Four days passed as Aides remained in Mount Olympus for the trial. During his time away, I had tried to summon the 3 Fates but to no avail. I ventured into the library to find a book or map; anything that I could use to break the curse but it was no use. The sting of the sword still lingered against my flesh no matter where I tried to hide it.

----

I felt a sensation of relief wash over me as I sensed the reassuring warmth of Aides as he scooted into the bed behind me, caressing my neck with his lips. He pulled my waist against his body, making sure I felt his proximity. He was the only thing that could pacify my fear. 

"You're back" I whispered; my eyes still faced the dark fabric on the walls. I was too fearful to face him knowing what rested just beneath the bed. 

"I didn't mean to wake you" he breathes, pulling me deeper into his front. I turn to face him and wrap a hand around his cheek before we attack each other with longing; hungered by our duration apart.

"I missed you" I confessed, looking into his handsome features with regard. His eyes traveled to probe my features, taking me in with attention. I had not been able to sleep these past couple of days...the sharp sting of the sword always jolted me awake.

 Why couldn't I tell him?

"I missed you too" he confesses kissing my lips again. I force my lips into a smile and stare into his eyes as he whispers gently into my ears. "Poseidon was not found guilty."

"I am glad you and the others saw the error of Zeus's ways" I hint.

"And he is on probation for a year" he confesses through a satisfied smirk. 

"Impossible" I gasp, waiting for him to change his tune but he was serious. "No deity ever thought they'd live to see the day Zeus got in trouble," I smirk.

"It was Medusa's testimony that seemed to cement Poseidon's innocence," he told.

"And what testimony did she give?"

"A good one...I'll tell you that." he revealed, looking into my eyes, "She looked him in the eyes and confessed her love. She was a monster, but only one person could see past that." he recollected. The situation was all too familiar to him. 

I held his chin and pulled his lips into mine. I could not believe I had fallen in love with the most distant deity in the realm. We should be living our happily ever after but...only one thing was holding me back...

"Aides.. I need to tell you something" I began, reaching to pull the sword from the sheets.

"Kore... I'm sorry!" he blurted, pulling himself away from my reach.

"Huh?" I gasped, looking into his features as he paced the room with worry, "sorry? For what?" I ask through a whisper. He was starting to worry me.

"I should have never gone along with Zeus's plan to capture you here. I really thought the flower would charm you; not keep you prisoner, here!" he explained through a guilty concession.

I looked to the ground as he admitted his wrong. I should have been mad at him for taking me from my home, for trapping me here for an eternity...but I was not irate.

I was thankful.

"Aides don't..." I stand, walking to face him.

"Kore...because of me, you are imprisoned here forever"

"Aides," I stop him, grabbing his jaw into my palm, "I don't care! Although you have captured me, you gave me the greatest gift. The only thing I ever asked for. Freedom." I smiled warmly. "I love you Aideonus" I whisper, running a palm through his hair. He grabbed my neck and embraced me violently, holding onto my body with thirst.

And we continued to make love until the sun broke our heat. 

-----

"Today is the seventh day of the solstice." he confesses, running a palm through my hair, "I will be transformed on the night of the blood moon solstice, into a true demon," he told, pushing his lips against my temple.

NO! It couldn't be!

That was too quick! 

I was unfamiliar with the process but knew it was an important event for him. I force a smile onto my lips but look away as I remember the promise I made 8 months ago. Who would have guessed I would fall in love with the very man I vowed to kill?

The witch's oath played in my ears as I remembered that fateful day...

___ 

Flashback (Chapter 23)

"You will kill him on the 8th day of the solstice" the smallest one bragged.

"What if I do it before then?"

"Your fate will not come to past. Only by the blood moon solstice will he be a demon. His transformation will be complete." the witches vowed. I collapsed to the floor in despair as I hear their words. I knew my fate and accepted it.

-----

"Kore, you heard what I said?" he asked, pulling my palm to intertwine them into his.

"No..no...I was not listening" I snapped away from my thoughts, "repeat it" I smile.

He continued with his story, bragging about the history of the transformation and all it entailed.

"Oh..." I chuckled lazily, resting my head against his bare chest. I place my soft kisses against his skin, teasing him with affection.

"Look at me my queen" he lifted my chin. I barely meet his orbs as he watched me, "something troubles your heart."

"No.... nothing troubles me my king" I grumbled.

"Time after time I have proved my loyalty to you Kore. You can tell me anything"

"Yes Aides... I know" I sighed, knowing I could never tell him what I intended to do. 

But why? I was so close to admitting it the other day? 

He pulled my chin once more and kissed me passionately. "I love you" he whispered against my lips. I begin to tear up and break from him as the pain of the sword seared against my skin. "Mmmm" I groaned in pain.

"Are you okay?"  he frowned, wrapping an arm around my waist.

"Ahhhhh!!" I scream, falling off the bed and onto the floor in pain. He crouched beside me, lifting me up to stand. "Kore what is the matter with you?" he fumed, watching me carefully as I writhed in pain.

"Nothing," I say through gritted teeth. I reach to grab my robe and tie it around my body, moving to splash my face with water. 

 "It's as if you have a death sentence or something?" he fumed, watching me as I splashed the water from the basin into my face. 

"I just..." I breathed, my lungs filling with pain. Thick droplets of sweat dropped down to my face as the pain of the dagger seared through my body. It prickled against me like a thousand needles. "AHHH!" I shrieked, falling to the ground once again. 

"Kore!" Aides yelled, pulling me into his arms.

"Aides... I am fine. Please let me go" I begin to dress and find my slippers to exit the room. "I need to do something... I'll be back." I whisper hiding the sword against my back.

"Kore...you are not okay!" he fumed, trying to delay my departure but I push him away and run to find the witches. I would force them to reverse the effects of the sword of Eleusis. 

----

I stumbled down the dimly lit hallways, struggling to finish my journey, but the farther I traveled from Aides, the more it seared.

"mmmrfff" I muttered beneath a strained breath. By some miracle, I made it to the end of the hallway and leaned against the wall, searching for the black doorway I encountered that first night.

Still, it was nowhere to be seen? I needed to find those three sneaky witches to reverse this promise, but where could they be? What was I doing that day that made the door appear? 

A realization came to my mind as I remember the day and lift the sword to mark an x across my wrist. It glowed red and a portal soon opened where I see the witches hunched over a cauldron, throwing spices and potion into its misty fluids. 

"Ahhh why if it isn't Persephone! Hello, my queen" they bow mockingly, turning to face my physique.

I threw the sword against the floor so it could land against their feet. "Take it away from me! I don't want it anymore" I seethed. The three of them look at each other and cackled mischievously, dancing around the cauldron with glee. "Take it away?" one sister said.

" But it is signed in blood! Your blood!"

"The mark on your wrist!! You must kill him Kore!" the tallest hinted, transporting the sword into my hand once again.

"No!! I don't want to do it!" I yell, throwing the weapon against the wall. "Arghhhff" I gasped, falling to the floor in pain; it was still pulsing through my body.

They hover their hands and show me the vision I once saw, on the first night I met them. Black fields and unripened fruit lay across the plains of the earth as I ran from locusts in the field. It was how the earth looked now? A stark difference to the vision they showed me on the first day.

"You tricked me!" I fume, "you painted the other vison to be my happy realization!" I accused them, pushing myself against the wall to stand.

"We did no such thing! You assumed it to be your absolute fate and went based on that" one sister shrugged, making the picture disappear.

"Here was your true fate!" they sang in unison.

They show me a vision of Aides and I ruling side by side. We kissed in love and he reached down to kiss my belly...my pregnant belly.

"No... no.. no!"  I shake my head, falling to the ground once more. The pain was so unbearable, my vision now hazy. "Help..." I whispered but only see a pair of manicured feet in my vision.

"What a shame, you would have made an excellent mother" a familiar voice teased me. I strained my neck to peer up and see ...."Hera?" I whisper. But what was she doing here??

"What are you...you..." I struggled through my breaths to finish my words.

"Your little actions have put a rift in my plan. You were supposed to kill him with no questions asked!" she spat, stepping over me to pick up the sword.

"How could you Hera! After all he's done for you?"

"And what has he done for me? Hmmm?" she hummed, twirling the sword between her fingers. 

"I won't do it. I rather die than kill the man I love" I promised through a jeer.She pursed her lips together, rolling her eyes with distaste. "You will kill him my queen." she mocked, when the red moon solstice rises, you will take the sword of Eleusis and pierce it into his back."

"I refuse!" I denied it. Hera pushed a curl back and began to chuckle, pacing to where I rested pathetically on the ground. She bent down to face me and pulled my head back with force, transforming and revealing her true self to be:

"ERIS!" I seethed.

"Wow...that took you long enough flower girl" she laughed, still gripping the root of my kinky hair. 

"But why?"

" Why not?" she smirked, pulling my head back with glee. "Brown eyes, kinky hair" she recited, "Let me just take one more look at you." she sung, twisting my face from side to side. "Perfect" she bragged, pushing me back against the wall. She closed her eyes and shapeshifted into an entity that looked...exactly like me. She had long black hair with soft brown eyes that twinkled against the light. Her umber rich skin was even richer than mine. 

Even I was amazed.

"No...no" I screamed as she bent to pick up the sword. 

"I told the witches you would never do it. I knew when they saw that vision of you killing him, it had to be me. They begged me to wait until you acted but just look at where their patience has brought us!" she bragged, strutting to the cauldron in the middle of the room. 

She dipped it into the hot brew and lifted it against her thigh, letting it stick to her skin. "Mmm...I can't wait to feel him inside me. It was one of the many things I enjoyed" she cackled, turning back to face the witches.

"Make sure you have the relocation spell ready. As soon as I kill him, she must appear and I disappear. Got it?" she commanded to the witches.

"Yes, Eris!" they sang and clapped excitedly. I wondered what she promised them if they played their part. 

"Don't mess this up" she grumbled, strutting to leave the room. She turned back around and caught one final glance, examining me pathetically. "Well...it's been a pleasure Kore" she smirked, giving me one final wave before she went to rejoin Aides in our quarters.

__

Author Note:

Okay! please comment and tell me if ANY of you are confused or if something doesn't make sense or if you just have a question! Hopefully, you guys are following along with everything happening!

See you guys in the next chapter!!