/Ajaxson POV/
The sun was hanging low in the sky when Ajaxson woke up alone on the cold hardwood floor. His Palace was eerily quiet as he got up and massaged his temples against the dizziness that came over him.
The Greek God found his rumpled clothes in the main room and then ran to the bathroom to dry heave over the toilet. Nothing came up but a trickle of bile that burned his throat. He felt clammy while his body shook, planting each step firmly before he trusted his body to hold him up. Maybe it’s time he stopped drinking pure alcohol for a kick.
After roaming the house once his stomach had accepted its state, he found the letters stacking up against the couch. Ajaxson didn’t have to open them to know that they were from his parents. They have been trying to pester him into some kind of marriage arrangement.
He called his driver and asked him to arrange for a carriage to take him home. He might as well drop and check on his parents. His forehead clunked against the door of the carriage, temple throbbing with the hangover. Why did Ajaxson drink so much?
Better not go there. He thought to himself, cringing at the interaction he had with that water nymph. She had the audacity to reject him outright, and in anger, he smashed her against the door of his carriage. It was an accident; still; he covered it up and got drunk.
His bad luck continued when he pulled up to his house and saw his father's carriage parked in the driveway. It would have been so easy to pull away and take a drive until it was missing again, but Ajaxson was too exhausted for that. He wanted a long shower, wanted his own bed, clean clothes.
The moment he opened the door, he knew he should have at least waited until everyone was in bed.
"Where in the world have you been roaming?”His father growled from the head of the table, his timbre sending shivers through Ajaxsons body.
"Just out," He snapped. Ajaxson made up for his anxiety with bravado and kept his head high and shoulders squared. It was no different than any other time he'd had it out with his father, even if everything had changed.
“You need to clean up your act”, Ajax barked, nearing him. “Zeus won’t agree to the agreement until you do so. And stop drinking, for heaven's sake! We have a party to attend today.”
Ajaxson rolled his eyes. Another party. He’s tired at this point, wanting to stay home and practice his archery or something. Anything sounded better than mingling with a group of men and women who threw themselves at him.
“I’m not going.”
“It’s Heras party. Not up for discussion” His father wrinkled his nose. “Go shower! You reek of alcohol.”
***
The pounding bass rumbled in muted rhythms from the indoors, small bursts of sound breaking through each time one of the doors opened for more drunken patrons to tumble out into the night. He felt uncomfortable yet invisible, and his body wouldn't let him leave the party. Something about the scene was screaming out to him, and his feet stayed glued as people moved around him.
His father and mother immediately went to Hera, showering her with gifts in order to create an impression. Nothing new with them. They left him to mingle with people his age, drinks in their hand while garbling about the upcoming tournament.
Someone was belting out a song at the whole performance level, and it felt so free and unrestricted that he could experience passion flowing out with no reservation. It was that spirit that he was desperately searching for, that release that he'd always locked away. It was what was missing in his life.
Out of the corner of his eyes, he spotted her. The most beautiful person ever. Like a goddess, she walked out without any care in the world, absentmindedly adjusting the flowers on the way, setting an orange poppy on a table arrangement. She looked bored, mirroring his exact expressions.
His eyes trailed down. She was dressed in a white linen chiton and chlamys like most of the other guests, with ivy trailing around her shoulders and arms and her petite waist, securing the chiton in place.
“Hey, isn’t that the moon princess?” Someone mumbled.
“Talia, right?”
“Yes”
Oh. So she’s Zeus, daughter. His fathers words from earlier hit him again. They had an arrangement with God of Lightning. She was going to be his.
The tension Ajaxson carried from earlier dissipated the minute he saw her. He melted into the ground, and a lazy grin crawled further onto his face when it all didn't seem to matter anymore. He smiled as he listened to the conversations around him, and the pipe made its rounds. It was all nonsense to him, but he laughed when everyone laughed and nodded along as if he'd always been part of the circle. The Greek didn't remember the words, but he remembered the feeling of seeing her for the first time.
Before he could gather his courage to talk with her, the moon princess was already out of sight with someone else besides her. They were both lost in a trance, pushing through the bodies. His grip tightened around the glass, close to crushing it, but he held back. Now was not the time to show his anger and ridicule himself in front of so many people.
That night he decided no matter what, he was going to own Talia. Come what may. That’s how his sick plan of fooling her into marrying him began.
***
Ajaxson couldn't bear the loss of the moon princess. She was supposed to be his. He turned into the shell of a person, barely leaving his room. As much as his parents tried to coax him out, their efforts turned to be futile. More than that, he couldn't believe that Lukas got special treatment even though he's the reason she's no more. The Greek God had enough of that filthy Prince, ugly emotions churning in his stomach at the mere thought of him.
He was crushed. Nothing had moved him so much before, heartbroken and angry about the events that followed his beloved's death. Ajaxson couldn't simply sit back and grieve; that's unlike him. He didn't want Lukas to win again, have her again. There's only one way he could stop that from happening. And his only solution was meeting Hera. Without thinking for another second, he opened up the portal and went to see his stepmother in law.
The Queen of Olympus was perched on her
grand throne, turning the pages of a huge book on her lap, a platter of fruits in front of her. No one could tell by seeing her that she lost one of her daughters. Ajaxson couldn't even find the tiniest bit of emotions in that cold, stern face.
He wasn't overly fond of her, but she had the power to grant him a wish. Something that could change his next life for good. After all, she's one of the youngest daughters of Titan, which was why Ajaxson swallowed his pride to approach her. Besides, she's very enthusiastic about marrying Talia off with him.
"Your Highness!"
Hera immediately looked up, lines marring her face when she noticed him. A frown settled over her features as she closed the book shut. "Ajaxson?!"
It must have come across as a surprise to see him unannounced in her chambers. He could be very well punished for doing that, but the Greek God had no other option but to approach her. What if she rejected meeting him beforehand? "I need your help."
"My help?" She straightened, brow arching. "What do you need my help for?"
Ajaxson exhaled a sigh. "I cannot let go of Talia no matter how hard I try. We were supposed to bed and be happy until she passed away so drastically. You need to help me get her back."
Hera let out a sigh, getting on her feet and approaching him. "You need to understand this, my dear, that she passed away. Death himself said there is no way to bring her back but wait for her next life."
"Yes, I know, which is why I need your help."
"How can I help you?"
Ajaxson sucked a sharp breath. "I want to be the first one to meet her in her next life, even before Lukas has a chance. She may not remember our past, but I want her to like me in the future. I will do anything for that to happen; please help me."
The Greek God was ready to sacrifice his life if that meant he would be together with Talia. It was his pride and ego that has been badly hurt in front of everyone. Ajaxson would get it back no matter what, even if that meant cheating and messing with the fates.
"Oh," Hera drawled.
"Think about it. Lukas has insulted your family as well as mine. Don't you think that he deserves a little payback for putting us through so much?" He added, hoping it would fuel Hera enough to help him out.
That was enough to make the Queen of Olympus halt in her spot. An evil smirk replaced her features, hands folding together as she looked up. "I like how your brain works. Fine, we can do that. But in order to that work, you need to die first in this life. Are you willing to do that?"
Ajaxson stuttered a breath. "Y-Yes"
***