Quest of the Half Gods

Epilogue

Apollo and Galatea spread their arms dramatically, both doing jazz hands for emphasis. "And that, dear muse, was our epic. Fantastic wasn't it?" Galatea asked, tugging at her chiton. Apollo straightened and readjusted the laurel crown that sat on his brown curls. Calliope glared at them both. "You two are the worst storytellers I have ever encountered." She said as she gathered her writing supplies and stalked off. Galatea raised an eyebrow, "I can see where Orpheus gets his attitude from." She said. Apollo nodded innocently, "It's definitely not from me." Galatea smirked, "Of course not. You're a ray of sunshine remember?" Apollo beamed in reply.  The couple turned to see the muse who was gossiping with her sisters. Apollo could hear them muttering about how the "abomination" was "canoodling" with the god of the sun and rolled his eyes.

He turned back to Galatea and said, "So...I was wondering if you'd meet me at sunset." Galatea nodded, "Where?" Apollo smiled nervously, "In the woods, where we first met." Galatea cocked her head, "What are you planning?" She asked. Apollo waved her off, "I just want to show you something." She narrowed her eyes, nodding suspiciously before slipping into the shadows. Apollo took a deep, happy breath and dissolved into the sunlight. 

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The sky was pink, blue, lavender, and gold, as the sun began to set. The colors shone down on the green grass of summer, brought back to life by Persephone's careful hands. Apollo stood next to the bench that stood in the center of the cliff, looking down at the expanses of New York City that stretched far, far, below the forests around Olympus.

His brown curls shone golden in the light, his brown eyes the color of honey as they marveled at the natural beauty around him. He stuck his hands in his pockets and turned, looking through the trees, his breath catching as his eyes saw the most beautiful thing yet.

Galatea strode toward him, easy happiness shining in her eyes as she approached. Apollo felt his heart skip a beat at the sight of her. A gentle, summer, breeze blew past them, whipping through Apollo's shirt, tugging at the loose strands of Galatea's braid. She stopped when she reached his side and looked into his eyes, her own reflecting the colors of a lake. She narrowed her eyes for a moment and turned away, looking out over the clouds.

Apollo was at a loss for words, in awe of Galatea. When they'd first met, she'd looked like a minor goddess of course, but now, she looked like a proper Olympian. Her pale green dress fluttered in the wind, the sleeves winding up her arms in intricate laurel designs, a ruby pomegranate pendant dangling from her neck. Her long brown hair was braided loosely, and her bare feet were tucked into the grass. She just looked so...perfect. 

Apollo looked down at his own simple cotton shirt and tweed slacks, suddenly feeling modest. Apollo stood, unsure of what to do. Everything about this seemed so perfect, so fragile. Then, as if she could read his thoughts, Galatea nudged his side and he looked over to her. "What is it?" He asked, furrowing his brow. "You have so many concerns Apollon." She said, reaching up to brush away a rogue curl on his forehead. He nodded, "Well, I've had a lot of reasons for concern." Galatea sighed, "I suppose you're right."

She looked into his concerned expression and hesitated before giving him a kiss on the cheek. Apollo stood, frozen, his face hot from how deeply he was blushing. He raised his hand as if not of his own accord and touched his cheek where her lips had been. He looked drunkenly at Galatea, his mind blank of thoughts or actions that he could do to reciprocate. He must have looked stupid because Galatea smiled her beautiful, turned down, smile, and snorted a laugh.

She shook her head and turned, walking toward the tree line. She stopped and turned expectantly to where Apollo still stood, frozen, and extended her hand. "Are you coming?" She asked, eyebrows raised, an amused look on her face. Apollo pulled his thoughts together and said, "With you?" He replied with a smile, speaking the easiest words that had ever come to him, "Always."

Together, they wove through the trees, picking up pace as they went. Galatea ran ahead, her pale green dress whipping around her as she went, her hair coming loose from the braid, falling around her face in wavy ringlets. She spun around, her arms stretched on either side, her eyes cast up to the canopy of the trees as she laughed. Apollo caught up to her and laughed in confusion. "What's so funny?" He asked, watching her. Galatea stopped and faced him, tucking her hair behind her ear, "I'm happy!" She said as if she couldn't believe it herself. Apollo smiled and reached her side. He looked past her and widened his eyes. "Close your eyes!" He said, looking back at Galatea. She raised an eyebrow, "Seriously?" Apollo nodded, "Yeah! It's a surprise!" Galatea scoffed and closed her eyes. Apollo took a deep breath before gently taking her hand and leading her through the trees. 

Finally, Apollo stopped walking and tapped Galatea on the shoulder. "Open your eyes." He said, bracing himself for her reaction. Galatea opened her eyes, the hazel of them blue in the light of the forest. She furrowed her brow in confusion, "What is this?" She asked, turning to him. "It's the hou- the life I promised you." He said unable to hide the nervousness in his voice. Galatea turned to him, her eyes wide, "You did this...for me?" Apollo nodded, "Galatea, we promised each other forever. Did you think that I wouldn't follow through?" Galatea looked at him with tears in her eyes, speechless. Apollo pinked, unable to tell how this was going. He cleared his throat, "During the day...during the day, the sun shines through the trees and dapples the ground in this beautiful golden. At night, the same thing happens with the moon." He glanced nervously at Galatea before continuing, "There's a piano in the living room where- where I thought that we could sing together and there's a patch of ground on the side of the house where you could plant your herbs!" He looked back at Galatea, crestfallen. Did she not mean what she said to me? He thought, panic and sadness set in. "I-It's far away from Olympus, but not so far that we can't visit when we want to, not that we couldn't do that from anywhe-" "Just us?" Apollo's gaze snapped back to find Galatea looking at him. "I-Yeah. Just us. Far away from anything or anyone that has ever hurt us. Just you and me Teia." Galatea's face was unreadable. Apollo swallowed hard and continued, "I-I can change anything you don't li-"

He was interrupted by Galatea's unexpected kiss. His heart skipped a beat and he pulled back, looking at Galatea in wonder. "You like it?" Galatea's eyes brimmed with tears and she laughed happily, a new, wonderful smile of joy that Apollo had never seen before on this girl spread across her face, setting her features aglow. "Do I like it?" She laughed, marveling at his bewilderment. "Apollon, you are the most loving and perfect being to ever walk the earth or the heavens. How is it that I, a creature of darkness, am lucky enough to even know you?" Apollo felt his own eyes brimming with tears, his face flushed from the kindness of her words. "I'm not perfect Galatea." She reached up and placed a soft hand lovingly on the side of his face, "You're right. Neither am I. What you are, is perfect for me." She turned away and strode toward the little cottage that stood before them.

"Now, what was this about an herb garden?" She asked. Apollo smiled and caught up to her, taking her hand in his own. Rain began to fall as they explored the house and as Apollo took in everything around him, the smell of the rain, the setting sun, and the sight of Galatea padding around the home that they would share for eternity, he knew then that he was the happiest god that had ever lived. Galatea stopped in the doorway and turned around, frowning at Apollo who stood in front of the porch, getting soaked by the rain. "What are you doing?" He smiled and ran up the porch, throwing his arms around Galatea. "Taking it all in." He said. He pulled away and tucked her hair behind both of her ears, pausing for a second before bending down to kiss her. This time, he melted into her, his fear of losing her quieted by the sight of her smile. 

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Sure, there still were the nights that Galatea would wake up, afraid that her curse, though lifted, would somehow hurt Apollo and take away everything they'd built. On nights like these, Apollo would wake up and reassure her of his safety. Oftentimes, Apollo too would wake up and watch Galatea breathing to remind himself that she was an immortal god like him, and could not die again. While they both had their fears and there was always the possibility that everything could fall apart as it always seemed to, the joy and excitement of their life together was always greater than their fear of the unknown. After all, it wasn't the fear of two gods that the Muses wrote about, it was the love of two best friends that had overcome countless hardships and curses over half a millennia that had made the better story.

The End.