Chapter Text
Movements
“I cannot remember just how long it has been since you stayed this long at the palace,”
“Without anything to do but leisure? Me neither,” Gaia closed her eyes, “Thank you,”
“For being lazy?”
“Caring for me, I know well you have other important things to do,”
They had spent most of the day lying in Serenity’s favorite place close to the moon tower. A special nook Serenity had decorated with all she could find to give Gaia the safe feeling of being on Earth; a gesture Gaia treasured with all her heart. Princess Serenity turned to Gaia with a big smile, happy to be for her in her most vulnerable moment.
“Please, you have done the same for me,”
Gaia’s revelation showed a different side to her, Serenity discovered a hopeful dreamer living underneath all that armor she wore without rest. The circ*mstances around her are what sharpened Gaia’s heart and forced her to be distrustful and strict with herself.
Serenity hugged her knees close to her chest. “But I can tell you are still trying to fight it - your feelings, you’re worried…”
Gaia held her stare and broke eye contact with Serenity. “I can’t help thinking I would only burden him,”
"..." Serenity leaned back to rest her chin on her knees, pensive for a moment. “Love is not the crime, Gaia. It’s thinking it’s something you should not pursue,”
“You have open wounds only he has been able to heal…” Serenity kept her posture. “Your feelings are mutual and they’re strong. So why do you want to throw them away?” She turned to a startled Gaia.
“Your Grace,” Gaia’s marbled eyes of jade and gold showed the moon princess the seriousness in her voice. Serenity shook her head, “Why?” Her eyes appreciated the beauty of Earth from a distance.
Serenity sighed, “I know you. I am not ignorant of the unfair treatment you have gotten from many in this realm but, are you truly going to surrender? After all this time?” She looked sad.
Gaia held the princess’ hands. “Olympus is not the only realm in the universe, Serenity. There are forces capable of risking the balance if they–”
A sharp pain in her chest forced Gaia to bend forward, worrying Serenity, “Gaia?!”
“Your Grace,” Gaia said between clenched teeth. Her hand pressed on her chest, feeling the summoning stronger than usual, it alarmed her. Her thoughts instantly went back to Earth.
“What’s wrong?!”
“I need to go back to Terra,” She squeezed her eyes for a moment, “Something is happening…”
“An enemy? Do you want me to alert Athan about it?” Gaia shook her head, “It’s all right, Your Grace, I will assess this with Obelix as soon I return. I need to have a word with him,” She looked up at the princess, instantly feeling guilty. “Please do not give me those eyes, Princess,”
“How do you want me to look at you if you act like this?”
“I am always mysterious,” Gaia joked, but the princess wasn’t taking it this time. She exhaled and leaned to hold Serenity’s hand. “In all seriousness, Your Grace, you should go to your beloved. It’s time.”
“Gaia–”
“I am not the only one in hiding. Do you think I would ignore you are going through something too? You need to talk to him, Serenity,”
“And say what, Gaia?” Serenity turned with teary eyes. “I know him, as he is Andromedan in every sense of the word, but I do not understand him. I have not met him - the one behind the title,”
Gaia pulled Serenity into her arms, “The more reason to talk to him. Your relationship will not move forward if you stay away from sight,”
Serenity’s cheeks flushed, stating the opposite of her words. “I am just… Taking my time,”
“You cannot take your time forever.”
Serenity squeezed Gaia before letting go, she understood it was time to go their separate ways. This was something Serenity knew once she married, Gaia would step aside and let her figure things out on her own - she was not her tutor anymore. Words were not needed to be said. Sometimes, silence was the best tell each other how much they cared for one another. Their hearts always met at the same frequency and that’s all they needed.
Gaia walked with the princess's hand in hand into the deepest part of the moon palace where the gates of space and time awaited to transport her back home. She turned, slowly letting go.
Serenity pulled on Gaia’s fingers, a little anxious. “Will I see you soon?”
“As soon as you need me,” Gaia tucked a piece of silver behind Serenity’s ear, “But I trust your courageous heart,”
"See?" Serenity bid her friend a sweet goodbye, “I should have married you! You’re my perfect match!”
Gaia kept walking into the infinity of the gates and looked over her shoulder with a grin, “And you are mine, My Love.” Bringing a finger to her lips, she chuckled, “But that is our little secret.”
Serenity pressed her finger to her lips, her silent way to send her love. Her smile, though genuine, showed concern now that her friend was gone.
At the top of a mountain close, a mist of darkness manifested but struggled to take shape. “Just as I thought… A seal is keeping me from crossing to this realm.”
A form of Metallia appeared clothed in her dark robes and many amulets wrapped around her neck. The bright colors of the afternoon sun made her darkened aura stand out more from the beauty of nature, an utter contrast. Ripping one of the hex charms she carried with her, she cut her hand and shared the pool of dark blood in her hand with the object now charging with life.
“In the name of Darkness - the power of everything and nothing, I summon thee that lurks in the unseen. I summon, you, a creature of no one, who wanders alone - come forth!”
A screeching echo was heard coming from the distance. Metallia channeled her hex magic to summon another chimera to chase her purpose and infiltrate in her place - she had not gathered enough strength to withstand the energy protecting Earth until she found a better way to cross over, she had to keep relying on this plan. She fed the chimera with darkness, stretching its limbs and burnt skin to that of a monster capable of competing with a demon from the underworld. Its various eyes focused at different times until they focused on her.
Metallia turned to the ungodly creature and extended her hand with the hex as her offering to the beast. “Your eyes are mine, my blood is yours. As the shadow you’ve become, attatch yourself to the darkness and bring back the key.”
Faithful to its command, the chimera took position and sped in its way. Metallia stood proud of her creation, the hatred within her spirit was so palpable she knew it would not take long to take possession of this planet.
Gaia stepped into the temple right before sunset. There was urgency in her footsteps, her eyes did a quick search for any anomalies but didn’t find a single trace of anything. Everything was still and quiet, just as she left things before leaving for the Moon. She knew that Obelix would be completely absorbed in his meditation, it was no secret that most of his divinations had to do with private audiences with the Celestial Authorities, and she didn't want to attract their attention right now.
There was not a single treat in sight, but she could still feel something pressing against her chest. She felt uncomfortable, restless... worried. Something grabbed her attention. Gaia picked up a faint smell of sulfur in the aether, it wasn't normal. She walked close to the edge of the temple at the top of the mountain and caught a dark figure flying below - another corrupt had come for her soul.
Her hand rested on the golden jewel hanging on her chest as she closed her eyes and monitored every corner of Earth before when a faint call reached her, Gaia turned to the sky that had slowly begun to darken; her eyes changed in color, like melted gold, she glared at her intruder.
Leonidas had gone to the watching tower on the outskirts of Aegera where he got important news that forced him to stay to make the necessary arrangements to have reinforcements in every corner of the castle during the party - things were taking an unexpected turn. It was quite a long list of guests as Leonidas had expected from the monarchs. They all probably guessed there was a bigger motive for this occasion. He had to act fast.
“All posts are covered, General Leonidas,”
Leonidas turned to one soldier, “Move a unit to guard the East Wing,”
“Understood,” Leonidas turned to the crowd arriving and let out a long sigh. He only had one chance, the pressure was great. Both were stuck in the expectations of others, both fought to prove their worth and knowledge. Both were hopeful for a change, but without Eros, this could have all been a pipe dream.
The urgency of it all threatened to ruin their plans and the progress they had made. He had to buy time to stay in the fight, but only Eros knew how to carry out their plan and emerge victorious. Leonidas truly believed that Eros would make a great king, and the proof was now in his hands. His thoughts were as somber as the skies above, but it wasn’t until he heard one of the soldiers on watch duty bring it to his attention. “It looks like heaven could fall with those clouds,”
“A storm?”
Leonidas leaned close to the edge and pulled on the magnifying glass to have a closer look, “When did it get this cloudy? This is–” He trailed off, his eyes widened as he watched the anomaly.
“I have been dealing with many unwanted guests as of late. Chimeras do not work on their own.”
His chest felt tight, this was not a storm but something the Gaia was probably on the hunt for. His memory started making sense: what they considered odd, a casualty, or even a misstep by the people in charge of predicting their weather. It was never a coincidence, it was always her fighting for them. It had always been Gaia.
His lips parted in awe, and he finally understood. Leonidas didn’t need more proof to believe. He was running out of time. “Monitor the skies. Stratos!” He turned to another soldier, “Alert the meteorologists - be prepared to receive a command in case we need to lead our people underground,”
“General Leonidas?! But the banquet–”
“There is no time to waste!” Leonidas grabbed a spear from the back wall and jumped down the long ladder to get a horse and go after the storm, which could be ground zero. Slapping the reins, he forced his horse to run faster. The clouds above him started to take a strange form with lighting breaking them into different sections. If this wasn’t a sign from Gaia, the general prayed for once so this wasn’t a curse.
He had his hopes put up high to find her, he had to get her attention somehow. Leonidas knew he was past the point where the prince often met with the titan, farther away from Aegera’s royal grounds in the direction of the ocean. He was close - almost there - he thought. His eyes widened at the size of the storm-breaking havoc above him, strong gusts of wind and earth trembles rattled the rocks on mountains. Leonidas felt a force bigger than him pushing him out of the current and avoided getting hit by the rubble by mere luck. He had no option but to run into the woods at the foot of the highlands and came to a full stop. The sky was fiery red, as if a volcano was coming alive in its depths, there was no way this was by natural causes.
From the highest peak on the mountain, Gaia watched her prey with eyes that could burn anything crossing her sight. The responsible for threatening mass destruction to the land below, so close to the home of her beloved Terran prince. Her instinct never failed her, this was a meticulous plan. A sudden, thunderous roar echoed through the air as a massive, demonic creature sent shards of malicious energy in all directions. The beast, a fearsome amalgamation of jagged scales, razor-sharp claws, and glowing red eyes, charged toward Gaia with a speed that belied its size.
With a graceful flip, Gaia evaded the creature's initial strike, her movements fluid and precise. She landed in a crouch, immediately springing into action and making use of her weapon to break the demon's tough hide.
The creature howled in pain but did not relent. It swung a massive claw at Gaia, aiming to crush her where she stood. In a blur of motion, she watched the world around her to a crawl, she was moving at the speed of light. She sidestepped the claw effortlessly, her eyes locked onto her foe. Gaia launched into a flurry of attacks, her limbs moving faster than the eye could follow. She delivered a spinning kick to the demon's jaw, followed by a series of rapid punches that left it reeling. Each strike was punctuated by the deafening roar of her ancient power. The demon retaliated with a vicious swipe, but Gaia was ready. She somersaulted backward, summoning a massive gravity hit from a portal she created above her. The ethereal force, formed from the magnetic power of the Earth, slammed down on the chimera, driving it into the ground with earth-shaking force. She raised her hand to charge her obsidian blade with the celestial power of the golden crystal as the chimera flew after her and sped across the sky at the speed of light.
Gaia’s sacred stones on her brace turned vibrant, answering her call but the chimera stretched its long limbs, blocking her attack. Something pulled the strings of Gaia’s attention for a second, her bright eyes enhanced by her power within monitored the area she took a hit from the chimera and was thrown several feet down the mountain, making her crash into a plateau. She rolled onto her side, barely dodging another attack from the beast, and jumped to her feet - there was no time to waste. Gaia regained her speed and used the rubble still falling as her perch to gain altitude. With her sword in hand, charged in golden flames, she made a clean slash claiming two limbs from the chimera but the creature was far from defeated. It rose with a snarl, its eyes glowing brighter. Dark energy crackled around it as it prepared a powerful attack. Gaia narrowed her eyes, sensing the buildup of energy. The ground trembled under the force of their battle. The trees cracked and crumbled, and debris rained down from the highest points of the mountain. But Gaia remained focused, her movements a deadly dance of elegance and brutality.
With a flick of her wrist, she summoned for ancient power, “Te invoco, Bestia ex profundis Terrae, custos ignis sacri - Rex Caelestis, Obsidianos, prodeas!” The towering figure of a lion of black ore and a mane of magma appeared behind her, its eyes blazing with the power of the sacred light of the crystal she protected. Together, they unleashed a devastating blow, their attacks synchronized perfectly as the giant beast of night and fire dismembered its prey with unforgiving galore.
Gaia stood amidst the wreckage, her breath coming in steady, controlled puffs. She watched as the demon struggled to rise from the fangs of her most loyal guardian, its energy was spent. The creature roared one last time before collapsing, its body charred like vivid coal. Gaia holstered her sword and brushed a lock of hair from her face. “Quis te misit?” Her golden eyes narrowed. The chimera screeched in its native tongue, arguing with the titan about its loyalty to its manifester. Gaia arched her brow and stomped her heel again, making it cry louder, “Non sum ut consumam tempus meum. Dice mihi. Nunc!”
The cries from the beast were deafening. In his side of reality, Leonidas heard a strange loud echo similar to a war horn, the winds were strong. Like a miracle, he found his horse alive and pulled on its reins to protect it from getting trapped in the storm.
Parallel to him, the chimera had lost control and energy to fight back. Gaia stomped her heel on it, gravity did the work to pin its remains in place. With patience lost, she grabbed the beast by its rough skin and pulled tight, tormenting the suffering creature even more. Gaia narrowed her golden eyes, “A puncto mundi, nempe serenitate Orientis, ad Occidentis saevitiam. Statera impeccabilis a meridie, et alta scientiarum a septentrione.” She stomped her heel a third time, piercing the monster’s flesh, and dug her sword deep enough to reach its core, “Insidis!” Fire came alive from beneath the surface and drew the Chimera into the molten core of the Earth. Gaia stood in place until her sacrifice was complete and the ether returned to its pure state.
The heaviness in the air had subsided, and Leonidas lived to tell the tale. He rode toward the village in sight, trying to calm his frightened horse.
“Kore! Are you all right?” He asked a young woman. Scared, she ran up to him, “Yes! But this storm… It’s as if the gods manifested!” She blinked at the medal pinned in his tunic and bowed respectfully. “Kyrios,”
“A-Ah, n-no! Don’t bow to me - It’s all right! I am only a soldier,” He scratched the back of his neck, he was still shaken by what happened, “I just wanted to make sure–” Leonidas’s eyes widened at the sight of Gaia standing back. He did not know how to react to this odd circ*mstance but tried to sound as neutral as possible. “Head back to the village, Kore. I will monitor the area in case there are any casualties,”
The nervous maiden continued her way to the small village. Leonidas stood quiet until it was safe to approach her. Gaia’s attention went to his horse and gently soothed its nerves, “Aigída, what are you doing here? This is far from royal grounds…”
Leonidas noticed she was wearing that uniform again and felt a chill down his spine. The storm had not been a casualty. “I see… Nothing is ever a casualty. Every unexpected force of nature happens because you are giving your life for us…”
“Aigída?” Gaia frowned at his worried look. Her heart pounded in her chest, this only had to do with “Eros…” Her eyes widened, “W-Where is he? Is he all right?!”
“I followed this storm with the hope to find you one way or another…” Leonidas admired the uniform she wore, how impressive it must be to see her in action. Reality finally hit him what just happened, and it dawned on how well Eros kept her secret. “He’s seen this side of you…” He glanced down with stress masking his face.
He did not know how to put it into words. How could he explain the situation unfolding? How could he explain that the prince’s fate had been sold despite his efforts to achieve peace and victory?
Gaia felt a tug in her chest, “General–” Now with the urgency to know. Leonidas looked up and shook his head, confirming her fears. Her legs wanted to give in and so were the tears that threatened to fall.
“Our plan did not go through the way we expected. The circ*mstances changed, unexpectedly,” Leonidas clenched his jaw with frustration and anger, “The King and Queen used their influence to impose this absurd arrangement onto him…” He shook his head, not wanting to give up on his mission to help his friend. “He had wished to tell you in person, but… He’s lost perspective…”
Gaia felt a blow to her heart. She thought she was strong enough to handle any situation, stronger than this at least. She was trained to shut down her emotions and think with a cold head. She really thought it would be easy to stay away, but Eros had nestled deep in her heart.
“You have open wounds only he has been able to heal… Your feelings are mutual and they’re strong. So why do you want to throw them away?” Serenity’s words resonated with her. Gaia dried her tears with a resolution, “That voice I heard… It was you…”
Leonidas looked at her in all seriousness, “I believe in him, Théa. I trust the future of Aegera with Eros as our King, but he’s losing his purpose… he is giving up,”
Gaia held her tears, “Aigída...”
“I am aware of how much I disrespected you in the past, Τιτάνας της Γης, and I will carry that shame with me for as long as I live. But I cannot ignore how much sense and life you have brought into his soul… He loves you.” Leonidas never looked so humbled before, and definitely not in front of her.
“Eros can fight Their Majesties' imposing authority, but only if he sees you first,” He bent down on both knees and bowed, “My influence is limited, and so is my experience, but I still want to help him. I am here not as a soldier or his advisor, but as his friend. Titaness… I beg of you… Please talk to him before he walks into that damn rabbit hole.”
Gaia’s eyes widened, “General–”
“Please come with me… I beg of you,” Leonidas bowed his head lower, “I cannot allow the small glimpse of happiness I have seen in him fade away over a treacherous scheme for power!” He took a deep breath, “Eros thinks he has betrayed you and it is driving him mad…”
Gaia felt a pinch in her chest again, the general’s plea was impossible to ignore. She made sure they were completely alone before she bent down to help him stand. “Have I not asked you not to kneel before me, Aigída?”
“I won’t deny the oddity of my request,” Leonidas looked up, the same hope he had at first when he went out to look for her showed again in his eyes. "There is no more for me to say."
Eros walked out of his quarters fully dressed in a long tunic in a rich deep blue color that competed with the color of his eyes. His himation was in the same color pinned with the royal medallion of Aegera. The casual waves of his dark hair were combed back so he could wear his gold leaf headpiece showing the exquisite piece and the gloom haunting his handsome face. The prince found it strange Leonidas was not there to walk with him to the banquet or try to argue with him about something.
Shamelessly, he had avoided making his entrance using Leonidas’ absence as an excuse and paced back and forth the long corridors for as long as he could. It was only a matter of time before someone showed up again. Leaning his back on a wall, he raised his head with his eyes closed. He felt useless; all of his efforts had been pointless. His life was being handled like it only existed to serve this purpose. He was angry. He felt used, defeated. Ashamed… Disgusted.
“Your Royal Highness,” Eros turned to his right, a guard stood at a considerable distance from him. He watched with a frown. “He sent you, did he not?”
The soldier fidgeted at this, at this point he could only answer with a nod. The prince knew how to intimidate, or at least he thought he could, not long ago. Eros pursed his lips and took one deep breath before unglueing himself from the wall. He walked behind the guard and turned to look out to the garden, “Where is Leonidas?”
“I have not been informed, Your Highness.”
Eros frowned, finding it strange. Leonidas was objective and worked fast. He never stalled on anything, so how come it was taking him so long to finish what he asked that morning? Something did not click for him. The rest of his way happened in complete silence, Eros kept stoic as soon as he crossed the hallway connecting to the grand terrace where the celebration was being held.
“His Royal Highness, Prince Eros Miltiadis of Aegera,”
The crowd stopped dancing and turned to bow to the prince. The King made a gesture to order the musicians to keep playing the joyous music after the royal prince made his long-awaited appearance. The Duke and duch*ess of Aragon stood close to the King and Queen and other guests of high class. Carmendi was quick to find Eros making his way through the crowds to join her parents.
“Your Highness, there you are,” King Odell put his kylix down. Their confrontation from earlier still showed in how both men addressed each other, Narella could almost taste the anger. It was bitter.
“I was commenting on your recent achievements in Pylike, reducing the cost for commerce was a good strategy to lure them to our side,”
“I did not lure anyone, it was only natural to build a relationship with a coastal town.” Eros greeted the aristocrats, “Καλό απόγευμα,”
“Good evening, Your Royal Highness,”
Carmendi came close to him and did a small curtsy, “Your Royal Highness,” she smiled and offered some wine, “I imagined you would want a drink to join the celebration,”
The Duke’s thick and loud laughter competed with the festive music and leaned closer to the King. “Ah, look at that! They look like husband and wife, eh!?” He turned to the prince, “Your Highness, don’t you agree her speech has improved considerably since her arrival?”
Narella grinned, “Indeed!” The queen looked spectacular in her rich red royal tunic and himation with golden thread in an intricate pattern, matching the king’s attire. Her golden leaf tiara gleamed with the incrusted gems under the candlelight like a crown made of stars. Narella wore precious bracelets with emeralds and sapphires brought exclusively for her as a gift from Aragon. Fitting with the occasion, Eros bitterly thought.
“This castle will come to life again!”
“Talk about the children they will be having… True heartbreakers!” The Duke leaned close to the King’s ear, “Everything has been arranged to make it known to the world, Your Majesty.” The Duke’s smile only grew with the news, and raised his kylix with pride, “Let’s toast for a new bloodline!”
Eros felt like he was swallowing poison as it went down his throat. Carmendi noticed the lack of words and came closer, “Your Highness,” she grinned and did a small twirl, “What do you think? Do I not look like a true Hellene Goddess?” Indeed she looked gorgeous, but if Eros could say a word about her choice of colors for her long tunic and jewelry it would not be one that agreed with her. Far from her usual heavy gowns, Carmendi was dressed in a burgundy one-shoulder tunic adorned with precious stones and golden thread. Her sandals, also matching the gold of her jewelry were barely visible but whenever she moved they would be exposed. Her golden hair was pinned down in a braid at the nape of her neck with loose curls framing her well-done face. Her red lips curved in a smile, “May I just say you look so different in your formal attire, Your Highness,”
Without much interest in engaging in the conversation, he turned to look for Leonidas again. He frowned, this time with concern. Excuse me, Kore,” he said to Carmendi and went to speak to a guard outside the court. “Where is he?”
The soldier shook his head, “We have not heard word, Your Royal Highness. No one has seen him,”
“Is there something I must be aware of?”
“No, Your Highness. I only know he had to attend something of great importance,” The soldier leaned closer, “The last time I was informed of his whereabouts was when he was inspecting the watch towers,” Eros took another sip of wine and turned to the crowd. Something did not feel right.
Carmendi stood next to the prince, “Does His Highness ever engage in the dances?”
Eros chuckled, more in sarcasm than joyfulness. “I’m appalled, Kore, you already forgot what we talked about this morning,”
“Your Highness?” Carmendi blinked, “I beg your pardon?”
“Royalty isn’t a fairytale,” Eros tilted his head back, drinking all the wine that remained in his cup. “You cross that threshold and much of the things you consider mundane are severely frowned upon on this side of the specter. Dancing is one of them,”
Carmendi blinked, “But–”
“We are not here to celebrate, but to do business, no?” Eros turned, his eyes finally finding the face he looked for in the crowd. Leonidas was fast to spot the prince and wasted no time in heading over to him, stealing more than a glance from the crowd at his lack of formality with his overall appearance.
The King and Queen were also quick to notice this and immediately turned to Eros, almost demanding an explanation. “Excuse me, Your Majesties,”
Queen Narella tried to stop him but he was already parting the crowds to get to the general. She turned with a smile in apology to her guests and pulled Carmendi back with them for the time being.
“Your High–”
“Where the hell have you been?!” Eros argued in whispers, “I have been asking everyone for you!” He glanced over his shoulder for a second, “They are devouring you with rage,”
Leonidas nodded and admitted his absence with a heavy sigh, “I know. But I needed to do something of great urgency.” He licked his lips in a nervous gesture, “Your Highness, can you please come with me?”
Eros frowned, he was not up for this. Leonidas held his breath, “Now,” he sighed, exhausted. “I cannot explain with this many people close. I swear it is of high importance.”
“Leonidas, can't you see I cannot move an inch from this damn place?” Eros looked up and froze at the sight of the owner of the mesmerizing voice he had imprinted on his heart.
"Then I will have to ask personally,” Gaia walked up behind Leonidas, “May I approach His Highness for a word?”
