Chapter 187 - Dreams like a fairytale

The sounds of laughter roused Jos from a restless sleep. She sat up in bed pulling her knees against her chest and resting her head on them as she wrapped her arms tightly around. Remnants of the beautiful shimmering blues of a ball with the melodious lull of an orchestra assaulted her mind. Were they memories or were they no more than mere dreams? She tried to recall the faces that had been around her or any of the details, but it was all a blur. She let out a heavy sigh with her head still rested against her knees. The laughter got louder as the bedroom door cracked open.

Arei peered around the edge of the door, pushing it the rest of the way open and walking over to the bed. "You're awake. How are you feeling?"

Jos turned her head to face him, leaving it resting against her knees. She shrugged her shoulders as she fought emotions she couldn't explain.

He sat down on the edge of the bed, stroking a strand of her hair behind her ear as he spoke. "Do you remember what happened earlier?"

Jos's eyes widened as thoughts of the beautiful white-haired man and the equality attractive woman giving her seeds... lotus seeds... She sat up and her eyes and hand both fell to a tiny plastic bag that had fallen out of her pocket.

Arei's eyes followed her actions. "What are those? Did my brother give them to you?"

Jos sent him a shocked look. Was there a point hiding it? She squeezed her eyes tightly closed. "I need to know the truth... the whole truth..." She met and held his stormy eyes. "Whether you're willing to tell me or not."

He nodded his head letting out a long sigh. "If anyone could help you get them back, it would be Peg since he was involved in you losing them in the first place. How do they work?" He asked nodding down to the packet.

Jos swallowed hard, not expecting this reaction from him. "I drink one in tea once a week for a month." She said holding the baggy up and pretending to study the seeds, but her gaze continued studying him from below her thick lashes.

He nodded again his focus on the bag. "I would love to fill in all the information you seek, but there are so many parts I would be forced to leave out... and so many parts that would be too painful for either of us if I were to recall them." He took her hand which held the seeds in his. Stroking the side of her open palm with his thumb, he said. "I'm going to warn you now, taking these may make it hard for you to share this apartment with me." He ran his free hand over his hair as he looked away. "We had something very special at one point, and if you think the memories you have now are painful to deal with..." He let out a long sigh, "Trust me when I tell you, knowing every detail of what happened doesn't make it any less painful."

She lowered the bag and held his gaze. "I still want to know; I have to know. I can't go on wondering what of my dreams are real and what are just wishful fantasy."

He drew his brows together. "What do you mean?"

Jos continued holding the intense gaze of Arei's stormy hazel eyes that held more traces of blues and greens than of the faint yellows and browns that were predominant in Ry's. "A simple yes or no... Have we ever been to a ball together?" Her thoughts trailed back to the dream. "Like the most elaborate indoor pool with glass floors and waterfalls from hidden overhead walkways." A faint smile spread across her lips as she stared up at the dark ceiling. "Magical horses leaping from the glowing waters and beautiful dancers preforming on ropes from a star filled sky..." She shook her head and her smile faded. "That can't be real... right?" Her troubled eyes turned back to his.

Arei fell to his knees on the floor beside the bed. When she scooted and set her legs over the edge, he rested his head on her knees. His chest heaved as he fought to catch his breath. "Do you remember anything else from that night?"

Her eyes widened as she stared down at the long chestnut hair brushing her thighs. Her hand trembled as she reached out to brush her fingers through its silky length. "So... so that was a memory?"

He only nodded as he slowly released his chest and stroked the calf of her leg instead. When the silence became unbearable, he finally choked out, "That was the ball Father through to... to celebrate your presents in his court..." He lifted his head to meet her eyes. "And the night I told you the truth about who I was and about Ry... and asked you to marry me..." His eyes fell back to the floor the second her eyes widened, and her hand went still in his hair. "Your memories were taken that night shortly after..." He couldn't force himself to finish what he was going to say. {Shortly after you said yes...} The memories of that night and the days to follow had haunted every single hour of his wake and sleep for the past 520 years. All that he'd lost in those few days would always outweigh the horrible tasks Zeus had ask of him for the 500 years after. After that time, he'd gotten used to such horrific jobs, working with the council on their worst cases had actually been a vacation of sorts. He pulled his head away from her carefully avoiding hurting her hand that was still frozen in his hair as he stood. He didn't face her as he held a hand down to her. "My brother and his wife are in the living room, if you'd like to talk with them. You guys got along well the last time you met, and Andromeda has been dying to speak with you now that she's off work."

Jos couldn't shake the shock from her face, but she would have to wait until later to process what he'd just said. A fragment of her heart eased. Seeing how much pain that one past memory had caused him left little question to the reason he didn't want to talk about it. She would have to find her answers elsewhere. She took his hand and let him lead her out of the room. The beautiful man and radiant woman were standing as they entered the kitchen.

Peg's eyes met them moving quickly to their linked hands before back to their faces. He struggled against a wide smile that was spread across his handsome face. "We were just about to leave... wasn't sure if you'd be back anytime soon." He winked down to the smiling brunette beside him.

Arei's voice came out as a low growl. "It was nothing like that." He didn't take his eyes off his brother as he said. "Jos, this is my younger brother Pegasus and his wife Andromeda. Don't let his pretty face and sweet words fool you, again. He's just as much of a scoundrel as the rest of the sons of Poseidon."

Peg forged hurt. "How could you introduce me like that! I'm nothing like the rest of you." He said trying his best to sound offended as the brunette beside him laughed happily.

"Oh really? So, you didn't pretend to be a horse until your, at the time, best friend's wife found out otherwise then pretended to be gay after. Just to be able to stay as close to her as possible?" He finally turned his gaze to Jos. "Just as bad as the rest of us."

Jos covered her mouth as she giggled along with the brunette. "Did that really happen?" She asked.

Andy nodded still laughing as she approached Jos. She held her hand out for Jos to take. "Oh yes! We should send the boys away and let me tell you all about it!" She leaned in close to Jos's ear. "You never know some of it may help bring back your memories."

Arei rolled his eyes. "I already know about the lotus seeds, there's no point in whispering about it."

Andy chuckled as her eyes moved to his hand that still gripped Jos's. "Is that why you refuse to let go of her so we can go have girl talk time?"

Arei frowned as he reluctantly released Jos's hand. "Can you blame me for not wanting to leave her alone with either of you?" When the woman's smile fell and her bottom lip began to tremble, he let out a heavy breath and pulled her into a hug. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean it... well I did... but I know you guys had no choice." He held her out at arm's length. "Thank you for helping now." He glanced over at Jos. "Maybe..." He whispered under his breath.

Peg came over to where they stood and pulled Andy against his thick frame with one hand and patted his brother's shoulder with the other. "I agree with Andy. Why don't we go get a drink? There seems to be some things you'd like to get off your chest, and I know the girls have a lot to catch up on." He bent and gave his wife a kiss. "See you in a bit, love."

She smiled wistfully up at him. "Love you, Pony."

Three sets of appreciative female eyes followed the brothers out the door. Once the door was closed, Andy captured both of Jos's hands in hers and backed toward the sofa where Shelly still sat. "I know you've bound to have questions, everyone does when they find out."

Jos nodded, surprised by the woman's open familiarity. "I do actually... about you and Pegasus and about... about Arei and I..." She lowered her head in embarrassment as she said the last part.

Andy pressed out her bottom lip. "Oh no, dear. Never be embarrassed of love."

Jos turned red. "I'm not sure if I would call what he and I have... Love... or even like... I'm not sure how I feel about him and I'm not sure it will ever really matter. I love someone else."

Andy searched Jos's face for a long time, before finally releasing a heavy sigh and pulling her down into the seat beside her. "I don't know what the two of you have now, but I can promise you it was love then. Maybe I should start by answering your questions about Peg and I, and maybe then you will understand a bit more about what it is to be with a son of Poseidon."

Jos nodded as she shot a glance over to Shelly. She sat back on the sofa and patted her lap. Without hesitation the wolf rested her head on Jos's lap. "Have you eaten yet this evening?" She asked the wolf.

Andy interrupted. "We had pizza, there are leftovers in the oven if you'd like some."

Jos shook her head. "Oh no, I'm not hungry." She nodded to the wolf. "My friend here is pregnant and spent most of the past months sick, so we have been trying to push food as much as possible now in case the morning sickness returns."

Andy nodded in understanding. "Pregnancy can be a nasty business, but always worth it in the end."

"Do you have children, Andromeda?" Jos asked.

Andy smiled. "Call me Andy." Her smile faded slightly. "And yes... I have children... with Peg and my ex-husband..."

Jos could feel the blush spread across her cheeks. "I... I wasn't going to ask about that."

Andy shrugged. "Why not? Everyone else does. After all, nearly everyone has heard of the story of him and Peg rescuing me. Perseus and I getting married was no secret either. The shock only comes when people find out that Peg and I are now together and have been for over 500 years."

Jos's brows shot up. There was no way it was coincidence. "5... 500 years?"

Andy nodded her expression growing serious. "Now you understand why I think you should hear my story, yours is also interlaced with it. Had Peg and I not seen how fast love could be pulled apart in our world, we probably would have continued indefinitely with our twisted lies and muddled friendship."

Shelly's head lifted as she and Jos exchanged looks before turning their full attention to Andy. Jos stroked her hand down the length of Shelly's soft fur. "We are both very interested in sure. Begin at whatever point you'd like."

Andy nodded down to the wolf. "Well as you've probably read in history books and whatnot, my husband released Pegasus from the prison that was his mother's cursed w.o.m.b. He flew free as a winged horse, knowing no other form. He was so thankful to Perseus that he swore allegiance to him. Shortly after, he helped Perseus save me from a rock where my family tried to sacrifice me to a sea monster sent by Poseidon. Between this and the way his mother had become pregnant and then cursed, Peg did not like his father at all. Not knowing what to do with a princess that was thrown out by her people and in the bad graces of one of the main three gods, Perseus offered marriage and I accepted. I didn't discover Pegasus was in fact capable of human form until several years later and what a discovery it was..."