A Victoria and Ares Short Story

Victoria is Ares' daughter and wants to show her dad that she can do anything.

Ares is the Greek god of war and he hasn't been there for Victoria very much.

I am Victoria and I was as nervous as can be about my recital. I kept peeking out the curtains to see if my Dad was in his seat yet, but every time I looked, his seat was still empty. Mrs. Anise had been watching me for about an hour, worrying about me. "Victoria do you really think he is coming?"

I looked out the curtains again. "He promised me he would come. He told me himself." I felt a tear run down my face. Just another empty promise he never kept. I thought. Always the same story. 'I was in the middle of battle and I lost track of time.' Or 'I'm sorry Victoria but…I was in the middle of something and…I couldn't avoid it.' Yeah right Dad. You just never cared. Some 'loving' father you are.

Mrs. Anise ran to my side. "Now, now Victoria, don't cry. I'm sure he will make it."

I closed the curtain. "This would be the first of my recitals he has ever come to. He hasn't come to a single one so far."

The music started and Mrs. Anise left my side to instruct the little ones on their entrances. I was to perform last; I had a special dance to perform. The Muses themselves made me a song to dance to and I had to warm up.

I saw a little girl no older than five race onto the stage and do her little dance. Her dance was to jump and twirl on the floor. My dance was a little more complicated than that I assure you.

When the time for my dance came closer I looked out through the curtain and my father's seat was still empty. My mother was smiling at the performers on the stage. When I closed the curtain I sat on a box behind me and picked up my costume. It was covered in feathers and was pure white. As I slipped on my costume I heard Mrs. Anise's voice from by the stage. "He still isn't here?"

I put a feather head band in my hair. "No." Then I went to my mirror where I was to put on my make-up. I put on blue lip gloss and blue eye shadow. I saw Mrs. Anise come up behind me.

She put her hand on my shoulder. "You look beautiful. When you perform it seems miracles happen."

I brushed my hair. "Tell that to my dad." Then I heard the music for the performance before mine end. I got up without looking at her. But even though I was close to tears I managed out a quiet "I have to go."

The thirteen to fifteen year old performers scurried off the stage but stayed near the edge of the curtain so they could watch my performance. Mrs. Anise announced it was time for my performance. Then I slowly and gracefully walked out to the center of the stage. I didn't even look at the audience until I got to my starting position. Then I slowly looked out into the crowd, but my eyes caught on something.

Out in the back of the auditorium was my father standing and watching me. I saw him give me a small wave. I couldn't help but smile at my father. His smile made my spirit perk up fast and I readied myself to start.

I danced my heart out that night because I knew my father was watching. When I was finished I looked at my father again over my shoulder and I saw he was clapping and that he looked proud to be my father. He glowed red from pride (literally).

I had completely forgotten about my mother, my step-father, and my brothers down in the front row. So when I looked down at them my mother was clapping for me, my step-father was clapping for me, little six year old Johnny was standing on his chair and cheering, and eight year old Peter was standing on the ground clapping.

I couldn't stop smiling even as I took my bows. Without warning I saw little Johnny run onto the stage and started blowing kisses and waving. I picked him up and took him to center stage with me.

Johnny then kissed me on the cheek when I was holding him. My mother stopped clapping and covered her mouth with her hand. I could tell she was crying on how she was smiling and rubbing her eyes.

Then I walked off the stage with Johnny still in my arms. As I got to the stage stairs I put Johnny down and pulled back the curtain. "Go to Mom, Johnny."

Johnny walked down the stairs and ran to Mom. I let the curtains fall as I saw my father make his way through the crowd to the first row. I stood in the back room and slipped off my costume and slip out the head band. I sat in front of the mirror and washed off my make-up.

Then I saw someone come up behind me in the mirror. When he came closer I saw it was my dad. He looked at me through the mirror. "You did very good."

I looked at his reflection in the mirror. "You really think so?"

He smiled. "Makes me want to see your other ones, the ones I missed."

"They weren't that special."

"Judging on how you did out there just now I would think every performance you have ever done was spectacular."

"Thanks." I turned to look at him. "I just want to know. Where were you at the beginning of the recital? Your seat was empty the entire time."

My dad rubbed his neck. "I was in the back the whole time. I didn't know I had a seat."

I smiled at him. "Dad-dy!" I laughed. "You have always had a seat, you are my father, and your seat is reserved."

He walked up to my side and he put his hand on his chest. "I didn't know that." He kissed my forehead. "Baby girl." He rubbed his nose on mine. "I will always love you."

I hugged him around the neck. "I love you Daddy."

I screamed as a monster with a sword came charging at me. I heard my father screaming at me. "Victoria! Victoria, MOVE!"

I was paralyzed. As the monster got closer he snorted. I held my sword in my hands and I was shaking as he got closer. "D-Daddy!"

As the monster was a few feet from stabbing me I heard my father scream. "Victoria! NO!"

Suddenly I was sliding on the floor when I looked back my father was sword to sword with the monster. He talked through clenched teeth. "Victoria, go!"

"But Dad—"

"Don't argue Victoria. Just GO!"

I started crying as I jumped up and ran for my life. As I heard my father scream I got scared and hid. Then something hit me. Not physically hit me, like you get ideas that is how it hit me. What ever you get the idea.

I felt sudden rage. I grabbed my sword with me delicate hand and stood up. When I heard my father scream again I ran back to where my father was.

He was on the floor with a huge gash in his side and gold blood was dripping from the gash around his hand. Then he saw me standing in the door and his face went pale. "No, Victoria, stay back." He groaned and grabbed his side again.

I stepped forward. "You dare wound my father. You will not leave here alive."

The monster licked his lips. "I get girl for lunch."

I started trembling. "Y-You don't s-s-scare me!" I held out my sword. "I-I a-am a d-d-daughter of t-the great g-god Ares!"

He smiled. "Daughter of Ares seems frightened."

I whimpered as he got closer to me. "N-No! You're wrong! I'm not scared!" I swallowed and spoke a little louder. "A daughter of Ares doesn't get scared!"

The monster laughed. "If your own father couldn't defeat me, how could you?" He smirked. "Such a cute, innocent little girl should be at home playing with dolls, not here with a sword in her hands."

My father looked at me. "Victoria, please, go. Run and don't look back. I'll be alright."

I stood my ground. "No! I'm tired of running. I will stand and I will fight!" The monster got closer to me and I whimpered again.

He laughed at me. "It seems like you are all talk. All you have is bravado, no real bravery."

I got up my courage. "I will fight you! To reclaim my father's honor!"

My father's face got even paler. I didn't realize how much blood he was losing. "Victoria…be…strong." Then his head dropped. He just needs to heal and regain blood.

I charged and stabbed the monster. He moaned and stabbed me with his own sword. I pulled my sword from his side and used my sword to disarm him. It worked and his sword flew from his hand and into mine. I now had two swords.

The monster backed away from me. But before he had the chance to run I stabbed him and he went poof. Then I started coughing, when I looked at my hand it had a little blood on it. Blood…Dad!

I turned around and ran to my father. "Daddy, Daddy!"

My father's head stirred then his eyes fluttered open and looked at me. "Victoria…" He saw my bleeding side. "Victoria you're hurt!"

I smiled. "I'm ok, it doesn't hurt."

He got onto his knees and tore off a part of his cloak. He wrapped the fragment around my waist over the deep cut. "I'm never letting you fight in a battle ever again. Even if it kills me, and being immortal I'm sure that won't happen." He put my hand on the cloak fragment. "Apply pressure so the bleeding will stop."

I kept my hand on my side. "Dad…I won the fight. Aren't you happy?"

"Very it is just that…never mind."

"What?"

My dad pulled me closer to him and sat me in his lap. "Take this, just for now." He pulled off his armor and put it on me. "Just incase we encounter someone else while we are here."

I rest my head on his shoulder as I sat in his lap. "Dad, were you scared I was going to be killed?"

He wrapped his arms around me. "Yes, Victoria, I was. I have lost millions of friends in wars over the years, none of which bothered me the least…but you are my daughter, flesh of my flesh, made from my love and your mother's. Losing you…or any of your brothers and sisters is hard. Especially when their killers were cruel monsters, cannibals, or even…my own comrade. That has happened, one of your sisters, long before you came around, was killed by one of my own comrades on Earth."

I curled up in his lap. "That's so sad. I feel sorry for her."

My dad sighed. "Her name was Veronica, and you look just like she did." He rubbed my arm with his hand. "She…she was just about your age when…when she was killed. She…she died nearly two hundred years ago…but…still I remember…how she looked when she died.

"She…she…her hair was stained with blood…a…a…hole that ran through her stomach…and…and I couldn't do anything for her. I just had to…to…to let her die in agony" I heard him sniffle.

I looked at his face to see a few tear steaks running down his face as he looked off somewhere above my head. I curled up even more into my father's lap. "I guess even the god of war…can cry." I looked away from my father's face and calmly closed my eyes.

He put his face into my hair. "I guess he can too." I felt his hand glide over my hair. "And there is nothing wrong with that." He spoke into my hair.

The End