Love Hurts ((ON HOLD))

Chapter XIII

Otho was attempting to explain the origins of the architecture around her, but Malisa was too distracted to pay much attention as they walked through the quiet stairways and abandoned hallways. If not for the lush vases and pristine appearance she would have thought it neglected. But every step through Eros' domain made her feel oddly welcome and strangely at home.

"Does no one else live here?" she asked as they climbed what felt like this fifth level of stairs.

"At the moment, other than Mero and myself, Lord Eros does not have any guests. Except you, now, of course."

"Why not? For being the god of love, he seems rather... recluse."

"Just because Lord Eros is the god of love does not mean he gives it away freely. Rather, on the contrary. Lady Anyma was the last mortal he dared consider a true partner, and even she never stepped foot within these walls."

"Do you know my mother? Or did you, when she and Eros were... together?"

"I did," he said with a smile. "Quite well. Mero and I were sort of messengers while they were courting in their earlier days together, until Lord Eros gained enough courage to venture to the mortal realm on his own."

"Did that bother you?"

"Not at all. It's an honor to serve."

"I bet Mero thinks differently," she muttered under her breath, but not quietly enough because Otho looked back at her.

"Mero is an honorable general and would never betray his lord."

"He acts like he couldn't be bothered."

"He gets bored. Easily."

"With Eros?"

"With mortals."

She rolled her eyes. "Of course he does."

Otho shrugged as they continued on down another window-lined hallway. "When you've been alive as long as we have, the lifespan of a mortal is but a speck in the hourglass of time. That Eros cares to indulge himself with them so often is somewhat of a sensitive subject with Mero, and one best not bridged."

"He doesn't want to anger his lord with his distaste?"

"No— you do not want to anger Mero with yours."

She peered at Otho but said no more, which seemed to be fine with him. They continued through two more stories of stairwells and as many halls on each floor before they stopped at a single door at the end of a long hallway.

"And this will be where you will stay for your time here in the domain," Otho announced as he opened the door. Malisa noticed there were no locks on any of the doors, hers included, which unnerved her after living a life behind lock and key.

Following him into the room— no, more like a suite— the glass-covered lanterns on the walls flooded the room with light, though their efforts were in vain as the main interior wall was nothing but windows, shining in the constant light of dawn.

The walls were a wispy white with accents of pink and grey throughout. Beyond the small foyer, a large four-post bed was situated in the middle of the main space,with doors on either side which Malisa assumed at least one led to a bathing room. There was a small sitting area with two plush chairs and a low table in front of the windows, a desk ready with paper and pens on one wall, and an armoire as tall as the ceiling on the other.

Chancing a glance out the windows, she was as high up as she imagined, feeling like she was floating in the clouds. She could just barely see the yard below where they arrived, and knew that there was no emergency escape through any of these windows.

"Is it always like this?" she asked as she continued to take in the sights. "Continuous dawn?"

Otho walked next to her to take his own look out through the glass panes. "It is whatever Lord Eros deems it to be. He is lord of this domain, therefore he is in charge of the weather, the flora, the fauna, and its inhabitants."

"Is that why no one else is here? So he doesn't have to take care of them?"

"No one else is here because he doesn't want anyone else here. So consider yourself fortunate."

"Ah yes, so lucky." She sighed as she stepped away from the window.

"You'll be able to ask Lord Eros all the questions you will want at dinner," Otho informed her as he walked towards the armoire, opening it with both hands to reveal a rainbow of colorful dresses. "As he said, his home is now yours for as long as you are here. Respect him and his requests, and he will respect you."

"Do you know what's in the tallest spire?"

"I do not, and I learned a long time ago to not ask again."

"So then what am I supposed to do now?" she asked as she collapsed on the bed, finally shrugging her mother's satchel off her shoulder. She was half-expecting a cloud of dust to rise where she fell. Instead, the bed was unnaturally soft and too comfortable to have been from mortal hands.

"That is entirely up to you," Otho informed her as he made one last pass around the room as if giving it his final inspection. "As Lord Eros said, the time is yours, and we will fetch you for dinner when the time is right."

"Will you be joining us?"

"Mero and myself, yes."

She outwardly groaned, causing Otho to let out a slight chuckle.

"I will leave you to it then, Lady Malisa. Might I suggest the library three floors down? Or perhaps the arboretum where we first arrived."

"It's impossible for me to find my way through this maze of hallways all by myself," she protested. "I barely remember how we got here."

"You needn't worry about that— the domain will keep an eye out for you. There's a saying that not all who wander are lost, and Lord Eros seems to have taken it to heart during its inception."

Malisa frowned, still not pleased with the answer, as Otho saw himself out.

"Enjoy your time, Lady Malisa, and I will see you for supper."

The door clicked shut behind him— again, not locked— leaving Malisa alone to consider what, exactly, she'd unknowingly gotten herself swept into.