Death and Storm

The First of Death's

Three years after the last Olympian Ball.

I did not give up on him. I just couldn't, but I've been in so much pain.

"Are you sure about this, Meli?" Tanong sa'kin ni Dionysus.

Tumingin ako sa baba kung saan naroon ang mga apprentice ko. Inutusan ko silang mag-train ng kanila dahil nga kakausapin ko si Dionysus.

Storm Letum looked up at me, then winked. Hindi naman ako nagpaapekto. He was winking at me while he was holding ladies in both of his arms.

I unconsciously looked at the bracelet that he gave me twenty-one years ago. He gave me this so that I would have memories, but then I guess memories suck. Sa pagitan naming dalawa ay ako lang ang nakaka-alala ng nakaraan. He is only a reincarnation, after all.

Sana ay hindi nalang din ako nakaalala kung ganito lang din naman pala ang mangyayari. It's like I'm begging him for love.

"That jerk. Paano niya nagagawang hawakan 'yang mga babaeng 'yan? You're engaged, right?" Inis na tanong sa'kin ni Dionysus. After some time, naging close kami ni Dionysus. Maybe because we both had mortal blood?

"Pinilit ko lang naman siya. I didn't want to lose him, that was why I did it," sabi ko.

"Bakit hindi mo pagalitan 'yang mga apprentice mo? They're slacking off, Melizabeth!"

"Tss, kahit naman pagalitan ko. Thanatos- I mean, Storm would always use his charm on me. Kaya nahahayaan ko na rin sila. You know we're all fools in love, Dion," wika ko habang pinagmamasdan parin si Storm na nakikipagtawanan sa mga babae kong apprentice.

I'm starting to regret recruiting pretty apprentices. For sure, pinagtatawanan na ako ng mga 'yon. Everyone knew that Storm would be the Prince of the Underworld, my fiancé, yet here he is, playing with girls. Probably fucking them when I'm not around.

"Bakit ba naman kasi inaya mo agad siyang magpakasal?"

I shrugged. Hindi ko rin alam. Maybe I missed Thanatos so much, that's why I wanted to marry Storm. Hindi ko naman alam na playboy pala 'tong Storm na 'to. Napakalayo sa ugali ni Thanatos.

"Can you damn stop looking at him, Melizabeth? Nakakaawa kang tingnan, puta. Napapahiya ka na naman e'," wika ni Dionysus at hinawakan ang mukha ko para iharap 'yon sa kaniya.

Hindi ko namalayang tumutulo na pala ang luha ko, kaya kaagad niya iyong pinunasan gamit ang kamay niya.

Napapahiya ka na naman. Na naman. Of course, I remember one time in the Underworld. Masaya kong dinala roon si Storm para ipakilala kay Persephone at Hades. The two of them became my family during the eighteen years of my life. They treated me well.

"Princess!" Bati sa'kin ni Hades. Nagulat siya sa taong nasa likod ko, so I winked at him.

"Thanatos?" Tanong naman ni Persephone. I shook my head immediately, at mabilis na pinulupot ang braso ko kay Storm.

"This is Storm Letum, my fiancé."

Nagulat naman kami nang biglang suminghap si Storm, as if hindi siya masaya na pinakilala ko siya sa kanila. Then after a while, naglahad kamay siya kay Persephone.

"Persephone, Queen of the Underworld. I am Storm Letum. It is a pleasure to meet you," wika ni Storm kaya't bahagya akong natuwa. At least he had manners to respect the Queen... or not.

Tinanggap naman ni Persephone ang kamay ni Storm, pero nagulat ako nang halikan niya iyon at kinindatan si Persephone. Mahina siyang nagsalita pero pakinig naming lahat 'yon, "It would be wonderful to be your King."

Nasuntok kaagad siya ni Hades. Persephone was shocked, and I was too. Napa-talon ako nang marinig ko ang malalim na boses ni Hades, "Get him out of my sight, Melizabeth. Now!"

I nodded. Lumuhod ako para hawakan si Storm, at sabay kaming nag-teleport pabalik sa sarili kong isla. He laughed then, "I did not know that Hades was a jealous God. Sayang. Nasa harap ko na si Persephone."

Nabigla ako sa sinabi niya. So he was really hitting in Persephone? I felt a pang on my chest, but then naglaho rin 'yon ng makita ko ang dumudugong labi ni Storm.

Kinuha ko ang panyo ko, at marahan iyong dinampi sa sugat niya. He looked at me, and I can't help but drown. Para akong hinihigop ng mga mata niya. He let out a sound of pain when I accidentally pressed his wound hard.

"I'm sorry," wika ko. Umiwas na ako ng tingin sa mata niya, at inayos ang pagpupunas ng dugo.

"Are you really serious on marrying me, Goddess Melizabeth?

Napatigil naman ako, at muling napatingin sa mata niya. Why was he asking this all of a sudden?

"Yes. Bakit mo naman natanong?" Nauutal kong sagot. Kinabahan ako bigla sa tanong niya. Didn't I look serious? Did he think I was joking? How could I?

Umiling siya at mapan-lokong ngumisi, "Why would a goddess suddenly want to marry a mortal? It's just strange."

"Ayaw mo ba?" Hindi ko mapigilang tanong.

"Nah. It's actually nice. Biruin mo 'yon I'll get a title nang walang kahirap-hirap," sabi niya at tumawa.

That was the first time that I started to doubt. Siguro nga ay pumayag lang siya dahil isa akong diyosa, at prinsesa ako ng underworld. If I wasn't, pumayag kaya siya?

Well, I didn't break the engagement. Kahit alam kong hindi naman talaga niya ako mahal. I was too scared to let him go. I was scared that he would truly choose others than me. Hindi ko yata kakayanin 'yon.

Madalas ay napapahiya ako kapag kasama siya dahil lagi siyang makikita na kung sinu-sinong babae ang dala. At first I was jealous, and I would always be mad at him.

"I'm your fiancé, for underworld's sake, Storm! Why would you kiss the Semideuses?!"

He chuckled, and bent down to equal my gaze, "Why? Would you like a kiss, Princess?"

Akmang hahalikan niya ako nang umiwas ako. Why should I let him? Nahalikan na 'yon ng ibang babae? Why the underworlds would I let him kiss me?!

"Ayaw mo naman pala e'. Just let me be, Princess. Nabo-bored ako. Gusto ko lang naman ng mga makakausap," sabi niya at muli na naman akong tinalikuran.

I could not count the amount of times that he's done that. The other Goddesses felt bad for me. They pitied me more. I was actually sad and alone when Thanatos was not around, but then I was pitiful when Storm Letum came.

The most painful thing he said was this, "I'm just engaged to you, Princess. That doesn't mean I love you. Let me do the things I want if you really want to marry me."

Is this the price for Thanatos' sacrifice? Should I really suffer loving Storm Letum?

"Meli," muli naman akong napatunghay nang malambing akong tawagin ni Dionysus.

"Do you really want to do it, hmm?" Tanong niya at napa-iyak nalang ako. I was tired of the hurt. I guess, even a Goddess can get tired too?

Dionysus pulled me into his arms, then hugged me tight. "I'll help you, Melizabeth. Stop crying over that jerk."

Ngumiti naman ako nang malungkot. Tama naman siguro ang magiging desisyon ko. Pansamantala lang naman muna 'to.

I'll break off the engagement, and leave the Olympian World for a while. I'll give him what he wants, and I will help myself move on.

I'll just accept the fact that Storm cannot love me the way Death did. After all, Death and Storm are two different names and things.

The storm was just a reminder of death.

Death and Storm
By lostmortals
Plagiarism is a crime.

Thank you for reading!