The road to Paris’ prison kept being a heavy road with Odysseus, Pup, and Hermes walking to the way in silence. In dead silence, which it looked to make Hermes annoyed. Odysseus could not help but gloat. The light of the desert was slowly getting less and less, and the road was even thinner as they were walking now right next to a cliff.

  A thin line for them to cross, and right down below, where there was nothing more than darkness. Thin air was scratching his face as Pup began to crawl between Hermes’ legs. Odysseus looked at him, and the god grinned. Instead of speaking, he rolled his eyes and kept walking carefully to the thin line of stones as Herme was flying and carrying Pup. He kept his hands all so tight to the dog as if he actually cared for it. Odysseus could remember how many times Hermes wanted to throw him down from a cliff just like this one.

  ‘’I wondered’’He finally spoke out, making Odysseus lose his balance just for a while.

  ‘’How did you make your dagger?’’ He moved his face close to him, and the man tried to ignore the god. He didn’t want to talk to him, see him, smell his scent. He wanted this god to disappear from his sight. Why was he still with him? What was his cruel plan now?

  ‘’I hid myself on a mountain in Japan. I poured the poison into the dagger and then covered it carefully.’’ No reason not to answer that question.

  ‘’You went to Japan?’’ Hermes was all so shocked while Odysseus tried to maintain focus on the path.

  ‘’I travelled to a lot of places over the centuries’’He gasped and looked at his soon-to-be-melted shoes. Dimitri once said that it would be better to buy new ones, but he always refused, thinking that they could always last a little longer.

  ‘’So, you met a lot of people’’He mumbled, and Odysseus could feel his fingers sweating as he was touching the stones in the wall.

  ‘’Did you ever-’’

  ‘’Stop’’Odysseus commanded quickly as he could feel his breathing being lost. Stop talking, stop looking at me. Just stop it.

  And Hermes replied by keeping silent. Just for a few minutes.

  ‘’Why did you-’’

  Odysseus began to slip from the line as he lost his balance, ready to fall from the once safe wall. He began to reach above the sky, trying to find anything, and as he soon found a cold metal to grab onto. Only to find out soon, there was a Caduceus.

  ‘’Oh, you got heavier,’’ Hermes grunted. ‘’I think I told you to eat more vegetables’’

  And now, all ashamed OAdysseus was being carried by Hermes’ staff far from the cliff. At least it was now a faster path, once again in silence.

  The place they were resting now was covered in snow. But there was no cold to freeze them to death. Or maybe Odysseus could not feel any cold anymore. However, his dog did. With a snap of his fingers, Hermes made a fire appear, and the dog moved closer to the warmth.

  Hermes was facing the man who was glaring at him with anger. In silence, they were both trying to rest.

  ‘’Why didn’t you tell him?’’He finally asked.

  ‘’Tell him what?’’Odysseus lifted his jaw up.

  ‘’What I did to you.’’

  His chest tightened from those words. Why didn’t he tell the truth? Why did he hide it? There was no reason for his student to pity him more. He didn’t want to make his students listen to more horrors.

  ‘’You saved his life.’’Odysseus admitted. ‘’I repaid you.’’

  ‘’That’s all?’’ Hermes asked.

  ‘’You hurt him enough, but for some strange reason, you saved him. That’s enough for me to keep your secrets.’’

  Hermes lifted his chin slightly high and tried to pet Pup, who was now all so dear to see the god who brought him to Odysseus. Most of the time, Pup was hiding when Hermes was appearing or growling. Was another trick made by the god to torment Odysseus?

  ‘’Why did you save him?’’ The teacher finally asked, and Hermes looked down at Pup’s golden fur. He replied with a shrug. ‘’He is a good kid. ‘’ That was so simple for him. That was his only answer. He is a good kid who doesn’t deserve to suffer. He might have understood it too late, but he still tried to repent.

  Then, what am I? I am not good. Does that mean he wants to torture me more?

  Soon, they stood up again, and the fire vanished as Odysseus could now see a door made of black stone being so close to them. That was it, wasn’t it? That was where Paris was hiding. Odysseus tried to move even faster on the path, but Hermes was walking at a safe pace.

  But Odysseus could not wait. He could not wait any longer; he had to-

  ‘’Lyssandra, stop running.’’

  His feet froze. His eye darted from anger and shock as he turned his gaze to Hermes. He began to dig his nails deep into his hands and managed to get out of that heavy spell.

  ‘’Lyss-’’ Hermes tried to speak.

  ‘’Stop commanding me,’’ Odysseus hissed. Stop calling my name. Stop referring to me like an object. Stop. Hurting me.

  ‘’I said stop, you are in danger-’’He shouted.

  ‘’Am I now?''Odysseus replied with a scream. ‘’I wonder whose fault it is’’

  The entire room shook, and looking up, he could see an entire mountain of snow and rocks falling upon them.

  They were now blocked in a cave with Caduceus trapped outside, none to manage to grasp. Odysseus was trying to get each stone out of the way, trying to escape. While Hermes…

  ‘’Tell me, why is your mother so silent to me? I am trying my best here, but I cannot-’’

  ‘’Your BEST?’’ Odysseus screamed. ‘’Your best would have been if you turned back on time, stopping yourself from ever meeting me.

  Hermes' gaze widened. So, Odysseus took a deep breath. ‘’Just help me out. You might be useful on this’’

  And so, they both took the rocks out of the way, trying to search for any kind of light for their escape.

  ‘’I am sorry’’Hermes spoke calmly.

  HERMES

  There she was. Raven short curls, bronze wounded skin, and her hidden emerald eye. Passed out at Perseus palace. All mine with the golden scar on her pretty neck. I carried her heavy body in my arms, and with my staff, I managed to transport us to one of my houses. Right in front of the door, there was Aphrodite, in her full, strong form. Her body was once again sculpted just like I was always seeing her with golden chains on limbs and throat, while her wings were wide open, to cover the door. Her hair was now tangled with precious stones and pearls, and her red eyes were glaring at me.

  However, I ignored her completely. Because what I wanted was right into my arms.

  ‘’Immortality will kill her’’She explained as I opened the door. ‘’And she will take you with her.’’

  I wanted to simply laugh at those words that were coming out of her mouth. Her? My mortal, killing me? How could she ever do such a thing?

  She had a radiant beauty as she was asleep. Her body was so calm, hiding away all the pain she had endured in her small, feeble life. But it didn’t matter because all of her worries would vanish soon.

  I bathed her and dressed her up. How easy she was to move. Not even one struggle from her harsh skin. I could remember that time she snuck outside alone and found a purple fabric with such passion. I tried to find her something similar to it and placed it in her body. Then, I moved her back to the bed and simply watched her for hours with my fingers now tracing her throat.

  She is mine and mine alone.

  The author's narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

  Year 10

  ‘’I brought you a puppy’’I said to the still sleeping woman. She seemed so peaceful in her comfortable bed with all the jewels and riches around her. So beautiful, even with her rough face. I wanted her to wake up soon. I did everything to be with her, even breaking the engagement I had with the deimaria. I did not want her to end up in her sharp clutches if she ever found out‘’I think that you will find it cheerful’’I said and looked at the mutt’s bright blue eyes. Strange how I found this creature a decade ago under the mountain, and it was still the same. Nothing changed. And even Lyssandra did not wake up.

  Year 20

  One night, as I was sleeping at my own house, I tried to sneak out to see if she had woken up. Only to find Artemis waiting for me at the door, fully prepared to attack me.

  ‘’Let the girl go Hermes’’She commanded me roughly.

  ‘’I am keeping a promise to my brother’’ I looked at her and smiled. ‘’She is,safe.’’

  Her eyes narrowed as she understood that I was hiding something more. How pathetic can a woman be? Still trying to think that a life that she was promising to Lyssandra would suit her? Hiding like a mouse? This woman needed to be cherished in riches and be loved by someone like me. To live for an eternity, to see that she might own her world in her own fingertips.

  ‘’You are cruel to her’’She said, relaxing her body.

  Am I the cruel one? You are staring at me with eyes flared with hatred. What if I betrayed Apollo? What if I deny helping him at the time of need? It was not my fault that he had fallen for something that belonged to me.

  ‘’Save your lecture for someone who cares about your opinions’’I tried to walk away from her,r but my stomach let out cruel words as I leaned to her ear.

  ‘’Like your twin.’’

  So, with that, I entered once again inside the room and found the little mutt resting on her stomach as she was still so peaceful on her mattress.

  Why was she still asleep? What could she possibly be dreaming? I moved my staff close to her head. letting the snakes crawl to her face. And with that, I found myself in a meadow filled with pale white flowers. There she was, sitting at a nearby tree while she was looking from above. What was she waiting for? What was she looking at in the bright sky? What was the reason she was there?

  ‘’It’s time to go’’ I spoke right behind her and tried to make her see me.

  She simply ignored me as her fingers were playing with the white flowers.

  ‘’Time to wake up, my dear’’This time, I appeared right in front of her. When she looked up, I couldn’t help but smile.

  Soon enough, though, when she stood up, she walked right past me and kept walking to the colorful meadow.

  What was that?

  Year 50

  ‘’Wake up ‘’I stormed inside the house, and the mutt began marking me again and again. I kicked him to the wall, and I jumped right at the bed where my woman was still asleep. Or was she faking it? Why was I resisting choking her? Kissing her, making her mine right here and there? Why was she looking so peaceful? My body began to change, shift to a form that I knew he wouldn’t resist opening her gaze, and not be happy to see.

  ‘’Wake up Lyssandra’’I sang with my brother’s voice, my bronze hands touching her skin. She should wake up.

  Why should I stop there? I wanted to do so many things for her. I could still imagine

  them. I fell closer to her face,e to her neck, her collarbone. My fingers began moving on her waist and then her hips.

  Do something, wake up. Wake Up.

  ‘’You stupid woman’’ I yelled out and pushed myself far from the bed. She is not waking up, she is not responding, she was just there.

  She was simply an object like any other. Was this worth it? For everything that I have done over the years? For the people that I hurt?

  ‘’Why did I betray my brother for you?’’

  Year 100

  In my sleep, there was a woman with beautiful raven curls, her skin rough like wood but still so beautiful. Her scent deep into the ashes of a fire, with her eyes facing me with admiration. And she called my name.

  I woke up from my bed and jumped from my house to the room where I was hiding a woman that I almost forgot she ever existed. Had I forgotten her? No. I was waiting for her. Waiting for her to wake up.

  ‘’I am sorry’’He said again. And Odysseus stood there speechless. The cave finally broke out, with one simple rock, and so, they finally began walking. Still, in silence. What could Odysseus possibly say to him?

  ‘’I was foolish to believe that you would change. That your humanity will vanish. I see that now. I saw it when you tried to risk even your pride for that boy. Everyone told me that it was the last cause that would destroy me. I wanted to prove them wrong, but once again, I was the one playing fool, risking my brother’s life’’

  Was he trying to make Odysseus feel sympathy for him?

  ‘’I do not forgive you’’Lyssandra finally spoke. ‘’An apology means nothing to me anymore.’’

  And he looked down at the pup.

  ‘’I did love you’’She spoke again, and that made Hermes smile with joy. ‘’Not in the way you loved me, though, and you showed me clearly that you were not satisfied.’’

  Hermes could only watch her keep walking while Pup jumped back to her side.

  ‘’But I know that I cannot stay angry. I am tired of wrath conquering my body.’’

  Her hands embraced each other, hugging her body tight. She wanted everything to end. She wanted to see the man whom she once fell in love with. To free him from his prison, wishing she could do the same, she wanted to return to the boy she raised. To see him have a happy life, and then bury him like all the others before him. She knew that this was her only place on the earth now. To see people that she cared about vanishing, and wishing she could meet them in the afterlife.

  ‘’I have a family now that I want to protect’’A small smile curved into her face.

  And Hermes’ brow arched. ‘’That boy’s life will end soon, you know that correct?’’

  And Lyssandra nodded. She could remember when she was losing her mind, when mortals were aging so fast compared to her. How quickly their faces were being covered with a mist, being forgotten in time.

  And now, she was trying to embrace those little moments as if they were her own.

  ‘’It doesn’t matter to me’,’ She spoke again and tried to keep walking, and Hermes fell back to her side as it seemed that the snow was turning to harsh rain. She tried to lift her head to see the cold rain touching her body, thinking of how long it had been since she last saw it. Her skin was burning up from the liquid dropping onto her skin, messing with her curls. And then, Hermes moved Caduceus' wings above her head, covering her up.

  ‘’Do you think…’’Hermes asked again. ‘’That we could ever try once again?’’

  Time changes people. That is what Her s told Lyssandra the minute he offered her immortality.

  Don’t touch me. Don’t speak to me. I belong to you. I love you. Please, stop. STOP.

  ‘’I don’t know’’ She replied with her throat burning up.

  And Hermes nodded his head while they tried to keep on walking.

  They were once again back to the silence until the rain stopped. But the talking just began.

  ‘’You know, I was missing you when I was travelling the world after you left,’’ Hermes admitted, and Lyssandra turned to him, confused. Was he travelling? Where to? Why? But she knew he wouldn’t answer that. Because he said that he was missing her.

  ‘’Everything was going smoothly, not an annoying woman trying to kill every man she found disliking her taste’’ There was a grin.

  Lyssandra smiled back. ‘’Oh, so you liked my targets’’ She raised her chin up.

  Hermes replied with a shrug and kept looking around. ‘’I didn’t say that.’’

  ‘’I think that you did’’ She could feel her body being raised with her pride as she had now won an argument. ‘’Maybe if you had brought your wife along-’’

  ‘’I never married her’’

  OH.

  And they both now stopped walking. What was he saying now? Was it a trick all along? To make her envious as if she wasn’t actually important to his life? Or was he once again lying?

  ‘’I see’’She muttered, and they both were looking now to the near door.

  And suddenly, Hermes spoke his mind.

  ‘’Do you remember that time we danced?’’He said with a wide smile, and Lyssandra tried to look down at the ground. She could remember everything.

  And then, right all around them, there was music, coming from Hermes’ power, fire appeared once again on the ground, and Lyssandrsa was dressed up in an old green dress, with her hair tied in braids.

  ‘’Hermes’’She scoffed. ‘’What are you-’’

  ‘’Dancing is my brother’s gift’’He explained as he was offering his hand to her.’’But please, let me do this for you. Just this’’

  Her gaze turned warmer as her hand rested in his fingers. She could see the memory in her mind. the way they were dancing slowly, the way of fighting.

  Pup was now looking at them, sitting simply to see the two immortals dance as if they were a young couple.

  She could remember how handsome he was with the fire reflecting on his silver skin. His eyes were now finally revealed from his clothes once again as they were finally in sync. No attack, no defense. Not a winner or the one in defeat. Her heart began to feel war again as she tried to smile at the idea of him trying to make her cheer up. His movements were now faster, and so were hers as she was slowly being pulled to his grasp.

  The music ended, and she began laughing with joy.

  ‘’There she is,’’Hermes whispered. And Lyssandra looked above the man with sorrow in his eyes.

  ‘’I missed you so much’’He muffled as he leaned so close to her.

  I belong to you. I love you. Don’t touch me. Stop. Stop.

  ‘’I am sorry’’Lyssandra’s smile faded, and she pushed herself slowly away. ‘’I cannot do it.’’Her steps began once again, with Pup following her.

  And Hermes’s wings covered his wounded face. ‘’I know''