Chapter 7
Mera's point of view
Three days, seven hours old. So little. So precious. Nine pounds eight ounces, with her father's sage green eyes and nose while all else she received from her beautiful mother. Since her birth, we were here more often than not; Ariston and I cannot get enough of our little granddaughter. What a strange thing it is to hold a baby in my arms that is both the daughter of my best friend/ex-boyfriend and my granddaughter. Rose was such a wonderful blessing of an addition to our family.
They did not wait a single day to find out her fate. Hours after Rose was born, her parents journeyed to the Underworld and visited the Moirae. It would seem that Aaron's parentage was strong enough to make a future immortal. Rose would live a –hopefully- long life full of joy, and at the time of her death would be freed from her vessel. She will ascend! We get to keep this precious bundle of joy. Aaron, Kallisto, they get to keep their daughter.
We stayed, watching Kallisto and Aaron fawn over their newborn daughter. They were so in love, with their daughter, with each other, that it brought me to tears. They have come so far; we all have. Ariston watched them with me, holding me tight, and I saw a single tear leave his eyes from seeing our daughter so incredibly happy.
We gave them their space, as new parents often desire to have, resting up and enjoying the so-called fruit of their labor.
Life was beautiful as Ariston and I walked through the halls of our home. My head rested on his shoulder; the looming threats were nonexistent. I was happy, our growing family was happy. So happy, so, and with that thought I went into labor.
A scream left my lips as Ariston lifted me up into his arms.
Zeus' point of view
Nell sat on the side of my bed, stretching her arms out as a sigh left her lips. I playfully swatted at Nell's rear as she rose from the bed. She giggled and walked into the nursery, returning with Edmund in her arms. She laughed as she twirled him around; we smiled at the sound of his giggles. Such a happy child.
"He is hungry." She said, sighing. "I miss when all I had to do to feed him was place him to my breast."
"Just means more for me, my love." I stated, she winked and then walked out of the room. I stared at the ceiling, humming to myself.
In the next moment, Countless things happened at once. Nell screamed. The hallway was consumed by purple black energy, like a thick fog, and Edmund appeared on the bed beside me, crying. I leapt from the bed just as the nanny nymph I called for appeared and took my son into her protective arms. I summoned my bolt and rushed outside to see Nell glaring at the incapacitated figure on the floor. Her hair floated in the air around her carried by the black lightning she was emanating, her eyes filled with purple black swarming energy as her pale skin glowed fiercely.
Her eyes met mine, and in that moment, she was someone else. Her attention turned to the creature at her back. Before I could get to her, she turned around, decimating the intruder before her with a wave of her hand as he screamed. It was not until this moment I began to understand how truly powerful she is.
Sensing the attack, I spun around, grabbing the throat of the immortal behind me. I lifted him off the floor and plunged my bolt through his chest; the overwhelm of energy caused his very atoms to disintegrate, bursting into oblivion. There were three more, well armed, well trained.
The Shadows that swarmed me suddenly dispersed. I turned around to see them surrounding Nell, bowing their heads to her. She walked towards me, speaking into my thoughts of what we must do; Use them, she whispered. There was no time to think; three of my daughters, two of my sons and eight great grand children were currently residing within these walls, and none of them would be harmed on my watch; and so we scoured the halls, hunting down the immortals whom dared to infiltrate this place. Unease was an understatement. Fighting with the Shadows and watching them do my sisters bidding frightened me.
We found Hera with ease; she was one whose safety I did not fear for. She is a daughter of Chaos after all. We found my wife decimating the immortals who dared to threaten our family.
We called upon our guards, whom at once began killing off the Shadows. Nell did not care for them; not after all she has seen them do. Hearing the horrors of her childhood, what her filthy parents forced her to watch in order to turn her soul dark… horrifying is hardly the word.
The solders carried out the now awake immortal, the only one left alive. Her eyes turned even darker as she stared at him.
"I am going to kill him, right here, right now." She growled.
"No," I began when she turned that stare on me.
"THEY TRIED TO KIDNAP OUR SON!" She screamed, to my utter shock.
Energy oozed from my fingertips as this realization came over me. My son, my sweet, eight month old boy… THEY TRIED TO TAKE HIM! How DARE they! I would have killed him right then and there, were it not for my wives words of caution.
"We must use him." I told her. My mind promising her he will get what he deserves.
"Oh, Nellena." That immortal called to her. "I have a message for you. It is from your father." The shock in the room was palpable.
"My father would NEVER send you, Jehovah!" She growled and my eyes darted to those that knew nothing of our secret ally, namely Pandora.
"Well seeing as how Roan was busy..." He began, smiling menacingly at her. "As I said, he has a message for you."
She looked around the room and then met my eyes. I nodded, asking those around me to give us space. Pandora, however, refused to leave. Nell did not seem to care, she looked at Jehovah and nodded.
"Please, come home. I will have you, and my son." Jehovah continued as Nell became enraged. "I am only too happy to bestow the Gift upon those who stand between he and I, between you and I. Come home, Nell. I want you, I love you."
"You LIAR!" She hissed. "Those are not his words; we both know who they belong to. He will not have me! HE WILL NOT HAVE MY SON!"
The fury within her eyes was unmatched and yet there was a part of her that was hurt and moved by those words. The look in her eyes frightened me, fearing her resolve would weaken. She would not be the first one to return to an abusive relationship.
"How many others have you captured?" She demanded of me.
"Only him. He is the only one of the dark immortals left alive." I told her.
"Good; I am sure you will find him very… useful."
"You are not so easily rid of us, princess." Jehovah claimed. She smiled, and for the first time since I have known her, she looked truly and deeply malevolent.
"Oh, my dear Jehovah. Care to bet on that?" With her words, he began screaming. The entire room grew darker, and the Shadows that stood sentry around her, began to grow more aggressive and I conjured my bolt.
Then, right before that creature had drawn his last breath, something changed in my sister's eyes and her hand dropped, light returning to the room as she remained where she stood. Jehovah collapsed to the ground landing on his hands and knees, shaking and clutching at his chest. He was not finished yet. He used what strength he had to raise his head and meet her eye.
"Your father sends his regards." My sister gritted her teeth.
Nell turned towards Pandora, and their eyes met for a long moment before Nell gestured towards the Shadows.
"They are all yours; destroy them." My sister requested, and my daughter nodded.
As Jehovah was carried out of the room and Pandora began emanating that white light from her hands towards the Shadows, Nell disappeared from the room. Ennina and Hera nodded for me to go after her, and I trusted them to take care of things.
Nell sat in our son's nursery, holding Edmund close and caressing his hair as he laughed and looked up at her, grabbing her hair.
"He was almost taken from me." She told me, her voice shaky. "One of those assholes actually tried to kidnap him; Roan sent them to try and take him from me." Thunder brewed outside as she told me what I already knew. That lowlife tried to steal my son away! I gripped my fists as fury ripped through me. Nell looked at me with hurt within her eyes. "Why were precautions not put in place? You promised me he would be safe."
"They were put in place." I stated. "The dark ones had to have been working towards this for decades; that is the minimum it would take to learn our pattern of security. But they were unprepared, which means they set this into motion before they could complete it." I was not so proud as to not recognize how powerful our enemy was, and how devastating it would have been were they ready to attack.
"Roan used the plan for his own purpose." Nell stated, tears within her eyes. "Where is Mera, where is Ariston?" She nearly begged.
"Mera is in labor. Ariston is with her." I told her. Her mind was working; I knew that look, but had never seen it quite like this. I walked towards her to place a hand upon her shoulder in comfort, to give my son a kiss on his forehead. "We will protect him, no one will take Edmund," I began, but she pulled away from my hand, glaring as tears down her cheeks.
"He will not ever leave my sight again." She stated.
We were silent for a long time. Her trust in me was beginning to willow away, she was retreating into herself again, returning to whom she was when she first arrived and the sight ripped my soul apart. Yet I understood, and was at once trying to make up for the mistake I made.
"What gift?" I asked her.
"That is what Roan calls death," She told me. "And it is only bestowed once he is done, and by then, it truly is a gift." It was a horrible time, yet I had to know.
"Nell, is there any chance, any, that Roan was not behind this?" With those words, she looked at me in heartbreak and betrayal.
"Get. Out." She stated.
"Nell," I began, but would not be heard.
"GET OUT!" She screamed. Edmund started crying and turned around in his mothers arms, reaching for me.
I lifted my arms out to him as he stretched and craned his body around in his mother's arms to be even an inch closer to me.
"My son," I began, looking into Nell's eyes pleadingly.
"Must I say it again?" She demanded, and with that, I forced myself from the room.
His little screams followed me out of the room and down the hall. No matter how much I wanted and needed to hold him, no possible good would have come from me staying in that room with his mother. I let out an agonized, irate scream as I slammed my fist against the marble and listened to the deafening crack.
What if this was my fathers work? Did it even matter? The result was the same; Nell has been, hopefully temporarily, driven away from us because I asked a question. This was the plan, that much was clear. Drive her away from us, enough that she turns back to him.
"My king," Spoke Thalon in a timid voice. I looked in his direction, the look within my eyes warning him to make it quick. He bowed and I walked over to him. "I apologize, but our Queen said you needed to see this. It was found in the armor of one of your bodyguards." He handed me the black jade dragon and the rage I felt made the stone burst.
Mera's point of view
Ariston and I relaxed on our balcony, our eyed fixed on our sons. Nathan slept calmly in his father's arms while I fed a very awake Meristos at my breast; happy, was an understatement. The twins were identical, my skin and golden hair, with their fathers curls, my nose and Ariston's features. The only difference between them was Meristos having my violet eyes and Nathan having his fathers sky blue eyes.
Diokles, the stunning Chimera that lay in front of me, was just as protective of my sons as he was of me. My bodyguard; sworn by choice and destiny. I ran my toes over his rough emerald green scales on his body. His tail waved around, the sharp morning star tip glinting in the sun. I smiled and looked back to my son, as he watched me with my eyes.
My father appeared carrying a tray of food. My mother arrived a few minutes later carrying the diaper bag. My father avoided looking at me like the plague while my breast was out, it was not until after I finished feeding my son and put it away, that he was able to make eye contact. They, along with my grandmother Marie, have been visiting since I gave birth yesterday. Life was wonderful and still there was this tug at my soul that something had happened.
"What a beautiful family." Ennina softly greeted when she walked out onto the balcony. I beamed at her. "Brother, I need to speak with you." Ennina said, he nodded and gave each of our sons a kiss, then placed one on my lips.
"Who would love to hold Nathan?" He asked. Everyone's hand shot up, but my father was already on his feet, reaching out for his grandson.
Ariston chuckled and carefully placed our swaddled son in my father's arms, cooing over him before tearing himself away to go to speak with our sister. I quietly talked with my parents as the babies slept. My father sat next to me, knowing I needed to be close with my children.
I heard whispers coming from the kitchen, but was far too focused on my children to pay it any mind; that is, until I heard a single name and the final words that followed before a farewell. Jason may be harmed. I was on my feet at once. I followed the sounds and was soon in the kitchen, where Ennina was kissing Ariston's cheek in farewell before she disappeared.
Ariston walked with me back outside. I asked my mother to take care of Meristos for me, my heart staying with them as we walked back inside and to the library.
"What is going on?" I asked. "What has happened to Jason?"
"We do not know." He told me, then sighed. "But there was an attack here."
"On Olympus?" I asked in shock.
"Worse. On my parents apartment." He stated and my jaw actually dropped. "Everyone is alright, except the intruders. One of them tried to take Edmund."
"Roan." I growled.
"Zeus believes Jason might have had something to do with it." He told me.
"No." I stated at once. "Never. He would not,"
"I know." He assured me, placing his hands upon my shoulders. "I am the last person you have to defend him to." He reminded me, and I nodded. "How long has it been since you heard from him?"
"Two months." I spoke, my soul growing heavy with sadness, longing and fear. "He must have lost control of them."
I sat before the Twelve in their audience chamber the following day. This was the first time I have been away from my sons. I was anxious, not being able to hold my babies in my arms or feel them kicking in my womb. But there was a reason I was here.
The marble seat was cold beneath me, my hands sat folded in my lap and I sat up tall, ready to defend the man I love. The gods, my family, watched me. Their faces hiding their emotions, for right now they were rulers and were investigating an insidious attack. An attack my Jason was implemented in.
Was his soul damaged? Yes, beyond a doubt, but not beyond repair. Evil? Zenophian is, not my Jason. My love inspired him, but it was Jason himself whom chose to be a better man for myself, and Nell, his daughter. My soul knew this man and what he was capable of; both of overwhelming love, and terrifying deeds. But would he knowingly betray me?
Zeus clapped his hands twice, and with that, the meeting began.
"Princess Mera." They greeted me, gently inclining their heads in respect.
"Great Ones." I greeted them with a bow of my head.
"I apologize for taking you away from your newborn's," Zeus began. "But this must be discussed."
"I understand." I told him.
"We have some questions for you, Mera." Zeus began.
Author's Note: After an entire YEAR! Another chapter is finally complete and I truly hope to update regularly! Thank you to everyone that has stuck with me and for all your words of encouragement.
Feel free to leave a review! It is greatly appreciate!
Love Jasmine
