I woke up to feeling hard ground hitting me suddenly. "What gives!" I exclaimed.
"Morning to you too sunshine. We're not that far from Athena's temple so wake up, time for you to walk," Gabriel said, setting me on my feet. We walked to the temple in silence. I slipped a few times and reached for Gabriel's strong arms to steady myself each time.
“Athena’s temple? What are you taking about Gabriel?” I asked.
“You’ll soon find out enough, Donatella.” Gabriel answered. We continued to walk along toward Athena’s temple.
“Well this is where I leave you," Gabriel said, leaning against one of the 12-story high marble pillars outside the temple. "This is your meeting and your's alone."
I walked into the gentle light of the temple, my eyes adjusting to the change in lighting. I felt very strange walking into a temple to talk to a goddess, just yesterday I would have been giving an oral report on Greek mythology and now I am a part of it.
"Ms. Athena? Athena?" I called timidly out into the darkness. As I walked toward Athena's statue, torches lit themselves.
"Yes child," a voice responded. It sounded like an elderly woman. "Approach my throne." I obeyed the voice and walked to the statue and knelt before it. "Rise Donatella Rinaldi, Descendant of my fellow," the voice continued.
"Donatella Rinaldi. Is that my name? Who am I descended from? Please, why am I here?" I stood up, firing question after question into the darkness.
"One at a time, my child. He said you were full of spirit," Athena replied chuckling.
"He? You mean Gabriel? Why do I have to be stuck with him?"
"To answer your questions in order, yes you are Donatella Rinaldi. The meaning of your name will tell you who you are descended from. You are here because we, the gods and goddess need you."
"What does my name mean?"
"Donatella means 'beautiful gift', you are descended from Aphrodite. And from Gabriel's actions, I would hazard to say you were aptly named," Athena chuckled again. Suddenly my memories of Gabriel taunting me flashed to my mind. "So that's what he did? Did you enjoy it?"
"What? Did I enjoy what?"
"I saw what you just saw. Did you enjoy it? You can tell me, I won't tell him, unless it's necessary for your survival."
"Yes. I enjoyed it very much," I said feeling my cheeks reddening.
"Why? What was special about it?"
"Although he was taunting and teasing me, it felt so -- natural, like I've know him for years instead of just hours."
"That is very interesting....is there anything else child?"
"Well yes. When he dropped me, I felt ice cold, as if I'd never be warm again." Athena and I continued talking into the late hours. We talked about everything to the very way Gabriel pronounced my name, to the warmth I felt in his touch, to the scent of his hair. Eventually Gabriel came in and kneeled before Athena's throne as well.
"My son," Athena said somberly.
"Your son? You're Athena's son?" I said turning to Gabriel.
"I forgot to tell you? Bad slip up on my part," Gabriel said running his hand down the back of his neck.
"I can see you two have a lot to talk about, I shall leave you to talk," Athena said, her voice fading with each word.
"No Mother, please, tell us our mission," Gabriel said, lying prostrate in front of Athena's throne.
"You...need…each…other." and with that Athena was gone.
YOU ARE READING
The Elite (Editting)
Teen FictionAlli Plummer led a normal teenage life: she went to school, rebelled against her parents and had a steady boyfriend until a seemingly normal turn of events catapulted her in an abnormal life as Donatella Rinaldi, a descendant of a Greek goddess. A m...
