Their Destiny - Atreus

Chapter One // A Sad Time

Juniper watched as Atreus looked around for a small branch while she sat on a tree stump and holding a pretty pink lily pad flower. She wished that she had found a special flower for Faye before she died. Her mother told her about the Sundrop Flower a long time ago and she wanted to find it in honor of Faye but there was no use. It wasn't in Midgard.

She sighed tiredly as she thought about that and Atreus glanced over to her. "Are you still upset about that Sundrop flower?" He asked and the girl stayed silent which meant yes. He smiled sadly at the girl as he walked over to her and held her hand tightly. "I'm sure that mom is okay with the flowers you picked for her so please don't be so upset about it," he told her and Juniper glanced up at the boy.

"You think so?" She asked and he smiled at her. "Yep," she smiled back at her best friend and gets up her stump. "Well, since you cheered me up, I'll help you find the small branch."

The two continued to look for the branch until Atreus finally found it and they started to head back to Kratos. When they get to him, they see him wrapping his bandages around his arm but he tries to hide them when the two approach him. "We found some." Atreus says while holding the small branch. Juniper created a close bond with the retired god and thought of him as a father figure when he started to train her.

Atreus tries to see what he's doing but Kratos continues to hide his arms. "Get in the boat, children," Kratos tells them. The two kids nod before heading towards the boat, he puts a cut down birch on his shoulder and goes to the boat.

"Still want me to tie it to the boat?" Atreus asks. When he and Juniper get into the boat, Kratos throws a birch into the water without words, attaches it with a hook, and the other end throws it to the young boy. He ties the rope to the boat. "That is enough." Kratos says. They board the boat and start to sail away.

Juniper just stares into the water dazedly as she begins to listen to the conversation between the father and son. "Father?"

"What?"

"Did something change? The forest feels different now," Atreus said and Juniper noticed it as well as she thought about it. "Everything is different, boy. Try not to dwell on it." Kratos told him. "Yes, sir."

When they stop, Atreus starts to untie the rope as Kratos and Juniper get out the boat. Kratos pulls the birch log out of the water and they go to their home. Kratos puts the log to the others. "That was the last," Kratos says as he starts chop the log.

Atreus grabs Juniper's hand as he enters the house. There laying on a table was his deceased mother covered in a blanket with flowers and candles around her. Juniper slowly approaches her and lays her lily pad on top of her as her eyes start to water before backing away.

"Lo, there do I see my Mother," Atreus lights up three candles on one side. "Lo, is there do I see my Father," He lights up three more on the other side. "Lo, there do they call to me." Atreus says as he lights the last three. "Lo, there do they call to me. Lo, there do they call to me." He chants and looks back to see Kratos at door.

Kratos enters the house with his face covered with darkness. "She's ready." Atreus says after he wiped his tears away. "Find your way home. You are free." Kratos says as he takes the body in his arms and carries her to the stacked chopped firewood. He sets the firewood on fire striking the spark with his axe and the body begins to burn.

Atreus soon realizes that he forgot to pick up the knife. He runs up to the burning body and grabs the knife with his hands, but it proves to be too hot and Atreus burns his hand and drops the knife. "I'm sorry." He says as Juniper looks at his hand carefully before taking some snow in her hand and applies it to Atreus's burned hand.

"Hold it tightly." She tells him and he obliges. Kratos later wraps up his hand with a red fabric from his bandage. "This knife," Kratos picks it up and holds it towards Atreus. "It was hers. Now it is yours. She taught you both to hunt?" He asked both kids.

"What she knew." Atreus answered. Juniper glanced over at the flaring fire and then at the ground.

"Show me." Kratos says mostly to Atreus since he has already trained Juniper enough that she can hunt easily without hesitation. "Now?" Atreus asks. "Now." Atreus walks into their home while Juniper and Kratos looked at the fire. The girl's eyes looked over at the small purple fabric that Faye make her when she hurt herself while hunting. Kratos looks down at the girl and puts a hand on her shoulder which makes her jump slightly.

She looks up at the god and saw how he was still looking at the burning wood in front of them but she smiled softly. Atreus soon later comes back with his bow and arrow. "What're we hunting?" He asks.

"You are hunting deer," Kratos tells him. "Which way?" His son asked. "In the direction of deer."

That response made Juniper almost giggle but she kept her composure. "Okay...? Uhh... this way-" Atreus says as he starts to head off with Juniper following him and Kratos right behind the two.

|❂ *✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ: ｡･:*˚✧ *✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ: ｡･:*˚✧ ✪|

Rose here and that is the end of Chapter one. I just love the little moment I put between Atreus and Juniper as well as the moment with Kratos and Juniper. I'll be trying to post new chapters every Saturday or Sunday so I'll see you stars in Chapter two next weekend.

❂ Rose signing off! ✪