my mind she was

on the top of your hit list. There was no way in hell I was going to tell you she was with

me, because I would not allow you to trace her through me. I was trying to protect her."


28/44

"Protect her!" He screamed at me, rage glowing in his eyes. "Do you know what she felt,

the pain she went through because you wanted toprotect her?"

"Yes, I know exactly the pain she went through." I told him, keeping my dark tone calm.

"You seem to have forgotten that you tried to bind my soul at least a hundred times

before she connected to me." He took a deep breath to calm himself.

"You should have told me." He stated firmly, his hands clenching and unclenching and I

realized as I looked into his pale blue eyes that he regretted that Mera had felt what he

ordered done to me.

"I told her to go," I said to him. "I did not want her to feel that, but you had me so

weakened that I did not have the strength to part our souls, to push her away, to protect

her as I would have." He looked at me for a long while before speaking again.

"I may not want her dead, but there are many immortals around me that do." He said. "I

need her to come away with me, I need her to trust me and I believe that only you canmake that happen. I am risking everything in keeping her safe, she is in too much

danger."

I looked at him, seeing his worry and realizing that in a way, I was him not too long ago.

I wanted to take Mera away, carry her off to somewhere safe, somewhere they could

never touch her. But that was before I truly understood how powerful she is and will be.

Even though I worry for her, I know she can protect herself and hold her own against the

Shadows, I just wish I was there by her side to fight with her.

"You do not know how strong she is, do you?" I asked him.

"You think she could stand against the Shadows?" He asked dubiously.

"The woman is full of surprises," I said simply, not wanting to give too much away if it

turned out this was some kind of ploy. "I do not think even she knows what she can do

yet."

"I will still protect her." He said.

"I would protect her with my very existence if I were not locked up here." I said to him.

"What is that?" He asked and I realized that I left my locket exposed.

"Please," I said to him, my hand closing around the precious piece of metal and the

photos inside of it in a protective way. "I have never asked you for anything, but please,

do not take this one thing away from me." I looked into his eyes and begged and to my

relief, he nodded.

"Alright, it is yours." He said. "May I at least gaze at the photos inside?"


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I nodded, just thankful that he would let me keep it and opened it up before him. A smile

came to his face and a warmth to his eyes as he looked upon the photos.

"Where did you get this?" He asked softly.

"It was a gift from Mera," I told him. "She gave it to me right before I left to findMiranda." Thinking of my sister twisted at my soul after what they did to her and I no

longer felt grateful to the immortal before me. I closed the locket and put it away inside

my shirt. "You will never have her." I told him, my tone dark and protective. He looked

up at me.

"You are still on this?" He asked, his voice sounding board.

"She is good, and pure and beautiful. How can you want to destroy something as

wondrous as her? To degrade her by asking her to stoop so low as to love you?" I asked

in outrage.

"I never asked her to love me." He said, his voice low and fierce. "To this day I do not

know what it was about me that she thought was worthy of love. She loved me with a

passion I never knew was possible, and I fell in love with her to the same degree. Now

that I have found her again, I will not be parted from her."

"That is her choice, not yours." I told him. "Mera chose me and you keeping me here is

killing her." I told him.

"Mera is doing alright," The Nameless One told me to my shock.

"How do you know this?" I asked him.

"I have been keeping an eye on her for years now," He told me. "Ever since I found her

again, except for when you took her to Olympus."

"How is she?" I asked.

"She misses you, if that is what you are asking," He said. "It is beyond difficult to see her

hurt like this." He paused. "It seems that she kissed Cronus, and she is considering being

with him because you suggested it." I could see he was not happy at all about that, but I

could not have cared less what he thought.

I smiled and closed my eyes, grateful that she took me up on my offer. Cronus is the kind

of god she needs right now, and he will keep her safe from the Nameless One.

"There is one thing I have always wanted to know." I said to him.

"And what is that?" He asked.


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"Why?" I asked. "Why are you doing all of this? Why did you do the things you have

done?" To my surprise, he smiled a little.

"Love." He said. "I take responsibility for what I did after I came into the throne some

fifteen thousand years ago, but everything I have done since my escape could have been

prevented, if the gods had allowed it."

"How?" I asked, not able to imagine my family would not have stopped all these

atrocities if they knew there was a way all along.

"If you should ever see your father again, ask him about Lyra of Ithaca." He told me, then

got to his feet. "Good night Ariston." And with that, he walked out of my cell.

Mera's Point Of View

After showering, I called to my handmaiden Tianna to help me get ready. The beautiful

blond nymph with teal eyes and a kind smile appeared in a rose colored light a few

moments later.

She helped me into the dress, the same purple one Cronus said he wanted me to wear.

The Rose Diamond, that huge pink diamond cut into the shape of an open rose, hung on

its adamantine chain around my neck, the color looked beautiful with the dress. I also

wore Ariston's adamantine watch with small sapphires set into the face.

"Tianna, would you get me the earrings Ariston gave me for my birthday? I asked her.

"The ones that look like my mare Luna?"

"Of course my lady." She replied and they appeared in her hands.

I took them and looked at them, admiring their beauty. They were dangle earrings, each

made of a solid diamond that was carved to look like my horse Luna galloping. Her body

was made of black diamond, her mane, tail and forelock made of white and her eyes

made of blue. Ariston gave these to me on my eighteenth birthday, just a few months

before he disappeared.

I put them in and sat down in front of my mirrored vanity for Tianna to do my hair,

leaving most of it loose and braiding a few parts back, pinning in a blue diamond hereand there.

I began thinking about Jason, wondering if he was okay. I worried for him, I could see

how troubled he was. I could hardly believe that he almost kissed me but what was

even more shocking was that I almost let him. I have no idea why my body reacts in such

a way to his, perhaps it is because I have not made love in a while. There is something

about Jason, but I cannot put my finger on what.


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Then there was that vision I saw when he kissed my cheek. It was so real, I could feel

everything as if it were happening right then. I did not know why I saw that or what it

could be. Thinking on it left me confused and wondering.

I thought of Cronus, a smile coming to my lips. There does not seem to be anything I can

do about what I feel for him, and it is only getting stronger by the day. I knew wherethings were headed for us, passionate kisses and a warm bed. I wondered what it would

be like, making love to him. Ariston was my first and I had fully intended him to be my

last, a part of me still wants that, which is what holds me back from taking this step with

Cronus. I could not imagine it being as wonderful as it is with Ariston but kissing

Cronus is so amazing and intense that it only makes sense that making love to him should

be the same.

I was still so conflicted, wanting Cronus so badly, but not wanting to be with anyone

other than Ariston. I worried about what it would mean for Cronus and I to make love, if

it would end up hurting Ariston. That I could not bear, but he had been adamant in

wanting me to be with Cronus.

This would not be the first time I went back and forth in my thoughts about Cronus. I

wished more than anything that I could talk to Ariston. I knew I needed to talk to

someone, someone who understands things like this, feeling powerful emotions for more

than one man.

"Is there anything else my lady?" Tianna asked and I looked up at her to see that she was

finished with my hair.

"No, thank you." I said to her and she bowed her head in respect and teleported out.

I already knew the goddess I should be talking to about my emotions, concerns and

confusions.

"Ennina?" I called out and she appeared a few moments later in that beautiful golden

light.

"Yes my dear?" She asked.

"I need someone to talk to." I said to her.

She sat on my bed and patted the spot next to her.

"What is wrong?" She asked as I sat down next to her.

"Nothing is wrong," I said. "I am just so confused and worried and I cannot seem to make

sense of anything."

"Tell me what troubles you." She said.


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"I know that I want to make love to Cronus, and I know that he wants me as well," I told

her. "Yet something still holds me back. I feel I do not know."

"You wonder if it is right." She said. "To make love to another while the man you love is

locked away somewhere." I nodded.

"How can it be right to act on what I feel for Cronus?" I asked her. "I should just wait out

theses last few months and be with Ariston."

"But you still want Cronus, your body hungers for his." She said and I nodded,

wondering how she knows exactly how I feel.

"The thought of giving myself to Cronus" I paused as tears began to form in my eyes.

"It feels like I have given up on finding Ariston, that I am moving on," My voice caught

in my throat and I did what I could to take a deep breath, but that was difficult. "But there

is no moving on from Ariston, no matter what I may feel for Cronus, he could never

replace Ariston in my heart, in my soul, in my life." My voice broke on the last word andI began to cry.

Ennina wrapped her arms around me and I held onto her as I cried out all of these pains

and emotions, everything I have been trying not to face.

"I know Cronus better than almost anyone does." Ennina told me. "He loves you, but no

part of him would ever want to try and replace Ariston in your life. He wants to make you

happy, he knows that he brings you peace and even joy, and you know that he will take

good care of you and let you go when the time comes." Ennina pulled back to look into

my eyes. "What are you truly afraid of?" She asked, and suddenly, I understood.

"I am afraid of falling in love with him." I told her what I had just come to realize. "And I

know the magnitude and likeliness of that possibility I feel so close to falling for himthat is scares me out of my wits and I know that we will only become closer after having

made love."

"Do you need Cronus?" Ennina asked.

"I need Ariston." I told her.

"But do you need Cronus as well?" She asked. When I did not answer she smiled softly,

her head tilting to the side just a bit. "There is no shame in loving more than one man.Whether it is now or twenty years from now, you are going to have to face what you feel

for Cronus."

"Why do I have to feel this for him? Why?" I asked as I began crying.

"Perhaps because you need to." She said as she rubbed my back.


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"Ariston is what I want, he is what I need." I said. "Things were not supposed to be like

this, it is supposed to be just Ariston and I for the rest of forever."

"I felt exactly the same way for Cronus once." She told me.

"Then Medusa." I said and saw her take a deep breath.

"Yes, then Medusa tried to steal him away and I was stupid enough to let her." Ennina

said, much of the warmth gone from her voice. "Thankfully, Cronus did not want her. It

was my own fault we were apart for so long after he swore to me to never touch another

woman again. It was because of my own foolish pride that I would not let myself forgive

him. I will tell you this much Mera, pride will get you nowhere in love." She shook her

head and her eyes refocused on me.

"And now you truly do not mind me being with Cronus?" I asked her. "I could not bare to

hurt you or Sif like Medusa did."

"Things have changed between Cronus and I, though I do not love him any less." She told

me. "I know that you love him, perhaps not as much as you love my brother, but you do

you love him. I have no problem with him making love to you, it is what you need."

"I know," I told her. "I simply worry about the implications of this. What happens when I

find Ariston?" I asked her. "I will not leave him for Cronus."

"You could marry them both." She suggested with a smile.

"That is you, that is not me." I told her. "That is not who I want to be. I want to be

Ariston's loving and faithful wife. I see that having multiple husbands works for you andthem and that you are all very happy I just cannot see that kind of life for me."

"You think I ever imagined this for myself?" Ennina asked softly with a smile, her voice

so kind and understanding. "We have no power over who we love or who loves us. I

know it is not easy to accept that you want more than one man," She told me. "Especially

if you were raised to believe that that it is supposed to be two people in a relationship.

While monogamy works so beautifully for those who get it right, it is not for everyone.

Even some of the mortals have come to understand this. If you love more than one man

deeply and truly, if you cannot imagine your life without the both of them in it, then there

is nothing wrong with being with them both.

"Never be afraid to love, and love deeply. To love is to live. It may be easier to shut

yourself off from it from time to time, but it is not worth it. Do not fight and deny your

feelings for someone. That will only lead to repression and resentment, then those

feelings will come out in a burst in the wrong moment. Accept your feelings, find a way

to understand them or it is not going to be pleasant." As she finished I nodded.

"It is not easy." I said.


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"It never is." She said. "I have been through this before. Marrying my husbands, choosing

to be with them, was easily one of the best decisions I ever made."

"It is a little soon to talk of marriage." I said. "I know that I am going to marry Ariston

but I am not even completely certain of the extent of my feelings for Cronus at the

moment."

"There is time." Ennina told me with her comforting crooked smile, a trait she got from

Zeus who also passed it along to my beloved Ariston.

"Your daughters are lucky to have you for a mother." I told her.

"I am blessed to be their mother." She told me, her smile growing.

Ennina held out her hand to me and within her palm was a golden seed that would

prevent pregnancy for two months. Ennina took my hand and placed it in my palm before

closing my fingers around it.

"Just in case." She told me. I nodded.

"Thank you, for everything." I said to her.

"I am always here for you Mera." She said to me, and with that, teleported out.

I looked at the seed for a time before popping it in my mouth, just in case.

After sitting on my bed and thinking for a while, a knock came on my door.

"Mera?" It was my mother's voice.

"Come in." I said and she did.

My mother looked beautiful in her long pink gown, I had bought it for her when we went

shopping with my grandmother back when I brought Ariston to meet my family for the

first time.

"You look stunning." She said. I got up and hugged her tight.

"So do you. I love you mom." I said to her.

"I love you sweetheart." She said as she held me, careful not to mess up my hair. "Please

know, that no matter what you choose, your father and I will always love you."


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I closed my eyes, I had all but forgotten that she saw me kissing Cronus. I pulled back

and took a deep, shaky breath.

"Ariston told me to be with Cronus." I told her. "I thought he was being ridiculous I

never imagined I would come to want to. There are many among the immortals who have

more than one spouse or have a lover, I just do not know if it is right. One thing I doknow is that this changes nothing between Ariston and I." My mother placed her hand on

my cheek with her smile that I have always loved.

"If being with Cronus is what you want, then please do not worry about what your father

and I will think." She said to me with a smile that brought tears to my eyes. "It may be a

bit new age for us, but we would never think any less of you for it." I nodded andhugged my mother again.

"I love you mom." I said again.

"I love you my darling daughter." She told me once again. "Cronus is waiting for yourdownstairs, he is looking very handsome." I smiled and wiped my eyes.

I looked myself over in the mirror. My hair still looked perfect and the gown was

stunning, I smiled knowing that Cronus was right, it did bring out my eyes. It was of a

simple sheath silhouette of crinkled silk with thick silk straps and a deep V-neck in the

front and back of the gown. The back of the dress had a lace cutout, I supposed that the

style has been extremely popular since Bella's wedding dress in Breaking Dawn.

Ariston's adamantine watch with sapphires set into the face looked perfect, as did the

earrings he gave me for my birthday and the Rose Diamond on my neck.

I picked up the beaded shall and slung it over my arms before picking up my dark bluepurse. I walked out of my room and to the staircase, Cronus was standing at the landing,

his eyes roaming over myself and my gown in silent wonder before our eyes met. He

looked unbearably handsome in a tux, his vest that showed a bit was the same color as

my dress. His short, straight black hair was parted on the side and combed over as

always. His bright pale green eyes stood out beautifully next to his cinnamon skin.

I took a deep breath and made my way down to Cronus, feeling much more at peace now

that I was in his presence again. Cronus raised his hand and gently caressed away a tear I

did not know I had shead, his hand lingering on my cheek.

"Are you alright?" He asked, I nodded, I was alright now that I was in his presence. I letout a sigh and he kissed my lips tenderly.

"That was exactly what I needed." I told him when the kiss ended and opened my eyes to

see his smile.

"Lets go, your parents and grandmother are already in the limo." He held his arm out for

me and I slipped mine through.


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"What about Ennina and Thor?" I asked.

"They will be arriving on their own." He said as he led me outside.

I got into the back of the limo with Cronus. My mother and father were sitting on the left

side and my grandmother Marie was on the right. They were all dressed up, mygrandmother in a stunning silver gown and my dad was wearing a tux.

"Dad, you look so handsome." I said. I had not seen him all done up in a tux in quite a

while.

"Thank you Mera," He told me with an affectionate smile. "You look beautiful."

"I did not tell you how beautiful you look tonight, did I?" Cronus asked and I looked at

him where he sat by my side and returned the smile.

"I do not believe you did." I said to him.

"You are breathtaking." He told me, I could see the truth in his eyes all to well.

"I suppose it is a good thing gods to not need to breath then." I said and he laughed.

"We may not need to breath, but it is still a nice luxury to smell sweet things." His voice

was soft as he looked into my eyes, I laughed softly as I realized he was flirting with me

yet again. He was very good at it, subtle enough that you would barely notice it unless

you knew what to look for.

I nearly kissed him when my father cleared his throat and I turned away from Cronus andhe took my hand within his own warm one, intertwining our fingers. I looked to him,

smiling into his beautiful eyes again. I laid my head on his shoulder for the rest of the

ride.

Cronus, Aaron's mother is still trying to get he and I back together, so I would prefer to

steer clear of her as often as we can, I thought to him and he gave a bit of a nod. Thank

you.

Aaron's mother Jaclyn Rockford was a nice enough woman, with sandy blond hair that

she passed on to her son and pretty French features. Once she got to know me, she loved

that Aaron and I were together, though at first, she thought I was with him just for hismoney. She even called me up a few months ago, trying to get Aaron and I back together.

I was joyously with Ariston at the time of course and told her that it was simply not

possible since we had found such perfect bliss with other people.

We pulled through the front gates of the Rockford Estate an hour after we left my parents

house. When Aaron and I were together, we loved living so close to each other since we

both went home for the summers from Blueridge Prep. Aaron and I truly did have a


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wonderful relationship and I am beyond grateful that we are still such good friends and

that he has found his soul mate in Kallisto.

Once we arrived, we all walked into the stunning brick mansion and through the halls to

the white grand ballroom. My hopes of avoiding Aaron's mother were immediately

stomped out.

"She found us." Cronus said to me quietly.

"Mera!" Aaron's mother called out to me with a trace of her French accent as she came

over to me and gave me a hug. "It is so good to see you again! How have you been?"

"It is nice to see you as well Mrs. Rockford." I said to her as she kissed my cheek.

"I have told you before, call me Jaclyn." She said then looked at Cronus with a smile.

"You must be Ariston."

My smile faltered a bit as Ariston came into my mind and I took a deep breath, clutching

onto Cronus tighter, grateful that he talked me into being my date tonight. Thankfully,

Cronus saved me from having to answer Aaron's mother.

"I am afraid you are mistaken," He said to her with a kind smile. "I am merely Mera's

companion for the evening and her good friend." He held out his hand.

"Cronus Titan." He introduced himself and I suddenly laughed.

Cronus

The Three Gifts: Chapter 7

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Transcript of The Three Gifts: Chapter 7