A/N: Guys I am so so sorry I did not update sooner! I had a death in my family, and with school, there was just no way for me to get this out yesterday. I hope you guys forgive me! That being said, they may be kind of erratic the next few days, as I have to go home to be with my family.

I loved all the comments and the new followers! You guys rock, and I love hearing from each and every one of you! Please do no hesitate to PM or leave something in the reviews! I still would love to hear pairing suggestions for the games that are coming up!

That being said, I enjoyed writing this chapter, which is from... *drum-rolls on laptop* APOLLO'S POV! I knew this was going to happen at some point, and after some thought, this was the perfect place to start him out. This chapter gave me the feels (Yes, I get those as a writer!). I edited this in a hurry, so I apologize for any typos and such.

I also got the suggestion of pointing out who's POV it was from, so I will start doing that! :)

Apollo's POV

Being an immortal is not all it is cracked up to be. You do the same exact thing every single day. The same people argue with you, the same problems arise, and you have to interact with the same type of mortals year after year. Sure, their faces and motives slightly change, but mostly, they are all the same. Sure, some were plenty attractive; there were some who were genuinely good people. Mostly, they were a way to pass the time. Life was not true life anymore. We just existed from one boring moment to the other. We needed demigod children, case closed. That's what gave us any form of excitement. We could not interfere, but they could. It became a game to us. We craved excitement, something to make us feel alive again. Something to give us meaning.

Maybe that is why I craved her so much.

But I did not deserve her. Euadne deserved so much more than she got.

She was asleep, curled up on her side. Her dark curls were falling over her face, and she seemed peaceful at the moment. I had healed everything that I could, but that bite kept her from healing all the way. She had started running a fever, and I could see her shivering from here. The black on her arm had darkened, spreading further over her body. I had tried every single thing I could think of before she told me what Phoebe said. I knew Addie well, or so I thought. I had watched her for years now, and the more I watched, the more I grew to care for the girl before me. But her fears? Did I know Addie that well? And what happened if I guessed wrong? The war of thoughts raged in my head, and I knew I was running out of time to save her.

I placed my hand on her cheek, and for just a moment, she stopped shivering. She leaned into it, and I felt a tug in my chest. She did not deserve to die like this.

As I gazed upon her, I started thinking about the first time I really spoke to her, the first time I noticed her. It had been almost one thousand years since she had been cursed, and I still marvel at my actions. How had I not noticed her all those years? How could a star that bright not grab my attention? I chucked to myself. Stars did not describe Addie. How could a storm that fierce and captivating not grab my attention? That was more like her.

My mind drifted, remembering that night, so long ago…

France was beautiful, and it was the center at the moment. There was a grand party, thrown in honor of my father. A masquerade ball, with all the nectar, ambrosia, and wine one could want.

"You look like you are not enjoying yourself, Apollo."

I looked towards Hermes, and shrugged my shoulders. Zeus and Hera looked for any excuse to throw these things, and they were becoming tiresome. I did not even really want to come.

"Same old song, brother," I sighed, drinking more wine. Hermes placed his hand on my shoulder, squeezing it in a brotherly fashion. We may have had our differences, but we had become friendly through the years.

"You just need a distraction," he said winking in my direction. "What about that mortal girl you were with a few months ago?"

I rolled my eyes at him. At the moment, I was pretty sure he was consorting with some tree nymph. I had not found any joy in a mortal in some time, and right now I had no desire to. I was watching the couples dancing, and one in particular caught my eye. Notus, the god of the south wind, was dancing with someone I did not find myself familiar with. She was wearing a deep navy blue dress, just a few shades lighter than the night sky. It had a corset, which flattered her slender yet strong frame. Her hair was cascading down her left shoulder, in soft chocolate brown waves. Her face was hidden by a navy and green mask, adorned with jewels and peacock feathers. Notus was talking to her, and a small smile crept on her face.

"Who is that dancing with Notus?" I questioned Hermes. He looked over, surprise coloring his features.

"I believe that is Euadne. Wow."

"The girl that we cursed? The one that Hera was talking about earlier?"

He nodded his head, admiration glinting in his eyes. He regarded her for a minute, carnal appreciation apparent in his eyes. I started to remember her. She had done a few things for me, little meaningless tasks.

"I forgot how pretty she was," he muttered. For some reason, the comment bothered me.

I got up, something in me wanting to see her up close. Notus had pulled her to the side once the song finished, and I could see him speaking quietly to her.

"Am I interrupting something?" I said cheerily, as I walked up to them. As was custom, Notus bowed and Euadne curtsied.

"Not at all, my Lord. Just telling Euadne here what a fine dancer she is," he replied genially.

I looked at her, and I could see the blush erupt on her cheeks. She was looking at her feet, her hands clasped together in front of her.

"You are too kind, Notus," she whispered. Her voice was so melodic, lifting in all the right places. It matched her for some reason. Her voice had gravity too it, a certain wisdom.

"I would like to test that myself. Dance with me?"

She nodded her head, and took my offered hand. It felt cold to me, like ice against my warm skin. I was the god of light and the sun, so I ran a little warmer than everyone else. I placed my hand at her waist, taking one of hers in my hand. She placed her free hand on my shoulder, and we started to move to the music. It was silent for a moment, and I found myself memorizing her face. She had a small spray of freckles on her cheeks, ones that you could not even see unless you were this close to her. Her shoulders were bare in the dress, and you could see fine, almost invisible white scars on them. It did not take away from her beauty at all, in fact, it added to it. There was such strength in the way that she held herself, the grace in which she moved. There was this aura about her that was incredibly appealing. The girl, Euadne, was mesmerizing.

"You are a fine dancer, Euadne. Where did you learn to dance?"

She would not meet my eyes, and I wondered why. I could feel her shaking slightly in my hand. I felt concern, for the first time in quite a long time.

"I taught myself. Fighting is not that different from dancing, Lord Apollo. It's all about being able to move with your partner."

She lifted her head, and I could finally see her eyes. They happened to be the most interesting color I had ever seen. They were the most brilliant shade of turquoise, the perfect balance between blue and green. They reminded me of the edge of the sea, right where the water started to get deep. They had an almost prismatic quality to them. But, they looked incredibly sad. Her eyes screamed sorrow. I had never seen a look so sad and yet so fierce. I felt something stir inside of me. Admiration, perhaps? Lust? I was not sure.

"Hera seemed pleased with your latest assignment."

"Yes, my Lord, she was. She let me attend this party as a reward." Her voice changed at the end, hardening just slightly.

"You don't sound as though you wanted to come," I questioned her quietly.

"Whether or not I wanted to come is irrelevant. Lady Hera wished it, so I am here."

"Well, you look absolutely stunning," I confided in her. I felt my heart lift and skip. I smiled at her, and she returned it with a tentative one of her own. I had been around this girl for five minutes, and she made me feel more alive than I had felt in the past five-hundred years.

The song ended, and I felt a tap on my shoulder. Ares was standing behind me, a stern look on his face.

"I need to borrow Euadne. Are you using her for anything important?"

I shook my head, glancing quickly at the girl beside me. Her hand was still in my own, and I felt a tremor against my skin. The color that was so beautifully in her face was gone now, replaced by a ghostly pale complexion.

"Come, Euadne. I have not got all evening," he commanded, turning around. I turned towards Euadne, who gently pulled her hand from my own. She bowed to me, and I slowly inclined my head to hers.

"Thank you for the dance, Lord Apollo."

For hours, I milled around the party, those prismatic eyes haunting me. I looked for her, but she was not there. It was after midnight, and I was done with the party. Honestly, it was just getting good, but my heart was no longer in it. I wanted to know more about her. I wanted to know why she was so sad, and that is something I am not comfortable with. I am a god. I get to know everything.

The fates must have been considering my issue, because as I rounded the corner, I saw her. She was standing in a garden, one placed at the edge of Olympus. It had a ledge that looked out over the city we were currently in, Paris. It was a fantastic drop, and you could see all the tiny homes and the palaces below.

I walked up behind her, pleased that I could surprise her.

"And here I thought I would not see you again this evening!"

She jumped at my words, her hand gripping the stone ledge. Her other hand quickly went to her face, wiping something away. I felt the smile slide off of my face. Was something wrong?

"I did not know you wanted me, my Lord," she said thickly. "You could have summoned me." Her back was still to me, and I had finally made it to where I was standing beside her. There was a glass of wine on the ledge, only a sip left in it. She was peering over the edge, looking at the ground below. Her face was adverted from mine.

"Euadne, look at me."

She hesitated, and I knew she was suffering for it. She was trying to hide something, and it bothered me. Part of me was angry for her disobeying a direct order, but mostly, I was worried. She had never done that to me before. In fact, I could not remember her every resisting an order in my memory, now that I thought about it. Reluctantly, she turned towards me, her eyes meeting mine.

Her face was just as beautiful, the mask now removed. However, there were remnants of streaks down her cheeks. She had been crying. No tears fell now; all that remained was a steely resolve set on her features. I looked her over once, and I noticed fresh bruises on her arms, along with a scratch on her back shoulder. She was attempting to hide them, but they were becoming noticeable. I was the god of healing after all; things like this were my specialty. Concern washed through me, wondering what had upset her so.

"What happened?"

"Nothing, my Lord."

"Nothing," I responded skeptically. "It does not seem like nothing. What happened to you?"

She paused for a moment, gathering her thoughts.

"I-I just had to d-deal with a monster, that's all," she whispered tiredly. I nodded my head. Ares must have wanted one taken care of, which is why he took her from the party. I walked over to her, picking up her empty glass.

"Sit," I ordered her.

She sat without any hesitation, a tiny amount of apprehension in her eyes. I made another glass appear, along with a bottle from Dionysus's stash. He would not mind me taking it; he owed me from a bet, anyways. I poured us each a glass, handing hers back to her.

"Thank you," she murmured. I nodded my head, taking a sip of the wine. I reached forward, and I could see her tense up. It was almost like she wanted to flinch away from me, but she fought it. If I had not been reading humans so long, I would have missed it. I brushed my hand on her shoulder, making the cuts disappear. My fingers trailed down her arm, healing the bruises that were there.

"You did not have to do that, Lord Apollo. I am grateful," she said softly to me. She took a sip of wine, still looking at the drop.

"Are you thinking of jumping?" I teased her.

"Yes, I was," she said plainly. Her hand shot to her mouth, fear and trepidation taking over her. All I felt was shock and disbelief. I vaguely remembered a few members of the council giving orders for her to answer any question we ask honestly.

"I-I'm so sorry, Lord Apollo, it w-was not my place-"

She fell silent upon seeing the look on my face. How could a girl who made me feel so alive want something like that?

"Why would you want to end your life? There must be a reason," I asked her. "Do you wish to escape your curse?"

She took a hurried sip of wine, her hands shaking. "No, my Lord. I wish neither of those things. I deserved my curse, and I would gladly take it again. I value my life, and the things that I can do with it. When I die is up to the Fates, not to me." She drained the glass, and before she set it down, I hurriedly poured her another. A blush crept into her cheeks once again, and her eyes hesitantly met mine. It was such a meek gesture, something I did not expect of her.

"Then why even think about it?"

"Because," she paused. She bit the inside of her cheek. She was not trying to avoid the question; I think she was just trying to find the right words. "It would be my choice. I would be free for a few moments, and freedom is a tempting thing, my Lord." I looked at the girl in front of me, sizing her up for just a moment. She was unlike any being I had ever met, and I had known a lot of mortals and gods.

"Don't ever think a thought like that again. Never throw away your life willingly, understand me?"

"Yes, Lord Apollo. I understand," she promised softly. I felt something stir inside of me, something that had not done so in quite some time.

"I like you, Euadne."

She smiled, and tucked a loose hair around her ear.

"You would never jump, not only for yourself," I commented to her.

"You are right," she replied, the smile growing just a little on her face. "I would not."

Looking back, I knew what had bothered her. I had overheard Ares speaking to her many, many years later. He had been using her curse to his advantage, using her to sate his lustful needs. I confronted her about it not too long after that, and she begged me not to say anything. Addie had told me that it was over, that it had not happened for a long time, and she did not want anyone to know about it. I knew I did not owe her anything, but I wanted to earn her trust, to keep a secret for her.

So I did.

I had never felt this strongly for a mortal, never had the urge to protect and care for one like I did for Addie. Athena had made the same comment. She stated that she felt like Addie was her dearest sibling instead of a slave.

And that was what she was: a slave. That is what we had made her. And I had never felt sicker over an action of mine.

I brushed her cheek again, pushing the curls out of her face.

I would not lose her. I could not. The very thought of not seeing her was killing me.

I would save her, and I knew just who to go see to do it.

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