Emily smiled as she slowly placed the box on the ground of the new room Jupiter had allocated Emily and Joel so they could be alone. Emily felt a muscular arm brushed past her, she looked up to see Paelen, eyes pointed to the ground, that mischievous grin that used to never dissipate from his face wasn't there. He grunted as he placed the box on top of the small pile of boxes which sat at the edge of the room.
'All done,' he mumbled not raising his eyes. He turned to leave.
'Paelen?' Emily called to him when he was in the doorway. He turned annoying Emily when his eyes still did not stray the ground. She pushed that anger deep inside her, she was getting a lot better at doing that. 'Are you ok?'
'I'm fine,' Paelen mumbled gruffly. Emily opened her mouth to say more but there was a knock on the wall by the doorway. She turned to see Jupiter. He cleared his throat.
'Sorry for the interruption but Emily, I need to speak to you,' Jupiter said in a near whisper. Jupiter barely came to ask for her personally, he sent a messenger. She knew this must be serious.
~~•~~
Emily walked through the maze of tall, lush green hedges. Every now and then Emily outstretched her arm skimming the leaves with the tips of her fingers. A couple times when she was doing this a nervous spark or 2 shot out of her fingers charring the edges of the nearby leaves. The hedges were were made fire resistant but not repellent so they can't catch fire but they can still be charred or burnt. Emily turned her head to Jupiter his hands clutched behind his back. He turned his whole body to face hers and smiled kindly though in his eyes were almost frightened. Emily tried at a nervous grin but it didn't turn out and she was frowning.
'What did you need to talk to me about.' she asked.
'Emily,' Jupiter started softly, 'I'm sorry to pull you aside in this time of great joy.' It doesn't feel like a great time of joy, Emily thought but she decided not to say anything and just nodded. 'Congratulations on your engagement, I will be mighty pleased for you to hold your ceremony here on Olympus,'
'Thank you,' Emily replied graciously the corners of her mouth turning up slightly before one look from Jupiter drooping them back down.
'Emily, dear, as you know there is a greater force then the Olympians.' He smiled, 'One is standing right in front of me.' He chuckled half-heartedly before his original expression of serious clothed her face. Emily nodded. 'Emily, the rest of your kind are returning, the Xan are reforming over Earth.
