Chapter 1: A Clouded Mind...

Ceyx's P.O.V.

Wind swirls around me, the waves tumble closer by the minute, a flock of seagulls fly ahead, and salty water begins reaching my feet. I open my eyes to see the sun setting on the sea before me, the sight is beautiful and makes reminds me of her. My love, my life, the reason I have made it this far. Any minute now I'll feel the warm hand of sanity on my shoulder, speaking words of love and encouragement and washing away my dark thoughts.

I wish I would have met her sooner; maybe then I wouldn't have made some of the bad decisions in my younger years. But I have heard many times that we learn from our mistakes, in which case, I have learned a great deal. Which brings me here, sitting on the sand dwelling on something I couldn't control. Or maybe I'm just telling myself that? What would happen if I just gave up? Threw myself into the ocean as he did, surrendering to the God's? I'm not any better than he ways. He was a warrior, I am a King, the two are much alike. Both are forced to do things that at times seem necessary but later seem to be not so. We both have killed innocent citizens, both put ourselves before others, both smited the God's. That thin line between us is getting thinner and blurrier by the second… No, no, I am not him. My brother is one man, and I am another. I have changed my ways, or at least tried to. I have paid my dues to the Gods. I love the daughter of a God and somehow she loves me back. I need her guidance, her patience to guide me towards reality and out of this painful world that is my mind…

Alcyone's P.O.V.

I stand at the balcony watching him, wondering how long he'll stay there. I know what he's thinking; I know exactly what's doing. I went straight to this spot when I arrived almost an hour ago, knowing he would be out there. I wish he wouldn't be like this, always putting himself at fault. Though I know it is not fully him, he is at the will of the God's, as is everyone and everything. And fortunately, one has found him as his new mind toy.

I wish I could have been here to tell him myself of the event but unfortunately I was too far away. The impeding sunset reminds me that it will soon be dark. Walking down the stairs to the beach, I realize the wind picking up around me and waves begin to churn in the distance. I look up to the sky's thinking of father. It's his way of letting me know he's here for me I guess, I was speaking with him when I received the news. Running out of the temple and to the cart as fast as I could.

I slowly reach my love, without saying a word I kneel down wrapping my arms around his shoulders.

He looks up at me, and smiles weakly, putting his hands on mine as I move to sit beside him.

We sit in each other's embrace with closed eyes, each of us deep in thought. I'm lost for words, I'd been thinking of what to say for hours, but now seeing all the pain in his eyes and being so close to him… I am speechless. So I say the only thing I can think. "I'm sorry," I say just above a whisper, my head resting on his chest.

He shifts slightly; I open my eyes and look up to him.

He softly asks, "You needn't be, there's nothing anyone could have done."

"You and I both know you don't believe that," I say holding his hand in mine.

He runs his free hand through his hair. Silence again…

"I'm sorry I wasn't here when they told you. I tried to tell the messenger to wait but it was too late. They'd said they had already told you and I—"

"Sh—h my love," he said quietly, his hand on my head, "It's in the past now, we can't change it—"

"You mean you haven't been thinking about it down here for the God's know how long?" I said with a little more anger than I'd meant for it too. I immediately realized it, "I mean—…" I sat up next to him, "Ceyx, what I mean to say is… you're allowed to mourn. This must be horrible for you losing him like this and so soon after Ch—"

"I can't dwell on these things, I have duties which I cannot simply push away. I must protect our people, I must protect you. One slip up and this kingdom could fall. I can—"

"You're only human Ceyx. You're one man. You're one man who has lost so much," I put my hand on his cheek, "I wish you wouldn't do this to yourself. Bottle all these thoughts up. I can see them in your eyes, I can feel them beating down on you. Talk to me, I love you so much. You have come very far from when we first met."

"All thanks to you my little bird, who knows what would have happened to me. I probably would have ended up like him, driving myself to the edge of insanity and then taking that extra step into complete darkness."

"Daedalion was driven mad Ceyx, how can you blame him for bei—"

"Was he really? Or all men just born that way. I wonder if Zeus made man this way on purpose sometimes…" he says standing and stepping away, closer to the waves looking at the foreclosing clouds.

"What do you mean?" I ask slowly standing.

"Daedalion was just one example. His daughter was thrown around the God's like a play toy." His eyes began to fill with hate and other signs my father had earlier warned me of, "First Apollo, then Hermes. Men will always be surpassed by God's, and woman will always be used by them—"

"Ceyx, don't say something you'll regret later—" I said beginning to feel the intensity raising, I had worried this would happen.

"I don't care what they think, what's the worst he can do, huh? It's not like a have a daughter for him to steal away and send to one of his sons!"

"Ceyx—" I said trying to bring him out of it.

"What can they take away from me? My parents, gone. My brother, gone. And even my niece, taken and murdered. Why should I pay my respects to a group of men in the sky with no souls or hearts!"

"Ceyx! Stop!" I said grabbing his shoulders trying not to cry and to snap him out of his rage, "Look at me! Look into my eyes. Come back to me!" after a moment, his breathing began calming, the rage in his eyes slowly replaced by confusion once again, "Yes, some of the God's are like that," I said calmly, as if speaking to a child, "But some of them are not. What happened to Chione and Daedalion… was by their own doing. I know this, I have spoke to the God's, to my father and—"

"I keep not feeling like myself. I think about what has happened and I become… confused, lost. And then it turns to rage and anger and I don't know where—"

"I know, I know darling. It's the work of Hades—"

"You know this?"

"Yes, my father warned me after Chione's death and again today that Hades may mark you next."

"Next?"

I searched for the right words to say, "… Daedalion was a dark soul, lost when he was young. He was a warrior, known for being cruel and judgmental. The fact that he had a beautiful and unfortunate spoiled daughter probably didn't help either. He was the perfect candidate and Hades took grasp of him early on…"

Ceyx was speechless, as was I when my father warned me weeks earlier.

"You have a strong heart and the will to do the right thing. I know first hand that if you hold out long enough he will subside… but that takes time; months, years, sometimes even lifetimes."

"Thank you Alcyone," he said taking me into his arms and resting my head against his chest, "I wish I could be half as strong as you are… I'm sorry about what I said, about the God's. I know that some of them do mean well, you're father in particular. I just wish I could thank him formally for creating such an amazing goddess," he smirked lightly.

"For the thousand time Ceyx, I am not a Goddess…"

"Demi-Goddess, Goddess. Which ever you prefer, but to me you will always be one."

I rolled my eyes as he kissed my forehead.

"We should go inside, I feel a storm is brewing at sea and will break landfall before nightfall."

"As you wish Daughter of the Winds," he smirks as we turn to walk towards the stairs.