Ares Long Lost Love

The Stress of War

The war was bloody and harsh. Ares said the sounds of the men screaming as they were burning to death sometimes echoed in his mind. The sight of the golden city astounded him as well, he took a small picture of the outside before returning to battle. He hoped that this souvenir would satisfy Kimiko when he returned. Ares looked down slightly... The scotch in his drink was gone and I fumbled my words as I asked if he needed another. Ares chuckled and then held up the glass as he said to me. "Want to know something ironic..." I was unsure of what he was going at but I asked him anyway. He set the glass down and said. "as much as I drink....the pain never goes away....and yet I dont change my habits. I still dive into the bottle and then bury myself in the arms of a stranger who means nothing but a way to keep warm and ease the last bit of aching in my heart. They say that insanity is doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results." I saw a waitress come over to us with another scotch on rocks. She set it on the table and smiled shyly at Ares before walking away. Ares watched her walk off and then sighed as he picked up the drink. I leaned forward and said in a soft voice. "and... what is the result your wanting?" Ares took a long sip of his drink and let out a satisfied sigh as he sat it down. "that I'll finally be rid of the heartache...." I felt sad for him and then tapped my pencil on my pad. He cleared his throat and resumed telling me about how his patron family took hold of the golden city and wedded the princess to one of the sons. He wanted badly to return home to kimiko because he had already been gone a month and he could tell she was getting lonely. However the emperor demanded as a wedding gift to his daughter that he stay and attend the ceremony and feast. Ares had bowed and told him that as a gift to the bride and groom he would stay. He went to his own tent that night and whispered to the locket as Kimiko slept that he would be gone a few days more... however he began noticing Kimiko changing slightly. According to Ares she had a glow about her that was.... he didnt know how to explain it. She seemed to move around the house with this smile upon her face like she had received the happiest news. Ares had dismissed it and just thought he missed kimiko so badly that he was starting to imagine new traits about her. I asked him what a persian wedding was like and he only chuckled at me. "Whats the most lavish wedding you've been to Miss Angel?" I fumbled slightly... I personally had never been to a very lavish wedding. I only saw lavish weddings on TV or in Magazines, I was only an author and not very well known at that so I didn't get invited to such parties. "I never have attended a fancy wedding... I've only been to family weddings and they all are beautiful in their own way I suppose." Ares smiled and tilted his glass towards me. "Indeed they are." He sipped his drink and then explained to me that the halls of the church were decorated in golden streams of silk and that not a single shadow was present because of the numerous candles. The bride's dress was white with intricate gold detail with a long train behind her. I felt my eyes widening as he continued explaining the luxury of the wedding. Gold was everywhere with traces of silver and white flowers falling on the couple after they kissed. The feast was just as luxurious in food, meats from all the conquered kingdoms as well as fruits a plenty. Dancers moved gracefully to the music that filled the dining halls along with the laughter and chatter of the soldiers and guests. Ares told me the feast began at midday and ended at well past midnight. The night sky was filled with the release of lanterns and of fireworks scattering the sky like stars as the guests who travelled began leaving to return home. I laughed slightly as he explained to me that almost everyone fell into a drunken sleep at their tables while those who had slightly more energy went to their own rooms to pass out into their drunken stupor. Ares however saw it as an opportunity to go outside the dining hall and gaze up at the moon, for at that time in Japan he knew Kimiko would be out in the gardens looking into the sky as she sat by the little river through the garden gazing at the moon. When morning came Ares left the golden city and made his way across the lands to his home with Kimiko.