Author's Note: Another awesome chapter for you all to enjoy!
Chapter 19
The Beauty of Surrender
"Two bodies dancing together, two souls mingling through their passions, bringing them to an ecstasy neither of them had ever truly experienced before this night. In this one passionate act, they each exchanged half of their soul with the other, binding these two lovers together and making them one."
Jasmine Dubroff
I laid in Ariston's arms as we held onto each other and gazed into each others eyes in unbelievable wonder at what we had just experienced, his sky blue eyes glowing softly in the night. There were no words for this moment.
Of all the things I thought tonight might be, I never expected that. The passion, the feeling of him, the way we fit together, like our bodies were specifically designed to seamlessly fit to one another's in a myriad of ways... it was a feeling beyond feelings, a passion beyond passions. Surrendering my maidenhood to Ariston was sacred. The heights we reached together... it was pure ecstasy. The candles burned out long before we did, our breathing has still not yet calmed.
But above all, I never expected this. Our connection has grown, strengthened immensely, to the point where I can feel his every emotion. There is a sense of oneness, that we are no longer two separate beings, but one soul, one heart, one mind, existing in two bodies that are totally and utterly connected. And to my great amazement, there were times when I could see through his eyes as we made love. I felt everything he felt while at the same time seeing him and feeling him. When we connected like that, I felt him in my mind and knew he was seeing through my eyes as I saw through his. We were one and the oneness has not faded.
It could have been hours or moments later when Ariston finally spoke. Time has no meaning right now, I fear time may have lost its meaning all together while we made love.
"How do you feel?" He asked, his voice low, a caress in the night.
I shook my head with a gentle smile on my lips. How can I hope to put into words how I feel? The completeness, this weightlessness, the joy, the bliss?
"There are no words to put to how I am feeling, my Ariston." I told him softly. "I feel that the bond and love we share has grown exponentially, that everything has fallen into place. That I am right where I belong, here in your arms, in your bed." I said, looking into his eyes. He caressed my cheek, such euphoria on his face. I could feel his joy, it mingled with my own. I caressed his beautiful chest with my hand. "Is it always like this?" I asked him, he shook his head, a low laugh leaving his lips.
"No, it is not. I have never felt anything like I did tonight." He said with such wonder in his voice. "I saw into your mind and I could feel you in mine while we were intertwined. I felt what you felt, I saw myself through your eyes." My smile grew.
"I knew you experienced it too." I told him, he smiled. We laid in silence, drinking each other in for a time.
"Have I ever told you what your name means in Greek?" Ariston asked, I shook my head. "Mera, it means fate. A fitting name for you." I smiled and kissed him and we laid in silence for a while longer.
"You can say it now." I told him.
"Say what?" He asked.
"That I was right about not waiting." I said with a smile.
He chuckled, a light, airy, breathless sound. In that moment, Ariston, son of Zeus and a god in his own right, had not a care in the world. Nothing outside of us existed.
"You were right." He said, leaning in and kissing me. "As if I could deny you anything you wanted."
I smiled and kissed him again as our need grew, my arm went around his back to hold him closer and he nuzzled my neck as he came inside of me, the passion and ecstasy starting all over again on this incredible night of nights...
I awakened to the warmth of the sun on my back, and even better, to the warmth of the man I love beneath me. I smiled and opened my eyes. Just like the three other nights I spent in his arms, we have barely moved since we fell asleep. Last night was nothing like the other nights though, last night we surrendered to each other at long last and made love over, and over, and over again until there was no strength left within us. I looked into his eyes, my mind still in the beautiful daze of this dream, surely it must be a dream, it is too perfect for it not to be. And if it was a dream, I wanted to never awaken from it, from Ariston.
The oneness was still within me, within us, and I have a feeling it is not going anywhere anytime soon. I could still feel his every emotion.
"Good morning my love." Ariston said, his voice so tender. I looked into his smiling eyes, melting once again within his gaze.
"Good morning." I greeted him.
I kissed his lips, how can anything be so sweet as this? I moved up a bit and laid my head on the pillow next to his and looked into his eyes. He rolled on his side and wrapped his arm around my waist, our bodies flush. I placed my hand on his shoulder, treasuring the feeling of his body against mine as the silk sheets lingered over our singular form.
"What time is it?" I asked randomly, not really caring but wanting to hear his voice again.
"6:32" He answered, still lost in my eyes.
"PM?" I asked, he nodded. I laughed, we were up rather late last night, or should I say early this morning...?
"Well, it seems I have missed school. You could have woken me." I accused with a smile, although this morning I could not have cared less about school. Ariston smiled and shook his head.
"If you had any idea how beautiful you look when you sleep, and how it feels to hold you in my arms, you would never suggest such an awful idea." Ariston told me, making me laugh again.
"And you missed teaching today." I said.
"I asked Kallisto to fill in for me again, she was glad to." He said, caressing my arm. "Since you have already missed school today, would I be able to tempt you into spending what is left of the day with me? And the night...?"
"I think that can be arranged." I smiled, elated that I would be spending more time with him. Truth be told, he could not have parted me from his side if he tried, I would not have had it. I leaned in to kiss him.
"Why don't we start with a shower?" Ariston offered when our kiss ended.
"Alright." I said with a chuckle.
We got up and I stretched, I have never felt so good in my life, so free. I felt different, changed in a way I cannot explain. I felt as if I were walking on a cloud, everything seemed unreal and more vivid at the same time, I could swear that even colors seemed more lively. Our clothing still lay where they fell last night, some garments dropped on the floor and others tossed out of the way.
As we bathed each other in the waterfall, I enjoyed the heady euphoria of touching his skin, and we ended up making love once more, not being able to resist each other. We dried each other off with his towels afterwards.
"You were not joking when you said that these are woven out of the clouds were you?" I asked, already guessing at the answer.
"Only the gods have the knowledge to spin it." Ariston said. "All of my clothing is made out of it. It is incredibly light and self-adjust to heat and cold, that is why Vrontos needs so little blankets."
"Extraordinary." I said, he chuckled. We went to the single marble sink and Ariston handed me my toothbrush that, to my knowledge, was still in my bathroom in my apartment.
"I thought you might want this." Ariston said. I thanked him, Ariston watched me as I brushed my teeth.
"You are not going to shave or brush your teeth?" I asked, he smiled to me.
"Unlike mortals, our hair is not made out of dead skin cells, it is alive. We control how our hair grows. It is as much a part of me as any other part of my anatomy, which is why my hair is as warm as I am." Ariston told me. "We do not need to brush our teeth either, germs do not grow on us."
"So you never get sick?" I asked.
"Not since I died and became immortal, and then a god." Ariston told me.
When I finished with my teeth and brushed my hair, I turned to Ariston and he wrapped his arms around my waist as my hands went to his warm bare chest.
"What would you like to do today?" Ariston asked. "We could go to Rome, I have a place there. Or shopping in Paris? Milan perhaps? Anywhere in the world, name it and we will be there in moments." My smile grew at his offer but I shook my head.
"As tempting as it is, we have time enough for that later. Today I want nothing more than to stay here with you." I told him. He smiled and kissed me, one of those sweet, lingering kisses that set my body to tingling.
We walked out of his bathroom in towels, and he led me though another door and into a huge closet that was twice the size of my closet in my apartment and flawlessly organized. Ariston dressed in a white shirt and white pants that looked to be made out of cotton, very casual. He only did up a few of the buttons on his shirt, showing off his chest. Ariston looked at me in my towel and closed his eyes for a moment, sighing as he looked at me apologetically.
"Forgive me, I forgot that you have no clothing here. I will have some sent for you." He said. I smiled, shaking my head.
"I can manage." I told him.
I dropped my towel, even though he has already seen my body, his eyes still widened as he gave me a once over. I smiled and walked over to his shirts.
"May I?" I asked
"Of course." Ariston said at once with a smile.
I chose a blue, pinstriped button down shirt and pulled it off its hanger, sliding my arms into the cool silken sleeves. The shirt was long enough to cover me but the sleeves were far too long, so I rolled them up after I buttoned up a few buttons, leaving a few undone just to tease him. I looked at Ariston to see him looking me over with approval.
"It suits you." He said, taking me into his arms. "How would you like some breakfast?"
"I would love some, I am starved." I replied with a smile. He took my hand then led me to the kitchen.
"What would you like?" He asked.
"I will make something." I told him, he shook his head.
"Oh no, my love, I am cooking for you on this morning." He told me, a provocative smile upon his lips. "I need to give you something in return after what you gave me last night..." I raised an eyebrow.
"What I gave you?" I asked, laughing as I shook my head. "You are forgetting what you gave me." I leaned up and bit his lips. "I was a virgin, there is no way I was that good." He shook his head, resting his forehead to mine.
"Believe me," He nearly whispered, his hand tracing the shape of my exposed collarbone. "With every woman I have been with, with all the skills they had... It did not even come close to touching all of last night and this morning. I felt all of your emotions, everything I made you feel... there are not words. I have never truly felt a woman's orgasm before," He shook his head, his pupil's dilating further. "It seems Tiresias was right, women do enjoy sex far more than men can hope to." I blushed horribly, turning red from head to toe. "When I brought you there... it nearly undid me each time I shared in that experience, and you have natural talent."
"Gods, if someone were to hear us saying such things..." I shook my head, he looked into my eyes.
"We are the only ones here, no one else knows." He whispered into my ear, taking the lobe gently between his teeth and exciting a moan from me. "As a conclusion you can bet that I am cooking this morning. Blueberry muffins, lots of fruit and omelets?" He asked.
"Sounds perfect," I said, my voice barely making a sound with all his touches and words did to me. "May I help you cook?"
"I would like that." He smiled, kissing my lips once more in the hallway before we continued to his kitchen, my head as hazy as his was as we got to work.
I made the mix for the blueberry muffins from scratch, knowing my fathers recipe by heart, and poured it into the muffin pan Ariston gave me. Cooking with him is wonderful, the glances, the passing touches and random kisses and laughter. I put the muffins in the preheated oven and went to Ariston. He had a kettle on the stove and was cooking our omelets.
"That smells wonderful." I told him as I walked up behind him and wrapped my arms around his body, holding him close.
Ariston smiled to me, he turned around in my arms and kissed me. I clutched him closer. He lifted me up with ease in his strong arms and set me down on the counter, his lips never leaving mine, his hands under the shirt I wore, roaming over my body, making my skin feel like it had burst aflame as my heart pounded in my chest in anticipation. It was about to go further when the teakettle began to whistle loudly. He stopped kissing me and we laughed, our faces only inches apart.
"To be continued." He said with a devilish grin as he helped me down from the counter, kissing my lips once more before getting the kettle.
Ariston put herbs into a little ball of mesh and put it into the teapot to steep. When everything was ready, Ariston put our plates of omelets, tea and some fruits on a tray and I picked up the basket of fresh baked muffins.
"This way." He said.
He led me outside onto the balcony where we had dinner last night, I saw that everything had been cleaned up. From there we went down a flight of stairs and through the woods a bit, to find a spot was ready for us under the shade of a huge oak tree, looking out over the beautiful view from his mountain top home. We sat down and began to eat, the food was perfect and after last night's and this morning's exertions, I was famished.
"Who does all the cleaning?" I asked Ariston.
"Nymphs," Ariston answered. "Most of them are honored to help the gods in any way they can."
"What is that?" I asked of the golden pear shaped fruit in his hand.
"This is ambrosia." Ariston said, pronouncing it am-vro-se-ah as a true Greek would, since their 'B' is a 'v' sound.
"The food of the gods." I smiled.
A knife appeared in his hand and he sliced off a portion of the fruit and handed it to me, I took it and took a bite. It was divine, the flavor was unlike anything I have ever eaten. It was sweet, juicy and had a certain tang to it. The texture was somewhat like that of a pear but smoother, almost liquid like.
"Delicious." I said.
Ariston smiled and handed me an ambrosia and a knife. I took a slice and ate it, then finished my omelets and two blueberries muffins and a cup of tea. I looked at Ariston, who was now eating a plum as he lounged on his side with a smile on his lips and love in his eyes. He looked like a painting, the way his white unbuttoned shirt fell to the side to show off some of his muscular chest, an all too appealing sight. I was in complete awe of him and amazed by the fact that such a god could love me as he does. A part of me has always known that Ariston loves me... but now, to be able to feel what is within his soul, to experience the true power of his unending, undying love for me... it is a gift beyond all gifts. His eyes did not leave mine as we ate.
"I am still not entirely convinced that last night was not a dream." I said to him with a smile.
"A good dream?" He asked with a raised eyebrow. I chuckled and blushed deeply.
"Far more then good, as I am quite certain we disguised shortly ago." I said, making him blush and his crooked smile grow.
"I feel the same, 'too flatteringly-sweet to be substantial.'" Ariston said, quoting Romeo as an enticing smile lit his lips. "However, I can think of a way or two we can be certain that we are not dreaming."
"Is that so?" I asked him with a raised eyebrow.
Again I saw the hunger in his eyes, my heart skipped a beat and then began pounding. I crawled over to him and kissed him as I climbed onto his lap, reaching down to untie his pants as I was guided by my instincts, desires and also what I knew my Ariston wants since I was already beginning to connect with his thoughts. He wanted me here, out in nature with this tree shading us and every bit of me wanted him...
Many hours later I laid on his chest, embraced by his smiling ancient eyes. We spent the rest of the night on our makeshift bed of blankets and springy grass. He showed me constellations and explained how they received their names. We spent the night talking about everything and nothing, a few hours after sunset, I looked into his eyes and could not resist him...
Hours later we laid on our backs breathing heavily. My god, how can anything feel like that? It would seem that five thousand years of 'practice' has truly paid off. I looked at him then rolled so that I was on his chest, his arms wrapped around me automatically. Ariston caressed my cheek and caressed a few strands of hair out of my face.
"I love you, my Ariston." I whispered.
"I love you, my Mera." He whispered back in the night.
We went inside, and I convinced him to allow me to cook us a fabulous and unique chicken dinner and then we bathed in his pool. When we made love in the hot water, it was slow and sweet as we took our time, sharing in such heady ecstasy and it was... overwhelming. We climbed into bed and after a time, I was becoming too tired to stay awake with everything we had been up to. I pulled the blankets closer around us as I laid upon his all too warm chest, smelling his scent and mine mixed together in a wonderful way.
"I would like to go to school tomorrow, so will you please not let me sleep past 6am?" I asked sleepily.
"As you wish." He said. "I love you, sweet dreams, my love."
"I love you, my love, sleep well." I mumbled in my tired state; he does know how to wear me out, but I am in no way complaining.
I laid my head back on his chest and closed my eyes in my own personal heaven.
"Mera," I smiled as Ariston softly said my name into my ear.
"Mhm." I mumbled.
"I am waking you on your request, you said you did not want to miss school today." He said. I opened my eyes and yawned.
"Good morning." I said.
"Good morning, my love. If we leave soon, we could have lunch in Paris before class." Ariston offered.
"Lunch? Is it that late?" I asked, he chuckled.
"It is six hours later in Paris my love, they are now serving lunch." He told me.
"Sounds wonderful." I said.
We took a quick shower and he brought me into the closet. I gasped when I saw that it was twice the size it had been yesterday, the new portion of the closet was made up of women's clothing that looked to be just my size. There were shoes, and purses and a variety of other accessories. A huge dresser made out of beautiful patterned wood, which I assumed had more clothing within it, sat in the back of the room.
"I took the liberty of having some things made ready for you. I realize it is not much, but it is only a start. I plan on taking you shopping as soon as I can." Ariston said. I looked at him in amazement.
"This is all... mine?" I asked.
"It is." He said.
I smiled and touched one of the garments, they were brand new, and some even still had tags. Some things looked more unique and were made of that soft fabric, cloud wool or silk he called it. Each piece of clothing was more beautiful than the last.
"I have never had such clothing." I said with a smile.
"What of the clothing you wear?" Ariston asked.
"Borrowed, except for a few generous gifts. Margret shares all of her clothing with me. I am immensely grateful for it, but I have never had clothing like this that was my own." I told him.
I turned back to Ariston when I felt a sadness within him. His eyes were saddened by what I had told him for a moment, before a smile lit his flawless features and a mixture of joy and determination filled him.
"I can take care of that." He told me. "From now on, anything you want, anything you desire, you have but to say the word and it is yours. As a god, I have access to unlimited funds, so you do not have to worry about what you spend. I want you to have everything you have ever dreamed of having." My heart felt as if it were about to burst. I walked up to him and kissed him.
"Just being able to call you my own is more than I ever dared hope for. Your love is everything to me." I told him.
"You are everything to me as well, my Mera. Which is why I want to give you these things, it brings me great joy to do so. You would not deny me my joy, would you?" He asked in a slightly playful tone. I laughed.
"No my love, I would not. I am... immensely grateful, for everything." I kissed him once more.
"Ah." Ariston said, as if he had just remembered something. He went and picked up a long white box with a bow on it. "As promised." He stated with a smile. I was curious. I opened the box and moved the paper out of the way and was amazed by what was in there.
"They are beautiful." I breathed.
I picked up one of the riding boots out of the box. They were just like Ariston's, they have twine lacing on the outside, with which you can tighten and loosen the calf of the boot, and on the inside there is rubber to help you grip. They were soft enough to not need to be broken in but still looked brand new.
"They are wonderful boots, I had them softened for you so you do not need to break them in." Ariston told me. I smiled and looked into his liquid, ancient eyes.
"Thank you, I cannot wait to wear them." I said to him. The look on his face, the smile, made this gift mean all the more. I kissed him over the box.
"We should get ready." He said. I nodded and he put the box down on a stool.
Ariston began getting dressed and I turned to my new clothing. I decided I would look through the clothing later and chose one of the first day dresses I saw, a beautiful white Gucci dress with white pumps to go with it. I tied a short blue scarf around my neck, and as I slipped on a pair of short white gloves, the wooden dresser caught my attention and peaked my curiosity. I bit my lip and went over to it. Grasping the gold handles, I pulled open the doors and gasped once again, my jaw going slack as I took in the beautiful jewelry inside it, my eyes as wide as a kid in a candy store, or a woman visiting Harry Winston for the first time.
Diamonds, rubies, sapphires, emeralds, pearls and so many more stones were wrought into jewels the likes of which I have never seen! Every color in the rainbow sat there on blue velvet. There were some that had no stones at all, they were simply beautifully wrought metal, either gold, silver, adamantine or other metals I did not recognize. Some of the jewelry was simple while others were more extravagant, but what each piece had in common was that each and every stone was flawless and each jewel was designed and crafted with astoundingly intricate attention to detail. They were truly something to behold, and I was speechless at the thought of them all being mine. Never in my life had I imagined that I would have such jewels.
"These are a few of my brother's creations I thought you would enjoy," Ariston said from behind me. "Hephaestus is as brilliant and exact in crafting jewelry as he is with weapons. I think you should wear these for today." Ariston took out a pair of large square sapphire studs surrounded by a diamond cut to fit around it like a glove, a square upon a square.
I smiled and put them in then looked at the huge full-length mirror. The outfit looked amazing, the Rose Diamond sparkling on my neck. I smiled as Ariston wrapped his arms around my waist, looking at me in the mirror as he placed a sweet kiss on my right temple. He looked amazing in a silver suit with a white shirt, the edges of which were trimmed in sapphire blue, with a few of the buttons undone. What was even more beautiful was the way we looked together. We fit, more proof that we were made for each other.
"You look stunning." Ariston told me, my smile grew.
"It is ridiculous how lucky I am." I said with a shake of my head. "First of all, I find my soul mate in the most incredible, loving, passionate man when I am seventeen and fall so madly and deeply in love. But I guess that was not enough for Fate. My soul mate just happens to be a Greek God and more beautiful then any man I have ever seen. And even that was not enough, he is also wildly rich and delights in giving me gifts, the likes of which I have never dreamed of." Ariston laughed.
"I feel even more blessed because I found you, and because I can give you such gifts. I love the way your face lights up." Ariston said, my smile grew once again. "We should be going."
"Do you know where my purse is?" I asked him.
"Here." Ariston said.
I turned to see it in his hand, I chuckled and took it. I picked out a blue, woven leather purse from my new collection and transferred my things into it, then grabbed a gray trench coat which Ariston held for me as I slid my arms into it. He wrapped his arms around me and I held him as he became golden light.
A moment later we were in a beautiful, pristine white hallway. Ariston held his arm out and I took it. Down the hallway and to the right, a hostess in a lovely pink dress stood behind a podium. Ariston spoke to her in French and she brought us to a little table outside. The place looked like a postcard, and with French music floating through the air, the atmosphere matched what my mind always imagined France would be like.
I looked around at the beautiful old buildings, studying there architecture. I have always wanted to travel, always hungered to see the world.
"I have never been to France before." I said.
"You have not done much traveling, have you?" Ariston asked.
"I went to Russia with Margret to visit her parents for spring break once, I visited the Kremlin with Margret and Nikolai, her brother who clearly had a crush on me, but besides that I have not been outside the United States." I told him.
"Well then, it appears we have quite a bit of traveling to do." Ariston said. "I have so much to show you, and forever to do it in."
I looked at Ariston with such excitement, he smiled and chuckled. Ariston held my hand and played with my fingers on the table as we waited for our food.
"I have been thinking." Ariston stated.
"About anything in particular?" I asked suggestively with a raised eyebrow, he laughed once.
"I want to meet your family." Ariston told me in an upbeat tone. I looked down and stopped smiling a bit, apprehension filling me. "Have I said something wrong?" He asked.
"No, my love... it is just..." I said, I did not know quite how to put my worries into words. I sighed.
"Do you not want me to meet them?" Ariston asked, thankfully he was not hurt, just curious. I am still amazed that I can still feel his feelings, which must mean he can feel mine as well. I did not want him to misinterpret my emotions.
"No, of course I want you to meet them." I said to him, looking into his eyes. "I love you, so much so, and I want them to love you. And I am worried that they will only see you as a thirty-something year old man who has seduced their seventeen year old daughter."
"Thirty?" Ariston was clearly amused by that, it made me smile despite myself.
"You look about that." I said.
"Give or take a few thousand years." He replied, then sighed. "This is truly bothering you." I nodded, Ariston caressed my cheek as he looked into my eyes. "Mera, I fully intend on marrying you when you are ready. I love you, I make you happy and not to mention I can amply provide for you. What more could any parent ask of the man their daughter loves?" He asked. "You do love me, do you not?" He asked, already knowing the answer.
"With all my soul." I said, slightly breathless from his touch.
"And I do make you happy, do I not?" He asked.
"Happier than I have ever been." I sighed and shook my head. "You do realize that if my father finds out we are having sex he is going to kill you." I told him, to my surprise Ariston smiled at that.
"It is well worth the risk." He said, I smiled and blushed. I had to agree with him on that.
"I am flying out to see my parents for my 18th birthday in a month, I cannot imagine spending it without you." I said to him. "Come with me." His smile grew.
"I would love to." He said, I could feel his joy at my inviting him.
He leaned over the table and kissed me. I understood in that moment why they make the tables so small, they are easier to kiss over. I placed my hand on his cheek and savored the kiss.
"Thank you." Ariston said in a low voice, looking into my eyes when the kiss had ended.
I could feel how much this meant to him, there was also something else he was feeling about this, a kind of excitement for something. I wondered at that until our lunch came a few moments later.
