What lays ahead

With the resounding scream of a queen accompanying me, a bunch of kids clutching to my clothes and a little princess in my arms, I kept moving looking for food.

The kids were clearly malnourished, tired and scared, but my flowers continuously blooming around their feet helped them a lot. Eventually we found an eatery and although the entirety of this town was shady to my eyes, I had to straighten up my priorities.

"How much to feed the kids?"

"No, it's on the house."

The lady disappeared behind a tent leaving me somewhat confused. What sort of business feeds an army of kids for free?

While waiting for the lady of the house to come back, I planted some seeds to manipulate wood and made a table big enough for us all with a couple of benches. But we didn't need to wait for much, and soon I remembered the beauty of Greek food.

Freshness.

The lady of the house looked a little schooled by the table I created, but soon composed herself and put out a tray of fresh vegetables, feta cheese and pita bread.

That was enough to light up the eyes of the kids.

And that was enough to completely quell any fury remaining in me.

"Young man. Thank you."

"…"

Why is she thanking me?

"You did something most of the people here wished to do long ago, but were powerless to do."

I didn't respond, if it wasn't for Apollo's quest, I would have never even thought of something like this being possible. My brain simply wasn't wired for the concept of slavery, let alone children being enslaved.

Yet at the same time, all these people did know. They chose not to act. Thinking they couldn't do anything.

"As you already know, not everyone can harness mana or aura and the majority of those who can, at least here, had pledged loyalty to the queen… so… thank you."

She smiled weakly and left me with a bunch of kids who were eagerly eating.

"Eat slowly… nobody will take the food away…"

My word worked like a spell, but the lady's words opened my eyes on something I had overlooked.

Not everyone had the possibility to grow strong.

That was strange…

"Mister… what is going to happen now? Will you take us as slaves?"

The boy who was clearly Apollo's son looked at me expectantly, but as soon as he said the word slave, my anger started to raise again and he sensed it.

"I'm sorry! We can be sold elsewhere sir!"

I took a piece of pita bread and wrapped cheese and cucumber within it, not missing the moment he tried to speak again, I stuffed his mouth.

"Make no mistake young man. You are not slaves, nor will I sell you."

His eye, together with those of the other children widened a little.

They were all orphans and there was no other option for an orphan, yet a stranger like me was breaking their creed, silently freeing their shackled hearts.

"Let's sleep in my ship tonight, all together. We can figure things out slowly. Ah! I need to go the the temple tomorrow, we can start there?"

Surely a religious place should have plans and care for orphans right?

I was blinded by my modern thinking.

That night, the kids sprawled all around and above me in the greenhouse brought me a sense of peace I didn't expect. And for the first time in a while I slept well, without Odysseus.

____________________

-Odysseus' POV-

Hali was looking at her mother with complete disgust, Merlin was talking to himself and I was left watching at a scene that would normally be so beautiful yet made me tremble in fear.

Dimitris, surrounded by orphans was eating and smiling while carrying a young girl in his arms, everything felt so enchanting to watch, but when a young boy talked about slaves, Dimitris' eyes locked on me with a glare so cold I felt my skin prickling.

I didn't mean to listen, but since I made my first spirit circle, my hearing had enhanced in ways I didn't think were possible.

But those cold eyes, shifted again. Brilliant with an emotion out of my reach, and only directed at the kids around him.

I was scared.

He won't leave me, will he? He doesn't have a fate, until we reach Itaca he is forced to stay with me.

Thinking I had plenty of time to make things right and clear the misunderstanding, my heart calmed a little, but then Merlin's voice came through.

"I don't know Ody, he's making a string of fate tomorrow. Of course he will take care of the kids, but you never know."

"What do you mean? Surely he won't abandon his men?!"

"Ehi, you never know. He has a record for escaping from emotional problems instead of facing them."

While fear started to grip my heart once again, Hali's voice shook me once more.

"I don't think that's what we should focus on. The queen is dying slowly. What the fuck am I supposed to do?"

I was confused, of course Hali would get back with us, but as soon as that thought formed, I realised how flawed it was.

Hali was the de facto ruler of these lands once the queen was done for, I had thought she'd continue to travel with us, but even if Daphne wasn't to die, she still was the princess.

The natural course of events would be for her to stay here.

Why did I even think she'd stay with us?

This was her place, her home, why would she abandon her title, her riches, her everything?

"I don't know Hali… aren't you supposed to be the queen?"

"I don't want to."

What?

"I don't give a fuck about these people, let alone the nobles. Nobody had showed me anything resembling affection in all my life here. I was brought up as a ruler the moment I awakened Aura and from that moment, it's honestly been a shit show."

"Way to go girl!"

"Hali, you can't just… let go, they are your people…"

She looked at me, then at her mother and then at Dimitris, laughing and feeding children.

"I can. I just need to make some changes. Thank the const- thanks to Aaron and his being and extreme chatterbox."

What is going on?

"You'll see."

We left the dying queen to her demises, as if she was even less than waste and went back to the ship.

Thant night, Dimitris didn't come.

When the light of the sun started to shine upon me, I realised that he really didn't come.

I had not even closed my eyes.

After some time, sound of laughter invaded the ship and I made my way outside.

"Mister! Mister! Are you really not going to sell us?"

"Mister! Can we stay with you?"

"Mis-"

"Enough."

The kids shut up, but their giggles were uncontrollable.

"I can't take you all with me, the journey ahead is too dangerous, and I am not strong enough to protect you all."

"Than will you sell us to the temple?"

Dimitris fell to his knees and hugged the little girl that asked.

"Now why would I sell any of you? Are you food?"

"No…"

"Are you perhaps an object? Something to use?"

"No…"

"Are you a weapon? A steed? Commodity?"

"No…"

"Are you a person?"

"Yes…"

"Then that's it my little princess, nobody can sell the freedom of someone else. Now, of course there are limits to freedom, I'd usually say that you are free to do whatever you want until you influence someone else's freedom, but you're only little puppies, so just don't do crimes."

The kids immediately jumped with excitement and launched themselves at Dimitris that instead of catching them blinked away and started to laugh.

"You'll need to be faster! Try and catch me! The last to the temple… I don't know? What is something you don't like?"

Everyone answered at once.

"Veggies."

As a meat lover myself, I couldn't argue with that and was a little amused at this little skit in the morning.

Also, hearing Dimitris confirm that he'd come home with us lifted my spirits to the heavens and beyond.

Then his angelic voice sung again in the morning air.

"Well, the last one to the temple has to eat twice the amount of veggies!"

"NOOOOOOOOO!"

Everyone started sprinting to the temple, even Eurylochus and the others joined the fray completely enchanted by the playfulness Dimitris was releasing and I decided to follow up.

I couldn't miss this development.

I had thought that Dimitris would have restrained himself, but I was wrong. He fully run at inhuman pace leaving everyone behind.

My men followed his example and didn't care for the kid that were left for me to watch.

The kids however didn't seem disturbed and simply put up their best effort in the morning run.

Is this a workout session?

I couldn't help but think this way, after all, admitting it or not, Dimitris was a training maniac.

Soon enough we reached the temple and a scrawny boy was dead last. With tears in his eyes he shouted like he was in front of death, but then Dimitris caught the boy in his arms soothing him, when he calmed down he finally started to speak.

"What are you even crying about? You're not last you pup."

"I'm not?"

"Of course not. Look there? Odysseus hasn't even reached yet."

My eyes shook.

When?

Dimitris, still with the little boy in his arms and a flood of kids following him approached me.

"Isn't it right, my King?"

Contrary to what I thought, Dimitris voice came with a smile, tender eyes and a feeling of affection I didn't expect. My heart trembled a little, unsure of how to react.

"I- Dimitris…"

"So?"

His eyes curling into crescent moons were a deadlier weapon I could have ever imagined.

"Yes, I'll eat double veggies…"

A plethora of hurrays came from all the kids and together, we marched inside the temple.

Dimitris held my hand, he slightly lowered his head to my ear and whispered words that I was eager to confirm with my entire being.

"I'm sorry, I'm sure slavery in Itaca is very different from what I think."

"YES! IT IS THE LAST RESORT FOR CRIMINALS AND THEY MAKE AN OATH TO THE STYX THEMSELVES!!"

He chuckled lightly, even that mundane sound was melody for my heart.

How is he human…

I felt like the most blessed man on the world.

"Of course, let's go."

He kissed my cheek and it started to get hot in the temple.

______________________

-Hali's POV-

"WHERE IS THE QUEEN? WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?"

Disgusting worms. I can't wait to make you all fly away from this land.

"Probably dead. Divine intervention."

Silence oppressed the palace at once.

The implications of the queen's death were clear: I was to be the next queen, and these men, had been nothing but rude bastards since this morning.

"Now, since the queen is dead from divine intervention. I, the sole successor, will of course reign these lands."

I looked around the room, meeting each and everyone's gaze.

I was challenging them.

I was relishing in what I had planned.

Aaron, I will find a way to bring you here.

With Merlin being a constellation and Dimitris on his way to greatness, I was sure we could find a way. But more urgent matters were to be addressed.

"There will be many changes from here on out. Whoever has slaves under the age of 15 is to bring them at the temple after lunch."

Chatter started to spread around until one of the nobles decided to speak up.

"What about the slaves of the palace?"

"That issue has already been taken care off. Now if you'd excuse me, I have much to prepare."

I was ready to bring the times forward, like it or not, my rule was akin to divine and more then everything, I wanted to continue my journey with my REAL family.

"I'd advise for you all to participate, there will be much to gain from now on."

Eat my bait you bastard. Soon this island will become the first municipality of this world.