Mara - The Lady Grief (Completed)

43 Demon-Child

2650 B.C.E., The Desert

Winter, Month of Shabatu, One Year and Eleven Months after Mara's Rebirth

Thelios

I come awake as typical, alert and still.

"Good morning, Thelios," Nan offers me a tea.

I sit up and take it, thanking her, relieved to see that her eyes are back to the slitted cat-eyes she shares with her grandson.

"I'm sorry about Belen," I apologize again. I can't apologize enough.

She smiles sadly, "I felt his soul, so happy, Thelios. The Lady is kind to my grandson."

"Why do you call her 'the Lady?'" I ask. I miss this. I had forgotten how nice it was to sit and listen to Nan spin her stories, ripe with lessons. I had no memories of my time in the Underworld when I was here with Belen months ago. Her tales grounded me in this place. I hate that I forgot about her, forgot about my Poppy and my Sprite.

"Because, we do not use the gods' proper names, Thelios. It is disrespectful. The Lady Grief is just that, the Lady."

I laugh. "She wasn't a lady in the city. Isn't that fuc-ironic, Nan? An entire city of Tasuri warriors derided her and spat on her because she wasn't good enough."

Nan pours more tea into my cup. I sip, the chill in my bones retreating a little. It's easy to slip into the role of student, to forget what I am; the Underworld's monster.

"A moment of time. That's all her life here is, Thelios. She is Death's daughter. Immortal in her way. All souls are, I suppose, but as she grows older, who knows what she can do? She may be able to pass through lives like a fish through water."

I think about the vision the mother showed me. "I saw..." I hesitate, "she brought a bird back to life, not in reality, but in a vision."

"What does Death mean to her? Life holds her in its shackles, but once free from them, she rules Death as much as her father does."

I gulp the rest of my tea down. My fingers tighten on my cup. "A goddess has toyed with me before, made a mockery of my love and attention. What Inanji did to me hurts, but Mara has the ability to completely shatter me to pieces," I tell Nan quietly.

"You must trust her, Thelios," Nan says quietly. "You and your twin have hurt her, brought pain to her heart. Perhaps if you hadn't then I would have different advice, but now? Eternity is a long time to spend longing for something that is no longer yours. She can break the bonds set by her sister. She can utterly twist and reform them as she sees fit. Love doesn't entirely realize this, yet."

"How do you know all this, Nan?" I ask her, her words not entirely making sense to me.

"I am the Seer for the mother, Thelios. There is always one. My granddaughter is the next. She is already very good. She is watching the undead army."

A growl is ripped from my chest. "The what?" I ask. I stand, energy zapping me entire body. My demon, always alert for threats, is peering into the corners of the tent, ready for battle.

"Easy, young one. Love has used the Forgotten to change her army. They are an echo of living soldiers. Blood-drinkers who will prey on the living. She will lead them to your city. Foolish of her, really. If she lets them scatter then it would be far more devastating."

"They will attack the city? Where Mara and our daughter are?"

Nan raises an eyebrow. What am I doing, just standing here? I hurry to strap on my swords. "Nan, thank you, but I need to leave. I have to get back to the city."