165 Pain of forgetting

Jos's puzzled eyes scanned her surroundings. "Where... how did we get back here?" She asked finally turning to face him.

He searched her for any residual signs of Zeus's poisoning. "What was the last thing you remember, Kitten?" He asked as he sat up and pulled her closer as he brushed his hands over her arms soothingly.

She knitted her brows as she fought the fog of her mind. "I... I'm not sure." Her questioning eyes searched his for answers, but when none were forthcoming, her eyes trailed away. She tried again to answer as best as she could recall. "We... were at the Inn getting ready to... Oh..." Her gaze lifted back to his. "We were coming back here?" She asked. When a frown settled over his handsome face, she shook her head. "No that can't be right... can it?" A frown settled over her own distraught features.

Before he could say a word, she launched herself at him, flinging her arms around his neck. "Promise you'll come back?" She whispered against his throat.

Arei cupped her face, forcing her troubled eyes to meet his. "Of course, I'll come back, Kitten. This changes nothing." He forced a smile. "It only complicates them a bit..." He pulled her into a kiss, his lips curling into a genuine smile when she eagerly kissed him back. "Keep that up and I'll not want to leave at all."

Jos smiled timidly back at him. "Would that be such a bad thing?"

He arched a brow playfully. "It would and I believe you know that." He kissed her lips again as he slid out of her arms. "Minx." He teased as he caressed her cheek. He bent down over the bed and gave her another lingering kiss on the lips. "I'll bring you breakfast. Sweet buns? What do you say?"

"Yum!" She purred as she pushed up on her knees on the bed and wrapped her arms around his neck for another kiss.

He smiled against her lips as he gave them another quick peck before spinning her on her knees. He watched as the beautiful gown she wore spun out around her entangling her legs causing her to fall over onto her hands. He laughed and gave her back side a light tap. "Try to be good while I'm gone." He teased.

Jos flopped over onto her back and worked to untangle the fabric. She pursed her lips into a pout. "Then hurry back... and I may..."

She ran her fingers along the laces of his shirt. "I must not be much of one... I've yet to tempt you into more than mere kisses and touches..."

He shook his head, "You've tempted me far more than that, Kitten. Were I a weaker man, I'd probably given in long before now and left us both in regret."

She frowned as he moved away, leaving her body cold in his absents. "I could never regret being with you." She whispered as she watched him turn toward the door.

He paused with his hand resting on the latch. "You say that now, but trust me love, words have very little meaning once the heart has been pushed to a certain point." He let out a heavy sigh. "I'll return in a while, until then get changed. I left the saddlebags by the table if you'd like to wear one of the dresses we bought while traveling." He watched as her gaze traveled slowly from him to the bags and nodded. "I'll be back in a short while, I promise."

***

The old chair creaked under Arei's weight as he flopped down in the chair. He let his head bounce against the table in irritation. "You have to be joking?!"

Ry grunted from the other side of the table. "Nope... they left right before you got here. Something about asking the Gods for a favor, I'm sure that will go well." He gave a sarcastic laugh.

Arei lifted his head from the table. "A favor? What kind of favor?"

Ry chuckled as he lifted his hand for another drink. "If I had to guess I'd say a divorce for her and a release from service for him, though I doubt either will be granted without a price."

Arei sat up in surprise, arching a brow he asked. "We're talking about Peg and Andromeda still, right?"

Ry laughed harder as he nodded. "Yep. Kid finally manned up, looks like."

"Hum, the hell ya say..." Arei replied. "I'd congratulate them, had they not jetted before I could even speak to either of them about the night before." When the barmaid set a second mug down on the table, Arei took it. Instead of drinking immediately, he sloshed the amber liquid around inside the mug. His eyes focused on the ale as he said in a low tone. "She doesn't remember anything from the past month or longer... absolutely no part of our time at the palace..." A deep frown creased his brow. "Ry, she was so excepting of everything... She got along so well with everyone, and I truly think the things Chary, Scylla, and Aunt Kore said to her helped her accept who she is... what she is..." His sad eyes met Ry's curious gaze. "How do you tell someone they lost all that? How do you convince them of everything while having to tell them all over again that your entire time spent with them has been a lie..." His eyes had already moved back to his untouched drink when another mug bumped his. His eyes lifted back to his brother.

Ry lifted his mug in the air toward Arei. "What we do, we do together." He repeated the phrase they'd said to one another on various occasions, before emptying the mugs contents.

Arei nodded, then emptied his own mug. "I have to get back to her. I promised her breakfast." He smiled sadly as he gazed down into the empty mug. "It's as if we've started all over again... I doubt I'll ever hear my name on her lips again."

Ry sighed and lifted his hand again for the barmaid, but before she could walk over Arei pushed his chair back and stood. "No more for me. You should probably stop." His eyes studied his brother, "And sober up before you head to the lagoon." He nodded toward the discarded empty mugs around the table. "You know that stuff won't change things, it won't bring her back."

Ry shrugged as he took both drinks from the maid. He bottomed one before taking a long drink of the second. "You're right... but it helps numb the pain of the loss."

Arei frowned, his heart squeezing in sadness for his brother. "It's not like she's dead-"

Ry held up his hand. "Might as well be... She's lost to me. I'll never see her again." He tossed back the mug, drowning his sorrows in the frothy liquid.

Arei shook his head, "That is the opposite of sobering up. You know that, right?"

Ry grunted, waving Arei off. "I'll splash around in the ocean on my way there. Run along before your lil lady gets to missing you."

Arei frowned, "Ry, this is important. I need you to back this story. Had you not been such a mess, I probably wouldn't even be in this situation right now."

Ry glared at him, "Then you should thank me, shouldn't you?" He raised his hand again in spite of his brother. "Had I not been 'such a mess' you'd never met your dear 'kitten', now would you? She would either be slaughtered... or mine right now." He chuckled drunkenly. "As twisted as she has you, I can only imagine a night or two with her could work out this pent up... irritation..." He filled in with a glare.

Arei pushed away from the table as he shook his head in pity. "You don't mean that. Had you wanted her; you'd had her. You know good and well you had the chance. That's half the problem now."

The taunting glare faded to a frown. "No... She's more of the child I should have had... even about the same age... same hair color..." A longing smile curled his lips as he stared in reminiscence of the past. His watery gaze was brought back to the present when another mug was placed in front of him. "Another." He said before tossing that one back and draining it as well.

Arei let out a long sigh. "Don't leave us waiting too long, brother. This is important to me... She wants... wanted to marry after her hearing." He smiled, "I'm sure Father already has the celebration planned out, and Kore already has the exact flowers in mind..." He tapped the table. "Last one, Ry, then come to the lagoon. Do you hear me?!" He turned on his heels and headed for the doors, pausing just as they were about to close and called out. "I'm counting on you, Ry."