CONTENT WARNING: Implied Underage Sex | Adult-Minor Relationship
This one is a bit tricky because Lea is sixteen and therefore a minor; however, she is supplanting an alternate that is much older than her and therefore an adult. They genuinely believe that she is of age and she's who she claims to be until the end where the truth is revealed.
Infidelity; unknowing in the case of Lea and Hērmês... knowingly in the case of the Princen and her lover.
This chapter moves at fast pace and might be a little confusing.
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Meinsvarra awaken with a sharp gasp, covers falling from around xir body as she shuddered.
The dream that xe had been having falling away like sand between xir fingers. It was something important. Xe knew that much, but xe could never remember what it was. Xe was just thankful that xe some sort of inkling of what was going on because—
"I am still unsure of how to feel of you," came a sultry voice from beside xir, heavy with sleep and prickling with annoyance. "Calling out another person's name every night while you lay with me."
Meinsvarra didn't bother to reply, not even when xe could feel the warmth of their body pressing against xir back while arms circled xir waist.
"I wonder if I should be jealous of this Percy," they mused and Meinsvarra didn't even bother to hide the shudder of disgust that came from that implication. Xe didn't know why, but it clearly meant something.
"Peace, Avisa," Meinsvarra murmured, turning to xir betrothed. Brushing xir lips against the others, xe spoke sincerely. "Tis only you that has captured my eye. There is no other."
"I worry still," Avisa replied, her coral-colored her hair falling down her body like silk. "You have been having these dreams for many moons now. You call out the strangest names. Percy, Aeri, Ethan, Usnavi, Ermís. I fear that I am losing you to the whispers of your mind." Her lover cradled xir face, her eyes—the same shade as amethyst—gazed upon xir in worry. "It may be time to seek help. We can go to the—."
Meinsvarra pulled away sharply. "I am fine, Avisa. There is no need to get my Mother involved."
"What if this is an attack, beloved? She is the Quing! Her power is nigh-unstoppable! Quing Posidaeia is capable manipulating vast amounts of magical energy that the only person that can actually challenge her and prove to be a worthy opponent is herself! My love, please. I cannot lose you. Poseiria cannot lose you. Think of your Mother and what she shall do to the world if something happens to you."
"And you should think of her also," Meinsvarra snapped back. "You have stated it yourself. Mother's power is a wonder to the point that it can stop time itself and allow one to travel through time. If need be, she would be able to bring me back to life with nothing but a thought."
"Meins—"
"I will speak no more of this," xe said, turning away. Avisa sighed, moving to situated herself in Meinsvarra's lap. "Fine, but I do not suppose that you wish to sleep." The crowned princen shook xir head so xir lover pressed her lips against xir neck. "Well, I suppose that I should fix that."
The moonlight cradled xir body as xe danced around a sea of black sand. Xe laughed, twirling about the place. Xir hair that Meinsvarra was used to brushing against xir ankles was shortened and pulled into a ponytail and xir bangs were stark white. Xe moved to a song only that she could hear. Xe was not dressed in xir usual satins and silks, but xe never was even if xe could not remember the previous dreams. Xe laughed loudly as fingers tickled xir sides, arms wrapping around xir waist to spin xir through the air. And when xe was sat back on xir feet, Meinsvarra inhaled sharply as xe bore witness to eyes a shade of green that spoke of the nature's soul, of fresh wands of grass and new buds, the sweet hue of spring clover, eyes that were softly woven with a chorus of green threads. Distantly, xe found herself offended to be thinking such thoughts of a man as if xe was not a sapphic that made even gods cry from jealousy. He twirled xir around once more, humming some foreign song as they moved across the sands.
"Luces hermosa esta noche mi vida," he murmured and Meinsvarra could hear the smile in xir voice as xe giggled softly, "Gracias, corazón."
Brushing a strand of hair from xir face, softly he spake; words that spoke to xir soul long before they spoke to xir mind. "In your presence, I am a mere babe, learning the world anew for your love that I have been without for all my years, living but not alive has awakened me from a slumber that I knew not that I had taken. If I may be frank, searching to the ends of the heavens and down into swirling deep of the ocean, and I know that there can never be an end to the love that I hold for you and no other can outshine you, even Hḗlios, crowned with the aureole of the sun cannot outshine the love that you have ignited within me, my sweet; and for that I shall love you until the sea swallows the sun and every iteration of the universe that follows."
It was another night that Meinsvarra was awakened from xir slumber. Avisa didn't wake that time, her bare body still curled around the princen as she slumbered. Meinsvarra sighed, pressing xir hands into xir face as xir mind continued to replay that dream. Xir fingers softly scratched Avisa's scalp, smiling lightly as xir lover tightened herself closer to xem. Xe supposed that the woman was right. It would be better for xir to find out where the dreams were coming from, but Meinsvarra did not agree with going to xir dam. It was not even for the simple fact that xe knew that Queen would get to the bottom of it; there was a reason why no one had ever managed to usurp xir or previously go after Meinsvarra in xir infancy, but the princen just had this feeling that the woman that xe was calling xir Dam was not who seemed to be.
Xe sighed, wishing that xe knew what was happening to xir. Everything had been changing so fast in the past few centuries. One moment xe had been enjoying life, free to do whatever and whoever xe damn well pleased; xe was the perfect princen, the kingdom went wild whenever xe showed xir face, men and women alike threw themselves at xir and the small band of enemies that Poseiria had fled at the sight of xir. Xe had been on top of the world, and xe had hated it. Xe had hated every moment of it, never being able to express xirself completely because it was not the behavior of a princen... it was not the behavior that they expected of xir. Xe had been lonely with no true friends and lovers that had only hope to trick into a binding like that infuriating—
Meinsvarra sighed, easing xir way from under Avisa, smiling as she immediately curled into the spot where the princen had just lain, hair fanning over her body as if it had its own mind while it curled sensually around her, bringing attention the various marks that Meinsvarra had placed upon her skin. Her hips held fading bruises from where the princen had gripped her tightly as they moved together as one. From the thought of it, Meinsvarra had half the mind to crawl back into the bed and awaken xir betrothed from her slumber from the use of xir tongue alone, but...
In your presence, I am a mere babe, learning the world anew for your love that I have been without for all my years, living but not alive has awakened me from a slumber that I knew not that I had taken.
But as much as it pained and disgusted xir to admit, xe needed to know more about that man. Xir gaze moved over the eel that had been following xir for the past few weeks. Xe had told no one of it for xe was sure that they would have informed xir Dam, and with all the wedding planning that was going on, Meinsvarra had no time to send the kingdom into a panic. They did not need to worry if their princen was losing xir mind and well... xe knew where the eel was from anyway. Xe did have memories; sensual memories that xe was shamed to recall so fondly while in the presence of xir bride to be, of those eels wrapped around xir arms as xe was brought to a state of euphoria that—
Meinsvarra had to banish those thoughts, but xe swore that the eel was laughing at xir as she immediately strolled away. Pushing open the doors to xir en suite, xe threw xirself into the shower baths hoping against hope that it would be able to wash away xir sinful thoughts. Xe was getting married soon during Midsummer, xe should not have such thoughts of another woman... not one so shameful anyhow! Avisa was noble born, a proper woman who had been raised in the mind that she would one day marry to another high ranking noble and had managed against all hope to catch the attention of the royal family. She was everything that Meinsvarra could ever want for; willing to participate in all of xir darkest desires and mindful to not protest whenever the princen caught xir eyes wandering to those around them though xe had never stepped out. Well, not to her knowledge... xe had gone back when the stress became too much and surrendered to pleasure that—
(And Meinsvarra pretended to not know of how jealous that Avisa would become and how she slowly but surely overtook the duties of Meinsvarra's handmaidens as it was clear that the princen and the women all lusted after each other; it was them after all that had taught xir how to pleasure a woman when the then young princen had asked even if the princen had been impatient and irritated to wait until xe was of age.)
The princen stepped out of xir bathroom, glancing towards the bed to see Avisa still lying asleep. Xe wanted nothing more than to curl back around her, maybe have a little late-night rendezvous, but that bastard eel won't let xir. It slithered around xir room, moving about as if it owned the place before moving back towards xir window. It gave xir a once-over as if it were saying: Well, hurry it up already. before slipping out. Meinsvarra gritted xir teeth, fashioning xir casual clothes upon xir person. Xe followed behind it, not even glancing at the way the lowlights from the palace gleamed alongside the scars on xir body. Twirling about the ocean, xe braced herself for one moment before xe shot off at supersonic speed, swimming around the mountains and volcanic forges, passing the barracks and training grounds, slipping past the sleeping guards, and going through the ocra graveyard.
It seemed like no time at all before xe made it to Koralie's Garden. It wasn't really a garden, but an uprising had happened in the area and the invaders were attempting to cleanse the indigenous population of the area, so Meinsvarra's great-great-great-great aunt's sister-in-law had taken down the army, set herself upon a makeshift throne made from the skulls of her enemies and declared the place her garden. The entire place had then been bordered off, placed upon personal protection of the crown and anyone that tried to do harm upon it faced swift retribution.
"I never thought I'd see you again," came a familiar voice from the back. "All this time ignoring Enola and I was just about to give up."
"I never took you for a quitter."
The person hummed, moving from behind the shelves. Meinsvarra braced xirself as beauty beyond compare appeared in front of xir. A soft smile like summer rain when Meinsvarra was free from the expectations of the court danced across ivory skin and eyes of sapphire blue captured xir sight as the natural pastel green shaded hair framed their face.
Lady Niamh of Ichnusa; the only woman to become a shamanka in the entire kingdom and the only person to not only complete all functions but learn and master all practices. The Queing didn't even do that though in xir Dam's case, it was because being the Quing didn't really leave zir with any time to do so. And also, Meinsvarra ex-girlfriend who while under the influence, had plotted an entire plan to ditch the crown and hide away in Cimeria and utilizing her powers to keep xir hidden from the Quing. Once Meinsvarra had shaken the effects off, Niamh had only barely managed to sweettalk her way for drugging the crown princen and Meinsvarra had escaped back to the castle and signed the paperwork to accept the betrothal and courtship between xe and Avisa.
And yet, the princen still kept coming back.
"You never took me as anything," she said, smiling meanly. Before the princen could say anything, Niamh frowned, glancing over xir. "I see..."
"See what?"
Xe was ignored however as those eyes started to glow faintly as xe was inspected. "You are conflicted, your highness. Questioning yourself and who you are. Tis worse than when came to me the very first time. It's affecting your powers even now and soon it will affect your future."
"I'm not questioning my future," Meinsvarra protested. Xe knew exactly what was to happen. Xe would marry Avisa, and then be pushed even more in xir training to become even an ounce of a leader that xir Dam was. In the end, xe would assume the throne of Poseiria and oversee Avisa's transition ceremony to grant her the abilities to sire children as the Quing bore the heir. "But...um, how do you know that?"
"Enola is an eel," Niamh informed xir, abruptly turning to her shelves. The princen's vision was overlapped with doing the same movement, hands covered in dirt with the most unimpressed look on xir face from a reflecting pool. Xe shook xir head, forcing the image away. "The eel will appear in times of trouble, it has mastered the art of patience, knowing when to wait and when to move forward. For her to appear, it means there is a storm ahead or the storm has passed. The eel will make good use of troubled waters to find its food, to grow in strength, prosper and settle after the storm has passed." She moved to the things that she was grabbing into her mortar bowl, and Meinsvarra found the motion to be comforting and familiar. Xe had an incredulous thought of compacting the ingredients both wet and dry, molding them into several shapes, drying them and scaring old people at an ecclesia draped in long robes. "I supposed whatever is clouding your aura is the reason that you are seeing her. She rarely ever leaves the garden."
Saying that, she reached over to stroke the eel's back as she gestured for the princen to follow her. They sat upon an upturned stone, surrounded by crystals and a bunch of other things that Meinsvarra did not bother to look closely at.
"Now, drink this, take the vision quest. There you will find the answers we both seek." She thrust the chalice towards Meinsvarra who stared at it as if it were poison. The elixir within was blueish green with pulps the strangish hue of purple and orange bobbing within it. It was humming its own song also.
"I am not drinking that," the princen declared.
"No," Niamh murmured, tilting her head to the side. "Well, I suppose your fiancée will continue to wonder about the people that plague your dreams until their touch is all that you want."
Meinsvarra shuddered, a vague sense of disgust overwhelming xir. No, xe would not want the touches of those that plague xir mind. It was like lying with xir parents.
Niamh raised a brow. "Oh? Hm. Well, if that isn't the issue... are you worried that you'd realize that what you have with Avisa was all a lie." Which just proved that the girl knew entirely too much.
"I love her."
"But are you in love with her?"
Meinsvarra glared, snatching the chalice out of her hand and throwing it back. Xir vision immediately blurred, and xe was transported somewhere else. The princen could make out an island with a small mountain in the center, a dazzling white collection of buildings, a beach dotted with palm trees, and a harbor filled with a strange assortment of boats. Of course, a lot of things were on fire and smoking and there were dead bodies littering the ground that threw off the look of paradise.
Xe kept walking passing by a bunch of pleasure yachts, some kind of underwater boat contraption, several dugout canoes, and an old-fashioned three-masted sailing ship. The princen only remembering those because Mother had allowed the mortals to advance before sinking them and placing them firmly under the control of Poseiria. It was a game to xir Dam honestly. Let a few of them above water then let them build themselves up, crafting beautiful and deadly things and as soon as they got comfortable... ze started it all over.
Aside from all the destruction, Meinsvarra could admit that the place was amazing. There was white marble and blue water everywhere that she looked. Terraces climbed up the side of the mountain, with swimming pools on every level, connected by watersides and waterfalls and underwater tubes one could swim through. Fountains sprayed water into the air, forming impossible shapes, like flying eagles and galloping horses.
It reminded xir of one of the smaller towns that surrounded Poseiria. Xe walked... walked! Meinsvarra hardly ever walked—xe lived in the ocean! —passed a sea turtle napping in a stack of beach towels, some weird spotted animal that xe somehow knew was a leopard had fallen asleep stretched out on a diving board. The resort guests—only young women, as far as the princen could see—lounged in deck chairs, drinking fruit smoothies or reading magazines while herbal gunk dried on their faces and manicurists in white uniforms did their nails.
Talk about paradise.
Meinsvarra gave them the attention that their beauty deserved until xe came across the prettiest woman of all the prettiest women around.
Long, glossy dark brown hair with threads of gold woven around the strands; lips that shamed the red, red rose; golden sunlight in her eyes. Her legs, long and lithe, were being covered by some kind of armor that fit seamlessly with the rest of the armor that she was sporting. There were pearls and diamonds woven into her hair alongside an array of poisons and elixirs that were draped across her body.
"Good, you're he—fuck," the woman said before she was pushing Meinsvarra out of the way. She snapped his neck though not before the attacker sliced Meinsvarra's arm.
The princen cursed as xe was abruptly returned back to Niamh's cavern, looking at the wound on xir's arm. "You didn't say that I could get injured!"
Niamh shrugged, drinking some elven wine as she pushed another chalice of the elixir towards xir. "You didn't ask."
Ugh, Meinsvarra was reminded why xe liked the snarky asshole.
The princen scoffed before chugging down the newest drink.
Xe was standing over a beautiful river, crystal clear water flowing gently down the stream. The banks of it were lined with amber-weeping poplar-trees and its waters home to flocks of white swans. In the distance, xe could see mountains ten times taller than herself. It was like a kingdom of enchanted forests, candy vegetation, rivers and springs of wine, and beautiful gardens. A place of peace otherworldly wonder.
Xir reflection in the mirror looked similar to xirself, and yet somehow Meinsvarra could recognize that something was different. Maybe it was the long expanse of xir legs, the abs of xir smooth stomach or the clamps on xir ears that reminded xir of fish fins and assortment of pearls that adorned xir body. Xir features had to have been carved by angels... it just went on to show that Meinsvarra was beautiful no matter the world. Xe was bestowed the type of beauty that ancient wars were fought over.
Xir gaze moved quickly over xir body, taking in xir amazonian figure that was emphasized by the sheer fabric that was cut sensually around xir. A sculptor could not have fashioned xir seraph's ears and pixie's nose any better. Eden-green eyes peeked from behind xir languid eyelashes of velvet-black; they were like two beryl-green jewels melted onto snow. Xir hair was the same color as the dark side of the moon, flowing down xir back like crashing waves and teasing xir skin with xir.
Xe turned as a body appeared next to xir; a man with curly light-brown hair that sat atop his head, framing his face in a way that xe was hypnotized by his eyes that held the secrets of a hidden garden. They were framed by lines that spoke of decades filled with laughter and resilience—deep pools of verdant wisdom. Tiny wings of gold were projecting from his locks, in which they had been fastened symmetrically on both sides. He was carrying a staff, a brilliant gold, with two snakes weaving around it. Shepherd's pipes hung around his neck. He was naked except for a youth's cloak draped over his left shoulder, showing off enough skin that xir cheeks immediately went aflame.
"Mi amor," he murmured, stepping closer to xir. "Look at you, beloved. I'd kill every man and woman and those inbetween that sexualized you and made you fear for your own beauty."
Xe laughed incredulously at his words, but he continued on as if he didn't notice. Wrapping his arms around xir and subsequently making xir face turned a deeper shade of red, he twirled xir about in his arms. "I look at you and I feel as if I am dancing upon a cloud. When you are in my arms the world is a heavenly place. I just can't believe that I found you."
Xir skin felt heated, and then Meinsvarra realized that a part of xir chest was glowing just like whoever this dude was supposed to be. "I look at you and I wonder... How? How did you bring your heart to me and how did I bring my heart to you? I look at Apóllōn and Huákinthos and Árēs and Aphrodítē and I still cannot help but wonder do other people cherish and love each other the way we do? Now that I have you, I cannot live without you, and I know now that I had never been living but surviving before I met you. You give me purpose, my darling. I just... I want to be with you every second... no, every millisecond of the day. Please, take me with you everywhere that you go. One of the greatest mistakes is when a mortal falls in love with a god that is only surpassed by a god who falls in love with a mortal. And yet my feelings toward you I cannot forget in this world."
Tilting xir head up, xe panicked thinking that he was going to kiss xir, but instead he said: "I love you and I will love you until the sea swallows the sun and if there's life after that, I love you then." He brushed a strand of hair from her face. "My Leaneíras."
The world exploded.
Lea groaned from where she landed on the ground. She held one hand to her head, trying not to panic as her brain sorted through odd flashes of memory. "That fucking bitch," she hissed, hand moving towards the necklace filled with Hermes' ichor that Meinsvarra never paid attention to. Lea had been poisoned! Aliens above, that was embarrassing especially right after she had bragged about not getting attacked and then whatever happened at Melinoë's enclosure and that weird river.
Now she was stuck wherever the fuck she was; Poseiria. Lea frowned as she tried to determine where she'd gotten that information from. Suddenly, it was like she was bombarded with memories from two different lifetimes, one as Lea knew herself; filled with alien gods and a twin brother that was the main character of a badly written greek mythology action series. And another as Princen Meinsvarra that was so worn done by their duties that they planned to run away with their secret witchy girlfriend until the point of connect between Lea and the Heiress confused their engrained protection charms.
"Fuck," Lea groaned. "Fucck." Dragging a hand down her face, she stood to her feet slowly. She needed... the Quing was like the most powerful person around, and though Meinsvarra was powerful in xir own right... xir magical cores were so fucking weak. By the gods, Lea didn't know how xe thought xe was going to even be anywhere close to xir Mother's level with these things. It was like a muscle that xe was not working on. Lea met toddlers with more magical prowess than xir and that was saying something because Lea hated kids.
Turning towards Niamh and wow, she was gorgeous though Lea could also deal with not having the intimate understanding of what her body felt like or the hot lady waiting back in those rooms that she was going to avoid or even the fact that the princen was sexually attracted to Kírkē—Lea's mentor!; Lea coughed. "Um, there seems to be a huge mix up in things and whatnot. So, what I am going to do is erm... get out of your hair and go get your girlfriend back to you because I am not them? Well like I am them. I think their soul is like asleep within me because man, these are some very weak magical abilities. I don't know how they get shit done, but I'll be getting everything fixed so I can go back to my world and my boyfriend and that's not to say that I wouldn't want a girlfriend... I mean I have had some, but he was my soulmate. Literally. And I can probably convince him to shift into the form of a woman if I wanted it that bad, but like I'm not interested in sex, and I am rambling. Um... bye!"
Rushing back to the palace, she felt like she was bursting out of her skin which well... Lea was going through an extreme case of imposter syndrome. She tried to backtrack through the princen's memories to see if that gave her a clue for the Quing's schedule, but ultimately decided to just wing it. It got her this far in life.
As she rushed into the palace, she sped past the guards that startled at the sight of her and bypassed a bunch of prissy nobles that she wouldn't have even stopped for even if she was still under the princen's memories. Throwing open the doors to the main office, Lea was pleased to see that the Quing was there. Her dam? sire? Mother, dammit... her not-mother looked up at her in confusion. "Meinsvarra, my child, how art thy doing?"
Lea froze.
She hadn't thought this far ahead actually.
"Um...I—mother. Agony raises upon my life."
Sitting aside some papers, Quing Poseidaeia—Lea wanted to laugh. Some things didn't change— moved around the desk to take her hands into their own. "Come, tell me. Mayhaps I can lend my wisdom. Is this about your engagement? I promise everything will be alright, my child."
Lea snorted. She wished it was something as simple as that though she supposed from Meinsvarra that it would be something to worry over considering that xe had tried to run away from it. "Um. That's the thing. I'm not that. Your child, I mean." She sighed as she realized how bad she was doing this. It wasn't like her to fumble over her words like this. She was a lot smoother especially considering that she was dating the god of crafty wiles. "I am afraid that I am not the child of your womb."
"Blasphemy!" The Quing stated immediately. But Lea immediately launched into an overview of her life from her Mother—Sally Jackson—meeting her Father and Smelly Gabe and Hermes courting methods that left a lot to be desired and finding out she was a demigod and magic! So much magic which was how she got there in the first place by a hating ass bitter ass cocksucking, cum guzzling petty bitch. "Well, if thee are not my child, then where are they? Are they dead? And you ask me to allow you leave and how may I do that? You are my child and yet you are not."
Lea could only smile sadly at zir because she could tell that Posidaeia was grieving about losing zir child and losing Lea who looked exactly like xir. But well... Lea had her own life, so she stepped forward to press a kiss to the Quing's cheek. "You taught me—taught them that everything happens for a reason. I do not believe they are dead." Lea turned her gaze out to where the sun meets the sea. "But maybe they are in love."
The Quing startled, but Lea was already gathering strength as much as she could to open a barrier through the worlds. She needed to get back to her home where her love was awaiting her. Her feet started to glow with the amount of mageia that she was accumulating which was honestly a lot more than what Meinsvarra could accomplish on xir own. Lea didn't even think she was that weak when she was first discovered her own powers.
Feeling the tether to the body start to weaken, she was surprised when she felt something being pushed into her arms. Looking back, she noted that it was from the Quing who waved her forward with a weak smile.
She pushed through the rift, eyes burning in the same shade of her mageia before she stepped into some weird stone wall thing, the walls were crumbling down, and she only had a moment to curse before something knocked her on her head into the lake and the world turned black.