Disclaimer: i do not own Twilight or any of the Twilight-y things that are associated with Twilight. i do, however, own the yummiest frosting known to man - it even has little chocolate chips mixed in. mmm...yummy.
chapter three
"Waste not fresh tears over old griefs."
-Euripides
Edward
My body is reacting without me telling it to, dodging two flying fists and powerful legs while not letting me get backed into a corner. Years of training had ingrained instincts in me that I didn't have to monitor. I had complete trust in my body; I knew I could count on it to keep itself safe while my mind planned just exactly how I would retaliate, defend.
That was before, though. My mind slips up and distracts by body for the briefest second - images of the girl cropping up all at once in my head - just long enough for one of those flying punches to jab me in the jaw, snapping my head in the opposite direction.
"Fuck," I spit, shocked to see a bit of my blood on the floor. The metallic taste of my own blood rests heavily on my tongue, fueling my anger towards the jackass I'm sparring with.
James. Son of Ares.
He is a quick son of a bitch, light on his feet and ripped in a lithe way - but he was cocky and often let the war strategies in his head distract him. I hated that he was almost as good as me, hated that he wanted my Championship, hated his face.
James used to be close to me, though. And that's what I hated about him most - that fact that we grew up like brothers, his father being my fathers son, his father being my real brother. I hated that he grew up to be what he is now.
The final round ends with no victor and Jasper calls me to the corner of the ring, towel swung around his neck, handing me an icy bottle of water.
"He got better," Jasper tells me. His eyes betray nothing, no emotions, no thoughts - it used to freak me out, how calm he always was. But I learned to appreciate it. He was a valuable asset to have in my corner having inherited his mother's keen eye for strategy.
I swallow a cold mouthful of water and nod, handing the bottle back. "I know. He must have a new trainer."
"Mike."
"Fuck."
"I know."
It was fitting though. Two slimy Demi-Gods should work well together. I wondered what their mortal mothers would have to say about something like this, but realized I didn't much care. I wasn't a Demi-God and, really, the actions of Demi-Gods was none of my concern.
"You'll have to double your Arena time if you want to keep your belt."
I lean against the leather clad ropes, hanging my head down between my shoulders. Jasper was being practical - of course I would have to double my training to keep my title. But I didn't know if I would have the time; this year was fairly important for me.
For one, I was graduating from the Academy. Luckily my class load gave my half days, enough time to be able to travel back to Olympus from the country daily for Arena sessions. I also had to prove to Zeus that I could control my abilities well enough so he could crown me; he already knew I was going to be his heir, but my father had an obsession with perfection and wanted to be sure I could perform up to his standards.
I knew I could. I just had to prove it.
"You'll meet me on your half days," I tell Jasper, knowing he had already deduced that I've decided to double my traveling to keep up with these new demands.
Jasper flashes me a smile and punches my arm, telling me he has to go. I know what he plans to do - conveniently "run into" Poseidon's daughter.
Though I make fun of him for it, Jasper has guts. I find myself wondering if I would be ballsy enough to run into Hades' daughter.
The Solstice party is tonight and as I attempt to tame my hair, I begin to dread leaving my city housing for a bonfire party filled with people who give me odd looks for attending. As the son of Zeus, I have to attend - but at the same time, someone from the Arena attending a solstice event was strange.
Arena fighters were feared.
I meet Jasper at the foot of my building where he is leaning against the wall wearing a fedora. I quirk a brow at him.
"I like it," he shrugs, twirling a cigarette between his fingers. Smoking, for Gods and Demi-Gods, smoking was merely a way to pass time - our bodies could processes any drug far too fast for them to take place. In Jasper's case, the motions of smoking reminded him of his mortal father that raised him. Up until three years ago, Jasper had no idea he was anything but mortal. From what he's told me, his father was a rancher in Montana who rolled his own cigarettes.
But with the death of his father, the Fates sent a son of Hephaestus to retrieve Jasper and - as is the pattern with new male Demi-Gods and Gods - he was placed in the Arena to prove himself.
As a Demi-God with the gift of flawless strategy, Jasper surprised many Arena members and founders when he won his first match. Fortunately for Jasper, who did not enjoy fighting, he was assigned as my trainer and the rest is our short history.
Jasper puts the cigarette out, crushing it into the sole of his heavy boot and tossing the remains into the trashcan in the mouth the alley. "Let's get going," he says, bumping his shoulder with mine.
I can almost see t he excitement rolling off of him and know that Poseidon's daughter will be at the party.
It takes us nearly half an hour to get to the beach - a short journey that takes us through the heart of the Demi-God district where most of the Academy's student's live, including Jasper. Normally, I would have met up with Jasper in his district but he had insisted on meeting me.
Jasper had something to tell me.
When the sandy beach is in view, I slow my stride and clear my throat, prompting my friend to spilling his thoughts. I wait and watch as Jasper opens and closes his mouth several times before he looks me directly in the eye, his blonde brows furrowed in determination.
"She's staying with Alice."
My stomach drops at his words. She can only be one person. I feel so mixed about what this information means - I knew where she was but had no excuse to talk to her or seek her out. And knowing the characteristics of Alice, I knew she would be bringing Hades' daughter along to this party.
As if my body could feel her, I automatically stood up straighter, electricity channeling into my body from the resources around me. My eyes roved, searching for the slight frame and face that had so aptly captured my attention.
Without another word, Jasper and I lope down the steep bushy incline to the beach.
Already, the sky is darkening quickly with the fast sunset, stars so much closer to the large, deep expanse of the ocean. Hidden in the water, watching the Demi-Gods and Gods gather, are water nymphs and further out near Olympus borders, sirens.
The Demi-God children of Demeter and Artemis have already gathered enough tender to make a fairly large bonfire of driftwood. They sit in three tight circles around the unlit wood, the Daughters of Demeter closest to the driftwood, their hands clasped and voices murmuring a worshipful prayer to the moon. As their chant grows in volume, so do their movements - they sway in their seated circle back and forth, left and right.
The next circle, the larger circle nearly a foot behind Demeter's, are the children of Artemis. They begin to chant in cannon with the Daughter's as the Sons of Demeter walk counter clockwise around both circles, weaving their way between both.
It's mesmerizing to watch, even for those who have seen it their whole lives. The winter solstice marks meaningful times to the Fates and Gods - the beginning of new reign, of new learning.
The chanting grows louder and one by one, the Sons of Demeter light a twig of driftwood and throw it into the large pile of wood surrounded by stones from every volcano in the world.
As soon as the bonfire is roaring, the circles break up into happy cheers and hugs and onlookers like Jasper and I begin to move around.
The solstice has come.
She's standing with Alice a few feet away, completely ignorant to my gaze. I think, at least. I feel like I'm going to burn through her body with my eyes but I can't seem to tear myself away.
She's hypnotic.
Her arms are crossed tightly across her midsection, deep mahogany hair blowing around her soft pale face. Her hair must reach down to her waist with long curls. I'm amazed that the color is so constant.
She's listening to whatever Alice is saying with concentration, nodding every now and again and seeming to ask questions.
It's so rare for Gods to ask questions - we just always seem to know. Younger Gods like myself seem to question more easily than elder Gods, but wisdom is the reason for that.
I long to approach her, to hear her voice talk to me but she intimidates me. Her supposed power seems like a warning. I can see gloves on her hands even though it's not cold and wonder why she would need them.
"Stop staring," Jasper tells me. I snap my head in his direction, glare on my face.
"I wasn't," I tell him. Even I can hear the lie in my voice.
Jasper snorts and lights another cigarette. He's always so calm, so calculating. I envy him for that because at this moment, I can feel myself growing restless.
I don't like other people. I don't like the stares from female Demi-Gods that I'm receiving - the grotesque licking of lips and simpering smiles, flipping hair and casting winks toward me.
They don't want me for me - they want the power that I have, they want my title.
I huff and turn my back to her and the ocean and the bonfire, looking down at the dark leather cuff on my left wrist. In the center of the cuff is an engraved piece of platinum metal, the sign of Zeus in Greek lettering surrounding a pale, flat moonstone gem. I flip up the platinum piece and check the time on the watch that is hidden underneath.
"I gotta go," I tell Jasper, knowing that I have to finish packing for the Academy and be up early enough to do my last morning training at the Arena. I leave tomorrow for school around eight, my first class starting at nine. I dread attending class because of the assholes who are in my lessons.
Jasper nods, tipping his hat in my direction before his eyes are drawn towards Alice again.
One last time, I let my eyes wander to the girl - when will I talk to you?
There isn't much for me to pack because most of my things are in my dorm at the Academy but essentials like my training gear need to be placed in the black duffle at the foot of my bed.
Just as I am about to zip up the bag, my doorbell chimes - impatiently.
I couldn't be more shocked to find my father on the other side of the door. As always, his youth astounds me - as does the similarities in our features. We have the same unruly copper hair, mine a bit darker than his and the same strong jaw line.
"Edward," he says, walking past me.
"Father,"
We're very formal and I don't think it will ever change. I'm not sure I would want it to change.
In some ways, I understand why my father is so closed off - he has much power and responsibility resting on his shoulders. Unfortunately for me, if he does crown me his heir, I will be in the same predicament.
"You're holding your title well," he tells me, nodding to himself and rubbing his chin. He sits heavily on the black leather recliner in my living room.
I say nothing as I sit across from him on the dark wooden coffee table. I can almost see the gears turning in his head as he regards my bloodied knuckles, the bags under my eyes from training too long without enough sleep.
"In under two months you'll have to defend that title."
I nod because I'm aware of this; I wait more in tense silence because I am unaware of why he is visiting me. Zeus usually doesn't visit me more than three times a year - this is the fourth.
Zeus sighs, scrubbing his hands over his eyes. "The Fates have delivered some rather discouraging news to me." He frowns and locks eyes with mine. The grey of his iris is so light I can almost mistake it for the white of his eye - it never fails to astound me. My own eyes are losing the green in them and are becoming more like his.
"News," I state, my tone flat. The Fates were always delivering news of some sort.
Zeus nods. "Yes. But I cannot share it with you."
Immediately, I wonder what the fuck he is doing here then if he can't share this important news with me. As if he can read my mind, Zeus smiles faintly.
"I didn't say I wouldn't give you a hint, Edward," he tells me, his voice lighter and more amused than I have ever heard it. "You should not let anything or anyone distract you."
With that, Zeus stands and walks himself out, not looking back at me once. He leaves me with my mind racing at the possibilities of what he's told me.
I can't shake the feeling that if I were to become distracted, it would be a grave price to pay.
A/N: updates will not normally happen this fast - chapter 3 was pretty much halfway written, so i decided to go ahead and finish it quickly. that's why the chapter is so short.
should i combine chapters so there is a BPOV and an EPOV in each chapter? lots to think about there.
be brutally honest. i can take it.
~cupcakeriot