Author's Note: PLEASE READ! I have decided to post this chapter and the epilogue in nearly its virgin form. I have decided for now that I want to focus on posting smaller chapters of the second book in this series, The Three Gifts. And working on the third book in the series, The Nature Of The Soul. I do hope you will enjoy the chapter, none the less!


Chapter Thirty-nine

"I have led men into battle," Ennina said as she sat beside her husband in his beautiful garden. I had asked her about war. "I have fought, I have killed. Gods have a higher understanding of life and death… But at the end of a battle, when you look at the field around you, littered with thousands upon thousands of dead bodies, all those lives ended... even when you win, it is difficult to justify."

I sat there and took in her words as I ate a sweet apricot from Cronus' orchards. My mind was lost in thoughts of what was to come and if I could handle it. Ennina and Cronus had told me so many stories from their lives, of the battles they fought, the friends and family they had lost. Losing my grandfather had been hard enough for me, I did not know if I could handle watching someone else I love die. I looked at Ennina, who was watching me with a knowing look upon her beautiful face.

"How do you find strength to keep doing all you are doing as a goddess?" I asked her, she looked into her husband's eyes and they smiled simultaneously before she looked back to me.

"Love, family, and my people." She told me. "They are what give me strength, they are what I fight for, they are the reason I keep doing what I am doing. For I know that without me, so much would be lost."

I understood what she meant, and thinking on it, I knew how much I had to fight for, Ariston was chief among them, he is my everything. Then I thought of my family, of my little cousin Henry and thinking about him made me think about the children I will one day have with my husband-to-be. Yes, I most certainly have a lot to fight for.

"You will be powerful as a goddess, Mera; there is no doubt about that." Ennina told me as a good-humored grin spread across her face. "You may even threaten my claim to the throne."

"I may become powerful, but I hold no interest in ruling. I do not want that responsibility." I told her truthfully. If I were to rule, where would I ever find time to be with Ariston and our family? It is not my destiny to be queen, it is hers.

"I respect and honor you greatly for that, sister." Ennina said with a smile. It was truly humbling to hear such words from such a goddess. "Being a goddess is a responsibility in itself. It is about so much more than most see it to be. It is a lot like motherhood, there is nothing that can truly prepare you for it." Such a meaning came into her eyes as her words continued. "But when it is done correctly, there are few things in life that can compare to that joy." She smiled to Cronus.

"How is the wedding planning coming?" Cronus asked me a moment later, looking away from his wife and into my eyes with genuine joy.

"It is coming, there is a lot to plan." I said. "Sometimes it can be overwhelming."

"If you need any help, be sure to ask." Cronus said.

I was touched. These two are clearly madly in love and want to spend every moment together, yet here they are taking what free time they have with each other and using it to train me and on top of that, offering to help with planning my wedding. These are the kind of people, the kind of gods, this world needs more of.

"Thank you for the offer, but Ariston and I have everything covered for the time being." I told them. "Even in the mayhem there is still this wonderful… bliss between us. Even when he was constantly begging me to change my mind about my destiny, there has always been this… love there to get us through. I do not know what else to call it but gods am I thankful for it." I said with a smile.

Ennina and Cronus smiled to each other, her blue eyes meeting his bright pale green ones. I knew that they understood exactly what I meant.

"Love is beauty in itself." Ennina said, looking into her husband's eyes before her smile grew and she looked back to me.

"I must admit that you are not what I expected." I said, she smiled, making her even more beautiful.

"I get that a lot." She said. "May I give you one piece of advice?"

"Of course." I said.

"Never take what you love for granted, never assume that tomorrow everything will be as it is today. Even for gods, the future is not completely certain." Ennina told me with a saddened knowledge in her eyes.

"I cannot take anything for granted." I said softly, almost to myself. "Every time I feel I have figured something out or understand something, everything seems to change."

"You are among the gods now my dear, everything that has been in your life before this will change." She said. "It is simply the end of one journey, the beginning of another." Ennina said with a smile. "For every end, there is a beginning." I looked at her in surprise at the words she chose.

"My mothers words." I said. She laughed and shook her head.

"They are my words." Ennina said. "My mother told me them when I was a girl and she was explaining to me about the universe and how it works. Your grandmother told those words to your mother when she was a girl, and I told them to your grandmother."

"You knew my grandmother Andrea?" I asked.

"Yes, my husband and I both did. But Ariston was closer to her since he was the one who recruited her. Have you asked him about her?" She asked.

"He said that she defeated thousands of Shadows. He also said she was cocky and a pain in the ass, and that they made out once when he was drunk." I said.

"Really." Ennina said, seeming genuinely surprised to hear that. "I have to say I did not know that one." I could have smacked myself upside the head.

"I should not have said that." I internally berated myself, knowing that Ariston would never reveal anything so private about me without my consent.

"Mera, it is alright." Ennina assured me and I looked back to her. "What you just said will not leave our lips, not even to Ariston." Ennina promised and Cronus nodded his agreement. "I never have been much of a gossip anyways."

"Thank you." I said, knowing I would still have to tell Ariston anyways.

"What is family for?" She asked the rhetorical question with warmth in her eyes.

I have to admit that I am surprised how close I have grown to these two, I love that Ariston is just as close to them as I feel. They feel like… family. The family I have always wanted. I love my mortal family dearly, but I have always wanted siblings, and all of Ariston's have welcomed me with open arms.

"You both should come over for dinner sometime, I know that Ariston would love to see you both." I said. They smiled to each other.

"We would love to, just tell us when." Ennina said.

"I will ask Ariston." I told her.

"The two of you should come to our home for dinner as well." Cronus said with that warm smile of his. "Ennina is quite the chief."

"You cook?" I asked, wondering where she found the time. Ennina laughed.

"Who do you think taught Ariston?" She asked. "I always make sure to find time for the little things in life. Whether it be cooking, weaving, spending time with my family or kissing my husband whenever I get the chance." Ennina told me.

"It is the little things in life that count," Cronus said. "Even to an immortal. That is why I tend my own gardens as often as I can."

I smiled at their values, then a question came to mind. Something I had been wondering about since I found out that Ennina is destined to destroy the Nameless One.

"May I ask you something?" I asked, looking at Ennina.

"Anything." She said.

"How is it that you will be able to defeat the Nameless One when others cannot?" I asked.

"There is a sword that has been forged, one of light and of darkness, and a being of both must wield it to destroy him." she said.

"But you have no darkness within you." I said with a smile, Ennina just looked at me for a time before speaking, as she did so the smile slid from my face, confusion taking its place.

"Yes, Mera, I do have darkness within me, but it is not how you think." Ennina said, I looked at her in shock. "Unlike my grandsire, I did not choose to be this way. When my father was conceived, the Nameless One already had the Shadow within him, it was a part of him. It had mixed with his ichor and his seed so that my father was born with a part of that darkness within him. It was only thanks to my husband here that he was able to do what his sire could not, he was able to tame the darkness inside of him and make it his strength instead of his weakness.

"I have his ichor flowing through me. I have chosen to take this darkness, this flaw, and make it into a strength. I know how to keep it inside of me, and when I release it, there is no warrior more deadly than I. I only unleash my full wrath upon those whom harm or threaten my family and innocents." Ennina explained. "What I have done anyone can do. If they have the power of will then nothing is impossible." I calmed down as I took this in.

"Do I have that within me?" I asked. She shook her head with a smile.

"No Mera, the thousands of years between you and the gods has bread it out of you." She said. "Do you feel a darkness within you? Are you angered easily? Are over emotional?" she asked.

"No, thankfully." I said.

"You are a pure soul," She told me with an almost maternal smile. "You are made of light and of love, believe me when I say that."

"There are already those whom worship us again, there are those whom never stopped." Ennina said. "When the time is right we will appear to the mortals, and when we reappear we will not be ordering them to worship us or offering them a quick fix. We will not say 'follow us and we will fix everything with our abilities.' Our job is to guide and teach the mortals, not grant their every wish. If they want something in their life they will have to work for it. If we do everything for the mortals they would do nothing for themselves. 'Give a man a fish he will eat for a day.'"

"'Teach a man to fish he will eat for a lifetime'." I finished with a smile.

"Jesus was a brilliant man, he understood the world and the mortals that live there. He would have accomplished so much more if it had not been his time. What a horrible way to die, I still wish I could have helped him." She said.

"You were there?" I gasped, though after all I have learned I don't know how anything can surprise me. She nodded, her eyes far away.

"We will also not attempt to abolish other religions, why would we if they are based on peaceful principles and only want to help people to find their own path? Jesus, Moses, Buddha and others did great things, why shouldn't they be worshiped?" Ennina said.

"We will not give up," Cronus began, Ennina looked to Cronus and I did as well. "It will be restored, not only the greatness of the gods, but the greatness of men. We are all needed, not just one god, but each and every one of us. The balance will be restored, that is what we are working towards and we are immortal so we have the rest of forever to help them get it right."

"Your faith in humanity has never faltered, even when mine has." Ennina said to her husband with love and wonder in her voice.

"It is because I know what they are capable of." Cronus said then smirked. "And your faith in humanity has never faltered, I know you too well to believe that."

Ennina laughed. Looking into each other's eyes, they seemed to have forgotten my presence completely. It is times like this when Ennina is with her husband that she seems almost normal. When she is with him she is not a goddess, not a crown princess, just a woman, a wife who is madly in love with her husband and a devoted mother.


I was joyfully surprised to find Ariston waiting for me at home after I returned from my training with Ennina and Cronus. I ran to Ariston and we kissed. We took a shower together, it was wonderful, I had missed him as much as he had missed me.

"I told Cronus and Ennina about you and my grandmother kissing," I told him guiltily. "I did not mean to." He just laughed once softly and placed his hands on my upper arms.

"I am not upset." He promised me. "There were worse people you could have told." His smile did not falter.

I dressed in a royal blue dress of cloud silk with silver vines climbing up the bodice and neckline as well as the hem of the skirt. The straps were made of diamonds crisscrossing back and forth and jutting out here and there. For jewelry I wore an armband of white diamonds and deep blue sapphires cast in adamantine with matching earrings. I went barefooted since I was in my own home and did not feel the need for shoes.

Ariston wore silver pants and a dark blue button down shirt with a watch that was made of adamantine and had a few sapphires within it. I love how even though we do not dress exactly the same, our colors always complement the other even when we are not trying to.

Ariston and I spent a few hours together just talking and laughing and kissing before he left to get my parents. He arrived with them a few minutes after he left. I could tell that my parents were still a little uncomfortable with teleportation even though Ariston and I and even Kallisto have told them over and over again that it is safe. At least they are calmer than the first time he teleported them. My grandmother however could not have been more comfortable.

"Mom, dad, grandmother." I greeted them with a smile as I rose to embrace them.

They said hello to me then I gave Ariston a kiss then we all sat down.

"How is the wedding coming along?" My mother asked.

"Busy as always." I told her. "At least we have the dresses and the cakes picked out."

"Have you chosen the halls yet?" My grandmother asked.

"No," Ariston told them with a smile. "We are going to do that tomorrow."

I looked to Ariston and he wrapped his arm around my shoulders and I wrapped mine around his waist, needing the comfort. This is going to be even more difficult than telling her who I am.

"Honey, is everything alright?" My mother asked. I glanced to my grandmother and saw that she knew what this must be about. I looked back to my mother.

"Mom, dad, grandmother, would you come with Ariston and I to the library?" I asked them. "There is something we need to show you."

"Of course." My father said, his worry written on his face.

Ariston and I walked down the hallway with my parents following and into our library. I clutched onto Ariston's hand for dear life. I did not want to hurt my mother, but she deserved to know the truth about who her mother was and how she died. My dad let out a whistle when we entered, I got my love of books for him and knew he would have a field day in here, except for the fact that he would not be able to read most of the languages those scrolls were written in.

"Have a seat." Ariston said.

My mother, father and grandmother sat on a couch and Ariston and I sat on our divan. I looked to Ariston for a moment before looking to my mother.

You can do this, Ariston thought to me.

"Mom," I began. "There is something you should know."

"About what?" She asked with curiosity written on her features.

"Your mother." I told her, surprise registered on her face.

I pressed a button and played the video I had seen a few days ago. My mother gasped when she saw her mother on the screen. We watched the whole video in silence, when I looked over I saw that my mother had tears streaming down her cheeks, I had never in my life seen my mother cry over anything.

"I don't understand, how can the video look like that?" My mother asked when it finished.

"This technology was created hundreds of years before the mortals came up with it." Ariston explained. "We have videos from long before cameras were even invented."

"My mother, she was one of you?" My mother asked with a smile.

"Yes, she was." Ariston said in a somber tone.

My mother smiled for a moment before the smile slid away, her face going pale, her eyes glued to Ariston.

"You were there that night." My mother's voice was barely more than a whisper. "The night my mother was murdered. I knew you looked familiar, but I did not know from where… not until now." She was shaking ever so slightly and I felt the memories this brought forth for Ariston and how they tormented him.

"Yes, I was there Anne." Ariston said, his voice grave. "Your subconscious blocked that memory from you and with good reason. I wish I could forget that night."

"What happened that night?" My mother begged. "My father would never speak of it, I never got any answers. Please, tell me."

"The Nameless one came after your mother because of what she could do." Ariston said. "She should have called out for us, for me, and I should have been watching closer… but I was not." Ariston looked ashamed. "Your mother was strong, she was a fighter and she could easily protect herself, but I should have watched more closely."

He blames himself. He always blames himself for everything. I placed my hand on Ariston's shoulder and our eyes met for a moment before we looked back to my mother.

"Why didn't you save her?" My mother asked, her eyes still on Ariston as anger entered her voice. "You could have saved her, you have the power to heal. You could have saved her!"

"I was about to when she begged me not to." Ariston told my mother. "She said she had been a fool and that you and your father would be safer without her. You and your father were everything to her; she gave up her life for the both of you. She knew that if I healed her she would have to leave the two of you. She also knew that the Nameless One would use you and your father to get to her, and between that and death the choice for her was easy."

"Why? Why was this done to her?" My mother asked, crying angry tears.

"Do you remember what Ariston and I told you about the Descendants of Pandora?" I asked her.

"You," My mother paused to swallow. "You said that one of them would be able to lock the Shadows away and defeat the Nameless One."

"The Shadows are this strength," I told her. "He will not risk a Descendant of Pandora locking them away again, and so he has killed every active. He killed your mother and her mother before her. It was because of the good she was doing and all she was going to do that he took her life."

My mother sat there for a moment in silence before looking up to me with horror and fear in her eyes before she said three words, the three words I had been dreading.

"Are you next?" she asked.

"Yes." I said, nodding.

"No," she whispered before saying it louder. "No! I will not lose you. You are my daughter…" words failed her then and my father held her closer.

"Ariston, you promised to protect our daughter." My father said. "There must be something you can do."

"There is, but I cannot not." Ariston said.

"Why not?" My mother asked. I decided to answer this one.

"The only way for me to live is to give up on my duty, to give up on saving the worlds and finding the box. I cannot do that." I told them.

"Yes you can." My father said. I took a deep breath.

"You do not understand." I told them, I felt strangely calm. "Mom, dad. I am the last Descendant of Pandora, I am this world's last hope. The Nameless One cannot be defeated without at least some of the Shadows being locked away and I am the only one that can do it. This is why I was born, this is what I am destined for and if I have to give my life for this then I gladly will. Death is not the end, my soul will someday be reborn and I will return to the gods, to Ariston, to where I belong."

My parents just looked at me, I knew that look all to well, I had seen it in Ariston's eyes more times than I would like to count. When I looked to Ariston I was thankful not to see it there again, he only nodded to me. My grandmother had the smallest of smiles, it was pride written on her face.

"And you approve of this?" My father asked Ariston.

"No," Ariston said with a hit of a smile while shaking his head. "Not in any way. I love Mera with every fiber of my being, you both know that. I have tried for months to get her to change her mind, and all to no avail. I would do anything for this woman, and this is what she has asked of me. I understand why she must do this, I would do the same if I were in her position." He looked to me and I gave him a smile, grateful to have such a man by my side. I brought his hand to my lips and placed a kiss on the back of it.

"How long?" My mother asked, her voice just barely a whisper as new tears ran down her cheeks.

"We do not know." I told her. "It could be tomorrow or ten years from now, but it will happen."

Everyone was quite for a few minutes. I did not expect my parents to be jumping for joy by the fact of my demise, but it was still difficult to see them hurt in such a way. I had never seen my mother so emotional as she has been tonight, I have never seen her be anything but happy and strong. The most upset I have ever seen her be is mild irritation, never this kind of anger. I understood why she did not speak much of her mother, it was too hard for her, and the times she did speak of her, it was only because she wanted me to know who my grandmother was.

"One thing is for sure." My mother to me she still had tears in her eyes but now there was a small smile. "You are going to have to have us over for dinner more often." I laughed once.

"Of course, three nights a week." I promised. She smiled and got up. I went to her and hugged her. My father got up and I hugged the both of them.

"I will be fine mom. Need I say your saying?" I asked. She shook her head. "Enough tears, I assure you the food is well salted." I told her. She laughed as we pulled back and wiped our eyes.

"You have been quiet." My father said to his mother. "You already knew." He understood.

"Yes, I knew." My grandmother said. "When I first met you Anne, I knew there was something different about you. I still had my connections and so it did not take long to find out that you are descended from Pandora. I met your mother a few times, and all though I did not know her well, I was greatly saddened by the tragedy that befell her. When Mera was born I just... knew she was the one, that everything has been leading up to her."

"And you did not find it prudent to tell us?" My father asked his mother.

"If I had walked in holding Mera when she was a baby and going on about Greek gods and prophecies, would you have believed me?" She asked, already knowing the answer.

"Come let's have dinner." I said to them.

We all went into the kitchen, my parents and grandmother sat on the stools at the island as Ariston and I cooked. We put some music on to lighten the mood, thankfully it worked. Kallisto and Aaron came over and that helped to cheer things up as well and after a few glasses of wine we were all doing a lot better.


After everyone left, Ariston and I got into the bathing pool and relaxed in each other's arms for a few hours. I loved it when Ariston rubbed my shoulders, he does have skilled hands.

"I love you." Ariston said. I smiled.

"I love how often you say that." I told him. He laughed and caressed my cheek. "I love you Ariston, more than I could ever put into words. I swear to you that when we get through this you will never have to worry again. It will just be us and our family. I do not want anything more." His smile grew.

I placed my hand over his and closed my eyes as I sighed and leaned into his warm palm. A moment later his lips caressed mine in a sweet lingering kiss with the same intensity that we felt in our front yard. My smile grew when the kiss ended, his lips were an inch away from mine. I opened my eyes for one moment to look into the depths of his sky blue eyes before I kissed him again. It was not long before we were clutching each other to be as close as we could get, and then some…

Hours later we got out of the hot pool and dried each other off. We then went and laid in bed face to face with our arms wrapped around each other.

"We are to meet with my father and step mother tomorrow to chose from the great halls for the ceremony." Ariston said.

"It is hard to believe this is all real." I told him, he laughed.

"Still?" he asked. I nodded. "It is real my love, I am real." He said tenderly.

My heart swelled with love and gratitude to the point where I felt as if I would burst. I kissed him.

"I love you." I whispered.

"I love you." He said in a low voice.

We fell asleep face to face with our arms wrapped around each other, as I snuggled into his wonderful warmth with a smile on my face that matched the one on his lips, I found all the peace and love and joy I would ever want or need.


The past week has been one of the most exciting of my entire life. December arrived in a hasty fashion, and with it the celebration of Saturnalia. Few these days know the true origins of Christmas, and that it was not in fact the birthdate of Jesus. People all around the world have celebrated the Winter solstice, since long before monotheism took root. The celebration the Olympian's hold is modeled after the Roman holiday.

Long before a certain man was crucified on a cross, back when the Romans held to the gods of old, they held a beautiful celebration in honor of Saturn, aka Cronus. During that week, Roman society was turned on its head! Slaves became masters, and masters their slaves. Gifts were given, including a kind of 'love lottery', and trees were decorated. Here on Olympus, it was a celebration of Ennina and Cronus.


Ariston and I walked with Zeus and Hera through the different great halls. Every type of architecture you can imagine was there. From ancient Greek to modern and everything in between. Each hall was enormous and since our wedding guest list is already numbered in the thousands we will need the space.

We ended up choosing a beautiful classical Greek hall with views of the mountain below for the ceremony. The raised dais where Ariston and I will stand and say our vows, promising ourselves to each other alone, overlooked the ocean below. I loved the pillars and carvings in the gold veined marble and Ariston loved the room as well. For the feast on Olympus we chose a beautiful grand hall with stunning stain glass windows and a French Revolution style décor. The wedding reception will be held outside in the Grand Garden, the flowers, the colors, the scents, the fresh air… it will make a perfect end to a perfect day.

We were walking through the fifth grand hall of the day when Zeus stopped and turned to us with his wife at his side.

"I am sorry Mera, my son, I must be going. I fear the duties of a king are never done." Zeus said.

"I understand father." Ariston said with a smile.

"Many would give much and more to be a king." I said with a smile. Zeus laughed, his head tilting back as he did so for a moment.

"Those men claim they want to be kings, but if they knew the responsibility that comes with being a king very few would still wish it upon themselves." He said. "My advice to those who say they want to be a king is this, find your love. Then you get to feel like a king without the responsibility. Well, to a point that is." Hera playfully hit her husband on the arm and he laughed and she joined in.

"We will see you both later." Hera said, her eyes warm and motherly.

I smiled to them both and watched them go in golden light before looking back to the beautiful room.

"Is the wedding everything you want?" Ariston asked, looking into my eyes. I smiled and shook my head.

"It is more." I told him. I leaned up and kissed him. "I just never imagined such... extravagance." He laughed.

"Well you are marrying a god and a prince." Ariston said as his arms lingered around my waist. "We can have a simple wedding if that is what you wish. I am more than willing to go to Vegas right now and marry you." I laughed knowing he would if I said yes. I shook my head.

"But how would my dress fit in with that?" I asked playfully and he laughed.

"Speaking of which..." He began when I cut him off.

"No." I stated, knowing what he was about to ask. He has wanted to see the dress since I told him I have one.

"Elianna showed me her dress as soon as it was finished. I never had to deal with all this waiting." He objected.

"I am not Elianna, as you well know." I said with a smile. "Were you not the one who is all for tradition?" I asked.

"I was, before you." He told me in all honesty, his eyes becoming far too seductive for my own good. My body began heating up, already aching for the pleasures we share and the heights he alone can take me to. "You changed that one beautiful night not so long ago. If you do not remember I could remind you…" He trailed off with that devilish smile.

"As if I could forget." I said, my smile matching his as a memory of our first time came to mind. "You are still not seeing the dress." I added in, though the look in his eyes was driving me wild and he knew it.

"I will bet I could make you change your mind." Ariston said, leaning down and kissing me breathless. It was a while before I could think straight, my mind was a haze of desire.

"I have no doubt of that my love. However, if you love me, which I know you do, you will not do so." I told him. "You are not going to see the dress until you see me walking down the isle to you in it." I placed my hand on his chest and looked up into his eyes. "If thinking of my dress is driving you crazy, I can think of a way or two to distract you."

"Can you now?" He asked his smile growing. I nodded.

"Two words." I said with the same smile.

"I am listening." He said.

"I have a feeling you are going to enjoy this idea greatly." I told him.

"I am listening intently." He said. I leaned up, letting my lips brush against his ear as I whispered.

"Wedding invitations." I said. He burst into laughter.

"Why my love, for a moment you had me thinking you were suggesting something entirely different." He said, his one hand around my hips and his other trailing down my spin in a way that gave me goose bumps.

My arms went around his neck without even thinking about it. He put his face next to mine, caressing it lightly as he whispered things, 'suggestions', into my ear that made my blush deepen to near maroon and my heart pound at the very thought. He can be very detailed. I pulled back a bit with a shaky breath only to see that look, that storm within his eyes that never fails to drive me wild.

"We have time for that as well," I told him. "But we need to choose the invitations. I want them to be delivered two month before the wedding and the save the date's to be delivered within the next few weeks..." I told him, trying with all my might to keep control of myself, all the while knowing it was a futile attempt.

If I was not so madly in love with Ariston, and if he did not desire me as much as I desire him, then one might think it were only teenage hormones doing this to me, but no, it was more than that, it was him. He had this unearthly power over my body, over my will, that no other creation in existence could lay claim to. He possessed me, his very being ran through my blood, he was what made my heart pound, what brings me to life in unimaginable ways.

"How about I bring you back to our bedroom and we will pick out the invitations in a few hours." He offered, before he kissed me and my body seemed to turn to fire as we clutched each other closer. We were both breathing heavily by the time the kiss ended. "Or tomorrow if you like." I nodded.

"Take me home." I pleaded and kissed him again as I felt his warm light surrounding us.

Moments later we were in our room kissing passionately all the way to our king sized bed as we pulled off each others clothing as quickly as we could, desperately needing to get to what was underneath…

Ariston and I laid face to face, my leg wrapped around his waist, our arms lingering around each other. For what felt like hours, we could not seem to speak. We existed in a place where words lost their meaning, where they simply did not exist, but in that silence something else was shared, something else was shared in place of words. It was almost as if a symphony was being played, the notes made out of silence, as we both trembled in the overwhelming aftermath of the lovemaking we just shared. That silent melody was the sweetest sounds to ever have graced our ears.

I moved in closer and rested my forehead to his, his hand went to caress my cheek before sliding down my neck and shoulder and down my arm, the tips of our noses brushing together in this sacred bliss. My arm around his back pulled him closer with what little strength I had left, and our lips met in the most tender of unions that lingered on into eternity. When our lips parted, our breath met between our lips. I wanted to tell him I loved him, just as much as I felt he wanted to profess those sacred words to me, but the silence still lingered and it was far too sweet to break. I looked into his ancient eyes and we both smiled, knowing words were not necessary to communicate that truth between our souls.

After what could have been an hour or a month, Ariston closed his eyes and a time later, a HUGE stack of invitations and save the date card appeared on our bed. They were stunning, some made with silk, others with velvet, there were even some that looked like liquid, while others had the words and designs engraved upon all colors and shades of gold instead of paper. The possibilities were clearly limitless, which made my smile grow.

Ariston and I laid on our bed hours later looking through the stacks.

"How about this one?" Ariston asked with a smile.

"Mickey Mouse?" I asked with a raised eyebrow, he burst into laughter. "You have got to be kidding me. Ariston we are getting married not throwing a birthday party for a two year old."

"Not yet at least." He said. I smiled and laughed, his humor never fails to get to me. I kissed him, just because I could.

"And by the way, yes, I was kidding about Mickey." He said softly. "Daffy Duck, however, is very in I hear." We laughed again.

"Where did half of these even come from?" I asked him, picking up one that had a very childish design.

"You said you wanted to see every example they had…" He said. I smacked his chest.

"I told you that one day I would smack you." I told him.

"Then I guess I was late on doing this." He said as he captured my lips with his own.

Ariston rolled on top of me and kissed my neck as the invitations crumpled beneath us. I smiled and laughed, then he suddenly stopped.

"What is it my love?" I asked him as he hovered over me, a far away look in his eyes that could only mean someone was speaking to him.

"Father is calling, he says it is urgent." Ariston replied.

"Can it wait a few hours?" I asked, bringing his lips down to mine.

"I wish it could." He said, getting up from me and our bed.

He put on a pair of pants and through on his shirt then climbed back on the bed and kissed me once more before disappearing.

I sighed and laughed. I went back to choosing invitations, that is until a few minutes later when I felt a feeling of 'oh god no' from Ariston. Dread filled his soul, dread and something else. I was worried immediately.

Ariston, what is wrong? I asked.

I will tell you soon. He replied. I stood and began pacing the room.

I saw a golden glow from the corner of my eye a few minutes later. The look on Ariston's face… we both knew what it meant. We stood there, looking into each other's eyes as I felt my throat begin to constrict.

"What is it?" I asked him, truly afraid of the answer.

"My sister Miranda is missing." He said. "Father has asked me to go and search for her along with some of my siblings."

I remembered the sweet goddess with blue green eyes and strawberry blond curls I met a few weeks ago. Tears filled my eyes and a lump formed in my throat. I knew this was coming, I had thought I was prepared… but now that we were here, in this moment, I knew I could not lose him, but I also knew that I had to let him go. I wanted to beg him to stay, but how could I? It was his sister who had been taken.

"This is it isn't it?" I asked, a part of me already knowing the answer and dreading it.

Ariston came to me then and took my into his arms, I laid my head on his chest and wrapped my arms around his back and held him close, desperate to be near him.

"It cannot be, the Moirae said we would be wed," Ariston told me. "I will return to you, I swear it." he promised.

"I will hold you to that." I said as tears flowed down my cheeks. Ariston held me close and I clutched onto him, already longing for him even though he was in my arms. "Let me come with you." I said, pulling back to look into the eyes I love so much.

"I will not have you die because of me, I cannot risk that, I would not be able to live with myself." He stated.

"As you said, they said we will be married and we are not yet." I told him.

"Mera, I have to know that you are safe." He said.

"Ariston, what if I die while you are gone?" I asked. "We only have so much time left, and I want to spend every moment of it with you."

"And I you." He said softly, caressing the tears away from my cheeks. "But I must do this, and I will not be able to focus if I have to constantly worry about your well being." He placed his other hand on my cheek so that he gently held my face within his hands, my arms were still locked in a death grip around his back. "I swear that I will not rest until I hold you in my arms again, no matter how long that takes." He said as tears escaped his eyes.

"I love you." My voice broke.

"I love you my Mera." He said.

I moved my arms to wrap them around his neck and we kissed passionately, needing to feel this kiss and each that followed. I treasured the taste of him, never wanting the moment to end.

"How long do you have before you must leave?" I asked, praying I could make love to him one last time. He sighed.

"Not long enough," He told me in a saddened voice. "My father said there is only enough time to say a short farewell, the sooner we leave the sooner we will find Miranda." He said. I nodded and kissed him again.

"I had something made for you." I told him. "I was saving it for a wedding gift, but I want you to have it now."

I took his hand and led him into my dressing room to where I had it hidden. I picked up the carved olivewood box and handed it to him. He opened it up and took out the adamantine oval locket. Ariston opened the locket and smiled at the photos inside, one of which was of me and the other was of Kallisto.

"I realize you do not need photo's to see our faces within your mind and memories," I said to him. "But I thought you might want a photo of us."

"It is perfect. Thank you." Ariston said with a smile, meaning every word. I could feel how much this gift meant to him.

He leaned down and kissed me. I took the locket and put the chain over his neck, it was long enough that it would easily go under his clothes. My hands lingered on his chest, feeling and rememorizing the warmth and sensation of his cinnamon skin under my fingers. I rested my head there, breathing in his mint and vanilla scent, treasuring it and desperately not wanting to lose it. Ariston's arms wound around me and held me closer, I heard him inhale the scent of my hair and skin, which he always said smelled liked raspberries and rainstorms.

"I have to dress." He said he said after a moment, though I felt within him that he had lost the will to release me from his arms.

I nodded and held him tight for a moment before we forced our bodies apart. I followed him to his closet and watched him undress, then dress in his usual button down shirt, this one being white, and kaki dress pants with brown shoes and a brown belt. He wanted to be inconspicuous, that would be hard to do with his looks. My guess was that he would change his shape and appearance into a less appealing man when needed so he would not stand out as much.

"What of Kallisto?" I asked him. "Does she know you are going?" He nodded solemnly.

"I went to her right before I came home to you." Ariston said, I nodded. "I have everything set up so that if something happens to me, everything of mine goes to you and Kallisto." Ariston said as he put on a wool trench coat, it was snowing out.

"Ariston," I said with tears in my eyes, he looked to me. "Return to me."

"Always my Mera." He promised as he quickly crossed the room and took me into his arms. "I swear to you, we will be together again."

"I love you, I always have and I always will." I told him. "You are the one, you always have been." He caressed away my tears.

"I love you with all my soul my Mera. I am yours, always." He told me. "Even if it takes a thousand years for you to come back to me, I will be here, waiting for you."

With that he leaned down, his lips crashing down on mine as he kissed me with such passion and sorrow as we held on to each other for as long as we could.

"If I go missing, promise me you will wait at least a month before you come looking for me." he said, his breathing as deep as mine. "A month will give me time to escape anywhere they might keep me."

"I promise." I said. We kissed again.

"Ariston." I said, looking into his eyes. "I will come for you, and I will not be alone, know that. Stay alive for me, for Kallisto." He nodded and smiled sadly, running his finger over my lips as he looked upon them, taking in my face one last time.

"Keep me in your dreams." Ariston said.

"Always." I whispered.

We kissed one last time, I treasured it more than any kiss we have ever shared. The sadness of the moment combined with the knowledge that this may be the last time we hold each other for what could be centuries, made this kiss all the more passionate. He looked at me for one long moment, and a single tear fell from his eye. Then he disappeared in golden light as more tears streamed down my cheeks and I fell to the floor, not able to support the weight of the sadness within my soul.