Sea salt and pomegranates

Five

We did not tell anyone about what had happened, we couldn't. Not even Selene knew. He hoped that his mother did not know, since she was a goddess. We were scared that she had seen everything, but he had told me she acted normally around him, so we just had to wait and see.
We knew the secret wouldn't last, but for now it would, and I was glad.

We were walking along the shore of the beach, the wind blowing the sand into our eyes and eyelashes, but we did not say anything, for the two of us didn't care. I looked up at Nektarios. He seemed slightly troubled, his eyes glazed over in a trance-like state.
"Nektarios, are you alright?" I asked him. He, as he pretty much always did when something was troubling him, shook his head and flashed me a smile, but the smile seemed to instantly fade. I did not press on it, for I knew that was what he would want, and I did not want the two of us to have issues.
We stayed silent, just pacing back and forth, not bothering to say anything. There was tension in the air, and I knew it.
After a long time of being silent, I opened my mouth to speak. "Nektarios, please, tell me what is wrong." I pleaded to him.
He stayed silent at first, but then finally said something to me. "I just feel a bit...off, and I am not sure why. I feel as though something is going to happen soon."
"To you?" I asked, my eyebrows furrowed. I didn't want him to be afraid, he always seemed so brave, I didn't expect this.
He shook his head, his eyes watering. "To you, Fotis." He then pulled me close, crying uncontrollably. I wanted to calm him down, tell him everything would be alright. I cared about him too much, I couldn't bear to see him like that.
"Nothing will happen to me." I promised him, kissing his cheek. "I'm just a mere boy who resides at the palace, after all."
He smiled softly back at me, looking slightly grateful as he wiped his tears away. His big, beautiful eyes of many colors were red and puffy from crying, and he rubbed his head as if it hurt. "Thanks..." He mumbled.
"You want to rest? I could give you some water to help you calm down?" I asked him gently, hoping that I sounded reassuring enough.
"Yes, I would like that very much." He said, his soothing voice slightly off, though still making me smile. He tried to calm down, and I led him back to the palace.

The palace was quiet. I calmed down Nektarios, so he went to bed early. I was glad he was calm, for he really had nothing to worry about. I didn't see him for the rest of the day, but that did not matter, because I knew he was shaken up and needed time to feel better. I did miss him though, of course I did. I just wanted him to do as he pleased. No matter what he did, or where he went, I would follow him and do the same.

The next morning I woke up early. I did not mind, I quickly got ready and rushed to find Nektarios, eager to check up on the prince.
He looked slightly drowsy, but was up anyways, perched up on his bed. His eyes lit up once he saw me, which made me want to wrap my arms around him. His gentle expressions meant everything to me. Everything about him did...his eyes, his elegant yet swift body, his freckled face...I could go on.
"Nektarios!" I call out to him, sitting down beside him with no hesitation. I happily wrapped my arms around him, and it felt as though we were meant to be like this.
"Fotis..." He greeted me, sinking into my grasp. He seemed to have just gotten up, but he still managed to greet me in the morning despite it.
"Are you feeling better?" I asked him, running my fingers through his dark hair. He nodded, stretching his limbs as far as they could go, with me holding onto him so tight.
"I am, I believe. I might train to get the rest of my worries out." He told me, his voice gentle.
"You go do that, just be careful." I said in response, before letting him go get ready. I left the room to get my work done, the castle needed to be cleaned.
Even as I worked, it was hard not to think about Nektarios. I wanted to cling onto the memories we have had, and make sure I never forgot about him. Even in death, I  promised not to forget.
The more I scrubbed the beautiful marble floors, the more my knees had ached from sitting on them for so long. They were red and bumpy, and I wouldn't be surprised if they soon bruised. Afterwards, I decided to check up on Selene. She has always been there, but I hadn't talked to her much since me and Nektarios got together. I approached her and gave her a toothy grin. "Hello, Selene."
She smiled back at me, and there was a twinkle in her eyes that I hadn't noticed before. "Hello, Fotis. I haven't seen you in a while."
"Yeah, you haven't." I mumbled, hoping she didn't ask why. "I've just been...busy." I told her, which wasn't exactly wrong.
"Well, would you like to talk somewhere more...private?" She asked me.
I nodded, not sure why she was speaking like that, but knowing she had a fair point. "Why not." I replied.
She took my wrist and dragged me away, to a mountaintop. The top was breezy and cold, but somewhat relaxing.
"Fotis...I want to say something to you." Selene told me.
"Huh? What is it?" I asked her, curious. She had a glint in her eyes, as if she was planning something.
"I've been waiting too long, and I know you feel something too!" She spoke, surprising me. What did she mean? "I realized that over the time we spent together that it's you I want."
I raised my eyebrows, my mouth wide open. "What?" I said, shocked. She wanted to be with me? This was the wrong time to say something.
"Do you need action from me to figure it out?" She asked, pulling me closer. "Do you like me too?" She whispered gently, seemingly worried about my reaction. Anybody would be lucky to have her, I knew that, but that wasn't what I wanted. I wanted Nektarios, and he wanted me too. I had what I wanted, I didn't need anything more than that.
"I'm sorry." I mumbled. "You are quite pretty, but you are not what I need or want right now. My life is pretty hectic, and I just don't think I'd be able to deal with this." I told her, praying to the gods that she'd take my words and go.
"You...you don't?" She murmured, looking slightly sullen. "I see..." She let out a grim laugh. "I shall head back to the palace then."
"Wait!" I said, but she didn't answer, walking back without taking a second glance at me. I felt bad, and my stomach tightened. Was she upset at me? I wouldn't want that at all, but I had to be honest.
I stayed up on the mountaintop, watching the sky as it very slowly changed from blue to a glowing orange, that gave me a sense of peace.
Suddenly, I heard a voice. One that sounded soft yet stern, as though they were not to be messed with. "So, you and my son?"
My eyes widened and I turned over, spotting an ethereal figure, with dark hair in a tight bun and a flowy dress. Ribbons adorned her hair and gold adorned her neck. Her skin was the same shade as Nektarios, and the golden glow the prince had was even brighter on her skin. Was she...?
"Calliope..." I whispered, in awe. She was quite a sight, yet something told me that she wasn't here to mess around.
"Yes. You are Fotis, I see." She commented, looking me up and down. Her lean figure made me look quite tiny compared to her, even though that wasn't necessarily true.
"Yes I am, my lady." I said, quickly giving her a clumsy bow.
"Do me a favor...and be careful around my son, okay?" Her voice became sharper and her bright eyes narrowed. "There are only a few children of the gods we actually tend to care for. He is no exception."
I gulped, and my stomach tightened. She was kind if you didn't mess with her, that I knew, yet her words were heavy. "I know, my lady." I replied, though I didn't know if that was appropriate to say, for I have never met a god or goddess before. Nektarios did, he was related to one.
"I know about you and him." Calliope then responded. The words felt like a punch in the gut, and I could hardly breathe once I heard them.
"Are you mad, my lady?" I questioned, hoping that her answer would be "No".
"No, I am not." She replied, reassuring me. "But I am concerned. I do not want anything to get in the way of his future, do you understand me?"
"Yes." I stuttered, looking down at my sandals as the sky faded into a shade of black.
She gave me a gentle smile of satisfaction. "Good." She paused. "He told me not to talk to you, but Goddesses do not take orders from others, even if they are in fact their sons."
He was most likely scared that she would hurt me, I thought. It was most definitely certain.
"Yes, I guess they do not." I mumbled in reply. "So...will you tell anyone?"
She shook her head. "As long as you do not cross any lines. I do not wish for my son to be harmed, or anything like that."
I sighed in relief as she said those words, my stomach finally unclenching.
"I have matters to attend to, now." The muse told me, before she disappeared right in front of me.
As soon as she left I knew I had to talk to Nektarios about this. Did he tell her, or did she find out on her own?
I hoped she found out herself. I didn't want to think of Nektarios lying to me.
He promised he wouldn't tell.