Pandora's Curse

The weather outside was a continuation of the storm from last night and within myself. Sleep evaded me after lasts night...encounter with the Moirai. Their cruel whispers continued to echo in my head like a cackling radio on repeat. My fate was never planned. The Moirai don’t control it, regardless of their dedicated work.

Accept my fate? What was my fate?

Their vague, riddles did very little to calm my mind and the situation War and I would face upon soon. Accept my fate...like death? Would die in the coming days by Aello’s design? Accept the fate that my box would remain a power box for Aello and the days to come would be bleak and dark and bloodshed may rain down?

No. Accept my Fate? Bull! The Moirai said they do not control fate, they merely guide, control, clean, whatever. My fate was in my control. It had to be! And I couldn’t accept dying or leaving the fate of my box in Aello’s shadow.

Gritting my jaw, I threw on my jacket, opening the door to a whistling fresh wind and a light brush of rain that hits my skin, I hurry over the rocky path to the stables. I couldn’t accept that. I shouldn’t have to. I had to survive. I wanted to survive.

And I would do whatever it took in the little time we had to learn to survive.

Adam snorted irritably as I accidentally threw the stable doors to roughly, letting it slam against the wall. I cringed, biting my my inner cheek and Warren gave me an irritated glance over his shoulder before he continued to clean Adam’s coat. He was shirtless - why in this weather, I had no clue but I figured he just didn’t feel the cold. His black trousers resting low on his hips, his warm olive toned skin glistening in the dim light.

“You’re up early.”

“I have things to do.” Was my only reply, raising my chin determinedly and storming past him to where he kept the two metal rods leant against the wall. I picked them both up and turned to Warren who stared at me over Adam’s back with cool eyes as I approached him slowly, not wanting to startle the horse. “I need to be better.” Warren’s eyes scrutinized every inch of my face as he read everything there and a light flickered over his eyes. Dropping the brush on the stool, he stepped away from Adam, coming to stand in front of me, arms crossed over his chest.

“Why?”

“Because, I...I want to be good and help and fix this-”

“Pand-”

“No! Don’t interrupt me now.” I raised the tip of the poker until it rested on his collarbone, watching tightly as I struggled to hold my arm easy and in place. “I can’t fix everything and reverse all the damage I’ve done. I blame myself and think I’m the problem not the box. But it’s not that. And I can blame myself but is that going to accomplish anything? No, it can’t.”

“And, just once, I want to be selfish.” Warren frowned at my words and my arm dropped, trembling and aching still from yesterday’s sparring session. “I want to live, War.” I shook my head humorlessly, huffing. “I know, ridiculous to ask such a thing. But, I want to live. Be alive. Live a life. My life for once. And...” Warren nodded slowly, his face giving nothing away as he took one poker from my hand and easily held it in hand and I backed up quickly, instinctively.

“You can’t be efficient but just survive, Pan and you’ll go anywhere with this.” Warren raised his arm to me, pointing the weapon at me and I eyed him carefully. “Are you angry, Pandora?”

“I am angry and scared.” I answered, my voice clear and strong, anger tinting on the borders and War’s eyes flickered a vague red. “But I’m not scared of you. But you hurt me.”

The red faded completely in his eye at my sudden words and Warren faltered, his expression dropping and I stood there, unmoving, watching him and the poker and-

CLANG

Warren tensed ever so slightly but easily backed me up. I stumbled back, eying him carefully unsure of his reaction but his smirk darkened.

“Good. Catch your opponent off guard.” I knew his train of thought and glared at him. He smirked, raising his weapon and suddenly he was on the offensive this time. I barely raised my weapon to catch his side swipe and then his angled down swipe. He almost caught my thigh but I somehow deftly stepped back, releasing each other and he nodded approvingly. “Good, Pan.” Without waiting for another reply or incentive, I swiped at him, and again and again. Both of us jumping from offensive to defensive. I wasn’t stupid in knowing that Warren wasn’t going full strength horseman on me but it was far from easy. A few stumbles and loss of footing, each sudden catch of steel shook my arm which vibrated through the rest of my body.

I could feel the sweat on me as I grew warmer with every push and determined shove I forced myself to rally at to Warren. I was panting, my mouth dry and my mind lively and jumping from every single idea I could muster to even comprehend trying. Swallowing heavily, I pushed up to my feet from my stumble, despite my arms aching I clutched my weapon in both hands tighter. Warren’s skin glistened but I doubted it came from my attacks but the curls on his forehead were glued. The skin on his neck and chest were flushed hotly, expanding as he breathed heavily. He only smirked at my determination but there was something glimmering in his eyes that made everything feel good right now.

CLANG

CLANG

My swings grew faster, aggressive, a little more wild as if doing what I could to keep my opponent back. Warren deftly avoided or caught them and swiped them away as if nothing. The heat in the stables was almost unbearable, despite the faint brush of air coming through the open hole for Adam to peek through. My blood rushing heavily through, my skin hot and flushed and adrenaline coursing through me.

“Reminds of me of our first poker night.” A cheeky smirk graced his face at the joke and I scowled in return. “But how would you fair if you were put in another bad position?”

I didn’t have time to question or avoid him but my last swipe at him, he cut across, sweeping my arms and weapon up involuntarily, locking my arms above my head and suddenly pressed forward. My legs stumbling back until the wall hit my back and my arms were trapped above my head in his lock and grip.

“What are you going to do about this - and no foul play here today.”

“Who says so?” I countered and using the heel of my boot, stamping on his foot. He cringed, glowering down at me but I glare up at him. “You hurt my feelings, War.”

“You did too, Pandora” He replied, matching my glare. And we continued to glare at one another while we both stood up against the stable wall, our breaths filling the inch between us. The pocket of heat grew in heights, suffocating and hungry and my heart stuttered and thundered frantically, nervously while I kept my expression as neutral as possible.

The silence tight as was the tension that clung around us around like skin-tight clothing, making our breaths grow rapid and heavy, the only sound in this nerve-wracking tension. Only a mere two days ago, I experienced that tight, body wracking tension and inferno that I was growing accustomed to. Feeling it now, growing within in the background was both a relief and something else. But there were things still lingering heavily in the backdrop of our situation.

“You’re...stuck.” Warren’s lips barely moved, his eyes pitch black and suddenly blazes of red lighting flickered within as he stared down at me. The intensity of his gaze swallowing me whole, encasing me in his storm and my breath leaving my body.

But it was nowhere near as terrifying when I faced the Moirai.

Warren tilted his head slightly as he gazed down at me, a soft breath escaping him and his tight grip on my wrists loosened and released, my arms still stuck momentarily above my head before I slowly dropped them down. He eyed me with eyes that expressed danger and so much more. My heart tremored deeply within and I dropped my poker, never looking away.

“I’m not scared of you, horseman.” He blinked coolly at me and the tip of the poker rested gently at the bottom of my throat, the cool metal igniting my warm skin. “I never have been. I’ve been scared of a shadow that I’ve run from in the past.”

“I’m that past, Pandora.”

“Yes, but also the present.” And future for me...if I could have that future. Licking my lips, I never looked away from him, chin rising as I watched him. “You could’ve killed me long ago. You could’ve let me die months ago. And with you, I’m not stuck.” Swallowing heavily, I slowly raised my right hand to him. “Because I trust you and I always have.” I held my hand out, waiting, waiting for anything. Warren never even glanced at my hand, continuing to watch me. The intensity in his eyes softened to a black storm with no red lightning.

“How can you trust me?” We stared at each other, unsure, nervous and the tension fluctuating and rising between us. I swallowed heavily, my heart stuttering at the remembered words we blurted at each other in anger. "How can you know who I am, Pandora? I am War, my life is dark, stained...I said things, about you..."

“I know. I regret it too.” I smile weakly at him and my hand drops back to my side. “I should never said that too. I trust you, Warren. I was just...scared and...”

“We still don’t know each other as well as we think.” I nod slightly, shoulders dropping. “But I know your loyalty is true and real.” He lowered the poker from my collarbone as we stared at one another a foot apart, our breaths rasping softly in the stables, the distant snorts of Adam.

“Warren,” I murmured and my chest tightened as I struggled to breathe at his gaze upon me. “Warren, what is this thing between us?” My breath caught at the sudden quiet that swallowed over us, even the wind outside grew silent. Warren stared at me unmoving, but I watched his as eyes faded to pure black and the storm flickered red in his eyes and his chest rose and fell harshly.

“Nothing.” My chest tremored with an ache but his eyes dark, stormy were wild, dangerous. His face hardened a strange look crossing his face and my heart leaped. “Right now, there is nothing between us, baby.” His words stuttered my heart. And before I could blink or take another breath of air, there was nothing between War and I. But the fire burned around us, sucking out any of the oxygen left. His hands on either side of my face, fingers locking in the back of my head into my hair, his mouth upon mine, swallowing up any air left that I needed. The space, the distance between us, emotional and physical gone. My nails dug into his forearms, clinging to him trying to break any piece of distance between our bodies. Our breaths gasping desperately for long-awaited air but continuing to drink in fire. My back pressed against the wall and Warren, his arm circling around me, holding me to him so tightly I couldn’t breathe. I returned the favour, wrapping my arms around his shoulder and neck, our lips molding tightly against each others, leaving my lips aching and craving more. Every part of us crushed into each other, til nothing was between us.

And the inferno flared around us.

Despite the cold air settled around us, the goosebumps came from the soft trace of skin running down my bare spine and I buried my face in the pillow, slowly waking up, though I kept pretending to still be asleep. My eyes closed, but the goosebumps were prominent when I felt Warren’s hand caress the strands of hair that drifted over my face, brushing them aside. The bed shifted beside me as I felt his lips on my temple before he climbed out of bed, quietly leaving.

The quiet took place as I opened my eyes in the bedroom I had occupied with Warren for the past couple hours amidst cotton sheets and several pillows. The curtains were partially opening, revealing the dark sky outside, late evening it was now. Sleep had really taken to me for a couple hours but sitting up the ache in my body was prominent. From the healed cuts on my shoulder which were light cuts now drying over, to the ache of sword fighting with Warren, to the intimate acts that occupied our attention for a time. Sitting up with the sheets over me, my body slowly waking up with me and the chill in the room slowly settling onto me.

I sat up against the headboard staring into the darkly lit room, listening to the restless wind outside, drawing a strange comfort from it. Adam would be running wild through the woods and fields, bringing the storm with him. Too bad we couldn’t bring him to where we would need to go. Sighing wearily, I rolled out of bed dropping the sheets from my body and taking one of the larger shirts discarded on the chair, and slipping on my underwear and some socks before I touched the cold, wooden floor. Warren’s shirt hung down to my upper thighs, swallowing up inside the red and black thick, soft material. Leaving the bedroom, I could see the light glimmer from ahead and walking through the corridor until I could overlook the the second floor to below. The T.V. lit up the dim lounge and the fireplace was on, the fire crackling and writhing violently.

Warren sat on the sofa, facing the T.V. but I got the feeling wasn’t really watching was on. I climbed down the stairs, disappearing into the kitchen quickly to fix a cup for myself and Warren. There was no chocolate. Dammit! I cursed inwardly and not bothering to fight it, made myself a cup of coffee but with less in mine and extra milk and double checking the sugar container. Warren was leant against the couch, resting his head on his hand as he stared ahead but shifted his feet back so I could walk between him and the coffee table. He gave me a faint smile as I handed him his drink and I sat down next to him, not touching him though. There felt a strange distance between us despite there being no distance between us hours ago. The news was playing quietly, talking sports and current events.

“The weather is starting to peak stronger.” Warren sighed, shoulders rising and falling heavily. I wasn’t sure what to make of that but I figured it meant nothing good. “It’s right time for such weather, especially like this.” Warren’s tone was dismissive and obvious in what he was saying. "We'll need to leave soon."

Aello’s sisters were close. And the nest Eyrie could be anywhere.

“And we have no idea where to start or go.”

Galatea.

Blinking, marble eyes flickered in the back of mind that I vaguely recalled before I woke after my encounter with the Moirai. “Galatea.” Warren turned to me, brow furrowed and I sipped my coffee, ignoring the bitter taste. “Dionysus only said Galatea before he...”

“Galatea.” Warren’s eyes widened briefly and he reached into his pocket drawing out his phone, typing quickly on it and whatever he read on it, drew out a long breath and he sighed, running a hand through his hair. “Well, we have a start then.”

“What is Galatea?”

“Galatea is a statue that lives in a museum which is a few hours away from here. There two stories of someone named Galatea in myth but what people don’t realize is that Galatea from each story is one and the same.” War shifted forwards, reaching for the remote and turning the T.V. off. “In one tale, Galatea is a sea nymph who was loved by a shepherd by the name of Acis whom she loved in return. But another was deeply in love with Galatea, a cyclops named Polyphemus." Warren smiled blandly. "In a fit of jealousy and anger, Polyphemus killed Acis, crushing him with boulders he lived amongst in the mountains."

"Ouch," I whisper and Warren nods slightly.

"Brutal yes. But as Galatea cried for and despaired for him, her tears unknown to her, brought Acis to life as a river spirit, immortalizing him. What people don't know and is not expressed upon in tales is that Galatea was unaware of Acis's revival as she couldn't bear to be in the place her beloved died in. While Galatea set in stone from her eternity of mourning, Acis waited and wandered the lands and rivers looking for Galatea."

"The statue in the museum though, is the story of Galatea and Pygmalion, a sculptor who fell in love with his own creations and one who took his heart and soul was a statue he created and called Galatea. But they say it is not true. It's Galatea and Acis forever set in stone."

"That's," I frowned deeply. "Both sad and beautiful." Warren smiled faintly, nodding softly.

"It is, but that is what I have heard and I can't be completely sure what is what in this world anymore. Like a rumour, anything can be misheard, misread. It's a world of pure and wonderful and dark mysteries. And Galatea is nymph who moves and watches all. Nymphs are hardly fond of harpies, quite the opposite actually."

"You think Galatea would know where the harpies were?"

"If she did, I can't imagine she'd want them around or near her. Galatea herself had lots of confrontation with Aello's sister, Celaeno who continued to bring along wreck after wreck into Galatea's waters, disturbing and infecting it. Celaeno was the one who could curse or invoke curses upon others to a degree and it nearly destroyed rivers in Greece. Galatea and other nymphs barely managed to contain and fix their homes with the harpies growing in numbers and rampaging through. But Celaeno and Ocypete were the lieutenants. Aello was the General. You faced Aello, you brought the storm upon you and not many dared to do so. Ocypete was the Swift Wing, who brought storms and winds at such speeds she could create tornados. Celaeno was the dark one. And Aello was the storm." Warren gestured to the television momentarily, reminding me of the news report minutes ago. "Aello had a reputation and she was good at invoking such fear and terror even after..." Warren trailed off, his eyes darkening as he faded somewhere else and I sat forward, legs crossed on the couch, reading his face as I reached over laying my hand on his arm.

"You took her wings." I finished. Warren nodded sharply, only a flicker of his gaze towards me and I leant forward, clutching the mug tightly in my hands. "What happened, Warren?" Warren stared at the T.V. as if seeing whatever was playing on there. The firelight danced over his face, tracing shadows lithely over his sharpened features like he was a marble statue sitting right next to me. His were so dark like an abyss, unlike they usually were. So cold, dark and faraway. My hand on his forearm tightened and he blinked slowly back to life before turning his head to me slowly, his gaze entrapping me.

"I had to be the war Horseman. Aello wanted war. So, I brought her war." And in the firelight, shadows dancing over us while the wind rustled restlessly outside, I listened to history.