Nyctophilia

10 - consequence

THANATOS had been avoiding everyone. He was not one to enter into others business but upon hearing the name Apollo it's hard to turn the other ear. He was not pleased with what he had overheard. 

He could only hold a grudge against him. He thought back to many years ago when in his darkest time there was no help. 

"How can we trust a God with enough power to kill us all!" Apollo yelled. "In the midst of our battle he not only killed the entire city but weakened us!" 

Some Gods nodded in agreement with Apollo. Thanatos kept his head down, shame was all he felt. 

"May I remind you he has been nothing but loyal to me for many years. He has just gained power he does not know how to control. If we can find a solution you Gods would not have to fear." Hades scowled. 

"Hades is right," Athena spoke up, "We have dealt with powerful being before why can we not accomplish this now?" 

"Last time we banished them to the pits of Tartarus." Apollo sneered. 

The Gods continued to argue while Thanatos could only bow his head in shame while the metal dug into his wrists. 

Thanatos could never forget how much Apollo resented him for have a bigger power. The Gods felt he had leverage against them. The sun God was jealous of him. 

"Apollo has asked for your hand in marriage." 

The words made a shiver run down Thanatos spine. Thought of Alina marrying that coward make his blood boil and his eyes turn darker. He felt the need to protect her from the God. He was more deceptive than anyone had thought. He could convince you to do whatever he pleased. So he feared for the girl that he had watched over. 

Alina was not easily convinced. It made her infuriated that Apollo had the audacity to ask for her hand in marriage without a simple conversation with her. She had met him all of once. 

"There are many stories you have not been told."  

Alina laid in her bed staring at the painted ceiling. 

Her father's words rang in her head. She didn't know much about the Gods. Persephone had told her some tales of the perils of Achilles or the story of Helen of Troy but never about the Gods themselves. Were they hiding something from her? 

She didn't want to ask her father, she had made a point to avoid him at all cost. She couldn't ask her mother for she was with Demeter working on the harvest. She would still gone for months. 

In the morning, she decided, she would make her way back to the library. It was stocked full of books that surely her father would have some on their stories and legends. She made her way down the halls as she carried a cup of tea. Her bare feet carried herself on the cold marble, platinum hair flowing behind her. 

Suddenly she was knocked to her bottom, her tea splashing all over her gray dress. A puff of white smoke around her. She looked up to see none other than Apollo himself brushing himself off. 

"Oh dear! My apologies Miss. Alina." He said offering her a hand. 

She took it and stood up. "It is quite all right. I'll just need to change my clothes." 

"It's harder than it seems to get in the Underworld. I would have announced my visit but I didn't know even know I would make it today." He said with a frown, "and now I have spilled your tea on you." 

"My father makes it hard for anything to happen around here. Please excuse me while I change. I was headed for the library if you'd like to talk there. It is just down the hall to your left." She smiled.