Chapter 10

Rhea gently lifted her mother’s head to bring the cup of nectar to her lips.

Here, Mother, drink, it will restore your strength, she said.

Gaia shakily placed her hand around Rhea’s and sipped the life giving drink of the gods. She only took a small sip, which was all she had the strength to do. Rhea placed the cup on the table next to her mother’s bed before she helped the fragile goddess to lie her head back down.

Why do you wish to restore what man is so eager to destroy? Gaia asked.

Man will not succeed in taking you away from us, Mother.

Gaia closed her eyes. I beg to differ, my Rhea, with each passing day, I feel the destruction he forces upon the Earth. The ground they walk on has fallen yet again and this time their young fell with it. She moaned and Rhea knew Mother Earth was remembering the pain of the loss of so many young lives. Her mother’s connection to Earth was still present and it was killing Gaia.

The sinkhole in Florida was most unfortunate. Perhaps man will rethink his actions since so many young bodies now lay mixed with the rubble of their amusement park.

I doubt it, Gaia responded. Man continues to build on unstable ground, and for what? All he cares about is his financial profit. It does not matter to him who is hurt by his actions.

You will heal from this like you did the last time. Rhea leaned over and kissed her mother’s forehead. Sleep, Mother, tomorrow will be a new day and you will be stronger.

Gaia sighed, as she drifted off to sleep. Rhea slowly rose out of her bedside chair and walked to the door. She took one last look back at her ailing mother and sadness filled her immortal heart. How could Zeus let man do this to her? With each passing day, Gaia grew weaker. If only Zeus was able to see man for what he really was, pure destruction.

She turned to take another step and found her son blocking her path.

How is she? Zeus asked.

How do you think? Rhea asked with a bit of anger in her voice.

She will get through this. She is stronger than you give her credit for, Rhea.

Your faith in man is misplaced. They will destroy her.

There are still those who fight to save her.

Tell that to the mothers who now grieve over the torn bodies of their children. I don’t think they will agree with you. Aradia will not take her place. Gaia is Earth. They are as one.

Aradia and Earth are the same, just in different dimensions, you know that. As Aradia strengthens, so will Gaia.

For Gaia’s sake I hope so. Rhea bowed her head to her son that now ruled the heavens and walked past him. She needed to do more to stop this madness, but she had to wait till the right time. Tipping her hand to Zeus would land her imprisoned in Tartarus with her brothers and that was the last place she needed to be. She had to work alone, quietly, and in time she would go to her brother-husband to continue her plan after the oracle’s protectress was no longer a concern.

***

Pagan reached for the gray mist that formed before her eyes, as she tried to grasp onto anything to keep from falling. She didn’t know how, but she felt her world disappear into the mist and she began a spiral of free falling that seemed to have no end. She formed a white sphere in her palm and launched it as a streamer to try lassoing it onto anything that might be beyond the dark fog that had now tightened into a prison that entangled around her legs, pulling her down.

A dream, this has to be a dream. If I can only ground my fear, all of this will go away.

She launched the white rope of energy into the air, and it indeed caught onto something. She pulled with all her mind to free her bound legs, but she made no progress. Whatever it was she had clasped with her lasso above her did nothing but aid in her entrapment. She was caught between the world above her and the gray mist of the unknown below her.

Why is this happening?

She kicked against the gray mist that knotted around her ankles. She had to free her mind, escape this torment that her brain had created. Her heart sank, as she realized she was trapped and wasn’t able to do this on her own, she needed help, she needed Tristan.

Tristan, please, help me! I need you, please, don’t leave me here!

Tears began to flow, and she started to give into her captive feelings. She loved him and he was leaving her to go fight a war against those that threatened to take her away from him. She wanted him to stay. The thought of losing him was too much to bear and she broke down and screamed in anguish.

TRISTAN! NO! YOU CAN’T LEAVE ME HERE!

Pagan, I’m here. Take my hand, princess.

It was his voice; he was here, but where? All she saw was the gray thick mist surrounding her, engulfing her. Frantically she reached up to grasp only air. He had to be there. He won’t leave her like this.

Where are you, Tristan? Please, help me.

I am here, Pagan. Concentrate on my voice and take my hand. I’m not leaving you.

Pagan focused her thoughts for a moment and found her bearings and then she saw a tiny hole form in the gray swirls above her and she thrust her hand into the center to clasp hold of his hand. She gripped his outstretched hand tightly, not wanting to let go.

That’s it, princess. Hold on, I have you; I’m not letting you go.

She clung to him with all she had, and he slowly lifted her out of her nightmare and wrapped his comforting arms around her quivering frame.

I have you now, princess. You’re safe.

Pagan wrapped her arms around his neck, and she pulled him to lie on top of her. She needed him more than ever and she wanted him to know how she truly felt for him.

Tristan, I need you. Make love to me.

He responded to her words by kissing her tenderly and she lifted her hands to lace her fingers in his long raven hair. As she caressed his silky tresses between her fingers, the pressure of his lips deepened, and she felt a surge of energy fill her, as he caressed her body with his hands.

She began to change. Her body sparkled, as did his, and they transformed into pure masses of energy. Red and pink ribbons surrounded them, capturing them in what she could only describe as the manifestation of love’s arms. They were in their own world; separate from all else and in a place where no one could tell them they couldn’t love each other’s bodies. This was their private place, a place of passion and desire filled with the love they had for each other. No one could take this away from them.

Passion stirred in her womb, and she moaned, as he began to kiss her neck. They were both without clothing, and she didn’t care. She loved the way his skin felt against hers when she felt his erect manhood press against her belly.

This felt natural. This was meant to be. They were meant to be together like this and she wanted to take this as far as they could go. She spread her legs, and he responded by settling between her limbs in an instant, touching her opening with his tip.

I give myself to you and only you, Tristan. Take me now.

Tristan pushed his way into her, and she felt no pain from his entrance. All she could feel was the intense energy that vibrated through her body from the point where they were now connected. His essence filled her with each slow stroke he gave her, and she truly felt they were one being, joined by their love for each other and forever connected by the desire that love fueled in their souls.

He was meant to be her lover, her man, her mate, she knew it in her heart and for the first time she was willing to accept this as her reality. She opened her heart to him and let her love flow freely into his body of pure energy.

He continued to pump his shaft deep in her channel, keeping a rhythm that she matched thrust to thrust. This was what she needed, to feel his love in a spiritual way that could only intensify when he made love to her in their physical forms, but for now, this was all they were allowed to have with no one knowing what they were doing.

This was a dream, she knew it, but it was a reality she created in her mind to deal with her true feelings she had for him. He was her heart and soul, and she finally was capable of admitting it to herself. She belonged to Tristan by law and more importantly, by her heart.

***

Aphrodite leaned over Pagan and gently caressed her golden ringlets. That’s right, young one; let him make love to you. Enjoy his passion in your dreams and soon he will be deep inside you in a physical way. Give him your love and he will give you his.

Ares shimmered to stand next to her. Aphrodite looked up at him and smiled, as she continued to place red masses of energy into Pagan’s mind. The girl had created this vision on her own and all Aphrodite had to do was enhance what Pagan was already feeling.

He walked over to the other side of the bed and lowered the blanket from Betha’s sleeping body. She is a beauty, this one. Her soul is strong. She’ll make an excellent priestess when the time comes. He leaned over and kissed her forehead. Betha sighed softly and moved to turn on her side.

Come, Aphrodite, I believe your work here is done.

She rose and joined Ares and together they shimmered into a golden mist and left Pagan’s room.

***

Tristan rolled over on his back when his body filled with the sexual satisfaction he needed finally came. The spiritual sexual release was more than welcome and now he needed to wait till the day when he could fill her with his energy in a physical way, as he made love to her.

He loved her deeply and she loved him, as her actions tonight had shown him. Pagan reached out to him in her dreams, and she asked him to make love to her in the realm of dreams. She was lost in her emotions, and he freed her from the torment she was putting herself through. He heard her calling to him and he immediately went to her to find her fighting her fears in the form of a gray mist. He freed her from her torment, and they began an intimate mating that he knew was to be a new beginning for them that started in their dreams and would soon be a reality once her rite of passage was completed. As he entered her body of pure energy, they melded together as one being and he knew he didn’t want to live without her. She was his heart and soul.

Tristan let out a sigh laced with satisfaction, and he drifted back to sleep. His mind began to wander across the realms, and he soon found he was in a place unfamiliar to him. He was no longer drifting but he was standing in a building that he had never been in before. He looked around the room that was filled with braziers lit with orange sparkling flames. The columns that stood tall to brace the ceiling were silver in color and glistened as if they were transcending between realms of existence. The place felt real to him but yet he knew it wasn’t a place in reality, or his reality, he thought. Where was he? Then, a fine silver mist rose from the floor and his feet were soon covered with twinkling white sparkles that seemed to be dancing around him, connecting him to the world he now was in.

He turned around when he heard a door slam, and he saw Pagan running in slow motion to the center of the room. She was wearing a tight fitting tunic that barely covered her breasts and form fitting breeches that fit her like a second skin. Her boots came to her knees and were laced in a tight weave. On her back she had her bow and quiver that rocked back and forth with each landing of her feet upon the floor. She was the image of a warrior with her long curls pulled back in a tight bun, and she was in the midst of a battle, and he wondered whom she was fighting.

Tristan called to her, but she didn’t respond. She ran past him in her slow strides, and he watched, as she climbed the circular dais in the center of the room. For the first time he noticed the child seated on a pillow in the center of the platform. The girl was no more than thirteen years of age, he surmised. He looked at her more closely. She sat still with a straight back and her eyes closed. Her skin was ivory and shimmered in an unworldly way, as her long beige white hair fell to her buttocks. She seemed thin and fragile, but yet she had a sense of strength about her that he had never seen before in a child. In an instant he knew who the child was, she was Apollo’s oracle. There was no other explanation. His mind knew this was to be Pagan’s future sister that had not been born yet in his reality. Why was he here? What purpose was there for him to see this? Who brought him here? This wasn’t a place he would have come to on his own.

Pagan went to her sister and pushed the child down to the ground and she stood over the future oracle in a straddled stance. The child opened her eyes, and Tristan was taken aback by their rose glistening hue. He had never before seen such eyes and he was memorized by their color. He found it difficult to take his sight from her as if he were drawn to her in some sort of trance, pulling him near to her. She was an unusual child and a beautiful creature to behold.

Stay down, my sister. I will not let them harm you, Pagan spoke in a firm voice.

She removed her bow and raised it to her face, even with her line of sight, after placing an arrow in its string. A ball of energy formed in her hand, and it traveled to the tip of the arrow, as if waiting to be launched at her command. Her aim was strong and directed toward the door.

Tristan walked slowly toward the two on the dais, neither seemed to be aware of his presence. He leaned down to get a closer look at the child between Pagan’s legs.

The young girl reached out to him, and he was able to look deep in her eyes, as she spoke to him. Her voice was angelic and seemed to vibrate though his body.

Therapeue after psychen. Without her I am lost, and Aradia will no longer exist.

The door burst open, and Pagan let loose her array of arrows laced with powerful energy balls toward the invading unseen enemy. The room suddenly disappeared, and he was thrown into a whirlwind of energy that pulled him down with intense speed.

Tristan sat up, his breath labored from the force he experienced, as he was thrust back into his body. He ran his fingers through his hair and in the corner of his eye he noticed Apollo sitting across the room in the chair. Tristan raised his knees and placed his elbows across them.

“You gave me that vision, didn’t You?” He asked the deity.

“No, I did not. All I did was open a portal to the future. A future that may or may not happen, depending on what happens here.” Apollo casually placed His elbows on the arms of the chair and leaned His forefingers against His lips. “Tell me, Tristan, what did you see?”

“Your oracle and Pagan defending her with her life,” Tristan answered.

“And what happened?”

“She spoke to me. She said something in a language I didn’t understand.”

“Interesting, you received a prophecy from an oracle that hasn’t been born yet. Why is that? Why would the oracle reach out to you?”

“You tell me?” Tristan responded.

Apollo rose and walked over to stand at the foot of Tristan’s bed. “No, it is better if you tell me. What were her words exactly?”

“She said, ‘Therapeue after psychen’ in the language I didn’t understand, then, she said, ‘Without her I am lost, and Aradia will no longer exist.’ She was speaking of Pagan, wasn’t she?”

“Yes, Tristan, she was. You have been given a chance to see just how important Pagan is to us and to your future. The oracle gave you a warning. Her words were in the ancient Greek language. She commanded you to heal her soul, I believe. Therapeue could mean many things, heal, cure, honor, worship, any of these words could have been her intent, but I believe heal is the appropriate choice for Pagan. She wants you to mend her sister’s soul.”

Tristan rubbed his forehead, as he considered the deity’s words. “She is torn between her values and the values being forced upon her.”

“Yes, she is. You know what you must do. Her rite of passage, fix it, Tristan, for Pagan’s peace of mind. Mend the torment in her soul. She was given to you by Zeus to protect because without her Aradia will not survive in the future. Do what you know you must do. She needs you now as well as in the future. Return to her as soon as you finish your task in the south. She needs to learn that you will always be there for her and not abandon her. You are the key to her being whole again.”

With that said, Apollo vanished in a flash. Tristan was alone in his room. The deity was right, he owed it to Pagan to make things right. She was battling with her feelings of abandonment, and she panicked when she found out he was leaving to put down the rebellion. She probably felt responsible because the rebels were after her. She was Draken’s daughter by law, and they wanted to hold her hostage till they got what they wanted. Her heart was changing toward him, and she finally was letting her love manifest in her dreams. She didn’t want to lose him.

Tristan knew what he had to do to put her mind at ease, at least about her rite of passage. All he could do was give her his word that he would come home to her like he had already told her, but this time he needed to make sure she understood that he wasn’t going to let anything keep him from her.

He lay back down and rolled over onto his side. He was leaving at noon tomorrow with the others and they weren’t going to have a chance to be alone, his vow created that situation, but it was needed to keep Delia from giving false statements about him making sexual advances toward her. Pagan’s state of mind was fragile at the moment, and if she gave into the fear, she would not be the strong woman the oracle needed her to be, and in the process, Aradia was going to suffer for it. He still wasn’t able to make the connection between the oracle and Aradia. Obviously, there was one. It just wasn’t made apparent to him now. There was more going on here than Apollo was letting on. He just didn’t know what it was.

The morning came too quickly for Pagan, and she stretched her arms above her head, yawning, trying to wake her body from its comfortable slumber. Betha sat up in her usual cheery way and began chattering like a bright spring bird almost immediately after opening her eyes. Where did she get all that energy so early in the morning, she wondered about her friend.

“Pagan, I had the strangest dream last night. There was this rather ruggedly handsome man with wavy black hair dressed like a warrior of your ancient Greeks. He had to be a god, the way He sparkled, and get this, He asked me to be one of His priestesses. Can you imagine, me a priestess serving a sexy god like that?”

Pagan gave her a weary glance. The Greek gods were real, and she thought no one except she and Tristan knew of Their existence. There had to be a reasonable explanation for Betha’s weird dream. Why would the gods want Betha in Their service, but then again, two months ago she never would have dreamed she would be a servant of Apollo.

“Betha, have you been reading mythology books again?” She asked hoping that was the reason for her friend’s fantasy.

“Oh, Pagan, you know I like to read them. I find them so fascinating. We don’t have anything like that here. Come, we must hurry. We need to be downstairs for breakfast.” Betha bounced her way to the privy.

Well, at least she had her answer. It had to be the books. Pagan climbed out of the bed and went to open the window. The morning sun was bright, and she squinted against the light, as she pulled back the drapes. She leaned against the wall and recalled her dream of Tristan. She felt a certain kind of satisfaction, a sense of fulfillment like she had never experienced before. It was only a dream, but the way he moved inside her was almost real.

She shook her head at the thought. There was no way it was real. She had a sexual dream about Tristan and her little fantasy eased her fears of him leaving her, at least for the time being. The reality was he was going away today at noon, and she didn’t know when she would see him again. She sighed at the reality that she was facing, and she so wanted to be back in dreamland with Tristan holding her, comforting her, and yes, loving her.

Betha came out of the privy and the two of them began to change out of their nightgowns and into something more appropriate to receive company in. It was nice having Betha around to keep her company, although she did miss Tristan and his constant presence here in this room. It at times felt more like their room and not just hers.

Pagan helped Betha tie a sash around her waist. They were ready to go. They just needed to wait for their escorts to arrive to take them downstairs.

A knock sounded at the door and Betha went to open it. Brailey walked in and motioned for them to follow him. He escorted her and Betha down the stairs and into the drawing room to be greeted by Tristan’s mother and her grandparents. She looked around and Tristan was nowhere to be found. Where was he? He was leaving in a few hours, and she wanted to say good-bye, even if it was to be chaperoned.

Charles entered the room and Betha’s eyes lit up with glee.

“I hope I’m not intruding on your family gathering. Tristan asked me to join you this morning and I graciously accepted his invitation.”

“Oh, it is no intrusion at all,” Betha said.

Charles walked in to stand next to Betha and it seemed for the moment she forgot all about her Greek god.

Pagan laughed inwardly at her friend. Betha seemed so happy to be with Charles. It was obvious she had a crush on the man and by the way Charles was looking at Betha, it seemed he too was smitten. Pagan looked around the room, then she looked into the hall, hoping Tristan was coming in. He still wasn’t there. She walked into the hall and noticed the doors to her grandfather’s study were closed. She took a step closer, and she could see Tristan through the glass panels, and he was having a conversation with Adam. Both men had very serious looks on their faces and she wondered why they needed such privacy.

As if they sensed she was near, Tristan and Adam both looked in her direction. Adam held her stare for a moment, then looked over to Tristan, then back at her. Tristan never took his eyes off of her until Adam said something and he nodded his head. Tristan swiftly grabbed Adam’s hand and shook it, and the two men shared a brief pat on each other’s back.

Brailey walked up behind her. “Pagan, you need to come with me. Tristan will be with us shortly.” He touched her elbow and guided her away from the closed doors.

Pagan kept her eyes on the doors of the study, as Brailey led her into the drawing room. She went to stand next to her grandmother and waited for Tristan to enter the room. A few moments later, he came in and walked directly to her.

“May I escort you to the table?” He asked.

“Yes,” she replied.

He held out his hand and she placed hers in his, lacing her fingers tightly between his strong fingers and she thought for a moment how his hands felt upon her body last night in her dream. A slight twinge of sexual desire shot through her, and he squeezed her hand, as if he knew what she was feeling.

Of course he did, she thought. The connection he had created between them when he healed her left no secrets between them. Except the ones he was deliberately keeping from her with his mind block. She really needed to learn how to do that. It was definitely a skill she wanted to be able to master.

Tristan pulled out her chair and she sat down. He sat next to her and grabbed her hand to hold it in her lap. The long tablecloth covered their hands, and no one could see them. It wasn’t like they were doing anything scandalous by holding hands, but his vow of abstinence was taken seriously by all, and they needed to be as prim and proper as they could possibly be. He caressed her palm with his thumb, and she lowered her head to hide her smile.

Everything will be fine, Pagan, he spoke to her mind. Have faith in me.

She raised her head to look into his eyes. There was something different about him today, something she couldn’t quite put her finger on, but it was there. He smiled at her, but it was a tense smile. Something was wrong; she could feel it and it had to do with the reason he was leaving.

Uneasiness settled over her, as she realized she wasn’t the only one who was wary. All in the room were especially quiet, even Betha, who normally would be chattering away about anything that crossed her mind, was sitting still next to Charles, who was holding her hand.

Draken walked in with Cassandra, and he took his place at the head of the table. It was odd seeing him in such an authoritative role, but he was the ruler here and the head of Tristan’s family. After helping Cassandra to her seat, he cleared his throat, and all turned to face their ruler.

“It is wonderful to see our families together like this, we should do this more often, but our reason today is not one of celebration. There are things that need to be said before we leave. I am ruler and my heir is Tristan, as we all know. It is necessary for me to have Tristan on this campaign and the formality of passing the leadership on in our absence is the first order of business. It has already been done before the council and now the family is to give allegiance to him. Brailey, will you stand.”

Brailey rose and went to stand next to Draken. “Brailey is now acting ruler, as of this moment, and if Tristan and I do not come back alive, he will remain ruler, as his rightful place.”

Pagan gasped and started to bolt out of her chair, but Tristan halted her actions by clamping down on her hand. That’s why all were so solemn; they had to face the possibility that Draken and Tristan could die in this fight. They knew this speech was coming and no one warned her.

The thought of losing Tristan so soon consumed her. No, she thought, it couldn’t happen. It was better if they gave the rebels what they wanted and tried to negotiate a treaty than to fight. But they weren’t going to. They wanted to remain in control of the council and keep things the way they were. They were unwilling to change and wanted to fight to keep things the way they were.

Tristan clutched her hand tightly. He knew she was upset by Draken’s words, and he had to get her to calm down. He was aware of how fragile her state of mind was, and he wasn’t about to let her think he was going to die. It was a possibility, but he doubted it. Apollo had told him she needed to have faith in him and believe he was going to come back to her, and in his mind, that meant he was going to survive. But he couldn’t tell her that. She needed to believe in his words, not the assurance of the deity.

Pagan, have faith in me. He beseeched her in her mind.

I can’t think about this right now. I’ve lost too many people that were trying to keep me safe. Now you are going off to fight to keep them from taking me away. No, this can’t be happening. I didn’t come here to get my heart broken.

Pagan, please, listen to me. I am asking you to have faith in me. I will come back to you.

Don’t make promises that you may not be able to keep.

She tried to get out of her chair, but he refused to let her go.

We have very little time before I have to leave, don’t run from me, Pagan. I’m asking you to spend this last hour with me.

With that said, Pagan settled back in her chair. Tristan wanted to wrap his arms around her and hold her close to his body to keep her from running, but he couldn’t. He had to use his words and apparently, he had gotten through to her. She stilled in her seat, and he felt the anxiety that was building up inside her. He squeezed her hand to reassure her, and she clutched his hand, as if she were holding on to him for dear life.

He wanted her to show him how she felt, to let her love flow freely like she had done in the realm of dreams, but not like this and under these circumstances, and she hadn’t as of yet voiced her love for him. She was still holding back because she was afraid of getting hurt.

The morning meal went by rather quickly and he noticed Pagan hardly ate anything at all. They started to leave the dining room and he caught the slightest of a sound in his mind. It was a prayer. Pagan was reciting a prayer he had never heard before. He escorted her out of the house with the others and they made their way to the stables. She remained quiet along the path, and he hoped she would break down the wall she was starting to place between them. He walked to his stallion that had been readied for the ride. He still was holding Pagan’s hand, and he gathered the reins and led his steed toward the main path. This was to be their final walk together before he was required to join the other men and he didn’t want it to be in silence.

“Brailey and Adam will take good care of you in my absence. I told them to make sure you eat well. You know your blood sugar gets low if you don’t.”

She sighed in response.

“And Brailey is going to continue your training.”

“I know. I need to be prepared for anything.”

“Don’t give him a hard time. He does care for you, you know.”

“Your brother is a good man, and he means well, all though, I have noticed he has an eye for the ladies.”

Tristan chuckled, “Yes, he does.” At least she was talking to him, he thought.

“How long do you think you will be gone?” She asked.

“I’m not sure, but I will be back for your rite of passage.”

She stopped to face him.

“Pagan, I will be there for you to help you get through it.”

“Tristan, how can I ever face you again after another man has…”

He caressed her cheek. “I’m asking you to have faith in me, Pagan. Please, I know how hard it will be for you, but trust me in this. I told you last night I would find a way and I have.”

“A way to what? What have you done, Tristan?” She asked.

“Holding hands, I see,” Delia’s voice was loud, and she approached them from the crowd that had gathered a few feet in front of them.

“He is allowed to hold her hand, and kiss her,” Draken said as he walked passed them.

“Yes, lord ruler,” Delia said respectfully, and she slowly backed away from them.

Tristan continued on the path, holding Pagan’s hand and he didn’t even stop to acknowledge Delia’s presence. He wanted to get his point across to her again that he wasn’t interested in her and now he was going to have to do it publicly.

Don’t let Delia get to you, Pagan. You are stronger than that. Esmeralda and I raised you to be independent and proud of who you are. She is only angry because Tristan chose to save himself for you and not bed her.

It was Draken speaking to her in her mind. The sound of his voice in her head caught her off guard. He was actually trying to reassure her like a father would do for his daughter. It was an odd feeling she felt at that moment. She started to feel grateful for his words because he seemed to care about her feelings.

Maybe he did care for her? He and Esmeralda did raise her as their own daughter while he was with them on Earth. And she had to admit her first five years of life she was a part of a family; Esmeralda saw to that. Draken and Esmeralda were always together and during the tourist season they would take her along to the Riviera so that Esmeralda could sell her handmade dresses to the tourists.

An image came back to her, a memory she had long tucked away. She couldn’t have been more than three years old at the time and Draken was smiling at her, as Esmeralda was attempting to braid her unruly curls.

“Mija, sit still.”

Pagan squirmed on the stool.

“Listen to your mother, Pagan.”

“But, Daddy, she’s pulling my hair.”

“Do you want sand in your hair, Pagan?”

“No, Daddy.”

“Then let your mother braid your hair. When she is finished, I will take you to the beach and we can build sand houses.”

“Promise?”

“Yes, I promise.”

Tristan interrupted her memory. “Pagan, are you all right? You seem to be distant.”

“Yes, I’m just thinking, that’s all.”

“About what?” He asked.

“Draken. Did you know he is an expert at building sandcastles?”

“No, I didn’t.”

Tristan came to a stop and Pagan realized they were in the center of the ritual area with all the other men that were going to the south. She unconsciously gripped his tunic with her other hand and turned to face him. She was at a loss for words at the moment. She didn’t want him to go, and she wasn’t ready to tell him good-bye. All she could do was stare into his brown eyes, as he lowered his head and kissed her lips tenderly. It was a soft kiss, nothing more, and didn’t last as long as she wanted it to.

Brailey stood beside her and easily nudged her away from Tristan. She slowly backed away from him and watched, as he walked his horse to the head of the troop of men to ride next to Draken. He truly was a leader among his people, and he was taking his rightful place next to his ruler, her adoptive father.

The world around her became surreal and she watched Tristan move, as if he were in slow motion. Every step he took gave a hint of his taut muscled legs and his biceps flexed as he checked to see if his saddle was firmly secure. A breeze swept through the area and his long raven hair blew across his face. He didn’t even bother to brush it out of the way; he just continued his inspection of his horse.

Suddenly, another person was standing next to him, and as Pagan focused, Delia’s figure came in full view. What the hell was that woman doing over there? None of the other women were there, why did she feel she had the right to be standing with the men? Pagan took a few steps toward the troop and Brailey stopped her.

“Let it go, Pagan. Tristan is devoted to you. She can do no harm.”

Pagan watched with horror as Delia wrapped her arms around Tristan’s waist and hugged him as she laid her head against his chest. She was still trying to lay claim to Tristan and this time in front of the entire village. The audacity of the woman to do such a thing in public.

“On second thought, Pagan, maybe you should go to him and say one last good-bye,” Brailey said.

Brailey practically pushed Pagan across the ritual area until she was standing at the edge of the roped sacred circle. She froze and for some reason she wasn’t able to take another step, all she could do was stare at Tristan and watch him easily grab Delia’s wrists from around his back and pull her off of him.

Delia smiled a victorious grin at what she had just done, but it soon wavered as she noticed the ring on Tristan’s finger. She shot Pagan a snarling glance and Tristan stepped away from her to allow her father to guide her away from the men.

Pagan didn’t know what to do. She still stood there with her eyes fixated on Tristan.

Aphrodite walked up behind Pagan, dressed like the other Aradian women. No one paid her any mind since they were all too concerned with their loved ones, who were about to put down a rebellion. She leaned into her and whispered softly in her ear, “Go to him. Don’t let him leave without hearing your voice.”

“I don’t know what to say,” Pagan said.

“Yes, you do.” Aphrodite touched Pagan’s shoulder. “Tell him you love him. He needs to hear it.”

“I can’t.”

“Yes, you can. Go now before it is too late.”

Too late, those words rang true in her mind and in her heart. She did need to tell him and now was the moment. Her heart raced and she willed her feet to move. He was leaving. She had to do it now.

Pagan panicked when she saw Draken mount his horse and she knew Tristan was about to do the same. She ran toward him with Brailey at her heels.

“Tristan, wait!”

Tristan removed his foot from his stirrup and took a step in her direction.

Pagan quickened her pace, and she tripped on the hem of her long skirt. Tristan caught her before she fell to the ground, and she held on to his forearms as he helped her to stand. He didn’t release her, and she clung to the sleeve of his tunic, as the tears started to flow.

“Tristan, I love you. Please, come back to me.”

Tristan leaned his forehead to rest upon hers. He moved his hands to hold hers and he clutched them against his chest.

“Oh, my beautiful princess, I will always come back to you.”

He leaned into her and kissed her gently on her lips. The troop of men began shouting and cheers rang out among them, as those with shields beat their swords against the metal.

“Gentlemen! Let’s give the future ruler of Aradia and his betrothed a more private farewell, shall we!” Draken shouted. And the men gathered around the two of them to form a tight knit circle and all turned their backs to allow a more private moment.

Tristan took the opportunity to deepen his kiss and thrust his tongue into her mouth and caressed her delicate tongue with his passionate kiss. She fell into his arms, as she gave into his demanding kiss, and she flung her arms around him to keep from falling when her knees gave out on her. Tristan took one hand and laced his fingers in her golden ringlets, and she gasped when she felt the pressure of his lips on the pulse line of her neck. He kissed his way up her neck till he moved over her ear.

“I love you, Pagan, never forget that,” he whispered.

He released her and mounted his horse, leaving her to touch her lips that he had just kissed.

“Back in line, gentlemen!” Draken ordered.

The men disbursed and in minutes were lined up ready to go.

Adam took a few steps toward Delia and pressed his arm against her. “So, Delia, I see you are still in the market for a husband.” He leaned to whisper in her ear, “Rumor has it a captain in your father’s unit has an eye for you.”

Delia leaned away from Adam, trying to put distance between them. “Humph, my father would never agree to a contract from a man in his own unit. He will only accept an offer from a member of the ruling houses, as is fitting for a lady of my caliber.”

Adam laughed, “Well, if that’s the case, you will end up a spinster. I happen to know for a fact none of the single men of any of the ruling houses have intentions to sign a contract on you. Their loyalty lies with Tristan and they, including myself, are not very happy with what you tried to do to him.”

“I did nothing he didn’t want me to do,” she said with annoyance.

Brailey placed his hands on Pagan’s shoulders. She stood with her back straight and walked with pride, as he guided her through the crowd.

“Well, duty calls.” Adam left Delia’s side and gathered Betha’s hand and led her to walk behind Brailey and Pagan. He gave her a mocking bow as they passed her, and Delia’s face turned red with fury. She crossed her arms over her chest and stomped her way toward her sisters.

Pagan heard Draken give the order for the troop to leave and she halted her steps.

“Don’t look back, Pagan. Let him go. Hold your head up high and show the people that you are worthy of being a ruler’s wife. They will respect you if you respect him,” Brailey said softly.

She wanted to look back, to watch him ride away, but Brailey was right. Things were done differently here and she needed to accept her place in this world and that meant she had to follow their rules. Her heart began to ache at the thought of Tristan being in battle, and she suddenly remembered all the women back in the States who had let their husbands and lovers go off to war to defend their country from the terrorists that had invaded their shores. War was ever present on Earth, and it wasn’t any different here in Aradia. She was no different from the American women and she wanted to remain as strong as they had been and wait for Tristan to come back to her. She continued to walk the path to the ruling houses with Brailey by her side. She held her head high to show the people here that she respected Tristan and her new family here in Aradia, but inside she was pleading with Apollo to keep Tristan safe.

***

Aphrodite smiled, as she watched Pagan walk with pride through the crowd. She turned her head slightly, as she felt a firm hand on her shoulder.

Zeus, I’m surprised to see you here.

I walk among them from time to time. No one recognizes me.

Aphrodite laughed softly.

A job well done, Aphrodite.

Was there ever any doubt?

No, with you there never is. Come, let us return to Olympus and feast to your success.

Aphrodite turned to walk away from the crowd. She needed a private place to whisk away from sight and she strolled over in the direction of the temples with Zeus by her side. A movement caught her eye and she thought she saw a woman ducking behind the trees. She looked familiar and for a moment she had the feeling that woman was up to something. The woman peeped around the tree and their eyes met.

Rhea.

What did you say?

I thought I saw Rhea over there. She pointed in the direction of the trees along the edge of the woods.

Zeus stopped and looked in the direction Aphrodite had indicated. He saw no one. Suspicion filled his mind. There would be no reason for Aphrodite to say she saw Rhea unless his mother was actually there, and his mother had no reason to be on Aradia. She was more concerned with the people of Earth, and she never once showed an interest in Aradia.

Come, Aphrodite, let us be unseen.

They walked up the temple steps and entered into the Maker’s temple.