Ares-
The servant boy cleared his throat as he stepped forward with the scroll in hand. I gave him a brief, sharp look, silently telling him to read. I was still processing the weight of what had just passed between Kamaria and me, but the reality of the message demanded my attention.
The servant unraveled the scroll, his voice low and clear as he began to read:
"To my son, Ares, Lord of War,
I trust this message finds you well. Know that Phila will be coming to stay in Olympus until the wedding. You and she will be sharing the bed as part of the custom and tradition—an important step in your union. It is essential that you both become acquainted and comfortable with one another in this way. I expect you to honor these customs fully.
As is the practice, you must go to her home to retrieve her personally. This gesture is a sign of respect and adherence to tradition. Go without delay, as she will be awaiting your arrival.
Hera, your mother."
The words hung in the air, and my gaze darkened. Phila. The woman my mother and the gods had chosen for me, the one I was bound to by both blood and custom.
I exhaled slowly, my mind already working through the implications of her arrival. She would be staying with me until the wedding, and the bed would be... shared. I glanced over at Kamaria, noting how her breath had caught at the mention of Phila. There was no hiding the tension in the room now.
I turned back to the servant, my voice low and commanding. "Prepare my transport. I leave immediately."
The servant bowed quickly, but before he could retreat, I caught his eye. "You may go."
As he left, I stood up slowly, my thoughts swirling. I could feel Kamaria's gaze on me, but I didn't turn to meet it. There was too much to sort through—Phila's arrival, my mother's demands, the constant pull of my own desires. But as I moved toward the door, I paused for a moment, letting the silence settle.
"I'll return soon," I said, my voice softer than I expected. "Stay here."
With that, I left the room, my mind already fixed on what lay ahead—another step I had to take, another path I had to walk. And though I knew what I had to do, a part of me couldn't shake the feeling that nothing would ever be the same again.
Kamaria-
As Ares left, the door slamming shut behind him, I felt an overwhelming silence fill the space between us. The tension he left in the room clung to me like a thick fog, and I could still feel the heat of his presence lingering in the air. But it wasn't just him that consumed me now. It was the mention of Phila.
Phila. My chest tightened at the thought, and for a moment, I wasn't sure why. I'd never been one for violence. It wasn't in my nature to hate, to wish harm on anyone. But the moment those words left the servant's mouth, something dark sparked inside me. A desire to lash out. To hurt the goddess.
It made no sense.
I knew Ares was bound to marry a goddess. He was a god. She was a goddess. They were both part of a world I could never belong to. A world where gods and goddesses made their own rules, where their fates were sealed long before they even had a chance to choose. But that didn't make it hurt any less. It didn't change the way my chest squeezed at the thought of her.
Why did I feel this way?
Every bone in my body screamed in protest against the idea of Phila. I hated how those feelings made me feel, like an entirely different person—a person capable of things I couldn't even bring myself to understand.
Shaking my head, I forced myself to breathe, to focus. I couldn't let these thoughts consume me, couldn't let them take root. They were irrational, unworthy of my attention.
I left Ares' room and made my way to the lower quarters where Baba, Ogunyemi, and I stayed, trying to shove thoughts of Phila to the back of my mind.
It wasn't easy.
But I had to try.
When I stepped inside, I found Baba sitting beside Ogunyemi, a soft smile on his face. It was a sight I had missed—the sight of Baba smiling was rare.
"He's stable," Baba said, his voice filled with a quiet relief. "His breathing has improved, and he's moving his hands and legs a little now."
I couldn't stop the smile that spread across my face, a genuine one this time. Five days. Five long days of uncertainty. But now, there was hope. There was progress.
"That's good," I said, my voice thick with emotion I couldn't quite suppress. "That's all I need to hear."
For now, that was enough. The rest could wait. Ogunyemi was improving, and that gave me something to hold on to.
I took a deep breath and sat beside my father, watching over Ogunyemi. I didn't have the answers to all the questions in my heart, but in this moment, I knew I had something worth fighting for.