2
I stormed out of the council room without saying goodbye. Is this really happening? Why would he want to marry me? As far as I'm concerned he is one of the Olympians who thinks I'm just a nuisance in their eternal life. Apollo didn't give me even a slightest chance to get to know him and we've known each other for centuries. What's his plan? What's their plan? And is that cursed sworn in front of my mother really true?
I found myself inside my chamber in Aunt Hestia's temple. I need to be alone. I need time to absorb everything that was thrown in front of me inside that cold room. I've been day dreaming about marrying him and brushing it off because I know that it will never happen. I never told anyone about my admiration to Apollo, I'm not courageous when it comes to him. I feel like he is my weakness. He will be the reason for my death. And with no choice at all, I need to marry him. Should I be happy?
"Eris, dear." Aunt Hestia called. She's back then. "Can I come in?" She enters the room without waiting for my answer. I've been with Aunt Hestia all my life so I know that she's here to console my broken heart. She wrapped me in her arms while saying comforting words. I wish Aunt Hestia is my mother but that is impossible, she's too pure to be the mother of chaos.
"You know that Zeus and Hera didn't want to mess with me, and they're aware that you're under my care." She said, I nodded. "I wish I can stop them from forcing you to marry Apollo, but I cannot…not when both immortals and mortals will suffer if Nyx succeeded in killing you." I'm not sure what to say especially the Goddess that I look up to cannot do anything to stop the predicament I'm in. "I don't want her to kill you, Eris. If it means that I should side with my brother right now, I will. I want to protect you. We will protect you from Nyx."
"She really hates me that much?" I asked but it sounds more like a confirmation that my own Mother wants to get rid of me ever since I came out of her womb. "I don't know what to do, I.." before I can continue with what I'm about to say, Apollo knocked on the open door surprising both of us. Just his mere presence gets me on my knees. How will I survive a marriage with this God?
"Can I talk to her Hestia?"
"Sure, I'll be outside if you need anything." Aunt Hestia stood up and left us inside my chamber. Apollo closes the door in an instant and started walking towards me. I've never been this close to Apollo, yes, we've been in the same place before but not this close. I can still remember the first time that I saw him, I was mesmerized. I know that he is the God of the Sun but I never thought that he'll be as bright as the Sun itself especially when he smiles. It was one of Dionysus party, Aunt Hestia invited me without asking for anyone's permission. I didn't know what to do so I did the lamest thing, I sat down the whole time watching them enjoy each other's company. I'm not sure if I'm drunk but when Apollo started to play his lyre, my eyes never left his. I'm like a moth attracted to his flame even if it means I'll die on the spot. I stared at him while his fingers play music which is healing the bitterness inside my heart, I stared at him from afar wishing that I can caress his handsome face and brushed his golden curls with my fingers. After that fateful night, I know that my heart belongs to him but I also know that my dreams of having him will only be just…dreams.
"So, why did you run away without even saying a word to me?" He asked. Oh for Tartarus sake, his voice is just as beautiful as his face.
"What do you want me to say?" I answered, trying to sound arrogant.
"Well you could've at least said hello to me, Eris." My name sounds so good on his lips. When does my name sounds this good? I don't quite recall.
"Why would I do that? You don't even know me. I don't even know you. And now they're asking us to get married? Are you not even mad about this, Apollo?" I want him to say that he is beyond mad in marrying me. I want him to say that he is opposed to this union as much as I'm opposed to it. I want him to tell me that he'll do anything to stop this impending union. But he didn't. Why?
"I'm not. Why would I be mad? You're Eris. Isn't it thrilling to be married to the Goddess of Discord?" He said casually like he doesn't even care if he'll marry me out of force. "Besides, marrying you will make me sort of a Good God to everyone. A sacrifice to save our lives." My heart drops from its high when he said those words. It makes me feel that he is doing this for his own sake and not because he genuinely wants to marry me. Oh come on, of course, he agreed in marrying me because he knows that he'll gain something from it. But is it really worth it to marry me? I don't think so.
"Oh, so you'll use me for your own sake." I said to him but more to myself.
"Do you think I'll marry you because I like to?" Hearing him say those words breaks my heart. "This is a political marriage, Eris. This is not a marriage out of love. I agreed in marrying you because in the end, it'll make me a hero. Much more of a hero than Zeus and Olympians combined, then by then…I can overthrow our dearest father, break our union, and you'll be an Olympian at last. What do you think?" He stood up and started walking away from me.
"I'll see you on the aisle, Eris. Have a good night." I didn't know that I'm holding my breath until he's out of my sight. I let out a heavy sigh and slumped on the bed. I never see him like that before. He is like this epitome of a Good God and now, he's the opposite. What else should I know about him? He is wicked. The God that I'm in love with is wicked like my mother. I know for sure that this marriage will make me miserable but much as I want to say no, my heart yearns for him, and hopes that maybe, if we'll get closer…he'll love me too.
I close my eyes and wait for Hypnos to let me sleep. This is an exhausting day; I need to rest. I woke up with hopes that what happened yesterday is not real and Morpheus is just playing with me and giving me dreams that feels like a nightmare but no, everything is real especially now that Apollo is looking at me with his charming smile and leaning on the wall while I'm still on my bed trying to figure out why the hell did anyone permits him to enter my room knowing that I'm fast asleep. I thank myself for not wearing my night gown last night and opt to wear the same dress that I wore while my fate is being decided inside my father's council room.
"What are you doing here?!" I asked.
"I just want to say good morning to my…bride." I rolled my eyes and he laughed.
"And do you want me to believe that?"
"Yes because I'm honest with you." He got a point though, his honesty makes me want to punch his handsome face especially after his confession yesterday. "Also, I want to invite you in my temple. If you don't mind joining me for lunch, then I'll be happy to serve you, Eris."
I don't think saying no will make him stop in asking me to join him for lunch so I told him that I'll just need to shower while he waits for me. I'm not sure what's his plan is but I'm sure that he wants to succeed by making me think that we have a chance in love. I took a quick shower and put my black long laced up dress with ruby gems that matches the color of my lips, bloody red. I let my raven colored hair to free flow. I want him to remember that I'm Eris, maybe he'll back out and changes his mind. I want him to realize that he's messing with chaos.
"Sure, I'll ask Artemis to visit you here, Hestia."
"That's good to hear, and also if you can ask her to bring me a lamb that would be great"
"Of course, she'll be happy to give it to you."
I interrupted their conversation by telling Apollo that I'm ready and dressed up. He looked at me from head to toe and raised both of his eyebrows. Great, now he's intimidated. I am quite smart myself, maybe even smarter than Athena. After all, I fooled her before in Thetis wedding.
"Great, lunch waiting. We'll go now, Hestia. I'll wait for you in the chariot, Eris"
"Enjoy the day then." He embraces Aunt Hestia before leaving and when he's out of the temple, Aunt Hestia looked at me with a little smirk on her face.
"What?"
"Just enjoy, Eris. Don't be so…hard on yourself. I'll see you later, love."
"I'll see you later, stop smirking. It makes me want to start a chaos"
"You know that we love chaos. Okay, go ahead. Your soon to be husband is waiting"
"Goddess, I hate you." And we both burst into laughter.
Just like what he said earlier, he is indeed waiting for me in his golden chariot. He helped me hop on this chariot and we flew to his temple where I'm not sure what is waiting for me. I hope his sister is not there, Artemis hates me and I hate her too.
"You look good." I looked at him with wide eyes. I thought he's scared of me.
"What did you say?"
"I said you look good. Black is your color, it matches your pale skin and red lips. You'll look good inside my temple." He pulled me closer to his body "And you smell good, Eris. I'm not sure if you want me to be scared of you or…you want me to bring you inside my room…onto my bed and…"
"Will you please stop?" I hissed.
"Sure. If that's what my goddess wants to." And just like that he acted like I'm invisible until we reached his temple where our feast is waiting. He moved out of his chariot and walk towards his temple without looking at me. I'm expecting him to help me just like what he did earlier but no, he didn't. I got of his chariot with a frown on my face and followed him inside where a golden temple awaits me.
"Such a bastard." I whispered to myself.
The moment I entered his dining hall, I wanted to run away. Inside the hall is Hermes, Ares, Athena, Artemis and Dionysus. What on Tartarus. I'll be spending my peaceful lunch with them? I wish Nyx will snatch me right now and kill me. I never spent lunch or dinner with any of them, I avoid them like a plague. I can't believe Apollo will do this to me. He is a pain in the ass.
"Hi, Eris! You look…dark." Hermes greeted with his usual cheerful voice. I wanted to say something like I hate them all but I just said hello. Apollo called my name and asked me to sit down next to his chair and next to his sister.
"Let's eat, I'm starving." Apollo said and we started our lunch. I remember the first and last time I joined the Olympians in a feast is the night that I started to have feelings to the God sitting beside me. And now, I'm eating with them like it's the most normal thing to do. They are talking about Gods and mortals I didn't know and I didn't care about so I decided to just eat and pretend that I'm alone, I'm used to being alone anyway.
"Eris, why are you so quiet? Are you okay?" Athena asked all of a sudden that I almost choked.
"I'm good. Don't mind me." I answered quietly.
"Come on, you'll be part of the Olympians soon. Aren't you excited?" I really hate Hermes optimism but out of all the Olympians, he is the one I hate the less. "We'll be good to you, Eris."
"How are you so sure that I'll join you soon Hermes?" I asked, mocking the Winged Shoe God.
"Oh you'll be. You'll never be here if you don't want to marry Apollo. I'm sure you're enchanted with his…lyre" I want to punch Ares's face for teasing me in front of everyone but I don't want to start a fight, not today, especially not inside Apollo's temple. I looked at him with piercing eyes and he pretended to be scared and they all laughed. This is too much for me.
I stood up and walked out of the hall. I hate them and now I don't have any choice but to join them because they don't want me dead. What a curse indeed.
"Eris!" Apollo called out my name but I didn't stop. Fuck, why am I crying? Bullshit! "Eris!" I don't want anyone of them to see me crying so I did my best to walk away from them. Before my feet landed outside Apollo's temple, he pulled me back and wrapped me inside his arms.
"Hey…I'm sorry. I'll talk to Ares, okay? And it is Ares. You know him. He didn't mean it. He is just teasing you." I didn't know that he got this effect on me. I feel like I'm melting inside his arms.
"And don't cry. I really hate it when someone is crying…especially if it's you." He is confusing the hell out of me but I cannot help but feel warm and fuzzy with his words. He may be wicked, or bastard, or rude…but he is still the God that I love and I can't help but fall harder knowing that soon, I will get to call him my husband.
"Do you want to go somewhere where we can be alone? I want to get to know you, Eris. At least some parts of you before our wedding day."
I want to say that I want him to leave me alone but when his golden brown eyes met my dark ones, I know that Ares is not lying when he told me that I'm enchanted with this God.
