𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝙻𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝙳𝚊𝚛𝚔 𝙱𝚎𝚢𝚘𝚗𝚍

𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝙽𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝 𝚂𝚑𝚎 𝕄𝕖𝕥 ℍ𝕚𝕞

♪A wishful Waltz♪
-Teddy Hyde

Children ran around, couples danced, musicians played, and the elderly admired the surroundings, but Eden was different. She didn't know what earth was like, she didn't know anyone, she had been in the beyond her whole life. She couldn't remember the last time she'd aged, and she knew her existence was purely to overshadow another being's, but she hadn't met him, nor did she think she ever would, that is until she was out after curfew one night.

   She took light steps out her door, making sure no one was around before walking the paths. She looked around aimlessly, hoping to notice something new but she'd seen it all before.

   She was about to go back but stopped in her tracks when she heard low voices, voices speaking in hushed tones.

   "Look I'm not too happy to be here either, but father asked me to beg one more time." A deep voice said.

   She jumped behind a pillar and listened in.

   "Well I can tell you now it's not going to happen. You might as well leave" Zeus's voice boomed.

   Eden waited in the silence, peeking her head from behind the pillar after a minute of quiet. She immediately regretted her decision when she locked eyes with a tall figure, with dark hair, and bright eyes. God. His eyes were captivating, Eden wanted to look away but she couldn't, it was like they were staring into her, like they knew everything, and also nothing about her.

   Next thing Eden knew he was walking over, she didn't have time to register what was happening before his hand was out for her to shake. His veins were well defined on his hand, and up his arm. One of the many qualities that made him feel so close to human.

   "Azrial, nice to meet you."

   His smile had a hint of mischief but seemed genuine. Eden snapped out of her thoughts, to introduce herself.

    "Eden."

   She shook his hand, she wasn't sure who he was. One thing she was sure of, is that he was undeniably attractive. She'd never felt that way before, everyone had always been the same in her eyes. She'd heard of others comparing one another based on meaningless features and traits, but she'd never understood. One thing could be attractive to one person and repulsive to the next, she'd always been grateful she didn't have those kinds of opinions, i suppose, until now.

   "Look I should head back, I'm not really—"

   "Supposed to be here?" He interrupted, "Walk back with me?"

   To put it plainly, Eden was beyond confused, was she supposed to know the man before her? On one hand, she felt like she did, like there was a magnet pulling her toward him. But on the other hand, she knew he was a stranger, and she, just like every other kid, was taught not to talk to strangers.

   "Not to be rude but-"

   "You don't know me?" She nodded, relieved "Well I know a lot about you."

   There went the relief.

   He led the way back to where Eden stayed, he just knee. Who was he and what did he want with her? Spoiler, that was a question she would be asking for many months to come.

   "Why are you here, and who are you?" Eden asked, eager to get to the point as quickly as possible.

    "Well I've told you that darling, I'm Azrial, my fathers sent me to try and make a deal."

   He spoke in a way that projected Eden should know him, that everyone should know him. She wouldn't call it cocky, but from his confident stance, she was all most sure he wasn't completely humble.

   Looking into Azrial's eyes, Eden's mind flashed back to pictures she was shown when she was "born", pictures of a dark figure, that was almost never visible in the photos, but when he was, the main attribute was his sharp, hazel eyes. They glinted almost red, who could miss that.

  "Is your father Hades?"

   A silence lingered between them, but not an uncomfortable one like you'd expect after such a question, one that answered all her questions, while simultaneously creating more.

   "Well what kind of deal would your father even want, him and my dad hate each other... don't they?"

   "You're rather curious aren't you?" He looked Eden up and down, sending a shiver down her spine, no one had ever dared to look at her the way Azrial was

   "I guess you could say that."

   "Well my father doesn't hate yours, even if I think he should."

   What? She had no clue what he meant, Hades doesn't hate Zeus? In her mind, that was laughable, in his, it was logical.

   "What do you mean you think he should, am I missing something? Hades is evil. And cruel!"

   And in that moment, he stared into her eyes again, and almost immediately she was calm. He tucked her hair behind her ear, lingering his eyes a couple seconds longer.

   "Not everything is as it seems."

   With that he walked away, leaving Eden frozen, and completely, utterly, lost and confused.

☞︎☟︎☜︎

Eden thought a lot about that night, it stayed in her head for months.. and months.. and months.

"Not everything is as it seems"