A/n: Everyone knows what it feels like to have a complete, un-ending love for someone or something -Whether they're alive or not. This story is about that feeling and how much it takes to repay it when you get the chance. Do we really know how deep it goes? And how do we know if we're in too deep?

-Kai

Dedicated to: Lou –I really do love you kitten, you were perfect for this I just had to use you. (It's your agony aunt talents.)

                      Kurt –It was ten years ago yesterday, I truly hope you found peace. I won't forget.

Summary: After a conversation by the lake with a red haired girl called Louise, Ganymede is left to think on his duties to the gods and all he was thankful to them for. But is his innocence too sinful a payment for all his kin and he owe?

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Take Me Never -By Kai.

Ch2: Meeting the Water Nymph

 

[ 'I owe you so much…but where does it end?' ]

Sitting on the edge of the lake a youth swings his legs, his feet skimming the top of the water. Not bright sparkling blue water like the sea…but water so clear you can see right down to the bottom no matter how deep it is. Looking up the boy has to squint against the afternoon sun to see across the water. It's littered with fallen longs, hanging willow trees and hundreds of rocks. From pebbles to boulders, rocks were rained across the lake making it possible to cross from almost any point without getting wet.

Not too far up a fallen silver birch lay right across the water joining both banks. From the woods on the opposite bank a young girl, no more than fifteen came out with a lively collection of flowers apparently picked at random. Scampering up onto the base of the tree trunk the girl hitched her skirt up around her waist, apparently unconcerned for her modesty and, clenching the flowers and a corner of her skirt in one fist, started along the tree trunk.

Half way along the girl slipped slightly, all but one of her flowers falling gently into the water below and gliding down the fresh-water lake. Sighing she balanced on the log long enough to tuck the edge of her skirt into her waistband and hold the stem of the last remaining flower between her teeth. With both hands now free she brushed a loose strand of fiery red hair back behind her ear, only causing more to escape from the makeshift knot at the base of her neck. Rolling her eyes the girl gave up on her hair and scurried to the end of the improvised "bridge".

Down the bank the boy caught one of the girls flowers now floating past him.

 "Orchids are a flower of love, their sap is suppose to be an aphrodisiac." The red haired girl was standing directly behind him, smiling past him, into the water.

 "But this isn't an orchid…" He replied quietly without turning around.

With an unseen smile the girl bounded past him and hopped onto the nearest rock in the water. Dancing along the stones she giggled slightly, going faster to catch up with her escaping flowers. Getting ahead of the flowing mass of petals she crouched down and thrust her hand into the clear water as they passed, emerging with a single flower.

Turning around she smiled at the boy and skipped back up to him on her tiptoes, to avoid the water flowing around her ankles. 

 "No. This is an orchid." The youth reached out and took it from her hand while she pulled herself up on the bank him and settled down beside him picking up her last dry flower and twirling it between her fingers.

Suddenly glancing up from his musings the youth studied the younger girl. She was built bigger then most her age…but she wasn't more than fifteen or sixteen. Bright green eyes were obscured under a thick layer of wild red hair. Her limbs looked well used to galloping around in the wilderness. Even though she had such an obvious passion for the outdoors the girl still managed to look beautifully feminine. Her hands were gently shaped, and under her ragged red skirt and top the boy reflected silently that she certainly had a womanly figure. The only piece of jewellery was a precious stone with a thin piece of wire wrapped around it to attach it too a chain around her neck.

Meeting the youth's eyes the red head giggled slightly. She seemed to be doing that a lot the boy mused.

 "Oh sorry! I'm Louise." The girl grinned slightly brushing her hair from her face.

"Hey. I'm…"

"Your Ganymede, I know."

Slightly shocked this girl, Louise, knew him the boy frowned. He certainly didn't know her.

"Oh I saw you and your father coming back from campaign a few years ago." She said by way of apology.  "I'm sorry, I don't mean to pry or anything –but I thought you were, well…dead." The girl finished somewhat awkwardly, smiling apologetically. Ganymede felt his eyes going wide with shock but inside he was fighting back laughter. Not wanting to appear rude he fought off the laughing fit and smiled back at the bubbly, now puzzled, girl.

 "Uh no, I'm not dead. In fact I don't think I've ever been dead…" 'So is that what my father told everyone?'

 "Oh! Well of course your not dead…I mean I'm talking to you aren't I!" The girl was babbling now. Obviously thinking she had made a fool of herself in front of someone important.

 "No, no. It's ok. May I ask just how exactly did you think I'd died? I'm slightly curious…" In fact he was far from dead…he'd just been promised immortality.

 "Oh…well I'm not sure exactly, I don't think I ever heard how you died. Just that you had. It was strange though. I mean no one was in mourning -and everyone knows you are the kings favourite son. I guess it was just gossip…" Louise finished ruefully.

Fiddling with the hem of her skirt Louise suddenly felt nervous under the prince's scrutiny…telling herself over and over that their was no reason to be nervous just because she'd realised who he was. It /was/ silly really, but she just couldn't help the urge to straiten her clothes and run a comb through her tousled hair.

Aware of the building silence she cleared her throat uneasily. "So um, if your not dead…what are you doing out here?" 

 "Eh…I don't think you'd believe me if I told you." Ganymede said. For the first time in their conversation the prince actually looked unsure of himself, averting his gaze from Louise he stared off across the water. His eyes full of unspoken thoughts. Using the time to stare at him without being seen Louise studied the boy. Wonder what he was thinking about. He was defiantly a mystery.

'And a beautiful mystery at that.'

Taking in his figure Louise admired the way he could look so striking while simply sitting casually by the water. One leg was pulled up with his arm slung around the ankle, the other stretched out towards the lake. His hair was a dishevelled black mass tied behind much like her own, though less had fallen out of it's band and what had was gracefully framing his delicate face. Overall he was very feminine looking, but on closer inspection Louise could see he was no stranger to hard work. It was common sense really –after all he had been a soldier. Under the loose bangs Louise witched the dark chocolate eyes intently, searching for a clue as to his thoughts. She had more of a clue as to what they were than she was letting on.

His death hadn't been the only rumour she'd heard. It was said that the king had angered the gods somehow and Zeus had taken Ganymede as punishment. At first Louise had discarded this as ridiculous, but now she wasn't so sure. 

'She doesn't know. How can I tell her?' Ganymede thought to himself. The poor girl, and I have to be the one to break it to her. Steeling himself the youth turned to her and wondered how the hell he was supposed to come out with this.

'Do you believe in love?'

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A/n: How was that? This is only the first chapter so don't worry if it doesn't make sense yet. I'm about to explain everything (well not quite everything…) in the next chappie. Please read and review, 'constructive criticism' is always welcome, but flames will be ignored. The next part will be the beginning of all the angst and…I'm not quite sure if you would call it 'romance'… but you'll see what I mean next chappie.

-Kai