Chapter 4

             I was tortured when I realized that all of my senses paralyzed except my hearing. I couldn’t have been sure of how long I was there, but when I heard Apollo’s voice I knew that I had been there for only a few hours. It was peculiar behavior of my God that I had witness, but I couldn’t do anything to stop him. Several different times throughout the night he had apologized for ending my life, but it was the only way that he could keep his light and me safe. 

            I longed for my senses to come back so that I could assure him that he did not need to ask for forgiveness from me. I loved him with everything that I could possibly have so it was not so much to give my life for him. The only thing that I could wish for now was that I could feel his skin against mine, but hearing his harmonious voice was enough for me.

            “I have loved many others in my life, but I swear that with all that is in me that you will be the last. It is in you that I have found the purest of all love. You ask of nothing, but sacrifice your greatest gift for me. I am afraid that my love is the only reward that I can bestow upon you.

            With you I am not a God, angel, nor demon, I am a man with you. Nothing could ever remove you from my heart. You are my heart, my love, my Goddess, and all my goodness. I no longer fear my future knowing that you have my love, and I yours.

            The morning is now drawing near and I must go. I will be back again when the light falls on the land. If you are dreaming, please dream of me.” After several moments of silence I came to the conclusion that my Apollo had left for the dawn.

            In this void that I had become I wondered if this was going to be my life in the underworld. I pondered over what my Apollo had spoken of. With me he would not be a God, angel nor demon but a man. That is not what I wished of him. I only wished to serve him not for him to become something that he should never be. Angel or demon struck me with several questions, but I tried as hard as I could not to think of him as either. But what did he mean by them?

            I was left to my thoughts for the day while I waited for my Apollo to return. My mind wondered to too many of the things that I have heard in the past hours, but I have not understood yet what might happen to my God. The future for him seemed inevitable of a doom because of his father the God of all Gods.

            I pushed all my questions to the back of my mind and tried to open my eyes to see the world that I was now in. More than I wanted to see what surrounded me I wanted to see Apollo tonight when he returned. I needed his radiant light to bring me out the darkness that was surrounding my mind.

            “My Pythia, have you awakened yet?” Apollo’s voice entered into my heart. I tried to answer, but nothing would happen. “My love? My Goddess?”

            I fought a battle within myself, and I didn’t win. I could only picture Apollo standing over my lifeless body. His brilliant light unable to bring me out of death itself. I could feel my body flinch when I heard his wrath, but I wasn’t sure if he was able to see it, “Hades!”

            “Do you need something?” The horrid black voice emerged.

            “What is wrong with her? Why has she not woken?” Apollo’s wrath continued and I could only imagine the scene above me with the light against darkness.

            After a moment Hades’ voice finally brought for an answer for both Apollo and I, “Her heart still beats within her breast. It seems that she has not yet died. She is stronger than you had thought.”

            “Then what is wrong with my priestess?”  Apollo lost his fury as his voice came closer to me. “What have I done to her?”

            “She seems to be in some sort of fatigued state, but you are the God of Healing are you not?” Hades cackled causing chills throughout me. “I think Apollo, it is not what you have done to her, and it is what she has done to you. Your love for her is making you weak. Apollo, you cannot be weak when the time comes. You have to stay focused on what Zeus is doing. Watch him and discover this man that he speaks of.”

            “I am focused, but my nights I wish to spend with her since I am forbidden to stay upon the land. I am forced down here to the confines of your world, and I dare say that I would like to be with the one that I love. So don’t you dare lecture to me!” Apollo’s rage left loose through the confines of the room we seemed to be in. The strength of his voice echoed off the walls, but it was not enough to make Hades stand down.

            “Then why have you not come to me first? Why do you visit her before you attend to keep me informed? I have given her asylum for your information, or have you forgotten that?” The horrid voice had called more authority than anger now. “Do not forget why she is here, or your place in all of this. Remember that you need me, Apollo”

            “Just as you need me as well.” Apollo kept himself against the wrath that he had exposed and spoke solemnly, “Forgive me for making sure that you had kept her safe from all harm before I had given you all that I have received.”

            “So you do have news of what my brother has done, or is planning to do?” The sound of wind flew over me, and stopped suddenly. I wasn’t sure if he had moved or if he moved something.

            “Let me help my Pythia, and then we will talk.” Apollo turned his attention back to me, which I was thankful to hear.

            “Tell me, and then I assure you I will help in any way to wake her from this slumber that she is in.” Hades insisted on getting whatever information Apollo had seemed to gather for him.

            Apollo grumbled and gave in to Hades will, “He has already begun in a new nation, and his plan is to spread it over the entire earth. Many of the other Gods have done as he wished and have given most of their powers to him. My father wishes to be the one and only true God. All others are to become angels, reduce to nothing more than creatures to serve men.”

            “And you do not agree with them?”

            “I have served men before and I refuse to do it again. I am a God!” Apollo’s rage began again as his footsteps paced the floor. “I will never serve men again.”

            “Every man alive should live in fear if you were forced to serve them again. You kept me busy after that plague was sent over Troy.” Hades seemed pleased in the rage that Apollo exalted. “But what of this last child that you have mentioned before, this man that Zeus has spoken of.”

            “He claims that a child will be born. His last child with a human is supposed to be their savoir the only other man to be held as a God.” I could only assume that it was Apollo’s fist that landed on the wall causing the shattering stone the crumble to pieces. “I am a God, a true God, but he wishes to have a man rule over us. I refuse to allow this.”

            “Control yourself, this is my home.” Hades seemed to reply only in instinct as he was deep in thought. “You know of what you will become if you continue on this path.”

            “And that is why I have come to you, and placed my light with my Pythia. I am ready for what may come.”

            “Bree, what are you doing?” I turned my head towards the voice, but I refused to open my eyes. I could see the sunlight shining behind them, and I wasn’t about to open them into the light like that. “You know you have a bed.”

            “What time is it?” I groaned covering my face trying to open my eyes under the cover of darkness. “And what are you doing in here?”

            Dave’s voice continued from the doorway never taking a step inside, “You left your door open, but why are you sleeping on the floor?”

            I sat up slowly glancing at the clock on my stand, “Come on Dave, it is only eight thirty. Why couldn’t you just shut my door, and let me be?”

            “Geez can’t wait to see what you’re like after two weeks of this.” Dave shut my door leaving me alone again.

            I grabbed my pillow and crawled up on to my bed. Propping myself up on my arm, I covered my face with the pillow hoping to block out the light, but it didn’t seem to help. Between the cracks and creases I could see the light coming through. Finally after trying several different ways I rolled over onto my back bringing the pillow to rest behind my head.

            Slowly I began remember the voice in my dream and what it had said. It wasn’t a dream in a normal way. There were no images just the voice. I shook my head realizing that Lucifer’s words were now finding their way into my dreams. I was happy though knowing that it wasn’t as frightening as the last few that I have been having.

            Realizing that I wouldn’t be able to get back to sleep I got up out of bed. At least today I would be able to take my time in getting ready unlike yesterday when I was rudely interrupted. I would have to make it a point to thank Dave so much for calling mom like that.

            By the time that I finally emerged from my bedroom, Dave had already left. I took extra-long with everything that I did, but I still found myself with an hour before Lucifer said he would be here. I sat down on the couch and turned on the TV to kill the time until he would arrive. The news informed me that nothing really had changed since the last time I had watched. The wild fires were still going strong because of the dry summer that spread over the entire country, and Moscow was still burning as well. I tried to fight my eyelids waiting to hear about the oil in the ocean, but I don’t remember seeing anything about it.

           

            “I’m sorry to interrupt, but your father summons you.” I took my eyes from the temple momentarily to look at the woman standing in my doorway. Slowly I rose to my feet and gave one last glance to the temple surrounded by glorious light. I knew he was there right now. It was the only time that the light shined out from it so brightly. If I were to ignore my father’s summons and ran the entire way there I might be able to catch just a glimpse of him before he leaves again. To see the splendor of a god such as him would be a reverie I think. “Please miss, your father was quite insistent on being prompt this time.”

            I nodded and was as slow as I could be making my way through the hallways of our home. As I reached the door it all seemed to be too short still. The servant nodded to my father and continued on her way back out the door. I inhaled deeply and lowered my eyes to the floor as I walked into the room.

            “Isn’t she just as beautiful as Aphrodite herself?” My father’s voice seemed cheerful as he presented me to the man accompanying him, “Do you believe your master would agree with me?”

            “Yes, she is magnificent, but are you certain of her chastity?” The man’s footsteps came closer towards me, “You do understand his concerns with such beauty as hers.”

            “No man has ever laid a hand upon her skin, and if one should before her marriage they would find themselves meeting Hades.”

            The man that was circling me now started laughing quite loudly, “He is not so concerned about men, but the gods themselves. With Apollo’s temple being only a short distance away, he fears that Apollo had been in her bed.”

            “Apollo has never laid his eyes upon me, sir.” I spoke out of turn, but I was not about to be accused of doing such things in front of my father.

            “Perfect.” The man clapped his hands and preceded towards my father, “My master will be coming shortly. So I suggest that we begin preparing.”

            My eyes rose quickly to my father’s questioning him about the words that the man had said, “My girl, you shall be wed tonight. This man on behalf of his master has blessed this house superbly for your hand.”

            I could feel the tears swelling in my eyes as I spoke softly and almost muted, “I am to be sold?”

            “Not sold my dear, married. The riches that my master has given to this house will only be a small portion to the wealth that you will have once married.”

            I rolled over on the couch and stared at the TV momentarily as the knock gently came on the door. Just as in my dream when I spoke it seemed quiet and it was muffled by the sound of the TV. Knowing that he didn’t hear me I got to my feet and shut off the TV. I repeated my words again hoping that they would be louder, “Just a minute.”

            The tapping desisted as I made my way towards the door. After I opened it I found Lucifer leaning against the wall with his arms folded and a huge smile stretched across his face, “I didn’t wake you did I?”

            “Possibly.” I smiled back finally being able to capture his full beauty. His hair that always seemed to block the view of his face was pulled back allowing one small strand of hair falling just over his eye.

            I watched cautiously as he lifted his hand and moved a piece of my hair from in front of my face, “I think you were. So how were your dreams?”

            “My dreams? Better, but I didn’t dream of you, if that is what you were wondering.” From what he had said last night, I was sure that is what he was wondering.

            “As long as they are better,” I was shocked to see the smile to remain on his face, “You might want to get your jacket today, unless you enjoyed last night.”

            “Oh,” I didn’t even realize that I was just lingering in the doorway, “If you want to come in, I’ll just be a minute.”

            Lucifer tilted his head slightly as his eyes seemed to examine me, “I think I’ll wait outside, and give you that minute to freshen up.”

            “Do I really look that bad? It was only a couple of minutes.” My hands instantly went to my hair that he was fixing earlier and began smoothing it out.

            As Lucifer began turning around he voiced his opinion, “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.”

            “What?” I exclaimed, but he ignored me and continued down the stairs. I listened to the sound of his boots going down each step and the door closing before I headed into the bathroom to see exactly what he was talking about. As I glanced into the mirror, my hair was a bit messed up, but nothing else was wrong. Quickly I brushed my hair again. After napping I felt the need to brush my teeth again.

            Once I was happy with the way I looked I grabbed my jacket and made my way outside to where he was waiting for me. Stepping out onto the sidewalk my eyes looked up engulfing the whole picture of Lucifer. He wore faded jeans with a white button down dress shirt with the cuffs undone as well as the first few top buttons leaving his skin just as pale underneath.

            The sunlight falling on his skin seemed to shine brilliantly as though he was glistening. He greeted me again with another bright smile. Slowly I found my way over to him, “Better?”

            “I never said that you needed it, only recommended it. I thought you were stunning to begin with.” Lucifer held out his hand for me to accept to begin on our journey wherever it may lead.

            I stared at his hand for a moment and finally decided to take it, “Liar. You wouldn’t have said anything unless you thought that I needed it.”

            Lucifer’s warm touch felt nice around my skin, but the look that he laid upon me almost stopped my heart, “I don’t lie. I only mentioned it, if in fact that you might not be happy with the way you perceive yourself. I have understood through the years that women are quite finicky about the way the world sees them.”

            I removed my eyes from his for fear that his eyes were going to burn right into my soul. I found my breath as I stared at our hands intertwined together. Upon his wrist I saw under the cuff that he had a tattered piece of pink silk wrapped around it. I wondered if it belonged to the woman that he spoke of last night.

            I was shocked at the words that came out of my mouth as I looked back up into his eyes, but they were in my mind as I saw the band on his wrist, “Have you ever loved anyone since her?”

Lucifer lifted our hands together as we began walking away from the apartment allowing his shirt to fall bringing the pink band into full view. It was as he had known that it is what brought on the conversation. “I have been fortunate enough to feel the sting of Cupid’s arrow, but it is nothing compared to the love that I have for her. It is as though he came down and struck me each day only to find myself more in love with her than the one before. As for loving another since her, no I have not, and I don’t intend to.”

            Our hands fell back into the space between us, and it seemed that my heart fell as well. For some reason I had wished that I could feel the love that he held for this woman. I tried to pull my skin from his but his grasp tightened, “I don’t think this is a good idea.”

            “Do you fear your feelings toward me?” Lucifer stopped in the middle of the sidewalk ignoring the world around us, or at least in this moment, I was. He stood ahead of me and took my other hand in his. Astonished of his words I fell into complete silence, and I removed my eyes to let them fall upon our hands being held together, “Or do you fear that I cannot return those feelings?”

            “I fear what this might turn into.” I yanked my hands from his remembering that he was leaving in less than a week. “Even if you are not looking for love, I refuse to be a fling while you are in town. I am not one who should be confused with such a thing.”

            “I would never ask such a thing of any woman.” Lucifer’s hands fell on my shoulders causing me to look back into his eyes, “Especially one such as you.”      

            I fought the gold dust in his eyes pulling me in, and looked to the ground once more as I demanded his reasoning for seeing me again. “Then what is all of this for? What do you want from me while you are here?”

            Lucifer’s hands slid down over my arms touching my hands faintly, and before I knew it his touch was completely gone as well as him from my view. Part of me just wanted to keep my head down and let him walk away only to forget everything about him, but my heart didn’t wish to part with him. Maybe it was too late to fear the feelings that were beginning for him. The thought of him leaving me here had already bound the feelings themselves deep inside my heart causing my eyes quickly to lift hoping to find him not too far away.

            To my amazement he was no more than two feet from me staring intently at the band that was around his wrist. It now lay within his fingers. He lifted it carefully to his lips and closed his eyes. I didn’t wish to interrupt him, but I felt compelled to apologize for being so rude. As I opened my mouth to speak he held out the pink cloth and his eyes entered into me. The depth within them bound a sense of despair, “You are right to guard your heart so. I want you to take this, and place it around your wrist so I remember.”

            “Remember what?”

            I watched as he grasped it tightly in his hand, “The pain of a broken soul.”

            “It was hers.” I pushed his hand back towards him, “Keep it.”

            “I never wish to see such pain again, and if it happens to fall upon your eyes I fear that it would end me.” Lucifer quickly bound the band to my wrist before I had a chance to pull away. I didn’t understand what he was speaking of because we had only met only days ago, and before I had a chance to question him about it he changed the subject quickly, “We must hurry before you have no time left.”

            “I don’t deserve this.” I lifted my wrist towards him giving it back, “You have to take it back.”

            Instead of taking it like I had hoped he placed his hand in mine, “It is just a piece of material there is nothing deserving about it, but if you wish, please use it against me if I somehow cause you any pain.”

            As he pulled me down the sidewalk I stared at my wrist. If it was just a piece of material like he said then why would he keep it around his wrist and kiss it as though it was something special. Or was it only a piece of material now that it was on me. I tried to push the thoughts from my mind as I tried to keep up with him. Looking around me I realized that we were going through the park, “Where are we going?”

            “Last night while I was walking, I found a place that I think you might like. It is just over here.” Just as he finished speaking he pulled me through a row of hedges and into a group of trees. It was almost as if we had entered into a different place other than in the middle of the park. There between the trees he had a blanket laid out on the grass, “Besides the sound of the cars, this is quite secluded from the world.”

            Lucifer released my hand and walked over to the blanket. I looked over the scene in front of me. This could be taken in two different ways. One it could be very romantic, but I doubt that it was his intentions. Two it could be extremely dangerous being so far out of sight with a man that I hardly knew.

            “Last night I was walking through this very spot and saw the moonlight coming through the leaves. I knew that watching the light during the day dancing upon the leaves and falling down to the ground would be something that you might enjoy.” Warily I headed towards him. He must have read the look upon my face, “We are only a few small steps from the main path. I promise you are safe.”

            A small sense of peace came over me as I sat down on the blanket. “I’m sorry. I’m still trying to understand you and everything that you do.”

            “Please do not apologize for anything.” Lucifer found a seat next to me on the blanket. “Now close your eyes and lay back on the ground. Once you are completely comfortable open your eyes.”

            I did as he said and found myself lying beside him with my eyes closed. I relaxed my breathing when I didn’t hear any movement from him, and opened my eyes to find something beyond words. There in the leaves it seemed as though there were hundreds of gems echoing the light through them letting it fall from the sky. When the breeze would move the branches the light moved over me as though it was dancing. I lifted my hand above me and watched the light touch it. I closed my eyes and felt the warmth of it upon my skin. Something within me told me that I had seen the light on my hand like this once before, but I couldn’t remember it. My body shifted and I turned to my side hoping that it would help with the memory.

            Even though my eyes were closed I could see the light shining in the palm of my hand. I could feel it there with me as I held it underneath the curtain blocking the rest of the sunlight. Hope filled me knowing that the sun still shined after so many years of not being allowed to see the surface of the world. I reached with my other hand to pull the curtain down so that the light could cover me in protection from the evil that held me.

             Lucifer’s voice found itself within my mind as I felt my body being rolled over to my back, “No! Not there, further back.”

            I opened my eyes to find the world still around me, and the light shining through the leaves just as before. I relaxed my muscles until thoughts that were not my own started their way into me. Similar to the feelings that I had earlier, but not quite the same, jealousy or envy I wasn’t sure which one was more present. Hollowness filled me with the thought that he would never touch me or look at me as he did with them. I would never be more to him than a woman escaping her own destiny.

            “You regret your decision?” Apollo’s words filled my heart as I leapt to my feet and bowed in respect. I opened my eyes searching for him still keeping my head lowered. I found that he was lying right next to where I was on the ground under the tree. The light flowing around him caused me to close my eyes for fear that I did not deserve to look upon his splendor now that he was questioning my loyalty. “Lay back down. I only wish to speak to you, not request anything of you.”

            I did just as he said and laid down where I had been sitting for some time now. I wrapped my arms around myself trying to stay as far as I could from him. If I wasn’t regretting my decision as he had asked I was now regretting the feelings that caused him to come to me now. “Your thoughts came to me as if they were prayers waiting to be answered. Now here I am only to realize that you were questioning yourself, not I. Still, I must know, do you regret your decision in becoming my priestess?”

            “I would never, My God.”

            “Yet, here you lay under the leaves rather than out in the direct light allowing it to fill you with the love that I bestow upon the entire world today.” I looked up to the sky again through the leaves blowing lightly in the wind. “Never once did you ever seek shelter from my light. Always you were found basking in love, but now you don’t. Why?”

            I remained silent for fear that the answer would anger him, but after he asked again I felt compelled to answer for the same reason, “There will always be a hundred leaves blocking you from me. I watch as you gently place your skin upon theirs, whispering softly to them. Forgive me My God.”

            “Allow me to remove everything between us.” The light on the other side of my eyelids became so bright. Opening my eyes I found Apollo himself leaning over allowing his locks of light fall over me. The suns that were his eyes stopped my heart and breathing, “I’ve touched you once, but hesitate to lay my skin upon yours again because my heart would never consent for me to love another. Once I heard of Hera’s blessing upon you I waited. The day that you were born I ran my finger so gently down the face of a babe unknowing that with one touch not only would you love me forever, but I you.”

            I gasped for air as Apollo’s fingers ran down over the side of my face, knowing that everything I felt before was because of his touch then. Always I would stare upon his temple wishing for him to come to me, loving the thought of him, but knowing that I would be forever in love with the first man whose skin would touch my own. “I touched your skin and waited almost in agony until the day you graced the temple. You’ve become a part of my heart, My Pythia, just as I am now a part of you.”

            The vision dissolved before my eyes to find Lucifer leaning over me just as Apollo was. There was no smile on his face, and caution within his eyes. “Welcome back.”

            The air found its way into my lungs as my fingers found the pink band around my wrist. Carefully I undid the knot that bound it there, and slid up on the blanket until I could sit up without touching Lucifer still leaning over me. I lifted up the band up handing it back to him, “I have to go.”

            “Please don’t.” Lucifer’s hand wrapped around my wrist tighter than necessary, “It is so easy to run from everything.”

            “Lucifer,” His name stung my tongue as it entered the air. “I can’t. I need you to let me go.”

            My wrist began aching from his grip, but I kept my eyes only on him. “Niveria, I can’t feel anything when you are gone.”

            “I’m not her.” I pushed my body further away from his, and tried to remove my wrist from him. I pulled and tears came from the fear beginning inside of me, “Please, just let me go.”