WoL: Part 3 - The Conversations

Waves of Love
Part 3:
The Conversations

“Lia!?” yelled Regeus before diving out of the way, narrowly missing the large golden wing, sharp feathers pockmarking the ground.

“I hate you! What are you doing here!” She screamed as she threw her large talon towards Regeus, nearly impaling him before he leapt aside once more.

“Stop!” He called, irritation visibly showing, “I don’t want to hurt you!”

“What!?! So NOW you don’t want to hurt me! Ha! Why the sudden change or heart? Nevermind! I’ll pluck it out and see for myself!” She yelled as her talon shot forth again, this time grazing Regeus’ chest, tearing the tunic and causing a small trickle of blood to stain his clothes.

“Lia! That’s enough! I warned you!” Regeus said as he jumped and rolled across the ground, grabbing the lyre he had been given that night.

“What’s the matter, can’t stand a little scratch? It’s much less than what you did to my heart!!” She leered as she raised her talon again.

“Bellum. Lux. Salve!” he called, holding up the lyre with the symbol of his family on it.

The crest began to glow a bright blue, which then spread across his whole body, covering him entirely except for his face with the blue glowing light. His eyes were also glowing bright blue as he stood his ground, waiting for her to move.

Her talon descended and he raised his arm, countering the blow in an explosion of light and color. He was still standing, as was she, her long golden wing straining against his blue glowing arm, which seemed to have extended slightly in order to stop the blow. He hopped back, flying several yards before landing softly. She was immediately upon him, and the two fought as two swordfighters in the middle of a duel, arm and wing clashing in the evening light.

“Interregnum!” called an ancient voice behind them both.

Immediately the Duke’s glow fell away, except for his eyes which were still glowing bright blue. Lia’s feathers also involuntarily retracted and she fell to her knees, her eyes still amber and bright as she glared daggers at Duke Regeus. From the shadows behind them a man stepped forward, waving his hand as if saluting, causing both to fall to their hands and knees before him.

“Archduke Magnus.” Lia gasped with fear, the amber glow leaving her eyes as they returned to their former shade of blue, her head unable to look up as his shadow fell over her.

“Lia, dear, so good to see you again, welcome to our city. This is your first time here, no? You shall be my honored guest.” Then he moved towards the Duke, who was panting heavily from his fight, prostrate before the Archduke as well. “Duke Regeus, we have a guest. You know what I expect of you. You will show her to the royal guest room in the castle. I expect you both to behave civilly.”

Regeus and Lia both gulped as they nodded. The Archduke left, and a few minutes later they felt his presence leaving as well, both collapsing in the dust, able to move once more. Regeus stood first, thought about offering her his hand to get up, then decided not to. Lia rose up with a glare and then followed him in silence as they went back to the castle. From behind them they could hear the crowd in the grove of Dionysus cheering at the last play of the night being performed.

“It’s a beautiful evening.” Regeus said as they walked, trying to start conversation.

“Don’t talk to me! Just because I won’t tear off your head doesn’t mean I’m suddenly your friend again.” Lia answered coolly.

“Fine then. Why are you here?” he asked directly as they stopped before the large hill of stairs that led up to the main castle above.

“You think I’m going to tell you so easily?” she smirked in the full moonlight. “It’s not for you, so you can stop being so conceited.”

“Trust me, I never thought you’d come here just for me. Even if it were to kill me.” He said turning and beginning the climb up the stairs.

“What’s that suppose to mean!” she said running to catch up to him.

“Never mind. So if it’s not for me, then who did you come here for? Was it for that bard, Tycus? You thought I was him when you saw my lyre, didn’t you!” he said smirking back at her.

“Perhaps. We’re might just be good friends.” She said turning towards the glade where the festivities were ending.

“Don’t worry, I won’t interfere. Thought I’m not entirely sure he’s your type.” Regeus said as he kept mounting stairs.

“What’s that suppose to mean! I mean, we’re just friends right now anyway! So it doesn’t matter if he’s my type or not!” she said her eyes beginning to burn golden again. “I’ve had enough of your prattle! I’ll be waiting at the top for you.”

And with that she took to the skies, soaring to the top of the stairs, while Regeus kept climbing the mountain of steps. When he finally reached the top she refused to talk further with him and the rest of the night no words were exchanged between the two. She went to her room and he to his. Neither slept well that night.

*~*~*~*~*~*

Tycus’ song had not enjoyed the kind of reception he had expected. He berated himself for not having taken it into consideration, that his audience were there to be entertained, not to think about the deeper meaning of love and life. He sighed as he walked through the Alexandrian streets, not paying attention to where he was going. He passed through the craftsmen sector, seeing half finished sculptures escaping from stones and unfinished mosaics that seemed to be chaos and confusion. He couldn’t help but think how his life was like those half finished, chaos filled works of art.

The next moment he turned a corner and he was before the hill that wound its way up towards the temple complex. He shuffled along the gleaming white path that climbed up past the small shrines and temples scattered across the green manicured lawns and trimmed trees and shrubs. Everything was cool and clean in the soft glow of the moonlight.

He walked all the way to the temple of Aphrodite, where the braziers were still faintly emitting the fragrance of roses as a handful of coals glowed red with their dusting of grey ashes. He walked across the mosaics of cherubs and tritons towards the building at the heart of the many rows upon rows of white pillars. He passed the yards of cerulean gossamer that let the moon and starlight in faintly until he reached the shrine.

He entered the large structure, whose massive dome had an enormous oculus at its center. The large hole allowed the moon light to fall directly down upon the gleaming statue of the goddess. Her inviting and supple form was draped with the same blue gossamer as outside, and on her head was a crown of gleaming silver myrtle leaves. Her body curved with grace, and almost seemed ready to come alive and move.

“Beautful goddess, excuse me for disturbing your slumber tonight. I was led here… oh who am I kidding. I know why I ended up here. I am in love and it’s all your fault! …. well, not actually. It’s all my fault. My own, selfish, stupid fault. I told them to sail past the isle. I was the one who wanted to hear her song. And now I’ll never hear it again.”

The statue remained unmoving as the moonlight gleamed off her slight smile as if she knew something that he didn’t know. He sat down on the floor next to the statue in the small circle of moonlight, staring at the darkness surrounding him. All of a sudden the large chamber felt small and intimate. He felt safe, as if he could tell the cold statue anything.

“You know, this is the first time I’ve ever really fallen in love. I know it sounds silly, but it’s true. Sure, I’ve had feelings for other girls before, but never as strong as this. It’s overwhelming, intoxicating, like a drug I just can’t get enough of. You know, I’ve dreamed about her almost every night since I heard her sing. I hear her songs in my sleep. Am I crazy”

He sighed into the empty room.

“I’m afraid. Afraid I’ll never see her again. And the funny thing is, I only saw her once. I feel overwhelmed. Like this is all some dream or nightmare I’m going to simply wake up from. Is love suppose to feel this way?” He paused before speaking softly, “If I’ve never been in love before, how am I suppose to know what it feels like? How do I know its really love?”

“You simply know.” said a low and sonorous voice behind him.

He turned and gasped as he saw instead of a statue there stood a beautiful woman, shining with the glow of the moonlight. Her long golden hair fell down in curls to her feet and her eyes glowed gold as well, reminding him of his Siren. Oddly, in her hand she held a scallop shell cup from which she was drinking spiced wine.

“Great Goddess of Foam Born, I apologize.” He said falling to his knees before her.

“Oh get up! Just listen. I don’t have a lot of time. I’m a very busy goddess as you well know! Now, the Siren you seek is in the royal palace as we speak. She is the honorable guest of the Archduke. Tomorrow night he will have a special celebration for her. Make sure you get in! Then you’ll be able to talk to her, but only briefly. It might be best to compose a song, with a message for her on where to meet you.”

He bowed as he said, “Thank you, O Mighty Lady who crafts love and beauty with…”

“Yes, yes. Now, leave my temple so I can get some sleep!” she said angrily.

He stood and answered, “Y-yes, O Wielder of the Arrows of Lo…”

“Go!” she yelled.

When he had run sufficiently far enough out of the temple, the goddess resumed her former pose, and turned back to stone. The goblet which was now upon her hand turned back into seawater and ran down cool marble and across the floor.