Sunflowers and Feathers

The Wakeful Dawn

  Abelia was not in Aris's arms for long. Sunset was well into its last trek as they reached the port, the last place Abelia had seen her father but six months before as he left for another one of his adventures. Now, there was yet another strange man waiting for them.

  Colorful ribbons of white and gold hung from his short tunic, his boots made of gold with lovely wings decorating them. A laurel adorned with two smaller wings sat upon his head of brilliant blonde hair, his honeyed eyes gleaming at them mischeviously. His golden winged gauntlets gleamed as he took Abelia from Aris, the girl making a soft sound as she was deposited into the arms of the smaller man.

  "Well, well Ares. Looks like you've caught us a pretty bird indeed!"

  "Ares?" Abelia blinked. What had he called Aris?

  "Hush Hermes. Now is no time for your games. We need to get her to Helios as soon as possible... And you're the quickest way to get there. I thought Athena discussed this with you."

  Hermes? Helios? Athena? Abelia's head was beginning to spin.

  "Oh she did. You know I just can't resist teasing you, you adorable oaf." Hermes blinked as Abelia made a weak sound and grasped his shoulder. If she wasn't in his arms, she probably would have fallen over. "Oh... Oh dear." Aris... Or rather Ares- noticed it too, his face softening.

  "Enough talk, Hermes. We need to get her there quickly... But I doubt her mind can take much more for now. Did Athena give you Hypnos's gift?"

  "She did."

  "Let me see it." Hermes managed to hold Abelia to his chest with one arm before tossing a bottle to Ares. The taller male uncorked it, soft blue wisps of air escaping it. Ares held the bottle up to Abelia's lips, his hand resting gently on the back of her neck. "Drink this."

  Abelia looked up at him with wide eyes, unsure if she could trust him now. Who he was... Who she thought he was... Was simply a farce. She did not even know his reasons for lying. And the truth? It was too much for her to consider. "I..." She caught her bottom lip between her teeth, unsure of everything now. Another weak sound escaped her, far too much like a wounded animal for Ares's liking. Hermes's hold tightened on her as Ares's broad hand smoothed Abelia's now messy curls down, tucking her hair away from her face.

  "I promise you... We mean you nothing but good will. This... I know this all seems too much, even for all your books and your vicious wild dogs. This... This will ease everything for now." He struggled over his words like he had before, struggled to find a way to comfort her. And somehow... It made him seem all the more genuine.

  Abelia's mismatched eyes fell on the strange bottle once more, the smell of flowers reaching her senses. She had done many a rash and stupid thing in her life... As was the joy of childhood. But now a young woman of twenty one she would've expected better of herself. But yet she found her hands grasping for the bottle, removing it from Ares's hold.

  She held it to her lips, tilting her head back and downing its scarce contents in a few gulps. It tasted sweet and strange on her tongue, a warmth filling every nerve and muscle within her. The bottle dropped weakly from her fingers as her arm fell to dangle at her side, her body going limp in Hermes's arms. She felt an overwhelming need to sleep, to close her eyes and drift away. She heard Hermes and Ares speaking once more, but their voices sounded far away and muffled, more like a dream than something of the waking world.

  As she fought against the oncoming darkness the last thing she could feel before she sank into sleep's inky embrace was the sensation of the wind in her hair.

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  Brilliant stars littered her view of sight, covering every inch of the ceiling above her. It was not a sky... But a view of a ceiling that seemed to react to the sky outside. She blinked, wondering if she was still asleep as she watched a lazy painted cloud float across the arches. But no... She was in a bed, a fine one at that.