I'm amazed at how inspiration can come to my fingertips. I had original pictured this chapter going differently, but this worked out too. Also, I hope that nothing is too wrong, I wrote a good chunk while on codeine.


Pain. Throbbing and humming just on the other side consciousness was pain. The very knowledge of what was waiting made Eleni retreat into the darkness. On the other side it was too warm, stiflingly hot, but in the shade it was much cooler. There wasn't a breeze blowing, yet it felt so comforting, like laying on fresh sheets right after the bed had been made.

Before she could get too comfortable, Eleni felt searing heat on her left shoulder and encircling her waist. Though she struggled to get away from the spreading heat, it soon proved futile. Whatever it was had spread from her skin into her veins, engulfing her in its roasting warmth. She couldn't get air when she tried to breathe, and Eleni couldn't remember her last breath.

Come now, nestling.

Words that had once been an echoing caress in her head were now jarring and discordant. Eleni tried to physically shake the sound out of her head, but couldn't feel anything besides the heat.

Breathe, the voice commanded. Eleni tried to, hoping that if she did what the voice was saying, it would stop speaking. It was pointless. She made the effort, and it felt as if she was losing oxygen instead of gaining breath.

While before she'd been aware of every bit of her being because of the unbearable heat, now she could feel individual pinpricks on pain breaking through. Air was returning to her lungs in quick bursts, ironically, leaving her breathless in the process.

Just when Eleni could feel sensation from her heavy eyelids, as she was about to open her eyes, shards of ice cut through the heat and clamped around her heart. The hands clenched tighter and tighter, willing the beating organ to freezing and slow. Eleni gasped in pure pain, screaming silent cries for repose.

As she was about to drift back to the chilled nothing of her uncounciousness, more warmth, hotter than anything Eleni had ever experienced, bloomed around the icy hands, melting them away. The same heat appeared at her ear.

I can't promise help another time, the voice crooned. It didn't hurt this time, it had reverted to its rhythmic tendency. Try to stay away from my dear brother, little chick.

Without warning, pain overwhelmed Eleni. Sensation had returned to every corner of her broken body, and she almost wished for the darkness again. Knowing better than to do so, Eleni instead focused on the weight that was resting on her chest.

It was too light to be one of the immortals she had managed to cut down, the shape too slim. Eleni tried to open her eyes, but found it too difficult, taxing even, and soon gave up. Letting her mind float away, Eleni knew that she was only falling asleep and not going back to the dark place she had trapped herself in. Sleep seemed infinitely beneficial at the moment, and she found herself craving it.


He came to her in a form that he often favored. Years ago, aly had told her tiny daughter of how the Trickster was fond of this particular guise. He preferred to look more like a father-figure than a god when chastising his charges. Eleni supposed that the salt-and-pepper hair did the trick.

"You really better be worth the trouble," he teased. The easy smile on his copper face told Eleni that he knew she was undoubtably worthwhile. "I must be honest, though," the carefree demeanor wilted just a bit, quite possibly under the weight of the past day, or days; Eleni didn't exactly know how much time had elapsed. "My brother is very upset with us. Said that this was the last time he would step aside from doing his duty." His contenance went from grim to jovial in a flash. "So let us try to remain far from Death, little one."

If Eleni could have punched the smug arrogance out of the god, there was little doubt she would have done so at that moment. As it was, Eleni didn't even have time to respond.


Quicker than she aware of, Eleni felt herself being awakened.

There was still pressure on her chest, but now it was much more insistant. Much less gentle, the hands that were now probing her obvious wounds cared little for her level of comfort. Eleni couldn't help the grunt that escaped her lips. Immediately, she felt a hand run through her hair, although it wasn't too gentle.

And then she could hear everything. Something was bellowing off in the distance, groaning away in pain as it died. And the earth was trembling. The cadenced approach of many somethings was reverberating through the ground, and it was getting much closer, quickly.

All of it together sent Eleni back to sleep. When things quieted down, she would come to, that's what she told herself. It was much too loud and her head was pounding. The hand on her hair never stopped its motions, and it helped soothe her to rest.


The motions on her hair had turned gentle, maternal, but Eleni knew that she wasn't in the same place she had been before. Gone was the rough ground she had passed out on, in its place a soft day bed. Under her head was something more firm, a person's lap. Judging by the countless folds of fabric that were serving as a pillow, Eleni guessed that it was likely a woman's lap.

And it was a woman. Eleni could see that when she opened her violet eyes.

Glorious, with an ethereal aura surrounding her, the woman had emerald eyes, dazzlingly white skin, black hair, and full red lips. Akthough clothed in nothing more than a simple dress of fairest blue, the lady wore regality as if she had been borne to it. And this gorgeous woman was now stroking Eleni's hair.

Well, what appeared to be Eleni's hair, it was much longer and elegantly plaited. Making the effort to sit up, and meeting no resistance from the beautiful lady, Eleni saw that someone had changed her clothing, and her appearance. No longer a lanky child of eleven years, she was a grown woman, dressed in the finest on of silk dresses and filling it out just fine. She was as beautiful as the lady on the couch.

Turning to ask the woman what was going on, Eleni found the couch empty.

"Where did you go?" she whispered, almost to herself.

Lithe arms wrapped around her corseted waist, as a set of lips pressed a kiss to her neck. Standing ramrod still, Eleni waited for the person to explain themselves, for this was not the woman from earlier.

"I only left for a moment," he, it was definitely male, responded. "Did you miss me already, darling?" He continued to nuzzle her neck, unaware or uncaring of her shock. "I said I would check on the children for you." Another strategically placed kiss, and this more mature version of Eleni found herself sinking into his embrace.

"Yes," she murmured. "The children, of course."

As her vision started to go blurry, as she began to lose her sense of the moment, the lady appeared before her eyes. The man took no notice of the woman's presence, but it served to jerk Eleni out of his spell.

"Do you enjoy this?" For all her beauty, the woman's voices sounded like the baying of the hunting dogs kept in the kennels. It hurt Eleni to listen to the words, but she knew that what was being said was important. "Do you, my daughter?"

The man hadn't stopped his assault on Eleni's senses, but she retained anough wit to forma response. "Yes." The man's thumb had started to rub tiny circles on her abdomen; simplicity was all she could manage at the moment.

Without moving, the woman continued. "Would you trade your shield for this?"

That did it for Eleni. Eyes wide at the question, she forced the man's hands away and he did not resist her. With his hands went his overly skilled mouth, and Eleni almost regretted her actions. However, the woman's question was more pressing than the lost attentions of a man she hadn't even seen.

"Never."

The smile was almost imperceptible on the woman's ruby ready lips. "If you believe so, child."

And then it was black. In the pit of her stomach, Eleni felt something very heavy making its home. Perhaps, it might have been longing, but it felt more like regret.


Oh, I had fun with this chapter. I hope that I didn't confuse anyone. Any guesses as to who the lady was? Or the man? I was thinking of one very specific character when I modeled our mysterious lover.