Chapter 3

• The next morning, Athena wakes up, feeling refreshed and a whole new person. She was highly confused when she woke up in her bed, with a crystal like box on her pillow. Then, memories from last nights events started to play into her mind and she remembered what had took place. Though, she does not understand what had happened, her mind plays it over and over again, yet, she can't understand what has happened to her. She doesn't know if it was real or if she was actually dreaming.
• Standing up from her bed, she grew rather dizzy and needed to sit back on her bed while her head is spinning. Her head is aching and she fears that she might be sick with madness or illusions. Madness is something that is rather well-known now days, people in the village are getting sick and going mad. They're not in their right minds and often they take their own lives, or someone does it for them, ending them so they wouldn't have to suffer anymore. She fears that this is what is happening to her, although she knows she can't jump into conclusions. But, the subject will be in her mind.
• After her mind stops spinning, she stands up and walks over to her desk. And sits on the wooden chair. She looks in the mirror with her tired eyes. Her eyes widen and she needs to bite her inner cheek to keep herself from screaming from the fright that she sees in front of her. In the mirror, she sees herself but something about her has changed. Her hair is far longer than it was and the color has gotten more red than it was before. But in the midst something has changed is in her eyes.
• The iris in her eyes is no longer emerald green as it once was, it's now deep orange. Around her pupil there are lines that look like fire in a blood-red color. She pants out from surprise and can't believe that this is actually happening to her. She knows that this is not a dream and she's wide awake and this is reality, yet she can't help but wonder how this is even possible. She stands up and runs out of her room, to the main room of the house. Where, she did not expect her brothers to be, but there they are.
• Sleeping on the sofa, like they never left since yesterday night. "Jackson! Jasper! Wake up!" She yells softly at them, yet the panic in her voice is enough to wake up the poor twin brothers that had slept uncomfortably on the tiny sofa. Jasper is the first to stand up form the sofa and draws his sword, but in doing so his brother falls down to the floor with a thud.
• "Athena!, what's the matter" Jasper asks, when he sees that there is no threat anywhere around them.
• "Look" She says and points to her eyes, nearly with tears in them.
• As soon as her brothers have taken a look into her eyes, they see what she means. "Lord, Athen, . What did you do?" Jackson asks, anger laced in his voice. The two brothers glance at each other and already know what this is about, yet want to hear it from their sister. They, were after all the only witnesses for what took place sixteen years ago. But, never knew that it would change her life. "Nothing, just... I just touched the flame" She tells them, as she speaks, tears run down her cheeks and land softly of the wooden floor.
• "What flame?" Jasper asks hesitantly. Approaching his sister, he wraps his arms around her and allows her to cry into his chest. She wastes no time but to burst out in tears. "Th-the o-nnee in in thhhe b-o-x" She hiccups as she wails and cries into her brother's chest. Jackson runs to her room to see what she's talking about. "It's aright, Thena. You're alright" Jasper whispers to his sister, trying to help her. Yet, he knows that nothing he does or say will ever help her with this.
• The two brothers have hid from her what happened to her, hoping that nothing like that would ever happen again and for sixteen years, things have been quiet. Though, through the years, Athena has shown signs that she can handle heat more than anyone else. Like, at holidays, she snuggles close to the fireplace. Seeking comfort, of course. The young girl has never realized what she is capable of doing. Being close to fire and never burning. Jackson comes back with the empty crystal box, and shows it to his sister. "Is this it?" He asks, his voice full of terror and seriousness.
• She only nods her head and her brother sets it down on the table in front of the sofa. "Sit down, and tell me everything" Jackson commands her. Her body begins to shake, but out of fear. Something that she never though she would be, at least not when the fear comes from the fright of her older brother. Jackson is the responsible one and the one who always puts the rules for his siblings, but she has never seen him angry. Never. He's always so calm. Jasper has a bit of temper, but never has he lost it on his sister.
• "Jackson, you're frightening her" Jasper speaks harshly to his brother. The oldest sibling grows angrier by the second, as he already knows what is happening, only he doesn't know how deep she has gotten herself. And, the fear of losing his baby sister frightens him and makes him so angry. Jasper helps Athena to sit on the sofa, still with his arms around her. Trying to help her calm down, but doesn't know that the only thing that will be able to calm her down is the flaming fire and the man who will soon take her as his wife and his rightful Queen.
• She does try to stop crying and tries to calm herself down but her heart is racing in her chest. And, when she finds her voice again she begins to speak, and receives complete silence while she tells her brothers everything that happened. "It began when we returned from the village. I went to my room like normal, and I thought I was going to sleep, but that is when I saw the box on my bed. I picked it up and opened it. A flame was in it, it was so beautiful. I could not help myself but to touch it" She begins and stops for a moment, but she doesn't look at her brothers while she speaks.
• Her gaze is on the fire place, where only ash and coal is now. Where the fire was yesterday, has gone out. She stares at it and somehow she finds the strength to go on with the story. "First it felt amazing. The fire did not harm me and I loved it. I felt safe. And, then it felt weird. It started to go up my arms and make me stronger. Then felt weaker and blackness" She finishes telling them everything that had happened, and as soon as the last word is spoken, the girl has stared at the fireplace the whole time.
• And right before her eyes, it lights up. The Golden flames reaching high, but never goes further than the fireplace, and the crackling noise loud, yet so quiet. A gasp leaves her lips and she jumps up from shock when she sees the fireplace has been lit up, but no one touched it. The thoughts in her mind are swirling and she knows she did this, she had of course been staring at the fireplace for the longest of time, but she can't seem to grasp how she did it. Jackson and Jasper are also shocked by this revelation.
• "Jackson, we have to tell her" Jasper speaks, after a moment of silence had taken place.
• No one dared to speak a word after what had happened.
• "We can't. I will not lose her" His brother says to him.
• Athena looks at them very confused and unsure of what they are talking about.
• "Thena, there's a reason why this is happening to you" Jasper begins to speak.
• "No, we can't tell her. She can't know" Jackson interrupts him and stands up and forcefully takes his brother from Athena and pushes him outside, where they are going to have a chat.
• While their sister, sits on the sofa, confused and scared of everyone that is happening. It's clear as day that her two brothers are keeping something from her and at this point, she should know what they are hiding. If it brings her light of what is happening to her, then she should know what it is. She deserves that at least, this is her life after all. Women are controlled by men, but she deserves to live her life the way she wants. At least until she is married off to some man, and is responsible to carry his children. But, as she is not wed, she wants to have a life on her own. She is a free spirit, only she doesn't know that she's already tied to one man and one man alone.
• The brothers return back inside, and they find her kneeling on the ground, in front of the fire. Observing it, watching it closely. If any other person would be this close, they'd feel uncomfortable and back away. However, this girl likes being this close to the fire. The nearer she is, the safer she feels. The two of them watch her, to see what she will do. She does not notice them.
• The red haired girl is lost in her own world, and her mind is so focused on the dancing fire that nothing else matters to her. Her hand reaches out to touch the flame, like she did last night. Only this time, she does not hesitate. Her fingers touch the spikes of the fire. Jackson runs to his sister to save her from burning, even when he knows that she doesn't. But, as he is few meters away from her, the fire in the fireplace starts to go violent. In his direction the fire goes towards him, like a wave on the sea, throwing him back.
• Athena does not move when this happens, she's calm. She does not even move her fire colored eyes from the fire, as if she were in a trance. In shock, Jackson tries again to reach her again fails. Again the fire comes in a wave and throws him to back , if he doesn't want to get burned he has to stop. Jasper watches all of this and sets his hand on his brother's shoulder to stop him from trying for the third time, only fail once again for the third time.
• Athena has to be stopped before the fire would burn the whole house to ashes. "Fera ignis, detrahet me mea monarch" The girl speaks in a monotone, a language that she knows not but speaks fluently. She says it over and over again to the fire, like she's being hypnotized by it. Jackson and Jasper don't know what to make of this, their sister is clearly not herself, they see that.
• "What can we do?" Jaxon asks, his eyes never leaving his sister, as she chants these words. To an outsider, she would be accused of witchcraft.
• And, she'd be burned at the stake. Yet, even if she were to be put on the stake, she'd never burn. She'd rise and who knows what could happen to those who wanted her dead. The man who rules hell will kill any creature to make sure that his future bride is safe and those who mean her harm, are dead within seconds.
• "Nothing, we've lost. He will come for her. He'll take her away from us, like he swore he would do. She has come of age and believe she's calling him" Jackson says, admitting that they have been defeated.
• Suddenly the girl that the two of them love falls down to the floor, her chants stop. The fire still raging. Her body does not move, except for her chest as it moves up and down. Her eyes closed and if someone were to walk past the house and look inside the window, they'd think that she's sleeping by the fire for warmth. Yet, that's not the case. Jackson takes the risk again, and slowly goes closer to his unconscious sister that lies on the wooden floor. This time, he is successful and he reaches for her. On his knees he hugs his sister, knowing that he will lose her in matter of minutes.
• His younger brother also joins him and both brothers weep for their little sister. Before they lose her forever. Not even a minute has passed before the door is blast open, the force almost breaks the door, for it's rather fragile. A man walks inside. As soon as his foot touches the wood of the floor, the candles and the fire becomes brighter and stronger. Lifting its flame higher than before. The heat from the fireplace hurts the poor brothers who cry for their sister. Backing away, they know that the fire does not harm her. Never has and never will.
• The man walks to the unconscious girl on the floor and goes down on his knees. As if the two of them were alone in the world, his hand caresses her cheek, feeling the soft touch of her skin. As he has dreamed of touching for sixteen years since the last time he held her. Picking her up bridal style, he holds her close to his body. Not only to protect her from any danger but also because he wants to feel her close to him. Having her close to him is everything and hell will reign over if anything happens to his Queen.
• "Please, don't take her" Jackson begs, on his knees. His last attempt to get his sister back.
• "You shall be rewarded with all the gold you need" The man speaks, ignoring the pleading brothers, who beg for their sister.
• With the girl in his arms, he leaves the house, the door slams behind him. Leaving the poor brothers alone and crying out for their baby sister, the one who they've cared for since the day of her birth and love her more than life itself.
• They would give their lives for her, and nearly did. Jackson has already lost fingers for her and Jasper has a wound on his stomach that proves that he has taken a blow for her. Jackson made a vow that he will stop at nothing to bring his sister home, with her family instead of that monster who has taken her away. And, from this day forward, the two brothers will do everything in their power to save her.
• The man walks away from the house and the road ahead of him does not matter, his eyes only see the girl in his arms and how beautiful she looks. No matter how often he has visited her when she slept soundly in the night, he always found her beauty to be the most magnificent and how often he'd wish to wake her up so she'd see him and he would look into her eyes and fall in love with her all over again. In the middle of the muddy road, a hole has been open straight from hell and stairs that lead down there is the way that he came and is the way that he will carry his future bride to the underworld with him.
• The stairs red as blood he walks down and on either side of the staircase, demons of all kinds have gathered to see their new Queen and are eager to see her rule beside their King. The stairs are long, as they are indeed going down to the underworld, hell. The man doesn't care how long he has to go, the more he can be with his Queen in his arms, the better. Her soft breaths are what gives him strength to go on and he only lives for her. Without Arabella, his life has no meaning and might as well be dead.
• The man finally reaches his destination when he has gone down all those stairs, with the cheers of the demons that annoy him more than anything. His castle is what is at the bottom of the stairs and as the gates open for him and his future wife, he goes inside his home and goes straight for his bedroom. More stairs he needs to climb this time, to reach the highest tower of the castle, as that is his bedroom. On each hallway, guards stand and don't move a muscle, until the King walks by and they bow before him.
• 4
• Ignoring all that, the man goes to his bedroom, the doors are opened by his guards and then they are closed. Leaving him and the unconscious girl in his arms alone. Gently he sets her down on the bed, in the middle so she's safe and won't fall off the bed, you never know what might happen. Pulling the covers over her body, making sure that she warm but still not too warm. Her hands over her stomach. In his eyes, she looks like an angel and she truly is an angel. The devil has fallen in love with an angel.
• She looks so peaceful when she's asleep. Her cheeks a bit pink and her lips red as a rose. The red hair she possesses is like fire and it makes her pale skin stand out. He can't wait to look into her eyes and see how beautiful they are, as he knows that the fire he gifted her has changed her eye color, a sign that she does indeed have the power over fire, as does he. And, the two of them will reign over hell as they destined to do.
• Unfortunately, the man has to leave the beautiful Athena while he attends his duties. Not only as the King of the underworld but also as a future husband, and when she wakes up, he wants everything to be perfect. Plans have been made and lets just hope that his Queen will like them, otherwise he will do something else. He will do anything for her and he wants her to get the best of the best, no matter the price. He bends down over her body and kisses her forehead before he takes a final look at her before he stands up from the bed and walks out of the bedroom.
• Of course, being apart from her, even for a few minutes, is torture to him. He has been longing for her since the day that she was born, and even visiting her wasn't enough. He craves her touch and wishes for nothing that to have her in his arms and never letting go. The man goes down to the throne room, where he sits on his high throne and orders his subjects. As soon as the man leaves his bedroom, like sleeping beauty, the fire eyed girl sleeping on the bed opens up and she looks around.