Strange Love

Ithaca, Greece 1566

The gentle roll of the green covered hills of an island filled Jos's sight as Arei guided their boat along the white coastline and the many protruding landmasses. She laid across the front of the small vessel letting her hand drag through the water. Countless sea creatures swam about below the crystal-clear sea. Several different types of sea dwelling birds skimmed over the waters, diving down into its depth when something enticing caught one's attention. Jos let out a content sigh. "I like boats." She stated simply, turning her attention to Arei as he continued maneuvering the sails.

He laughed, "I'm glad to hear it, Kitten." He sent her a playful grin, "I have to admit, it's a lot more enjoyable with you. I've never seen someone so excited to see new things. I hope your joys will carry over to land."

She tilted her head. "Why wouldn't it?"

He groaned as he forced the sails to turn them into one of the wide bays. "Because this land is thought for the longest time to be your father's home. The people built statues and dedicated land in his name."

She frowned. "Is it his homeland?" She set up and turned her full focus to him.

Arei shook his head. "No. There is part of the larger island beside this one that was your father's actual home, but because the lands now connect people don't see it as an island thus refusing the likeliness of it being his home.

Jos's brows furrowed more. "How is it no longer an island? How is that even possible?"

Arei sighed. "Call it one last slap in the face by my father. Poseidon crushed most of the island with a massive earthquake. The landmass that connects the two islands was a direct result. Most of the homes and other structures where lost and buried." He pointed toward the docks. "This is the town of Vathy. We'll be staying here a while. If you'd like once we leave here, we can go on to Paliki but I warn, there's not much left to see there."

"It's so pretty here, much cleaner that the last town or the town I'm from for that matter." Her eyes glided over the numerous buildings lining the stone walls of the docks until they landed on a statue.

"That is a statue of your father." Arei said, following her gaze to the massive statue.

"Why do the people like him so much?" She asked. "I mean only the gods have statues... right?"

Arei readied the sails for the docking as he answered. "Not always. He was a great warrior. Much of the trojan war was won thanks to him. The gods favored him lending him extra attention with the people." He leaped onto the dock and quickly tied off the boat before reaching down for her hand. "Leave the bags for now. We can come back for them after we've found a room."

Arei chuckled. "Yes, it is nicer than most places you've grown familiar with." He walked over to the main counter and waited for the elderly man to finish filling a mug. "A hot meal and a room, Sir." He said as he waved the man over. The man nodded and took out two more mugs. Once they were filled, the old man slid them across the counter to Arei and Jos.

"Food will be up shortly, if you'd like to find a table." He said before moving toward the kitchen area.

Arei whispered as he walked them to a table by the open windows. "I doubt we'll be asked, but if for some reason it comes up, keep with the same story. Alright?" She nodded and sat down in the seat he held out for her. "It's nearly dark, but I thought we could take a short walk around the bay before calling it a night. What do you think?"

Jos smiled and nodded in excitement as a barmaid set two trays in front of them. Her smile widened as she watched him dig in, letting out satisfied moans as he did. "You always eat like a starved animal." She laughed.

Arei chuckled as he swallowed down a large bite. "Maybe because I know what it's like to be a starved animal. Besides, it takes quite a bit of nourishments to keep up with all this." He waved a hand around his body, indicating his massive frame.

She giggled. "I suppose you're right." They continued the playful banter until Jos was full and Arei's plate was empty.

He stood and reached his hand down to her. "Ready, kitten?"

She nodded and took his hand as she pushed up from the table. They made their way to the doors of the inn and out onto the cobbled stone of the street. He led her around the wide bay of Vathy explaining various aspects of the town and the surrounding lands as they went. "And this is my favorite spot." He said as they neared a rocky beach with tented cabanas set up against the walkway. He pointed out at the setting sun over the distant hills, its brilliant rays reflecting off the waters adding vivid color to their clear blue depths. "It's nothing out of the ordinary to see hippocampus playing here." He said as he led her to one of the covered seating areas. "With any luck, we may see some tonight." He set down first then gently tugged on her hand urging her to join him.

Jos's eyes trailed over the waters longingly, "I'd much rather swim than sit, but I suppose it wouldn't be proper to go back drenched would it?" She let out a sigh and lowered down in front of him.

Arei adjusted their positions, spreading his legs wider and pulling her back against his chest. "Yes, this time of year the humans would find it strange but not to say we couldn't go for one tomorrow or the next day when we'd have enough time to dry."

She nodded. "Could you tell me more about my father? Why is he so famous here?" She thought back to another statue they'd passed on their short walk here as she rested her head against him and let her gaze skim the glistening waters.

"Hum, of course I can." He said following her gaze out to the waters and stroking his long fingers over the bared flesh of her arm. "As I said he was a great warrior. It was his plan that won the Trojan War. The Spartans quickly realized the walls of Troy were strong and not easily breeched. Odysseus talked the men into building a massive horse and left it outside the main gates of Troy with men hidden inside. The men remained inside late into the night as the people of Troy celebrated what they thought was the surrender and retreat of the Spartans. Once the town had fallen quiet the men quietly climbed from inside the horse and opened the gates for the waiting troops. They laid seize to the town killing nearly everyone save some women and children thus ending a ten-year fight."

"Hum... I see... What started the war? Was my father involved in that as well?" Jos asked her eyes still focused on the waters as she listened to the soothing rumble of his voice echoing in his chest.

"He did not. It was started by some of the gods and their constant tampering with mortal affairs and volatile emotions. Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite got into a disagreement over a damn apple of all things, and not wanting to be bothered by the goddesses bickering, Zeus sent the matter to be handled by the trusted mortal, Paris of Troy. As a reward for siding with her, Aphrodite caused a beautiful but married woman named Helen to fall in love with Paris. This was the cause of the war."

Jos furrowed her brows as she turned confused eyes up to meet his. "All over one woman? That seems a little drastic. Why not accept her leaving... especially if she was in love with another."

Arei stroked her cheeks with the pads of his thumbs. "Because she was married to a king. It was a slight to him and his kingdom. There are always consequences to being involved with mortal royalty and matters of state. It's why we, demi-gods and the gods... for the most part... try to stay neutral. Unfortunately, it's not always a simple task and many times the gods will get involved and order us to fight for their cause. Less frequently, a demi-god will get themselves involved with such mortals and unintentionally cause turbulence."

She scrunched her brows closer together. "How so?"

He sighed, "In different ways. Sometimes it's as simple as having a child with the mortal giving birth to a divine child." When her brows scrunched even more, he explained. "A divine child is a child born of a powerful demi-god and a mortal. The children for all intents and purposes are mortal, but they tend to possess powers other mortals do not. Thus, making them stand out as superiors and the leaders they are born to, more powerful in the eyes of the people. Achilles, who died during the Trojan War, is a good example of this. His mother was one of my father's favored nereids. She fell in love and married a king. Achilles, their son, was considered a great and powerful warrior unable to be bested by mere mortals... That wasn't the case, however." He brushed a strand of hair behind her ear.

She turned in his lap. "What about children between two demi-gods?"

He frowned as he continued stroking her face with his thumbs. "It depends..."

She pressed her palms against his lap and pushed upwards to level their gazes. The weight of her question lingered in the air. "It depends on what?"

He let out a heavy sigh. "The child's usefulness to the gods... the powers of the parents... many things..." He stroked her cheeks as he searched her eyes. "Yet another thing you should consider. Any child of mine would most likely be pushed into the same servitude as my brothers and me." It pained him to admit such things, but she needed to know. He forced himself to add. "You may not realize it yet, but you are also an immensely powerful creature. There is a chance after your review the gods will make similar demands of you."

She shrugged, "Even if in the end I have no choice, it would be better to know I'm being sent out after something or someone... verses simply waking up with no knowledge of the horrible things I've done, only the ghostly remnants of death and destruction surrounding me on some desolate beach somewhere." Tears stung her eyes as she recalled the many times she'd awoke to such things, knowing she was the one to blame for the littering of bodies and wreckage blighting the otherwise beautiful sands. "I don't like being a monster... I don't want to be a creature people despise and fear..." The tears streamed down her face as she averted her gaze.

He pulled her tightly against his chest nestling her head under his chin and holding her tightly. "I understand, kitten. I promise you; I'll do what I can to keep you from having to do such things again but that means accepting your form and learning to control it." He tilted her head up to meet his gaze. "Would you like that? To try and learn to control it?"

She frowned, "We've tried before and it was a complete failure, remember?"

He bent down and kissed her lips. Whispering against them, he said, "You've tried yes, but that was before we became more emotionally involved... before you really understood yourself or emotions." He kissed her lips again. "I believe we can use your emotions to control that side of you."

She smiled brightly up at him. "Do you really think so?"

He nodded. "I do. I'll admit, I've had reservations about our involvement right now but if something good can come of it then I'm all the more willing to try."

Her smile fell and she pushed against his chest, holding herself at arm's length to better study his expression. "You... have... reservations about us? You... you mean you still don't... want me..."

His eyes widened, "NO, kitten! That is nowhere near what I meant by that! My only reservations are in pushing you for things you may not want... for the possibility that I'm not who you want..."

"But you are!" She argued, interrupting him.

He shook his head, "You can't know that, not right now. I'm no more than your jailer... It's quite common for prisoners to form feelings for their capturers. Encouraging you as I have, isn't healthy for you. I shouldn't be doing it, and yet, I can't seem to keep my hands off you..." He leaned down and kissed her lips again before resting his forehead against hers and holding her eyes. "I promise you, at the end of this, if it is in fact me you want. I'll never leave your side. I'd do everything in my power to keep you safe and happy no matter the consequences to myself... but I want it to be your choice. I want... I need you to choose me."

Jos wrapped her arms around his thick neck and pressed her lips to his. "I've already chose you. I already want you."

He shook his head. "No, you haven't, not really." His words were heavy and carried a foreboding air. "We should head back before it gets too much later."

She let out a sigh and nodded. Standing, her gaze traveled back to the water. She gasped as something broke the surface of the water. "Oh wow!" She exclaimed in fascination.

Arei followed her gaze to the two hippocampus leaping from the water under the pale moonlight. Their multicolored scales glittered majestically beneath the bright beams, and their joyful neighs could be heard in the now quiet surroundings. "They're amazing, aren't they?" He asked wrapping his arms around her waist and resting his chin atop hers.

She nodded under his weight. "Yes, they are! I can't believe I've never seen one."

He chuckled, "Not surprising, actually. They are very reclusive creatures. As a son of Poseidon, I can interact with them easily enough. But for someone who isn't, they are very rarely seen. I could take you for a ride on one if you'd like... not tonight but maybe tomorrow or the next day?"

She nodded in excitement. "I'd love that!"

He smiled and kissed her forehead, "Then it's settled... and if you'd like I'll show you my father's kingdom." She nodded in barely contained excitement. He laughed. "Then you need to get your rest, Love. What do you say?"

She nodded and took his hand, all but skipping back to the inn. "Can we go tomorrow? First thing in the morning?"

He laughed, as he followed her up the stairs. "Yes, kitten. If that's what you'd like."

She nodded her head eagerly, practically dancing with excitement. She bounded into the room once he opened the door and flung herself onto the soft bed with her arms widely spread.

Arei laughed as he arched a brow in mock scorn. "Aren't you bathing first, before bed? It was a long journey here." He continued to tease her as he pulled his shirt over his head and tossed it onto one of the wooden chairs surrounding the table, before walking slowly toward her. He watched as her eyes raked over his broad chest. The pink tip of her tongue darted out to run over the fullness of her slightly parted lips. He pulled the tie of her cape exposing the soft leather of the sexy tribal dress underneath. "Come, I'll help you bathe." His voice came out gruff, the ache of need evident in its depths.

She held her hand out too him and let him lead her to the waiting tub.