A wailing cry of a woman echoed through every corner of the castle. Her deafening screams nearly shattered the glass. She was at the peak of her labour. One more push by her and a child would enter the world.
Arianrhod, the goddess of the moon, stars and the fate paced back and forth. She was waiting for the child to come to the world. The child was part of her plan. The Plan of her repentance. She wanted to correct the mistake she did in the past, and this child was going to be the step of rectification. The Goddess had carried the burden of her one mistake for centuries now. With one final cry from the woman and one more painful yet powerful push from her, brought the child in the world. The mother smiled at first glance of her baby all the pain, suffering and discomfort were forgotten by the mere sight of her child. The baby was covered in blood, but it still was most beautiful for her mother.
Arianrhod smiled she honestly felt happy after almost five centuries, as she looked down on the Earth from her castle. She smiled when she saw both, mother and father peppering kisses all over their child's face. This child was destined for greatness that she didn't know nor would they understand.
The Goddess let out a sigh of relief. She closed her eyes with a ghost of a smile appearing on her face. The task she had hidden from everyone was completed. All of sudden she heard a ferocious and incredibly frightening growl resonating from the other side of the Earth. It was so loud and so angry that even Goddess felt frightened.
"Oh, Dear!" She thought.
How could she have forgotten the most important detail? His Lycan had felt the presence of his mate. It would only be a matter of time before a particular vexed God, and the council came barging through the doors. It would have been centuries since she had met him, her lover, her consort, her Helios.
Just as expected, Helios, the Sun God, came barging through the doors of her castle. She checked her reflection in a mirror lying nearby. She sat on her throne appearing indifferent, but her insides were turning to mush. Mere thoughts of her lover caused her cheeks to redden, as she remembered their time together.
"How dare you!"
She heard his voice and flinched at his tone. The baritone voice, which was once very gentle and soothing was now harsh and accusing. She lifted her head, and her long eyelashes fluttered as she tried to fight the power of mate bond. Her cheeks reddened as she recalled the incident where the Sun God showed her how much persuasive his tongue could be. She shook her head to cast away such indecent thoughts and looked at the God in front of her. She just couldn't breathe at the sight in front of her; his presence was so overwhelming for her. He looked debonair in his golden silk embroidered cloak with a few strands of his hair falling across his forehead. He stood tall and proud. His golden eyes looked like the mixture of melting fire and honey. Once upon a time, they held so much love for her now she could see only hatred and bitterness instead. She tried her best not to flinch or wince at his accusatory tone. His squared shoulders and strong arms displayed his masculinity in its prime. His crooked nose and sharp cheekbones on which she had smothered kisses once were now ticked off and his nostrils flared.
"How dare I what, Helios?"
She kept her face neutral and her tone stoic. She was Goddess for crying out loud, not a puny mortal. If he is not affected by her, then she decided not to betray any emotion, even if her insides were in a turmoil
"How dare you meddle in the affairs which are not yours to meddle?"
Helios spat getting infuriated. He had thought separation from her for five centuries would wither away his love for her, but he was wrong. She looked astonishingly beautiful in her white silk gown, adorned with a delicate diamond-studded tiara on her head. Her blonde hair cascaded below her shoulders and ended just above her waist.
He had an undeniable urge to run his fingers through it. Her cerulean eyes, which looked calm like ocean held pain and suffering. It had exhaustion in them and circles under them. Still, she managed to astound him. She looked tired and broken. His heart shattered into pieces when he looked at her defeated expression. He wanted nothing more but to gather her in his arms and kiss her all the worries away.
"Stand down you both! You're gods, yet you bicker! Mortals are better than you,"
They both heard a commanding voice, which caused them to snap out of their trance. Both the Gods looked at the new visitors and kneeled.
"I don't want facade of your respect when both of you are out for each other's blood."
The newcomer commented. Both Helios and Arianrhod hung their head low in shame in the presence of elders. The Goddess of Magic, Trivia, The Eternal Father of the gods, Avi - 'ad.
"Sorry, Avi - 'ad and Trivia," They both muttered meekly.
"Rise, and state us the reason, Helios. Why did you summon us?"
Avi - 'ad questioned even though he had a fair idea as to why they had all gathered here. Both rose from their position. He went to Arianrhod pecked on her cheeks. Helios bit back the growl that threatened to come out from his throat. Sure, he knew Arianrhod was like a daughter to Avi - 'ad, but he didn't like anyone touching what was his. His reaction would have given hope to Arianrhod, so he distracted himself by kissing cheeks of Trivia. Once they finished greeting, Helios cleared his throat and narrowed his eyes at Arianrhod, pointed his index finger in her direction.
"She needs to stop meddling in my affairs." The Sun God stated.
"What do you mean, Helios?" Trivia questioned him.
"She gave a mate to my descendant. It is my job, not hers" Helios exasperated pointing a finger in the direction of Fate of Goddess.
" Abided by the oath of the Urija, and in the presence of my elders, I would like to deny his accusation," Arianrhod replied with utmost calm in her voice as she swore on the most sacred book of Gods, Urija. She knew she had doused all their suspicion.
She felt awful for using something so pure, and sacred as a weapon of her manipulation, but she had no other way as Helios was too hard-headed for his good. If manipulation is what will get this task completed then so be it. She was done with being a good girl here. Helios was behaving like a toddler, complaining to his parents as his toy was broken. He just wanted to find fault in all her deeds.
She was tired of his behaviour. It was about time she stood up for herself. She raised her chin in defiance, and a determined glint appeared in her eyes. She placed her hands on either side of her waist and her lips pressed into a thin line. Both Helios and Trivia recognised the glint in her eyes. They realised, this time, she is not going down without a fight. Helios opened his mouth to speak, but she beat him to it.
"I agree I did give a mate to his bloodline, but there is one minor detail that it may have slipped his mind. In the body of his Sun worshipper, the successors of sun reside the beast which was given by me. I am the goddess of that beast. Not Helios. Nobody else, and since when it is Helios job to provide mates for my creatures? It is my job and mine only. I am the goddess of fate, not him." she argued stressing on each syllable.
Arianrhod snapped. Helios sighed inwardly; he knew that this time, he was going to be defeated.
All eyes were fixed on him and both Avi -'ad and Trivia were waiting to listen to his side, as he was the one who summoned them. He stood up from his seat and placed his hand behind his back but before he could speak anything Arianrhod continued to talk.
"Those creatures, Trivia, are successors of the moon, I command them. I am their Goddess, not him." She retorted.
"A cursed deity! You are below me," Helios scoffed.
"What do you mean, huh? Arianrhod stood up from her throne, wind in her castle started blowing violently.
"Even if I am a cursed goddess, I am the daughter of The Eternal Father, his firstborn," She climbed a step-down.
"You were a front line warrior of my father's army, who shone brightly in the battlefield, Hence you were made the Lord of the brightest star of the world, Sun!" She climbed down a few more stairs.
"Being my soul mate got you the seat in High Council," She narrowed her eyes as she walked towards Helios. Winds that blew were violent and unstoppable. She looked at him haughtily.
It was no secret Moon was always proud, proud of its beauty, and the power it held.
"Aria-," Helios tried to calm her down.
"Her highness," Arianrhod corrected him.
"Even with the curse that I carry, I still sit on the right side of the High Table at the council. And I am beneath you?" Arianrhod squinted her eyes. Her eyes turned pitch black. She looked lethal. Black veins protruded on her cheeks.
"Calm down!" Helios commanded. He was stronger than her. Her curse had weakened her, but she was still powerful to damage Earth.
God's most beautiful creation.
Arianrhod closed her eyes and shook her head to calm herself down. She walked back to her throne and opened her mouth to speak, but Helios beat her at it, "Did you forget that in past-?
"One should not dwell in the past-
"You are always so stubborn-
"You always are so prejudiced-
"This was the reason I didn't confide you-
"You always give the same excuse-
"Silence! Both of you! Stop bickering like children! We have more pressing matters here," Avi - 'ad shouted, and that promptly shut both of them up.
"She was stripped of her powers! How could she take a decision without confiding in anyone?" Helios exclaimed.
"I am the Goddess! I do not need your permission! If I want to give anyone a mate, then I will! "The goddess huffed.
"Granting a mate to anyone is not the pressing matter, Arian! Entwining the soul of a mortal as a mate to the strongest Lycan is catastrophic. It is against the law, to entwine a soul of someone who doesn't have hold equal power or status." Helios folded his hand across his chest threw a smug smile in the direction of the Goddess.
"It is always not about physical strength; sometimes it is about emotional strength too. She will be exactly what he requires. It is about time I correct my mistake, which I committed centuries ago. This is the first step in that direction. And, if it is about power and status; you and I shouldn't have mated ever,"
Arianrhod murmured softly as she raised her brow, and she turned and faced Helios. Her eyes were silently begging him to concede. He couldn't deny those eyes. He just meekly nodded. Arianrhod gave him a full-fledged smile.
"I will pull back his beast until he has met her. Then she will be the one who will be controlling the" Arianrhod exclaimed with such glee that every face in the chamber had a smile. Helios sighed mentally as he knew no matter what he does or no matter how much he tries, he can never hate her or go against her wishes. He wanted to smile at others, but he kept his face sombre. He didn't want his hopes to be deflated again. He gazed her, and she turned to look into his direction only to find him looking at her with emotion that she could never decipher. She knew Helios always tries to control his emotions because according to him emotions causes a warrior to fall. They were so lost in each other that they didn't realise that Elders have left the council.
An outraged growl broke their connection. Helios placed his hand behind his back and started walking out of the chamber. Arianrhod stared at his back longingly. He halted in his way and spoke "If you fail this time Arianrhod, I will personally kill you. My other half or not," He threatened her and walked out of the room.
"I will not, Helios, not this time. When all this is over you will come to me," Arianrhod promised herself and left the room to meet someone who will help her to carry out her tasks. As she knew soon, he now would not be able to control his beast.
Authors note:-
If you like the story please vote and comment and share.
Enjoy! Please do vote, share and comment.
Thanks,
Kshama Hasmukh Doshi