The first long weekend break the group got came close to a month after Nerissa's arrival at the Academy. Since Jason had to take a trip home that weekend to get in some more classes on being king, his entire group of friends decided to go with him. Nerissa had not been so keen on returning to Corinth so soon, but after the begging and pleading and puppy eyes from her four friends, she agreed to go.

Halfway to Corinth, the boys had begged to stop as they had found a melon field and decided to play some melon ball. Nerissa opted out, making Lilith do the same. As the female demigod rested against a tree beside all of their things, Lilith plopped down cross-legged in front of her. The two smiled at each other.

"Something on your mind?" Nerissa asked, smoothing down her leather skirt.

Lilith glanced back at the boys before leaning toward Nerissa.

"How do you be a good girlfriend?"

Her friend's eyebrows shot up, causing the short haired girl to blush.

"Are we whispering about this because you don't want the boys to know you have a boyfriend or because that someone is one of them?"

The pout that fell onto Lilith's face was all the answer she needed. With a laugh, she folded her arms across her chest.

"Which one?"

Lilith got a sneaky smirk on her face, which confused Nerissa.

"Don't worry, it isn't Hercules..."

Nerissa's jaw dropped before she smacked Lilith on the shoulder.

"I don't like Hercules like that!" she protested as Lilith laughed.

"I know, but Hercules has this thing about him. Like...he might like you, but you don't like him, but later you will and everything will be okay. That's how it always works out for Hercules."

Rolling her eyes, the other girl pointed at her friend, then at the boys.

"You're distracting me. Tell me which one. Iolaus or Jason?"

Lilith hid her face in her hands.

"Jason."

Nerissa squealed girlishly. Lilith hurriedly hushed her and they both looked over to see if the boys had noticed. They hadn't. Sighing with relief, they looked at each other.

"It isn't like I want to be queen though and people would flip out if they knew, so we're keeping it secret from everyone. I just wanted to tell you because I trust you and...well...you're the daughter of the goddess of love. You know things."

"Lilith," Nerissa started, shaking her head," The only thing I can tell you is to be yourself. That's how to be a good girlfriend. He likes you for you, right? So...you be you. Simple."

The smaller girl frowned.

"That wasn't helpful."

Nerissa grinned and shrugged.

"I speak truth!"

"About what?"

The two girls looked up to see Hercules smirking down at them. Lilith looked between Hercules and Nerissa quickly.

"Uhhh...well, she says you only see her as a friend, but I know that you're totally interested in dating her."

The tall male squinted his eyes at Lilith before leaning down and flicking her on the forehead. The girl protested and rubbed at her face.

"You just like to start trouble."

"I second that!" Nerissa chimed, smiling at Hercules as he picked up his bag," Game over?"

"Yeah."

Iolaus and Jason could be seen making their way over, the obvious losers of the impromptu game. Nerissa gave them both a pearly smile as they grabbed their bags.

"Such a short game. Are you boys that bad?"

Hercules laughed quietly to himself as the boys grumbled about bad catching, bad throwing, and just overall bad luck. Apparently, their melon shattered, too. The girls joined in Hercules's mirth as they restarted their trek to Corinth.

It was evening by the time they arrived at their destination. Iolaus, Lilith, and Hercules were surprised by how many people waved or respectfully greeted Nerissa along with Jason. Making it up to the castle, the group was met by Jason's tutor, Ophistus, and Balian. Nerissa visually froze at the sight of her father. While Jason was busy giving Ophistus a hug, Balian just turned away from his daughter to greet the Crown Prince instead. The girl's face fell, making the friends observing her feel bad. Hercules, in particular, felt less bad and more mad. Balian clasped Jason's arm and smiled.

"Good to see you again, Prince Jason," he said, his deep voice reverberating through the entrance hall," Bringing my daughter back so soon?"

Nerissa gave a pained yet sarcastic smile.

"I am just visiting for the long weekend...Father."

Balian sniffed at his daughter.

"Are you sure the life of a warrior just isn't too difficult for you? Maybe you should just stay in Corinth and train to be Queen."

Everyone in the area looked at the girl to see her reaction. For Iolaus, Hercules, and Lilith the expressions were mostly of surprise. The long-haired girl stared down at the red carpeting beneath her feet.

"I told you that I could never do that. I will be a warrior, no matter what you think."

The disbelief on Balian's face was obvious, but he said nothing else before walking away, pausing only to nod to Jason and Nerissa's friends. The hall was awkwardly silent after his exit, but Ophistus broke it by clearing his throat.

"Dinner for the group of you will be in the throne room in an hour. That will give you all time to settle in."

He bowed to the group of them before leaving the hall as well. Jason looked back at Nerissa and let out a long sigh, his eyebrows raised.

"That was better than usual."

The girl swatted the air with an irritated wave.

"That's because the audience was larger. I'll lead you guys to the guest rooms since mine are there. See you at dinner, Jas."

As the four moved away from the future ruler of Corinth, Iolaus put a hand in Nerissa's shoulder.

"Queen of Corinth?"

The girl growled in irritation.

"My father was only ever nice to me before I turned ten because he hoped I would train to be Queen someday and marry Jason. Sadly for him, I realized I did not want to marry Jason and that I wanted to be a warrior like him and like Jason would someday be. He was angry, but mother came to my rescue and told him that no daughter of hers could be forced into a marriage without love. He gave up, but has doubted and resented me ever since that day. Most of our confrontations end in my shouting and him threatening to disown me. The man has practically already done that anyway..."

Lilith put a hand on her friend's shoulder

"I'm so sorry," she said, softly.

Nerissa smiled at her.

"Me, too."

A few seconds later she stopped in the middle of a long hallway with rows and rows of doors. It was obvious that there were more than enough rooms for everyone to have their own. Nerissa pointed to the door on her left.

"This room is mine, with the blue banner on the door. Lilith, yours is green, Iolaus gets red, and Hercules has purple. Each room has a double bed with a canopy over it."

Iolaus cheered and dashed into his respective room, which was across the hall from Nerissa's. Lilith smiled and went into hers, which was the room on the left of the other girl, while Hercules just dropped his bag in his room to the right of Nerissa's before following her into her room. The room was obviously owned as it was covered in items accumulated over the years. Training weapons hung on the walls while a half open chest of clothes sat at the end of her canopy bed. A child's wooden rocking horse sat gathering cobwebs in an abandoned corner. A worn-down doll stood on an end table, watching Nerissa as she threw her bag on the chest of clothes, closing the lid. The girl moved over to the end table and picked up the doll, which hid a small vase of flowers that were obviously replaced despite the room's owner being absent most of the time.

Hercules heard Nerissa sigh before she looked up at him.

"This is little Rissie. My first female friend. My father gave her to me some time before I have my first memories. She is kind of the reason why I hate the nickname, but I love her."

She delicately placed the doll back on the table as Hercules came over. He sat down hesitantly on her bed to her left as her head drooped forward so that she was staring at her lap.

"From what I know of your father, he doesn't give people much of a chance. As his daughter, he should listen to you more. You have a right to be who you want to be."

Nerissa scoffed and gave him a wry smile.

"No one listens to me in my family. Haven't you noticed? My mother cares about me and I know that but, as a goddess, things have to be her way. You're so lucky to have your mother, Hercules. She loves you, listens to you, and acts like a mother. You've told me that much."

Hercules smiled slightly.

"Yeah, I am lucky. You should meet her sometime."

Nerissa smiled up at him. He was only slightly surprised when her hand took his and squeezed it.

"I would like that."

The young male was alarmed as a few tears slowly trickled down his friend's face. Of all the crying women he had encountered in his life, he never felt his heart hurt more than when Nerissa cried in this moment. He could only compare her tears to the time she had cried after almost dying, but her fear seemed more justified than the tears of loneliness he was currently witnessing. Her sobs were barely audible and she did not scrunch up her face. Her eyes only closed every now and then as the tears flowed from her eyes.

"I'm sorry," she sniffed, turning away from him.

Without a word, Hercules moved up against her and gently tugged her to lean back so that her head rested on his left shoulder. His left hand kept her from falling across his lap by holding her arm while his right hand stroked her hair. Once again the smell of lilac reached his nose, causing him to lean into her hair slightly, his nose brushing the side of her forehead.

"He really gets to you, hm?"

His warm breath against her face made her sigh.

"Every time."

They said nothing more for a few minutes. Nerissa leaned against his chest. Something about Hercules felt natural and safe. She could now see what Lilith meant about girls falling for him. He didn't have to try to be liked. He just was because of who he is. Kind, honest, easy to be around, and incredibly comforting. He could make any girl feel safe and protected. Yet Nerissa knew better than anything else that having a friend like him, when you're a girl, is dangerous. His natural genuineness could pull a girl in. He was getting to her through his attentiveness, his listening skills, and by always being there. He was the type of friend she had been searching for all her life. Though she was prepared to fight someone so alluring, Nerissa let herself relax and be comforted. Because he was Hercules, one of her best friends. Sending a silent prayer up to her mother, Nerissa wished that if she was to ever fall in love, that it be someone like Hercules, but not until after she was acknowledged as a warrior.

Eventually, Nerissa sat back up on her own. She turned and smiled at Hercules.

"Thank you for always being there."

He shrugged and grinned.

"Anytime."

He was easily shooed out of the room to dress for dinner. After pulling on a dress, Nerissa went into the next room over to force Lilith into something similar.