130 Life with you part 5 (2/2)

Arei frowned as her words pulled at his heart. There had been many times when he, himself felt like more of an animal than a man. But her words held a sadder meaning. She has never seen herself as a person... as anything but the monster people thought her to be. He pulled the horse to a stop. ”Kitten, look at me.” He said, turning her as much as he could atop the horse. ”You are every bit a person as I am. Do you understand. You are not the creature you shift into. He traced the fine features of her face. You are this person, the same as I am.” He lifted her hand and rested it over the linen covered tattooed brand on his chest. ”You are beautiful inside and out. With enough practice, you'll be able to control your shifted form and realize it's just an extension of you the person not your identifying trait.” He pulled her against his chest in a tight hug before kissing the top of her head lightly. ”And I can't wait to see that day.”

***

”And this one!” Jos asked as she pulled Arei to another tall worn statue.

He chuckled pulling her back against him and resting his chin on her head in exaggerated tiredness. ”That is Athena, goddess of wisdom and strategy, favored daughter to Zeus, counter part to Ares, patron of warriors. I've met her a handful of times. She's actually very likeable, though stern and incredibly serious. She favored your father, you know.”

Jos let out a low groan. ”Then she wouldn't favor me.”

Arei bunched his brows. ”And why is that? I, for one, believe she would adore you.”

Jos shrugged under Arei's heavy weight. ”Because I killed my father.” The words were pained and laced with regret. ”Or at least the beast did... I don't recall the attack one way or the other, but mother made it a point to inform me of my wrong doings... right before she banished me to my current home.”

Arei frowned, a sudden recollection of the tale resurfacing in the recesses of his memory. ”You don't recall then how do you know you did it? Ships sink all the time and there's more than one creature out there that's been known to drag a vessel down.”

She shrugged again. ”I very rarely remember any of my time as the creature, especially when the shifts are brought on by the curse.”

He stood and turned her around to face him. ”What do you mean?”

She searched his expression. ”The ships, they call to the beast forcing me to shift... but only if they are to near Ogygia. It still happens from time to time.” She shrugged. ”One of those times, it was father's vessel. One of my brothers was also aboard. Mother disowned me after.” Her eyes were staring unfocused at their feet.

Arei forced her eyes to meet his and carefully wiped a tear from one eye. ”Look at me, that was not your fault. Calypso only blamed you because she couldn't accept blame as her own. It was she who cursed you and her alone who should face any blame for your actions.” He pulled her against his chest as more tears spilt for her eyes. Her tiny hands fisted into the fabric of his shirt as he continued to hold her. ”Would you like to see a statue of my father?” He asked, offering distraction.

When she nodded against his chest, he released his hold and took her hand. Leading her through the corridors of the old temple, he stopped in front of a giant statue of a man who held a heavy resemblance to himself. ”This is Poseidon, god of the sea, storms, earthquakes, and horses... not a fan of your father.” Arei added. Her tiny laugh brought a smile to his face. ”In a way he is part of you... part of your history. Would you like to know the full tale? I can only imagine I know more of the truth of it than you.”

Jos nodded as she turned to rest her head against his chest. She let him lead her to a bench and let him pull her down between his legs as he straddled it. She leaned her head against his chest and listened to the soothing rumble of his voice and rhythmic rise and fall of his breathing.

He stroked his hand over her hair and shoulders as he retold the tell. ”Your father, Odysseus, blinded one of my brothers and as punishment Poseidon stranded him on your mother's island with the hopes that either the sirens or one of the many other creatures near there would kill him. But your mother fell madly in love with him, unfortunately his heart already belonged to his wife Penelope and they already had children. He was favored by Zeus and Athena as a great warrior who gave tribute in their names during several of his battles so the gods took pity on him. After seven years of imprisonment, the gods demanded Calypso release him. When she did as she was told, he took their children with him and never looked back. Driven mad by the loss of her love, she cursed the seas surrounding the island. All ships to sail near the island would be sank, no man would ever set foot, by vessel, on her island again. The powers of nature took your soul as payment for her willful spell and cursed you in turn.” He brought her eyes up to meet his. ”She is the one who is to blame, not you and I plan to prove this to the courts soon enough.” He curled forward and placed a light kiss to her pouting lips. ”You are innocent in this.”

Tears flooded her eyes again. ”I'm not innocent. I've killed and led many to their deaths... It was what I was taught for as long as I could remember...”

Arei let out a troubled sigh. He turned her to face him, cupping both sides of her face in his large hands. ”We have all done terrible things, love. You don't live a lifespan as ours and not have a few black spots on your soul. You are not some evil monster. You are not a Kraken or what ever else they call you. You are a demi-god, a daughter of a goddess and warrior. I can't pretend to understand your life until now, but I do know you and I are the same.” He held her gaze as more tears spilt from her eyes. So many emotions battled within their aqua depths, he couldn't stop himself from pressing his lips to hers. He pressed her against his chest holding her tight. ”You are beautiful a demi-goddess to be worshipped not a creature to fear.” He whispered against her head.

When he finally released her, her tired eyes met his. ”What do you say we head back, and I can tell you more stories of the other gods on our way?”