Akhill

Chapter Six: FortNight

She was never born with the spoons of royals, all she ever knew was the destiny handed to her in chains. Her mother had no face and her father no scent, can live be drawn on a canvas of such, can a man no more scars than heaven. Her voice, for one, was stolen by the darkness and returned for darkness.

"This is the second stop. The numbers must be as Zeus counted them. Make haste."

"As my Lord wills." The boy whose face conjured no other testament than that of a smile and eye no more story than dead, his voice in haste to call himself only by a partner bowed. He walked up to Thetis and muttered words to her then they moved towards a small hut that lead into a cave where their new target was.

"After you Thetis." She walked through not saying a word as they continued, not even a sound neither in acceptance or protest.

"That girl, I don't like her." The Accompanying Hermes said.

***

"What would you prefer to eat my Lady?" The boy bowed to Thetis as he requested what she desired to eat.

"Uhm, never mind, Lucille makes the best meal in the whole land, she is like a cook from the heavens."

"But we just got back and the sun is plenty high."

"Like I said, a cook from the hea—"

"Thetis! come bath and change, Lunch is ready and you boy go change." Lucille said as she led Thetis into the women's bath.

"Where would that be?" Lucille point while eye-informing the children to unbox the luggage and set them where necessary. The boy looked at the coordination and unspoken understanding of this group and wondered if they were acting or just pretending like they did where he used to live before the fire of escape that brought him to this county.

"Time would tell, I will not be deceived. I am here only as an aid." The boy thought as he walked in the direction that Lucille pointed.

"Stay focused boy." He heard a voice so familiar, he turned instantly his heart skipping a beat.

"Are you fine, Uhm?" One of the children asked,

"Boy, my name is Boy."

"Boy, why is your name boy. Every male is a boy to the elderly, why is your name Boy?"

"Stop pestering me, where is the bath."

"Oh that, it's over there. You know you can get hit or cold, Thetis made—"

"Listen Child—"

"Theophile."

"Uh."

"My name is not child, it is Theophile."

"Fine, smart boy, I—"

"Theophile."

"Whatever, I want—"

"Just say it Theophile."

"Forget it, I don't care." The boy walked away.

"But it is fun brother."

"Right. If you call me that again, you will regret it. I am here to aid my Lady Thetis not to be your brother."

"But everyone here is family some new ones join every—"

"Good for you. Family is just a means of entertaining blood—urgh" The boy had flashes of a fire burning and a dark figure with a sword bloodshot eye and attempting to end him. "You are just being fattened for slaughter." The boy continued walking and ignored Theophile's continuous quizzing. He got to the bath and held his bag like it might be stolen if he let go even through the bath he watched with a heightened alert that a crackle jolted him. "I hate that place." He said immediately through his bath.

***

The two entered through the hut connected backwards like a space shuttle— wait, what is that— into rock drilled inward to form a passageway leading to the lair of the next target.

A skilled hobbit with a smoke, always alone defended by his invention of strange concoction.

"There is no one here." Thetis partner said as they look for a man whose height was nothing to boast of but his wright had the breath of the gods. "Really is anyone here." He continued to search while Thetis stayed by the entrance waiting muted and with no voice. "Eh now, Mr Trojan, please let me be your guide to Tartarus or something." Thetis partner looked around ever so alter, for the death of this one will bring him—more importantly, Thetis— a possibility to live to see another day.

"Mr—" Something strange dropped almost striking Thetis partner but he rolled forward unscathed.

"I see, that that ungrateful Zeus has no more no use for me." The figure moves around in the shadow tipping off the hanging torches. "You, you see I have need to live yet even if I die another would take my—" Thetis partner stood still the gradually traced the sound of Mister Trojan's voice then threw his spikey chain that wrapped around the man as he attempted to make another move, pulled him off the ground towards him then rain series of punches with is other another so much Mr Trojan's plum face could not be recognised by is family— if he had one.

"Mr Apologies, Mr Trojan the second, I don't hate you. I just want Thetis to live." He wrapped the spikey chain around his neck then pop— off with the head. "I truly apologise."

The silent night again took with it the merry song of another though not a saint— he most definitely concortd the spiriting away of many children newly weaned from their mothers. Though guilty in all are ways yet not once as the jury found him as charged until the eye of Zeus painted it so.

"I am done Thetis, lets head back to Hermes." Thetis looked at the boy who came back smiling, as usual, moved her head in a manner it seem she said "something must be wrong with your head" but no word escaped her lips. She turned and they walked out of the lair.

***

"Oh, lunch is served." Lucille hit her cooking pan to summon the sleeping Luke, the round belly Thetis, the untrusting boy and the trusting children. "Whoever comes last does the dishes eh," Lucille said and bits the pan once more. As the matching of a tremor, the royal rumble started— more like the ultimate rat race towards the diner, first came Captain Luke with nothing but a trouser and a shirt made from leather which he struggled to wear while running. The children came in next from the oldest of five years to the youngest of three afterwards no one came then approaches the boy oblivious to the family tradition.

"Run, run, don't be the last!" The children beat the table to hasten the boy who ran out of habit to evade danger only to find himself asking "why?" Thetis walked in afterwards, dragging as she made her way through the tables and chairs leading to the diner.

"Congrat, Pregnant woman, you are doing the dishes," Lucille said.

"What!" The boy said.

"Thetis I will help." Theophile raised his hands.

"Rules are rules Theophile." He dropped his hand sad.

"But But you said you are, I can—"

"Ease, one word at a time, young lady." Luke calms the fast speaking young girl.

The boy looked even more confused at what he saw. "What really is this?" He muttered.

***

"Three more and then the bridge to the nest of Athena, the goddess of war and wisdom." The accompanying Hermes called her praise like one smitten by the gaze of the sun— The sun of Athena. They rode on through the night as the conversation went on and on between the blood bathed partner of Thetis and Hermes, As he told of the heroics of Athena. First the original in Crete and old Greece, how busted out of the original Zeus's head and love by him, the heated rancour her presence bore for Zeus and his wife Hera.

The Hermes who seem drunk with literature surrounding the name Athena and happy to share it with any who cared to listen. He took the story through history and landed at Mr Zues' Olympus. He said so much about Mr Zeus' goddess of war and wisdom that his eye sparkled and heart jumped at the memories of her— maybe he was in love, who knows.

"Believe you me, I served her since I was a youth before I was transferred to—" He stopped the chariot by a tree marked red whose branch lay bowed by the swords of men. "We are here, The secret Palace of the must troubling torn in Mr Zeus' flesh."

"Really." Thetis partner asked curiously.

"Nah, I just wanted to inform you how dangerous he is. His bounty is so great, the four counts are willing to pay in gold." Hermes gave Thetis's partner a portion to lace his whip-like spiky chain.

"I don't expect you to beat him, just make sure one of you graze him. Let it make contact with his blood that's all."

"As my Lord wills." Thetis's partner bowed and came to Thetis who stood away from them and was ignored by Hermes. He laced the knuckle weapon with the portion. "Just make it touch his blood." He said. "I think this one is more dangerous than the rest."

"Also beware of kron— forget it, just sent the bastard to Tartarus."

"Yea, my Lord." Thetis and her partner followed the blood mark on the floor. The closer they got the more the foul smell of something burning eroded to air.

"Is that excrement, what are —" Thetis without thought flew towards the main enemy in anger that she has no understanding why. She approached the enemies with punches to the neck, evading their swords, head-butting some, twirling and sliding, bending and twisting in the eye of her partner she had become a ballerina, dancing on water, swirling her gown as blades rush out —not at all— detaching limps till time froze as Thetis punched the skull of one and bit the ear of another— She jas gone full berserker mode, not minding the burning woods she stepped on, kicking some by the groin and others jugular.

"Is she not beautiful." Thetis partner said leaning on an enemy who also was enraptured by the killing spree, liquid movement of Thetis through the air. She decapitated some, others the made eunuchs then some she blinded and all that came without a plan was the symphony of agony, the ring out and sparkles of flash red liquid bathing her.

"Why?" Thetis whispered as her tongue loosed, stopping to observe the child that has been decapitated and being roasted. "Why?" Tears flowed down her eyes.

"You bunch of man-eaters." Thetis partner juped away from the enemy he leaned on, snapping out.

"So what? We—" Thetis partner swung his weapon at the enemy, wrapping his neck then pulled, detaching his head from the body. The others came at him whom Thetis missed or ignored because her aim was the king of this lot who found pleasure in feasting on the flesh of children.

"You there." As the minions came closer, Thetis Partner who was like a skilled cowboy, spinned his weapon in the air, attacking and retracting like the whiplash in iron man —wait, who is that—

The enemy's flying up and down, losing portions of their body before setting sail to the underworld. Thetis partner fought on shrieking and punching, some ran and he chased, no one escaped him though the sadness in his eye expanded, somewhat pleading that someone ends this madness but none came. So he continued as he thought "I will let her fight in peace."

Thetis stood up after covering the limps with sand then walked towards the king of the cave, the enemy feared by the four counties who are willing to pay in gold to see him disappear. He sat unbothered by the cry of battle and death of his men, eating on his rock-carved thorne a human child finger. Thetis felt irritated by the sight, throw a stone at him which he caught then she threw another aimed at his dish. He looked towards her angered "you will lay with your flesh."

"Why?" Thetis whispered, deafened to the words of the enemy.

"I am Kronos the king, the first. Who are you? I will love to know your name before I feast on your flesh." The strange-looking man said as walked down his throne, eye stayed on Thetis.

"Why?" Thetis said with tears, streaming down her cheek and her marble-grey eye turned red. "Why!" She shouted and ran towards him not minding the oil barrel around that had been kicked and matching towards the fire. She jumped at the man—almost five feet above her in height — then punched his face. He caught her and threw her away as the oil met fire and the marriage an explosion, causing memories to flicker before her that had been suppressed deep within, about how her hometown lay flattened in arches and her young hear head echoes of agony rising through the smoke, so great the pain that Thetis could not tell the past from the future as she shrieked so loud her partner trembled. "Why!" She stood up, ran towards the giant again, who swung his skull shattering club at her. She evaded it by air and closed upon his leg, punching it with a series of skin cutting, muscle tearing punches. The giant kicked her by the side but she seem to care less about protecting herself as she rolled over on the floor then ran towards him again with a broken rib and torn lip then climb and jumped aiming at his face without any means of defence.

"Foolish child." Kronos the king, the first said drooling as Thetis approached in the air. He lifted his club to strike Thetis down. "The four-county kneel before my physick, what do you think a dwarf like you can—" He felt his arm became norm and club feel of leaving his face unprotected as Thetis glued to it like a gecko but his time a geck that can throw a punch. She punched and punched till the norms took over his body and he fell back flat on the ground, yet Thetis kept punching as though an invisible enemy other than the dead one she punch was there refusing to die.

The fire rose higher and Thetis kept punching unaware of her environment as she kept asking "why?"

"Why?"

"Why?!"

"Wh—"

"Be at ease now my Partner. I won't leave your side." Thetis cried out as her strength left her while her partner embraced her from behind. "I vowed to be with you the fay Zeus called us both that day." Thetis kept crying then the effect of the blows she received from the giant kicked in as she collapsed. Her partner carried her out as first as he could, first to escape the fire and also to get the antidote from Hermes because she had bruised herself in the fight.

"Please don't die, Hermes has the antidote." The fire ran after him so fast he saw the window to the underworld clearly, as the fire closed in to shoot him through the window, he dived out with Thetis in his hand and landed on his feet away from the chasing fire.

"Hermes! Help. Hermes!" Thetis partner shouted as he ran even faster towards Hermes because he felt Thetis grip of life was slipping and Tartarus had opened its hand to embrace her. "Hermes!" He made a turn then another and saw the carriage and Hermes whistling to the sky. He ran a bit then slide to his feet of Hermes. "Please help her, antidote, please my partner may die." Hermes ignored his plight unbothered by the dying girl.

"So be—" As the world tried to escape Hermes' lip, Thetis's partner hit his head on the knuckle weapon of Thetis.

"I guess Tartarus would embrace us." Thetis partner dropped her gently as he sat beside her.

"You foolish child. My head is still important to me" Hermes jumped down from where he sat and gave the antidote to Thetis's partner who gave it to Thetis before he used it. "You know, I still don't know what spell this thing has cast in you."

"Thank you my Lord, for my apologies for my rash childishness. I will happily accept any punish—"

"Just be quiet, how is that mad gaint."

"Dead my Lord, punched to death by Thetis."

"Well, that is new. Let's get going, time is against us."

"Yes my Lord." Thetis's partner entered the carriage, with an eye stayed on the unconscious Thetis.

***

That my dear hit the spot." Luke smiled as he almost ate through the plate. Lucille approached to kiss her husband "Thank you sweet, I just can't—"

"Ahem, Ahem, we are children here." Thetis broke the Lovey-dovey attempt of this two before it goes too far. "Just get a room."

"Fine, you fun-hater." Lucille sent Luke an air kiss and continued her eating.

"Me, no way. I invented fun. Who do ya think I am." Thetis stood up and cleared the table because of her late arrival by the house rule.

"Like what Thet," Luke asked curiously as to what answer she would give.

"Uhm, washing dishes and —" the whole burst into laughter.

"Washing is no fun, Thetis," Theophile said.

"Oh, my friend, No fun like scrubbing oil off dish and singing song of victory."

"Now I see, this must be pregnancy side effects." Lucille jested.

"Leave ma daughter out of this missy. This is no side effects. I speak the truth." she picked the remaining dish. "If you think I am lying come join me and you will see."

"Not in your nightmares, my friend." Lucille continued eating and Luke was spirited away in an instant.

"I will join you." The boy stood, hand raised. "Please show me the fun you speak of."

"Bot, it is one of her tric—"

"My Lady, please let me join you, so I can experience the fun you speak of."

"Hey, I was jast joking to slack off."

"Slack off of what?" He said. Thetis looked at the boy and wondered if she was missing something. "Fine, come on then and let's have the fun of a lifetime, making leather and transforming dishes anew." Thetis said with ecstasy and yet the boy wondered "what is she doing?"

They walked into the kitchen, and as gently as she could, Thetis placed the dishes in the right place to commence washing.

"I wash, ya cleanse."

"As you wish My Lady."

"Tell me, where did you learn to speak like so." Thetis washed a dish and gave him to rinse and dry.

"From Mister—"

"No, don't say Mister Marius. I lived with him for years, I know how he speaks." The boy went silent as he trembled at the thought of the answer which brought flashes of falling burnt roof, the uncubbed smell of roasted flesh and the eye of a boy who knew more death than life as a scream rushed at him. The boy was covered in sweat as the dish fell off his hand, his existence covered in the dredge. "That place, that—"

"I am here, I wouldn't leave your side, please trust me." Thetis moved close to the boy and put his head by her shoulder. "Never fear your tears. I will always be here to shun ya demons." Thetis came on as the dam of sorrow in the boy's heart cracked a bit and spilt out a little. "I am here." Thetis pulled away and choose not to make eye contact for the boy still held his emotions back and his eye reddened by tears failed to escape it.

"You know there was a story a friend told me."

"Really what?" Like a child with little attention span, the boy chooses to distract himself from the memory instead of facing it.

"It started with my arrival in—"

***