“I’m ok, just a little tired.” They seemed ok with my answer so I left them to discuss the rest of the plans together. Tristan and Orion, sworn enemies, now working together. I shook my head as I crawled into bed.
Rubbing my hands over my belly, I talked to the babies. Letting them know what was going on, and how excited I was to see them. My stomach had grown a little. I would need to start wearing Tristan’s clothes soon. I looked around the room and started to think about what we could do for a nursery. I would want them close at first, and then we could move them to a room nearby. His room had plenty of space; we could create beautiful cribs to match the limestone of the walls. Things were starting to feel real as I envisioned our life here in the underworld. It would be different, but also an adventure. When it was safe, we could explore. I bet there were some bad places I didn’t want to see, but I’m sure there were also some beautiful places as well. Like Elysian fields for the Greeks. It’s where all the heroes went. I would still want to be on earth and play around. I loved Boston; I would miss it after a while. Plus Leander and Lacey would be there. No one but Tristan and I could live down here since I had the ring on that bound me to him.
A yawn broke through my lips and I snuggled into the pillow. I was done for the day, ready to pass out. I sent a little wish out that I would get to talk to my son again. He wasn’t there last night and I already missed seeing him. It didn’t take me long before I was out and walking around by the Nile, like I used to in ancient times. I stared out over the water and waited. Would he come? Would our daughter be here this time?
“She isn’t here.” A small child’s familiar voice came from behind me. I turned to see my little ink-haired boy.
“How old are you?” He couldn’t have been more than 4.
“I’m 3.” Wow.
“Age is different for me. I’m smarter than most middle-schoolers.” He shrugged and went to sit down in the sand. He may be smart, but he was still so young, and looked so innocent. He was staring out over the water, just as I had been. You could tell he was deep in thought.
“Dad used to talk about this place a lot. The small beach by the Nile where you guys would meet.” He continued to look on instead of looking at me.
“We did; it’s where I first found out who he was,” I said, remembering the moment like it was happening right before my eyes. He had turned the plant life around him to ash in his anger.
“I have a favor to ask, okay?” His little head turned to me, and I saw pain in his eyes. I nodded.
“Don’t ever take your ring off; I mean, no matter what anyone says, don’t do it .” I agreed. I hadn’t ever planned on taking it off, anyway. Without it, I wasn’t immortal, and I wasn’t grounded. When my past life memories were forced upon me, it messed me up a little. Past life and present life Thalia were always battling for control over my mind. Thank you, Orion and Athena, for that one.
“I’m planning on it, so no worries there.” I smiled but it didn’t seem to ease the pain in his eyes. Something bigger had to be behind his favor.
“Is something wrong?”
“I can’t say anymore; just don’t ever take it off. No matter what, or who’s in trouble.” His voice was harsh for such a young one. Like his father, when he found out I had met Orion in this second life.
“You can tell me.”
“No, I have to go. I still shouldn’t be here, but I just…” Tears looked to be brimming in his eyes, fighting to spillover.
“I just wanted to see you again. I know I shouldn’t, but I just miss you.” He leaned over and hugged me tightly. I held him in my arms until I felt the tingle in my body signifying that I was waking up.
“Don’t take it off.” I heard him whisper as I left the dream and woke up to reality.
My eyes opened reluctantly to see the sun was still outside the balcony. Hopefully I hadn’t slept too long. I stretched and felt a sharp pain in my abdomen.
“Ah!” my hands went to the spot by my belly button, trying to soothe the pain. Tristan was inside the room in a second.
“What’s wrong?” he asked and I told him about the sharp pain, just as another one hit me.
“Cheese and crackers!” I cried out, grabbing his arm trying to breathe through the pain. Tristan was gone and he came back moments later with a very flustered Doctor Geoffrey in tow.
“She’s in pain.” Tristan all but pushed the doctor towards me. I felt bad for him for a moment, and then the pain came at me again. The doctor told Tristan he needed a few things and they went back to get them, returning quickly. I looked down to make sure I wasn’t bleeding or anything. I knew that was a big no-no. Thankfully, I wasn’t. It didn’t really make me feel too much better, but it was at least something.
The Doc checked me over and told me I was just having some Braxton Hicks contractions. He described them as “practice contractions.” He gave me another week and that was it. I was to rest, and solely focus on having the babies. No picking up swords and fighting. Doctor’s orders. The twins were healthy and looking good.
After the doctor left, I stood on the balcony, watching the strange orange and yellow clouds go by. The underworld had a surreal feeling to it. Everything was changing, but yet staying still, almost like a physical manifestation of my life.
Chapter Ten
Tristan
Thalia was deep in thought after the doctor left, and I felt her need for space. So much was happening that even my head was spinning. I walked through the trees and down to the river where Ra used to make his way through the underworld to bring about the sunrise on earth. He hadn’t needed to do such thing in a long time. All the gods had found automatic ways to do their jobs over the thousands of years of our existence, and were now bored, filling their days with whatever sort of entertainment they could find.
I wished they would just leave us be. As I looked out over the river, I couldn’t help but wonder what would be next? Would we ever be free to live our lives? I thought that future was possible. As soon as Orion stepped down from his antagonistic position against us, everything was fine. Isis, Osiris, even the Greek Gods were ok with our union occurring.
Children.
They wanted to harm our children just because a mix between the divine Greek and Egyptian blood had never before come to fruition.
Thalia was now out of commission when it comes fighting. Not that I wanted her fighting anyway, but the Doctor said she had to relax for the rest of her term. Which was not much longer— a week and a half, versus the week he had estimated earlier. The babes were eager to be born, but had slowed their pace slightly.
Thalia told me about her dream with our son again, and his strange request. I couldn’t help but wonder if this child was who he said he was. Traveling through time, even in dreams, was forbidden. If it were allowed, I would have saved Thalia from her fate years ago. But those bitches, Fates, hated their designs to be fucked with.
I felt compelled to go into her next dream with him and make sure I felt a connection and don’t sense anything that could cause harm.
Wanting to double-check on the rest of the underworld before I went to my other duties, I walked past the river and onto the field of reeds, where every Egyptian aspired to live in the afterlife. Every person who passed the weighing of the heart ceremony would move on to live here. I looked around all the fields, and a replica of Egypt as they knew it, which they were happy about. All the current residents went about their business as I walked around. Working in the fields, some women were gossiping to each other while grinding grain. Children were running around playing with their toys. Here in the afterlife, there was no pain like they had experienced with mortality. It was as they remembered life, but without the bad. I laughed as a cat ran around, chasing a mouse. It was smart of them to bury their food with them at the time. Gave them a bond, like Tom and Jerry.
All was well for now, although I wondered, with so many demigods of all different religions coming to the underworld to help us fight, what those arr
ivals would do to the atmosphere. I gathered some coins, which I had created with fire, sand, and the river of Ra, to give to Leander so he may hand them to the demigods he had recruited. When we called for them, they would have a temporary pass into the underworld. They may not stay for long, but when we called, they would be needed. Not for sitting around, but for fighting, and possibly dying.
I flashed to the apartment Thalia was sharing with Leander before we got married. I knew he was there, and we had some business to discuss. I knocked and waited for either him or Lacey to answer.
Lacey answered the door first. Leander was eating on the couch. He was an endless pit for food.
“Please tell me everything is all right? We haven’t heard anything from you guys in a few days. I’ve been freaking out.” She took a step back, but her mouth kept on going. I gave her a half smile.
“It’s been interesting, but we are fine for now.” I dropped down on the couch next to Leander, Lacey sitting on the other side of her man. I spent the next ten minutes running over the plan, and what I needed them to do. Both agreed, wanting to do whatever they could to help. I could never repay them for what they had already done.
“I made a special coin for both of you. You can stay throughout the duration of Thalia’s pregnancy, but much longer than that and I fear you would both be affected in ways I couldn’t fix. The underworld isn’t meant for mortals. So after the battle is done, and the babes are born and safe, you will have to come back here.” I told them honestly. The underworld was for the dead, or immortals who could never die. If they stayed any longer they would be drawn to the field of rushes, and go mad.
“Once you have recruited for our cause, I need something else from you as well.” They looked at me, ready to accept whatever it was I was going to ask from them.
“Thalia needs some light and fun right now. She needs you both to make her forget the bad and remember how to laugh.” I smiled. Together we could all help in this cause. I had a feeling the Gods were going to take a short break to figure out their next step so I wanted to take full advantage of that time to make my love happy.
“That we can definitely do!” Leander nodded and Lacey got a look of excitement. Perfect.
“I’m heading back now. You have a lot to get done, and when you’re ready to join us just flip the coin three times.”
I sought out Thalia as soon as I touched the floor to the house. I found her sitting on the couch, eating a sandwich, and Orion sitting at the kitchen table, neither of them speaking. It felt very awkward.
“Plan is set, now we wait for the next move.” I sat next to Thalia and pulled her feet into my lap, lightly massaging their soles.
“Good,” Orion commented and went back to whatever he was doing. Drawing?
Thalia just nodded and kept on chewing. I shook my head, needing this moment of calmness.
“You don’t have to be cooped up in the palace if you need to leave.” I tossed him a coin, which he caught. He was immortal, since he essentially traded his soul to Athena to live forever so he could have Thalia when she was reincarnated. He was Athena’s warrior, doing her bidding over the millennia. He nodded.
“I’m going to hunt.” It was all he said before he flipped the coin and left. Neither one of us said anything after his departure for a few minutes. Once Thalia finished eating her sandwich, she broke the silence about the whole Orion thing.
“It’s weird, I know. But he has been very helpful. I know he has given up on me, but it must be a little hard on him to be around us.” I bet. Did I care? No.
“He’ll move on. He wasn’t exactly being celibate waiting for your return.” I scoffed. I watched as her face grew a little pink. Embarrassment flooded my soul. Who was she embarrassed for? Him? I was about to asked but then the feeling was gone quickly.
“Still, it’s gotta be hard.”
“I think he just wants you to be safe and happy now.” I rubbed her feet a little harder, and she groaned from the relief.
“He has cared about you so passionately since he saw you, and has held onto that for a very long. You don’t just stop caring just because you’ve finally accepted you don’t belong together.” I’d seen that with many people over the years. You will always care, even if it’s just a little bit. I searched Orion’s soul once we came here, and found nothing but the need for redemption in him. He seeks forgiveness from all that has happened because of him. He realizes that now, and wants her to be happy.
“Hmm, that’s true, I guess.” She pondered over what I said, and then started to smile at me, withdrawing her feet from my lap only to climb onto it, placing her legs on either side of mine, facing me.
“Can we talk about the babies? I want to talk about names, and start doing something for them. We don’t have much longer and I need to focus on something.” She fake pleaded, and I placed my hands on both sides of her belly. I would do anything for her.
“What names have you thought of?” I asked her first, because to be honest I hadn’t thought of it at all. So much had been going on. She smiled, and I knew she had definitely been thinking of names and everything else. I chuckled at seeing her face. She was so magnificent.
“I was thinking Callista for the girl. It’s really strong, but yet feminine. Ya know?” She was practically bouncing from her excitement to be discussing names. Callista. It was a strong name. A warrior’s name.
“And for the boy?”
“I hadn’t been able to choose for that one. I kind of like Lucian, but I also like Killian, and Ren.” She was watching my face for reactions to any of those names. I faked gagging to get a reaction from her, for which she smacked my arm lightly. It was enjoyable, playing with her again. So much seriousness had descended over us with everything going on lately.
“Lucian is very Roman. Killian is strange, and Ren is short, but not bad. Callista for a girl is beautiful. Of course you know these children may come out and decide to be another name.” She seemed to think about this for a minute then put our hands together on her belly.
“Lucian?” She said aloud, and paused.
“Killian?”Nothing, although I wasn’t quite sure what she was waiting for.
“Ren?” I started to shake my head, that she was being silly expecting something from the babes, until there was movement going on. Then it stopped.
“Ren?” She tried again and this time I stared at our hands in wonder as a babe moved again. Then something amazing happened, something I would have never believed would happen in all my existence.
Chapter Eleven
Thalia
Tristan’s eyes glazed over and I wondered if he was ok. I was about to ask, but his low whisper broke the silence.
“I feel his soul.” He was staring at my stomach in utter awe. I was stunned by his words. I was speechless. He could feel his soul.
“He likes Ren.” Tears were running down my cheeks. The idea of being a mom was extremely new for me, and I was so in love with these kids already. I would do anything for them, and by the look in Tristan’s eyes, they had wrapped him around their tiny fingers already. And they weren’t even born yet! I still couldn’t speak, it was like all the words were just stuck in my chest.
“Callista?” He leaned down towards my belly and waited. Movement.
“She agrees. Callista and Ren.” There were two different movements happening in my belly, and all I could do was cry, and watch our joined hands move around from their little dance. This was a moment I would never forget, no matter how long I lived. We would have this: our family together, and happy. I couldn’t wait for them to be born so I could hug them close and never let go.
Tristan smile shifted when a chuckle came through his lips.
“What?” I blurted out.
“We have fighters on our hands,” he mused as we continued to feel the babes move around. I nodded. Yeah, they were making me have to go to the bathroom with all their wiggling.
“I have to pee.” I jumped up and ran to the bathroom. The twins s
ettled, and I could have moaned from how good it felt to relieve myself. When I was done and clean, I walked back out to the living room and squealed. My best friends were here! I ran to them and hugged Lacey and Leander in a big hug.
“Holy shit, Thalia! You’re really pregnant!” Lacey pulled back and looked over me. I guess the last time we really saw them was right after the wedding. Not too long ago, but I had grown so much since then.
“Yeah magical children progress differently. The doctor said I was around twenty five weeks, with about a week and a few days left to this pregnancy.” I let go of both of them and watched my words settle in. That there was very little time left. It was a big pill to swallow.
“Wow.” She looked at me in awe. Leander was smiling at me then looked around, scoping out the place then gazed back at me.
“Let’s get this party started.” He clapped his hands together and picked up a bag I hadn’t noticed he had brought with him. He walked over to the TV and started fiddling with some things. I smiled looking at the whole TV set up in this ancient palace. Tristan loved the traditional Egyptian palace, but there were lots of things from the modern world we couldn’t live without and TV was one of them. Lacey rubbed my belly and started cooing to the babies.
“Have you thought of a name for the little bugger?” she asked and I smiled, thinking about what all happened before they arrived.
“Well for the boy, Ren. And for the girl, Callista.” I was a total cheese-face right now with my smile. Lacey’s head whipped around.
“Two?” I nodded. She shrieked and started freaking out, in a good way.
“All right, who is ready to get owned?” Leander piped up, which made me turn and laugh at what he’d done. He had set up the Xbox with Dance Central. We were going to play like we did back on my birthday. Memories of those first dances, watching Tristan bust a move, and trying to figure out if I should give him a chance. I scoffed at my own thoughts. I never had a chance. My heart and soul knew I was meant to be his, from the moment I saw him. I was fighting the inevitable.
Battle of the Heart Page 5