So I was totally unsatisfied with chapter one, so I may rewrite it. But for the time being here is chapter 2. I'm not very satisfied with it… but I'm always worse on myself than anyone else.
Demi: Hey dear, glad you like it so far! Here's hoping it stays on par and lives up to how much everyone loved the original.
Queenbeautyhair: Never apologize for your English, it's fine. I admire anyone who is bilingual or multilingual, it's not easy. I'm glad you liked RE so much, and here's hoping the rewrite lives up to people's expectations.
DisneyFreak010: Glad you liked this chapter, and I still think I am terrible at summaries =P I hope it is 10x better than RE because I go back and read that and cringe. In my defense, I was 15 when I started the original haha so here's hoping! Also, I plan to have some fun with Helen so get those hate juices flowing ;)
I could hear Hercules argue with the strange girl for a few more moments before she walked past me, pushing me roughly to the side. I braced myself with a hand against the wall, which was surprisingly cool despite the summer heat. I lifted a brow as she vanished into the crowded central room, moving the curtain aside with exaggerated effort. I chuckled lightly to myself, and felt someone walk up behind me; carefully lacing their fingers with mine.
"Y'now, I'm starting to wonder if we'll ever have a good moment alone," I sighed, feeling him come up beside me. "What do you say we go get that drink? After the night we just had… I think we could use it," I wasn't sure how to process everything that had happened, or if I even could. A part of me was unsure that I wanted to. I was dead. The thought wouldn't leave me. I looked our clasped hands, struggling to understand why Hercules had been willing to sacrifice so much for me. I didn't deserve it. I had brought on the end of the world, I had nearly killed him. Twice; if you include his deal with Hades. And I needed to drive these thoughts from my head.
"I won't argue with you there," I wondered if he too was struggling with the events of the night as much as I was. We made our way through the short hallway, our hands still tightly clasped. The noise of the party grew louder, making me cringe. The turmoil of voices, the smell of food and wine, the laughter, bards singing their tunes, reminded me just how tired I was. How long had I been awake for? He led me through the room to where a young man was serving wine to guests. "Two please Jason," Herc asked, and handed me one of the cups.
"Thank you," I brought the crimson liquid to my lips, savoring it. It had been warmed, I felt it roll through the throat and coat my empty stomach. It was a deeply dry bitter liquid, and had not been watered down. "Mmm… Herc, you know the good stuff," I tilted my cup to him, "You have good taste,"
"Heh… thanks," He chuckled, a nervous smile crossing his features. I smiled back at him, finding his nervousness endearing. It was a quality I was so sure was fake when we had first met, but he had shown me otherwise. We both finished the first cup of wine, and quickly grabbed a second. It was strong; already my limbs felt heavy, my apprehension beginning to ease.
"So who was that crazy girl from earlier?" I asked, moving a few steps aside to allow other guests access to where the man named Jason was serving drinks. A great rumble from my stomach cut through the conversation, reminding us both neither had eaten in many hours. Even with all the food being served and passed around, we hadn't indulged. Apparently we were both too distracted.
"One of my fans… just a little more determined than others," He laughed. "Sounds like you're hungry. I'm starving. Come on let's get something to eat," The party had been thrown together hastily, primarily by Phil and the various persons who served the villa, additionally the many citizens of Thebes who had come to the villa to pay tribute to their hero. But despite this, the spread was still a sight to behold. A large table rested against the wall, stretching halfway across the room. It was stocked with such an array of foods that I hadn't seen since my childhood. What hadn't been prepared by those at the villa was brought by guests. Roasted fish, chicken, wild boar, bowls filled with fruits coated in honey, vegetation, nuts, flat breads, sweet breads, boiled eggs, and cheeses.
"Dear Gods," Seeing the food before me made the pangs of hunger throb deeper in my stomach. There were two young women at the table, helping serve people. Others were milling through the room with large platters balanced on their arm to bring the meal to the guests. Hercules was quick to fill his plate, reassuring the two women that he didn't need assistance, and held a plate out to me,
"Umm… I don't know what you like," He faltered. I chuckled at the intent of chivalry, and took the empty plate from him.
"I've always preferred seafood," I replied, reaching for the fish. There was a bowl filled with lentils that had been both spiced and sweetened, and I happily added some to my dish as well as some bread.
There were many chairs and tables around the room, and I was sure that if we found a vacant one Hercules would draw attention and it would quickly become crowded. I didn't know how much longer we could be lucky with him being left unmolested at a party in his honor, especially now that many of the patrons were intoxicated and likely to forget how to be courteous.
"What do you say we eat outside?" I suggested,
"Sounds perfect!" He smiled back, and we sauntered through the room and out through the front door. The first serving of wine was kicking me in full gear, making my eyelids feel as heavy as my arms. My cheeks were burning, as they always did whenever I decided to imbibe. We sat down on the marble stairs, warmed by the morning sun. With our plates on our laps, sitting outside on the dust covered stair we must have looked barbaric. But it allotted us a sense of privacy, showing such disregard for propriety may keep many of the guests at bay lest be judged themselves as being impolite company.
Despite downing the second cup of wine and wishing for a third in my attempt to wash away the memories of the best and worst night of my life, it was all I could think of. However, the alcohol was working its befuddling magic, suppressing the negative and letting me focus on the good of the night without guilt or shame. He saved my life, in so many ways.
"I never thanked you… for saving me," The words slipped out of my mouth, and I began to wonder if the wine had been a good idea. I was normally better at reigning in my wandering thoughts, suppressing words before they escaped. A man was making his round with a tray of drinks, and I was quick to grab one, drinking more than half of it in one large swig.
"How could I not?" He replied, turning to me, the smile on his face so genuine I felt as if my heart would wretch itself from my chest. "You… you saved me. After how I treated you… I-I only stopped Hades because of you. You're the hero Meg… The cosmos would belong to Hades if you didn't... You didn't deserve to… umm… I had to change it," He faltered, his words staggered and paused. "And I- I… I couldn't imagine… life without you…" He looked away, but I could still see the deep crimson spread across his cheeks as he stuttered the last sentence, A life without Meg… even an immortal life… would be… empty. The words he said to me only a few short hours ago. But it could have been another life.
You always this articulate? The silly, playfully mocking phrase rose, but caught in my throat behind the sob I was struggling to suppress. You're the hero Meg. No, I wasn't. He wouldn't have even been in that desperate situation had I not been acting so selfishly, had I defied Hades when it could have mattered, had I just told Hercules when he could have done something about it. But instead, I had foolishly withdrawn into myself as I clung to a desperate hope for freedom. There really are worse things than death Wonderboy. I couldn't find words, and instead reached out and pressed my lips against his as the tears mounted on my eyelashes. He returned it, with all the passion and emotion I poured into it.
We broke the kiss with reluctance, and I put my cup of wine to my lips to try and dodge having to speak. For once I was the one who couldn't find the words to say. He grasped my free hand and gave it a strong reassurance squeeze that may, under other circumstances, been uncomfortably tight. But I needed the contact, to know he really was here beside me. To know that not only was he very much alive, but that so was I. Things began to grow fuzzy, the wine was far stronger than I had anticipated, or what I was used to. It wasn't the usual spiced watered-down dregs most people drank.
"I love you," the only words I could think of. The only way I could get myself to express to him this desperate mix of emotions I was struggling to reign in. Here was a man who had been willing sacrifice everything for me. He gave up eternity for me, he opted for a mortal life, he would one day die once again because of me. But he was happy. Because of me. And all I could come up with to say to him were those three stupid simple single-syllable words that somehow held all the power in the cosmos.
"I love you too," he replied, brining my hand to his lips as he kissed my fingertips carefully. I smiled at the old gesture, something I used to find unbearably hackneyed. But coming from him, it felt genuine and affectionate. Maybe that was the wine heavily clouding my judgment. The edges of my vision were beginning to cloud as the heaviness in my limbs grew. I stood, realizing quite quickly I had no balance. Hercules stood quickly, catching my shoulders to hold me steady, "careful," whoops, careful. Flashes of our 'date'. Would everything he said make me reflect back upon the night?
"I think I need to turn in… I'm pretty tired," Luckily the slur in my words was hardly discernable, but the full weight of my fatigue hit me. I hadn't slept in more than a day.
"Me too… it's been a long night,"
"One way to put it," I laughed, biting my lip to hold back a senseless giggle.
"Here," He grasped me hand and led me back into the villa where the sounds of the party were roaring strong.
"But your party?" I inquired,
"I think everyone is drunk enough they won't notice. We just saved the world, I think we deserve nap," He smiled,
"Mmm… I won't argue that," We went back down the short hallway that led to the balcony, to a adjourning it. Inside the room I gasped at the sheer luxury of it. Even my father's palace couldn't boast the lavishness of what lay before me. The walls, like the hallway, were adorned with medals, paintings, tapestries, and trophies. Large marble columns held up thick tendrils of fabric sewn with pictures telling epic tales and journeys. The bed was a large wooden structure, rather than the common pile of straw and linens on the ground. The linens of the bed were a bold red, and I walked up to it feeling the soft foreign material. This wasn't the usual wool I was accustomed to. There were pillows, and felt as if they were stuffed with feathers rather than straw the outer fabric made of the same soft material as the liens. I threw myself onto the bed, laughing loudly.
I had been living in the underworld for over three years; three years in a cold damp cave, surrounded by the smell of lichen, wet stone, sulfur, and foul water. The cold was the hardest to adjust to; it was a deep penetrating chill that I couldn't escape from. During the first year of my internment I would often fall asleep before the hearth in the room Hades kept me in, wrapped in whatever linen was available. The idea of sleeping in a room warmed by the summer heat was a dream I had long ago forsaken.
Hercules sat on the edge of the bed closest to the door and I scooted over to give him room. We were both too exhausted, and possibly too drunk, for the fact we were still in our dirty tattered clothing we had survived the end of the world in to matter. Sleep was already beckoning to me and I curled onto my side almost instinctively. I closed my eyes, feeling my body starting to cave to sleep already. But I was jolted as I felt an arm wrap around me, a hand sliding just under my left breast. I flinched, my pulse quickening as my breath caught in my throat. I could smell the phantom sulfur, hot breath against the back of my neck, and a chill ran through me.
"I didn't mean to startle you," I managed to relax, the rational part of my mind able to suppress my unconscious fears as it told me it was Wonderboy who had his arms around me. "I-I just… I just need to-to feel your heart beat…" He faltered, "I wasn't trying… It wasn't…"
"Shh…" I whispered, shifting myself until I felt my back rest against his chest. "Just startled me," I assured him. I just need to feel your heartbeat. There was no lust in his gesture, and the realization that he needed to reassure himself that I was alive once again brought tears to my eyes. How could I mean so much to someone I had done so many horrible things to? I didn't deserve this. Regardless, I let myself enjoy this; the warmth of his arms around me, the warmth of his breath against my hair, the comfort of the linens as he wrapped them around us. I closed my eyes.
For those who don't know, there is a pulse called the apical pulse, in a woman it rests under your left breast along the bra line, and it is the strongest pulse in the body. Men have it too, but I just wanted to explain what exactly it was Hercules was doing. The idea he couldn't fall asleep unless he could feel her heart beating was too cheesy to resist. I lost my oomph for proof-reading halfway through this, and I am unsatisfied with the last few paragraphs. I hope this is still up to par, I just wanted to get this chapter posted. I may do editing and re-post it. Let me know what you think.
Did I win your seal of approval? Or did I move this chapter too fast?