Chapter 12

I slipped into Mount Olympus. I knew that moment that I had he would know that I was here. Still, I hoped that he would not get in my way. I'd hoped his pride was too bruised to face me. I quickly made my way to the garden hoping that no one would be there. Unfortunately, I was not so lucky.

Aphrodite.

I made my way past her going to the tree to pick a few apples. I placed the apples in the satchel. I could feel her eyes burning holes into my back.

"All of Olympus knows." she'd said.

I continued to search through the apples ignoring her comment.

"They know about your obsession with the mortal."

"She is not an obsession. She is the woman I love."

I could feel her hesitation lingering in the air. She was unsure whether or not to ask whatever question she had.

"What will you do... when she dies?"

I said nothing.

"Will you love her until her last breath? Even when she is old and undesirable."

I stopped looking over my shoulder.

Her appearance was tired. Her clothes were disheveled. Dark circles sat under her eyes. Her ruby eyes were dim. The feathers she'd always worn in her hair were no longer there.

"I will love her even after she is gone. Even after centuries have passed, when I can no longer remember the sound of her voice, the feel of her skin; her scent. Nor even what she looks like. Even then, I will still love her."

I went back to my apples. I would harvest the seeds from it and for my own. I would not need to come back to this place.

"Even though I am right here... even though I have always been here," she whispered.

"She is all I see."

Her fists balled up at her sides.

"Oh to be loved so fiercely."

I could hear the pain in her voice. I turned to look at her.

I stopped sorting and made my way over to the fountain. I pulled a flask from my satchel filling it with the golden liquid.

"I see," she said quietly.

It was time that she did. I hoped she had. Still, it would be foolish to underestimate her sense of entitlement.

"Good. So there is no need for you to try and wait for her to die. Even after her death, you will not win my affection. I would sooner love a ghost than love you."

I would be as harsh as I needed. I would make her understand. It would never be her. Her eyes dropped to the floor. She stayed that way for a few moments. Before she left the garden. I collected the rest of what I'd come for. I quickly left the room. I wanted nothing more than to leave this place; for good. I'd run into the one person I had not wanted to.

He grinned. "My son!"

"Zeus."

"Why have you come?"

"I have gotten what I came for. There is no need for us to speak."

"You cannot possibly still be angry about the mortal woman?"

He was doing his best to make me angry. I would not give him the satisfaction, but I would humor him and play his little game.

"It is clear that I am not the angry one."

He chuckled. "Why in heaven's name would I be angry?"

"I assumed your ego is still shattered. Yes? By the words of one mortal woman."

His face fell.

I had struck a nerve.

"You forget yourself, Ares."

"Step out of my way and I will gladly leave."

Suddenly his smile returned.

"Ah yes, you wish to leave and hurry back to your mortal."

"Yes, I do."

He simply turned and began to walk away.

"Let us hope that she will be there once you return," he called over his shoulder.

My hair stood on end.

"What did you say?"

He laughed. "Do hurry home Sesshomaru."

Before I could move an inch, he'd disappeared in a wisp of smoke. His laughter echoed through the halls. An eerie feeling crept up my spine.

What had he seen?

I jumped out of my sleep at the sound of the door being slammed open. The cold air rushed in. My heart was pounding in my chest. I looked up to see Hojo standing there. He shut the door behind him locking the latch. I quickly backed up against the wall, leaving the blanket behind. I felt as if I was a cornered animal. He had some sort of large bag with him. He set it down and removed his tunica setting it on top of the bag. I watched him fill the pail with water again. He set the pail down in front of me. He pulled a cloth from his robes tossing it into the water. I looked up at him. He sat in the chair, not taking his eyes off me.

"Clean yourself Kagome."

I wrapped my arms around myself. as my stomach growled.

"If you do not clean yourself. You do not eat. Listen and you will be rewarded. You do not willingly want to love me. Then I will have to teach you."

I grabbed the cloth out of the pail. The water was ice cold.

"No. Remove your clothes first."

I looked at him with wide eyes.

"Yesterday I would have allowed you to clean yourself with your nightgown on. However, yesterday I was a kinder man. Remove it, I would hate for you to starve."

Would he go as far as to starve me? No; if he was capable of all of this, there was no telling what else he would do to me.

He pulled the knife from his robes sitting it on his lap. There was no unexplainable for pulling me towards him; only fear. My mouth went dry. I dropped the cloth back into the pail of water. I pulled my knees to my chest as I slipped the gown off my shoulders. I tried my best to hide my breasts behind my legs. I could feel his eyes roaming. I felt sick.

"More," he said.

At that moment my heart dropped to my stomach.

"If you cannot do it, I will be happy to do it for you. If not stand up and finish."

I couldn't hold them back any longer. My tears rolled down my cheeks, but I did not make a sound. I grabbed the cloth and stood up slowly. I kept one arm across my breasts. The nightgown slid to the ground as I did. I could hear him sigh. It was not one of annoyance, but a familiar one. The same that man had made when he touched me. I pressed my legs together tightly. As I dragged the cloth across my body. I could not meet his eyes. I continued like that until I had wiped my body. He quickly stood up. I dropped the cloth out of fear that I had angered him somehow. He picked up the cloth dipping it into the water.

"There is nothing to be afraid of, my sweet Kagome," he said softly. "You missed a spot, and I will help you clean it."

He yanked my leg to the side, wiping; no he stroked between my legs with the cloth. I shut my eyes tightly and waited for it to be over.

"See, it did not take long."

I could smell the alcohol on his breath.

"Your beauty is unlike any other Kagome."

Moments of silence passed between us. I was afraid of what sick depraved thoughts ran through his mind.

"You should thank me for helping you bathe you."

"Thank you," I whispered harshly.

He kissed the top of my head.

"I will be back tomorrow. The things in the bag are for you. If you continue to behave like this, things will get better."

I kept my eyes shut listening. As I waited for him to leave. I waited for the rush of cold air and the familiar sound of the latch on the door. I dropped to my knees shivering. I looked around, my eyes landing on the bag. I rummaged through it realizing that these were my clothes in the bag. The clothes Sesshomaru had bought for me. He had gone back to my home. I dressed quickly putting on three layers. I continued to rummage through the bag. I found bread and dried meat wrapped in a cheesecloth. I took my time with it saving the rest for another time. I was unsure when he would bring food again.

I sat by the fire, the chain dragging behind me. I pulled my knees to my chest holding out my hand; trying to get the feeling back into them. I clasped my hands together as they warmed up. My eyes went wide as the realization hit me.

"Prayers."

I shut my eyes hoping that this would work.

I'd rushed from Mount Olympus. I had never felt fear. Not in all of the Millennia I had been alive; not until now. The nerve-wracking feeling in the pit of my stomach. The unsettling feeling that crept up my spine and loomed over me. My heart wrenched in my chest. I could barely breathe. It was as if someone's hand had been wrapped around my throat. I gripped the reigns in my hands willing for them to move faster. I could see the house up in the distance.

I leapt from my chariot landing on my feet. I took off running towards the house. I stopped in my tracks. It was as if the air had been knocked out of me. The front door had been left wide open. I slowly made my way inside. Things had been thrown across the floor. The house was cold; empty. Kagome was not here. She had been taken. This was my fault. I hung my head low. If I had been here, this would not have happened. I touched my cheek... tears.

Ares.

My head snapped up looking around the room. That was Kagome's voice.

Ares, the God of War. I beg of you to heed my prayer.

She was praying to me. A weight had been lifted off my shoulders. No... she wanted me to know that she was alive. She wanted me to find her.

I pray to you. Guide me home safely to where I belong. From this nightmare of a hut in the woods. To help me escape from this monster of a man... this monster of a half. I-

The prayer abruptly stopped. I stood balling up my fists. That boy had taken her. I knew he would be nothing but trouble. I should have removed him from our lives when I had the chance. I would lay waste to this entire town to - no. Kagome would never forgive me if I did such a thing. I made my way outside, wallowing in my self-pity.

I swallowed my pride.

"Zeus!" I called out.

There was nothing.

"Zeus!"

I clenched my jaw.

"Father!"

The sound of lightning cracked through the clear sky, as he appeared in front of me. A sick smile was on his lips.

"I knew I would be hearing from you soon. You called for me my son. Father and son reunited I do believe that was the first time you have called me father." he joked.

"Enough with your games!"

"That is no way to speak to someone you seek help from," he said.

"You wasted my time! All while you knew they were taking her."

"She is your mortal to protect Ares, not mine."

"Why do you hate me so? What have I done to deserve such mistreatment from you?"

"I do not hate you, Ares. I do not like being opposed, being disrespected."

"You watched her be snatched away, to teach me a lesson!? You could have warned me!"

There was that sick smile again.

"You and I do not have that kind of relationship Ares. After all, this is the mortal you forsake your home for."

"Where is she?"

"You will not want her anymore Ares. Not after what has been done to her. After what will be done to her."

It felt as though my heart had stopped. That time itself had stopped.

"They?"

"He sent people for her. This would not have happened if you had not gotten involved and come between them. This has happened because of you Ares. The girl would have been fine had you just stayed away."

My fault.

I went over to him not meeting his eyes. I dropped to my knees. I clung to his robes.

"Father, please," I begged. "Help me find her."

He sighed. "My dear boy, how far you have fallen."

He pulled me to my feet. He opened his hand. White mist swirled in the palm of his hand. The picture of a woman formed. I burned the picture of her face in my mind.

"Find this woman. She will help you find your mortal woman," he said letting his hand drop.

He turned away from me and began to walk away. He stopped taking one last look over his shoulder.

"I would hurry if I were you."

With that, he disappeared.