146 Unwavering Love

Arei let out a stiff grunt, "You have no idea."

She leaned in to study the man better, tracing her fingers over some of the tattoos. "Some of these looks different as well..."

Arei's eyes widened and quickly worked to distract her. "I had a book brought up earlier. It's a collection of stories by Homer outlining the adventures of your father. I thought I could read them to you." His tactic worked. The painting was all but forgotten as she quickly turned eager eyes around to meet his. He smiled. "Come on, this way." He pulled open the heavy door for her and waited until she was inside before closing it behind himself and turning the lock. He watched as she spun slowly in the center of the room, taking in thousands of years of acquired art, helmets, armor, and trinkets.

She giggled in awe. "You must really like your horse. I'm sorry I tried to harm it that first night."

He squeezed his eyes together tightly. It would be so easy to tell her everything here in this room... in this palace. Every square inch of the house screamed the truth. His father could explain the importance of the truth remaining a secret and his sister could explain how frequently he and his brother did such things... that it wasn't anything personal toward her... He felt the feathering of a tiny hand against his arms he'd unknowingly crossed over his chest. His eyes opened to meet inquisitive aqua pools.

"What's wrong? You look like you're in pain or something." She whispered, searching his expression.

Arei let out a long breath and uncrossed his arms, wrapping them around her instead. He nodded around the room. "I was just thinking, I don't deserve any of this. All it is, is a showcase of how brave and strong I am... but I'm not... I'm a complete coward it would seem... on the one and only thing in my life that truly matters." He stroked her cheek with a thick finger. "Will you forgive me for being such a coward?"

She shook her head in confusion. "I don't understand..."

He bent and kissed her lips softly. "It's probably for the best that you don't." He whispered against her lips, before straightening and taking her hand. He led her over to the bed where an old book set in the center of a silver tray accompanied by a sifter of wine, two glasses, and a few extra candles. "If you'd like to finger through the pages, I'll light the candles and pour us each a drink. He watched as she crawled onto the bed pushing the many plush pillows out of the way and pulling a fur throw up over her legs as she nestled into the thick mattress.

"Um... are you alright? You're looking at me funny." Jos patted the spot on the bed beside her. The book was rested on her bent knees that were covered by the thick fur blanket.

He forced a smile and handed her one of the glasses. "I was just thinking..." He said.

She tilted her head. "About being here?" she asked.

He let out a sigh as he made his way to the side of the bed and set beside her. "No, not so much about being here. It's just about something my father said earlier when we were talking. He wants, for us, the same thing I want but for all the wrong reasons. He wants to have you on retainer, as something he can claim against a foe."

She shrugged, "So? I'm a creature of the sea. Obviously, I belong to this court... w... with you."

He frowned, "I don't want you to belong to anyone, only to yourself. It's bad enough this curse has such a hold on you. There doesn't need to be others with equal hold over you." He let out another heavy sigh. "And unfortunately, the sea god doesn't have as much 'claim' to you as he would like." He tapped the book on her lap with his index finger. "Your father is a direct descendent of Zeus. He could as easily claim you. If you choose, after your final hearing, to claim the lands and palace of your father, you would be accepting Zeus's lineage."

She frowned staring down the book. "I don't..."

"Understand?" He asked cupping her face and bringing her eyes up to meet his. "Your father was a ruler, a king, of his lands under the favor of Zeus. You will understand more as we read this book, but for now all you really need to understand is that you, Kitten, have the right to that throne as the most direct living heir; and Vathy and several other connecting cities would willingly fall under your rule if you desired it." He stroked her cheek. "Do you understand why it is so important now that we teach you all that we can? That you go to your hearing and win your freedom of your own accord?"

She shook her head, still confused. "But why couldn't I still claim my father's lands and be with you?"

He sighed, "My father and his brother Zeus love each other, that is true... but they also envy one another and fear one another's power and rule. They are all three equals in powers, but Hades very rarely has anything to do with anything outside the underworld. Granted he didn't like the arrangement when he drew the short straw eons ago, but he has grown to love the place and the wife he shares it with. On the other hand, Zeus and my father have been in a silent power struggle for just as long, clashing at every turn. They would never out and declare war on one another... now days... but if you are deemed a free creature, they will both use whatever means possible to sway you to their side." He released her face and leaned back against the stack of pillows, taking a long drag from his wine glass. "I don't want you to ever regret us being together or, Olympus forbid, grow to resent me for taking such choices away from you. My uncle Zeus, favors many of my brothers but he would never have one of us sitting in a position of power within his courts."

Jos furrowed her brows. "So, what you are saying is..." Her eyes sparkled up at him. "I would have to choose between you or my father's kingdom?"

He nodded, "That is exactly what I'm saying. Whereas, if you were to choose the kingdom, who's to say you wouldn't fall in love down the line with someone Zeus would approve of."

She frowned. "You are always trying to dissuade me from being with you." She mumbled in growing irritation.

Arei sighed, "I'm not trying to dissuade you. I'm trying to make sure you fully understand all your options and the full consequences of any decision you make right now." He took her untouched glass of wine and set it on the nightstand with his. Pulling her into his arms, he cupped her face and pressed his lips to hers for a long, passionate kiss. "Use me. Allow me to teach you all there is to know of this world: skills, knowledge, passion... whatever you desire to learn, but keep your mind and possibilities open until you are certain of what you want."

Jos frowned, tracing the curve of his lips with her fingers. "Why are you telling me this?"

He kissed her fingers. "Because I fear my father may try to sway you in his favor, possibly push for something you may think you want now but later grow to regret." He gave her another kiss before turning her in his lap. He leaned forward slightly and took the discarded book from the bed. "Now let's get started." He said as he began to flip through the pages.

Jos nestled against his solid chest. He hadn't bothered putting a shirt on once they'd arrived, so the heat of his chest warmed her more than any blanket ever had. She listened intently as his soothing voice retold the story Homer had crafted so vividly. Even after her eyes had grown heavy, she still forced her mind to stay alert focusing as much as she could on the story as her mind kept wondering to the other things he'd said.

***

They quickly fell into a comfortable routine inside the palace of Poseidon in the days that followed. Jos spent the majority of her days with Scylla and Charybdis learning how to live with the curse and the importance of making the best of the time it didn't consume. They taught her it wasn't something to be ashamed of, that it could be something useful if she learned to control it enough... even the moments of lost control didn't have to be a shameful thing. They tried teaching her how to turn her anger and hunger into something useful.

One night as she laid across his chest listening to the low rumble of his voice as he read, a thought came to her mind. He'd told her several times he loved her now... but had she said it to him? She'd tried showing him several times with her body but lately he seemed to withdraw even from that. She pushed up on his chest blocking the book to capture his full attention. "I... I believe I love you..." She whispered before bending to kiss his full lips. She rested her forehead against his. "I know all that you've said is for my own good... and that you want to leave all these options open for me... but the truth is, the more you say these things... the more you put your feelings and wants aside for me... the stronger my ache for you increases." She pulled away to gaze down into his eyes. "I want to agree to your father's offers. I want to be with you now and not wait until after my hearing."

He let out a heavy sigh. "I'm sure you think that's what you want, but I want you to be sure. There's no rush, Love. I'll always be here whether it's tomorrow or in a thousand years down the road." He brushed her hair back out of her face as it feathered down around her.

She frowned, "But why? Why not now?" Her voice broke, embarrassing her with the amount of whiny need that was evident in it.

He pulled her down for another kiss. "As I've said countless times, you are still young and naïve to the ways of the world. You don't understand yet what you would be giving up. Besides, I couldn't agree to father's proposal with so much still unsaid between us."

Her bottom lip jutted out. "Then say whatever it is already!" She hated the irritation and emotion in her voice but didn't try to hide it this time. "Why can't you just tell me already!"

He pulled her down against his chest as emotions built inside him. "Because I'm a selfish man; and I'm not willing to chance losing what we have right now... not just yet." He released her as he pushed himself up into a sitting position. "Be patient, Kitten, I promise once we are back to Zakynthos, I will tell you everything without leaving out a single detail... and then..." He held her gaze, "And then if you still desire it, we can move forward with father's plans before your hearing."

She threw her arms around his neck as tears of joy flowed down her cheeks. "Yes! I would love that very much!" She pulled back from him. "Can we go back now?"

He laughed at her over-eager response. "Not yet Love. There is still a bit more here I would like to teach you. Plus, it's important that my brother be there for what I have to tell you. He'll not be able to make it there for a bit longer than planned."

She tilted her head, "How much longer?"