Tempted By Darkness

What is a monster?

Athena sighed in relief as she stepped into her Dark Castle. It had been a while since she'd been here..

She had missed it.

She smiled as an excited Elly rushed to her with open arms, but then rethought herself after noticing her now visible stomach.

"Wow" She was staring shamelessly in wonderment. Her mouth forming a cute 'O' when her palm rested against it and she felt a small flutter.

"Wow is all you can say after seeing me for the first time in a month?"

"I - I... Wow... I mean, Athena...WOW. Like really. You look AMAZING! You are glowing! This pregnancy is doing you wonders! I mean... You have always looked stunning but.. Wow. Just wow. How far are you along now? Do you know the gender already?"

Athena could only chuckle at her human friend's loss of words as she recounted all that had happened in the five weeks she had been away.
They walked side by side, as they used to do. Elly updating her on the kingdom's business and the last launches of human technology.

The morning was spent signing forms, discussing better ways to exploit their resources and approving some renovations that were in need.
All was good.
And by afternoon they were done.

She was also starting to feel tired. Her back was aching now that her belly was starting to weight a little more.
And she felt in need of a small break.

"Have you thought about a name?" Elly inquired as she gave her a cup of hot tea. This time she made sure she checked before drinking.

"Not yet. There has been so much going on that I have not found the time to do it yet. My priority now is finding the mastermind behind all this mess. And so far, I have not found anything, other than the fact that these people we have tortured actually were innocents. There is someone controlling them. Once again, a manipulator. But this is all I've got. Hades is avoiding me like the plague. Whenever I cross paths with him, he decides he has business to do and puffs out. And Alec has been busy with his own kingdom. I have not seen him in two weeks already."
And now that she thought about it, he should have been here by now. They had agreed on meeting at her palace but it was already late afternoon and he had yet to show up.
A bad feeling formed at the pit of her stomach. What if he had been attacked on his way here?
These past two weeks had been strangely quite. No more attempts on their daughter's life.
What if this person had decided to change tactics and hurt Alec, instead?
She did not know their motives, they could simply be out for blood, like Christopher. Attacking carelessly. Without a plan.

But something told her these were not the circumstances. This was different. She could not confirm it yet, but she knew it was different. She needed to keep alert.

Suddenly she felt the rushed footsteps of her soldiers coming towards her chambers. 

This could not be good.

She prepared herself. Stepping in front of Elly, blocking her from the doorway. She was human, and she had no powers. Athena needed to protect her.

"Athena-"

"Shush Elly. You have no magic and no way to defend yourself. It is my duty as your Queen to keep you safe. Step aside."

Before she could hear her response, her soldiers were banging down her door as they barged in. Their icy swords raised as they prepared themselves for the attack.

Gods, this person was controlling a dozen of her best men. Men that bore ice magic, and it was not plain ice. It was burning ice. A slice of their powers and the ice would be freezing your blood to death.