Phaedra turned onto her side, feeling Stavros' arm slip around her waist, as he fell asleep, exhausted from their lovemaking.
Was that the correct term? She felt as if she could learn to love him, but it still felt like something was missing without Theseus by her side.
The hot wet tears that soaked her pillow surprised even her. She couldn't control her emotions anymore it seemed. Every day Acamas grew more and more independent, strong and even braver than she could have dreamt. He was so much like his father it scared her. He only reminded her of the hole in her heart. But she loved him dearly. His little friend seemed to be a well deserved distraction from all the sparring he did with Stavros. She had an imagination to rival the storytellers of the village.
Phaedra had yet to discover the little waif's name, but perhaps it was a worry left to the stars.
"One more thing…" Zeus found himself muttering out loud. Talking to oneself? The first sign of madness was it not? But when you were a God, The most powerful God, trying to circumvent your brother's own dark power, perhaps it was permissible.
He was perhaps hours away from bringing Poseidon back, so why did he feel this strange urge to abandon it all?
Holding Athena in his arms the other day had made him feel whole, well again, he hadn't felt the same since before his children had died in battle with the Titans.
Perhaps there would be a way to bring them all home, maybe then things could return to the way they were.
His hands shook, and he set the Trident down, closing the vial of seawater, and stepping away from his work table.
"Rest. I need rest." Doing the work of all his children in addition to all the work needed to return Poseidon was beginning to wear on him.
He ran a hand through his hair distractedly, missing the feel of his golden crown. After all, when Atlas was holding up the sky, did he rest? No. Why should he be any different? He was a thousand times better than a Titan.
He needed to push on, finish the work he started.
A tinkling of a glass caught his attention, and he turned to see Athena bringing him a tray of sustenance, a dish of ambrosia, and a glass of nectar.
"You must have noticed I hadn't been able to eat lately." He smiled at her as he took the tray from her hands, and she blushed.
"Of course. I could not let you continue to distract yourself and possibly risk weakening your power."
Phaedra sat outside, enjoying the morning breeze, carefully combing out her long dark hair. The front door opened, and Acamas ran outside, startling her.
"Mother! Can Valerie and I go down to the beach to play pirates?" she turned to him,
"Did you finish your morning lessons with Stavros already?"
"He's still asleep. Please I will be back before lunch and he can teach me stuff then."
Phaedra was surprised at her son, usually morning lessons were his favorite thing, and then he liked to follow Stavros around as he worked. It seemed having a playmate had changed all that. One thing stuck out in her mind.
"Won't Valerie's parents wonder about her? She's always spending so much time here with you. " The truth was, she was very curious about the girl.
"Moother! You know she's an orphan. She doesn't have parents who need to know where she is." The wistful tone in his voice suggested perhaps he envied her position.
Phaedra fell to her knees in front of him, gently holding his head in her hands, forcing him to look in her eyes.
"My son, my only son, don't ever wish for her fate. The Gods dealt her a cruel blow, but always be thankful you have your family. Though your father cannot be here—" she broke off, tears forming in her eyes, threatening to spill onto her cheeks.
She had begun to doubt he would come back. Though she had always known, or hoped, or even just wished. It had been so long. Perhaps Theseus had been unable to leave the Gods?
As she closed her eyes, the tears fell freely, and Acamas couldn't help it, he hated to see his mother upset, he put his small arms around her neck, and hugged her fiercely.
An old hermit hobbled by, pausing to pick up a stick to use as a makeshift cane, and slowly walked away.
R/R please.