The Son of Hades - Born of Fire

William Chapter 19

It was about that time when the sun fell and darkness loomed over the entire city. William enters the bath chambers, approaching the large pool filled with yellow rose petals floating above the green waters. Scented candles filled the room with the touch of moon light seeping in from the sun roof that sat above the pool area. Steam came out of the water and with it came Amara as naked as the day she entered the world.

"Care to join me?" she asked, staring at him with a smile.

"Yes." His response was almost immediate. "But first, I must tell you something."

"What is it?" she was curious. He stopped for a moment to stare at her breast that weren't all to large but small and neat, just as he liked it.

"Can you please cover yourself?" he asked her. "If you don't I might not finish my sentences."

"Is it something I wouldn't approve of?" she asked him, while covering herself before approaching him.

"It might be," he confessed. "I came here to tell you I won't be here for some weeks. My friend Mackenzie has asked me to help him retrieve something that means a great deal to him."

"You haven't mentioned any friend before now."

"He's new," William admitted. "He once saved me from my captor. If he's not a friend then I don't know who is."

"When do you leave?"

"On the morrow, at dawn."

"Promise me you'll be back as soon as you can."

"I promise. I'll be back before you have the chance to miss me."

"I miss you right now," she said before kissing him. She then pushes him into the pool, where she joined him afterwards. "How about I give you something to remember me by while you're gone."

When morning came, William said his goodbyes to Amara while leaving Theoden to rule in his stead. He stood on the deck of his ship, admiring the beauty his city held. When the sun rose upon it, it was given a more magnificent feature that made it seemed unreal. The thought of leaving Amara behind made him feel the same guilt he once had the first time he left her.

Hours went flying by and soon it became midday. The three of them had gathered in the ships hall sitting with each other, drinking cups of ale. Mackenzie and William entered themselves into a drinking game with Athena joining in for the fun of it. They both got horribly drunk with Athena laughing at them both. When the evening approached them they were now hugging each other while singing two completely different songs that they somehow made up on the spot. When they were done singing they sobered up by drinking lots water and eating too many bowls of soup.

"Why didn't you tell me who you were?" Mackenzie asked William.

"It didn't seem relevant at the time. I was chased out from my own home. My father wasn't exactly the fathering type."

"Why were you banished from the Kingdom?"

"When I was sixteen years old I fell in love with a girl named Amara. When my father came to know of it he deemed her a low born, not fit to carry Sons of Valgorn. I tried to marry her in secret but my father had spies everywhere. When he caught us he banished me for my disobedience. While I was still in my room packing, he came in and threatened to have her father killed if I took her with me. I still haven't told her that."

"So you left her behind," Mackenzie muttered.

"I didn't see any other way. My brother Benjamin tried persuading my father to change his mind but he wouldn't budge. He threatened my brother's inheritance if he were only caught helping me."

"So he turned his back on you."

"Yes, for good reasons. Throughout the years I have learned a few things about myself. I care little for money and fame. My father adored those things. If he could carry his wealth and Kingdom in death he would've. My fear is that I might become a shadow of him."

Mackenzie noticed how emotional he was becoming, he gently places his hand upon his shoulder, staring into his eyes as he spoke. "You'll never become like him, as I will never become the thing the Gods make me out to be. We get to choose not them."

"This is nice," said Athena. "It's a bit depressing. How about you two start drinking again."

"I couldn't agree with you more," said William, taking a drink.