Betrothed to Apollo

3)A Betrayal

"Give me Love" by Ed Sheeran
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September 30th, 2020

"So, you're engaged to be married?" asked Hermes in astonishment, his hazel eyes quite wide.

This was the third time the god had asked such a question and Apollo was running out of responses. He had known his brother for many millennia, and yet, he had never known the immortal to be more surprised then he was at this moment. Hermes was somehow manipulating his features to hold wide eyes and yet furrowed brows. His shaggy dirty blonde hair seemed to look even more outrageous than usual given his surprise. Or, -the more likely reason – Hermes hadn't bothered to look at himself in a mirror to fix himself in quite a long time. Apollo sighed after a long pause. "Yes, Hermes, I am technically, betrothed."

Was this the fourth or fifth time he answered such a question? Apollo was uncertain. Hermes merely stared at him as if he were unable to grasp the concept that Apollo was truly betrothed. "Wait, wait, wait..." the young-looking god trailed off. His dirty blonde hair was slightly falling into his eyes as he worked to push it back. "So, all this time you were making a pass at my goddaughter, you've been engaged!?"

Was that slight anger across his features? Apollo winced sheepishly. Hermes had a right to be upset, Apollo had been hopelessly in love with the already-married Elle Darrow for years, even before she met her betrothed, Jack Frost.

But it was not as though Apollo had a choice in not telling anyone of his engagement. He himself did not remember these last nearly eighteen years! His deceitful twin made sure of this by successfully stealing his memory of the prophecy from the fates. His rather annoying sister did not wish for Apollo to be fluttering around the child's life as she grew, deeming the experience of the much older Apollo watching over the girl as 'inappropriate.' Therefore, Artemis deemed Apollo was only to be allowed to regain his memory of the prophecy a month before the girl turned eighteen.

That was today, and Apollo only now suddenly remembered he was an engaged man. Also, -in the privacy of his own head – he realized Artemis deserved quite a throttling for her diabolical ways of stealing his memory seventeen-years ago.

"If it helps rectify the situation any, Artemis confiscated my memory of the child's entire prophecy with me," said Apollo rather angrily, his chiseled jaw clenching.

"And what does that mean...?"

"It means I did not wish for our moronic brother to follow after a young child for eighteen-full years if he need not do it because this prophecy is invalid," Artemis sniffed, arriving out of nowhere. She came gliding forward before settling herself cross-legged on the couch beside Hermes. She was dressed in a royal blue tunic with matching metal trousers underneath. Her hunting attire while her ink-black hair was tied back in a low braid. "More than likely, this girl means nothing," Artemis went on, examining her dagger she held. Very rarely was it that Apollo did not see his sister wielding some sort of weapon. Today, was no exception.

Apollo leaned forward, quite the steely gaze upon his face as he watched his sometimes demonic-in-nature sister. "There will be a moment in your future where you will regret your lies for eighteen years, mark my words."

"I am quaking in my robes," Artemis replied evenly, causing Hermes to chuckle. As Apollo shot their younger brother a quick glance, he found the curly-haired god was merely shrugging.

"She has good timing with her comebacks, brother," he explained.

"Damn you both to the underworld," snarled Apollo, standing to pace.

"Do not do such a thing, my son. I pity any soul who be damned to the underworld with Hades during his recent spat with Persephone," Zeus announced. The king of the gods was dressed in his royal body armor. Solid golden layers protected his torso as well as his legs, thick golden gladiator sandals covered his feet. Zeus overlooked the three Olympian siblings. Two sat upon their thrones at the royal council table while Apollo still paced back and forth. The king of the gods frowned, no doubt sensing the tension in the room. "What is troubling you, Apollon?"