Chapter 20:
All the King's men and all his guests bowed down to Zeus who had appeared in his thunder clouds of golden light and heavenly rain. King Romptus paid his respects along with his own son, Prince Marcus. All bowed and worshipped him except Perseus, who came forward.
"Son," Zeus addressed.
"Zeus. Hades is planning to unleash another evil. Our men are dying to keep their lives, but why should they not fight for their home? Their world? Hades. He brings this creature…this child….this monstrosity to target us. This is his revenge after his defeat of the Kraken. If you will not fight for us, then we shall do this ourselves. Either way, you will lose at his hands. But that is not the only thing that should be your concern."
Perseus stepped aside.
Aric came forward.
"For many of my younger years, I have offered you my prayers of thanks and hopes. But after years of knowing that your mistreatment caused many lives to suffer, I had refused you my prayers. I believe now, if what I have heard is true, that you have taken a certain woman as your bride. So now, I offer you my prayer, my wish, my desperate plead, that you give her back to me. But along with this crisis you have your brother to be concerned about. But I want to talk about Evey, first."
Zeus became defensive.
"I am not here to discuss my wife and her wellbeing in my home. She is perfectly safe. I came here to discuss what my son has to say-"
Aric stepped up.
"I knew her- I knew her before you! I loved her before you had ever seen her face. I have so little time to see her again before Hades takes any part of this! If he unleashes this beast and if you are to perish… what will happen to Evey?"
Zeus could not believe this mortal wanted his wife!
"The Lord of the Underworld is coming back with a vengeance and this time…you might just lose this battle. Someone has to be there for her. You have taken her against her will. I know. I know because she was offered to by another. Me. I was to marry her, many months ago. You have no right! Zeus, I have-"
Zeus popped thunder.
"Is this what this is about? A challenge? A mortal wants my wife! Peh! Without even a lift of my finger, you shall be defeated you reckless mortal! I shall not have it! As for my brother, we shall deal with him as we always have. Win, you say. My brother does not have the power to challenge me or any other god in Olympus. As for my son, do you doubt your father so?"
Perseus rolled his eyes.
"I've doubted you in many things," Perseus growled," So is this your say? You shall not help us when Hades comes back from the Underworld to wreak havoc upon what you have created? Your creation that you say you love so much? But instead you shall love your wife instead when everyone on this good green earth dies?"
Zeus was nearly insulted.
"You see this as selfish-"
"No! I see this as monstrous! You've never done much about us! Not even for your son! You will do this for nobody but her. How can you stand there…. Stand up in Olympus and not… do a thing… while people die! How can you expect people to love you when you are so cruel in every way!"
"Cruel! You think me cruel? I have created you, yes, but your ignorance and greed replaced your love and you expect me to help you now in this time. Very well! I have heard enough! I shall help you and the mortals if Hades should ever attack again.. But mark my words: Your greed will not be ignored, but soon to be punished. After the child is born…"
Perseus was not satisfied, but agreed.
"She is p-pregnant?" Aric stuttered, but could not say anything more," You say that she is pregnant?"
Zeus grinned, knowing he hit a nerve.
Aric would not give up. Zeus could be lying to him for all he knew, so he would have to find out himself soon.
Evey pregnant with the child of Zeus?
Aric could not believe it.
"My wife is to give birth within a month… But listen to me you witless soldier! She is mine and forever will BE mine! How dare you even challenge me for my wife even after all that I will do for you and the mortals! This insult! What is love being rewarded for these days? Nothing! For this you shall pay…! The death penalty…"
Aric never did die, but all the men were interrupted.
Something shook the palace with a huge wave of some sort of energy. Strings of dust came from the roof.
Everyone's heads looked up, then towards the windows.
Sunlight was covered, but clouds did not block it. It was a darkness of another kind.
The wind whipped against ocean tides that swooshed against sprays of lightning that zapped from the ocean floor. All of hell would break loose, with a fury like no other! All the merchants and citizens of Argos stopped, hushed, and look towards the ocean's vast body.
BoooUUM!
One sonic boom of energy splashed sunrays from the bed of the ocean.
BoooUUM!
Huge surface cracks split across the bays of Argos, spouting up dust and dirt.
BoooUUM!
Citizens and children looked up to see birds… thousands and thousands of birds fly into the sky, into blotted flocks of shrieks and screams. Dogs and horses yelped, whined and cried out in fear, pumping against walls, running in the opposite direction and screaming! Zeus stepped to the window looking at the ocean, beginning to feel grief-stricken, then pointed his nose towards Olympus.
"…My palace is being attacked…." He took a deep breathe," Evey!"
In a flash of lightning- he was gone.
Aric gathered his men, the King and his son were taken to a safe bunker, and everyone braced themselves.
Your POV:
I assumed that by the end of this first discovery that I would never leave this prison, I would have a good clear picture at what kind of person Zeus really was. The more I thought of him, the more disoriented with hate I became. The clouds and everything good and cheerful had melted into dull nothings. I laid on the bed, wrapped in bed sheets, staring into the air. It's been almost 8 months now. Just one more month until the baby is born.
My baby.
My husband had done everything he could to make me happy in my new home up here. Anything that could make a wife happy. Zeus was right about one thing… that I did and I had fallen in love him, but not as much as I loved Hades. I loved Hades and he loved me. He told me he loved me. Even through our wordless communication of smiles and eyes, Hades would do anything for me and he'll never stop loving me.
It was as simple as that.
Perhaps I would never see him again and it kills me to know that I'll never see the baby when it's born. The life in my belly is a slaughter waiting to happen at the hands of my own husband. It was grueling.
There was so much going on in my head about the baby that I sunk deeper and deeper into a depression that no medicine could cure. It got so bad that my baby began to kick, making me irritated, causing me to throw anything across the room, then I would calm down and cry. Then my legs would become sore and it would hurt. The pain would go to my spine, making me sit down.
I kept thinking of the names that would be perfect if it was a boy or a girl and what would be a middle name or a last name.
I kept thinking of where I could go shopping for baby cribs and blankets and baby bottles with my mom or even Hades himself
I kept thinking that mom was going to be a grandma.
Thinking that if dad was here, he could've been a grandpa.
Thinking if the baby should live here like his father or with me back in the modern times. Thinking that this time… I would have a baby sunshine of my own.
All these damn thoughts of first words, crawling, walking, pre-school, Highschool, and graduation for my baby pulled me deeper into my depression. I cried and cried.
Zeus wants his own child. But maybe… if I can't have the two people I love… then Zeus will never have the two he loves. It's a one way highway. He will never have the child if he does not have a wife. On the table by the bedside held up a note for Zeus. A piece of paper composed of spurts of angry ink that make me think that maybe… death was beautiful after all.
So I began my self-destructive armada march on myself, taking a glass plate, breaking it, taking any long shard I could find.
Within 6 minutes my life began leaking on the white floor like roses in the snow, reminding myself to tell the world goodbye, me and my baby will be going now.
Before the curtain of the world rolled back to see waves of a heavenly country of freedom, something grabbed me.
Vast and magnificent.
My eyes opened up to see broken marble of the walls and everything else this prison was made up of. The floors and ceiling were shattered releasing fresh air.
Then I saw it.
Big red eyes, looking at me, smelling me, and smelling that half of Hades inside my belly. Recognizing me as it's own mother, in a fine way, this colossal thing, took me away, breaking the chains made my Hephaestus, taking me away from Olympus and away from everything else that held me hostage. The clouds ran in slow blurs. It turned into big globs of colors and scenes.
Sound left me again as did my vision.
The world was being destroyed by hailstorms and ash, the moon turned blood red, over everyone, ravaged by this colossal gargoyle of fire and ash.
The gods fled for their lives, contemplating if to ever return to Olympus after all the damage this monster brought upon the home of Zeus.
But to everyone's luck, this monster had already taken the prize from Olympus and intended to return her to it's creator and master… if only Zeus had not seen this monster with his wife.
With a thunder bolt so powerful Zeus struck a blow to the body of this beast, battling and fighting for his palace and his wife.
But the beast was clever.
He hid the body of Evey away while he distracted Zeus in an all-out war of power and strength, stretching his wings and whipping his tail.
While Zeus and the monster went head to head, no one knew where Evey was hidden. No had found her.
Except two very familiar people who knew their land well enough to find the wife of Zeus and safely take care of her.
Once these two people saw this very familiar girl, they took her away to a safe bunker and would wait until she woke.
Zeus' POV:
Their bed was empty!
His walls and throne room destroyed!
His wife!
Gone!
Zeus went into a mad rage, bellowing his voice into the air, summoning everyone to look for her or there would be extreme punishment to come!
He barked orders, snapping flashes of lightning.
Grief-stricken!
Zeus splashed thunder on the clouds, bouncing off, hitting the ocean, and striking fire to the land below.
But even with their help, Zeus would go out and look for her himself this time with a ferocity he didn't he had in him.
All the gods had never see Zeus snap like this, it was like pouring pitchers and pitchers of oil onto fire and watching it reach the roof and burn.
This meant death and trouble for everyone.
People, the mortals, would suffer a god's wrath after they had suffered the destruction of Hades himself. The world was slowly falling apart! Like from a dramatic scene. Exploding volcanoes, hailstorms, hurricanes, earthquakes, burning steam, and thunderstorms! While the other gods fled in fear of their father, Zeus sat next to his bed, kneeling slowly, the anger was still there, but silent.
He kneeled down by the bedside, where she slept. His fingers touched the frozen sheets, her cooling perfume of her hair, the empty space where her body once was. If he can not have her, Zeus will die.
On one or more occasions, more than often, in the dim silence Zeus would kneel down by Evey while she slept. Petting her head, listening to her breathe. In that silence an echo would go across the room even when their bedroom was completely still. She was the best thing that has ever happened to him.
Your POV:
"Hades…" I whispered, trying to open my eyes.
"The monster is gone. Hades is gone. You're safe."
"Is she awake?"
"Hardly. Fetch more water. She's burning."
"Mama."
"Shush, my sweet. Evey? Can you hear me?"
"Hades…" I mumbled again, trying to see.
"Don't worry. Evey, can you see me? Evey?"
My head hurt. Orange light flicked on my eyelids. Once my eyes were open, I was in a hut. The fire loomed underneath a pot of something boiling and delicious. There was pots and pots of water along with dried meat and fresh fish.
"You're awake. Here take your ocean pebbles. It'll make you feel better."
A woman was kneeled beside me with red hair and the prettiest eyes that you would ever see. A small baby stood at her arm on two chubby legs with pretty curled hair and her mother's eyes.
"Evey… Oh, I'm so happy you are alright."
"W-Who…"
"The soup will be ready soon. I'll send word to the palace you are alive. But it will take time."
"W-Who are you?"
"I suppose you do not remember me. I am Andra, don't you remember me?"
"Andra?"
"You healed me back in my home village when I was sick along with my husband, Adelio. Perhaps you remember I was pregnant."
"Mama."
"Mama?" I repeated looking at the baby girl.
"Yes. We named her Calista. Isn't she beautiful? I see you are about to have a young one of your own," she smiled.
Touching my belly, I remembered that Adelio and Andra don't know my story. So it'll be best if they won't know what I've been through.
"Yes. Yea, I remember you, you had the flu."
Adelio came in with a sack of water.
"Ah! You're awake. I was starting to fear you might not stir for another few hours or so."
"Here, Evey, we had saved the pebbles you gave us. Perhaps it might help you as well."
"Thanks. Where are we? What happened?"
"Our village was destroyed. We all managed to escape. The beast of Hades destroyed everything it could, but then Zeus came and challenged the colossal beast, bringing more damage than what the beast did on its own."
"With the gold you have given us, we managed to get as far as Argos for safety. But when Argos was attacked, we fled with what supplies we had left. We found this hut abandoned and hid here."
"Thank you both so much…" I sobbed," You don't know how much this means to me! I'm free!"
"The King and his son have been looking for you. Ever since…"
"Ever since Hades had kidnapped you. Everyone knows your story."
"My story?" I wiped my eyes.
Andra got the bowls and spoons ready. She set down Calista in her little bed, kissing her forehead.
"Your story of how long ago a young solider had fallen in love with you, but you were stolen away from Hades, but soon to be rescued from Zeus himself. Now this soldier is on a mission to get you back."
"I-I guess that is my story…"
For the rest of the evening, Andra and Adelio fed me soup and talked about how much they missed me and how much they had lost.
It made me feel guilty that I could not tell them of the true intentions of Hades and the true intentions of Zeus and how much trouble I was really in. After all these months I'm sure that Aric did not love me as much as he did that night in the tent. It was a once in a lifetime deal.
There was a confident side telling me Aric was only coming to get me because of the King and his son. After getting a reputation for being known as the miracle child, an ocean healer, and a sorceress in this world, the King could want many things.
"Aric…"
"Who is Aric?"
"A man…" I took a deep breathe," I once knew a long time ago. He found me- Well I found him when I was lost. He brought me to a camp and asked me if I could heal his men, but I didn't have my supplies with me at the time. So I just traveled with them for awhile. He was really nice to me."
"Was he a love of yours?"
Looking away, my cheeks turned red.
It wasn't really like that.
"Not… exactly."
"Well the answer is either yes or no. If you knew that he did love you or not. I can see… the look on your face. You think about him don't you?"
The guilt sunk in.
"Sometimes…"
I could feel her eyes on my back.
"Even by your voice, you want to say something sweet about him, don't you? Oh, do not be shy with me. A woman wants what a woman wants. Oh, I'm sure he's handsome and strong, isn't he?"
"I guess…"
But that's not how I feel.
"Well, if you are shy, that's fine. If I do not sound too nosy… is he the father of the child?"
I blushed.
"No," I whispered.
She nodded her head.
"Then remain faithful to the father of your child."
My shoulders fell.
I didn't want to answer.
After all this time, Aric was trying so hard to get to me. It was Zeus! Now him! When will this ever end! I just Hades back. It's all I want. So that night, I got a good night's sleep, knowing that I wasn't in bed with Zeus anymore. It's been months since I've seen anyone except him. But the nightmares of the gods trapping me in a maze still continued.
In the morning, Andra gently woke me up to breakfast and Adelio made me some very special herbal tea to take with my pills. They were so nice to me. Andra gave me a small plate of some sort of unknown peas, pain relievers, she said that it would make the stomach cramps better.
It did.
But a shock came later in the day when there came a rushed knocking at our door.
"Scavengers," Andra whispered, taking her baby and me with her down to a cellar, shutting the door, hiding beneath boxes.
Adelio had an axe at the ready. He opened the door. Silence. All we could hear was voices.
"Who are you?"
I couldn't hear the guest talk, but I could hear Adelio.
"What proof is there? Who you say you are."
"I have an axe here. Not one foot further."
"Just go on your way. Go I say!"
"What was that?"
"The King? King Romptus?"
"There is no other for miles and miles around."
"Of course. Come in. Are your men outside?"
"Very well, have a seat."
The sound in the dark signaled that Adelio put down his axe and knocked on the cellar door, telling us it was ok to come out. The spaces in the floorboards weren't big enough to see who our guest was.
Andra, still untrusting, held her baby close, descended up the steps, slowly out the door and halted.
I was right behind her.
Her husband told her to sit.
There was nothing to be afraid of.
I was the last one that could not be seen, so I stepped out cautiously, not knowing if it could be Zeus himself, finding me again. With that thought in my head, I had second thoughts about going out.
Taking one little baby step at a time, I came out to see Aric wrapping his arms around me.
Kissing me on my cheeks and neck, holding me, caressing me, petting my hair, tightening his grip, swinging me back and forth, and telling me to never let go again. My eyes nearly bulged from my skull. My hands didn't try to get him off my, but I hugged him back.
"Aric!" I sobbed.
"Evey! My sweet, oh, I missed you so much."
He stepped back to look at me.
"So it is true. You are pregnant. Come! Zeus has gone mad with white fury. He is searching for you while the world is falling to bits."
"She can not leave. Outside is filled with scavengers and thieves who will do anything to survive and anything to have their way. Evey is pregnant and with only one month left until birth, she is too fragile to even walk cross country."
"We are far enough from Argos to live here safely. All we have is just one month. Once Evey has her child, then we shall move on. We have a much more better chance to stay here with a soldier now, but that is if… you will stay Aric."
"Of course I will stay. But, please let me speak with Evey alone."
Taking her baby, Andra and her husband to let us speak together alone. Sitting up straight I folded my hands over my big belly, giving Aric my attention. Which was awarded with him coming up and trying to kiss me.
I turned my head away.
All the enthusiastic hopes of me kissing him back melted away, but replaced with disappointment.
"So you are loyal to him…"
I didn't say anything.
"Is it true? Evey? Is it true you're going to have his child? I was too late."
"Late?"
"If Hades had not taken you away from me that night… that night when I had you in my arms. When you had me in your arms… this child could have been mine. I would have been your husband and the father."
"Aric. There wasn't anything you could do."
"Yes. Yes. I would've done… anything in my strength… I would have… protected you. Shut you away from this hideous world to save you, to… Anything. I would have done anything, Evey."
"I-I know. I've been through so much and…"
"Of course. But I want to make it up to you. Let me do this. With you pregnant, a month left, I want to take care of you. As if this child was my own."
"You don't-"
Aric kissed my hand.
"Please. Please. I. Missed. You. So. Much," he whispered into my hand.
He hugged me, kissing my neck, and letting me sleep.
For the next few days, Aric helped me with everything that I needed help with which was basically every day.
He helped me dress when I couldn't touch my feet or get the hem of my skirt passed my stomach.
Walk with me to balance my weight to places I wanted to get to.
Cooked with Andra for me, fed me.
Made me medicine went I felt sick.
Kept a scout's eye for any scavengers to keep me safe.
Doubled my bed sheets on cold nights.
Massaged my legs and feet when I couldn't stand anymore.
Ran to fetch me fresh water from the river.
Put his hand on my stomach to feel baby kicks.
He surpassed my morning moods.
From angry, seething, burning annoyance.
To sad and depressed of moods.
Aric would tell me I'm beautiful on the crappiest of days.
Clean up after morning sickness and there was vomit everywhere.
Made me more medicine with hot tea and soup.
Braid my hair, brush it, and pet me until I cried no more.
Stayed up with me on nights when I couldn't sleep.
Talk to me about baby names and places to live.
Carry me to bed when I fell asleep somewhere.
Stayed with me when my stomach pains were bad.
Give back rubs to my spine and to my shoulders.
He even would care for Calista when Andra couldn't.
Aric was so… amazing and so wonderful with children that he had this glow of a perfect father.
He held the baby as if he was holding the most fragile glass in the world, holding up the head, and supporting it's chubby body on his shoulder.
I kept imagining to myself that if I gave birth to the child, what kind of person he would transform into.
But I wasn't the right girl for him.
Someday he'll meet another girl with just as much potential as him, they'll fall madly in love, they'll be the perfect couple, get married, have a child of their own, and live somewhere in the country.
In the city or in a cottage somewhere.
Like a feather in a beautiful world.
And he'll be the most amazing father anyone has ever seen.
"Evey?"
I snapped out my day dream and smiled.
"Yes?"
"From curiosity, what would you name the baby?"
His hand was on my stomach, rubbing it like he always did.
"I'm not sure yet. I'm thinking about it though…"
Aric swallowed back.
"I-Is there anything I could get you?"
"Yes."
"What is it?"
"Andra."
"For what?"
"My water just broke…"
Aric jumped on his feet, busted through the door, sprinted down the pathway to pick up Andra, carry her back, and settle her down by my bedside. Adelio and Aric gave both women their privacy, but instead went to boil hot water, get clean towels, and brace themselves for the greatest impact.
(Writer: OK, I'd like to make an announcement to the faithful and very patient readers of this story. You've already read that Evey is about to have a baby, of course, and I would really, really, really, really appreciate it if any of you could help me find the perfect baby name. For a boy or a girl. This is up for anyone who would like to participate. Message me. Private message. Anything. The winner of the Baby-Naming Contest will be mentioned in this story. Thank You.)