by Marie Medina
She obliged him and poured the reddish brown goo over her pancakes. “Leaving is the best for all of us. Hypnos and I are both the subject of gossip and speculation. Apollo and Harmonia need some space.”
“Harmonia? She was the girl?”
“Yes, and she likes him. I know he was telling the truth when he said they weren’t involved—he had no choice—but she looked too worried for me to believe she thought of him as just a friend. I was walking in the garden maze up at Zeus’ palace last night and I heard one person saying Apollo had found someone new and another saying Harmonia had been coming here more often than normal. It won’t be long before the two rumors become one.”
“Are you all right with that?”
She nodded. “My pride was hurt, and it made me angry that I was worrying about his feelings when I didn’t need to. He’d already started to accept my loving Hypnos. He probably wouldn’t admit it, but that’s why he felt he wasn’t doing anything wrong by having dinner with Harmonia. If he’d thought he had a chance, he wouldn’t have even been seen walking down the street with another woman.”
Peneus reached over and touched her hand. “You seem to be feeling better, and you’re making far more sense. I’m glad. We were worried.”
“We?”
Peneus stood up. “Yes.” He paused and looked around. “There are a couple of very important people who were concerned about you. They’d like to talk to you.”
“Zeus and Hera?” She looked around but didn’t see anyone. Her father seemed nervous as he talked about these people. Who could they be? “Who?”
“Helios … and Gaia.”
Daphne didn’t have time to react because they appeared in the two empty chairs across from her. Helios looked exactly as he had the first time she’d seen him in the flesh. His blond hair practically glowed, and his golden eyes were so bright it was hard to look at him. His white robe made the bright morning seem amplified. She turned her gaze to Gaia. Her hair was a rich brown with highlights of red, and it fell down her back in giant curls. Her eyes were bright green. Her robe was bright blue and clung to her every curve. She turned to Peneus.
“We’d like you to stay. We won’t be here long,” she said.
Peneus sat back down.
Daphne wondered if her father might be more nervous than she was. She wasn’t afraid of them, but she did wonder why they had come.
“You were worried about me?” Daphne began.
Gaia nodded. “We watched over you when there was hardly anything we could do for you, but now we want to make sure you’re happy. Nyx told Zeus I didn’t care, but she was only saying that to be, for lack of a better word, bitchy.”
“Why do you care if I’m happy? It can’t be that important.”
Helios said, “I chose to approach you before for several reasons. Your mental state was still a little unstable, and I was concerned your reactions might affect those around you.”
“Like making Hypnos attack Apollo.” Daphne sighed. “I shouldn’t have been so upset, I know.”
“That didn’t end so badly though. It’s better than what we were thinking,” Gaia said.
“What were you planning?” Daphne asked. She had a feeling the path she was currently on was better, but she couldn’t help wondering.
“We were going to offer to give you a new life,” Gaia explained. “Erase all memory of you, and then let you be reborn. It would have simplified matters.”
“But then I wouldn’t be with Hypnos.” She sat back. “It sounds wonderful and horrible at the same time.”
Helios spoke up. “We wouldn’t have done it without your consent. We would have given you the option. This fate takes you on a bumpier road, but it looks like it will be more fulfilling for all of you.”
Daphne nodded. “I agree, but there were moments your idea would have sounded so tempting.” She took a deep breath and let it out. “I do feel better now. My head is clearer. I thought it was because Hypnos was back and everything was starting to work out.”
“That’s true, but it was partially us,” Gaia said. “When you refused to speak to Zeus and Aphrodite anymore, we took an interest. Apollo was correct when you first became a nymph again. Your mind could have been destroyed by the transformation. We kept you sane for a very long time. Helios led you to the Valley of Dreams after Hypnos’ first transformation. Helios thought you would be safe there.”
Daphne turned to Helios. “So I was very wrong when I said you wanted me for Apollo? You were the one who brought Hypnos to me.”
“Yes, but we didn’t expect what happened. No one ever expected the god of death to fall in love, and when Hypnos remained so reserved we didn’t consider the separation might have changed him in that way.”
“And what did you do to help me?”
“I’ve been working in your dreams the past two nights,” Gaia said. “Not in any way you’d remember, but I have been clearing some things away, namely the effects of Aphrodite’s spell as well as your father’s. He helped me.”
“So everything is going to be all right now?” Daphne knew how silly that sounded, but she couldn’t think of any other way to phrase it.
“You are free of any ill effects from all you went through. Your happiness with Hypnos will still depend entirely on you.”
Daphne looked up at the clouds. “I don’t think I have that much to worry about then.”
She looked back at the table, but she and her father sat there alone. “They just left? No good-bye or good luck?”
Peneus shrugged. “I’m sure ‘manners’ aren’t that important of a concept for them. Why don’t we not question anything right now? It seems to be for the best.”
Daphne refocused her attention on her pancakes. “Okay, I know.” She smeared the syrup around with her fork. “Did you ever think I’d be so important?”
“You were always this important to me.”
She laughed. “I’m not sure that counts in the same way. Are you sure it’s okay for us to leave tomorrow?”
He nodded. “Yes. You’ll be back for the wedding. We can talk then.”
Daphne started cutting her pancakes. “Hypnos will probably be nervous. He wants to talk to Eris, but he doesn’t want a scene with Ares.”
“I think even Ares would be reluctant to make a scene at Eris’ wedding, considering her knack for making weddings interesting.”
Daphne nodded. She remembered vaguely the story of how Eris had started the fight at Peleus’ wedding between Aphrodite, Hera and Athena and basically started the Trojan War. She wasn’t as clear about what had happened at Eros’ wedding though. Something about people sneaking off into the woods and having sex. “At least the more recent drama turned out all right. What happened exactly? She and Hermes hook up right there at the wedding?”
“No. Eris was angry because Aphrodite told Hermes to watch her. She put a lust spell on him and refused to take it off for a week or two, I think.”
Daphne didn’t want to laugh, but she couldn’t help it. “Nice to know what I’ll be marrying into.”
“I’m somewhat more reasonable than that.”
Daphne turned to see Hypnos walking onto the porch. She blushed, hoping he wouldn’t be angry with her for laughing about his sister. “Sorry. It’s funny because it did end happily.”
He smiled and kissed her cheek. “It’s fine. And it is funny. I am pleased to see her so happy. We’re very alike, and I doubt anyone ever expected her to love or marry either. It gives me hope.”
“You know I love you.” She squeezed his hand.
“So it’s about time I said that I love you. I should have said it before. I’m surprised you haven’t brought it up.”
“I knew you loved me. You had a lot to tell me when you came back, and you had other things to do.” She turned back and took her father’s hand too. “Like asking my father’s permission to drag me to the mortal world.”
Peneus patted her hand and stood up. “It wasn’t necessary, but it was appreciated.
You two finish all this food while I clean up the kitchen.”
After he was gone, Hypnos pulled up a chair. “I don’t eat much, but I guess I can’t say no.”
Daphne smiled. “You don’t? I guess you don’t have to, but it’s one of my favorite things to do.”
Hypnos took a plate from the stack and put two pancakes on it. He looked at the four plates remaining. “Were you expecting a crowd?”
“No, my dad just always sets a full table.” She finished cutting her pancakes and finally took a few bites. “Gaia and Helios were here.”
Hypnos poured some orange juice for himself and topped her glass up. “That must have been interesting. Everything all right?”
She nodded. “They came to reassure me everything would be fine.”
“It will be, I promise. I’m so sorry you had to go through so much.”
“You went through it too.”
“It doesn’t matter now. We’ll live wherever you want to, and we’ll be away from all of this.”
“Being with you is what matters.” She leaned over and turned his head to kiss him. “And since I’m still the only girl who can do this without falling asleep, I’m not worried about anything.” She pulled him into a long kiss, ready to forget the past and look to the future.
* * * *
Harmonia pulled her hair down and let it blow in the wind as she looked out over the waves. “This is very impressive.” She ran her hands along the yacht’s railing. “You must like sailing.”
Apollo put his arms around her waist. “It was a good way to impress women, but also a nice place to enjoy the sun.”
“I am impressed. I won’t deny it.” She ran one of her hands over his. “Eris came to talk to me last night.”
“She did? You going to be a bridesmaid now?”
She giggled. “No. She said she wanted to make sure I was coming to the wedding.”
“But you talked about me?”
“Yes. She didn’t pry. She said you deserved a chance at happiness.”
“Was that all?”
She stayed silent for a moment to tease him, but then she nodded. “She talked about the wedding. She seemed to be in her element.”
“Weddings can be quite chaotic, so I suppose so.” He kissed her cheek.
“You do know I don’t care if you’re attracted to other women, don’t you? I’m okay with it.” She looked back at him and turned in his arms.
“I hope you are. No one can help being attracted to someone else. They can help what they do about that though.”
“That’s a very good answer.”
“I mean it.”
She touched his face. “I know you do. I’m not trying to monitor our relationship.”
“Hmmmm. Not hopelessly in love with me yet?”
She smiled slyly. “No, not yet. These past few days have been wonderful, but no, not in love.”
“Happy?”
“Happy in general or about not being in love?”
He tickled her, and she ran out of his grasp.
“In general. Are you happy?”
“Yes. Are you?”
He nodded. “I think I am.” He took her hand and turned back to look at the water. “It’s nice. Different.”
“And everyone is getting nosy.”
He shrugged. “I spent so long being ignored, I almost don’t care.”
Did he mean that? Did he really not care that everyone was talking about him and Daphne and Hypnos? “You’d think the gods would have better things to do.”
“In a world like this? We’re all bored to death. Looking for something to give life meaning.”
“Getting married, becoming more and more like mortals.”
“I think so. I don’t mean to sound like I’m better than anyone, but if I’m with someone, I’m with them. Who cares about being married? Really?”
“If it means something to them, it makes sense; if it makes them happy.”
“To me, it’s like saying you think your lover might leave you.”
“You’ve had lots of lovers. So have I.”
He made a face. She wasn’t sure she knew what he was trying to say. She felt confident he wasn’t about to propose anymore than she thought he’d say he’d never get married. His brow furrowed in concentration.
“Spit it out,” she said. “I promise not to run away.”
“Okay. I guess I mean it’s hard to trust someone when you do care who else they’ve been with, how long affairs lasted, how good the sex was. See?”
“Yes.”
He squeezed her hand. “Good. Happily ever after is overrated. I’d rather be happy, plain and simple.”
She moved closer to put her arm around him. “You were unhappy for so long it’s perfectly understandable.”
“That’s all fuzzy now. It’s worse because it didn’t have to be like this. Daphne never would have slept with me, let alone fallen for me, and I would have moved on.”
“But then maybe Hypnos and Daphne would never have met.”
“I don’t believe the Fates order all of this. This kind of thing is below them.”
“Maybe so, but it’s not impossible.”
“The Fates don’t control me though, and they have nothing to do with this. It’s just us.”
She smiled. “I think I can deal with that. I won’t drag you down the aisle.”
“How about living with me? Have you thought about it?”
“I have, and I don’t want to yet. I want to keep my independence and freedom.”
He looked disappointed, but he nodded. “I understand.”
“It lines up with what you said before. Like you, if I’m with someone, I’m with them.”
He turned to embrace her as the wind picked up. “I really do understand. Going to Aphrodite the way you did, you must really have thought you loved me.”
“A romantic fantasy. I was going to save you, or something like that. I’m liking reality much more.”
“It’s always a fairy tale when you first notice someone.”
“Awww. What a sweet thing to say!” she exclaimed mockingly.
He playfully pushed her away. “You make fun of me and you’re going overboard.”
“Oh am I?” she said, backing away carefully.
He moved toward her slowly. “Yes. I think you’ve teased me more than enough to deserve it.”
“Oh please!” She backed toward the front of the yacht, hoping she could duck around the cabin and evade him.
“Yes. It started the night we met.”
“You enjoyed that!”
“I did not! You are going overboard right now!”
He didn’t even have to touch her. She flipped over the railing and landed in the water with a splash. As soon as she surfaced, she waved her hand and knocked him into the water too. If he was going to cheat and use his powers, so could she.
He surfaced a few feet away from her. He grabbed her arm and pulled her close, kissing her roughly, then slowly.
She wrapped her arms around him and kissed him back. She didn’t need a wedding or promises. She felt the mutual desire and joy in their embrace, and that was all she needed.
Chapter Ten
Persephone walked with her husband Hades to meet Hypnos and Daphne. They were leaving. They’d be back for Eris and Hermes’ wedding, but they would not be returning to the Underworld. Persephone was going to miss her friend, but she knew it was for the best. Hypnos had been through a great deal in past months, and he had changed so much. He needed time for himself, as well as time with the woman he loved.
She saw them before they saw her and Hades. They were gazing at each other lovingly. She sighed, very happy to see none of the anxiety she’d been expecting. It reassured her they were making the right decision, no matter how much she would miss Hypnos.
Hades spoke first. “You’re both sure about this? You can come back whenever you like, as often as you like.”
Hypnos nodded. “We both think it’s best. We’re s
tarting over in a way, and neither of us want the kind of distractions we’d have here.”
“Being watched every moment does make things harder. I wish both of you well.”
Persephone hugged Hypnos and kissed his cheek. “I’ll miss you, but I think you’ll both be very happy.” She turned to Daphne, who suddenly seemed very tentative. She hugged her anyway. “I’m glad he found you. You both deserve to be happy after all that’s happened.”
Daphne managed to smile. “Thank you.” In a softer voice, she added, “I’m sorry I was jealous. It was so hard to work out my feelings then.”
She squeezed Daphne’s hands for a moment. “I understand. Every relationship has its ups and downs during that early, uncertain period. I hope we can be friends.”
“I’m sure we can.”
Hades took Daphne’s hand and kissed it. “If you ever need anything, call us first. We’ll do all we can.”
“Thank you,” Daphne said, blushing slightly before linking arms with Hypnos again.
Persephone smiled to herself, admiring the effect her husband had over women. It was hard for any woman not to feel his power. She put her arm around Hades’ waist as they waved to Hypnos and Daphne, who soon disappeared right in front of them, into the mortal world.
Persephone pulled Hades close and wrapped her other arm around him. “They’ll be happy.”
“As happy as us?” he asked as his arms went around her and roamed down to cup her ass.
“That might be pretty hard.” She rubbed against him. He’d obviously felt her arousal. He always could. It was how he’d known she wanted him even before she knew it herself. His cock pressed against her stomach. “Very hard indeed.”
She titled her head up to meet his lips in a deep kiss. She lost herself in his touch, shivering in anticipation as she peeked into his mind and saw what he had planned for her.
* * * *
Aphrodite smiled when Harmonia walked into her garden.
“You work back here a lot, don’t you?” Harmonia said.
“Lately I do. It helps me think.”
Harmonia nodded. “I bet it does.”
“How are you?” She had no reason to believe Harmonia was going to start dropping by every week to start cultivating their mother-daughter bond. She knew she had something specific to say.