Melaina's Burden Of The Aegean Sea

Chapter 17

"Something just feels weird" Thalia whispers to the boy beside her as they made their way strutting through the halls.

"You sound like your girlfriend," He says disregarding her, looking at his teeth in a spoon.

"She's not my girlfriend"

"And who exactly, are you trying to convince that too? Me or yourself?"

Stopping, she huffed in annoyance. "Ok know what?" Grabbing the spoon and throwing it to the side.

"Hey! I was using that"

"Shut up and listen to me, ok? I think Mel was right this entire time about Poseidon. Like I was trying to tell you yesterday, I saw him just hurl his pitchfork into the wall and when he saw him see him do it, he just looked at me gave me this weird courtesy and left"

"I'm going, to be honest, you lost me after pitchfork," He says before laughing. "Like who even says pitchfork nowadays?" He asked through his fit of laughter.

Groaning at him in frustration she shoved him to the side, he still laughed. "Where's Mel anyway?"

Gathering his composure, he cleared his throat. "Told me that she is going to you guy's hide out"

"Why tell you and not me?"

"Oh? Trouble in paradise?"

"Shut up" She says pushing him away from her. "Did she say for what?"

"Said she wanted to gather her thoughts about Poseidon as well as the prophecy and what's next for us, but I think mainly her" He informed the young woman. "Between you and me, I think she's spiralling out of control, wondering what her whole life purpose will be if she fails this whole thing"

"..she- she told you this?"

"Yeah right, that woman is phenomenal at keeping her feelings bottled up on the inside. She would go a lifetime without telling a soul anything if she could. But luckily for her, she has us. Her best friend and her dashing eye candy suave, charismatic, the true definition of a man-"

"Get to the point, man"

"She has two more people, after Zagreus and Macaria, who cares about her" Castor concluded, throwing an arm around her shoulder.

"Whoa? Did you put an arm on me? And not because you're trying to choke me? Are you feeling ok?" Thalia joked, causing him to remove his arm.

"That's what I get for trying to be nice," he says making her laugh at his antics as they continued to walk.

Her mind began to wander back to their friend, making her face drop. It wasn't long before Castor noticed her mood change.

"Ok, what's wrong, flightless bird?" He says not making eyes with her, placing his hands behind his back. "Is it about a particular magnetic pull of a Goddess that's got you down?"

Her eyes went wide but she instead chose to act oblivious. "I have no idea what you're talking about" Castor only hummed in response. "If I did know, however, what you were talking about, I would ask what you know," she says letting her eyes take a look his way.

"If we're going to be hypothetical, then I would say she confided in me, yesterday, after breakfast, about a particular demigod. Hypothetical, of course," He says once he saw her facial expression.

"What did she say?" she asked coming to a stop, grabbing at his waist, making him stop as well.

"Are we done being hypothetical now?"

"What did she say about me?"

"About you? Oh no! Heh, birdie, I was talking about another demigod" he jokes. Thalia scoffed rolling her eyes.

"Seriously, Castor? What did she say?"

"Ok well while you and Poseidon played twenty-one questions with each other, Melinoë was just talking about how she would feel like a failure if she fails this life quest of hers and how she wants to just get to the bottom of all this prophecy bullshit and-" He paused, trying to make a dramatic effect.

"And? And what about me?"

"That she cares for you a lot" Thalia smiled widely upon hearing that. "But-"

"But?" she repeated her smile dropping. "What do you mean but?"

"But she has to deny herself the thought of anything because she doesn't want to feel such pain as she did the day she lost you"

Thalia let out a soft gasp, stunned at what she just heard. Slowly she started to slide down the wall resting her back against it, unable to speak. Castor gave her a confused look before looking around to see if anyone was watching, before doing the same.

"..I'm at a lost for words"

"And here I was thinking you would have nothing but things to say"

"I know how important all of this is for her, but I- I can't keep it all bottled up either, but I also don't want my personal feelings to compromise us or the friendship. I don't see how you did this for so many long, long, long, long-"

"I get it!" Castor says cutting her off. "You didn't have to keep going"

"Sorry" She says feeling bad. "I'm just not capable of not knowing, certain things"

"Little bird, we are dealing with a prophecy problem and family problems and internal problems, so helping you understand her feelings is not a problem on this list that I want to figure out with you"

"Ouch. No need to be so harsh"

"Payback from that earlier comment"

"Ok fair" She agreed with him. "Who would have thought?" She says referring to their new friendship.

"Who would've thought" He repeated, standing to his feet, dusting himself off. "If you ever repeat this, to another soul, I will go down denying it till the end of time" He says helping her stand to her feet. "But I have grown very fond of liking you"

"Aww" She says, going in for a hug, but he stopped her, placing his hand in front of himself.

"I said I like you, not that we're best friends. If anything good associates at best"

Thalia laughed but stopped once she saw Poseidon with a guard whispering among themselves. Thalia pulled Castor to the side, hiding behind a statue. Castor was opened his mouth to protest, but Thalia hushed him and pointed in the direction of Poseidon.

"She is very stubborn and feisty like her father, so be mindful of that. She also is always on guard, so be very careful, when trying to apprehend her"

"Do you want me to have my guys handle the other two?"

"No. No, I don't want any bloodshed" He tells him, making the two share a worried expression. "Just go with the plan like he intended"

"I told you!" Thalia whispered yelled, slapping his forearm, "He's planning on doing something terrible to us. We have to warn Mel"