Rise of Athena

Chapter 32

"I'm not a danger to you."
"You can't even get up on your own so yes I know, its not easy to use reason after decades of using impulse." She slid off him and he listened to the sound of his body crying. And imaginary sound but nonetheless.
He resisted the urge to tell her that, not just when he wasn't speaking of when he was impaired alone, he is never a danger to her. Instead, his mouth opened of its own volition and a sudden question came out. "How are old are you?"
She looked suspiciously at him and before she could say anything, he faked a groan.
"Is it your hand?"
"Oh nevermind, its nothing." He made sure to make it sound like he was in pain.
"Why did you ask me here if you planned on lying to me."

Her words hit him deeper than she knew.
"You're right, I was hoping you could distract me from this excruciating torture."
"The torture you continue to go through because of your stubbornness.
11
Well look where it got him, he was not mad at it. At all.
She sighed as if she was frustrated.
"How can I distract you." It seemed she too his silence as he remembering that she caused it in the first place.
He should let her off the hook and tell her, A good man wouldn't use her guilt to bring them closer. "Tell me about your childhood." But unlike what she believed, all is fair in love and war.
"That's
" she trailed off. "I don't often reminisce, I'm not sure what to tell you."

"Start with the question i asked you earlier."
"I am six and twenty." A woman in her prime he thought.
"The other question?" He gently prompted.
"Was I bully or was I bullied you asked, I told you there might be a third category. I grew up alone hiding from monsters I didn't know. You've heard the story, still born child treacherous mother. But it was lie. The only crime my mother had committed was having me instead of a son. He sought to kill us both before my mother found someone to run away with me."
''you came to avenge her."
"And failed."

"You mustn't think-"
"I will find who robbed me of that pleasure and make them pay."
"Why not tell everyone the truth?"

"Will it reverse history?'

"No, but don't you think it may appease your mother."
1What use is there appeasing the dead if the living is still enraged."
"Even after he is dead. You are not satisfied?'
She kept quiet as if she didn't hear him.
"I used to be a happy child, begged to play with the other kids, it was before children learnt how to oppress, by then I had become to scary for them to bully or play with. I was too absorbed in my hatred to even give them a seconds thought, and then again, even as a kid I never had a thing for hurting kids, call it past trauma."
Alex thought back to fiona.
WYou hurt an innocent person, she herself is no more than a kid."
"Your lovely fiona?"

"What?"

"I heard about the both of you, how you were fawning over her as she introduced you to everyone she knew."
He smelt jealousy, he liked the aroma.
"'I would hardly call it fawning."
"Will you now?"
"Yes, I do not fawn."
"Yet you spent the entire day with her.
"What makes you think that, do you have spies watching me now?" He couldn't say why or say that it wasn't toxic but he liked the idea of Athena being possessive enough to spy on him.
"I sent a foot man to you and you were no where to be found. Hours later I, realise you have been romping about with her."
"She is just a child." He said sensing the jealousy turn to something dangerous.

"When has that ever stopped men?'
'You really think that of me?" He tried to find her eyes with his but she turned away hiding away whatever emotion she was trying to mask away from him. He continued to speak when she didn't answer.
"I spent the day with her because our of the whole populace she was the only one willing to give me the help I needed in finding the one who would try to harm you."
"And now you think that the arrow should have pierced me don't you?"
"Of course not."
Your tone has softened compared to before when you speak of the traitor, she has turned you against me."
"She tried. But I'm here am I not? I'm here because I want desperately to be on your side, I don't have any facts or reasons. You are making it hard for me. Help me out here."

"Reynolds Griffith the second. Father to Dora Griffith and your lovely Fiona Griffith. Former Antarti warrior. Aged fifty nine until I rid the earth of his nauseating presence. Fiona is better of without him. The first time I saw him I was eight. A little unsuspecting girl staring out her window angry at her mother for not allowing her to see the brave warriors as they returned from war. Ours was a small village, also the closest place they could find shelter after the hardships of battle and so we were given the honor of accommodating them for a few nights before they made their way back to Antarti. I didn't know why my mother wouldn't let me have a closer view like the other kids did. So in the night when she was asleep and the village was partying I snuck out, every where was so lively, people were dancing, singing and having the time of there lives, it was the first time I tasted gin and also the light. I was too absorbed in the activities to realise children had been shooed away and the women had locked their doors shut"