Sorry for not update for a pretty long time, but I'm having finals right now. But then, I just got so mad at Math, so... here's the newest chapter! Please review!
II
Two years had passed since Hermes had met Alina. He visited her once or twice a week, three times if he was really lucky, though he usually wasn't. As usual, they were sitting on the big rock, eating breads and cakes as they chatted about… a lot of stuff.
Suddenly, Alina jumped up, pulling Hermes up with her. "Come on!" she said before taking off running, her white chiton flowing out behind her. Hermes wondered what she was up to this time before taking off after her.
He caught up with her easily, and for the rest of the way, they ran side by side through the forest, leaping over holes and splashing through streams, ignoring the mud, still wet from the rain of the day before, that was dirtying their feet.
Alina finally slowed down and they arrived at a clearing with a small stream cutting through it, flowers banking the clear water.
It was a truly nice place. The grass was green and soft, the sunlight only slightly obscured by the canopy of leaves of the trees around them. The flowers bloomed prettily and the sound of the trickling stream filled the air, accompanied by the singing of birds and rustles of leaves when the wind blows past.
Alina walked forward and sat down on the riverbank, or stream-bank, and dipped her feet in the water. Hermes mirrored her actions, sitting down next to her.
They fell into a comfortable silence, Hermes glancing at Alina from the corner of his eye.
In two years, Alina had changed a lot, both physically and behavior-wise.
Physically, she had grown even more beautiful. Her hair had turned into an even darker gold and the fiery red of her hair had intensified to a coppery red. She had become slightly tanner, and also taller, though still shorter than Hermes, who continuously changed his age to match hers.
Behavior-wise, she had become slightly quieter, wiser, and sadder, sometimes making Hermes wish the old, cheerful, oblivious Alina could come back. Obviously, she didn't.
She had also become much gentler and lady-like, though a part of her playful, slightly boyish demeanor still remained.
Alina sighed, still staring at the trickling stream. "Deacon," she said quietly, just loud enough for Hermes to hear, "I'm fourteen."
"I know, though you sure don't look it," he joked, trying to raise the spirits a little.
She didn't even crack a smile. "Soon I'm going to be married off, Deacon," she whispered, raising her gaze to stare at the passing clouds. "And then… I might never be able to see you again."
Hermes's shoulders slumped and he scooted a little closer to Alina, putting a hand on her shoulders. "Hey, I can still come to visit."
She shook her head and turned to look at him, and Hermes was alarmed to see the pain and desperation in her eyes. "No, don't you understand? I'll be married off to some old man and then you'd find another girl and then we'd drift apart and never meet each other again!"
With a jolt, Hermes finally realized what she meant. She might have not been trying to show it, she might even know it, but she's jealous. Jealous of the woman who might one day replace her.
It surprised Hermes. Usually, it was him going after pretty girls, charming them into his embrace. But for Alina, he hadn't done anything, yet she had still fallen for him.
"It's strange how the Fates are so cruel," Alina continued bitterly. "They just had to make us the same age and-"
She was cut off when Hermes pulled her into a kiss. For a moment, she froze in shock, then relaxed and dissolved into the kiss.
"Alina," Hermes said after they had pulled apart, gasping for breath, "If I ask you, will you marry me?"
Alina stared at him in shock for a second, then burst out laughing, almost toppling into the stream as she doubled over. "Deacon, you idiot. That has got to be the stupidest question you've ever asked!"
Hermes grinned as well, albeit a little confusedly, not sure of what was so funny. When she had finally calmed down, she said, still chuckling a little, "Of course, stupid. I'd say yes."
And at that moment, a lump formed at Hermes throat making him unable to speak. He had been wanting to tell her for a year already, but had never found the courage to. Finally, he forced himself to speak. "Alina? Before I ask you that question, I have to tell you something. I mean, after I tell you, you might not-"
"Just get on with it," Alina interrupted.
"Right," Hermes took a deep breath and cleared his throat nervously. "Right. You see, Alina, I'm actually, um… a-"
"A girl?" Alina suggested innocently, smiling evilly.
"No," Hermes said, a little annoyed, though still amused. "I'm obviously not a girl. What I'm trying to say, Alina, is that… I'm not human. I'm actually a go-"
And at that moment, there was a sudden flash of light, a spinning sensation, and Hermes found himself in the middle of Olympus, still in his fourteen year old form, with the whole Olympian council (excluding himself, of course) glaring down at him.
δύο ευκαιρίες
Okay, not everyone was glaring down at him. Zeus, Hera, and Athena were, but Apollo and Aphrodite winking not-so-subtly, making Hermes blush slightly. Artemis is looking at him with a disgusted expression, like, how-dare-you-trick-another-woman-you-wretched-little-thing. Dionysus, Demeter, and Hephaestus weren't even looking at him while Poseidon just smiled down at Hermes, who was trying not to cower under his father's piercing glare.
"WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?" Zeus boomed, causing Hermes to flinch.
"Father," Athena said stiffly, "I doubt he was."
Hermes wondered if agreeing with Athena would make his situation easier or if denying her would. He settled with saying nothing.
"Revealing yourself to a mortal," said Hera, smirking nastily at Hermes. "How foolish. What did she ever do to deserve such honor?"
"You might make her proud," Athena spoke up, "Make her think that she's got something nobody else has- she has seen a god!"
"Correct me if I'm wrong," Artemis sniffed, "but I believe that she's just going to be another woman who had fallen for your charm and will soon bear another one of your million children around the world?"
Hermes wanted to protest, wanted to say that they were wrong, that Alina wouldn't be like that- Alina is special, but he couldn't make himself say it. Guiltily, he looked back and realized that every single woman he has had an affair with had believed that he will love them forever: and when he was with them, for a moment, he had believed that too, because the other was too charming, so beautiful… but then it was the same for every woman. Then, after they are pregnant with his child, Hermes, ever so busy, leaves them for his work, only to cross another woman in his path… and the cycle restarts.
His stomach dropped even more when he realized that Artemis was correct. He was immortal, she was mortal: she was going to be replaced someday, unless she became a god and Hermes marries her, but that's as unlikely as Zeus being homosexual.
"So, Hermes," Zeus said, his voice still as loud as thunder and as dangerous as lightning, "Is there anything you want to say for yourself?"
Hermes shook his head slowly.
Hera leaned forward eagerly. "For punishment, how about…" The room was silent as everyone waited for the Queen of Olympus's suggestion. "You're grounded."
Everyone blinked.
"You are banned to see her, your precious Alina for… let's say, the next 10 years," Hera's smile stretched even wider at the shock on Hermes's face. "Only 10 years, Hermes. You should be glad I'm feeling generous today."
"10 years?" Hermes spluttered. "Do you know how much that is in mortal years?"
"Of course I do," Hera replied. "But it's no time at all for us, and that's all."
"You are utterly evil," Hermes muttered. Apparently her majesty heard it as well.
Her cold, brown eyes flashed with anger. "20 years, Hermes, if you insist."
"You-" Hermes started, but was out of words to describe how disgustingly evil the Queen of Olympus was. He made a mental note to ask Apollo or Artemis to teach him some insults for her cow-faced majesty next time before he spun around and stormed out of the throne room. A flash of light later and he's back in his mansion.
Letters and packages littered the floor, making it rather hard to walk properly without stepping on anything. But he didn't need to walk around. Hermes just simply grabbed his winged sandals and kerykeion, before flying away.
"Hermes!" one of his snakes on his kerykeion shouted for his attention, "Hades need-,"
"I don't give a crap about what Hades wants, Martha," Hermes grumbled, still flying towards the forest where he had last left Alina.
"Are you going to get us rats?" the other snake asked eagerly.
"Shut up, George," hissed Martha. "Can't you tell that he's in a bad mood?"
"Thank you, Martha," Hermes said. "Do you mind telling Hades that-"
"Hades is in a very bad mood," Martha cut him off. "I don't think it'd be safe to say anything just yet."
"Right," Hermes agreed and was about to touch down next to the forest when something caught his eye. Smoke rising from the distance… Alarmed, Hermes flew towards the direction of the smoke, only to be met by a horrific sight.
A troop of soldiers had surrounded Alina's home. The wood and brick house was on fire, and Alina and her parents were being pushed towards a cart.
A slave cart, Hermes realized with a jolt. He looked at the soldiers and almost immediately recognized them. Romans.
Suddenly, Alina's father roared, tearing himself out of the grasp of a soldier, spinning around and slamming his large hand at the soldier's head. The soldier, despite wearing a helmet, crumbled to the ground, knocked unconscious. Nicholas grabbed the fallen soldier's sword and started fighting. Two more soldiers fell before another snuck up behind him and smashed his shield at Nicholas's head. Alina and her mom screamed as he fell.
The two women also struggled out of the soldier's hold. They hurried over to Nicholas. Alina's mother was desperately checking his pulse, then wailed when she found none.
"How dare you?!" Alina screamed. "You horrid people!"
"I've heard how much glory Rome has," Alina's mother added, her voice a growl. "I didn't realize that they were evil bastards!"
"Shut up, unworthy woman," a soldier barked, then pulled out his sword when Alina's mother grabbed the sword from her husband's cold hand and lunged. A quick swipe later, however, Alina's mother also fell to the ground, a large, fatal wound in her stomach.
Then the soldiers looked around, only to find that Alina had disappeared. A little distance away, Alina was running away desperately, tears streaming down her face. The soldiers quickly pursued.
Hermes was about to swoop down and grab her or something when he slammed into an invisible wall.
"Ow…" he rubbed his sore nose, then pounded on the barrier angrily, however useless he knew that was.
After a while of watching the soldiers chasing Alina, he had an idea. Hermes couldn't help thinking how stupid he was as he touched down 400 meters away from Alina. At that moment, however, she tripped over a rock.
"There!" the soldiers shouted. One poised his javelin.
"Alina!" Hermes shouted. The mortal girl looked up.
"Deacon!" she screamed, just as the javelin left the soldier's hand.
Hermes's false name was the last word she ever uttered.