A/N: I'm so happy to see you like the story and I'm very grateful for your kind reviews. I'm only owner of the story.
Divinity: Chapter eleven
"Dear... why are you so anxious?" Prince Athan asked his wife. "Your hands are sweaty"
"Oh... you won't believe any of the things you will hear once Gaia gets here" Serenity said smiling to the people in the room dissimulating her discomfort.
"Oh, she's here? I thought you said to..."
"Shh... don't say that loud. Oh no! He's here!" Serenity interrupted her husband. To her surprise, Ares was there.
"Well...Gaia's here"
"Where?"
"Here" Gaia said tapping Serenity's shoulder.
"Ah! You scared me!" Serenity said to her friend. "Ares is here!"
"What? Where?" Gaia asked nervious.
"There" Athan said to Gaia.
"Athan! Hello!" Gaia said giving him a small hug.
"What is going on?" he asked again with a confused expression.
"Let's sit!" Serenity said.
The three went to their seats; Athan made a soft noise with his knife on his glass.
"Good afternoon, on behalf my wife Princess Serenity and myself, we want to thank you for being with us today and for being with us last night at our wedding. It was a very important event for us and we are glad you all were part of it, again, thank you." He raised his glass.
It was Serenity's time to speak.
"Thank you so much for joining us for lunch. So please, enjoy" she raised her glass too and then sat on her chair in the middle between her husband and Gaia.
Gaia knew Ares was looking at her, but she couldn't direct her gaze at him, sitting right after Serenity did she started to eat.
"I can tell you are uncomfortable." Serenity whispered.
"I can't lie to you, I can feel Ares stare" Gaia whispered back.
"What is going on?" Athan asked both ladies.
"Ares is in love with Gaia, and Gaia told him she was leaving yesterday but obviously she lied and he cannot stop staring at her" Serenity whispered into her husband's ear.
"Oooooh!" Athan said.
"Gaia, you know you eventually will have to talk to him...right?" Athan said.
"I know... but I don't want to do it today" Gaia said playing with her food.
"Gaia..." a familiar voice called her name.
She had no other option but to turn to see the man who owned that voice.
"Ares, you're here!" her palms were starting to get sweaty; she regretted her words seconds after.
"You're here? is that all you could think about Gaia...argh..." she thought.
"Can I have a word with you?" he said extending his hand out to her.
"Um...well... I don't think it's a good time right now..." she said fidgeting in her seat.
"Are you okay? You look like if you have just seen a dead spirit" Ares said in a playful tone.
"I'm fine..." she took his hand and went to the hall.
"What is going on with you?" Ares said annoyed.
"With me?" Gaia asked shocked.
"Yes! You have been avoiding me since last night. You even told me you were going home and you are here! Why are you hiding from me?
"I'm not hiding from you! You are the one who's acting strange!" she changed the situation.
"I'm not acting strange!" Ares said raising his arms in frustration.
"Yes, yes you are! Last night you were all serious and strange" she put her hands on her waist.
"Argh... because I have things in my head!" he said.
"What things?" her palms started to get sweaty again. "Here it comes...he's going to confess his feelings" she thought.
"Look... yesterday wasn't a good day. I'm having some problems with some people. And I want to avoid a fight, okay? Besides, I had a meeting this morning concerning that issue and I was thinking about it yesterday that's all!" he said crossing his arms.
"That's all?" she said out loud.
"What else did you want it to be?" Ares said annoyed. "Stop acting like a ridiculous girl and be the normal Gaia I know, please dear, it doesn't suits you"
"You stop being a stranger"
"Stranger? That's all you have?" Ares laughed.
"Don't laugh. I still have a whole day ahead of me... and I haven't seen my parents" she said feeling better now that her friend was back to normal.
"Mmm...Good luck with that" Ares said laughing.
"Ohh gee thanks" Gaia said crossing her arms as well.
"Now, let's go back inside I'm still hungry" he said and she followed.
"What did he say?" Serenity nerviously asked Gaia once she got back to her seat.
"Nothing. I think Chronos misunderstood everything" Gaia said with a sigh of relief.
"What do you mean nothing? What did he say?" Serenity asked confused.
"He said he was having some issues he had to solve in a meeting this morning, he didn't say anything concerning any type of feelings towards me" Gaia said smiling.
"Well...good for you...but, your mother just asked for you" Serenity said.
"This is going to be a long day...I'll go with her, see you two love birds later" she waved and went to sit next to her mother.
"..."
"...?"
"How much longer are you going to stay here in your room?"
"As long as possible"
"You have to face her. Eventually"
"Yes. I know that. But I don't want to face her right now"
"Your mother is calling. That is why I'm here"
"Argh!" Eros hit the wall with his fisted hand.
Exasperated he finished putting on his long dark green cape that matched his attire and walked out of his room murmuring words under his breath.
"This girl is driving him crazy..." Leonidas said to himself and followed his prince.
"Eros! you are here FINALLY!" Lady Charmindy said clapping her hands.
She was immerse in her own little world; to her, Eros was mad about her and he thought of nothing else but her.
In her mind, she was dressed very provocative in her peach colored dress full of ruffles; her knitted gloves covered her hands and her lipstick was somehow too orange, but she felt like a queen.
Her hair was up in a bun full of curls; her hat was extremely big, so big that could easily be confused with an umbrella. But still, she thought it was the best attire ever.
"Gulp!" Eros made a strange sound once he looked at the extravagant beauty sitting before him already extending her hand out to him to kiss. He had to. He did. And she giggled.
"Good afternoon" he managed to say after he regained his voice.
"Well...now that we are all here, shall we eat?" Queen Narella said sipping her tea.
"Maybe later on you could give us a tour Eros, maybe we can go to downtown. See the area." The duke said taking his wife's hand.
"Oh! That would be lovely!" Lady Charmindy chirpped.
"Yes, yes, of course! Then maybe we can go to the modist shop and see what we can buy for the ball." The Queen said nicely.
"Ball? What ball?" Eros looked to his father who haven't spoke a bit since he arrived, then to his mother with a very confused expression.
"We are having a ball" Queen Narella said.
"When?" Eros asked feeling scared by her possible answer.
"Tomorrow evening" she finally said before taking a bite of her toast.
"Why I am not surprised...?" he said under his breath.
Just like his father, Eros stopped talking for the rest of lunch. Both looked like a portrait; crossed arms, crossed legs and staring at their now cold tea.
"Why did you agreed to have a ball? We can't do that right now! People are in danger, we are in war!" Eros was at the studio with his father. Later that day after lunch ended, the prince wanted to have several words with the king.
"Son, your mother was very insistent, I couldn't say no!" King Odell tried to reason with his son.
"Yes, you could! You know how things are right now, the people from the Southern Kingdom is going to rip off our army if we don't stay alert! Eros answered back.
"Besides, I don't even like Lady Charmindy" Eros finally confessed, sitting on one of the chairs of the very large room.
"Oh... I knew it" the King said giving up.
"What?" Eros raised his brows surprised by his father's comment.
"I knew you didn't like the girl..." the King rubbed his temples.
"Look son, I must confess, I care for my friend Rudolf and his family but that girl is... complicated".
"Father, you always taught me to be aware of my responsibilities. I am, I care for our Kingdom. I don't want to create more war. We don't need a ball right now, please, talk to mother" Eros finally said, his elbows on his knees.
"You are right Eros, but the arrangements for this ball are already in process. There's nothing I can do, your mother is taking charge of this matter" he king said.
"I'll have to talk to Leonidas about this issue...we will need more security around the Palace" Eros said concerned.
"Son... do you really dislike Lady Charmindy?" the King asked his son seriously.
"Father, I...don't dislike her, she seems to be a good person...but I don't think she's fit to be a queen. Our Queen for that matter. You are looking for someone who can replace mother's place once you two retire. Mother wants me to marry a girl to bring an heir to this kingdom, you want me to marry a woman who can rule this kingdom by my side just like mother does with you...I understand your position but... this girl... I don't think she can fill that place" Eros said looking at his father with honesty.
"I do want to marry Father and of course I want to have a family but, I need you to understand that I am also looking for the right girl. A girl who can be as sweet and gentle as a flower yet strong to rule with me a kingdom with fairness and wealth." Eros smiled, an image of Gaia was in his mind while he was saying those words to his father.
"You talk like a man now, and you talk like if you had someone in mind" the King said with a smirk on his face.
"I do father...but it's complicated" Eros said with sadness in his deep voice.
"Who is it?...why would that be complicated?" the King asked concerned.
"I can't say much father, but... please, don't make me marry Charmindy...please that's all I ask" he chuckled.
"No, son... I'm glad we had this talk. It's been a while since the last time we sat and talked like a father to his son. I'm proud of you" King Odell stood up and patted his son's back.
"Don't worry... I wouldn't have agreed that wedding if you married Charmindy but, we still have to make them feel like they're at home, they are our guests afterall." King Odell left the room leaving a very relieved son.
"Why did you leave early Gaia?"
"I wasn't feeling well mother"
"Everybody was asking for you"
"Well...I'm here! I talked to Serenity this morning and she said she understood and that it was okay...besides I was at the ceremony, that was the most important part of the day" Gaia was getting annoyed by her mother's comments.
"Do you have any news?" King Geb asked from behind his wife.
"Daddy!" she stood up and hugged her father.
"Dear...I missed you yesterday" his father motioned for her to sit down.
"I know, me too daddy, but I wasn't feeling well so I better went to have some rest" she said holding her father's hand.
"I saw you at the temple yesterday, you looked beautiful in that golden dress, like a true Goddess" he said smiling, patting her hand softly.
"Thank you daddy" she blushed.
"We have to start preparing your wedding dear" Queen Nut said.
"What? No." Gaia said annoyed.
"You are taking too long dear, look at Serenity, she married quickly and look how happy she is...she's ready to rule the Moon Kingdom" the Queen said taking a bite of her pastry.
"Well, mother I'm sorry to disappoint you but I'm not marrying soon..." Gaia said standing up.
"Gaia, please sit down...everybody will hear our conversation. It's not appropriate." Nut said nervous, extending her white fan she started to shake it.
"No mother, I'm leaving, I love you..." she bent to kiss her mother then her father on the cheek and left.
Her eyes were getting cloudy with hot tears; her mother touched a soft spot.
She knew she was only worried about her, but the way she acted towards her sometimes, that she couldn't understand.
She has always been a good daughter, she always tried to be a proper lady and sometimes she needed more than wedding talks from her.
Eros came to her mind and her tears couldn't stay hidden for much time longer.
She left the room silently but Serenity noticed and followed her.
"Gaia!" called out loud to the raven haired beauty but she kept walking through the long marble corridor, when she noticed her friend wasn't going to turn or come back she ran to catch up with her, once she was besides her took her arm softly.
"I can't Serenity!... I can't stay here any longer!" Gaia said tears ruining her natural makeup.
"I know Gaia, I know...come here" Serenity held her friend for several minutes and Gaia couldn't take it any longer.
Her loud sobs were betraying her.
"I'm so sorry Serenity...this should be your special day...and once again I'm ruining it with my whining" Gaia said wiping her tears off with the back of her hand.
"Don't say that! You are not whining...you are just in love" Serenity said in a kind voice.
"Yes... in love with someone I cannot be with" she said sniffing softly.
The two girls tried to talk as quiet as possible, so their conversation couldn't be heard by the other gods, not realizing there was an uninvited guest hiding behind one of the pillars of the hallway.
"Someone you cannot be with...who could that be?" the woman said to herself.
Her soultry voice repeating Gaia's words. "In love with someone I cannot be with..." her lips formed a smile.
Her yellow eyes glowed with the light of the sun that filtered through the pillars of the hallway.
"How convenient is to know the Earth Princess's secrets...that will teach her to respect me" the witch's voice reached Gaia's ears...widening her eyes she put a finger to her lips motioning her friend to be quiet.
"Someone's here...let's go to your chambers" Gaia said in a whisper to her friend, taking Serenity's wrist they walked towards her chambers.
From behind the pillar a tall and thin figure appeared.
Wearing a long dark dress, the woman wore her straight black hair loose, her pale skin didn't have the shine all of the other princesses had.
Her dark yellow eyes gleamed with the light and her very dark red lips formed a smile, her long black nails tapping the marble pillar.
She wasn't a Goddess or a princess, but a witch.
"And now I know a secret of yours Gaia... And I will get to the bottom of it..." Metallia laughed.