Chapter Six
Aglaia flew as fast as she could, looking behind her shoulder once in a while. Where would she go? Where could she go? Akakios knew about Leo, so she couldn't go there. That would be the first place that he would find her.
All she had to do was stay hidden for a few months. Surely Akakios would not find anything to say that would excuse her absence for that long. She would have to go somewhere she would not be expected to be. She would have to stay with humans.
Aglaia flew aimlessly, searching for a house where she would most probably be welcomed. Flying higher, she saw a small town, just beyond the lavish city beneath her. Perfect.
She flew faster towards the town, adrenaline rushing through her body. Seeing a quaint little cottage at the end of the town, she started flying lower, deciding to stay there.
Aglaia walked slowly towards the door and took her ring off before she could forget. Now Akakios' men won't be able to know it was her even if they see each other face to face.
Taking a deep breath, Aglaia raised her hand and knocked on the door. The door opened to reveal a pretty, plump woman wearing an apron and holding a spoon.
"Why, my dear, you are soaked to the bone. Come in, come in!"
~~~
"What? What do you mean she's gone?" Akakios yelled at his personal servant, who cowered down. He grasped Thais by the neck. "The wedding is tonight. Find her. Now!" With that, he let the servant go, who stumbled to his feet and scurried away.
Akakios started pacing back and forth. He should've married her before when he had the chance. Her mother thought she could protect her child with that ring. At first, he was fooled too, but then he saw her without the ring... Nobody knew, of course about her hidden beauty. Nobody but him.
He flew towards the library and went down his secret chamber. He would make a potion. Let's see, bear or lion? He knew where Aglaia was. The castle. She would have no choice but to marry him. Either that or her prince turns into a beast. Whichever way, he still wins. True, he could've sent one of his men after her, but they would undoubtedly tell people about this. He couldn't have his people feeling that their leader's fiancee had a lover. Besides, the look on both their faces during the encounter would be worth it.
Undecided, Akakios wrote down a spell mixing both bear and lion in the transformation. Yes, he will get his bride.
~~~
"Well my dear, you should stay with us if you do not have anyone to go to. Here, have some tea." The woman placed a steaming mug of tea in front of her.
"Thank you, but I wouldn't want to be any trouble madam." Aglaia took the mug with both hands and sipped the tea carefully, at the same time hoping the woman would invite her.
"Trouble? No, it's no trouble at all. I want to help you. We don't really have a spare room, but there is the attic if you don't mind. I'll have to introduce you to my family. My husband is getting home a bit later from town and my two daughters should be getting here just about now." The woman smiled warmly at Aglaia and stood up to stoke the fire.
"Thank you." Aglaia repeated.
"Oh dear me, it seems that we have both forgotten our manners. I am Adela." She looked at Aglaia expectantly.
Aglaia smiled and put the mug down. "I am..." Aglaia looked away, she had better be cautious. "...Charites." Charites was another name for Aglaia, one of the three graces.
"Charites... that is a very interesting name."
"It is from mythology. Charites is one of the three graces."
Nodding, Adela smiled and motioned to her tea. "Well now, drink up!"
~~~
Akakios looked around the palace. So this was how the devil's place looks like. He walked outside, sensing the prince's presence there. There he was. The devil was sitting down on a stone bench, waiting. It seems he is waiting for this moment. For Akakios to arrive and kill him.
The prince raised his head and looked behind him, as if feeling Akakios standing behind him. "You startled me milord." Akakios smiled menacingly.
"Where is she?" He slowly walked towards the prince.
"Where is who?" The prince frowned in confusion and stepped back, realizing he was alone in the gardens with a possible madman. "What do you want?"
"You know who I'm talking about. I want my fiancee. Where is she? She's here isn't she? Where? Hiding in your bedroom, perhaps? Where is my fiancee?" Akakios barked out.
Realizing who he meant and what he meant by that, the prince staggered backwards in shock and shook his head. "Aglaia? She's not here. We were going to meet, but she didn't come."
"Well then, I guess I'll just have to improvise. If you insist on protecting her, then I'll have to punish you myself. It doesn't really matter what happens. Either way, I will win. Tell me, how does it feel like to be a beast?" Akakios' voice was silky and he looked at the prince with glittering eyes.
The prince's own eyes widened in horror and realization as Akakios started to chant.
"Andras metaballo liontari genno..."
Aglaia flew as fast as she could, looking behind her shoulder once in a while. Where would she go? Where could she go? Akakios knew about Leo, so she couldn't go there. That would be the first place that he would find her.
All she had to do was stay hidden for a few months. Surely Akakios would not find anything to say that would excuse her absence for that long. She would have to go somewhere she would not be expected to be. She would have to stay with humans.
Aglaia flew aimlessly, searching for a house where she would most probably be welcomed. Flying higher, she saw a small town, just beyond the lavish city beneath her. Perfect.
She flew faster towards the town, adrenaline rushing through her body. Seeing a quaint little cottage at the end of the town, she started flying lower, deciding to stay there.
Aglaia walked slowly towards the door and took her ring off before she could forget. Now Akakios' men won't be able to know it was her even if they see each other face to face.
Taking a deep breath, Aglaia raised her hand and knocked on the door. The door opened to reveal a pretty, plump woman wearing an apron and holding a spoon.
"Why, my dear, you are soaked to the bone. Come in, come in!"
~~~
"What? What do you mean she's gone?" Akakios yelled at his personal servant, who cowered down. He grasped Thais by the neck. "The wedding is tonight. Find her. Now!" With that, he let the servant go, who stumbled to his feet and scurried away.
Akakios started pacing back and forth. He should've married her before when he had the chance. Her mother thought she could protect her child with that ring. At first, he was fooled too, but then he saw her without the ring... Nobody knew, of course about her hidden beauty. Nobody but him.
He flew towards the library and went down his secret chamber. He would make a potion. Let's see, bear or lion? He knew where Aglaia was. The castle. She would have no choice but to marry him. Either that or her prince turns into a beast. Whichever way, he still wins. True, he could've sent one of his men after her, but they would undoubtedly tell people about this. He couldn't have his people feeling that their leader's fiancee had a lover. Besides, the look on both their faces during the encounter would be worth it.
Undecided, Akakios wrote down a spell mixing both bear and lion in the transformation. Yes, he will get his bride.
~~~
"Well my dear, you should stay with us if you do not have anyone to go to. Here, have some tea." The woman placed a steaming mug of tea in front of her.
"Thank you, but I wouldn't want to be any trouble madam." Aglaia took the mug with both hands and sipped the tea carefully, at the same time hoping the woman would invite her.
"Trouble? No, it's no trouble at all. I want to help you. We don't really have a spare room, but there is the attic if you don't mind. I'll have to introduce you to my family. My husband is getting home a bit later from town and my two daughters should be getting here just about now." The woman smiled warmly at Aglaia and stood up to stoke the fire.
"Thank you." Aglaia repeated.
"Oh dear me, it seems that we have both forgotten our manners. I am Adela." She looked at Aglaia expectantly.
Aglaia smiled and put the mug down. "I am..." Aglaia looked away, she had better be cautious. "...Charites." Charites was another name for Aglaia, one of the three graces.
"Charites... that is a very interesting name."
"It is from mythology. Charites is one of the three graces."
Nodding, Adela smiled and motioned to her tea. "Well now, drink up!"
~~~
Akakios looked around the palace. So this was how the devil's place looks like. He walked outside, sensing the prince's presence there. There he was. The devil was sitting down on a stone bench, waiting. It seems he is waiting for this moment. For Akakios to arrive and kill him.
The prince raised his head and looked behind him, as if feeling Akakios standing behind him. "You startled me milord." Akakios smiled menacingly.
"Where is she?" He slowly walked towards the prince.
"Where is who?" The prince frowned in confusion and stepped back, realizing he was alone in the gardens with a possible madman. "What do you want?"
"You know who I'm talking about. I want my fiancee. Where is she? She's here isn't she? Where? Hiding in your bedroom, perhaps? Where is my fiancee?" Akakios barked out.
Realizing who he meant and what he meant by that, the prince staggered backwards in shock and shook his head. "Aglaia? She's not here. We were going to meet, but she didn't come."
"Well then, I guess I'll just have to improvise. If you insist on protecting her, then I'll have to punish you myself. It doesn't really matter what happens. Either way, I will win. Tell me, how does it feel like to be a beast?" Akakios' voice was silky and he looked at the prince with glittering eyes.
The prince's own eyes widened in horror and realization as Akakios started to chant.
"Andras metaballo liontari genno..."