Melaina's Burden Of The Aegean Sea

Epilogue

The boat ride back to shore was a peaceful one. The sound of the waves slowly crashing against the rocks were like music almost angelic while Melaina steered the boat, as Thalia wrapped Castor's leg to stop the bleeding.

They didn't say much of anything as they made their way back onto Medusa's island. "Where are our horses?"

"Hello, to you as well. I see you are back" She says mixing the paint as she stroked her blank canvas. "But I see no severed head," Medusa says averting her eyes to the two.

"Heads up!" Melaina says pulling the head out from behind her back.

Tossing it to her, Medusa quickly sat her things down to catch the head. Catching it she smiled, the biggest and brightest smile she had ever given out since she was cast out and away on this island. She played with it momentarily before looking at them.

"What happened to him?"

"Thalia fried him," She says casually.

"I didn't expect for him to be as crispy as he is though. So please forgive me" she says with her eyes closed not looking in the right direction of her.

Laughing she nodded in understanding. "It is quite alright, half breed. At least I got what I wanted out of his death" she says, letting a single tear fall from her eye. Wiping the tear away, sitting his head down on a nearby table, clearing her throat she went back to painting. "And what of you? Did you get what you wanted out of his death?"

Thalia turned her head to Melaina, squeezing her shoulder.

"Yeah, did you?"

"I did" she smiled. "I just have one more thing to do before I'm fully free though"

"Well don't let me keep you," she says shooing them out. "Hey! Come back sometime? I quite enjoy you and your girlfriend's company"

"Oh she's not girlfriend"

"I'm not her girlfriend"

They said together overlapping each other's sentences. Medusa chuckled at them.

"She may not be able to open those pretty eyes of hers but I can see your eyes, honey," She says, making a bold stroke with her paintbrush. "Eyes don't lie"

"The horses?"

"Out in the front, eating at the grass"

"Thank you. See you next time?"

"I'll be here waiting"

Walking out and away from Medusa's liar, Thalia opened her eyes being met with the sunny blue sky, though from the horizon she could see dark clouds rolling in, however, she didn't let that stop her happiness as they made their way back to horses.

"Are we going to talk about it?" She says referring to the tension between them.

"I was thinking we just keep ignoring it and focus on what's important at hand"

"Mel?" Thalia says coming to a stop, making her stop as well. Melaina sighed as her eyes looked her over.

"Talley, I don't know what you want or expect from me. I like this, I like what we are. I don't want to ruin anything"

"I like us too, and I just want you to be happy. And I would love it to be with me if I'm being honest"

"I know, and that alone is what makes you the best best friend ever" she complimented. "I do not know what is going to happen to us or with us, but please understand, that I would never forgive myself if I was the reason I hurt you"

"Are you- are you afraid of hurting me?" She says not trying to hide the smirk that crept in the corner of her mouth.

Melaina eyed her. "I am, yes. I did once already by my own will and against yours" She says referring to when she made her phobia come true. Thalia nodded in understanding. "You may have forgiven me, but I don't feel worthy of it, at least not yet. And your death made me realize how much you mean to me"

"I'm not saying I want us to be lovers, anytime soon," she says as she began walking again. "All I'm saying is, you can't deny this tension that we have"

"I can if I allow myself to do so"

"If that's the case, then that means you, too, have feelings for me then," She says smiling at her with seductive eyes. "Admit it, you like me," she says bumping her shoulder to hers.

Melaina's eyes ran along her body as her mouth gaped open. Thalia was frozen ready to hear the words leave her lips.

"Ready to get Achlys and Desdemona back now?" Castor asked as he limped walking with them to the horses.

Melaina chuckled to herself at the boy's ill timing, while Thalia wished he had been crippled even more than how he was.

"I guess we'll never know," She says to the younger woman, walking away from her, making her groan.

Thalia huffed, kicking the dirt, before adverting her eyes to Castor. "I know I am. I miss my two boys" Thalia says breathing in the fresh air.

"Not yet" they shared a confused look. "I just have one more stop to make," Melaina says mounting onto the horse, as she helped Thalia up.

"Where's that?" Castor asked, mounting the other horse.

She didn't answer his question but instead took off on the horse. After a while she glanced over her shoulder to look at them, as she started to hear thunder, making a smirk come across her features.

"Ever been to Olympus, Castor?"

"Why would you joke like that? I'm a mortal, you know, I can't go there" he says with a huff looking at her. "Zeus made it so, long ago. Only those who he deems as worthy are the only ones who can step foot on Olympus"

"Maybe it's time to change that rule.. and many others as well," She says placing her hand on Thalia's knee, for comfort, feeling her tense up. "I never thought much of some of these rules anyway"

"I don't get it," Thalia says peeking through her eyelids. "What do you mean?"

"I don't think I'm going to like the sound of this next part"

"Thalia, ready to meet your father?" She asked over her shoulder, as she looked up to the once crystal clear blue sky, now seeing the dark grey clouds covering the sky. Her dark eyes held determination within them.

Castor and Thalia glanced at her then at each other before looking to the sky hearing the thunder and seeing the lightning.

"Nothing says family reunion better than family drama," She says with a nervous smile as she clicked her tongue.

"All chaos is going to break loose. You understand that right?" He tells her worried.

"Yes," Melaina says looking at him, no sign of fear within her, before looking ahead.

"It's going to be dangerous," Thalia says from behind her.

"Very much so" She replied keeping her eyes ahead. "Nothing we haven't faced before," She says feeling confident. "So now, I just have one question for you both. Ready to kill the most powerful god?"

"I'm going to say yes before I change my mind"

"Thalia?"

"Just say the word and we'll take on the world," She says agreeing from behind pulling on her waist.

Smiling at each other, they looked ahead as they continued to fly across the sea heading to Mount Olympus.