The princess of Ares

9

Ares cursed. The war had caught up with him again. He saw the muse reclining on the couch and approached little by little.

He woke her by caressing her cheek as gently as he could.

-Wake up muse, at last, you will return to Apollo- I whisper.

Daría opened her eyes and smiled. He sat still in the confusion of the dream and rubbed his eyes.

-What?

-I'll take you to Apollo. I have to go.

-Where?

-A battle.

-Other? But what if you've just come back from one?

-The war is not won alone. They need me. The muse frowned.

-It's barbarism. Innocents murdering each other at the whim of the gods. And what is gained from this?

-The glory- he replied. Leaning his arms on the back of the couch, with a half-smile.

-No, they have managed to confuse victory with glory.

The god smiled and moved even closer to her.

-And what is the muse glory?

-The glory is ecstasy disguised as sanity. 

Its silvery seas flooded him and for a second he could feel the glory without even fighting. 

-And the victory?

-It just an ephemeral excuse to fight.

-I'll keep that in mind-he released in a sweet whisper. - But it's time to go. - He offered her his hand to help her stand up.

The muse climbed into the god's carriage, the steeds whinnied happily to see her and she smiled at them with amusement.

The god climbed up behind her and the muse held onto the front of the chariot.

He whipped the animals and they began to run. After a couple of maneuvers, the muse turned and hugged the god's waist.

-You are a barbarian! You can kill us! - I yell annoyed.

-You'll be fine if you hold on tight. - He said making the horses go faster.

He could feel the muse's arms squeeze him tighter and he smirked. He kept his smile until they reached his brother's temple.

It was already dusk when they entered the huge doors.

-Will you fight already?

-No, we will prepare, the fight is until tomorrow.

Apollo came out to greet her, glaring at Ares.

The god raised an eyebrow waiting for some claim but Apollo only stood in front of Daria watching as Ares had to turn around and began his way out of the temple.

The god felt a delicate hand grasp his wrist before climbing into his carriage.

-Take care, Ares. Don't expose yourself for a fleeting victory. And...

The muse fell silent when she felt the arms of the god around her body.

-I will be back soon muse. Do not worry about me. Keep dancing in the rain without a care.

-That's what nymphs do.

-I know- he said, getting into his chariot and lashing his whip against the steeds. He turned and smiled at her before walking away.

XXX

- Is Ares back? - Daria asked Apollo when she heard the conversation she had with Artemis.

-Yes, but don't worry, this time your mother hasn't sent for you.

The muse nodded, forcing herself to be relieved. She went back to her business, inspiring mortals from the temple, wandering the gardens, chatting on vague subjects with the other muses. But the god never left his thoughts.

Why wouldn't they call her this time? Could it be that he wasn't hurt? I expected that.

And better for her that he did not call her, she was not a simple maid. She was a muse ... half-fairy by the way, and she better stay away from the gods. The gods only knew how to hurt and ... and ... 

She remembered the sweet kiss Ares had given her and she could almost feel the taste of it on her lips.

Full of anger with herself she vowed not to go to her temple. He would not go, if he had not called her, it would be for something, although ...

Perhaps Apollo had finally managed to stop them by asking his muses, and ... if so, would they have called someone else to heal Ares's wounds? Or would he be alone, suffering? She remembered the first time she saw him and her heart broke. He should not suffer alone ... no one should suffer alone.

When Apollo left the temple to carry the day, the muse did too.

I arrive at the temple of Ares with a basket full of medicinal branches. He opened the huge door and looked out for a moment, nothing was heard and his greatest fear was finding the godlike that first time he had visited him, or worse.

He walked slowly to the god's room when he was about to knock on the door it opened. Ares, with a blanket around his waist, looked at her in surprise.

-Would give.

The muse smiled when she saw him safe.

-Are you okay. I'm glad, I ... I thought ... I came because I heard that you had arrived from the battle. I thought maybe ... you were hurt.

-No, the battle ended earlier than planned. They fled, not many were injured. The muse's face glowed.

-That is very good.

-Yes - the god released without being able to stop looking at her.

Suddenly his smile vanished, he approached her, closing the door of the room behind him, and led her to the couch in front of a huge window overlooking the garden.

-Did you go out to cut those herbs?

-Yes, the Fae use them in infusions, prepare a tea with them, I could also put some in the tub, I think they serve to heal wounds ... but it wouldn't work if you don't have any wounds- I hesitate, I was nervous. Why had he gone? It was obvious that she hadn't been called because the god didn't need it.

-I'm glad you came- said the god.

Daría grinned. She was about to accept that she had been worried when the bedroom door opened again.

A lesser goddess Daria had never seen came out covered with one of the blankets the god used to wear around her waist. She was beautiful, blonde, and her face was perfect.

Daría understood why the god hadn't called her.

-My lord, I apologize, I did not know it was an inopportune moment - said the muse getting up.

The god took her wrist and forced her to turn around.

-No ... it's not ... - he blurted out without knowing what to do or say in such a situation.

-Sorry for the interruption. It will not happen again.

The muse walked away and left the temple of Ares as fast as she could feeling herself the dumbest muse on Olympus. 

Ares held his head with both hands, frustrated. He was sick of feeling that way. He had come from the battle more than happy, wanting to call the muse again. But he had restrained himself, remembering Enio's words:

He had wrinkled his nose just when she saw him.

-What's wrong with you Ares? You look ... different.

-Different? - He released without seeing her.

-What have you been doing on Olympus, huh?

-You know perfectly well that I return ... I will take revenge ... we will take revenge ... on those who made us Enio.

-Oh yeah? And I suppose you've made a lot of progress with the plan, haven't you?

-A ... something ... honestly, I have not been able to get as close to Zeus as I wanted- Enio snorted - You don't trust me.

-I don't trust you right now Ares. - Enio crossed his arms - You better not have started your play with Aphrodite's dog again or I will cut off your head and bathe in your blood.

Ares grimaced in disgust, but not at the threat from his sister that he did not doubt she would carry out, but at the mere idea of going back to Aphrodite. 

-No ... I'm not with Aphrodite, Enio. I'm not that stupid.

-You are not with Aphrodite ... so ... with someone else?

-Do not!

Enio glared at him.

-Well, you'd better. Remember why you have returned to Olympus Ares. It's not because of a flirty pair of eyes. It doesn't matter if it turns out to be that b***h or any other, the result is the same, you, neglecting your duties. You forgetting what you want.

Enio was right, he had been all the time he had been on Olympus thinking about the muse, he had gone for her, he had lost valuable time simply keeping her in his temple for what? She didn't even want to be there anyway. What he felt for the muse every time he saw her was ... it was dangerous, he knew better than anyone what the unbridled desire for a woman could cause. He jeopardized his mission, his revenge. To himself. So he decided that when he returned, he would not call her again, he would leave her with Apollo, where she belonged. And he... would find another woman to quench the thirst that the memory of the muse caused him.

So he had called another woman as soon as he arrived at his temple, a woman who wanted him. Ariadne, she had previously pleased him and felt nothing for her except physical desire and nothing dangerous. Still, he felt shocked and confused that he couldn't get the red-haired muse out of his thoughts at any time.

He grunted. Angrily he looked for his clothes and left the temple in search of the muse.

XXX

When he got to the temple of Apollo the sun was already setting, but his brother was still not there.

The muses screamed when they heard him arrive. They ran to hide but I managed to take the arm of one of them.

-Daria, where is she? - He asked in his deep voice. The muse wavered in terror.

-No ... I don't know ... she left for a while ... she hasn't returned.

She had not returned. But he had left his temple long ago ... where was she?

-Where is it? - He growled at the muse who was crying in fear. He felt someone force him away from the muse.

-Don't you dare touch any of my Ares muses again, I warn you- Apollo told him furiously, Apollo's blue aura emanating from him.

-The muse, where is she?

-Would give? I don't know, it was here when I left.

-You're a bloody oracle, tell me. - He let out furious. He could feel the fire inside him. If he didn't find her soon, he would destroy this place, brick by brick.

Apollo, more concerned about the muse than following his brother's orders, turned to his muses.

-What do you know about Daria? Where has it gone?

-She didn't tell us. She just left, she does it often. You know it, Apollo. - one of the muses released.

The red eyes of Ares and the black glow that emanated prevented the muses from approaching, not even Apollo wanted to be near him right now.

-You have not hurt brother, why are you looking for her?

-That's not your concern, Apollo... WHERE IS THE MUSE ?! - I scream furious.

The muses screamed and the muse of tragedy fell to her knees. It was she who could not bear it anymore and began to speak. 

-It is well known his love affair with Adonis, I bet he's there.

Ares began to release the black glow even stronger, he left the temple so fast that the muses did not even have time to understand what was happening.

Apollo looked at Mel annoyed and went after Ares.

-Ares, it is not up to you to go in search of my muses.

-That's not something you say, brother.

-THEY ARE MY MUSES!

-DO NOT! - Ares released turning - IT'S MINE, IT'S MY MUSE! 

Apollo stepped back as he felt the powerful black smoke of the god of war. 

Ares got into his chariot to the temple of Adonis.