Of Waves and War

25: the land was visible

Eulises

"Are you staring at me?" lying in bed. I gently pulled the covers over us both. It was the first night we spent together. Really spent together. We'd shared a bed on our wedding night, but then we'd fallen asleep talking. Now we were finally, safely, home.

"I get to look at you," I said, tracking a scar on her arm, watching her sleep, curled up like a kitten, soft yellow hair starting to stick to her cheeks.

"Yeah, but you could be sleeping. I like sleeping," she mumbled, face in pillow.

"Okay then, go back to sleep. I'll be here, worshiping every part of you," I said, running a hand down her arm to her bare thigh, then back.

"Actively waking me up you mean? Come here," she opened her deep brown eyes and drew me to her, "You get to keep me forever you know. That's part of the deal."

"Good, I plan on it," I said, kissing her collar bone.

"Is anyone going to be looking for us?" she asked, snuggling closer to me and wrapping her arms around me.

"No, I said we were not to be disturbed. You'll find the servants are more than happy to have directives not to come around me," I said.

"Good, I want you to myself, once we sleep for another few hours," she closed her eyes again and snuggled her face back into the pillow.

"Okay," I said, quietly, and she pressed my face into her chest. I inhaled the smell of her skin, closing my eyes again. Rosewater, she had rosewater on her skin. That was the smell mixed with the smell of her. I wanted to hold onto that moment forever. Soft, safe, warm, in my own bed with my own wife. The only person I'd ever wanted to spend time around. Holding her in my arms and not ever letting go.

I wake, stiff and surprisingly sore.

"Hello," the goddess Athena sits on the wall opposite with me, her legs crossed with mine.

"Morning, Goddess," I say, opening my eyes lazily.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"I was sleeping, I can't abide the beds not anymore," I am of course on the floor near the corner of the room. I can't sleep in solid bed. Too many nights on the ground. And I slept sitting up lest anyone come in. I'm wearing the clothes they gave me and leaning upon a bag that they provided me with.

I try to stand up and unlace my legs from hers, but she neatly puts her legs back through mine again so I'm forced to stay down.

"Yes?" I ask, innocently. She's dressed as a man as she often is, though her countenance is familiar as ever with her sharp grey eyes.

"Do you have an explanation for this?" she pokes the bag.

"I have in fact four, you may select one that prefer and then we'll go with that—,"

"Eulises, these are good people," she sighs.

"There are no good people."

"I sent that girl to find you. I wouldn't have if they meant you ill they do not," she says.

"I'll believe that when I'm not poisoned or just murdered," I inform her.

"You trust me."

"I trust no one, goddess, that's why I'm still alive and incidentally why you like me," I say.

"I don't like you."

"There it is, neither of us like anyone that's why we're a pair."

"Stop being so clever and correct; it's insufferable. The bag. Really?"