𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐋𝐀𝐊𝐄𝐒 | henry winter

𝐈. alrighty aphrodite

❝Love is the most powerful force in the world 

it can bring even gods to their knees❞

.·:*¨༺ ༻¨*:·.

Julian's classroom is not something I remember vividly after all these years and yet it is something I am unable to shake whenever I look back on my time with the greek class. Particularly that first day I truly met them all, that day wherein I'm sure I set foot upon Charon's boat and could never truly return to the world I had once known.

Henry Winter, still dark haired and brooding, bent over a copy of the odyssey and underling lines every so often. He was still mystery to me, in fact I believe he always will be so long after these events.

Francis Abernathy, lounging across a velvet chair with his red hair shining in the early September sun, practically statuesque in a way, a man one could place at an altar and mistake for the thing of worship itself.

Charles Macaulay sitting by Francis, gazing at the flowers on Julians desk that I found out later that Henry had brought from his garden. Cold and beautiful, an angelic look just as his sister.

Camilla Macaulay, the woman in question, hair as practically as light as snow in the office sun was was smiling at someone I could not see. As curious as ever, I fought to crane my neck to look behind the book case to see who she was smiling at. when Bunny himself moved in front of me.

"Richard old man good to see that Julian took you on," I smiled politely and shook the tall man's hand, his circular glasses glinting in the early morning sunlight, "you've met everyone haven't you?"

"I believe so-" I began saying, running a hand through the hair I had worked so hard on this morning, then I was interrupted.

"He hasn't met me." A girls voice came from behind a book shelf, her voice was melodic but not in the way of doves but of rivers, smooth and harmonic. Bunny whipped around, a great smile on his face, finally moving out of the way so I could meet the girl behind the book shelf.

"Meet Liliana Alarie, our Aphrodite."

Liliana was as beautiful as her name. Long blonde hair to her mid back that fell to mid back in loose waves with a part of it held up with black ribbon, now although she was blonde it was not similar to the Macaulay's hair which was white blonde like snow. Liliana's hair was gold like ichor, gods blood. 

"Now now Bunny, you've just wished death upon poor Ms Alarie." Julian said, waltzing into the room from behind me, "and I'm sure you can tell us why Ms Alarie."

"'Aphrodite was born out of the primal murder of Kronus," Liliana said "She was born of blood and god fearing sea foam to be presented as the most radiant and fair of Goddesses, after all that's what she is."

Her voice was captivating, like that of a sirens. It seemed I was not the only one absolutely taken by this girl, this Helen among us. Bunny Corcoran who was still stood beside me was gazing feverishly at the golden haired girl in front of me. It was almost primal, his gaze, as though in his head he already owned her. Strange. Then also Camilla Macaulay whose gaze was more friendly than Bunny's.

I discovered later that Liliana and Camilla had gone to school together however many years ago and seemed never to be anywhere without each other and I think Camilla may have even liked Liliana more than she liked Charles. I had questioned many times whether or not something had happened ever between the two of them but I never found out.

The last was Henry. Now the way Henry watched the girl as she spoke, I would never see someone be looked at that way by Henry Winter or even anyone in general. His gaze was hard and cool when he looked anywhere else and I had a assumed at first that he wouldn't look up from his book but he watched her with an intensity I could only imagine the ancients once did as Homer himself read his great poems. Looking back, I think we always knew there was something between them, but I think at first we ignored it. 

"As fairest of even all the Gods, she is rightfully angered at the idea of a mere mortal possessing her grace. I simply could not compare." She finished a small smile upon her face which said she believed anything but.

"Very good Ms Alarie." Julian said with his joyful ever present smile, "On that morbidly beautiful note, are we're all ready to leave this phenomenal world and enter into the sublime?"

.·:*¨༺ ༻¨*:·.

After that days lesson, the Greek class was let out into the mid day September air. Liliana and Camilla's arms were linked as the former talked about a book she was reading as the girls clothes blew around in the light wind. The two were like the great muses that the ancient poets once wrote about, beautiful and warm but with the coldest eyes and sharpest features. Like the stars.

I heard Camilla invited her over for dinner but Liliana had declined with a sad tone of voice, saying that she had to finish some extra work she was given by Julian at the library, to which Camilla tutted her for her lust for knowledge. Bunny had stayed behind to be minorly reprimanded by Julian for not finishing a translation of Plato's from their last lessons. However he seemed to have caught up and put a hand on Liliana's shoulder as she split from Camilla. I saw her tense slightly but she turned around with a smile.

"Hello Bunny." She said again with her melodic, almost disembodied voice.

"Lilia my love." Bunny said, I don't think he noticed her eyes narrow awkwardly at the nickname. "How would you like to go out to dinner with me tonight, my treat."

Liliana's lips tightened slightly and I think if I had known her better I would've attempted to save her from that moment but i think I already should've known that it was not yet my place, if it ever truly would be.

"Come on Lilia, I have yet to take you out-" Bunny continued before being quickly interrupted by the hulking figure of the bespectacled, dark haired man.

"Terribly sorry Bun, Lily and I are going to the library tonight." Henry said, putting himself between Liliana and Bunny. Liliana looked grateful at least for the interruption, holding her books to her chest as her skirt swayed lightly in the September wind.

Bunny looked put out but I've realised at this point not many people can really be mad at Henry, it was difficult thing to be angry at someone so far out of reach even when they are right before you. 

"Alright then," Bunny said with a tight smile as Henry began leading Liliana away towards the library where I had first met the Greek students, "I'll find someone else to bare the burden of my company."

I got the invitation a few hours later.

.·:*¨༺ ༻¨*:·.