Love was supposed to be weak.
They thought it was a game.
Until she was born.
Talia had all the beauty of her mother with all the skill and more of her father.
She was the goddess of sword fighting, battle strategy, beauty, and apathy.
And she was completely off limits.
If the Olympians thought Demeter had been overprotective of Kore, then it was nothing compared to how Aphrodite and Ares were. The last time someone tried to get close to her…. Aphrodite broke his heart to the point where he had no more love to give. Until the man decided to devote his time to just worshipping Talia and being one of her apathetic warriors.
It continued the same way for many years before two different warriors decided to give it a try. One was called the Dark Knight. The Caped Crusader. And the other was called the Man of Willpower. The Man without Fear.
For a long while, it had seemed that the Caped Crusader had managed to win her heart. She bore him a son and when one of his other children had been lost in the underworld before his abrupt reappearance, she took him in as her own before leading him back to the rest of the family.
But for all their love, they weren't meant to be together. His loved his kingdom too much to leave it for her. For she was the daughter of war, and blood soaked her hands. He could not love a murderer. He scorned her and, in her anger, and grief, she cursed his kingdom to never find peace. For when war came to their doors, may her father turn his back on them and that their strategies never worked for long. All type of monsters came out in the night and the only people spared from her wrath were her two sons.
She wandered aimlessly around the world as she burrowed those feelings back under her apathetic nature. She fought battles with her hands tied behind her back and bloody smiles on her face. She wandered the plains of Olympus in careful view of her mother and father's eyes. She visited the forges of her stepfather and listened to him ramble about the details he included in making her swords and shields.
When she went back to earth, she wandered closer to the coastal cities of Greece. Closer to the island where her mother rose from the sea. It was where she met him. The brown of his eyes looked like fresh stone of earth with the depth of then. When Helios' and Apollo's sun shined were in a certain position, they looked like freshly molten lava.
Talia felt her heart skip a beat.
He was a warrior. She could tell from his build. He relied on his instincts while his willpower gave fueled his determination.
He challenged her to a sword fighting. If he could last against the goddess for at least thirty seconds and more, he would be blessed with the chance to court her. If he could not, then she was free to do whatever she pleased with him. He made her swear on the River Styx.
She was much too intrigued to curse the man for his insolence.
Smiling softly, she unsheathed her sword and watch as this Man Without Fear did the same. On the count of three, the two fought began their short battle. He managed to last for a few short seconds, but it wasn't thirty seconds.
Still, Talia was intrigued. She didn't think of what she wanted to do yet, but she stuck to his side. He led her back to the kingdom that he lived in. He was a warrior (and a previous consort of the now married princess). There were many different factions to this kingdom's army. Those that fought without fear. Those that let their anger guide them. Those who fought with compassion. Those that fought with greed in their hearts. Those who fought with hope. Those that embodied the fear of their enemies. Those who love burned as bright as the sun.
It was strange to be in a place where emotions ruled their every move. She wasn't used to feeling anymore. But she stayed and she learned, and she loved.
She wasn't sure when it happened, but there were days were just seeing this man of willpower filled her emotions with she longed thought she had gotten rid of. Even when she traveled the lands, he followed her. He stuck by her side even when her former beloved cursed her name for the plight that befalling her kingdom. Even when her youngest son turned his back on her, he held her up. When her oldest son wanted to leave, it was him who offered her son a place to reside.
She didn't know what he had done that led to her parent's giving their blessings. She didn't even remember them meeting. But she does remember the times where her mother would brush through her hair and excitedly talk about the love that was shared between the two. She would smile and laugh about how it was so bright and pure. How she hadn't seen a better love story since Paris and Helen of Troy.
When she sparred with her father in the training grounds, he would comment about the man's fighting style. How if Talia wasn't the goddess she was, he would be the only man he would approve her to be with. One that could match in the areas that she lacked. Ares had been watching long before he knew of the man's affections for his daughter. He kneeled with broken fists and knees. A part still untamed. He denied his truth self because he couldn't stand to cause his friends pain. It was his willpower to be better. He could see it in his eyes the need to cause destruction… the need to let all his grief and anger out being held back by a stubborn mindset and a sense of duty.
Talia made her way back to earth filled with more emotions than she knew what to do with. Her chiton blew through the wind as her sword bump against her hip with every step she took. She let her guide her to him.
He was in the training fields watching over the spar between his mentee and her son. Talia could see the feelings the two boys had for each other, but now, she was only focused on one person and one person only. He turned to look at her as she approached.
She finally knew what she wanted to do.
Leaning into his embrace, she whispered against his lips.
"For thirty seconds and more, love me. Love me for all eternity. Love me even when the sea swallows the sun."
And he whispered back.
"I have loved you before I even knew you. I belong to you just as you belong to me, beloved. I give you my heart to keep for thirty seconds and more."