Acacia

Chapter 13

"How I've longed to tell you the truth," he whispered quietly. As he absorbed every detail of her being, he felt as though he were standing before a masterpiece, each nuance telling a story of beauty and depth that captivated his heart. The way her laughter echoed like a melody in the stillness of the forest, and the gracefulness of her gestures painted an enchanting picture that left him spellbound. In that moment, surrounded by the rich tapestry of nature, she was not just a person to him, but a source of inspiration, a muse who embodied the very essence of life itself.

"Why not sooner?" She asked, pulling him from his thoughts. "I would've still loved you." In the depths of his yearning, he realized that love was not merely an affliction but a beacon illuminating the shadows he had long inhabited. With every stolen glance, she brought color to the gray corners of his existence, awakening emotions he thought were forever dormant. It was a potent balm to his solitude, transforming him from an outcast into a willing participant in the chaotic beauty of connection. Though he felt unworthy, the mere thought of her ignited something within him—a flicker of hope that perhaps love could bridge the chasm between the gods and his weary heart.

"It was my own battles I was fighting, I wasn't sure if I was ready for it." He answered honestly. As she leaned into him, the warmth of her body against his felt like a promise, igniting a fierce determination within him to shield her from whatever darkness loomed on the horizon. The weight of unspoken feelings hung in the air, and in that intimate moment, he realized that his love for her transcended mere attraction; it was a bond forged in shared vulnerability and quiet understanding, one he would fiercely protect against all odds.

"What sort of battles could a god be fighting?" She jested, a playful tone to her voice. It rattled him for a moment because he was worried of overwhelming her, of reliving every last moment he'd spent in his existence. After a moment of silence he came to his senses, he was sure she'd heard of the legends of the Titans and how he himself had fought with Zeus' son as well. Though he was told to throw the battle, he'd still received a battle scar from the sword he wielded.

"You've no idea," he chuckled in response, kissing her forehead as she rested. "Though it is perhaps time you understand why Marc longs for you so." He sighed heavily, preparing himself to dive into the depths of storytelling as his sister often had. He wasn't a gifted man of words, but he knew he'd have to choose them very carefully in this moment if he wanted her to honestly understand the realm of the gods. Perhaps if she'd been of common lineage she'd known all of them by heart as the commoners do, but with her prestige she only knew of the primordial beings as was taught to her by her master Euvikin. He was a skilled teacher but only showed her what she absolutely had to know, such as writing, languages, diplomacy and warfare.

In her youth she'd been quite bright, inventing ideas such as improving upon the politeia, or system of laws, to create three separate systems which controlled the city-states instead of the monarchy. Even now she'd been working with Sebastian on changing the current system when she became ruler after her father to give more power to the citizens of the republic. To allow them to make the choices in their lives so that they were not blamed when the gods did not provide enough rain, or their neighbor raised the price of olives because of a short yield.

"I've lost you in your thoughts," she chuckled. Her warm hand rested on his cool skin, drawing him into her like the addiction she was. He smiled softly.

"Apologies," he said. "I was thinking about how beautiful you are." She blushed beneath him. It was tempting for him to take her at this moment but it wasn't the right time. He longed for her touch, and longed to be inside her once more. His brain fought with his heart and his soul against the feelings he had inside to warn her exactly what dangers she faced. Every time she touched him it was like electricity tingling within. Though his blood never ran before every moment she was with him it felt as if a small glimmer of life was coursing through him. Though this body was human, he was not. This sack of meat and bones had been given life when it was already past existence by the fates so he could grow with his love, and learn from her. He had to gain her love and not take it for his own. This made their love only stronger, solidified by that night in the mountains only a day or two ago. Since that moment his heart was electrified like lightning, his soul cried with a fire that had crawled from the depths of the river Styx and blood coursed through his veins like a raging hurricane. He'd never known these feelings before, and it was dangerous to him. Though now he didn't have to hide himself from her he still felt the danger that lurked behind every corner.