Chapter 50

Lukas was with him first, he knelt beside the still shape lying in the grass, checking his vitals.

I knelt beside him, and Paul on his other side. It was very clear that Hermes was in a very bad state, barely holding on to life.

Lukas looked at Paul in an agony of indecision, and asked: 'Can a god die? Must I now save my own father, so he can threaten me again and again?'

My dad was standing very close, and answered Lukas' questions: 'Yes to your first question, young Lukas, your father can die here.

And as for the other question, you will answer that yourself: can you let your father die, despite what he has done to you?'

With tears in his eyes, Lukas admitted: 'I cannot. What is he suffering from?'

My father told him: 'He has the worst case of reaction sickness ever recorded in the history of magic.

He used magic on a world not his own. A god has near unlimited power, because he can use the life-force of his worshippers to do magic.

In your world, Hermes has an incredible number of worshippers, so he is used to having all the power he could ever need.

Here, he had only the power in his own body, which was still a lot. Had he used it to throw fireballs at us, or another direct magical attack, we would have been hard-pressed, some of us might even have been wounded or killed in the battle.

But he went for theatricals instead, calling the hound of Hell to this world. Have you any idea how hard that is?

It used up all his personal power, and then most of his life-force as well, leaving him as close to death as a god can come. And of course, his creation had too little power to be dangerous, it turned out a harmless version of nightmare he set out to create.

What you need to do is give him back enough power to live, but not enough to start throwing fireballs again.

An experienced mage should do this, Melissa might give him too much and make him dangerous again. And remember, sharing power creates a strong bond, so the person feeding him power should be able to withstand the seductive intimacy of the sharing of power, and that will not be easy since he is a god, and a very attractive young man to look at.'

That ruled me out twice, I was not going to risk bringing him back to full power again, if I could even get hold of so much power, and I would certainly not risk falling in love with him, or having him fall in love with me.

Lukas said: 'George, we need George. And will one of you anchor us?' This at us. Paul offered: 'We both will, he is so powerful, his mind will be so vast, we will need all the support we can get. Melissa found you in the maelstrom, she's better at seeing things, and I have more experience and more power.'

By now, George had arrived, and the four of us sat close together around the still shape in the grass. Paul and I sat on one side of Lukas, George on the other, and as we anchored Lukas firmly into the now, George tapped into the ley-line and connected to his mind.

I went along with Lukas, to help him with his task, and where necessary show him the way back, and I could see him use the power George fed him to to fill up the empty satchels where his father's personal power had been.

They seemed like so many bottomless pits, and when George had drained the ley-line he called it quits and took us with him into the now.

He said: 'This should be enough to keep him alive, but you still need to repair the damage that was done when his life-force was drained to be used as magical power.

So now Lukas went in again, this time with George taking power carefully from the node and feeding it to him, and Lukas activated his talent.

I couldn't go with him this time, but I could see the body before me reviving, gaining colour, little spasms activating his muscles from his extremities to his hands and feet, then to his arms and legs, and finally to his torso.

Then I felt Lukas break the connection, and he toppled over into our arms. Paul and I held him close to us, incredibly proud of him, having defied his father through awful threats, then have the compassion to heal him.

George was none the worse for wear, and he proceeded to try and wake up Hermes with one of those bottles of herbs that Frances had brought. She had also brought a whole pot of the special tea, and we all enjoyed a cup.

The smell of the bottle did indeed revive the still shape, he did not have the strength to sit up, but he was awake and aware, though something seemed to bother him. Well, I could imagine that quite easily, I guessed he had planned this day a lot differently.

George was sitting next to Hermes, and the stricken god looked first at him in wonderment and quite a bit of need, then at Lukas, still out cold in our arms.

Hermes was very weak, but he tried to speak. Nothing understandable came out of his mouth. George stroked his short hair, so different from Lukas' rough curls, and his angelic face.

I could still remember what it looked like in the throes of rage, but the memory didn't frighten me. It made me pity him, to have so much power, and so little love.

Under George's gentle ministrations, the god on his lawn accepted he was too weak to speak yet, and he surrendered to the loving touch of the handsome mage. Meanwhile, Lukas started to stir as well, and he revived a lot quicker.

Soon, he sat up against us, and drank his own cup of restorative tea, which brought him to his usual state of exhilaration after a successful healing. He wanted to be kissed by both of us, and we eagerly did.

After that he told Paul: 'You promised to dance with me tonight, will there still be a party?' Paul kissed him again and stroked his rough hair, and replied: 'If anyone deserves a party today, it's you Lukas. I'm so proud of you, you faced your fears today, and you did it with pride.'

Lukas laughed delightedly and laid down on our laps again, this time facing his father, who had been watching our interaction silently, looking up at George whenever he stopped stroking him.

I could see no anger or fear in him, he looked just totally exhausted, and still bothered by that other something, which I suddenly realised was not humiliation, but ordinary pain.

I asked him: 'Do you have a headache?' and got an almost desperate look of incomprehension. Lukas now repeated my question in Greek, and Hermes very slowly nodded in reply, his face showing his pain clearly now, as if he finally understood that the unknown unpleasant sensation he experienced was pain.

George helped him to sit up a little, and held a cup of cooled restorative tea to his lips. After a few sips of that magical stuff he started to look a little better, and he closed his eyes in relief for a few moments.

When he opened his eyes again, there were tears in them, and from that moment on I felt kind of sorry for him, a god brought so low by his own folly and hubris. Frances now came to ask: 'Shall we continue the party? The guest have been calmed down and are ready for some good food and a little dancing.'

George looked at us, and we said: 'Yes, please,' simultaneously. Lukas looked positively relieved and eager to share in the revel. He observed: 'You should join your guests, I'll keep and eye on my dad, will you stay too, George?' George said: 'If you want me to, Lukas, I will. They can party without me, Frances has everything in hand.'

Hermes looked up at George when he heard his voice, still unable to speak, and George resumed his caresses as he said: 'Shall we move our guest to a somewhat more comfortable place, where he can sleep a little?' They carried the motionless man to an easy long-chair on the edge of the lawn, beneath a large tree, a lovely spot, where they could sit in relative quiet and still see the party going on.

When my father offered to stay with them as well, I decided it was time we mingled with the guests, turn this weird occasion back into the party it was meant to be.

We led the first dance of course, Paul and me, but neither of us felt very comfortable partying with Lukas watching over his father after hearing him threaten our friend with everything Lukas feared, and worse.

During our dance, we discussed what was to be done, and after the dance, when the floor was filled with couples, even Paul's parents were dancing, and Marcus led one of my sisters very elegantly, we put our plan into action. I circulated amongst our guests, talking to my mum first, as Paul fetched Lukas for their promised dance.

Of course George and my dad wouldn't mind watching Hermes, who would probably be asleep by now, after such an ordeal. After an hour I would return to Hermes with Lukas, and Paul would entertain our guests.

Lukas would not be left without one of us, it was understandable he wanted to stay with his father and patient, but not with us partying as if he didn't exist.

As I was talking to my mum I saw Paul step on to the dance-floor with Lukas. I said: 'Mum, could we just watch them for a while?'

She looked at me and replied: 'Sure love, if it is not painful to you?

I said: 'It makes me very happy to see Paul and Lukas together. It'll be difficult for them, they're both used to lead.'

I was surprised to see Paul so totally at ease before the entire company, leading Lukas through the next three dances. For of course it was Paul who led and Lukas who followed, Lukas was still so shy towards Paul it was unthinkable he'd take the lead already.

Watching the reaction of our friends, I saw few strange looks. Only my sisters and Paul's parents seemed at all surprised to see the two men dancing intimately, and of course they didn't really know what was going on.

I must admit my feelings were shaken quite a bit, I experienced a decided heat, as always when observing my two men being intimate, and I was very much touched, nearly to the point of crying. Lukas' admission of loving Paul much more than Paul would ever be able to return, and his brave defiance of his father had moved me enormously, and seeing him in Pauls arms now, totally surrendering himself to his feelings, had me very close to tears.

It is as if Paul understood and wanted to cheer him up, for after the third dance he led Lukas towards the orchestra, exchanged a few words with its leader, and the music changed towards the style of the dance yesterday, happy and very, very fast.

This had the young people cheering. Of course Tristan and Ilsa joined the fun, and Julia and Jonas, and Jonathan had convinced Lucy to brave the dance floor.

Marcus was now testing my other sister's stamina, and Frances had ensnared Paul's father, though of course they had known each other for years. He kept up rather well, she was superb, same as yesterday.

My main focus was on Paul and Lukas of course, and Lukas was flying already. Paul even managed to let him lead, and my admiration for their dancing went up even more, they looked so well together.

After two more dances, Paul parted from his partner to mingle with the guests, and Lukas asked me to dance with him, before he saw to his father again. It was another slow dance, and as I held Lukas, who was only slightly out of breath, I laid my head on his chest and just enjoyed his strong lead and his musky scent for a few minutes, not trusting myself to speak to him, for I was still so affected by his situation today that I would surely lose my self-control and spill a few tears.

After those few minutes, he broke the silence: 'I'm so happy Melissa, I don't have to fear my father anymore, and I finally got to dance with Paul. It was wonderful, you know he told me he wanted it as much as I did. I think I was mistaken, he does love me as much as you do, he doesn't want to have intercourse with a man, but that is just sex, not love. Imagine him having thought of making a ring for me, similar to the one you both have?'

That had been a pleasant surprise, for me too. It must have made a huge impression on Lukas, even though his worst nightmare had come true immediately afterwards. Lukas said: 'I've been in fears over my father for weeks, I'm almost relieved he really showed up, for if he hadn't, I would still be so very afraid. You will stay with me when I go sit with him, won't you?'

I kissed him, and replied: 'I certainly will. We're not going to leave you alone with him.' So I had been wrong, he hadn't been feeling melancholy dancing with Paul. So much the better.

I knew I needn't be jealous, but I did feel a little left out. Still, we all would at times.

After the dance we got something to eat and then we sat with Hermes, giving George and my dad the opportunity to party a little themselves.

Before he left, my father asked Lukas: 'I hope you can forgive me for setting your father free, you know he really couldn't have broken that seal from the inside.

But I thought he had a right to see you one more time, and Paul told me you were so afraid of him it might ruin your life, always living in fear.'

Lukas embraced him and said: 'As I said to Paul when he asked exactly the same thing: thank you for freeing me from my own fear. Now I can truly be myself, and when he is back to where he came from I'll feel as free as a bird.'

This troubled my dad, and he said: 'Lukas, please don't forget that your father is used to being a god, and to be obeyed.

Your people have set him up to be what he is. Having fallen and proven to be as fallible and mortal as all of us in this place, he may yet change.

He has felt rejection, failure, and pain, and he is very, very tired now. Maybe he deserves another chance from you?'

For the second time today I saw unfamiliar expressions in Lukas' features, anger, and distrust, and suddenly I understood my father's own motive in releasing Hermes.

Lukas had never known those emotions, and my dad wanted him to overcome them before they became part of his character.

Lukas had taught so many people about love already, and my father wanted him to be able to continue to do so, but for that Lukas needed to be his best self, without our human shortcomings.

Of course Hermes had those all too human traits as well, he had proved it to us today by the things he had said to Lukas, the threats he had delivered to the sweetest person I had ever known.

And I think my dad wanted Hermes to be the next person to be taught about love by his own son, making him a better man and a better ruler through his experience here on our world.

I had always liked my dad, but now I could really admire him as well. He seemed much more than just a factory worker, more than just a mage even.

Paul's parents had proven themselves so petty and shallow, even though they were fabulously rich and very influential. My dad rose above all that, and I was so proud of him I hugged him closely and asked him to let himself be introduced to Paul's parents by Paul himself.

Maybe he could sow some benevolent thoughts with them as well, see if they might show some real, honest interest in their deserving son. My dad promised, and left for the party.