159 Making a Grand Appearance

Arei chuckled lightly as they left, turning the lock in the door as the last maid fled the room. He turned back to her trailing his eyes appreciatively over the dress his father had sent for her. He brushed a strand of hair away from her neck as he lowered his lips to her throat. Placing a light kiss there as he wrapped his arms around her waist careful not to upset the fabric, he whispered. "It's a good thing you're already cursed." He chuckled as she drew in a sharp breath and turned to him in shock. His smile widened as he ran the pad of his thumb over her crimson stained lips. "I say that because, beauty like yours would cause the wrath of all the many vain and jealous goddesses." When he was satisfied with the smudge proofing of the lip stain he bent and kissed her lips softly. He let his mouth hover over hers. "You are absolutely breathtaking this evening."

She began to say something, but then tilted her head to the side studying him. The bright tent of her rosy cheeks faded to the normal blush provided by the powder the maids had placed there. "And will you be dressing for the occasion, or will you be going like... that?" She asked pointedly pausing and looking him over head to toe before finishing her sentence.

Arei let out a surprised, throaty laugh. "My brother just flew in. We had a chat then went for a-" he thought his words over for a second. "A run."

She arched a brow, "Why do I get the feeling you're not talking about a normal run?"

He shrugged as a boyish grin spread across his lips. "Because I'm not." He gave her a quick kiss silencing any further question she might have. He nodded toward the tub still full of her discarded water. "I'm going to jump in there for a quick minute, then try to find something that can hold even the slightest flicker of appeal beside you tonight. If you'd like you can keep me company." He offered. "Or you could go downstairs and meet one of my other brothers, but I warn you he's a bit of a handful."

She swallowed hard as she watched him work the buttons of his shirt. "I... I'll stay here..." She said trailing the slow, erotic movements of his hands.

"Will you tell me everything?" She asked.

Arei frowned, "I don't have time to tell you all the things you need to know right now, and I still believe it best to wait on my other brother... but I will tell you all you need to know about tonight." He released her and grabbed the chair she'd been placed in while getting her hair and makeup done and placed it by the tub.

"You know the water is probably cold by now." She commented as she sank down into the chair.

Arei laughed. "Seeing you in that dress, trust me, the cold water will do me some good." He turned away from her as he dropped his trousers and stepped into the water. Once he was settled into the tub, he continued. "As I've already told you, my father plans to use tonight's ball to claim you for his kingdom one way or the other... His preferred plan is linking the two of us in some substantial way, preferring I announce an engagement but willing to stoop as low as claiming you as his own lover."

Her mouth dropped, "He wouldn't!"

Arei nodded. "Sadly, he would. It wouldn't even be the most horrible thing he's done... this century." He added. "As you understand, he has left me little choice."

She leaned forward placing her hands over his massive hand resting on the edge of the tubs rim. "You already know my feelings about this. I want to be yours."

He pursed his lips together, "And I want you as mine but fully informed and fully free to choose for yourself. I feel like this is a form of taking that freedom from you."

"But I don't care. It's what I want." She argued.

He nodded. "As we are still on the same difference of grounds about this, here is what I propose. We continue as we have been here in front of my family. We don't lie about our relationship or involvement. It will not give father the instant claim that he so desperately wants, but it will give him the promise of a claim against his brother and your great grandfather Zeus." He flipped his hand over hers and gave it a light squeeze. "Fair enough?"

She thought it over for a second before asking. "So, we can continue exactly as we have been here?"

He nodded, "We continue exactly as we have been. You are free to touch and embrace me as you like- to socially acceptable limits." He added as her eyes dipped to the waters murky surface. He laughed as she frowned at him. "If asked, we simply explain the terms we have already agreed on with the promise of announcing our engagement after your last hearing."

She nodded reluctantly, "I don't understand why it's so important anyways." She huffed out.

Arei released her hand and retrieved the bar of soap. "Because my father doesn't want Zeus claiming such a powerful creature of the sea, and risk Zeus using you against him one day. They have fought over land, power, and subjects since the rise of the Olympians." He ran the bar across his broad chest. "I admit, at this point, there are easier methods of dealing with this... but I still stick to my principles. Your long-lasting happiness and wellbeing is more important to me than my father and his brother's endless power struggles."

She reached out and stopped his hand. "My happiness and wellbeing would be longer lasting if you'd stop being so stubborn. It would be better for all of us."

He chuckled, "Maybe so, but still..." He brought her hand up to his lips and placed a kiss on each knuckle. "As long as we are honest with the guest tonight about our feelings for one another, I'm sure there will be no issues and the night will end with everyone appeased."

At seven o'clock exactly Jos descended the stairs of the main hall, her arm entwined in Arei's. He'd matched the deep crimson bow and cummerbund of his solid black tuxedo to her mesmerizing crimson and gold dress. All eyes in the room rose to her. He knew exactly what they were seeing and smiled to himself as he thought back to first walking into the room and seeing her earlier. The dress was primarily transparent sheer with minimal crests of fabric covering each breast individually before trailing down each side of her ribcage loosely merging with the scant material of the attached bottom half. The same flowing material covering her breasts began as a small peak center her hip bones and dipped low exposing the sheer connecting fabric exposing the vast majority of each exterior thigh before wrapping around to cover equally as little of her back side as the front. The free-flowing fabric at her sides billowed out hinting of the enticing sheer running from her collar bones, down the long length of her arms, down her narrow waist and over her exposed hips and thighs. The exquisite, intricate black and golden beading strategically place along the sheer fabric did little to hide the flesh below. If anything, it only added to the erotic appearance. The large pattern center her chest and stomach only drew the eyes there first before the glistening stones set into the patterns framing her breast and wrapping around her hips dazzled the viewer. It had been everything in him not to rip the damn thing off her and take her right there in the dressing room, ball be damned.

Jos tightened her grip on Arei's arm. "I... I change my mind. There are too many people. I want to go back up to your room." Her horrified eyes moved from the crowd below to him. She leaned in closer. "They are all staring."

He smiled down at her. "Because you are beautiful tonight." He untangled her hand from his arm and lifted to his lips. He smiled warmly down at her. "There, our first open show of affection already out of the way while everyone watches." He tucked her hand back around his arm. "Now let's go put all the hard work you've done over the past three years to use and show them what a cultured beauty you've become."

She nodded timidly. "O... Okay..." She murmured, worry heavy in her voice. She gripped his arm tighter and forced her feet forward.

"Welcome beloved guests!" A booming voice called out from the open landing above them.

Jos turned to see Poseidon dressed in a stunning traditional Greek toga bearing a large portion of his chest, legs, and arms. A top each shoulder, sat massive gold-plated metal, arranged to resemble armored scales of a fish. A thick belt surrounded his waist with another heavy golden plate hanging to protect his groin. Beside him was a beautiful white-haired woman with pale skin and an ethereal presence. The rich golden fabric of her dress was embroidered with dazzling golden beading and sparkled with the shimmer of hundreds of diamonds imbedded into the beaded patterns. It clung tightly like a wet silk from her breasts all the way to her knees where it spread out into a stunning flourish flowing into wide layers resembling that of the fancy tails of the mermaids she'd seen around the palace. The top dipped low, nearly running to her navel and was held in place by several straps crisscrossing across her chest and shoulders, each embellished with more gleaming gold and shimmering diamonds. They both wore golden crowns a top their heads. Many of the guests bowed their heads as others lifted the glasses in their hands toward the pair.

"Honored guest!" He yelled loudly. "I could not resist holding such a gathering as it has been too long since I've welcomed so many of my children home at once." His eyes moved across the room landing on each of his children who were present before settling on Arei and Jos frozen in place on the stairs. "And to see them so happily settled, I couldn't think of a more joyous occasion than a ball to celebrate." He took two glasses from the maid who stood behind them out of sight, handing one to his wife beside him. Raising his glass, he called out. "Raise your glasses in celebration with us tonight in welcoming old family and," His eyes fell on Joslyn again. "Hopefully new family." He held her gaze for a long moment before turning his attention back to the crowd. "Charybdis and Scylla, who are home for the winter; Triton and his glowing wife Merial who are expecting a child come spring; Pegasus and the lovely Andromeda, may your relationship always baffle the majorities; and my dear son Rion and his new found treasure Joslyn... The Kraken."

Muffled gasps echoed through the room as Arei narrowed his eyes up at his father. Leave it to the man to not only out right declare Jos the kraken the very first thing, but also out him as a liar and fraud in front of everyone. The only upside to it was that he didn't have to worry about anyone unintentionally calling him Areion in front of her. He glanced down at the white knuckles gripping tightly into the fabric of his sleeve. "Are you alright?" He whispered down at her. Terrified eyes met his and her head shook back and forth. He placed a comforting hand against her cheek to calm her. "It will be fine. I'll be here by your side the entire night. Don't worry."

She nuzzled into his palm. "I... I just really wish he hadn't introduced me as 'The Kraken'... What if people hate me because of it?"

He smiled warmly down at her. "No one here will fault you for that. We are surrounded by individuals who have done far worse than you while retaining full cognitive abilities."

She swallowed hard past the lump forming in her throat and nodded. She turned her attention to the crowd below as his hand lowered from her face to rest over the hand on his sleeve. As soon as their attention was turned to the now silent crowd, applause broke out followed by encouraging cheers of welcome. Arei leaned down to whisper, "See, Kitten, you will always be welcomed and accepted here. Here you are not a monster, just another one of us. No need to worry."