Emerald

Powerless [Mature]

§Kharon§
Mature and triggering content

I smiled at the sight of Medusa enjoying my silly story "Queen Anne loved to read, and her favourite books were the ones forbidden. Yes, she was a beautiful woman, but her intellect surpassed any other of her good qualities."

"It sounds like you were in love with her," Medusa commented.

I shook my head "I was fascinated by her and her strength and her mind...I will admit that looking at her wasn't a hard task, but I was never in love with her."

Medusa's smile grew into a grin "Did you ever converse with her?"

"Oh yes," I nodded. "Most afternoons we would take a walk around her garden with Elizabeth and talk of things that fascinated and tormented us; we were great friends — rarely had a woman treated me as kindly as she did, just as you have."

The woman in front of me seemed confused "How so? I saw those women you brought here be kind to you."

I chuckled "Perhaps I chose the wrong word. Fondly, that's how Anne Boleyn treated me, because her care was not carnal, but sentimental and intellectual; she cared for who I was and not for what I could give her, my dear."

"Is that love, Kharon? Is caring for someone's mind and sentiments, love?" Medusa asked with red cheeks as she played with her fingers.

For a moment I was quiet, trying to come up with a correct answer for her question "Love is a lot of things, Medusa. I've seen it in the way Hades opens the door for my sister Azrael, in the way my sister so delicately bathes my nephew every night, in a mere glance Athena and Ares share; but also in much more serious situations such as the times parents have forsaken their lives for the ones of their children." My explanation astonished her "But if we were to put it in simple words: yes, your definition is correct."

She placed her right hand on my thigh, seemed impatient to ask further questions — I could see it in her eyes "May I ask you something personal?"

I nodded "You can ask me whatever's on your mind at any time, Medusa; I will always answer to a friend."

Medusa smiled "Have you ever been in love?"

"That is quite the personal inquiry," I replied, causing her to look down.

She shook her head "I'm sorry for overstepping, it was never—"

"No no," I reached for her hand and she immediately looked at me. "I meant it with no reproach — I only pointed out the obvious, my dear, I didn't mean to scare you or make you feel
ashamed. Please forgive me."

Medusa nodded "I'm sorry, I'm just used to the opposite reaction."

"You have nothing to be sorry for," I shook my head. "And the answer is no, at least not in the way I think one should fall in love. Have you?"

She shook her head as she gently caressed my hands "I loved my faith for the gods, but was never in love with it. Though I had promised myself to dea Athena for the rest of my life, I always fantasised about falling in love and having a platonic relationship with said person. Now all I think about is that I should've dedicated my life to finding someone who would want to spend their life with me."

I cleared my throat "I don't want to break your illusion but love isn't everything in life, Medusa; you speak of it as if it were the only road to happiness, when it really isn't."

Medusa was born in an era in which the only possibilities a woman had were either getting married or becoming a devotee for whichever God or Goddess, so I understand her mentality.