Duality: Truth and Consequence.
The sound of Milo's and Saga's voices eachoed in my head repetitively, and made me nearly burst into a fit of hysterical sobs of the most profound desperation.
I could hear Saga react and recieve Milo's attacks. The deadly Scarlet Neddles. I could sense the sharp end of the Scorpion's tail sinking in the flesh of my Gemini Saint, I could smell his blood, and feel the calling of his cosmos.
But me, being the responsible of all this, could not order Milo to stop. I knew he wouldn't.
It reminded me to a similar situation, a long time ago, with Kanon, Saga's twin.
Then again, I didn't sleep with Kanon, nor I felt anything more than maternal love towards him.
This time it was different.
I had fallen in love with one of my Saints, and actually had sexual intercourse with him. My first. My first in many, many incarnations.
Saga was not, indeed, the epitome of grace, masculine beauty and heroism. He had tried to kill me more than once, and was, in constant touch with his dark side. He never told me he loved me, but I had never asked him to. There is no need to say something that you do not feel, at least not with me.
I loved him, and that was pretty much it.
I loved him and his dark side, his silence, how he forgave the people that hurts him, and gave his life for his comrades, and my name; his duty. Even his quiet hunger for power and respect, redemption.
He knew he had my forgiveness, my heart, and my body, for that matter.
He knew about my inconditional love that knew no boundaries and Saga, being Saga, returned it by the only way he knew how; making love to me.
There is no need to love to have great sex; even I knew this, even if I didn't know how, as he was my first, and I somehow predicted, my last, too.
I, being the Goddess that I am supposed to be, was not sure if he loved me any more than my other Saints, if he felt more than them. Maybe he didin't, but if that was the case, I could, and can live with it. I had to. I was responsible of the humanity, and I already had spoiled it too much by having met Saga that night.
I shook my haed at myself, and threw a painful glance at the door of the Sactuary. Milo was still punishing Saga. I could, and still can, hear the impact of his beautiful self against one pillar, shattering it to pieces with the strenght of the impulse Milo had given to his attacks. And his screaming...
Seiya, Ikki and the others had already complained about my selfishness and lack of judgement. Only Shun and Shiryu had remained silent through all the whole procces of patronization from the rest of my Saints, but I could feel their decception as well. They loved me too much to say something to me in public about that subject. They either loved me, or understood me, maybe respected me. However, the reasons did not matter, their silence ment a lot to me, I apprecciated their neutrality on the theme, even when they had every right to join the hord of enraged Knights. Even Shion and Mu had expressed their discontent and disbilief.
My... fling? With Saga reached the newspapers, and the twelve o'clock news. Apparently someone, an inside source, had told them, and the Sanctuary was being invaded by reporters, cameras, even tourists. The only thing that I managed to say when I saw a picture of myself an Saga (clearly altered by computers) was, literally:
"Well, fuck."
Eitherway, the sensacionalist papers had already catalogued me as some kind of classy prostitute with no morals whatsoever, and not to mention the gossip programs and the parody national T.V. programs.
However, I didn't care too much. People would still come to the benefit parties I threw from time to time. The Foundation would still have it's name.
But, my Saints had already thought that, which hurt me beyond words. I could hear Deathmask mocking Aphrodite, comparing him to me. Like if it was a kind of insult. I also was glad when Shura and Camus gave them a piece of their mind, and deffended me.
There still were a few that loved me. Kanon, Shura, The Pope Shion (one of my closest friends), Shiryu, Hyoga, Shun. Dohko. Canon. I believe that Seiya was too hurt to give me any support. Ikki simply decided not to talk about it, and it was about the same with Milo and Mu.
Shaina and Marin were another subject, though. They, as my best friends, had came to me, excited, asked me how was it, brought me beer and red wine, in order to let me pick. Laughed, and began making jokes. Lifted up my spirit a bit.
What did not lift my spirit, not even a bit, was Milo beating Saga to a bloody pulp.
It was time to do something.