Annoyance
POV: Blake
I was really irritated that I had to take this young woman out for a date but I had a purpose that I wanted to fulfill for Alexandra. I was taking one for the team as the humans say. I wasn’t too fussed with the way I looked so I just threw on something I was going to be comfortable sitting on a picnic blanket with. I slicked my hair back and walked over to my tea table where a notebook had laid open with notes on them. I was going to subtly ask questions about Litha’s family that would reveal whether she could be trusted around Alexandra. If I was honest, I was secretly hoping that she would out herself and I could have Lucien send her to prison along with her father. It was selfish of me to think that but I never asked for a fan club of two. I was well aware that two of the ladies who were in the competition for my brother’s crown, had a big crush on me. Litha has been a little more vocal about it lately and I had been annoyed. Noblewomen in general annoyed me, they were loud screechy creatures that I would often interfere with my solitude. Alexandra and Jess, who were two of the noble ladies in Vellum, were the sole exceptions but I believed this to be because they were raised to appreciate what they have where others didn’t and amongst the humans. It was only a theory but I truly believed in it.
I read through the questions that I had written down and flipped it shut when I looked out of the window. Lucien was escorting Alexandra to a boat and was toting a picnic basket and blanket. I knew that once Lucien went out on his boat, that he would disappear for hours. I never knew where he went off to but I imagine that he had meant to bring her there for their date. I was well aware of his growing feelings for her. You could see it every time he gazed at her and she could easily make him blush. Due to the curse on her heart, she was oblivious to it. I had quietly thanked this God that had cursed her that she couldn’t fall in love with him tonight. It made me relaxed that they were going out tonight and I could focus on the task at hand. I would have to put on my charming face and be civil with this woman.
I walked out of the room and took a very leisurely stroll to Litha’s room. I knocked on her door and she answered wearing an outfit that I was sure that Alexandra had chosen for her. She was dressed like her when she’s wearing casual clothing. It was a white airy blouse, tight black jeans, and sneakers. Someone had pulled her light brown hair up into a ponytail and she wore some sort of greyish eyeshadow and deep red lipstick. She was trying hard to imitate Alexandra which meant she was aware of where my real affections lay. I bowed at her and handed her a single white rose. The color that I had chosen was on purpose because, in the language of flowers, white roses indicated friendship. While I didn’t want her affections, I likely would have wanted her friendship but only if she was proven to be ignorant of her father’s plans. She blushed and smiled, “Thank you, Blake. That’s very thoughtful.” She was pulling back her enthusiasm and larger personality and I had wondered if the girls had advised her to not be overbearing. I offered her my arm and she shakingly took it and we walked out to the carriage. I helped her into the carriage and grabbed the basket and blanket from the servant and off we went. It was likely we would go to the part of the enchanted forest where the flora glowed the most, which was Lover’s Cove. It really annoyed me that I would take someone I really didn’t love out to a place named such a thing. I had wondered if my brother was playing a cruel prank on me and I would want to have a nice long chat with him later on.
Sure enough, the carriage had pulled into Lover’s Cove and helped Litha down. I spread out the blanket and she laid out the food remarking, “I have never been here but I’ve heard of it. Why do you think Grand Pretre thought to send us out here? She must know that you don’t feel much for me.” She was actually being sensible but I shrugged, “I can only guess that she meant for us to really get to know each other. I know so little about you.” She smirked, “She-I mean, I know everything about you.” I thought it was peculiar that she would start out her sentence with the pronoun she. As she turned her head, I narrowed my eyes at her. My ability was to see one’s aura around their body to tell if someone was lying to me. I didn’t make this ability widely known so that I could use it freely amongst all. Litha’s soul was not the normal pink that I saw in her. It was very white at this moment which usually indicated that she was on a higher plane. I cleared my throat, “Okay, which one are you this time.” She turned her head at me and widened her eyes, then she laughed, “I should have known I couldn’t fool one such as yourself. I am Athena. I asked the All-Mighty to come to see you and he has permitted me. I was just lucky this one was meditating to calm down for a date with you.”
She leaned over and took a grape out of one of the containers and popped it in her mouth. I sighed, “You couldn’t just manifest without possession?” She shook her head, “My whole purpose here is to help you to look into House Delnaro, I have a vested interest in how things play out here. In order to gain the memories of this body, I needed to possess her.” What she said made sense but only halfway, “What is your vested interest then?” She smirked at me, “I can’t tell you that but just know that it would do me no good that House Doré and House Delnaro had a complete falling out.” I narrowed my eyes at her again, “And how will I know that you are telling me the truth about her involvement with The Order?” She tapped her finger to her temple, “You know, young Blake, this is precisely why I like you. Wisdom rules over you, you ask the right questions. All Mighty isn’t keen on any of those gross semi-mortals being in power. He’s willing to interfere and that is why I was allowed to come here. I laid out what my intentions were and how I would achieve them. Like my brother, Apollo, I have his ear.” I nodded knowing that I could trust her to help me to find out what I needed to know before this date ended. This was shaping up to be a better date than I had hoped for. “Okay, so how do we access the memories of this woman,” I leaned on my elbow and splayed out on my side. She took a deep breath, “Watch.” Her eyes rolled in the back of her head for a long time, I sat listening to the crickets chirping all around us. She finally came to, “I can tell you that Litha has been concerned for her father for a long time. She notices when he leaves with a hood and mask on. She thinks his dealings are nefarious but she has no idea what it is he’s doing. She thought maybe he was plotting to assassinate Lucien to put you on the throne with her at your side. Not far off, this one. Very perceptive but also very ignorant at the same time. You can trust her, for now. Brigit said that she will come to a crossroads in the near future that will determine if she is Team Blake or Team Delnaro. She needs to know she can trust you, you must get closer.”
I rolled my eyes and sighed, “Really?” She firmly nodded, “Really. Not all girls can feel confident in themselves and this one likes languages of affirmation. You and your friends need to rally around her and make her feel loved and included or she will be bitter enough to help her father take our young Alexandra down.” I didn’t want to be the one to put Alexandra in any more danger than she was already in so I would have to make an effort to make nice with the bubbly Litha. I begrudgingly nodded, “Fine.” She smiled and rubbed her hands together, “I should probably go so you can get started on that.” I shook my head and placed my hand on her arm, “Before you go. Can I ask if the All-Mighty has figured out who cursed Alexandra?” She sighed and shook her head, “He thought He was close but the little bugger is clever enough to cover his trail. He’s put me on the case as well and nobody is more clever in all of the Heavenly realm than me. I’ll help catch him in no time, don’t you worry. In the meantime, she’s really not in any danger that I can tell…well other than the gross semi-mortals with the prejudice complex.” She laid down on the blanket and stared up at the stars, “You’re going to get Litha once I close my eyes so be ready.” I laid down next to her and grabbed her hand, she looked over at me, “What’s that for?” I kept my eyes on the stars above, “You said I need to make an effort, I’m making it. That doesn’t mean I don’t feel gross about it though.” She laughed, “Trust me, Blake. This one is far more complex than she lets on. Just give her a shot to get to know her. What she shows is only the surface Litha, she’s deeper.”
With that, she closed her eyes and we both laid there listening to the crickets once again. She opened her eyes a while later and gasped, “I didn’t realize we were already out. I must’ve spaced out from the stress. I’m so sorry Blake.” She sat up and then realized that I was holding her hand. I smiled at her, “You must have been really stressed because you kind of fainted so I was holding your hand for support.” She sheepishly said, “Thank you for your concern.” I smiled at her and shook my head, “I don’t want to cut this short but you’re not feeling well so we should get you back so you can lay down.” She gasped, “But I don’t want to miss the opportunity to get to know you, Blake. I genuinely want us to be alone to chat.” I patted her head, “I’ll tell you what. If you go back now and rest, I can arrange for you to visit me at Mesha and we can have a luncheon and tea. Just the two of us. How does that sound?” She looked down at her hands which were now clasped tightly in her lap. She loosened them up, “Okay, I look forward to it.” I helped her up to her feet and we made our way to the retreat. After I helped her to bed, I turned on my heel to seek out my brother so that I could tell him what Athena said. I looked everywhere since I figured he’d be back by now. It was getting close to midnight by now so I was getting anxious that something might have happened to them. I heard splashing coming from the spring along with a man and woman laughing. I burst through the door, thinking it was my brother and Alexandra. I felt bad that I had interrupted a kiss between Meldon and Alesha. I had relayed my frustration to Meldon about not being rid of Litha. I didn’t mean to say my inner thoughts out loud though so I clenched my jaw hoping that Alesha didn’t hear. My fears seemed to be founded because she hopped out of the spring and walked over to me, “I think we need to talk. Alone.”
