The beaming sun had fully peeked over the vacant ocean and the first of the city folk began to appear in the square. Alexios looked up towards the sky in frustration. He had been waiting for nearly an hour and the pias leader had yet to show. He leaned against the marble pillar with a doubting sigh and crossed his massive arms over his silver chest. His mind began to wander as he leaned his head back, his brown, shoulder-length hair fighting with the crisp sea breeze.

There was a sudden shift in the air. Alexios's eyes targeted the growing crowd searching it for the man he was destined to meet.

"Looking for someone?" Cicero asked in a sarcastic voice.

Alexios turned his head quickly. There weren't many people who could successfully sneak upon him, and those who did were typically disposed of within seconds. But Cicero's voice was too familiar to act in such an irrational way, even if Alexios didn't immediately recognize him.

"You should be careful who you sneak upon, they might just turn around to kill you." He threatened.

"Typical Deimos," Cicero laughed, "Always so quick to make threats, even to those closest to him." He stood carefully by Alexio's side and quickly scanned the courtyard.

Alexios tightened his fists, who was this man to mock him in such a way? He planned his response carefully, another threat. But as he opened his mouth to speak a familiar scent engulfed him, the floral smell of lavender. He knew instantly who this stranger was and couldn't help but fight the seeds of jealousy that stirred within him.

"It's been a while, Cicero. The mind tends to forget what's not important to it."

"Ouch." Cicero eyed him, inspecting his 6ft frame closely, drinking in every detail that he could. It wasn't hard to see why Aleera would fluster at the sound of his name, he was in every way perfect, a physical representation of a god.

"Did she send you?" Alexios asked in a frustrated groan. He kept his eyes focused on the crowd, fighting the urge to meet Cicero's heated stare.

"No." He answered, stepping in front of Alexios, "I came on my own accord."

Alexios crossed his arms over his chest. He took a moment to break his focus and rested his eyes upon Cicero's concerned expression. The two men were no more than acquaintances, only speaking in passing. They had little in common other than their association with Aleera and it was clear that they both preferred it that way. There was always a thick tension whenever they would meet and jealousy was always the culprit. Cicero had what Alexios wanted, something he knew that he could never have. He longed for the spiritual connection Cicero and Aleera shared and firmly believed he deserved it. But no matter how much he resented Cicero for claiming Aleera, he also deeply respected him, mostly for his wit and fast thinking.

The same could be said for Cicero. He had an admiration for Alexio's power because he knew he could never match it. However, that was where Cicero's respect ended and the threat of insecurity began. Cicero knew that there was a piece of Aleera that would always be reserved for Alexios, and while he hid his jealousy behind flirtatious gestures, he was deeply sickened by the possibility of Alexios taking his love away from him.

"Well, are you going to say what it is you want? Or just waste my time?" Alexios smeared. He lifted his head to look over Cicero's shoulder and could see a small band of guards approaching.

Cicero scrunched his nose, "Aleera trusts you with her life, and to this day I'm not sure why." He stepped forward, pulling Alexios's attention back onto him. "I simply came to reassure that confederation."

A deep hum vibrated through Alexios, he relished the jealousy of Cicero's tone. They were nearly nose to nose, Alexios looked down slightly to maintain the intensity of their stare, "It's interesting how you claim to love her, and yet, now, after all this time, you question her judgment."

"I'm not questioning her judgment, Deimos." Cicero hissed, "I'm questioning your loyalty." He took a deep breath, then exhaled his resentment and frustration. He didn't go there to argue, and so he drew back, exemplifying another one of his humbling qualities. He softened his expression and place a solemn hand on Alexios's shoulder. "I just need to know that you'll be there for her if I cannot."

Alexios raised his brows in interest. There was more meaning behind Cicero's words, although he didn't yet know what that meaning was. "I know you don't trust me, Cicero," He put his hand on his shoulder and pulled him an inch closer, "But I promise you, anyone who tries to harm Aleera will meet a swift end at the edge of my blade." His voice was deep, almost like a wolf's growl.

Cicero nodded. There was one thing about Alexios that he could fully trust, and that was his rage. If nothing else, he was satisfied knowing that Alexios would keep Aleera safe while in the company of Poldarkes, and for that he was grateful. His hand slid off of Alexio's shoulder and he began to walk away with one final thought, he wondered if Alexios would have the strength to kill his own sister if she prompted it.

...

There was little time for Alexios to brew over their conversation. His target appeared just as Cicero had parted. A circle of soldiers, no more than 4 men began to approach him. Their dark armor and shielded faces were familiar to him and their purple sashes marked the sign of the cult. He straightened his posture and presented his habitual scowl, waiting for Poldarkes to part the guards to confront him.

The cultist guards held their shields close to their chests as they fanned around Poldarkes, who cautiously stepped forward. The guards kept a tight formation around him, moving with him as he approached until Alexios was inside their circle. His eyes narrowed on the short, bearded man. Poldarkes were shrouded in wear. His eyes were dark with sleeplessness and his well-kept whiskers did little to hide the gauntness of his cheeks. Aleera was right, he did look desperate. But his stubbornness would never allow him to admit it.

"It's about time you showed up," Alexios muttered, "I was about to leave."

There was a hint of shock in Poldarke's stone-like expression but the rest of his body showed beamed irritants. He walked right up to Alexios, showing no sign that he feared him, " Of all the people in this world, I never expected it to be you." He said in a gruff voice.

Alexios offered a short-lived smile. He parted his lips, then sealed them tightly. His eyes flashed towards the crowded streets. Something, or rather someone, had caught his attention.

"There are eyes and ears everywhere," Alexios whispered. He rested his gaze back on Poldarkes, "we are being watched." He said coldly before ushering Poldarkes and his posse into the temple.

Poldarkles trotted silently by Alexios's side, he was just under a foot shorter than him, and yet he was just as intimidating. The cultist guards forced the civilians and priests outside and tightly closed the doors, locking Alexios and Poldarkes inside Apollo's Temple.

"What is all this about, Deimos?" Poldarkes shrewdly asked.

Alexios took a deep breath and relaxed the tension in his body. He folded his arms over his chest and turned around, "That letter you received, I wasn't the one who wrote it."

Poldarkes pulled the parchment from his waistband and held it tightly in his hand, "yet, here you are." he frowned, wagging the letter at Alexios.

Alexios's lips snaked into a smile, he reached into his leather pouch and retrieved the letter Aleera had written him, "The author of these letters is more cunning than you think." He slowly moved the paper into Poldarke's view, "It would be in your best interest to listen to what they have to say."

"Hah!" Poldarkes laughed, "how could I possibly accept an alliance with someone who is too much of a coward to show their face?" Poldarkes crumpled the parchment in his fist and tossed it aside,"If this author is as credible as you say, then why isn't he here?"

Alexios narrowed his darkened eyes, he knew that Poldarkes was stubborn and would only listen to what he wanted to hear, but his short temper was becoming increasingly irritating. He manifested a threatening growl as he began to fabricate an appropriate response.

"She." He emphasized, "knew you would come searching for the author of that letter, and therefore couldn't risk the attention. After all, this rebellion had cost you more than just your reputation as a leader, and the promise of a powerful ally is too good to pass on."

"you mean to tell me, that the all-mighty demigod is now taking orders from a woman?" Poldarkes threw his hands in the air dramatically, "you have lost your mind Deimos!"

Alexios pushed the letter back into his pocket with a sigh, "and yet my authority continues to go without question, unlike yours." He took a step closer to Poldarkes and pressured him with an intimidating truth, "Don't think for a moment that the cult is turning a blind eye to this rebellion, if you are unable to extinguish it, then we will find someone who will." He growled.

"I'm not intimidated by you, Deimos." Poldarkes challenged. He stepped closer, bringing them nose to nose, " you will NOT threaten me in my own city."

"That's a shame," Alexios snarled, "and that's not a threat, it's a promise."

There was electricity between the stare of these two men. If something were to pass between them, the heat from their silent battle would burst it into flames. There was a truth in Alexios's words and Poldarkes hated to admit it. If he were to lose the islands to the rebellion, he would likely be killed by Kyra and her men. However, if he managed to escape before they could kill him, then the cult would hunt him as a deserter of the cause, which would be a fate worse than death.

After what felt like minutes, Poldarkes backed down. He turned his back to Alexios and ran his hands through his short brown hair, "if I were to accept this alliance, what would your patron require in return?"

Alexios softened his expression, pleased with his tactics and their unquestionable results. He turned and faced the large marble statue of Apollo, "You have something that she wants." He vaguely explained. In all honesty, he didn't know how else to explain it, Aleera wasn't clear about what the artifact was or what it looked like. All she mentioned was the importance of it and the potential power it possessed.

"You are going to have to be much more specific than that if I am to accept this union." Poldarkes crossed his arms over his chest and turned to face Alexios, who was facing the other direction. He tilted his head and smirked, "of course, that's if she shared those details with you."

Alexios bit back the urge to lash out, he hated being questioned, and the notion that Poldarkes was right hurt his pride even more. He was obviously annoyed with how little information Aleera shared with him about the artifact, but there was always a reason for her actions and he had no room to question her.

"I respect her privacy, so I didn't ask for details. Shocking as it may be, I do have morals." He looked over his shoulder and shrugged, "But I don't believe it's anything you couldn't live without." he lied.

"Hmm" Poldarkes scratched his thick beard. He never thought Alexios to be the type of person to care for anyone other than himself, and the thought that he could have feelings of any sort was shocking. But regardless of that, he had to make a decision, and if what Alexios had said was true, then he didn't have much to lose at all.

After a long silence, Poldarkes made his decision, "alright," he said with a heavy sigh, " you can tell this woman that I accept her proposal. Under two conditions."

Alexios smiled as he turned around, "There are always conditions," he said sarcastically, "what are they?"

Poldarkes counted on his fingers as he spoke, "One, the others mustn't know about this alliance."

Alexios rolled his eyes, "as if that would save your sorry reputation." he thought. "What else?"

Poldarkes took a quick breath as if taking a risk with what he was about to say, "You speak highly of this woman, and it's clear that she has a strong influence over you. I may not know you well, Deimos, but I know your reputation. You play by your own rules and get exactly what you want regardless of the opinions of the cult." he paused and raised a single brow and curved his lips to a cunning smile, "What I want to know, is what kind of woman could turn a man such as yourself into such a weakling?"

It took Alexios a moment to digest what Poldarkes had said. Did he honestly believe that Alexios was weak? If so, it was unacceptable. He could never allow such rumors to be spread about him, even if parts of them were true.

Alexios grit his teeth, nearly shattering them with the pressure. A low growl rumbled through him as he unsheathed his sword. "Do you truly believe me to be weak, Poldarkes?" He said with a threateningly calm voice. He slowly ran his fingers over the sharp edge of the blade, as if to send a warning.

The cultist leader instantly regretted his words. There was a fire in Alexios's eyes that burned them into darkness. It was as if the man he had been conversing with had vanished and was replaced with a soulless demon. Poldarkes gripped his sword tightly and took a step back. His heart quickened but he refused to allow his unease to show on his face, "I was simply inquiring about the jurisdiction of this woman and why you have such faith in her."

Alexios exhaled a deep hum and walked towards Poldarkes, swinging his sword over his shoulder. He stopped only inches away from him and lowered his dark gaze, " I have my reasons." he said dryly, "perhaps it's the same reason the cult still has faith in you."

Poldarkes bit his tongue. Every fiber in him wanted to scream in his defense but he couldn't bring himself to do it, "we're done here." he mumbled. Turning on his heel, he headed for the closed doors of the temple, "Tell your Patron I would like to meet with her, alone. We need to discuss her terms more meticulously." He quickened his pace, not willing to give Alexios the time he needed to protest.

"You're daft to think that.." His voice was cut off by the sound of opening doors. Civilians flocked inside the temple and Poldarkes disappeared amongst them. Alexios clenched his jaw tightly, holding back a menacing growl, "you'll never get the chance to be alone with her, mark my words." he mumbled, as he trudged towards the exit.

He eagerly awaited the feeling of the warm sun and as he approached the open doors he could feel the temperature begin to change. The warmth had always calmed him, and after such a vexing meeting he was in desperate need of tranquility. Just as he crossed the threshold and inhaled the sweetness of the lavender air, someone brushed by his side.

The touch was so light and delicate that Alexios wouldn't have even sensed it if it weren't for the familiarity of it. He tuned. His face drained of color as though he was looking at a ghost.

Aleera looked over her shoulder, a smile painted across her shadowed face. She continued to walk towards the large statue of Apollo, leaving a trail of floral scented air behind her. She had been lingering around the temple since daybreak, taking note of all the people who came and went. She witnessed Cicero and Alexios meeting and even spotted Kassandra lingering in the crowd. In all ways she was like a ghost, hiding in plain sight and never being noticed. Living up to her reputation as captain of the Spyro, the Spirit of the Sea.

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