“So...you mentioned you had a wife and son right?” I asked.
“I did.”
“Mind telling me what they were like?” Ares let out a heavy sigh as he dipped the cloth into the cold water, the sheer bite the water had to it almost freezing the blood within me!
“I-If you feel comfortable that is! I know your family is a sensitive topic-”
“...I don’t mind, you’ve shared your story with me more than once, it’s only just if I share mine with you.” He sighed before he put some more water on the cloth.
“My wife was named Aphrodite, a beauty centaur she was...hair that was a fiery red and silky to the touch, skin that was delicate and soft and eyes that were the clearest of blues.” Ares started off, a gentle smile crossing his features.
“Though she was a delicate beauty, she was the toughest and most fiery woman I’ve ever met. You said something to her and she always had something to say right back.”
I let out a chuckle. “Sounds like the type of person I’d hang out with! I’m guessing she knew how to handle you?” I asked as soon as Ares finished wrapping the cloth around my stomach, causing him to get up before he went in front of the mirror, the sight of him beginning to braid his hair making me snicker a little.
“She did, the woman was the one who taught me how to braid my hair. In my herd, hair length is a status symbol. The longer it was, it showed to others that you were unbeatable." Ares explained.
I let out a small hum, that explained a lot, seeing as he never once cut his hair these past few years. "But, though that was so, I didn't know how to make my hair more...manageable, my wife taught me, in fact, had it not been for her trotting her way into my life...I would’ve been a colder and much more terrible man if she hadn’t tamed and freed me of my old ways.” Ares continued, his gentle smile only growing more and more while I tilted my head a little at his words.
“What were you like before she came around?” I asked before Ares suddenly went silent.
“...A gladiator who killed without even thinking twice about who was behind my blade. I killed for the glory of my herd and nothing more, I had nothing else better for me besides that. Once, there was even a moment where I was begging for someone to slay me." He sighed.
"I was alive but...without a true purpose? I was dead, Aphrodite gave me purpose beyond the herd...” He said.
The centaur let out a heavy sigh. “I miss her so, my hope is that she runs free in Ursa’s afterlife...along with my son.”
I smiled sadly. “I have no doubt they’re watching over you my friend. Loved ones are fond of doing that anyway.” I said, Ares nodding his head.
“Indeed.”
“But, what about your son? Was he like your wife or was he like you?” I grinned.
“My son, Phobos, he was a replica of his mother...red hair with splotches of brown in it, blue eyes and nearly as pale as snow. He acted like her...he always had something to say and a fiery attitude to go along with it.” Ares chuckled as he finally started to finish braiding his hair.
“Though, he was strange.”
I tilted my head a little, strange? Though I wasn’t the type to judge someone for being a bit odd when they were younger, it made it weird when Ares said it! Especially seeing as he narrowed his eyes a bit when he mentioned it.
“Good strange or bad strange?” I asked.
“Good.” He chuckled lightly.
“He inherited my size; he was bigger than the other children and that made him a bit more intimidating...Phobos used it to his advantage, whether it was to scare someone from doing something or to give himself a boost in being the best. He wielded fear like a weapon.” Ares sighed before he eventually walked over to the pile of pillows and blankets and laid down, causing me to walk over before I took a seat next to him.
"Still doesn't explain how he was strange, more so a kid who knows how to keep the bullies at bay." I giggled, causing him to sigh.
"True but...his words of wanting to strike fear in everyone worried my wife and I a tad. Perhaps, in another life, he is more at peace." He sighed.
I couldn't help but let my smile widen.
“You loved your family didn’t you?”
His eyes narrowed slightly at me. “What do you think little girl?”
“No, what I mean is...why? Why throw all of that away just to become a murderer?” I asked gently.
I gulped a little as I saw Ares visibly tense up, his eyes narrowed more and more until they resembled daggers while his hands clenched into fists. Though I remembered faint details of what he told me previously, that still didn’t give a reasonable excuse as to why he killed someone!
I understand killing to protect your family but...killing someone to lose them?
Unacceptable.
“Ares...talk to me-”
“Hephaestus was his name, a fucking cowardly bastard he was,” Ares growled.
“I never liked the man, always seeking to take my wife when I wasn’t looking. Kicking and stomping at my son as if he were a flea, he was nothing more than a man who wanted Aphrodite for selfish reasons. To be a pretty thing on his arm.”
“And this was your herd leader? Why didn’t anyone tell him he was in the wrong?!” I huffed, a dark chuckle leaving him before he slowly shook his head.
“The rules of a centaur herd are strict Eos...to never question nor disobey the herd leader is one of the strictest rules there is. Aphrodite, however? No matter how many times he continued to pursue and attempt at ordering her to leave me...she continued to refuse him.” He sighed.
“And...when it came to the point when Hephaestus could no longer contain himself and...murdered my family...I did what I had to do and killed him.” Ares revealed, my eyes widening a little at the information.
“There are ways to spot a weak man girl, should he have to order people to follow him or kill people as an ‘example’, those are the signs,” Ares said before he slowly but surely went quiet, the atmosphere around us so tense it could be cut with butter.
Had I known this years back...I would’ve tried my best to convince Ibis to spare Ares from serving me for the rest of his life! The man had gone through so much...his family being murdered at the hands of a guy who couldn’t begin to think of being rejected multiple times over and possibly even more than he was just refusing to tell me! I couldn’t help but place a hand on Ares’ back and let out a sigh, no one, not even my worst enemy deserves to lose their family like that...there was something worst than death.
And that was living when the rest of your loved ones were dead.
“...I-I don’t exactly have a comforting response-”
“Then don’t speak, I am fine, my family is gone and I have taken my revenge on the man who took them from me,” Ares grumbled before he crossed his arms.
“Let me finish will you?” I huffed, Ares merely grumbling underneath his breath while he simply refused to look at me.
“Just know you have a family with us alright? Ryzel, me, Shiro and the rest of the village.” I smiled sadly. Still, no response but...the sight of his shoulders faltering a little was something more than nothing.
“...Take your leave Eos, remember to continue to put cold water on those bandages.” Ares said, causing me to give him one final pat on the back before I eventually got up to walk off.
‘Whether he wants to accept it or not, it’s true.’ I thought.
‘Him along with everyone else are family.’ I sighed before I refocused my attention on something else.
Once I had managed to find my way back on the higher decks of the ship, the sight of incoming storm clouds already beginning to make my stomach lurch a little. I decided to quickly make my way over to the railings of the ship while I made sure to keep happy thoughts in the front row of my mind. Bees and butterflies...bees and butterflies! Suddenly, however, I jumped at the feeling of a wet nose beginning to nudge me.
“Goodness Shiro!” I gasped, quickly placing my hand over my chest.
“Why do you have this cloth around your stomach? Are you injured?” Shiro asked with a whine, his ears flattening to the sides a little before I chuckled a little and shook my head, placing my hand on his head.
“I’m not injured in the slightest, just going through a bit of seasickness.” I grinned.
“Seasickness?”
“Another form of motion sickness, you get it when you're out on the water.” I explained.
“Anyway, what do you need? There’s a reason why you came out here when there’s a storm coming in.” I snickered before Shiro quickly sat down.
“I’ve been looking for you! Well...more so Ryzel than me, he asked me to look for you and I’ve been struggling to find you.” Shiro explained.
“I was hanging out with Ares for a little bit but...how were you struggling to find me? You have a nose that’s better than my own! Not to mention, why’s the Incubus looking for me? I would’ve thought he was still trying to keep the pirate captain from kicking us off her ship.” I chuckled before Shiro let out a small sigh and started to walk off, prompting me to quickly follow after him.
“The salt on the wind is blocking every other scent on this ship, it’s almost nauseating,” Shiro explained.
“But, Ryzel wouldn’t tell me why he wanted me to find you, he only told me that it was because you owed him a reward.”
I rolled my eyes, to be honest, I had completely forgotten about the reward...then again, I did owe him for getting us this ship.
“What reward do you need to give him Eos?”
“A kiss,” I admitted bluntly as we began to enter the lower parts of the ship, the sounds of rowdy laughter and drinks clanging against each other making me smile a little.
How I love to hear the sounds of partying! However, I didn’t fail to notice Shiro look up at me with wide eyes.
“You owe him a kiss?! A-Ares wouldn’t be too happy-”
“Which is why you’re not going to tell him, poor guy deals with enough already, do you know how livid he would be if he found out I was doing this?” I huffed, Shiro once again letting out a whine before his ears began to lower.
“I-I wouldn’t dare betray your trust! But...it’s just, I remember my mother once telling me that this is how his people court one another.”
My brow rose a little, court? What in the world was this wolf going on about?
“Court?”
“Yes, Beasts and his kind have a lot in common but the one thing they do similarly is how they pursue a romantic interest. They’re forward with their romantic ways and make it clear that they’re interested, they focus solely on their romantic interest, almost never flirting with anyone else unless it's absolutely necessary.” He explained, my confusion only heightening while I began to think back on our interactions.
The man has been flirtatious since the day I met him...his words never failed to make my cheeks tint pink every now and again and he rarely slipped up on his words! He was bold and confident...though I could admit to myself that I did have a small thing going on for him, my brain just couldn’t process the fact of why...why did he like me? I was no one! Being the leader of a goblin town shouldn't have counted. In fact, in his eyes? I should’ve been seen as an alien seeing as I was originally from a different world!
I quickly shook my head; though I had a crush for the guy but I wasn’t about to let myself fall into that pit again.
Feelings fade, mine would do so soon enough and so would his.
“He’s wasting his time; love isn’t for me and he shouldn’t try to attempt at pursuing anything with me.” I sighed, Shiro once again letting out a whine but one of confusion.
“...Do you have a bad-”
“If you’re talking about love then yes, receiving chocolates and waking up to morning kisses isn’t my ideal thing anymore. I’m happy being alone and that’s that.” I quickly interrupted with a sigh, the conversation quickly dying afterward.
As we continued the rest of our walk in silence, Shiro eventually stopping at a large room that resembled a typical tavern bar. Tables lined everywhere with plush chairs here and there, the room dimly lit with small lanterns on the walls and a bar with multiple patrons not too far ahead of us.
It didn’t take long for me to spot Ryzel sitting at a table in the far-right corner of the room, the sight of his eyes meeting mine making me smile lightly while a smirk began to crawl onto his lips.
Always the handsome one he was, seriously...the day I see this guy have one bad hair day or a day he wasn’t looking so perfect would come soon enough!
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