APOLLO
‘’I thought that you couldn’t interact with mortals’’I said, crossing my arms while Aphrodite rested on my head. She did not reply.
‘’You were back to the lake too,’’I frowned with my eyes looking up.’’I never expected you would fall for someone mortal.’
She went before me. I did manage to make the lake dressed in hemlocks fast for her to lay her eyes on such a gift but I did not manage to see…why am I thinking like this? I could feel my body rising from heat just by the thought of…
Aphrodite began to chirp now sitting on my shoulder.
‘’She is just a mere mortal.’’
She chirped again and I thought that she was frowning.
‘’A mere mortal who is killing me.’’
She kept looking at me and…was the bird…smiling?
I gritted my teeth as I raised my shoulders
and she flew away once more.
I narrowed at the sky as I was sitting back in the forest, waiting for the sun to fall. Still in my disguise, still looking mortal. Taking the name of a fallen prince seemed right at that moment. He was a friend once, and so did the…
I shut my head from that thought as I tried to remember that foolish woman’s face.
I am an Olympian. I have people sacrificing their animals and their own blood for me and I take everything from them in return. I look after them. I started and finished wars, I saved people and I punished the people who defied me, and she…
She had a way with words, crafting them, using them against their opponent. She even almost succeeded in charming a king.
Was he a brother of mine? He looked nothing like ‘Father’. He was not terrified to be adored by him or a brute or…
I sat down on the grass and faced the green, getting a sweet dance by the wind.
‘’What am I doing wrong?’’I whispered and returned to the woman. Six months. The winter solstice. Was it what ‘Father’ actually wanted me to observe? What will his foolish mortal son do to my ‘prophet?’ At first she had a kind face at my side. It all felt so easy. I could manipulate her, I could be on her side, taking that tall brute’s place. I was so close I could see it so clearly. And then when I was once more she looked at me with a face of disgust. She backed away. I took the form to charm her to make sure I could be close to her,
There was a friend of hers with a dagger earlier. Being on my side, asking me questions, and starting to talk. I just simply smiled at her and her cheeks flushed. And the woman backed away with disgust.
I pulled my hair back.’’That bitch’’I hissed and moved my head back before a blade appeared in my throat.
I kept a calm expression as the knife now moved with that man from before smiling at me wickedly. I was close to the mortals for less than a day after a century. And he was the worst. Disrespecting everything I had built, my temple, my existence. He was probably as bad as her.
‘’What do you want?’’I asked with a frown.
The man pulled the blade away from me and took on his great height,’’ Who are you, stranger?’’
‘’Is it important to you?’’I asked with a wry smile.
The man laughed, and as he was moving a tingling sound of coins was coming near his belt.
‘’I saw you how close you were with the prophet’’He said with a mock on his lips. Now that I had a better look at him, he was an attractive man. That brute with the woman too was not an unpleasant sight seen. Oh, why is every person ruining my life attractive?
‘’Are you jealous?’’I asked with a grin curving my lips. His brow twitched with surprise.
‘’What?’’ He gasped and I stood up, moving to his side.
‘’Well, I understand everyone would like to be close to an Oracle of Apollo.’’My hand rested on his shoulder before moving to his chin, lifting his gaze to me.
‘’Or maybe…you were envious of her’’I gasped dramatically. ‘’Of being close to me’’My eyes snapped.
‘’What are you talking about?’’His brow kept twitching his face turning deep red with his eyes moving slowly down.
I knew it.
‘’Oh do not be shy, now’’I grinned.’’Where I am from love is no sin’’
But the man did back away, still all flustered. Even he was caught by it and yet…
‘’What about ‘that bitch’’ Of yours?’’ The priest asked with a grin.
I frowned. So he did listen.
‘’So close to her and you call her like that?’’
What did my father want now?
‘’Maybe we can help each other out’’He suggested.
Oh?
He moved now from his belt a sack with drachmas. He tossed it to me and I caught it fast.
I opened it and looked at them.
A smile curled to my face.’’What do you want me to do to her?’’
‘’Whatever you please.’’
My eyes snapped at that thought.
‘’Oh, do not be mad now’’The man walked around me.’’Just like you, she is lying about being a follower of ‘’He scoffed.’’ Apollo.’’ His hand moved with his sleazy hands touching my shoulders. His mortal hands touched me.
‘’You can kill her, make her fall to the monster’s stomach.’’
Monster? The snake was mine, my son. Python was my son. I wanted to speak but the man now whispered so close to my ear, an idea that made me even more furious.
‘’Prove in another way that she is no priest-’’
‘’Don’t you dare’’Anger crossed my entire body as I looked at his pathetic mortal face.’’Touch me filth’’
His eyes darted. How dare someone like him try to make me do something? Give me money? Do I look so pathetic? I threw his bag back on his face and he fell down with a shout of pain.
‘’You’’He tried to speak but my hand found his face, grabbing it tight.
‘’My prophet might desire to kill you but me’’
I let out a scoff, watching the fear on his face growing more and more. How much I wondered what he could be thinking?’Oh, I have so much worse things planned for you.’’
I returned to the temple but none was inside as I was holding a heavy sack. I kept walking around and around until I spotted a room with a door almost open.
There she was. On her knees, looking on the other side of a pathetic little girl. She looked worse with her bruises while the woman was treating her.
‘’What happened yesterday?’’She asked the woman.’’Is my mo-’’
‘’Your mother is on a trip’’The woman said to her. Clearly a lie. Was it that girl that the priest mentioned before? The one from that burning house?
‘’Did she leave me?’’The girl began weeping.
‘’Yes’’The woman made a long pause and began to stutter as the girl kept crying more and more.
‘’But’’She stammered.’’She will come back, I promise. Apollo told me so.’’
My eyes kept close enough to her as she said those words.
The little girl sniffled.’’He did?’’
She replied with a nod as her hand cupped the little girl’s cheek. ‘’But until then, you need to promise me something really important.’’
‘’What?’’ The little girl asked her.
‘’You must tell none what happened last night or let anyone else outside the temple see you alright?’’
The girl nodded with a smile but she then turned to me, pointing at me with her shaking little finger.
The woman narrowed before turning to my side and her face losing its playful color. I raised my hand calmly and smiled.’’I just arrived’’I lied to her and entered the room as she was standing up.
‘’Paris what are you-’’
‘’I came here to see you oracle’’I said gently. The woman took a deep breath and turned back on the girl, telling her to stay inside before she walked on my side and shut the door fast.
‘’You should not be here.’’She rasped.
Should the missing girl be then?
‘’But I need your vision oracle. I am begging you.’’I went down on my knees dramatically, wishing that Aphrodite had not seen that moment.
The woman rolled her eyes.’’Get out’’She demanded.’’My god doesn’t want fake followers.’’
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I smiled as I stood up and watched her leave.
‘’Does your god need profit?’’I asked with my hand reaching for the bag with coins and I shook it up to make a sound. That caught her attention fast and she turned her head immediately to my side. One more deep breath before walking to me and taking the bag of drachmas.
She lifted her head up and looked into my eyes.
‘’I see your life will have a beautiful future’’She lied with a face of disgust.’’And it will start when you leave the temple. Tell your master that’’ And she walked away with the money.
‘’You really believe.’’I scoffed and took one more step only to see the sun was an hour away from falling down.
‘’I am not here to spy on you oracle’’I admitted. That was the only truth I could tell her.
She turned once more, covering her veil even tighter as she moved once more to my side. And with her wounded face, she looked once more in my eyes. Was she trying to think of another lie?
‘’You will not find what you want’’Her words seemed to move without any thought.’’It is not here what you seek’’She said once more.
What? I needed to ask what she meant. Is that another lie? Or was it something actual that she knew about me? But she bowed to me and walked away.
‘’Wait please’’I begged her but once again she was far from me. But this time, she stopped and turned on me with a smile. A devious venomous smile. What kind of woman was she?
Someone like her I would just deal with it like I usually did. Make my sister hunt her, turn her into a plant or animal, or even…A thought came to my mind but I could not even finish it as she moved to my side.
I could make her fall for me, couldn’t I?
‘’Listen I do not care if you believe in me’’She rushed back at me, poking me with her finger. ‘’But do not try to make my life harder as it is. Dion does it already.’’
What was this? How dare she? How could she talk to me like…
Why did she start crying?
Tears fled from her good eyes as her cheeks had now a heavy shade of red.
‘’I am sorry’’She said.
Sorry?
‘’Uh’’I said like I couldn't say anything. Why was she crying? Why didn’t she stop crying?
‘’I am just interested in your talents’’I said my lie once more but this time with no smile on my face. Why was she crying? She did destroy my life. She should be crying only for my mercy.
‘’I was looking for a temple to serve’’I kept with my lie again.’’And I heard about you…that you help people’’
‘’Zeus Temple does it too’’She wept her tears but still had red on her face.
‘’Yes’’I narrowed and tried to look away.’’But I never liked him as a God. King or not, I preferred this one’’ A smile appeared on my face.
The woman‘s brow arched. ‘’I see…’’
‘’And you do not believe me’’I let out a laugh and turned back to the sun. How fast it was going down. My hands began shaking.
‘’How about this?’’I clapped my hands together.’’You will-’’
‘’Who is that?’’A voice squeaked from behind me. Turning back I saw a little boy staring at me with all light on his eyes.
‘’Leon, why are you out?’’The woman’s expression turned more heated as the boy kept staring at me.
‘’Is this the homeless guy that Myrto talked about?’’The boy with the name Leon pointed at me. Why is everyone here pointing?
The woman rushed to him and was ready to speak but I caught her.
‘’Homeless?’’ I gasped with a smile as I was hiding my shame. I thought I picked the bright colors right, making me look rich.
Leon nodded.’’Yes, Lyssandra told Myrto that there was a homeless charming man stalking her and..’’
The woman covered his mouth fast.’’I never said that’’She laughed and turned on me as I kept smiling.
‘’Charming? My, oracle, we just met.’’ She stood up as she was still holding Leon's mouth. Was it her kid? No, impossible. Even if she was a liar I do not think that she would make something to blow her cover. The woman was smarter than she looked.
‘’You did not speak about the homeless part?’’She grinned at me.
I wanted to say that I have a home and I would like her to visit it. Maybe send her to Olympus and have ‘Father’ punish her as he pleases….No, I should do it myself. Punish as I please.
So I stayed silent. Leon managed to get out of the woman’s hand and smiled at me.’’Can he stay here?’’
‘’No’’The woman synced with another voice coming from the other opposite side once more. Turning back I saw that charming brute moving to us with anger on his face. Anger made him look even more charming.
‘’Why are you here?’’The man asked.
I smiled at him and studied his body.’’I just wanted to ask about my fate’’I admitted and turned to the woman.’’ Isn’t that right Oracle’’
Her face became stiff as she stood on her height. ‘’You should leave’’
‘’Can’t he stay?’’Another flirty voice echoed.
‘’Isn’t he hungry?’’One more but it was almost silent like a whisper.’’Stay with us for dinner.’’
‘’Will you help her fight the snake?’’LKeon spoke again. And then I saw one more expression coming from the woman. Terror. So that was the reason she was crying? Fear.
That expression that she will meet one of my own children…
It will be so delightful.
‘’I will’’I admitted with a smile at her. She blinked and I could see a restrained smile.
Her eyes snapped wide as the brute of a man grabbed my shoulder tight.’’Get out of here.’’
‘’Is this how you treat someone who is willing to help?’’
‘’How you can actually help?’’
‘’You will surprised what I can do.’’
‘’We won’t need an extra weight’’His sword but the woman stopped him by just calling his name. Adamantious was it then. He seemed to be an actual soldier and had no way with words. He was trying to speak formally to the woman when I was around but he was forcing himself to do it. Not because he knew the truth. But because he did not want her to be like that.
‘’If he wants to help he will prove it tomorrow,’’ The woman announced with a cold look.’’Now, he could leave’’She lowered her head once more and walked away with that man following her.
I kept smiling as the kid Leon rushed away from me, waving goodbye. I heard the dagger woman groan from disappointment while the shy one was still asking why couldn’t I stay. But I was already gone with one glimpse at my statue. My sculpted eyes were watching me, as if I was an actual mortal.
The sun had now set and my form returned to my original. When I was in Troy I had taken the disguise of a warrior for years before that woman found the truth/ Now, I could only remain as Paris until the sun fell.
I was back in the forest with Artemis rushing to me worried.
I hugged her tight as she rested herself on me.
‘’Oh, you are fine’’She gasped with relief. Why wouldn’t I be? Why are mortals treating me like equal or lower? Why is my own blood treating me like a fragile creature?
I pushed her away as her eyes were looking at me with fear.
‘’What happened? Is the woman…’’
‘’She is just a mortal’’I said rushing to the others.’’A mere arrogant stupid mortal’’ I shouted for the entire valley to here.’’
‘’Apollo’’Artemis sighed but I backed away from her once more. I looked to the left and saw Ares crossing his arms while Aphrodite was sleeping on his shoulders.
‘’Tell her’’Rage filled my body as I pointed at him’’To stay away from my business.’’
His brow arched.’’I will tell her nothing.’’He stated.
‘’Wait’’Artemis galloped to our side.’’She can be near mortals?’’
Ares crossed his arms and tried to avoid our gaze with a put but then, he let out a breath, giving up.
‘’She is a dove’’Ares replied.’’She can’t harm anyone so yes.’’
My brow twitch.’’ Doesn’t matter she must stay away from my business.’’
‘’Does she?’’ Ares stood up softly so he wouldn't wake her. Now as he was standing at me for a slight moment I could feel my body ready to break. Is this how minor gods were feeling when an Olympian was standing in front of them? Threatening them? But Ares was also banished, weakened so…
‘’Forget it’’I spat at him and kept walking away.
‘’Apollo what happ’’Artemis tried to reach me.
How could I tell them how weak I was feeling? How mere everyone was treating me? How she was…
No, I should punish her now. Slowly tormenting her would be a waste. Then, I shall watch over the son that Father cares now more than.
‘’Paris?’’ A voice echoed from the nearby valley. The woman. I knew that for sure.
I held my word with everyone looking at me. I jumped to one of the trees while the rest transformed. Ares to a snake and Artemis into a silver deer. I kept myself in the darkness while the woman kept her pace in the forest.
She was covered with the veil with none else on her side. I could do it, couldn't I? Kill her now. No, No, kill her. I would do something far worse.
‘’Oracle’’I gasped with a dramatic tone, still trying to charm her.’’What brings you here this hour?’’
Her head seemed to try to find where I was, looking left and right and then at the trees. but she then looked down.
‘’I brought your cloak back,’’ She said.
My cloak? Right, I gave a piece of fabric. She let it down with something that looked like a basket.
‘’You can come closer ‘’I suggested to her with a smile as my fingers took a small branch of the tree and formed it into a daffodil. Drug her. Drug her and take her to my child to feast upon. When she opens her eyes, she will see me and only me, and I will enjoy every expression of despair she will make. Maybe someone would sculpt the image of her in stone to see it in the centuries they would come. But she is not important to be remembered, is she? Her expression will stay with me and only me.
I licked my lips as she was actually coming closer.
‘’If you want’’She stopped and looked at the tree.’’If..’’She corrected herself.’’You actually can help us out on it, you can come to the temple’’
My eyes snapped.
‘’Come and live in that…’’In that ditch?
‘’Unfortunately, you will have to sleep with the other two boys but it won’t be that bad’’She said after.’’But you won’t be homeless.’’
I let out a bitter laugh.
‘’What is funny?’’She asked, confused.
I stepped down from the tree but I was still dressed in darkness. Next to me was my sister, facing me with her ears flipping up and down, trying to tell me something.
‘’You are a strange oracle’’I gasped.’’You give someone like me a home?’’
The woman frowned.’’Well, you said you would help me, didn’t you? Or you were lying just like your name?’’
My eyes snapped wide and saw that Artemis had also moved away. So she knew that I was lying? Could she…
‘’How did you find out?’’
‘’I didn’t’’I replied with a quick grin under her veil.’’You just told me.’’
She lied? She…
I broke out laughing, which shocked everyone. Even her. She did have a way with words after all. She knew how to manipulate everyone, even a god, and yet.
‘’I will think about it’’I replied, restraining my laughter.
The woman nodded as she walked away once more till she became one with the forest.
I got out of my hiding and took out the cloak that I gave her earlier that day. I could feel my lips still holding the grin.
I hated to admit that Hermes was right. She was entertaining. The way she was speaking to me, referring to me so lowly…it was actually refreshing. I looked at the daffodil in my hand and I made it vanish.
Artemis’ hooves echoed from behind me.’’Would you like at least my advice?’’She asked me dryly.
I turned to her but this time no smile. Arss now moved back to this form while Aphrodite was flying in his direction.
‘’Whatever you plan, do not torment her. Do it quickly.’’
I chuckled.’’Did you catch feelings for her so quickly?’’I asked. ‘’Caring about her pain?’’
There was no return of humor from none of them. As if they knew something more than me.
‘’I care about your pain’’