C5 Five

The doors close behind him and now he only sees them, and not the beautiful face of his love. He stands there, staring at the doors. Waiting for her to open the door, so he can see her face again, he has it memorized, yet can never get enough of it and wishes to only see her face. Footsteps at the other end of hallway comes to his ears, and his head snaps to the side, with an angry look in his eyes, he sees one of his guards. The guard looks terrified, yet doesn't wish to show it. He, of course fails at that, for the King is far too frightening, and when he's angry, he spares no one.

The guard bows before his King, showing him the respect that he deserves. None can argue that the feeling of being respected is marvelous, and the King does enjoy it when his subject cower in fear.

"Your majesty, your brother has sent word. He shall be joining you and the Queen for a feast this evening. Shall I send a rejection letter?" The guard speaks, with his head high, serving his King.

"No! He will come and meet my future bride, however, tell the captain to be ready for anything. Tonight might turn into a bloodbath" He tells the guard and waves his hand, dismissing him immediately.

So he can go back at staring at the door in front of him. Knowing that his love is on the other side. The bedroom does belong to them both, yet he knows that she needs her privacy and her space to figure this thing out. The guard is quick to run back to where he came from. Shocked at his King's words, the two brothers loath each other and with every opportunity, Lucifer rejects his brother's offer and refuses to grant him access to the Underworld. This evening will be an interesting one, that's for sure. Two brothers that want each other's head on a spike and a girl that doesn't know where she is or what is happening around her, and the fact that she's as innocent as innocent someone can be.

*****

Athena stands in the bedroom, in the middle of the floor. She doesn't know what to do now, or even where to go. Somehow she can sense his presence near her, but she doesn't know how or even why, or if she's just imagining it. Her eyes scan the room over and over again, trying to soak it all in, again. The room hasn't changed since she was in here the last time, yet she feels like something is different, if only she could pinpoint what it is. The only thing she knows, is that she has to figure it out, but she doesn't even know why. Her mind is so confused and her head is spinning.

She's growing dizzy from all the thoughts that are invading her mind, a new thought right after another. She doesn't get a chance to process anything. The fire eyed girl sits on the bed, her feet growing tired from all the spinning that she has been doing. The silence has taken a hold of the room, and when there is silence, the thoughts start to poison her mind. Thoughts can be the very thing that corrupts the mind and destroys you from the inside out, and that alone is dangerous. That's why the young girl is in danger, she's a danger to herself.

She keeps thinking of that man, he haunts her mind. Most of her thoughts are negative and bad about him, in her short experience with him, she begins to fear him. Yet, she knows deep down that she isn't afraid. Although, his actions did scare the poor girl. The same girl that has been ripped away from her life, and her brothers, and brought to this unknown place and isn't even allowed to go home, ever again. She has accepted the fact that she has been kidnapped, yet she isn't mistreated. In fact, she's being treated like royalty, which truly doesn't make sense in her mind.

The eyes that he has, this Lucifer man that is supposed to be a King, they're still fresh in her mind. She can still see the glowing red eyes and how she didn't feel afraid of them, perhaps because she now has eyes that have red in them, her own fire eyes. Then she remembers how his had turned from glowing red to such a dark shade of red and the pitch black in them made them look like his eyes were a bottomless black hole, and staring into them is what frightened her. His eyes resemble the darkness and evil in every way.

Athena can't say that this man is evil, she has only known him for a few minutes. Yet, she judges him, as humans do. She still remembers the fear that she had when he spoke and she still gets a chill when it echoes in her ears. One positive, but low thought springs into her mind. She thinks that she should give him another chance, to show her his true colors. Whether they are good or bad, evil or kind. Her brothers have always taught her that some people protect their true nature by being mean and cruel to others, when in reality, they're the biggest softie that the world has ever seen.

People have reasons to hide their emotions, and she figures that is exactly what he's doing. Shielding himself from her, as if she's going to attack him. She may not be, but how can he know? Giving him another chance might be her biggest mistake. But, he's the only one who has all the answers that she's looking for. And, if she wants to find a way out and to someday see her brothers, she needs to get on his good side. Though, she doesn't want to trick him, she wants to earn his trust and form a friendship if it is at all possible. A friendship means that she might be allowed to see her brothers. But, she wants to be his friend.

She doesn't know why, she has this compelling feeling inside her that screams at her to be near him, to talk to him, to know him. Yet, there's this other part of her that whispers to her, about the fact that she has been kidnapped. It's only now that she knows that the situation she's in, is worse than she thought at first. Her mind is finally realizing what is truly happening, she was kidnapped and taken away from her home and the people she loves, to some unknown where strange things are transpiring all around her.

Athena goes to the desk with the mirror and just sits on the chair, looking at her reflection glass. She looks like herself, yet in so many ways doesn't. Her eyes are so different, and that frightens her. The longer she stares at the irises of her eyes, she starts to notice things that she never saw before. Like how the red in the iris, with orange and yellow are shaped like fire. Come to think of it, she notices that everything in this place has to do with fire. It all started with a fire, perhaps it will all go away with fire.

The thoughts are still swirling in her mind, some are a way out there even for her, others confusing and she's trying to figure out what's truly happening to her and around her, a few of the men had red glowing eyes. Her kidnapper as well had red glowing eyes. Something about him doesn't make sense to her, but wants to find out what it is that doesn't make sense. Most folks believe that she is crazy and that she wants to know the person that kidnapped her, to her she feels if she's... longing for him and doesn't understand why. These new feelings that she has could be hate and despise, but then again she's never felt those feelings so she thinks it's only that, yet there's something that's telling her that what she's feeling is something more.

The confused girl, doesn't want to watch her eyes any longer, and stands up. She's afraid to look outside the window and tries to avoid it at all costs. Knowing that she's in a high place frightens her, she is very much afraid of heights. The room she's in is empty, with not much in it. Then there are those doors that she has no idea where they lead to. However, she wants to find out. But the fear of Lucifer coming inside the room and shouting at her again keeps her from exploring. Perhaps, it's for the best, she's planning to get out of here as soon as possible.

She doesn't want to stay in this place any longer, it frightens her, and yet it makes her feel safe at the same time. Making the girl even more confused than she already is. Once again, she stands in the middle of the room, only this time, looking at the floor. If she were home, she would find something to do. Whether it's cleaning the house or cooking or even just sitting on the soft grass and allowing the fresh air to fill her lungs. And, of course, play with her brothers. No matter their age, they'd play as if they were children.

Oh, how she missed them. She can't get the thought of those two out of her head, all she wants is their arms around her, hugging her and telling her that everything will be alright again. But she fears that she may never see them again it is too much for her to handle. Tears are forming in her eyes, but refusing to let them fall, she thinks that it's best that she shouldn't cry anymore. She has to be brave and get out of here. To go back to her brothers. The only thing that makes her cry now, is the fact that she misses her brothers, and her fear of that man. Even if it pains her, she needs to stop thinking about Jackson and Jasper, just until she finds a way out of here and back to them. It will hurt her, inside. But, that's what she has to do in order to survive and finally get home, somehow.

For hours, she has stayed in the room, with only her thoughts as entertainment, it wasn't all that entertaining for her though, but rather it was bringing her down more. No sounds, just silence. After a while, she gave up by trying to stand on the floor or do to anything for that matter, so she decided to just get comfortable on the bed. Laying down, watching the pitch-black ceiling. Sometimes closing her eyes, and allowing her mind to wander off. However, sleep did not come, no matter how hard she tried. Athena desperately wanted to sleep and wake up from this nightmare that she seems to be trapped in.

With her hands resting on her stomach, and under the covers. It was like when she first woke up in this bed and in this strange and scary place. In her mind, she thinks that if she's exactly the same as she was then, perhaps she might wake up and be in her own bed. No matter how uncomfortable it is, or how bad it is for her back.

She's come to love her bed, it might not be the best. But, it's the one that she's had since she was a child. A bed costs a lot, and for people that have never had much money, they never bought more comfortable beds for themselves.

To them, it was all right. They were used to it. The pain in their back and the hardness of the wood. It was just life for them, and they are alright with it. Jackson's bed broke a few years ago, and he just got used to it that way. That's what they do, they just get used it. It's not like they had much money to buy anything nicer. Mostly food, is what their money was spent on. It also depended on how the winter would be, either brutal or quiet. If brutal, they'd need warm clothes and some supplies.

As she lies on the bed, her stomach starts to growl. As if there were a raging lion in there. She hadn't realized that she has been without food for some time now. She's hungry, yet what can she do about it? Athena doesn't know this place, she doesn't even know where the kitchen is. She isn't even sure if they'd give her food. Everything here is so unpredictable, she doesn't know what comes next. Perhaps she's meant to stay in this room until her dying breath, she doesn't know and doesn't want the thought to poison her mind.

A soft knock breaks the silence in the room, startling the poor Athena. Soon the door opens, Athena had no time to respond. In steps a young girl, can't be that much older than she is. The girl wears a black dress that has a v-neckline and short sleeves. The skirt goes down to her knees. On her feet are simple black slippers, so worn out, as the fabric is at the brink of falling apart. She has honey-blonde hair and sparkling emerald eyes.

"Forgive me for interrupting, your majesty. Master has sent me to prepare you for tonight" The girl says, her voice confident and full of cheer. She closes the door behind her.

The smile on her face is friendly and somehow Athena knows that she can trust this girl, it's just the man that she doesn't quite trust. Not yet anyway.

"For the tonight?" Athena asks the girl, confused.

Then again, her head is still spinning from confusion. Any more and she might get an ache in her head.

"Yes! A feast is being held by his majesty and you shall be presented with beauty and grace. Let's get started, shall we? A lot has to be done" The girl tells her.

This girl doesn't look as miserable as she does in this place. But, the tan on her skin shows that she has been in the sun.

As far as Athena knows, there is no sun around her. But on the collarbone of the girl, is a tan line, showing that she has been out in the sun. Which means that there is a way out of this place. Suddenly, hope breaks its way through and she knows that soon, she will be able to be in the sun again. Smiling, she gets out of the bed, while the girl sets down the things that she held in her hands. Athena hadn't noticed that she was holding anything before. She doesn't even know what it is, she's never seen those objects before.

"Your majesty, you need to sit by the mirror while I do your hair" The girl says, completely in her own mind.

Doing whatever it is she's doing, Athena doesn't understand her actions or her behavior. But, then again, she doesn't understand this place or its people. The guards are still a mystery for her, and let's not forget Lucifer, who can change his eyes and have them glowing. Doing as the girl told her, she sits on the chair by the desk and in the mirror she sees the girl walk over her with a brush. Made of golf. Of course.

She wonders if everything in this place is made of gold. Taking her hair into her hands, the girl begins to brush it, slowly and gently.

"What's your name?" Athena suddenly asks, after a few minutes of silence.

She realized that she didn't even know the girl's name, it was a bit rude of her to not ask before. With everything going on, it sort of slipped her mind, then again her mind is going through a lot.

"What ever you want it to be, I only exist to serve you, your majesty. You get to choose what you wish to call me" the girls responds back politely.

"...Why?" Is all she can ask.

Surly this girl had a name, it doesn't make sense to her. She has had a life before, she must have had a name before meeting her.

"I've been forbidden to speak of it... your hair is so soft" The girl tells her, trying to distract her from speaking any more of the subject that clearly is so painful for her.

"Thank you" Athena answers, a bit embarrassed. Perhaps the rules are different here than she knew back home, she has to remember that this isn't her home. She's far from it.

"How do you want your hair, I can do every hairstyle there is?" The young girl ask, and setting down the hairbrush on the table.

"I don't know. In truth, I've never styled my hair. Ever. I grew up with two brothers with short hair, they've never been taught how to style my hair. It has always been like this" She tells the girl, not sure why she's opening up to her. She hadn't meant to speak of her brothers, it sort of came out of her mouth before she could stop herself.

"How about a braid, it's simple, yet so beautiful" She says, a bit shocked that the girl in front of her has For women, it's custom to have their hair styled and pretty. To get the best suitors for them, somehow men like it when their hair is pretty. No one knows why, perhaps it shows the woman's status.

"That's fine" Athena answers. She looks anywhere but the mirror, though the temptation is frustrating. She doesn't want to see what the girl is doing, until she has finished. She already knows that it will be beautiful. It does feel strange to not have her hair straight and but styled, though, she does enjoy it.

"There all done" She says, after a few minutes of just silence and her doing her job.

Athena is quick to gaze at the mirror and she likes what she's seeing in it. The braid is on her back, but from the frost she can see a little. She can't help but smile.

"Thank you, I love it. I really do" She says, still admiring the braid. It might be as simple as a braid, but to her, it's everything.

"You look beautiful, now, let's get you to the dining room. You've got the whole evening left, your majesty" The girl speaks.

She rushes the fire eyed girl out of the room and into the hallways, this time the guards are there. This night will either end up in a disaster or go well, either way, time will tell.