Mortal Longings ((Full))

[Dreaming_Drifter]

Iona

Iona jumped up from the desk where she'd been practicing her letters. The Latin-based languages all had such a strange alphabet... She still struggled with it from time to time. So, naturally, she welcomed a distraction, especially since it was Mari. The strange feelings she had toward her best friend had gone unaddressed since she first started feeling them, but instead of going away, they only seemed to get stronger the more time she spent with Mari... She still didn't know what to make of them. She rushed eagerly over to Mari and kissed her cheek in greeting. "You did? What is it?"

 

[Dreaming_Drifter]

Iona

Iona took the bouquet and beamed, hugging Mari with her free arm and kissing her cheek again with a giggle. "Oh, Mari, they're beautiful! I love them! Thank you so much. This is the best birthday ever." She hurried to go put the flowers in a vase and put them right on her bedroom windowsill, reminding herself to ask Apollo later to put a spell on them so they would last forever. Iona was surprised at how happy that bouquet of flowers made her. Yes, they were beautiful, but she'd received flowers as gifts before from family members at home... Somehow these seemed different. Infinitely special.

 

[Dreaming_Drifter]

Aphrodite

Aphrodite smiled at her daughter and nodded. "Welcome, my dear. I've been waiting a long time to meet you." She beckoned Mari forward. "Come, let me have a look at you... Yes, you're quite lovely. I see quite a bit of Hades in you... Such an interesting man, that one." She laughed lazily. "But I digress. My darling Mari... I'm so disappointed at the company you keep... The daughter of a foolish mortal woman is not a proper companion for a powerful goddess like you." Her violet eyes glinted dangerously, even though her smile stayed warm. "Help your mother, dear... Help me take vengeance on the daughter of the woman who dared compare herself to me."

 

[Dreaming_Drifter]

Aphrodite

Aphrodite's expression didn't change, but her eyes flashed with rage. She sighed theatrically and stood. "Fighting is so tiring... I have no use for it. I could ask my dear brother Zeus for a lightning bolt to turn you into ashes, but then the servants would have to clean you up... I suppose there's only one thing for it... I'll send you back to your little half-breed whore for now. But beware, my daughter... You have made a dangerous enemy today. I will have my revenge, on both of you." She smiled and waved a hand, the fog surrounding Mari again. "Tell Iona I said happy birthday, dear."

 

[Dreaming_Drifter]

Iona

Iona was by Mari's side in a second, her arms tight around the girl as she cried in relief. "Oh, Mari! What happened?! I was so scared! I thought... I thought... But you're safe now... You're not hurt, right?" Iona didn't see it, but Apollo was standing behind her, looking at Mari, a sad expression on his face.

 

[Dreaming_Drifter]

Iona

Iona felt her heart sink when she found that her suspicions had been confirmed. Aphrodite was after her. Most likely vengeance for the fact that her mother and father had been happy together and even had a child. 'I'm more scared of her as a foe than Ares... Like Artemis said...' She didn't get a chance to finish the thought. She gasped softly when she heard Mari say those last three wonderful words and blushed, trembling with excitement. The feelings she'd been repressing all rushed to the surface, nearly overwhelming her so she couldn't speak. She held Mari tighter and kissed her neck softly, then fumblingly pressed her lips against Mari's, shivering at the heat that flowed through her body from that one point of contact. "I love you too," she whispered, her lips still pressed lightly against Mari's. "I love you so much, Mari..."

 

[Dreaming_Drifter]

Iona

Iona felt her cheeks flush red and her breathing speed up when Mari deepened the kiss, feeling her head get light and her body start trembling pleasantly. 'Oh, gods... This is what I've been missing... Why didn't I tell her about my feelings sooner? Then we might have been able to do this...' Iona blushed darker at the thoughts going through her head and wrapped her arms tightly around Mari, loving the feel of their bodies so close together, and feeling strangely frustrated that it wasn't close enough for her.

 

[Dreaming_Drifter]

Athena

Athena smirked as she leaned against the wall with her arms folded. "Goodness, Mari, let Iona breathe," she said teasingly, watching and laughing as Iona jumped in surprise and stopped kissing Mari, still panting softly. "I'm glad you two finally figured it out... You're destined for each other." Her gray eyes darkened. "Be warned, though... Everything up to this point has been orchestrated by Aphrodite." Thunder shook the house and Athena hissed at the ceiling. "I'm meddling? You b***h, you're destroying innocent lives here, I'm trying to save them..." She shook her head and smiled apologetically at the girls. "Just be careful, yes? Your guardian gods and I will continue trying to protect you... But an attack is coming soon that even we will be powerless to stop. It would be wise to be prepared."