Waiting for Sunrise

Part 2🔆

 I was near the end of the song when the lyrics rang through the air.

"While you live, shine

Don't suffer anything at all;

Life exists only a short while

And time demands its toll."

"I am going insane," I pondered aloud as I strummed the last cord. "I'm finally at my wit's end."

"No," the voice laughed. "You're just still in awe over my singing to you."

"Apollo!?" I dropped the lyre as I jumped up and watched it pathetically tumble down the hill, the strings 'twanging' and sounding unattractive again. "What are you doing here?"

He laughed again. It wasn't a rude laugh, I knew he wasn't laughing AT me but...he was still laughing and I didn't see what was so funny.

"What do you mean 'what am I doing here'? Do you not want to see me anymore? Are you tired of our meetings?" he smiled. Then I finally understood what was so funny. "I thought you enjoyed our meetings."

"I do," I said too quickly. "You just really took me by surprise. I wasn't expecting you to be here this early."

"Maybe you're just late," he whispered as he sat down next to me. Then asked what happened to the lyre he had given me and while I explained how I dropped it, he nodded again and said jokingly, "I'm glad I didn't let you borrow mine while I was gone." and I actually scoffed at him.

"How will I play now?" I asked him. Of course, I could buy another one, but the one he gave me was also sentimental, a gift from him to me. It made me feel special...different.

He stared expectantly as if he was waiting for an answer until I realized he really was.

"Oh. Apologies, what did you say, Apollo?"

"I said," he insinuated, "you can borrow mine while we're here." I was about to thank him when he cut me off. "With conditions, of course."

Hmph. "Of course," I sighed. "What are your 'conditions'? And why don't you trust me anyway?"

The way his brow furrowed somehow made him look older. But it was, in an amusing way, cute.

"My dear, Hyacinthus. It is not that I don't trust you. But nothing is free, nor fair in this world. What would I be teaching you if I gave everything to you? For no price? What would that do to me, huh? What kind of teacher would that make me?"

A millisecond. And then I asked, "Would you though?"

I surprise myself with my unfiltered emotions. Yet I continue. "Would you give everything to me if you could?"

He stared at me for such a long while, I was sure that we'd be here for eternity until he finally said something that would change my look on everything.

"I'd give you the world- no. The universe to you, if it were to mean that I could stay with you forever and if that would express how great my love is for you. But nothing can."

"I really don't know how to respond to that."

"So," he got this serious expression on his face. "I made you speechless?"

"I guess so. Why?

"I hope one day you'll be able to make me speechless." He mused.

I scoffed, yet again. "Me, make the god of poetry and music speechless? That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard. But you make it sound like a challenge."

"It does, doesn't it?" He shot back. That's when his eyes lit up in a way that concerned me; they twinkled the same way Hermes' would when he was about to steal: Mischievous.

"What are you up to?" I asked warly.

"Up to? I just had a brilliant idea that could out-wit Athena's ideas! I have conditions for you using my lyre."

Doubt took over me when I realized that Apollo never had 'great ideas' often. Or an idea at all.

"How do you mean?"

Instead of explaining right then and there, he stood up and walked towards the west side of the hill. He spread his arms in a dramatic pose and faced towards the dark, resting town below.

"I, Apollo, God of the sun, declare that when my love here is able to make me speechless," he turned back towards me and smiled, lowering his voice. "I'll lend you my lyre. I will have a great monument built, just for you, to show the world how great my love is for you. And how you made me, the god of poetry and many other things indeed...speechless."

I was yet again, at a loss for words. How was one supposed to act when your greatest love declares that they'll build something for you and hand you the universe? I never felt so baffled, speechless, and loved, all at once. I just shook my head, skeptical of his speech. But I feel great. I feel more beautiful than I've ever felt before. Metaphorically speaking.

I stand up and dust off my chlamys.

"Why don't you just teach me something new today? You've made me speechless twice. So, my Apollo, how am I supposed to make you speechless when I've no words myself?"

Apollo nodded slightly "Good point," and then grinned. "Another idea!"

"Oh joy."

"Yes!" He exclaimed, not catching on to my sarcasm. "Hyacinthus! How about I teach you quoits? It is quite enjoyable."

He kept pressing until I finally caved in.

"That sounds like fun," I replied as he helped me up. I couldn't help but smile as we raced down the grassy hill towards the green and yellow plains, Apollo beaming and holding a new discus. 

                    ☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼

   I hope you enjoyed! For those of you that don't know, the laurel tree was Apollo's first love, Daphne. If you want to read the story (one of many versions) Copy-paste this:D  

https://www.greeka.com/greece-myths/apollo-daphne/

   This was MY take on what happened before Hyacinthus died. They're one of my favorite tragedy and romance stories in all of the mythologies. I hope you enjoyed~  <3

  If you want more short stories, have a prompt, or even want to work on something together, send me a message! I'm pretty much bored and open to new plots. Thank you~