I Scored Myself A Mate

The returned at the palace. Some of them bloody all of them tired. The group had ran into the thick forest like kingdom. From Allias to Asmodeus the one with big interests and the ones with smaller had decided they would search for Ea. No one wished to see him die at the hands of the vicious demon and thankfully they had reached him in time. 

Theseus was holding his brother's body carefully as they went through the palace's gates. The servants were too scared to approach them. The king who walked in front of them looked angry, a mess once again, covered in blood and not even three days had passed since the last time. The image of the pure and golden king was slowly being shattered in their mind since this person in front of them did not shine, he didn't glow with the light of life. His eyes were angry, his expression a deep frown and when they reached his throne room he sat on his throne his eyes landing on Ea.

"You must be a big fucking idiot to go and do what you did." He said coldly and Ea looked at the floor, playing with his hands. He was embarrassed. He felt like an idiot indeed. He had ran away with the intention of killing him, if he had succeeded maybe he wouldn't be getting scolded. "Look at me"

"I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking, all I wanted to do was find Ares and help him. You would have done the same. I know it." As he heard Ea's reply Allias scoffed, the back of his palm swiping some sweat from his forehead. He hadn't even gone to change his clothes. 

"Ea, you and I both there is a big difference. I am me and you are you." He said.

"Come on now Allias there is no reason to be so mean. He..." Theseus said. They had taken Ares' body away and kept it in the same room they had left Mark. Allias interrupted the general by raising his hand, signaling him to stop.

"No. I am not being mean. I am being realistic. You would have died out there and you would have taken Ares with you. Was that what you wanted?" 

"No, of course not, it's just that..."

"Just that what Ea? Back there ...", He said and pointed intensively towards the ruins with his index finger. "Back there are the graces of my people. Back there thousands of elves we're left unburied and forgotten. Were you planning to become one of them? I won't have any more of my people add to the pile of the dead. I won't allow it" Allias said with tears glistening in his eyes. "You have no idea how worried I was! For both of you." 

"I'm sorry. I really am." Ea said and he heard Allias' sigh. The king shook his head. 

"From now on you will be training with Theseus. If you want to run away and fight on your own we have to make sure you will at least have a chance of winning" he said and Ea's eyes widened.

"Really?" The elf asked surprised. 

"Why me?" Theseus whined and Allias stared at him raising an eyebrow. The general coughed, shaking his body awkwardly. "We start at six in the morning" he told him and Ea smiled brightly.

"Thank you" he told Allias and the king shook his hand.

"Let's go now. Amelia is with Ares. We need to fix him" he said as he walked down the stairs.

"How about you take a shower first?" Mark asked.

"How about no?" 

"You fucking stink" the red haired said waving his fingers in front of his nose. He jumped back when Allias rushed towards him raising his armpit 

"Smell!" He said with wide eyes and Mark pretended to barf.

"He's lost it." His best friend said and hid behind Asmodeus. 

"Let's go." Allias said with a faint smile.

Snow white, the sleeping beauty and now Ares. Princesses and a prince. He was laid on the harsh surface his eyes closed while his face had tear stains. 

Ea walked towards him, a hurt expression on his soft face and he caressed his cheek. 

Amelia was standing in the other side, examining him with her deer like eyes. 

"What can we do?" Ea asked. She was rubbing her chin again, something she obviously did while she was deep in thought. She didn't answer immediately and that scared the small elf. "Is there anything?" He repeated his voice calm, coming out like a whisper.

"The truth is that his soul is somehow locked in his body. They probably tried to undo the spell but since he didn't want to wake up and be with his kidnapper he shut down his body completely. He can hear us, he always has. He probably can't find a way to come back. Basically he is stuck." She said. 

"So what are we supposed to do then?" Theseus asked. He hated seeing his brother in this state. He was supposed to be protecting him but somehow he had ended up in such a scarring situation again. 

"There is not much you can do actually. It's something he has to do for himself. I know it might sound cliche but the best thing you could do is talk to him." She proposed.

"Talk to him?" Ea asked, confused.

"Yes. The voice of the people he loves is possible to guide him back. At the moment it's like Ares is stuck in a maze."

"Can't you get inside his head? Like you did with Mark?" Asmodeus asked her and she waved her head in a negative motion.

"Sadly no, he is too strong for me to do that. Just talk to him. I think it could work, even if it takes a while."

"Okay then" Allias said. "Who wants to be first?" He asked. 

"I know I probably shouldn't be the one asking this but is it okay if I go?" Theseus asked and looked at Ea, waiting for his approval.

"Yes. It's fine" Ea told him with a small smile. 

"Good. Amelia let's go. We will have to close the ends of our deal and you are free to go home. Thank you for your help." Allias said and motioned everyone to get out. Theseus was left alone, hearing the door behind him close.

"Now....where do I start?" He mumbled and scratched the back of his head.