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That next night was hardly ordinary; I had taken leave of the castle to clear my mind by walking through the outlands, the foreboding place far from the castle forever locked in winter. I was blinded by all the things I couldn't think of and deafened by the furious sound of my own mind. It was with each step that I forgot more and more what it was that I'd come searching for and with each breath I became even more lost in the unforgiving dark chasm of the fridge night. The forest was devoid of life, not even the cries of ravens broke the silence. The trees where bare, reaching into the blackened sky with skeleton like fingers; their bark stripped white by the harsh howl of the wind. Yet there was no wind that night, it was as if the entire world stood still for that exact moment in time.

She was there, Kore; sprawled out in the snow. I was brought to my knees at the sight of her. I was pleading that she would be unharmed as I reach out to her, yet as I did I wavered in hesitation, 'What right have I to touch her?' I asked myself. I couldn't leave her though, and when I allowed my finger tips to graze her cheek, a spark ignited. It lit a fire in a place so deeply buried with in me; I'd never known it was there. I gathered her into my arms; the warmth had left body and her already pale skin had become ashen.

"Hold on." I pleaded with her, "You are going to be alright." I made hast, crossing the frozen landscape with supernatural speed. I was nearly at the castle; I had only a hundred more yards to go, when Hecate came to myside, sensing my need for aid. I was also joined by Thanatos and Hypnos as well, who had become curious and then when they saw her, concerned. The twins made for the huge iron and steel castle doors, to draw them open, holding them for us as we passed. Once inside, I took her to my chambers and laid her on my bed, to allow Hecate look her over.

"She isn't hurt, just drained. She must have fought a terrible battle to lose this much of her strength." Hecate explained to me. I sat on the edge of the bed next to Kore as she lay motionless, gently sweeping the hair from her face with my fingertips. Hecate went on, "My guess is she fled here to find you."

"Why?" I asked.

"Honestly, it's obvious." She shook her head at me and then rose to take her leave, "She will be alright. She just needs to rest. It will be best if you are near her when she awakens."

I stayed by her side, I could feel the warmth returning to her skin as I brush my fingers tips across her cheek.

"What happened to you?" I wondered aloud. Could another creature have burst loose, and come after her? Then, something almost impossibly worse crossed my mind, what if one of the many suitors after her hadn't taken so kindly to her refusal? The guilt sank its claws into me, thinking she could have been attacked and I wasn't there to protect her. Hours past, and I stay by her side. When at last she stirred, my heart leapt in my chest. Her eyes fluttered open, sublime green cutting into me.

"How are you feeling?" I asked her. She stretched, and propped herself up on one elbow.

"Tired still, but I am glad to see you." She told me, rubbing her eyes.

"I am relieved that you seem to be alright." I began, "There is a lot you need to tell me isn't there?"

"Yes," she confirmed.

"First, please tell me," I implored, "Why did you come here?"

"I needed to find you." She confessed, "I was scared." I reached out to her, laying my hand on her arm to reassure her,

"You are safe now. What frightened you?" I asked. She sank her teeth into her lower lip,

"It was worse than I anything I had imagined might happen." She touched my hand, holding it in place over her arm, seeking comfort from my touch. She began elaborate on what had led up to my finding her. "I was just walking toward the sea side, when he came at me out of nowhere."

"Who?"

"I don't know," she shook her head, "He ran up on me, and tried to snatch me. I ducked down and slide to the side to avoid him. He became infuriated when he realized that he missed me. His eyes were dark, like gathering storm clouds, his teeth bared at me. He was shouting, 'Don't move, you're coming with me.' I lit a flame in my hand as he came toward me again, warning him. But he didn't heed the threat of fire and forced his way through the flames. They didn't even singe him! He got hold of my arm, and pulled me off balance." She sat up, leaning against me for support. She went on, "He pinned me down, breath hot on my face, growling, 'I will take you by force if I have to.' I realized that was his plan all along. He grabbed hold of my neck, his strength started to overpower me, I'd never encountered anything like it before. He closed his fingers around my throat with one hand; the other began to tear at my dress." I could hear her voice begin to break. I wrapped her up in my arms,

"You will be safe here," I soothed her, "You're with me now and I will protect you." I held back the burning that had ignited with in me, furious and sickened by the very idea that someone would attempt to rape her. "What happened after, how did you escape?"

"I drew deep and hard upon the energy with in, letting it explode all at once, I made my entire body in an inferno." She explained. That was why she was so drained, she'd poured out all her power at once. "He wasn't incinerated, as I thought he'd be. He rolled on the ground, screaming, and writhing. I pulled myself to my feet, but quickly realized that he was up again, only suffering a few burns on his face. There was no way he was human. I fled, running blind into the forest. Then an earthquake struck again, and from its shaking a void was ripped open in the earth. The swirling darkness was empty; I saw it as my only chance to get here. All I could think about was finding you." She told me.

"You can stay here, and rest, I won't let anyone near you if you don't want them to be."

"Thank you," she sighed. She shook her head, staring down at her hands. "Just the thought of him touching me that way, it makes me shudder, so disgusting."

"I will track him down, find out who he is, and make sure he never attempts to lay a hand on you again." She put her arms around my neck,

"That means the world to me Hades. I want you to know that you are the only one I would give myself to." She said. I didn't know how to answer, so I said nothing, just held her against my chest.

Those moments aren't ones you plan for, you dream about them yes, but you can never be certain when the time is right or how exactly it will go. Mere inches away, her lips where nearly touching mine already, her soft breath falling on my cheek. As I closed the distances, I could feel my heart pounding harder and harder. When I kissed her that first time, it was like coming undone inside, all the barriers around my heart shattered, she'd broken them down with just that one tender kiss. She hardly let me pull away; smiling when at last I withdrew from her, "I've been waiting for that for so long." She told me.

"Will you ever cease to surprise me Kore?"

"Never."