Too close to the Sun

The worst thing to happen to us

**_Author's POV_**

It was another sunny day in the village, and Icarus, like every other day, was at his father's shop helping him out. Christopher hadn't returned from his lunch break yet, so Icarus was alone when his father, Daedalus, barged in looking angry.

"Father, you're back..." Icarus smiled and stretched out for a hug, but seeing his father's mood, he slowly withdrew. "What happened?" he asked, concern clear in his tone as he sat his father down, handing him a glass of water.

"It's those stupid gods again," Daedalus exclaimed.

"Shhhh... father. If they hear you, you're a goner," Icarus panicked.

"And what? They'll kill me like they killed your mother?!" Daedalus blurted out in anger. Seeing how his son's mood quickly changed, he sighed. "I'm sorry, Icarus. I know you hate hearing about it. It's just that they always take more than we have and use it however they please while we suffer in silence," he cried.

Icarus tried to comfort his father, but there was no lie in what he said. Whenever Zeus threw his galas, he would send his minions to get whatever he wanted, as much as he wanted, and in whatever way he wanted it, never caring what would happen to the people he took it from. They had tried defying him before, and it had cost a life-mercilessly taken by Zeus.

"Remember this, Icarus, those gods... They're the worst things to ever happen to us," Daedalus sighed.

...

Heliē and Hercules sat on a white bench in the garden. After the gala, Hades returned to controlling the afterlife, Poseidon went back to his underwater kingdom, and Zeus, being Zeus, just sat on his throne and sent his minions out on the silliest errands. Heliē slowly sipped her tea and smiled at the cool wind and the smell of flowers in the garden. It was almost dusk, and it was that time of day when Heliē tried to get as close to the village as possible.

"Hercules, I'm going out again," she smiled.

"Again?! The last time you left, it landed you in punishment," he whined.

"Oh, c'mon, don't be like that," she stated.

"Look, Heliē, you can't keep going out. It's-"

"Don't you dare."

"It's dangerous for you, Heliē."

"I can't believe you actually dared."

"Heliē, I'm just trying to protect you."

"Protect me from what? Humans?! Do you really think that keeping me here is protecting me? It's suffocating me, Hercules. And please, just cut the 'not all humans are good' crap. I have Zeus as a brother, don't you think I know that?"

"Heliē, that's not what I meant."

"Then what did you mean? I can't go out because... because I'm a lady, right? Well then, I guess we have nothing left to discuss," and with that, she left Hercules on the bench, shocked and speechless.

...

The moon was high and bright, leaving the world beneath to bask in its glory. Heliē put on her darkest cloak and snuck past the guards into the stables. It was dark, very dark.

"I hate the dark," she cried, and almost immediately a deafening sound was heard. "Oh no, please be quiet," Heliē pleaded to the pegasus in hushed whispers, but to no avail.

"I'll get you a carrot," she offered, but it just wouldn't stop. "Two carrots?" she asked, almost as a plea, but it wasn't having it. "Fine, a farm full of carrots," she cried, but it just got louder.