A crisp earthy smell of moss and undergrowth fell around the party of travelers making way through the pristine forest. Sentries of fir and pine, high as the mountains themselves, stretched forever in a blanket of lush greenery. Sunrays beamed like lasers, vaporing the fog and hitting the film of dew which drowned the foliage in a jeweled spark. Vines garnished the sturdy arms of pine where squirrels titter into sappy holes.

Hooves of great stallions cracked and snapped the felled branches. A small litter's wheels trailed lines along the dampened grass. They moved calmly, winding through the path and causing a trivial disarray amongst the forest creatures. Birds leapt and squawked above them, chatting in the language of their own whilst the lizards hid their heads in the underbrush.

Mars could not remember how many times he cleared his throat. There was barely daylight when they left the gates and an hour later the only voice they could hear was Jupiter's, his enormous tones heartily singing away. The Roman king would turn his head while on horseback, fill them with stories of how delightful the others would be to have Nike in Rome…

"We will watch in the grand Coliseum… cheer for the best sport, ha! It would be glorious!" Jupiter kept reiterating the list of things to keep Nike interested. The girl would shyly nod. When she'd laugh it almost sounded mandatory.

Behind them, Athena was trying her best to ignore Mars peering at the side of her veil. She wore a juniper shade of cloak as a form of camouflage, her pale face surfacing beneath a thick hood.

"Wouldn't this be difficult for you?" Mars finally pulled out a conversation starter, keeping the pace of his dark bay steed with hers "You've looked after her since she was a babe."

The Queen faintly smiled. Her silence made Mars' ears heat in shame. He was about to give up keeping her company when –

"She will not disappoint you," Athena finally blinked at him, "And I put confidence she is far from a hostage in your home."

Mars laughed at the word, "That's weighty. Hostage."

It was, indeed, quite difficult for Athena to bear. Nike had grown in her bosom, an entity rebirthed in flesh and given to her by Zeus to ward. She could not see herself a motherly figure, not even to Erichthonius, and aimed to only treat her a student… yet she could not deny the sting of her departure. If not for another one of Jupiter's demands that they bring home what he termed a 'collateral' while the Olympian monarchs are not yet with child. She had trained Nike obedience above all things, as she was to her own father. And though she saw Nike's swollen eyes in the morn, the girl was more than obliged.

"So how do you feel about going back?" the Queen asked, glancing at him between focus on the grassy path. He was dressed back in furs and leathered jerkin, hair tied behind his head.

Mars narrowed his eyes to mimic deep thinking – "Mm. Good. Anxious, for the most part."

"Ah of course," she chuckled, "The answer to your marriage proposal awaits the grand homecoming. I will be expecting your wedding invitation in a week. A word of advise – please wear anything but red on that day. Gods no one would want to see a groom looking like a bloody mess."

The god laughed, rich but nervous, "Let's see about getting an answer first, can we?"

"Really, Mars? You, to doubt – " "Rider!"

They paused at an approaching wild gallop breaking the ground. The birds shot into panicked flights above them as the storm of snapping branches increased in volume. Hand on the hilt of his sword, Mars steered his horse before the litter where his Queen mother rides.

"What is it, chi – " "Mother, stay inside," he raised his voice, "Protect your King, the Queens, and Nike, whatever happens. Two in front. Shield to the sides and above. Arrows up!"

"Wait," Athena's breath hitched. The horseman's figure began surfacing over the thicket of trunks. Her eyes widened at the fiery glow of eyes in hot pursuit.

She pulled the bridles and all fell silent upon the Ares stirring a commotion, galloping past them only to stop a good few yards from his wife. His roan steed flailed its powerful front legs up in the air with a high pitched whicker that inspired fear. The bows once aimed at him seemed to have lowered on their own. Ares calmed the beast with his low whistle before facing his Queen who was now losing saturation from his sudden appearance.

"You leave without bidding me goodbye hm?" Ares glowered. In the midst of his anger was a silent desperation he was losing to – "What a shitty move."

"Ares what are you doing here?" Athena's voice was reduced to almost a whisper. She felt the pain he endured on horseback, at his bones that rattled with every beat and a wound that has perhaps reopened from inside.

Ares looked around, at the eyes now speculating his motive – Jupiter, Juno peeking out the window of the litter, and Mars in all wariness. Servants and riders. And Nike. Every soul was watching him.

Tartarus.

"I… I don't know how to do this…" there's no turning back, though.

"Do what…"

Ares' hold on the reigns wound tighter. His heart began to drill slow but deep, trapping his breaths. "Dissuade you from leaving… me."

Like waves receding from the shore, Athena suddenly felt aback. "Ares can we please talk about this at ho – "

"I'm no poet. And I am never the ideal romantic... I was never good with words. But please," he swallowed, thick and dry, "Listen to me. Give me this chance and listen to me…"

A gentle breeze slipped fluidly past them, making the horses snicker and he knew he was now at center stage's limelight. Ares inhaled. In this theater he only concentrated at Athena being at the dais now waiting for his performance. The twinges of pain was swallowed by an interpretive numbness – this is now or never.

"My Queen… my wife…" he bit his lower lip only to let go as quick, "I know you only live for the realm. No one is as loyal to Olympus as you; it is unquestionable. You protect it ruthlessly as if it were your lover. And I know if it comes to point, you are willing to die for it…"

He sighed shakily, shut his eyes with a struggling expression, waging a doomed war with only his disoriented wits to win her –

"I was always convinced love could make one weak… cowardly… senseless. But I never felt weak with you, nor any of the myths I was used to believing. And I know why – you are my Olympus, Athena. I want to…"

Silence. Rustling of leaves.

"I want to stay loyal to you... protect you, nourish you. Where you are a wall, I want to be your fortress. Contrary to belief, you never make me weak. You forge me, harder than steel… warmer than molten iron. You… you're the last thread of my humanity, weaving wider into a fabric and into a cloak…

"What was then the point of clothing me in kindness when you'd tear off such garments thereafter?"

He saw the sparkle of tear that fell from her cheek. She had the face of his haven. Of sunrays hitting the spectral droplets of rain, deep echoing waters, still beautiful. Still ethereal. Ares felt his own eyes burn, his throat moisten and his vision turn watery. He was breaking, but had to try harder concealing the weakness nibbling his edge.

Her voice was hallowed, turning it into a whisper – "Why are you saying this…?"

The King descended his horse, flinching at the injuries he tried best to ignore, "Someone once told me some things are meant to be said." One step. "A century from now I would not want to be looking at an empty space, imagining how things could have changed if I only spoke my mind…"

As Athena watched him limp nearer with an air of roguish catatonia about him, how she wanted to run away to uncoil the knots in her stomach. This should not be; she never asked for this… she never asked him for love. Love terrified her. It made her inconsistent, unreliable even to her own self, exposed her vulnerability… and made her feel desire. Lecherous desire. Call it lust, if you may. And how she hated it. She hated it because in the abysmal pits of her soul she ached to be loved amid this torture, for more of those foggy moments it wasn't awful in her husband's arms. But now that it was coming for her as a hurricane, she was at verge of being swept off her reasons.

"You and I both know love was not what brought us together…"

Stop… Athena closed her eyes, spreading tears on her lashes.

"You suffered me in silence, endured my cruelty. You bore through my wroth self and taught me things I thought I was never capable… and you made me love you."

Go away.

She opened her eyes at the feel of her horse snigger in place, and Ares's hand on her hip. He looked up at her, and Athena saw, for the first time…

Fear.

Docile fear that marred his handsome features. Fear that made him grovel, turned him pale and drew hot tears from his once formidable scarlet eyes. He was shaking; burying his face on her lap, he made a tight, trembling grip on her dress.

"I love you," he spoke in pain and passion, gritted teeth as he looked up, "And I will spend a thousand eternities amending my mistakes if it means having you stay."

She condoned the words to course through her like drug in her drink. For a moment it felt a dream and Athena waited for reality to slap her back and yet they remained there, with the falling leaves and mossy terrains, with the gauche stares from an unlikely audience witnessing the King cast his pride for a woman. But with it sprang hope, burning the sconces brighter; they can make it work.

They can and they will.

The Queen leaned over with a hand on his cheek. Brushing her thumb on his scar, she spoke soft with a smile, "I vowed to be yours, Ares. For better or worse. I intend to keep it," her hand reached out for his, fingers threaded together so he could feel her ring and its promising warmth. She saw his face alight.

"Let's see our allies off… then we could go home."

As if a dagger was ripped off his lungs, Ares heaved, finally breaking into tears he had never before shed as much. He pressed her hand on his face, kissed her fingers over and over with heart wallowing in relief. His emotions were pouring wayward like flames and snowstorm, like coming off victorious in a battle he had almost succumbed to the dust. Athena weaved her fingers through his unruly hair until he sniffled off to his awaiting stallion.

Once again Nike threw her arms around her mistress, unable to stop the soft sobs venting from her chest. Athena held her ward for the last time, patting her hair, kissing her brows – "Be good, learn well, my dear. I will expect your parchments week by week."

Nike nodded, ever sweet and dutiful. A ship awaited behind them, swaddled in gold and glittery mast.

The Queen saw Mars descend from the plank and she knew it was time.

"Mars will take care of you," she wiped a tear from moist blue eyes. "He misses a single meal of yours, you send me a message and I will turn him to dust, you get that?" Athena raised her voice with a grin and Mars chuckled.

Ares stood by in watch and wait, immediately tensing when the Roman approached him with a gloved hand outstretched. He rolled his tongue on the wall of his mouth and nodded before placing his own heavy palm at Mars' shoulder.

In a shock, Mars let out a blasted groan, his breath knocked off him as Ares' fist dug deep into his abdomen.

Nike yelped and Athena's eyes widened in horror. "Ares WHAT ARE Y – "

"Gooods how I've always wanted to do that!" the King growled comically, pulling his knuckles from the crouching redhead but still keeping him steady with the other arm. Mars let out a deep moan, slowly mixed with a somewhat pained laughter.

Athena's frozen expression was thawed when Mars stretched his back and finally did Ares grip arms with him with the security of true comradeship...

"Next time we meet I'd be married?" Mars shrugged, half his face still twitched in pain.

Ares chuckled, "Poor woman. To be fucked with a wooden cock."

Their laughter were the sounds of a dying horse, sickening to the ears and making Athena roll her eyes. When the bell rang for the final summon, she gathered Nike once more in her arms. And just like that they parted, with Nike giving a glance at the King who stared long at her before giving a nod filled with meaning.

Seagulls batted the air with unruly wings.

Ares and Athena watched from a high ground the gold-polished ship be enveloped in a mist until it disappeared. The sea remained undisturbed as if nothing mystic had actually occurred in the riptides. With the many companions they had just a moment ago, it felt dementing to be suddenly left alone...

The Queen's steed shook its head and neighed, awakening his mistress who released a long sigh before clicking her tongue twice so they could reenter the forest.

As they rode in the shadowed path, Ares glanced at her once, twice, and on both times noticed the distant stare and constant smile as if she was dancing to a merry tune. She looked radiant, felt radiant, and it was wonderful to see her such.

Athena turned to him, head swaying in the ride. She looked… happy.

"What?" the King casually asked. He wondered how slow the words reached her cognitive senses, for Athena blinked twice before a squeak – "What… what?"

"What are you smiling at?"

He meant to ask how Nike's departure could make her smile. It wasn't as if he complained. She looked pretty with the dimples surfacing now and then. But her ward had just been sent off and it will be the first hour they would have to live without the other.

"Nothing," the Queen shrugged. But then a sudden flash of curiosity came over her. "Ares, what made you think I was leaving off to Rome?"

"Dionysus, he…"

He pulled the reigns, face loosening to a shock – "Wait… you… what?"

"What, what?" Athena's cheekbones gleamed, getting to his point, "Dionysus, really? Let me guess. He was sober when he said it? Oh but then sobriety and intoxication are synonymous to him."

"So you weren't…" Ares tried to force the words but something had shoved them back, "You weren't leaving?"

"Why would I…?" Athena laughed, ever mirthful. His favorite music.

And then it dawned on him – The drama. The crying. The theatrical confession.

Bloody shit.

There was Mars.

Double bloody shit.

Quickly his imaginations drifted on how all those who had watched him would now apparently be gossiping how the King of Olympus, in all his unbathed glory, made a random scene at their parting. So this was the memory of him they'd be shipping back to Rome. Ares smacked himself mentally.

"Wha – Athena! Why haven't you told me then!" he caught up to her, grimacing at his own little show.

She raised a brow, "So you would rather have me blow your bubble in front of them all after that dramatic entrance? So they could remember the mighty Ares pranked like a fool?"

Ares mulled over her words. She had actually saved more of his egotism back then than he could ever have.

"So I was wondering…" Athena bit her lower lip before a smile she could not waver, "Which part of you was the not so good with words? Uhm, the un-ideal romantic?"

"Stop…" Ares murmured, feeling his neck thicken with heat at the gritty chuckles he was preventing himself. The Queen's laughter rang across him, putting him at ease. Until the sounds muted.

"Se Agapo."

He raised his eyes back to her, his bewildered gaze trying to meter if he had heard her right. Athena wasn't looking, though. She had reposed back to the solemn look she almost always wore. The road had suddenly become narrow. "I wasn't sure of it. And truth be told I did not want to entertain it. But you… you're an ever omnipresent force I could not escape. You deconstruct me in a way I begin doubting wisdom for what it was."

For what seemed like a constrictive moment they remained stilted, listening to the taps of hooves, drowning in silent overture… both wanting to strangle the other… both wanting to fuck the other. But this was the rarest most awkward moment too, when both are enthralled in stark joy they were unwilling to abdicate.

"Say it again?"

Athena looked at him, at the sheepish grin which made her brow raise. "If it would just make you deaf, I'd rather take it all back."

The King suppressed a snigger until she veered her steed to prance – "Race you to the gates?"

"You're challenging me?" Ares mocked lowly with a thumb pointed to his chest.

Strutting livelier but maintaining the pace, the Queen's steed was getting pumped with excitement. She scoffed, "Well who do think I am?"

"Mine."

Athena could have sworn her smile split her face ear to ear shamelessly, wishing he had not seen it before she whipped the reigns and left him smirking.

Ares watched with fondness even as she drove before him. The wind nipped her hood and freed webs of dark hair which bounced along the run. He could hear her loud whoops and laughter lost in the leafy canopies, a free spirit, berserk with delight. Chuckling to himself, the King pulled the bridles. Home, he remembered. They were going home.

Oh but he was already home.

End of Part I

A / N : Ah good gods that was long! So yes. I myself am shocked at 25 chapters and still Part I. I never thought it would stretch this far. Apologies. Anyway, I think this is the chapter I definitely "favorited" writing (if having a "chapter-I-favorited-writing' exists?).

By the way I implore writers who are interested in doing more athenares fics. I have two prompts I'm will to share to you. You could send me a PM or ask straight through reviews because I still give time to at least get back to responses since they (you) keep the drive going. Thank you. Thank you so much.

Sorry for the long notes. Again, please be safe. My love and prayers...