A/N: I love Daphnae so much and I think both she and Kassandra deserve better than what they got in Odyssey. So this is my fix-it. Also a LoTFB fix-it. I'm still not over the fact that Ubi went that way. Stings like a mofo. This is my response to it.
This story is omegaverse, but non-traditional omegaverse. In super simple words: a female who's an alpha can impregnate a female who's an omega.
Please leave a review!
~elm
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CHAPTER ONE
"How long has it been since you went on a date?" Costa, her partner since a year back, asked leaning against her desk.
The last time she went on a date? The last time she went on a date was when women still weren't allowed to wear trousers. Although back then people called it courting. And it entailed a lot more than today's drink and dinner.
A girl named Florence. Sweet as ever, a little shy, but full of opinions. There had been an air of innocence around the girl. It had been like a fresh breath of air. At least for someone like Kassandra. A misthios.
"Yeah, you know, like food, good company and if you're lucky you know…" Costa clicked his tongue and winked.
"You mean sex," she said dryly at his attempt to be subtle.
He grinned, brown eyes sparkling with amusement. "Don't tell me you're one of those 'won't bag it until I tag it' people."
Don't bag it til you...What? "I'm too old to be dating." She turned her attention back to her screen. If she looked busy, he might drop the subject.
"I'm sorry?" He guffawed. "You're what twenty-something?"
"Alright, maláka, what is it you want and what is it going to cost me?" She leaned back into her chair and folded her arms across her chest glaring at her partner.
Costa reminded her all too much of Markos. Much like Markos, Costa always had a clever idea or solution close at hand.
"I'm three-thousand years old. Give or take a few years."
"Haha. Very funny, Tisspartis." Costa rolled his eyes.
Why didn't anyone ever believe her when she said that? "That's not how you pronounce my surname."
"Sure it is, but the point I'm trying to make is: you got to have some fun, girl." He threw his arms out.
"Girl?" Her thick Greek accent curled a little harder around the syllables. It had been a very long time since someone last called her girl. Even longer since she'd been one.
"Fine, fine, woman. But I never see you take time off. You're either always here, or at home. Do you even have friends?"
Friends? She'd had many friends throughout the years. But when years became an endless blur of time, friendships started to feel unnecessary. They would age and die. She would live on. Kassandra would continue her journey. Continue her fight. The fight to take down The Cult of Kosmos. Or as they so pretentiously called themselves nowadays: templars. Where the templars went, she went.
She glanced out the window at the building on the other side of the street. Beyond it lay another building, white and colossal, exuding power. A new seat of power, but the same crazy cult dipping their hands in politics, influencing the world.
"I have you," she finally answered.
"Now that's just sad, Tisspartis," he said, still pronouncing it wrong.
She glared at him. Why was he so intent on having her go out and… socialise? The very word sent shivers up her spine. She liked her solitude. And she'd preferred it if no one threatened that peace.
"Costa." She crossed her arms narrowing her eyes. "Why are you here pestering me?"
"I thought you said you liked my company."
"I didn't say that."
"You know that is actually brilliant." He ignored her, a grin working its way on to his square face. "You, me and Ben. Dinner. Right after work. Since I'm your friend and all. You can't say no, it's not even a date."
Ben, Costa's husband of ten years, reminded her a little of a man she met all those years ago on an island in Greece. Or was it Phokis? The memories from those days were growing more and more distant. But he looked familiar with his fair skin, dark hair and a big but well-kept beard. Perhaps it was this feeling of familiarity that made him quite likable.
"Did you say Ben?"
Costa pushed away from the desk and slung his jacket across his shoulder. "Imma ignore that you seem happier about spending time with Ben than me. Now let's go."
"Now?!" She spun on her chair. "My shift isn't over."
"Tisspartis, your shift ended three hours ago."
"But I—"
"It's only dinner, Tisspartis. But who knows, maybe you'll meet someone at the bar, fall in love, get married, and have a kid." He said in a sing-song voice.
"No thank you, someone almost forced me into that a long time ago. I'm perfectly fine on my own."
She snorted but made her way to the locker room. These young ones, so eager to fall in love, to meet their soulmate. It was almost sad to her that this was all they cared about. Becoming the alpha, mating in a vain attempt to secure immortality.
Immortality was a burden. Not something to strive for. Living forever left you tired. And alone. Meaningful connections became a burden not a blessing.
She pulled to a stop by her locker and slipped out of the black suit and white shirt. Jeans, a white top and a black suit jacket would have to do. As she dropped the gun holster belt into her locker, she caught a sudden movement on her right side.
"Costa?" She looked over at the door. She hadn't heard him enter. There was nothing. No one. Just the row of lockers in front of her and behind her, and the large windows next to the entrance. Misthios . A voice hissed through the quiet room. She snapped her head to the side. Who said that? No one had called her that in centuries. No one knew who she'd once been, what she was now.
Warmth spread along her wrist growing into a familiar heat as the bracelet, the transformed staff of Hermes, pulsed with warning. Isu presence?
Eagle Bearer. West wind. The voices sang. Beast Slayer .
"Hey!" Costa poked his head through the door startling her.
"Fuck, Costa!" She stared at him.
"Did you get lost?" His eyes crinkled with amusement.
"Did you get lost?" The daughter of Artemis lets out a breathless chuckle as Kassandra walks the last few steps towards her, the boar's pelt in her hands. Daphnae smirks. Almost as if she wasn't expecting Kassandra to return. Kassandra almost snorts. Almost. She's a misthios. No pig, big or small will keep her from her drachmae.
"Here, I killed your piggy for you."
"Hm. You are skilled. Of that, there can be no doubt." Daphnae says 'hm' like she's surprised, but not entirely impressed.
"I have plenty of talents. Of that you can be sure of." It's meant to put the woman in her place. To show Daphnae that Kassandra is good at many things. That she's gotten this far because of her skills. Chasing pigs around is child's play to her. At least regular sized pigs, she adds to her own thoughts. Regardless of how it was meant to come out it only draws a throaty chuckle from Daphnae whose eyes linger a little longer now.
"Oh, is that so?" The huntress' voice is low, almost a purr.
"Well?" Costa looked at her with a puzzled expression.
"Sorry, I…" She looked over at the other side of the room. "Just hungry."
"Right, well this cab," he pointed at himself, "leaves right now."
Ω
"I can't believe you didn't tell her." Ben gave his husband a berating look. Then shot Kassandra and Jenna an apologetic shake of his head. Jenna their twenty-something friend who—by a happy coincidence—had plans to eat at the same restaurant that night. Alone. With no other company.
This, Costa had informed her about two steps before they reached the small, quaint restaurant.
"It's okay, he can just finish all the paperwork I left to come here."
"I'll make sure he does it." Ben flashed her a smile.
"Betrayal," Costa hissed at her. "All I wanted was for you to find true love."
Jenna giggled. "And a true love's kiss, I suppose."
"I'm afraid I don't have any of those." A younger version of her might have offered the girl a kiss or two in various places. But it would all amount to the same meaningless sex that she'd forget about in the next decade.
What was it that idiot Natakas had said? Connections that meant something were rare? Perhaps he wasn't such an idiot after all. Well, no, he was an idiot, but it seemed he wasn't wrong about the rarity of finding love.
"Ouch. Who burnt you?" Ben tilted his head.
She let out a soft chuckle and reached for her wineglass. Admittedly, this century had gotten some things right at least. "It was a long time ago now. It doesn't matter anymore." She took a sip from her wine.
" This is why you moved from Greece." Costa's eyes widen as if he's just figured out a great mystery. She might as well let him believe he's right. The truth would be much more complicated to understand.
"Who is this girl?" Ben asked sounding more intrigued than anything. "And how did she fuck you up so good?"
Ω
The sun rises too early this time of year. Or perhaps it's just because when the sun rises, so does Daphnae. And Kassandra doesn't want Daphnae to leave. Not yet.
Tiny rays dance across the thick, black hair as Daphnae breathes slowly in Kassandra's arms. It's long and spills across the bedrolls and her dark, sun-kissed skin is warm, and soft against Kassandra.
She should wake Daphnae, make sure her offerings won't be late. But the sun has yet to climb the lowest peaks of the mountains. Surely Artemis would not object to her loyal servant getting some well-needed rest. She did, after all, have quite the exerting night.
Kassandra smiles feeling a little smug. She wasn't inexperienced, but Daphnae had kept her waiting so long, made her work for it so hard chasing down all those animals before she'd been rewarded. There'd always been the extra boon, but each time the huntress gave her one of Artemis' boons and sent Kassandra on her way, she was just as disappointed.
How many more days until she found the next beast and could bring it back to Daphnae? Sometimes days passed, sometimes weeks.
There were two reasons she shouldn't still be at the temple. First, they had to set sail to Athens as soon as they could. But she had a pelt to bring to Daphnae. And it wasn't like she'd planned to stay, even though Barnabas had told her to perhaps take some time to herself. Clear her head from the last run-in with Alexios.
She'd told him that it would be a quick visit, expecting Daphnae to share a meal and then send her on her way again.
The second reason was that relationships were a tricky thing. She was a misthios. Very few people trusted her, and she trusted no one. Usually a tumble around was all she had time for. Anything else was a distraction. And those she didn't have time for.
She glances down at Daphnae, naked and asleep, arms and legs tangled with hers. Now that she thinks about it, perhaps a distraction wouldn't be so bad after all. Certainly not if it was someone like Daphnae.
Ω
A sudden loud vibration reverberated through the cloth clad table, Costa's phone flashing with a blue light. That was his work phone. Kassandra felt her forehead pucker. He wasn't on call, so it either had to be something really urgent or someone was asking for trouble.
"Costa," he answered his voice slipping back into its professional register. "What? Right now? Okay. Yeah, she's right here. Yes, Sir." He hung up the phone looking straight at her.
"What?"
"Looks like we just got called out on something. Right up your alley."
"But babe," Ben protested, "it's your night off."
"Sorry." Giving his husband a quick kiss Costa stood up dragging Kassandra with him. Not one to look a gift horse in the mouth she was quick to follow him out the restaurant.
"Call me if you want!" She heard Jenna's voice as they made a quick exit, Costa half jogging towards the car.
"So just how is this thing right up my alley?" She asked as she slipped in to the driver's seat.
"Some Greek woman covered in blood ranting, threatening people over at Lincoln Park."
"I don't understand, there are a lot of officers who speak Greek. Why me?" She asked as she pulled out of the car park, blue lights flashing through the night.
"Sure, but they don't speak Ancient Greek."
"And how is this an FBI matter?"
He pointed to the left in the crossing. "The only word the officers understand is 'Kosmos'."
"The Cult of Kosmos." It was a long time since she'd heard that particular name used. Very few except for her and her team were familiar with the cult that had given rise to the order.
"Oh, yeah, and she's got a spear."
Ω
A helicopter hovered above them whipping up dust into the air, the strong spotlight aimed at the centre of the park. Armed officers stood at a good distance away, weapons raised in front of them ready to fire.
"What happened here?" She asked the officer leading them closer towards the woman.
"No one knows. It seems she didn't do anything to make herself stand out. None of the witnesses can recall how she got there. It's as if she appeared out thin air."
A woman danced around in the middle swinging her spear around, jabbing with it every so often to keep the police away from her.
Kassandra's brows knitted together as she watched the woman. Her movements were not erratic nor unpractised. This was someone who moved with ease, as if battle was a natural part of her. She swung the spear effortlessly like it weighed but a feather. Jabbed and stabbed with expert precision. This was an opponent Kassandra had no wish to meet in a spear fight. She was immortal, not invincible.
The woman was no longer shouting but seemed to mutter to herself as she spun around. They were still too far away for Kassandra to hear her, but then she saw the red paint that curled across the tanned skin. Impossible. No historical records were ever that accurate.
"Chaire, Stranger." She spoke softly as she pulled to a stop a few meters away from the muttering woman. She could hear her better now that she wasn't as far away. Cult of Kosmos. A trial of the gods. Artemis guide my hand. "Are you lost?"
The woman didn't reply but froze on the spot, then she lifted her head slowly as if she was coming out of a daze.
"Is there anything I can do for you?" She tried again when the woman didn't turn around.
"Artemis, why do you test me again? Have I not done enough to prove my loyalty?" It was a faint whisper, but it was enough for Kassandra to decipher the words.
Her frown deepened. If it was one goddess she had a bone to pick with it was Artemis. Or whichever Isu had liked to run around the woods hunting stags. "There are no gods here, Stranger. But perhaps if we talk I can help you?"
"No!" The woman spun on her feet spear held in front of her. Hazel eyes, like early autumn leaves blazing with unbridled fury. "I will not break my vow!"
"Daphnae?!"