Thief Of Truth's Heart

Chapter 2

Seeing the kids bond so well, it was almost an unspoken rule for the elder six and their consorts to come together every other day to let the children interact with each other. The adults would discuss the "Titan-mâché" as Atlanta had remembered her daddy telling her, and the elder siblings duo spent their days together trying to act mature and scolding their younger counterparts whenever they saw Apollo and Atlanta dirtying their clothes while playing in the sand.

In fact it was mostly because of the little Sea Princess that they met up with each other as frequently as they did. After her first visit, she would either try to swim out of Atlantis to Delos or try guilt tripping Delphin into helping her go to her new friend. She had even thrown a tantrum befitting her status when her mother had tried to tell her that they would go back the next year, stating that she did not want to stay without her friend for so long and suffer Triton's tyranny for being a witness to him trampling the flower bed in the garden of their mother. Needless to say, Triton got the biggest lecture of his life as a result.

Henceforth, Poseidon had gone out of his way to call a gathering every other day to Aiónios, to keep his little girl happy, as well as for the sake of his yet-to-be-grey hair.

Apollo was always excited to meet up with his friend. As much as he loved his little sister, she was quite bossy sometimes, and he just wanted someone to play with and talk to. So, he made sure to grab the chance to meet his best friend whenever he could, and the duo played in the sand for hours on end.

Atlanta never judged him, nor poked him with arrows for being annoying, and he genuinely enjoyed her company. She was easily excited about the most insignificant little things, and it never ceased to amaze him how the world could look to be so simple from someone's perspective. She loved the same things that he did, joked around like him, and often gave a full-teeth-on-display grin, which made him grin back. Her rambling about random things were the most cutest thing Apollo had ever seen.

But her eyes.

Her eyes were the most beautiful treasure that the entire world could ever offer.

Beautiful eyes, that turned so playful when he played catch with her. The brilliant sea green that is so gentle, it makes him want to bask in her presence. The way they shine when the Sun rays reflected from them, was absolutely breath taking. Those sparkling eyes always betrayed her true emotions, the excitement, the disappointment, all of it.

And the most amazing quality of those expressive eyes, was the mischievous twinkle that would enter her bright sea green orbs, which would alert him to the fact that she was up to no good, and that he should be ready with her alibi.

Apollo did not have many things that he could call his own. Other than his mother and sister, and his domains and weapons, he truly did not have several things to show for himself. Having someone to call a friend, his friend, made him possessive of his friend's attention.

He did not want anyone else to take his friend away. He wanted her smiles and loud laughter to be directed only towards him. The mischievous twinkle which ever so often entered her eyes were only for him to see.

She loved to play in the sand on the sunny days. Her beautiful eyes gleamed in the Sun, making it seem even more gorgeous. She was the warmth embodiment, and it made Apollo wonder sometimes whether it had something to do with Aunt Hestia, or if it was truly an Atlanta thing. She loved the light, and unlike Apollo and the other Gods, never had a dark side to begin with.

Atlanta was sad on the days that the Sun would hide behind the clouds, peeping from the back of it, only to disappear once again after a bit. She would not make sand castles that day, or play in the sand, but just walk dejectedly along the shores with him. It was as if the Sun would take away Atlanta's happiness along with its shine, and when it came back, it returned with both.