I've posted this once before, but I took it off. Now, it is simply a one-shot. I think it came out well, but that's really up to you readers. I hope you enjoy this. Tell me what you think.
A ring glittered on my finger as I stared at it. The sun was just starting to set and I smiled in content. The diamonds were a faint pink from the setting sun on the horizon. Water washed up on the beach, waves rolling in with high tide and covering my toes. My knees were pulled close to my chest and the towel underneath me was shared with the company next to me.
His hair was whipping back and forth in the wind caressing his face lightly like it was lapping up the beauty that rested on his face. The brown hair was shaggy in a way that made me love him so. His eyes were a rather comforting green that were a cross between his mother's and his father's.
"Aphrodite said I would find the owner of that ring one day." He muttered looking at the sunset more than anything.
"Yet you choose me young Hero." I whispered turning my head to look at him.
"I think you are the owner." He turned my way flashing a smile that looked exactly like his father's when I had known him.
"Why thank you young Hero."
"Why must you insist on calling me that?" He wondered turning to look at me with a face that could only be described as puzzlement.
"I will tell you all in time. Come, it is time for us to submit to our beds of sweet rest." I stood from the sands of my mystic beach and he stood as well. My dress was a bit disheveled so I flattened it a bit and gripped his hand in mine.
"I'd love to get inside your head. To see if you think the same way you speak because it blows me away." He said gently shoving one hand in his jean pocket as we continued to walk. His bare feet arched across the sand's surface rolling with such fluid motion he could only be related to the boy I had known years ago.
"Do thou detest thy family so much that thou had to run away from it all?" I wondered as I spotted our luminescent cave just on the cliffs edge.
"No, I didn't detest them in a sense. But, I felt alone. You know?" His eyes never left the ground as if he was amazed with his movement along with my self.
"I do know; I have been alone for years that of most have been my life because of my family." I answered as we started up the rock inclination to our home.
"I was left alone in the orphanage for years because of who my father was and wasn't taken in by anyone until I was thirteen." He complained finally looking me in the eyes. His racing green eyes made me feel like he was drowning in the sea of his world. He couldn't get out. He was trapped.
"Then why did thou choose to stay with me if thou does not detest the relative in which connected by blood?" I wondered stopping him right before we entered the cave.
"My father got drunk one night and got my mom pregnant. She died giving birth to me and then he died fighting some monster. I wasn't meant to be here and then I was left to myself to rot in that gods' forsaken orphanage." His eyes were racing again and a crinkle formed between his eyebrows as his anger built higher.
"I'm sorry Jairus. But, I'm sure your father loved thee with every thread of his being for the time he was given to have known thou. 'Tis why I still remember him." I whispered as I noticed his face had gotten closer.
"I know you remember him. But, he was only eighteen when he became a father and twenty when he died. I never spoke to him a day of my life." He brushed the hair away from my face and tucked it behind my ears.
"Thy father is dead yet thou speak so disgusted of him?" I wondered realizing what he had just said. Perseus Jackson was dead?
"I have no good memories of him to speak differently." His voice was gentle as his breath mixed the smell of the fresh morning sea along with my garden that sat upon the cliff side.
"Thy mother, who was thy carrier of your sweet soul before the body was created?" I had never bothered to ask him these questions afraid that some how he would get too mad and leave me alone on the island that imprisoned me.
"My mother was an innocent mortal. I have been told that her name is Janice." He looked away as if hurt and I immediately regretted bringing the topic up in the first place.
"If I say sorry a thousand times and then again for putting you into such depression will thou forgive my foul tongue? And if thy do agree to thy hasty apology say 'Ay.'"
"I forgive you." He whispered before kissing me lightly. "Shall we retire for the night?" He wondered pressing his forehead to my own.
"That, we shall." I answered quickly skipping into the cave.
I was not tired nor was I ever tired so there was no need for me to sleep precious time away. Though with my company permanently attired to the island, I would have fun to pretend that I was sleeping as I watched him sleep the night away. The simple rise and fall of his chest that made my heart pound with such ferocity I fear one day it shall leap from my rib cage. The eternal sleepless night 'twas a curse that hindered me from understanding the concept of dreams. I found ways to consider it a blessing since I could watch my company during the day and still make great progress in the moonlight.
Though lately, my young Hero had been distracting me from my duties creating many visitors of the immortal kind to come about. I considered it an honor though my servants didn't find them as entertaining. Needless to say, Jairus did not find them of much pleasure to have either.
I do admire Jairus for letting the raft pass. Once in every seven days a raft would wash up upon shore inviting him back to the world he knew. His declination was taken as I sign of love to me and foolishness to some immortals. I curse them to the deepest pit of Tartarus hoping them never to return for trying to take my love from me. For I have fought many years to find a love so true, the love that creates the sin upon his fine lips and only for that sin to be removed by returning it.
"Good night Calypso." He whispered as he tucked me into his chest. I waited for the difference as I sensed his heart calming down to a slow pace. I slipped from his grasp and escaped into the moonlight created by the goddess Lady Artemis. Her brother yet so cocky and funny her seriousness across the world of the night sky created some sort of focus for me. Now, released from her maiden hood, I find it hard to stay truthful to the living night though she has presented me over and over again with the gift of joining her.
"Ask and you shall receive." I muttered as I spun around once before heading to my garden which needed to be tended to. I had prayed for love to find me and stay forever and it had come in a package so sweet that I barely had the heart to keep it to my self. Yet, though he promised time and time again, I fear one day he will abandon me for that of which was his home, the gardenless Manhattan in which his father had dwelled. I deeply wondered if Perseus had ever planted that garden for me. It did not matter. I had what I needed.
Footsteps traced behind me as I took seat to the ground by my moon lace. A simple woman's figure sat upon the ground next to me not speaking, but being there simply for company. I knew she would want to talk of Jairus at some point. She did so every night. Her constant visits brought her around every night though she is not cursed to visit she still does so.
The new goddess had taken seat as a minor goddess upon the great mountain. She was saved by her mother who wanted her to survive the battle of her life. Three gorgons at once I had heard could be quite difficult though the three hadn't been all back at the same time in many, many years.
"Calypso, you know what I'm here for." She began patting down the soil on one moon lace I had just put into the fresh soil.
"Thou are persistent in thy actions, and I give thee credit for it as well. But, I will not give up my only happiness." I responded standing from my position.
She followed the motion and swiped her hands together removing the dirt from her palms. "He belongs in the real world. He can't just live here his whole existence." She explained calmly stepping toward me.
"Thou speak of an existence, but if I take him out of my domain he will age again and then I am left with nothing." She was starting to infuriate me. "Thousands of years I have been alone and I will not let death take that from me. Especially, the death that is simply cause by the withering of the body with years to come."
"He is in love with you Calypso; he is to age no more, but you can't keep him cooped up." She begged me bouncing on her knees as if she was about to drop to them for a more convincing plea.
"Fine, I will ask him in the morrow if he wished to experience the world that took his father, and your best friend, away from him." My voice came out sharp and I saw the hurt build in her eyes. I regretted my rash actions but did not apologize for a fear she would feel that she had won and take him away with her.
"He was my best friend, but I promised him one thing when he died. I would take care of his son. I only survived because he gave his life and was killed. I regret every day for letting him do that. But, I will fulfill my promise." She swore looking more like she was reassuring herself more than anything.
"I do not plan on harming thy charge. But, I do wish to keep him. If he is to go to the real world, I will come behind him closely; no matter how many curses hold me to this wretched land."
"You know the gods have made your sentence easy. Many of your kinsmen have been cursed to rot in the Fields of Punishment while you sit pretty on an island."
"Lady Annabeth, thou knows as much as I, that the death of the heart over and over again is worse than the death of the soul." I stepped around her and headed back to my cave. Her footsteps followed close as she made way to see him before she left. Her footsteps got lighter and lighter as I could tell she was slowly making her way down to the correct age that matched his.
I myself was stuck at age fifteen while Jairus was stuck at age sixteen. Her sixteen year-old self appeared next to me as we came into the mouth of the cave. The small iridescent crystals were lighting up slightly in both the presence of me and my immortal guest.
The cave became a bustle with my invisible servants waking in the darkest hour that sat before the break of dawn. I sat on the edge of the bed in which Jairus take rest to. I swept his hair from his face and saw as the smile spread across his face.
"Thou have seen him Milady. Now, you must leave before the sun breaks the horizon." I ordered as I noticed her misty eyes. She needed to leave so that I could talk to Jairus without a goddess's divine persuasion.
"I intend on leaving once I get to talk to him Calypso. He needs to make his final choice today."
"No, thou know that a goddess can control the mind of a mere mortal." I stood from the bedside facing her promptly.
"I have taken over Alethia's spot on Mount Olympus as the goddess of truth. I will tell nothing but." She promised me disappearing.
I whipped around to find her kneeling beside the bed. I could see that she missed her best friend that has been lost to the gorgons. The longing in her eyes as her fingers floated next to his face. Jairus still too lost in dreams that he wouldn't even realize it if she touched him.
"'Tis not a mirage Milady. If thou touch him, he will still be there." I sat down on the bed next to Jairus, and as if to prove my point I curled up into his chest.
"I haven't felt this close to him in so long." She whispered her hand still floating above his cheek.
He stirred a bit and scared Annabeth half to death. She flew back a couple feet and then waited till he settled with his arm around my waist. His eyes fluttered open just as I turned in his arms to face him. He smiled kissing me forehead gently. My skin tingled where his lips left my skin giving me the feeling I got every morning.
Lady Annabeth swiftly guided herself back to the bedside looking a bit calmer. She still wouldn't touch him and looked terrified. The young goddess had only had fourteen years of experience and still wasn't used to being immortal. Jairus hadn't found the advantages yet, but he would find it in time.
"Good morning Calypso." He whispered hugging me a bit tighter.
"Good morrow Jairus." I responded finding it quite funny that a goddess was in our midst and he hadn't even noticed.
"How did you sleep?" He wondered scooting so that he was in a half sitting position against the headboard.
"I was awoken early because of our visitor." I announced making Annabeth jump once more.
"We really had a guest this early in the morning?" He wondered scooting off the bed. He was wearing his jeans he had been wearing the night before because he simply didn't care. His chest was bare as he walked over to Lady Annabeth who looked stunned to say the least. His chest was that worthy of a god, chiseled to the perfection of a statue from many years ago.
"Jairus," She cried hugging him tightly.
"Annabeth you've… shrunk." He laughed.
"When you can manipulate your age it's a lot easier." She giggled.
"How are things on Olympus?" he wondered as I stood and went to his side. I laced my fingers through his and hid myself behind his arm.
"We just got past the Summer Solstice. We handled a lot of stuff in that one meeting." Annabeth let out a low sigh and dropped her gaze.
"What is it Annabeth?" Jairus wondered reaching out a hand to comfort her.
"We also talked about you and Calypso. We talked about how it may be time for you two to get out of here. Especially you, Jairus," She looked up at him trying to make him understand what she was talking about. She shook her head knowing he wouldn't get it. "Jairus, every god on Olympus thinks its time for you to get back to the real world."
It took him less than a second to realize what she had jus said. "I'm not leaving Calypso." He shouted a bit louder then necessary in the cave. I kissed his arm and he seemed to relax.
"Jairus just listen to what I have to say –,"
"I'm not leaving Calypso by her self. She is why I stay here. There is nothing back for me in that city, nothing." He spat stepping forward some trying to intimidate the goddess.
"Jairus," I whispered pulling on his arm so that he would come back to my side. "Jairus, listen to what she has to say." I asked of him trying not to be too strict with my demand.
He huffed and stepped back giving Annabeth some breathing room. She did not look too stressed out from the close quarters. I could see the relaxing of her arms, but that was about it.
"Zeus and the other twelve have decided to let Calypso and yourself off the island with immortality. You will never age, and you get to keep Calypso. We just want you to get back to the real world." Annabeth begged seeing that Jairus wasn't completely convinced.
"Annabeth, I see that you think it's time, but I am to go no where without Calypso. If she does not want to go, I will not go." Jairus answered completely confident.
"Jairus," I whispered harshly pulling him over to the side. "I do want to go with thee." I smiled excited that I might be able to see this so called Manhattan.
"You do?" He wondered seeming perplexed with the simple sentence.
"Yes, I have been on the island for thousands of years. I am ready to leave." I assured him trying to make him see my ways. "Please, can we leave?" I wondered not sure if he wanted to leave.
"Of course, we can, we can leave; I just needed to know if you wanted to." He whispered kissing me once and then turning back to Lady Annabeth. "When's the boat leaving?" he wondered.
"A-S-A-P," She said blithely.
Finally, I would get to leave.
In Manhattan people have no manners for the immortal kind. I had to hold Jairus's hand in order to keep from being ripped into the current made entirely of people. They swirled around like a vortex of flesh and cell phones. They talked on end as if there were no people around them to make conversation to. One man even dropped a food wrapper of some sort and then continued to walk as if it meant nothing. I attempted to pick it up, but Jairus stopped me and forced me to keep walking.
"Why do these people not care for their home?" I asked as we passed a large building. My wonder built as I realized it had large illuminated signs plastered to its sides.
"They care Calypso, just… not enough." Jairus smiled down at me and continued to pull me through the city. There was a yellow car with the letters T-A-X-I across the top of it. "Come on," Jairus gently led me in through the entrance portal on the side of the yellow car. I followed suit sliding onto the uncomfortable seat of this so called taxi.
"Where are we going?" I whispered to Jairus after he talked to the rough looking man in the front seat with a wheel perched in front of him. His hands rested on that wheel until he turned it before we started moving. I grabbed the seat looking around me frantically trying to make sure I moved with the taxi machine.
"We're going to my grandmother's old apartment." Jairus hugged me around my shoulders assuring me that I wasn't going to go anywhere that I didn't want. His genuine smiled warmed my heart as we sat there in the back of the so called taxi. I could hear everything around me. Other vehicles of the motor powered type, people walking along the sidewalks, and one more sound, which I couldn't quite place. There was simple rhythm to it, one that you could relax and fall asleep listening to the sound.
Suddenly, I knew. I placed a warm hand over his chest where the steady beat originated from. The sound of warm blood passing through the muscle that beat to an infinite number of times throughout a person's existence. His heart beat, steady and strong, it kept time in place. No, it didn't every second, but that didn't matter. It was a simple fact of having something to go by.
"Did thy father speak of a garden? A garden that he was supposed to plant for me…?" My sentence trailed off mindlessly thinking of when I had given that bit of moon lace to Perseus Jackson so that there could be a garden in the Manhattan in which he called home.
"No, but if my father is the man you claim him to be. I'm sure we will find that garden someday." Jairus pressed his lips to my forehead gently. There was a way that he touched me that made me feel as if I were somebody other than the daughter of Atlas. He handled me as if I were a small porcelain doll, fragile to the touch, but ever so nice to look upon. A sincere quality sat in the wake of every word he spoke to me. He spoke to me like I was a person, a mortal, a lover.
A lover, I used to think it was impossible to be such a thing. I existed in only a world of love a loss. Death of the heart, revive, and death once more: the cycle of my love. No one had ever stuck around long enough to love me that way I wish they would. An unfortunate consequence to siding with my father, my father who never truly did care for me, but he was a father none the less.
The taxi stopped in front of a small building. Brick walls acted as what my cave was: a sanctuary. The unforgiving stone of a man made brick; it was something I never fantasized about living in. Jairus assisted me exiting the car. The man behind the wheel in the front said a few words before Jairus handed him a large roll of green paper. I tried to ask questions about the strange paper with the old men's faces on them. He simply said he would explain later.
Lady Annabeth waited upon the top step next to a wooden door. She smiled to us with an ethereal beauty to her smile. Jairus returned the kind look and then led me up the stairs by my elbow.
"Welcome home Jairus…" Annabeth waved a hand out and the wooden door opened. "The home of your father," She explained letting us walk in alone. Surprisingly, she did not follow. She closed the door behind us and was gone.
I wandered up a flight of stairs. There seemed to be a layer of dust over every surface. But, I noticed a door slightly ajar. Out of curiosity, I pushed the door open and into the bedroom of a teenage boy. It was clean surprisingly and the bed was made to a pristine condition. Just like everywhere in the house, there was a layer of dust covering every surface.
Orange light caught my eye from a window. I approached it slowly watching as I could see nothing but the building next to us out the window. Though that wasn't what I was watching, I found it strange. What made me smile was a small silver plant in the box of soil outside the window. A bit of moon lace, that had grown in size since I had given it to Perseus, sat perfectly in the last rays of sun before nightfall when the plant would glow to a bright silvery glow.
"You found my father's room." Jairus's voice came from the doorway. I turned and saw that he was upset about something. "I've never picture him as a real person." He explained stepping into the room and wiping a finger across the dresser. "I only see the person that left me behind." He continued walking over to the bed. He threw out the covers and sent dust flying. "He wasn't a father to me, just a figure that sat in my mind."
I walked to the bedside and took a seat next to him as he settled onto the mattress. "Thy father was a man worthy of anything that he wished to have. He asked so little; he only wanted to find what was needed, not wanted." I took his hand into my small petite hands. He gave a crooked smile and I returned it kindly. "Thy father deserves more credit then thou give him."
"I suppose you're right…" He looked up and brushed his lips past mine. The second time he came in I leaned into it making it last longer. He pushed back slowly lowering me to the mattress. Jairus smiled into my lips as my head rested back on an old pillow. His arms were strong as he held himself over me to keep from crushing my frail body. Jairus separated from me for the slightest moment and whispered, "Welcome to Manhattan…"