In a Jar
2259 Words
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“Come on,” says an elf House leader. “just a minute.” He is a middle-aged god, trying to court her. She has no interest in it but he insists.
“I said no,” Gwen denies, walking in the hallway to her room.
“I can give you everything you wanted so just hear me out!” He reaches for her wrist.
As soon as he grabs it, she kicks his leg. “Don't touch me!” she yells out, feeling disgusted.
Massaging his leg, he says, “Don't you know me, you peasant!”
She folds her arms walking away. The discomfort is still on her skin. “Just stay away from me,” she mumbles.
“You will pay for that!” is the last sentence she hears from him as she turns to the left passage.
She could be more comfortable alone but a boy leaning his back against the wall is smirking at her. This is the first that she meets a boy near her age. It is Jasper, not even disguising himself. “Well, hello there, my lady!” he greets.
She glares at him but then looks straight ahead, passing by. He walks beside her and she threatens, “Keep your hands off me or I'll make you eat your own elbow!”
“It's okay, I ain't gonna touch you. Actually, I'm not interested in you.”
“Why do I care?” she growls, stomping her steps and hastening her pace.
He catches up to her. “You sure you wanna go to your room? The House Leaders are there, waiting to court you.”
“I'll strike them all down!”
“A good way to be banished or tied up in a cell so you could no longer run from them.” They are near their next turn where the passage leads to her door with old men trying to court her. ”I might be someone you just met, but you can trust me.”
Her glare just becomes more intense like she could punch his face right now. “Trust your-” He smirks before disguising himself as Darius. It is the same time that they turned to the right. “You're the one that Jack told me!” she gasps.
“Yes, so keep quiet, hold my arm, and take me to where you think he is.”
“I don't know where he is.”
“Then let's talk inside your room. Let me handle these stupid people.”
“Okay.”
She holds his arm and he starts glaring like Darius does all the time. The House Leaders were smiling when they saw her but then frown, seeing her holding him. Jasper glares at them as they go through them. They clear away from the door, not able to say anything. Then one of them attempts to pull her.
Jasper glares at him, growling, “One touch and I'll send you high up in the stratosphere!!”
The man stops but says, “When you just got released. Who do you think you are?”
Turning around, Jasper utilizes Darius's blazing glare. The god looks away. “Say it to my face, you coward!”
“No, let him be,” says Gwen while pulling him back. “Let's go inside.”
“I thought you are with Eleanna, you brat!” shouts one of them.
“Huh?” Jasper asks.
“Well, he's mine now,” says Gwen with a smug on her face.
She opens the door, they go inside and shut it. Sighing, she turns around seeing him back to his personal form.
“I might get that Darius boy into trouble.” He chuckles. “After saving us this is how I pay him. Well, nothing can fix it now. Okay, so, why don't you know where Jack is?”
“It's been that way since they separated us into different rooms. And how do I know that you're really Jack's friend?”
“Did he tell you that I'm handsome?”
“Not really, it's just that he says you always say that you are. He's right, so now, I don't have a doubt that you're Jasper.”
“Yeah, that's my name. And, he described me like that? I have to talk with him when we meet.” He clears his throat, walking to a water jug in the corner. “Can I have some of this?”
“Go ahead.”
He opens the lid and drinks from it. “Thank you,” he sighs in relief after drinking. “Finding him is such a head-scratcher but I'm glad that he's still alive. Thank you for saving him.”
She nods. “You're welcome.”
“You have another friend with you, right? Oso Verano.” He sits on a chair fanning himself with his hand because of the heat. “Damn, it's so hot in here.”
She stands in front of him as she says, “Yes, he's the one who's been taking care of me all this time.”
“How long?”
“Since I was seven.”
“How old are you now?”
“Fourteen.”
“For seven years, he took care of you. What kind-hearted man although he's the leader of the attack in Venus.”
She narrows her eyes. “How did you know that?”
“From the flawless goddess, Danae.”
“The Goddess of the Sea?”
“Yes, she's here and I heard her talking about it with the House Leaders.”
“What did they talk about?”
“To save you from him.”
“Save me?” she scoffs. “Well, she doesn't need to. When my family was starving, where is she? They asked for so much taxes from poor people like us. My parents went to protest in Skadi Mons and got killed. Oso saved me from starving in the fields—something that none of you could've done.”
“That's quite a rough childhood. So, let me guess, both of you took the job in leading the attacks on Venus for food.”
“Yes and that's all. But now that I know what it led to, I regret it. It would've been better if I starved.”
“No, it's not your fault. None of this is anyone's fault. Each has their reasons. Well, I'm not surprised with your reason to fight. It's been like that for ages. Rogue attacks are always using people who are desperate for food. In the Beginning, there are times that humans curse at the gods of Olympus because of the drought. Armies amassed with leaders using the starvation of the people to join their cause. Anyways, do you want to get out of here or not?”
“Of course, I do but… we need to find Oso and Jack first.”
“Not that I'll help you and your friend. I'll have my hands full with Jack if we try to escape this place. A bigger group than that will be impossible. Especially you.”
“Hey! Then what are you even here for?!”
“I already checked the cells earlier and now, I just checked if you know something so I can confirm that both of them are inside a jar.”
“Jar?”
“Yes, a jar. The Goddess of Jars has a relic that can store things inside. Even people. I'm guessing they've been put in there.”
“Even if you don't help us get out of here, just tell me if Oso's fine.”
“I couldn't guarantee I can. I'm saying sorry now, just in case.”
He turns into a fly. Under the door, he goes through. The old men already left, thinking that they have lost to Darius. Jasper begins finding the Goddess of Jars. On the way, he passes by Darius and Eleanna.
She slaps him in the face a hundred times in a second. “ARGH!!” he screams sitting on the ground. “That hurts! I told you, I don't know what you're talking about! I never even talked to her!!”
“You filthy liar!” she tantrums, leaving him on the floor. “We are over!”
He stands up and catches up to her. “Eleanna, wait!”
“I'm sorry, Darius,” says Jasper in his mind. “I had to. Nice choice of girlfriend tho.”
Finally, he reaches the chamber where most lower deities stay for the moment. Before entering, he transforms into Danae. He is met with smiles and awe because of Danae's beauty.
“My lady,” they bow.
“Thank you,” he bows back and looks around. “Is Lady Gina here?”
“You're looking for me, my lady?” one of them asks from the crowd gathered around her. She is a young goddess from Asgard.
Nodding, Jasper says, “Can we talk for a moment?”
“Uh, of course, my lady.”
“Great! Let's talk outside.”
Gina follows him outside, wondering what this is all about. But since it is from the Second Seater of Olympus, she has no choice but to do what he says.
Jasper turns around when he confirms they are finally alone. He asks, “What do you have inside your jar?”
“W… water and food, my lady.”
“Is that all?”
“Yes, my lady.”
“This is tricky,” says Jasper in his head. “I have to make her say the truth about what's inside it without giving off my true identity and motive.”
“Please don't be afraid. I won't do anything to you.”
“It's true, my lady,” she insists but she is trembling. “Only food and water are what's inside my jar.”
He holds her shoulder and smiles kindly. “I promise I won't be mad.”
Sweating, she calls for her jar. It comes flying from the passage and into her hands. It is silver and has intricate metal carvings. She slowly puts her hand inside it. Swallowing, she grabs something and pulls it out. She puts them on his palms, the pictures of Enzo.
Jasper shuffles to look at them and asks, “What?” Dozens of photos of Enzo are in Jasper's hands. A lot of them are topless.
“I'm sorry, my lady!” cries Gina. “I know you two have a relationship but-”
“I'm not mad about this. This is not what I mean for you to show. I mean-”
“She means the persons inside it, Gina,” says a goddess behind him.
He turns around and finds out it is Mila. Her head is still covered by bandages but her frown is terrifying as usual.
“Oh, that…,” Gina realizes. “Right away, my lady.” She makes the jar bigger.
Like a secret door, the side of the jar opens. Inside it is a big room with Oso and Jack sitting on the floor. Jack's limbs are fixed. They stand up and bow.
“Come out,” says Mila. They did and Gina makes the jar's size back to normal. “Gina,” she says to her. “before you go, what happened here is that your prisoners have escaped on their own when you pulled food for yourself. Luckily, I was there to protect you from being attacked. The prisoners escape but I can't catch up to them because of my injury—that's the story.”
Bowing with widened eyes, she says, “Yes, my lady.” Then she runs back to where she came from.
Watching her go, Jasper says, “Okay, you got me, Mila.”
“I knew you're gonna do this.”
“My sister told you, didn't she?” He sighs. Jack and Oso are confused.
“Yes, we're best friends, after all.”
He shakes his head. “I'm glad to see you're alive, Jack,” says Jasper, turning to him.
“My lady, what do you-” He raises his eyebrows out of realization. “Jas-”
“Shh,” he shushes him. “I'm Lady Danae.”
“Okay.” Jack is looking very happy that his comrade finally found him.
“Does this mean I'm going to jail too?” asks Jasper to Mila.
“If you badly wanted to,” she answers.
“No, please, my lady.”
“Give me a reason why I shouldn't capture you.”
“I don't want to get killed.”
“I would be glad to do that if that's the case but since you're Lord Narada's, son, they might have to decide when he gets here tomorrow.”
“That's even worse.”
“I'm glad to see you suffer for what you've done. You don't know how much you hurt your sister.”
“I don't mean to. I mean,” He clears his throat. “we made up recently. She told you, right?”
“She did but I'm not satisfied. You don't deserve it.”
“Please I beg you,” He kneels. “don't rat us out.”
“On one condition.”
“What is it?” he asks, smiling and looking up to her.
“Take Gwen with you.”
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- Writer
