Ares Long Lost Love

Welcome Home/Change of Venue

Kimiko was tending to the garden by the little stream. The sun beaming down on her causing beads of sweat to drip down her gentle face. She poured water onto the plants and then stood up as the breeze blew through her hair and caused her skirt to flap in the wind behind her. She looked out towards the grassy hills and sighed. My dearest husband... how much longer will you be away from me... The bed grows cold and the home seems empty without your warm smile and gentle arms around me. She picked up her tools and then headed to the house again. She set them upon the table and frowned with a pout noticing that the handle was breaking apart and soon it would be unusable. She went to her small purse and saw she had a few coins left. She swept the floors and dusted the windows. She was cooking noodles when her head felt a little dizzy. She held her head and closed her eyes sighing. "oh what is the matter with me... could i be missing him this much...Since he left i have been feeling so strange."

Ares was coming over the grassy hill in the distance of his home and he smiled brightly. Im home... He picked up his pace and almost ran towards the door overly excited to hold his wife again. He chuckled as he saw Kimiko come out the door holding a cup in her hands. "Kimiko!!" He shouted with joy. Kimiko lifted her head and he could tell she was smiling. She dropped the cup and began running towards Ares shouting out to him how she missed him so. Ares lifted her into his arms and spun her around before bringing her back down into his arms with a gaze of such love and devotion it made her heart flutter and her cheeks tinge pink. He kissed her lips firmly and whispered how every day apart from her felt like an eternity. I was writing down every detail as Ares seemed lost in detail like he was experiencing that day all over again. I smiled and cleared my throat. "ares.... your getting off track." Ares shook his head and smiled chuckling. "oh yes my apoligies... as i was saying." He went on to tell me that Kimiko had been feeling strange since his absence. He assured her that it was just the distance apart that probably worried her. She accepted this and they spent a wonderful night in each others arms making up for the time they spent apart. The next following days they were never out of sight of each other. Ares told her about the lavish wedding of the prince and princess and showed her the gifts they sent home with him. Kimiko listened fondly and with eager wonder filled eyes as she looked at the perfume bottles and spices. Ares smiled pulling out a bag of flower seeds last knowing kimiko would be the most excited over those, and he was right. Kimiko almost leapt out of her seat according to Ares as she snatched the seeds and ran out to the garden to eagerly plant the seeds. Ares chuckled staying in his chair as he noticed her tools were still on the table. Kimiko had come back in blushing and shyly took the tools into her hands and ran out once more. She tripped slightly and Ares jumped up catching her with a smile. "Kimiko dear, you must be careful." Kimiko waved her hands at him going to the special area of her garden filled with exotic flowers. She pulled the earth apart and gently soaked the bottom of the pit in water. She placed the seeds gently in their pits and then pushed the earth over them giving a gentle pat as she watered them again. She stayed upon her knees and rested a hand upon her belly with a sigh. "Oh ares, these flowers will look so beautiful. Perhaps I can even make their petals into a perfume to sell at the market for new tools." Ares blinked in confusion, kimiko had never wanted to buy something before, she always traded for used tools from neighbors in exchange for some of her plants and sweets. "Kimiko if you would like new tools, perhaps hephaestus can create some for you."-"Oh no Ares, i couldn't ask him to do such a thing... its not a troublesome thing to buy new tools in the market." Kimiko had stood up smiling at him and I noticed a strange look upon Ares face. A singular thought crossed my mind.. "Um.. excuse me Ares... but can gods tell if a mortal is with child?" Ares had been staring at his drink and his eyes lifted to meet my own... there was a depth of sadness to them. During our chat they had been filled with joy as he spoke of Kimiko, but i wondered if perhaps this was where she died. "Yes... Gods are able to tell if the mortal is with child, and on that day i could not help but notice that during my month long absence she was in fact pregnant. I didn't know what to do if i am being honest." I felt a little confused as i set my pen down. "Why is that? I thought she would be happy?"-"I never told her..." I felt my eyes widen... could it be possible that Kimiko never knew... Ares sipped his drink shaking his head. "No... it was probably three more months that she figured out she was pregnant." He chuckled again and I smiled readily holding my pen. What was she like? He leaned back in his chair more and went to speak when the owner of the bar approached us. "Um, excuse me... but im afraid the bar will be closing."-"Now?! but.. but.."-"That's quite alright sir... um miss angel perhaps you'd like to continue this back at my home?" I felt my heart stop... no freaking way. I was about to go to the house of Ares... I rapidly nodded my head standing up paying for the drinks and then walked with him out of the bar. The air was chilly and Ares adjusted the collar of his coat as i tightened mine's belt. "So um... how far away do you live?"-"Not far, i stay at the River Side Duplex."-"Wow...that place is so fancy... So why did you decide to come to this state..."-"Hmm?" He held his hand out as we waited for the walk light to change. I rubbed my arms slightly seeing how everything was closing down for the night, it was only midnight though then again we were in downtown... the restaurant bar only stayed open because of the amount of drinks we were buying. "I chose this place because of Kimiko..." My eyes widened as I walked after him in curiosity... kimiko.. but.. this state wasn't actually a state until 1845... how could- Ares smirked approaching a black vehicle. "Miss Angel... Even the native americans as you now call them had wars."-"That's true... but if you were helping the indians, why did they lose?"-"Because they didn't want to shed any more blood. I didn't give up, but the cries i heard from them after a battle was fought made me shake. I couldn't bring myself to help them any longer knowing it would only make them feel worse."-"So... you left them?"-"Yes, but no more lives were lost that had to do with my involvement... and in the end that is what my job truly is... to save lives, not help waste them." I didn't ask any more questions... i slipped into the car and stayed silent as he drove through the streets. I noticed we were getting closer and closer to the Gardens and I felt in awe as i saw a beautiful little cottage hidden by trees. Wow... i never noticed it before and then my awe grew as I saw a gate of hedges open before us and we drove up a hidden road. A small little cottage with a gentle river flowing before it was hidden away in this garden oasis. When we stopped i stepped out of the car staring at the cherry blossom tree, it looked ancient and i reached out to touch its petals. "Dont Touch it!!" I flinched seeing him storm over gripping my hand. "i... im sorry.."-"*sigh* its... its not your fault. This is the tree Kimiko and I planted..."-"But, isn't that tree suppose to be in Japan?"-"Demeter helped me keep it preserved once i found this little sanctuary, built the hedge gate and cast a forest of beautiful flowers to grow to preserve her memory. I never stayed in japan after she died. I couldn't bear it." I held my hand to my chest staring at the hanging branches of blossoms and smiled clearing my throat. We went inside and I asked him so many questions about the battle trophies adorning the walls and tables. My favorite was a small corner dedicated to Kimiko's treasures. Little trinkets, the pictures of distant places, the perfumes she crafted and even her wedding dress framed behind glass. I heard a bottle pop and noticed him pouring himself another scotch... this was his 9th drink. I only wondered how many bottles it took to help him sleep at night. "three..."-"What?"-"You wanted to know how many... it takes three. One for the pain, two for the sorrow, and three to dream." I swallowed hard sitting in the chair gestured to me and took out my pen and pad once more. He sunk into his chair holding his head looking at a picture on the table. He handed it to me and i smiled seeing kimiko next to him. "She's beautiful..."-"She will always be beautiful..."-"Do you ever wonder if Hades has her?"-"I've tried many times to find her in the world below... The first few days after her death i did nothing but search. So many people die at once in this world that it's hard for Hades to keep track of them all."-"But, wouldn't he tell you if he ever saw her?"-"His job is hard enough as it is making sure they have safe journey into his realm. To ask him to search individually for her would be impossible. He tells me should he ever hear her or see her that he will notify me at once."-"how.... how long ago was that." Ares sipped his drink again setting it down after taking the picture back, his finger gently grazing the framed cheek. "800 years ago..." I felt a pain in my heart. To live so long hoping and waiting for the chance to see her again, even if she was an immortal soul. The agony of living in hope must be dreadful... I sipped my own scotch and sighed holding my pen upright. "Um.. please Ares, do continue.. you were talking about how Kimiko was acting after she found out she was pregnant..."