𝗜𝗡𝗦𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗔𝗕𝗟𝗘 [𝘼𝙥𝙤𝙡𝙡𝙤𝙭𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙧]

CHAPTER 4

THE PRINCE OF OLYMPUS HAD FAILED TO GET A WINK OF SLEEP.

He was not used to the life of a peasant — that he have been enjoying the luxurious life in the palace. Though his childhood was rough because of Hera and being the illegitimate son of the king of gods, Zeus — the famous Casanova. His youth days —after he ascended to Olympus — had been an easy life. He had everything — wealth, power and women even men to suffice his carnal desires.

Somewhere along the way, he became like his father without realising. He had countless affairs with both women and men. He has lived a life following his flesh desires without a tinge of remorse. But how could he? When he was surrounded by people of his kind —committing the same mistakes in their life.

"You are awake." Y/n spoke out as he stepped out of the room - he had been assigned. " How did you sleep?" She asked out of courtesy, her eyes fixed on the pot placed on the fire.

"I slept well. Very well must I say." Apollo replied with a hinge of sarcasm in his sugarcoated words. The woman just hummed in return and continued to stir the content of the pot with a monotone look in her visage. Her hair tied in a low bun, not a strand of hair falling on her face to frame it and give a delicate touch to it.

No matter how much he observe the woman under his hawk like eyes. He could find no attractive point in her so as to attract the gods. Every mortal who had ever catch the attention of the gods were extremely gifted in their appearance. To say, Y/n was the first average looking person to spark the interest of a god.

"Please have a seat." The lady spoke out finally looking up to meet his gaze for a few seconds.

"Yes, thank you." He took a seat near the fireplace. His mind trying to come up with an excuse to elongate his stay in her humble abode. He could not come up with any excuse as he found it very humiliating on his part to pull it off. He was not ready to face the judgemental look of a mortal especially hers.

"I have prepared some food for you." She informed as she placed the bowl of porridge infront of him. "That you can have on your journey home."

Her sudden kindness caught him off guard. It made him feel somehow ashamed for being so critical of her. Maybe she was not a bad person as he thought her to be. Afterall, even though he was a stranger she had let her stay for the night in her house as well as offered him meals.

"Are you okay, sir?" Y/n tilt her head. He had been staring at her with wide eyes for too long then he should have. He immediately looked away and cleared his throat.

"Yes...mhm...hmmm..." He coughed into his fist. ' what was I even doing staring at her like that?'

"You just seemed to have taken me by surprise." He explained. Still looking away. Y/n shuffled a laugh shocking the prince. Looking at her hard exterior, he had never expected her to laugh in his presence.

"I apologise for laughing." She apologized as she regain her composure. She appeared more relaxed and comfortable in his presence after the laugh. "I just found it funny how my kindness seemed to surprise you like...as if I had not shown you any before by offering you a place to stay for the night."

Apollo parted his lips to defend himself yet no words came out of his mouth. She had a small smile in her visage unlike yesterday where her lips were pressed in a straight line making her look unapproachable and stern. But now that she was smiling a little, she looked more alive in his eyes. A little more warm and welcoming. He did not know why but he felt his stiff muscles relax on seeing the new side of her.

"You don't need to explain anything. I understand, I know my behaviour last night must have somehow created a bad impression on you. I believe especially because of the subject of the god, Apollo whose name you share." She said. "I apologise, I should have been careful with my words. I did not know you were a devotee of the god, Apollo. If I have known I would have kept my opinion to myself."

Apollo did not know quite well what to say in response or feel about her explanation. Though she had apologised for not taking his sentiments into consideration and being outright blunt about her opinion. In the end, she still thought of him as a lustful god. She did not deny it afterall.

He had not lashed out at her the night before only for the sake of his father because she was his father's current mistress. However, now it was not his father who was keeping him from punishing the woman. It was himself. She somehow happened to have peeked his curiosity. He wanted to know why she thought of him as a lustful god. And whether she thought of other gods as the same? Or was it just him?

"If you don't mind, I am curious as to why you hold such a perception of the god?" He finally spoke out.

Y/n blinked her eyes in surprise at his sudden curiousity to know the reason behind her dislike towards the god. "Well... Maybe because of the tales that revolve around him."

"You never know the tales maybe based on false ground." Apollo defended, making her raise a brow.

"So those tales of him sleeping with both women and men alike are based on false grounds?" She asked. "You are a follower of the god, you must be more well informed of how he has been leading his life throughout."

"I don't think those should label him as a lustful god." He replied as he could not deny he did not sleep with those countless women and men. For the first time in his life, he felt cornered.

"I don't mean to sound rude. But if sleeping with countless people does not portrays a person's lustful nature then what does?" She stood up from her seat and straighten her apron. "Anyway, we should not dwell on this subject any futher. It might ignite a debate between us and you might end up being kicked out of the porch." She joked, giving him a small smile.

[UNEDITED]

A/N: THANK YOU FOR READING.