Its longer! Yay!
It was the day after the entry on Hansel and Gretel that the unthinkable happened.
Unthinkable not because it's impossible but to think and acknowledge it would cripple her.
Unthinkable because to her it was. He was her rock and now she had been swept away.
Lost because he had broken his promise.
"You'll be there right?" she asked him. A group of them were going to have a barbeque down at the rez.
"Sure."
"Promise?"
"Bella." He took her face in his massive hands. "Where you go, I go. I'll always be here. That I can promise."
She smiled and left, safe in the knowledge he wouldn't abandon her.
How Naïve!
To think that she was deserving of a family, of people who cared. Patterns were there for a reason – she knew this.
They pointed to the truth and the never ending cycle. The cycle of hubris and nemesis. She was happy and now she was bereft.
Lightening hits the tallest tree first. She thought mockingly.
This was her fate. To be built up and tore down over and over. A plaything in the hands of a spoilt child of a God. If there even was one – or many for that matter. Who was she to know?
She let out a scream of pain and grief, venting to the four walls of her room and letting the void be filled with only the question of why.
"Don't call again." His sentences were short and clipped.
"Why? What have I done?"
"You know what you did! I can't stand to see the sight of you! Just stay away from the rez Bella. Come back and you'll get hurt."
"You're threatening me?" her voice cracked.
"If that's what it takes to make you stay away then yes. Consider this a threat you stupid bint."
The dial tone rang in her ears and she stared at the headset numbly.
Why would he say that?
How could he even think such words? Didn't he know what he was doing? Couldn't he guess that this was slowly killing her?
Why had Jacob left?
Her driving matched her mood.
The truck grunted its complaint as she angrily slammed it into park outside Jacob's house.
Her loud rapping on the door brought Jacob to her quickly. He took one look at her and scowled, slamming the door with the same ferocity that was present in her.
"What do you want leech lover?"
"What?" she sputtered. "What the fuck did you just call me? You pathetic ass! You left me! You broke your promise. Why Jacob? Why would you do that?"
"Funny thing is – I already told you. I don't want to be around someone like you."
"Like me? What – you turning into a racist? I can't hang because I'm a pale face?" she snorted in derision. "Is this what Sam's done to you?"
"Race…yeah you could say it's something like that. You know. Being with someone your own species."
"Oh? So what are you exactly? An alien?"
"I'm not talking about me."
Bella froze.
Her? Species?
Leech.
A bloodsucking worm.
How did he know?
"Jake? I don't understand. Why are you doing this?" her voice shook with the effort not to cry. A raw look crossed his face, and if she hadn't been looking at him she would have missed it.
"I don't want to do this." He muttered.
"So why are you?"
"You have to stay away. You aren't safe here."
"I'm not safe anywhere Jacob. Danger magnet remember?" she countered with a self mocking smile.
"It's not that."
He growled in frustration. She jumped at the realistic sound.
"You already know!" he exclaimed.
"What do I know?" she asked warily.
"Why you can't be here! You chose your side! And I can't explain. Sam's orders are…unbreakable."
"Sam?" Bella repeated. "It all links back to goddamn Sam." She scowled at him. "I can't trust you Jacob. Even if you have a reason – and I will find out – I can't trust you. You're a liar."
She turned and left, ignoring the eyes from the woods that watched her.
She collapsed onto her bed; her anger spent and despairs back in its permanent residence. If she couldn't trust Jake who could she trust? Charlie certainly, but he was never here. Angela? She could be trusted with some secrets sure but to consider family? No. even she had left her at some point.
No, Bella decided, you can only trust yourself.
But that was so lonely!
She wanted her family of rambunctious boys back. She wanted to be baking cookies that would be gone in minutes. She wanted to be reading on the couch surrounded by laughter.
But as Bella knew – what people want they usually never get. Especially if it's important.
And what was important now was putting it together.
I already know? When did he tell me? Species…leech…do vampires have enemies?
Bella frowned and shook her head.
She grabbed a random book on Greek myths and legends and started flipping through.
In the land of the Greeks, the region of Arcadia there was once a cruel King by the name of Lycaon, son of Pelasgus. King Lycaon was blessed with 50 sons, each of whom gave their name to a town of that region.
But King Lycaon wanted more.
He sought to challenge the Gods, his grandfather Zeus in particular. He planned to test the great Brontios and his immortal all-knowing ways. He found the God sleeping and attempted to kill him, but even as the knife struck the Father's immortal heart, Zeus opened his eyes and flung the King from the place. The King broke his legs, and suffered the indignities of being a cripple. And while he waited for his legs to heal he plotted.
As soon as he was healed he called to the Great God Zeus.
"My Lord! I see the error of my ways and repent for striking your sacred form! Please come dine at my table, I offer you the most succulent of meat in penance."
The Great Father looked down on the King and appeared at the table. As the King had promised the meat was indeed succulent and everyone enjoyed the meal.
Zeus watched the sons eat, his eyes grazing over each one. They were all governors of their towns, and every day he heard the inhabitants' prayers to deliver them. They were cruel men, raised by a cruel king. But there was one soul missing.
"King Lycaon. Where is your youngest? Where is dear Nyctimus?"
The King smirked.
"My Lord Zeus, I promised you the most succulent of meats. I imagine that my dear son is in your stomach. Tell me, great King, how does it feel to have your omniscience fooled?"
Great Zeus roared in Anger, his almighty thunderbolt sparking in his right hand.
"King Lycaon! You have dishonored this land and its gods. You have dishonored all that the Greek people stand for and have committed a heinous crime."
With each word a bolt hit a son, and they gargled and died in the meat of their brother.
"Since you enjoy the taste of human flesh so, I will grant you a more appropriate form."
And so Great Zeus let loose his magic and its tendrils grasped at the king tightly until he chocked. His face got longer, his teeth sharper. His hands formed claws and fur sprouted on his skin.
His scream of fear and panic became a howl as his transformation was complete.
Thus he became Likos, the first werewolf to be born in the world.
Bella snorted. The Author had an obviously high opinion of the scandalous Zeus. Brontios indeed, the great thunderer – more like the king of hissy fits.
Wait.
Wolves.
Leech.
"Did you know that Quileute's are supposedly descended from wolves?"
Quick note: hubris and nemesis - essentially its like pride before a fall. Only its caused by divine intervention
"Lightening hits the tallest tree first" Is a mangled quote from Herodotus Bk6 of The Histories.
King Lykaos - the myth is my retelling. I couldnt find a copy online so I wiki-ed it and used the info there.
Brontios - one of Zeus' titles. Means Thunderer.
One last thing - Bella's comment on whether tthere is one or more God. I've gone with a slightly Classical theme this chapter and they had lots of Gods. Plus Bella has been doing a lot of research into myths and legends. Religion isnt going to be a main theme here. I just thought i should apologise if it offends anyone. But i just thought it was a good way to show Bella's doubts.
Okay. I'm done.
See you soon!
Lizzie Hopscotch