Chapter 12:
There was some serious problems after the beast fell asleep, and the men of Aric were either amazed of my performance. Or they were completely terrified of me. This was getting out of hand. But first I had to talk to Aric. We were granted privacy away from the suspicious soldiers.
"Aric, I can't marry you! I'm too-"
"Evey! Please, since I first saw you my heart was yours…"
"Wow, can you be any more romantic?"
"If you would allow it."
"Ok, well I'm not allowing it! It's not that I don't like you Aric, its just that I have a lot of problems… And I don't want you to get involved."
"Tell me, then."
"Not now… I'll tell you later. I'm too…confused right now."
"Very well. Now, earlier this morning. I sent out my men to capture Marcus to bring him here. We just have to wait, and when the Prince comes here, I will allow you to interrogate him."
"Fine. But don't hurt him. Please!"
"Your wish is my command."
Hades' POV:
Once Hades had reached Olympus, he was very cautious not to be seen by anyone. His banishment was still approved by everyone, and there was no way that he would be walking out of there alive if he should be caught. So, the Lord of the Underworld hid behind the pillars, eavesdropping on the conversation of the Gods. To his amusement, they were in complete panic.
"I've checked the seas, she is not there. Nor in any other ocean."
"I have searched my forests. Nothing."
"I have searched from the skies from the sun's view. I did not see her."
"This is ridiculous! We cannot find one mortal!"
"Through the meadows, forests, and mountains. She was not there. Not anywhere else!"
"Zeus, have you found anything, Father?"
"No. But I have kept my eye on the village where she had disappeared to. The villagers are healthy, calling her a gift from the heavens. Calling her a 'miracle child' and the savior of their world. But, apparently, she has been captured no longer than a few hours ago."
"Captured?"
"By who?"
"No one knows, but whatever captured her, took her to the skies and never returned. All that remains was her…knapsack…?"
Hades peeked around the pillar and saw Zeus hold up her bag in the air for all to see. Whispers were heard.
Zeus and all the other gods marveled at the bag, because it was stitched strangely, but was a perfectly suitable bag of another fashion.
"I tell you now… there are strange objects within this bag. Until we can find out further more, we shall keep this here. When we capture the girl, the bag will belong to us. And so will she."
"But when we take her here, the mortals will no longer pray for us. Take reason, the girl must remain on land, not Olympus."
"No! She is a cash cow. The mortals are praying to us for her safety. We shall answer. Not long ago, I heard prayers come from a King's alter. Praying to retrieve their beloved healer back. Can you not feel it? We are getting stronger by the minute. They are worshipping us! But if their prayers are not answered, then they will stop, if they do not see this miracle child. Then all of us will be reduced to dust. Dust!"
"Zeus speaks the truth."
"Until she is here, we will speak no more of this. Go. Find her. Wherever she is! Bring her to me!"
Zeus placed the bag on his throne, and all of them disappeared in orbs of golden light. Hades crept from behind the pillar, thinking over their plan and what he might be able to do to keep the girl hidden safely. Hades walked up to Zeus's throne and took her bag and disappeared from the heavens.
"What will you do, Zeus, when you cannot find the girl… and you perish from unsaid prayers?" Hades whispered.
Hades opened her bag and was UTTERLY curious and awestricken! There was objects that were black, shiny, and curious to behold! On one object it had the picture of a bitten apple on the back.
There was even a few gold coins in here, so she traveled a wealthy girl. Interesting.
"PSP?" Hades held up the device in his hands.
It was covered in some sort of glass case. He studied every little detail of it. It had little arrows and circles and triangles on it. Then he pulled out a red bottle.
"Sn-Snapple?" Hades read the label," Must be poisonous."
He took out something else. There was 3 of them. There were basically flat, shiny, and it had pictures on it.
Hades looked at every little detail, and tried to read the label on the side.
"CD…?"
Hades cringed.
"What is a CD?"
Without realizing it, Hades opened it! He jumped, letting it fall to the ground. His fingers felt tickled, but he bent down and lifted it. It was like a thin box, and Hades had just found a treasure inside! The surface was cold and smooth.
"Who is this girl?" Hades asked.
He took out orange bottles that said the strangest names, such as 'Cough Syrup' or "Sanitation Liquid' and such silly names. It also had a strange smell to it. Thinking it very dangerous, Hades put it away.
There was one last thing Hades took out, and that was the picture of her father. The picture was unreal!
There was a man in the picture, who had the same perfect teeth of the girl. He had short black hair, and wore the strangest clothes imaginable!
He must be her father.
It was amazingly detailed!
The color was incredible!
There was no paint strokes.
What was this?
Hades put everything back in her bag, imagining what all these things could do! The girl's possessions were unnatural and even a little frightening! He would question her later. The Lord of the Undead traveled back to where he had left the girl, and to his astonishment… she wasn't there!
"NO!" Hades yelled!
His dragons were asleep with some pink sticky substance around their teeth! Hades had absolutely no idea how this happened!
"Where are you!" Hades yelled out to the open land!
Waking up his beasts with a fierce kick to the head, he set out his chariot! Flying near lightening speed! Where could she have gone? Perhaps back to the village? No. That was miles and miles away. Perhaps the palace? No. She would not want to marry the Prince. Or perhaps she ran away back to her home, wherever that was.
While the Lord of the Underworld flew through the sky, tearing apart clouds, he thought of her. It was true, her beauty was astounding, even Aphrodite would be jealous and hateful of her. She was too beautiful for her own good.
But what was it about her that Hades found even more attractive? Was it her mysterious demeanor that made the girl sought after? Was it her strange nature that deemed her crazy and unfit to live in a place such as theirs? Or was it her unspoiled and fiery nature that seemed to spread wings and fly?
But there was something in his gut feeling that told him to keep her close at all times. Even if they were miles and miles and miles away. Hades would know when he catches her again.
Aric's POV:
Prince Marcus was tied to a pole, bound by the ankles, wrists, and neck. His men brought in the Prince not long ago from the roads, they captured him by ambush. Prince Marcus was gagged, just waiting to be questioned. Then, the love of his life, Evey came into the tent. She greeted Marcus warmly, kissing him on the cheeks, and apologizing to him about being captured and being held as a pig for slaughter.
The heat rose in Aric's throat. His jealousy for the Prince. But Evey calmed him down and promised that if he talked to his father about a cure, then everything would go better for them. Evey. No answer had came to his mind, on how she had managed to calm that forest beast. His men talked of a goddess, hidden in human robes. They talked about sorcery and dark magic. They both adored and feared her.
But Aric loved her. Evey was truly terrified when he proposed, but that didn't stop him from pursuing her. He knew that she just needed some time to think it over. He'll give her the world. Jewels, gems, gold. Anything! Ocean healer, goddess, demon. He didn't know who exactly she was, but he wanted to marry her. Keep her all to himself. And he'll love her to death.
You POV:
"Marcus! I'm telling the truth! All I need to do is see your father and help him out. Please, get me inside the palace? I just-"
"No, Evey! It is impossible. He is very, very, very sick. Nothing can help. I must marry someone before my father dies."
Prince Marcus and I were talking about his father and how we can stop a bloody war from happening! It was very stressful, since everything was pinned on me. I was the key to everyone's survival!
I hope I can pull this off.
"Can you, like, think positive for a second! I don't have my medicine! But I can help. I can help! But you have to promise me I won't have to give him a sponge bath!"
"You in his palace? He will not allow it! War is almost upon us, and even if you could heal him, we will all go to war!"
"No! No! I know the leader of this army. And I'm…so…totally not…saying he's…my fiancé…or…anything! Pfft! But… I'll try and talk him out of it. All you need to do is sneak me back in the palace."
"Sneak you back in? After I snuck you out! My father will be furious to see your face again! Our wedding was suppose to be days ago!"
"Or…! Will he be happy to see me? When you were in the country, did you find a girl to marry?"
"No."
"Then that's it! He'll be happy to see me, if he thinks that I've back to marry you! Which I'm not! Because…that'd be…weird. No offense."
"Are you sure that this will work?"
"Trust me. I'm an expert at being an idiot!"
"Alright, I'll agree to it."
Even though our brilliant plan was at work, Aric was very hostile to Marcus. He just turned into a jerk! From time to time, I would tell Aric to stop, and then he give a glare to Marcus and leave. This wasn't a best way to start out a morning, but we had to keep it together. Finally, Marcus and I left to back to his carriage.
Aric was absolutely furious, but tried to keep it on the down low.
It was almost evening. Me and the Prince needed to go. But Aric walked to me, and began to object.
"Aric! I'll be back! You and your men stay here-"
"I don't like this Evey! Not at all!"
"You just to stay here. I won't be too long-"
"We can't trust the son of our enemy!"
"I know Marcus! He's nice and-"
"Oh don't even say it! Don't you say it!" Aric spat.
"What is your problem! I'm trying to help-"
"Help! It seems the Prince wants more than that!"
"Quit being such a douche! Your temper is way out of control!"
"My problem is that you are suppose to marry Marcus under the King's decision, and you're running back to that! You want to marry him don't you!"
"I'm not running back to anything! I'm not leaving you guys! I'm not going anywhere! But don't talk shit about Marcus!"
"The Prince wants more for what you bargained for! I know it! I know he does!"
"You don't even know him-"
"I know him well enough that he wants you! But you don't want me!" Aric yelled at the top of his lungs!
My shoulders fell. Closing my eyes, I thought of a way to tell Aric that I wasn't betraying him, that I didn't want to lose him, and I didn't want to marry him. But how can you turn down a man who is so in love with you? My voice turned into a whisper.
"Aric… I like you, and I like you as a friend. And I like Marcus, but I like him as a friend too. I don't want to go back, but I have to. Marcus is my friend, and I won't let my friend be forcefully married by his own father when he doesn't want to. And knowing when I can help the King, so he won't have to marry anyone when he doesn't want to. Knowing I can do something about it. Please understand where I'm coming from."
Aric didn't answer, and there was no sign that he was going to answer. Instead of continuing this agony for him, I turned and followed Marcus out of the camp and back to where his carriage awaited. The guards welcomed him back, as if nothing went wrong, and Marcus hid me under the blankets.
Only a few hours passed by, and the carriage stopped, along with the horses. I heard Marcus order his guards to put the blankets in the palace. I didn't know what was happening since I was covered in blankets, but I was lifted and being carried. Finally I was set down. I waited a few minutes. I didn't hear anyone.
I unwrapped myself and found myself in a storage room. I opened the doors. Yea. I was back in the palace. No one was around. The only problem was that I was totally lost! This place was a labyrinth!
"Man, this place spells 'party'…" I smiled.
After turning a corner, there was 2 armed guards at a very large door. The door was big and encrusted with gold.
"Hmm… either the closet… or the King's room…" I whispered to myself.
Gaining my courage, I stepped out into the open! Waiting for a sword to strike at my head or something! The guards looked at me, and got in defensive position!
"Halt! Who are you!"
"My name's Evey, I was here not long ago, I'm a Princess, and I was going to marry Prince Marcus, but had to leave because of some urgent business, but I have returned. I need to see the King!"
"P-Princess?"
"Yes, it's Princess Evey."
"I need to see the King."
The guards both looked at eachother, not sure what to do, but nevertheless put away their swords. Both men grabbed the handles of the great doors and pushed it open to reveal the King's chambers. There was people in here, kneeling down by the bed, praying for some miracle. There were nurses and priests here, praying with candlesticks and white robes. Well, I was the miracle.
"Tell King Romptus, Princess Evey has returned."
The people got up, looked at me, but did not explode in joy. They didn't know I was the ocean healer everyone's been talking about. I was just a runaway Princess that came back.
"I request a private audience with King Romptus…" I commanded, trying to catch that picture of a real Princess.
"Who are you?"
I took in a deep breathe.
"I am Princess Evey. But I am…also…the ocean healer."
They all looked at eachother.
"Ocean healer? From the village of the sea?"
"The same. I came back to help your King."
"You are too late. His illness has taken its toll."
"No! Haven't you heard of her powers? She can help us!"
"She healed everyone in that village in no more than a week!"
"Please, help our King!"
The head priest gave me a solemn look, and shook his head. He signaled for the nurses to accompany him out the doors. The nurses left, quietly, leaving the priest and me alone. The man came up to me, and held my hands. He kissed them and gave me his warning.
"Remember, Princess, ocean healer, should you fail… the worst will happen. I've seen what happens behind the locked doors of this palace. Should you fail…you shall be publicly executed for killing our King."
I nodded my head. Understanding what I put myself in. The head priest left. The door made an echo, sealing a doomed fate. Upon the bed, King Romptus laid there with a pale face and a coughing throat. He was in a really bad conditioned. With weak grey eyes, he looked up at me. Then his eyes lowered and looked away, not caring I was here, but knew he was going to die soon.
"I'm going to help you Romptus… I'm going to help you I promise."
"You won't help him without these…"
A voice called. Looking towards the windows, there he stood, Hades. I jumped up, ready to call the guards!
"Oh fuck! How did you find me!"
"A little bird told me…you ran away from me. But now I've found you. There is nowhere to go now," he sneered," But to help the King… don't you need this?"
He held up my bag, and I gasped.
"How the hell did you get that!"
"Nevermind that. Instead of killing you on the spot, as your punishment. I'll make you a deal, girl…"
"What kind of deal…?"
"If I were to give you your equipment… and you help the King heal… you must come away with me. The King's health in exchange for you…"
My body froze on the spot. He wasn't kidding! But… I couldn't fail Marcus or Aric. Oh god, Aric! What was I going to tell him! I was going to break his heart. And what about Adelio and Andra? The baby! But I can save them all.
"Deal…" I whispered.