The pain and numbness that still clung to my bones after waking up disappeared as time stopped for a minute. It was he and I, nothing else. That’s when I knew my world was already turning upside down.
He might still have ways to go before convincing the others of his Kingship in Olympus but he was the King of my world.
“I’m not… Interrupting, am I?” We pulled away from each other quickly, Aidan’s characteristic smirk managing to find a way back onto his features as I blushed sheepishly at Valentina.
“No, not at all. We were celebrating our survival, Jailbait.” Aidan said as he sat up slowly, reaching out to help me sit up as well. My bones were stiff as I forced them to return to normal. I stayed close to Aidan though, fearful that my joints might give out on me and I’d be back on my side before long.
“I told you not to call me that.” Her face scrunched up but there was no malice in her tone. I guessed she liked the idea of Aidan having a nickname for her; he certainly didn’t give out nicknames to anyone else. Except me.
“How’d you manage with the dog?” He asked as he slowly stood up, bringing me with him and keeping a tight arm tucked around my body. She turned to look back into the darkness behind her before smiling.
“Fine. He seemed to like me. Don’t know why, then again, I have always had a thing for three headed dogs.” She joked before moving closer to me. “Are you okay Savannah?”
Her eyes were flooded with worry as she assessed the damage to my collar and cheek. “When you didn’t come back and Charlotte made that awful scene in the throne room I knew something was wrong. I didn’t know what to do. Thank goodness Aidan was looking for you too. I don't know if I could've made it here without him. I hope that’s okay.”
I smiled, “of course it is. I think if it wasn’t for you a lot of things would have ended differently today.” Aidan leaned down, kissing my temple with a smile and Valentina blushed before grinning proudly.
She had every right to as well. If not for her maybe we wouldn’t have reconciled and he wouldn’t have admitted to doing what he’d done to ‘keep me safe’. We were going to have to work on his protective instinct if he thought pushing me away would keep me safe.
“Good, I’m glad. Who was that?”
“Lincoln, well, that wasn’t Lincoln. I don’t think Lincoln has been around for a while… Sadly I think his God overpowered him. Cronos, however, is gone, for good. I hope.” I smiled weakly, still shaken by the idea of what had happened to him. I couldn’t imagine giving Hera that much power, enough to destroy the part of my soul that belonged to me. Then again, I didn’t think Hera had the ability in herself to want that kind of power. There was a balance between us, a sort of emotional and magical understanding that we were one in everything, especially now with Aidan at our side.
“Oh…” Valentina’s eyes widened with worry and I sensed she didn’t fully understand my meaning but didn’t want to ask any more questions on the subject.
That was for the best anyways, I wasn’t comfortable with the idea of scaring her about the possible pitfalls of our situation. Not when poor Valentina still hadn’t figured out who her Goddess was. But I had an idea, one I would have to confirm with Aidan later.
“It doesn’t matter now.” Aidan continued, turning me back toward the hallway they had come from. “It’s over and that’s the important thing. We should focus on getting out of here because it stinks and it’s cold.” Both Val and I laughed softly though the echo of the cavern made it seem much louder.
Aidan and I made our way toward the door and Aidan tossed over his shoulder, “c’mon Jailbait” with a smirk. I shook my head at him and let him lead us out of there with Val coming up from behind.
“Savannah, I hope you don’t mind me asking but what are you going to do about Charlotte? She’s made quite an… exile of you.”
“That won’t be a problem.” Aidan said firmly, glancing over his shoulder at Valentina and pausing to let her catch up. “I should have stood up against her the moment she did it. But if she hasn’t vacated your throne by the time we get back then I’ll remove her myself. With flourish.”
“That’s good… But I mean about the things she said about Savannah, the poison she’s spread with her lies.” We were both quiet for a moment mulling over the whole situation. Charlotte had certainly been a thorn in my side but how far did I want to go for revenge when I knew I had won no matter what?
Aidan was mine. Aidan only wanted me what did it matter what Charlotte thought? Once Aidan and I were on the throne the things she had said would be nothing more than the fading whispers of an echo long since forgotten.
I reached out, sliding an arm around Valentina’s shoulder and pulled her closer in a hug.
“Don’t worry about what she said about me, none of its true none of it matters.” My voice was confident for the first time in a long time.
Aidan seemed to sense my change of attitude and he leaned in, taking my hand in his and gave it a gentle squeeze. The simple gesture said a thousand things all at once while his hand warmed mine, sending sparks of desire coursing through my veins.
Unable to help myself I smiled dreamily and glanced up at Aidan. He smiled back gently, more of a mischievous smirk than anything but I could tell the difference before I turned back to Val.
“Thank you for coming to my rescue Valentina, it means a lot to me. I’m sure Aidan couldn’t do it without you.” I squeezed his hand coaxingly before glancing back at him and then back to the petite brunette at my side.
“Yeah, thanks Jailbait for dog sitting.” That was as much of a true thank you she was going to get from Aidan. He was ever the proud creature and as much as he didn’t want to admit it he knew I was right. He couldn’t have done this without her. He would have never been able to tame that dog. If not for Valentina nothing would have sedated it.
Despite the heavy sarcasm in his words Valentina still flushed with pride as she smiled shyly and nodded in acceptance, “Savannah’s my friend, I needed to help.”
The words were simple but genuine it felt as though a vice gripped my heart for a moment as I turned to Val and took her in. She meant it. I could see from the look in her eyes she meant every word of it and for the first time in my life I believed it. I’d never had a friend as true as Valentina.
“Here.” Was all Aidan said when he stopped short suddenly, one hand outstretching to push open a door I hadn’t seen before, pausing to wait before both of us went through it.
Valentina went first, determining the location we were to head to. Only as I stepped in with Aidan behind me, did I realize we might have wanted to go before her in case she was to choose this place subconsciously.
Freezing in my step, all eyes in the room turned to the three of us as Aidan, Val and I came to a standstill in front of the crowded throne room audience. I felt my cheeks flush in embarrassment, conscious now of everyone staring at me.
“What happened?” Royce shoved his way through the crowd, his eyes clouded with worry as he approached the group hesitantly.
My body shrunk against Aidan uncertainly, still unable to discern where Royce’s true loyalties lay. But his eyes were glued to me and I suddenly remembered the gashes Cronos had scratched onto my face. No doubt I was covered in blood too and a little more worse for wear than I had been when I first got to the party.
“Savannah, are you okay?” He slowed his pace until he stood in front of me, still resisting an urge to reach out and check me himself. Instead his eyes shifted to Aidan for answers and I felt something inflate within him as his hand fell from mine and he moved forward.
“Savannah was kidnapped by a friend to most of you tonight. I know he led a lot of you to believe he was a good guy, that he had your best interests at heart but Lincoln was nothing more than an egotistical megalomaniac. He sought to steal our powers and make them his own to take over the world for himself.”
Someone laughed, it broke the awkward tension in the room as the sound rippled through the
crowd. A few uncertain people joined in but that only proved to anger Aidan more as his stance took on a stiff posture. Pushing her way through the crowd, bodies parted in front of us to reveal Charlotte. Of course, she was the perpetrator.
“He wanted to take over the world?” She repeated back, cackling with mirth once more before she shook her head.
“Please Aidan spare us the dramatics. I’m sure it was self-inflicted, whatever it is she managed to do to herself.” I half expected Aidan to be the one to snap at her bait but to my surprise it wasn’t. Instead it was Valentina who launched forward in a verbal assault against Charlotte.
“Yes, that was exactly what he was trying to do.” Her eyes swept the length of the crowd before settling back on Charlotte. “He wanted to use Savannah as bait for Aidan. He tried to use his love for her against him by taking her and holding her captive in the caves. He left a three-headed dog to watch over her in hopes that the dog would tear Aidan apart for him and save him the trouble of killing our King himself. But I was able to calm the dog down while Aidan fought Lincoln: killing him!”
Charlotte couldn’t bring herself to mock the younger girl and the excitement and earnestness in Valentina’s voice made everyone hard-pressed to disagree with her. Everyone in the room stood in shocked silence for no more than a few seconds before the room erupted with questions and panic.
Both Valentina and I turned to Aidan, watching him for a cue of what we were expected to do. He seemed calm despite the chaos, standing there watching everyone for a moment and his eyes lingered on Charlotte blazing with nothing short of hatred. Had he always felt strongly toward her or had I envisioned the desire I had believed he felt for her?
“Enough!” His voice bellowed around the great hall and instantaneously everyone became silent. Asserting his authority his voice was firm and direct, commanding everyone in the room to him and consequently me, as I still clung to his arm for support, the weakness from our fight still burning in my muscles.
“Lincoln has been taken care of. As will anyone who threatens my position as King of the Heavens or has the nerve to threaten Savannah.” His arm looped protectively around me, and my mind momentarily clouded with desire. Reason reminded me I was meant to appear like a Queen now before my subjects. Straightening my back and ignoring the dull throb still echoing through my body I stood as tall as I could at Aidan’s side.
“Lincoln was corrupted with power, his body and mind seized by his God’s lust for control. Cronos was unforgiving when he took over his host as would any God be if we give them the power to do it. Let Lincoln’s death serve as an example to everyone. We’ve given our Gods a second chance but with an opportunity they’ve never possessed. Atlas chose us for the vessels of our respective Gods because of the influence our mortal lives give us. We cannot abuse this gift because if we forget where we come from, if we forget what it is to be mortal than all of us will succumb to the fate of Lincoln. All of us will be consumed and lost forever.”
It was a powerful speech, enough that I was willing to bow down to Aidan if that’s what it took to show my loyalty but his grip held me tight against him and only then did I realize he was shaking slightly.
I smiled to myself and turned to look up at him, nodding briefly to show my alliance before slowly making our way through the crowd and toward our thrones. Aidan helped to half carry me along the way. He knew I was weakened but I had him and that was all the strength I needed.
Side by side we made our way up to the throne and slowly he lowered me down on it before taking a seat at my side. Everyone’s eyes had followed us to the seats and watched as we sat down. Valentina had followed us to the front but obediently stopped at the bottom of the steps.
Once we were seated she led the charge and bowed slowly, sweeping herself down as gracefully as she could in her tight dress and before my eyes everyone else followed suit. Like a blanket lifted into the air and allowed to gently float down until it settled on the mattress.
It was a strange concept to consider – having subjects. But what was a Queen without some and Aidan had left no room for argument, no one would be Queen except me. My eyes swept the room for Charlotte, a knot in my stomach hoping that she would have bowed like the rest of them but to my utter lack of surprise she stood in the threshold of the room, a scowl on her face as she watched the display in front of her.
Our eyes met for a moment and we stared at each other for a long time before she turned, slipping through the door and even allowing it to bang shut like she was a petulant child.
Unable to help myself I smirked a little before Aidan drew my attention back to him as he slipped his hand into mine and gave it a little squeeze. He turned his head toward the stairs where Finn was approaching with another man at his side.
“If I may, I’m Asclepius the God of Healing, my mortal name is Everett…” He reached out gingerly and closed his eyes. My face stung a little and before long it settled and his eyes opened again, smiling in pleasure at his work.
“Thank you.” Aidan said softly, watching the two men turn and descend from the head seats before he turned back to me. His fingers slipped through mine and he raised my hand to his lips, pressing them softly against the backs of my hands.
As he drew them back his icy blue eyes met mine and he spoke firmly and loud enough for everyone to hear, “To eternity, my Queen.”
The Story Continues Next with Valentina…
Gods Save the Princess
Chapter 1
A shrill shriek echoed through the room, I barely had the time to move out of the way as my two toddler aged nieces ran past crossing the threshold into the next room. Smiling gently to myself I shook my head and set down the teapot I was holding for Mum next to her knitting chair.
“Anything else I can get you?” I smiled at her, watching her deft hands move the wool effortlessly. She didn’t look up and didn’t acknowledge me I took a deep breath and walked away. She was getting worse; I worried I was the only one who saw it.
Another scream made me flinch this time, and I held out my arms, catching Melody and scooping her up.
“C’mon you. Nana’s trying to work, and she can’t concentrate on that with you screaming.” I blew a raspberry into her tummy and carried her into the kitchen to my older brother. “August, I have a present for you.” I held the giggling toddler out to him, and he grinned, taking her and distracting her with tickles. He didn’t say anything to me, occupying his daughter instead.
Leaving them to their amusement, I walked out of the kitchen and to the back door. Slipping my feet into the boots that waited for me there, I hauled the coat off the hook and shrugged it on. It swallowed me in its massive girth, but it would keep me warm. Pushing the door open I padded through the snow toward the barn. To my right, my two other brothers were furiously trying to get the snowplow to cooperate. They were fighting it and each time it rumbled encouragingly before spluttering back to its death. They didn’t see me as I walked into the barn, stamping my feet on the mat to shake off some of the excess snow.
I’d left a second pair of shoes there to switch into I didn’t leave wet puddles around to encourage rot. I hoped I would be alone in the barn but from the sounds of it Theresa and Mary had both escaped here as well, gossiping about... Whatever it was the girls shared with each other and not me.
Grabbing the tack box from the shelf as quietly as I could, I made my way over to Constantine’s stall, greeting him with a treat and a smile.
“Hey boy.” I ran my hand up the length of his nose, receiving a nudge in reply. He whinnied as I opened the door, closing it behind me as if I could physically block out my world from his. Grabbing the brush from the box I set to work, losing myself in the task at hand. It was peaceful, relaxing work. It took my mind off my crazy household, and especially my sick mother. These days it seemed the only thing she remembered how to do was knit; every other task was left for me to manage. Most of my siblings had never moved out of our massive farmhouse, but none of them seem
ed willing to help with her.
It bothered me when few things normally did. I tried not to dwell too much on it; their lack of willingness to help was not a reflection of their love for her. Or for me. They were busy. It was a large farm to contend with; there was a lot of work to be done. My father wouldn’t be able to manage it all without their help.
“Valentina?”
I poked my head out of the stall watching as Edwin approached Constantine’s stall, stopping a few feet away.
“Dad needs you.”
“Oh, alright.” I smiled as I set the brush back down in the tack box and gathered it, letting myself out of the stall. “Where is he?”
“Out front with Uncle Adam.” I nodded, replacing the tack box and quickly switching my shoes. I didn’t want to keep anyone waiting, half tripping as I walked out of the barn in my haste.
Both men seemed caught up in a heated discussion as I approached them, smiling as I came up alongside Father.
“Edwin said you needed me?” “Valentina, you remember Uncle Adam?”
I looked at the man I knew by name but couldn’t remember having ever met him. He was my dad’s youngest brother; he was in the army. He had been deployed in the East somewhere, busy defending our freedom and helping those who couldn’t help themselves. That’s what Dad had always said at least.
I could tell he was younger than my father. Where my dad’s hair had long ago turned a speckled grey and white, his was still brown with natural sun-bleached highlights. You could tell he took care of himself, his physique in perfect condition compared to my father’s whose had lessened in the years since my brothers had taken over the brunt of the work.
“Vaguely, it’s nice to finally meet you.” I held out my hand politely and smiled. He laughed in amusement, eyeing me with thoughtfulness before holding his arms out.
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