Μηνύματα γραμμένα στα αστέρια

:':

Ambrosine, however, never had a chance to explain to her beloved grandmother as to why she had been screaming, as her mother, Hesper, glided into the room just then, her face taking on an expression of disappointment when she saw the now ruined dress. Taking in the sagging threads and soaked fabric, she gracefully placed her hands on her hips, raising an eyebrow at her daughter who now had a sheepish look upon her face. Graeae, sensing it was time for her departure, quickly fled the room, smiling as she disappeared through the wooden doorframe.

"Ambrosine," Hesper cried. "How did this happen, my daughter?" Ambrosine said nothing, instead hanging her head in shame and humiliation.

Damian strode up to his sister, wrapping a strong arm around her waist. "Mother, it was both of our faults, so please do not blame just Ambrosine. We were romping around in the field by the river like children, and Ambrosine wished to give me an incomplete bath – perhaps she thought I was becoming too foul. In any case, I should have pulled her out immediately, sparing at least part of the dress." He smiled at his beloved sister, who took his hand and squeezed it thankfully.

Ambrosine met Damian's eyes, which had a question in them. She quickly turned away, but not before reading a statement: 'You and I will talk later.'

Hesper smiled in amusement, twirling a rebellious strand of Ambrosine's copper hair between her long fingers.

"Do not worry, dear Ambrosine. I was merely curious, and perhaps surprised, as to how your dress became ruined. Now go, Daughter, and change into a dry gown; I have a job for you and Damian when you return," her mother said, gentle notes of her laughter rippling through the air as if fragile butterflies carried away on a breeze. Ambrosine gave a gentle smile and quickly exited to her room.

Hesper, turning to Damian, gave him a smile and a quick kiss upon his cheek. "Damian, my son, your father would like to see you at once," at his bemused expression, she laughed. "I personally believe that he would like you to fashion a new sword for him, but you shall not know unless you speak with him yourself." Damian smiled.

"Where is Father then, Mother?" the god asked.

"He left not an hour ago, to speak with Belen and his son, Jerome, when you did not return. I believe they may be making merry, so please make sure that he does not drink too much of that accursed wine. Take Ambrosine with you; I believe she is far too energetic this evening to be kept indoors." Ambrosine came out just then, a white gown floating from her shoulders as if made from a cloud. Her crimson hair had been tied up in a long plait, interlaced with delicate strands of gold. Ambrosine smiled brightly and threaded her arm through her brother's.

"Let us leave, King Damian. I do believe we left our crowns at the river, and so we shall fetch them on our way to see Father." Damian stared at his sister with disbelief.

"How did you know that we are leaving to see Father, 'Brosine? Have you now added the tongue of telepathy to your long list?" Ambrosine threw back her head and laughed, and the house was suddenly filled with joy and life.

"Why, Brother, do you not know by now that the doors in this house are far too thin? I'm convinced that you are aware of this, as you have surely eavesdropped on private conversations one too many times," Ambrosine quipped, raising a dainty eyebrow at her brother, who was guiltily rubbing the back of his tanned neck, an abashed smile on his face.

"I do believe it is time to go see Father. Come along!" Ambrosine said, laughing, as she pulled her arm away from Damian's and ran out the door, relishing in the cool grass against her feet, already having forgotten about her encounter with a certain god entitled Ioannes.

"It is difficult to imagine that she is livelier in the spring than the summer!" Hesper sighed, an amused half-smile set upon her face, shaking her head slightly.

"Come along, Brother, we must see Father!" Ambrosine's voice carried from outside the door, sounding far away, admitting the fact that she had run ahead.

Damian shook his head also. "Elder sisters can be such a terrible burden sometimes, Mother."

"Damian, I mean it, come along!"

"I am coming, Ambrosine! Have patience!" They heard her laughter, and knew at once that the goddess was not really upset. Damian gave his mother one last embrace before leaping after his sister. Ambrosine was sitting in the center of the grass, which was tickling her bare feet and arms. She let out one last giggle before allowing herself to be helped up by Damian.

"Finally, Damian. I was beginning to think that you had been turned into a snail!" she teased, tilting her head slightly, a few strands of hair already escaping from her loose plait. With a playful roar, Damian picked her up by her waist and placed her on his shoulder – she was as light as feathers. Laughing uncontrollably, Ambrosine gently pounded her fists on her brother's back, attempting to make him stop. Damian began running, and Ambrosine let out a small scream before closing her eyes and gripping his chiton, laughing all the more.

"Damian, please! I can walk, that is what my legs are for!" she managed to protest, her voice jumping with the pound of her brother's feet against dirt. Damian, grinning impishly, gently set her down.

"Well then, Sister, let us see how fast you can run!" The god suddenly broke out into a sprint, and Ambrosine let out one last laugh before starting her run as well. It was rare that the goddess wore sandals; she rather enjoyed the feel of the grass and dirt sticking to her feet, coating them with nature. Although she did wear shoes whilst appealing to Alcander…

Ambrosine suddenly halted. She had almost overtaken her brother, but with her sudden stop he was quickly gaining a larger lead. Ioannes. Shaking her head, she erased him from her mind. All had moments of stupidity, gods as well. She mustn't dwell upon it. Quickly catching up to Damian, she flashed him a devilish wink before pouring on speed, arriving at the door of Belen's house quickly, her brother nowhere in sight.

The goddess waited approximately twenty seconds before impatience overcame her, and she placed her fist to wood. She only had to wait a moment before her father's face appeared in the doorway, a bright smile on his face, his arms open for an embrace. Walking into them, she wrapped her arms tight around him.

"Father! It is good to see you!" Ambrosine said, pulling away and gracing him with a radiant smile. Arsenio laughed at his daughter's shining face.

"Daughter, it is good to see you also. How does your mother fare? I gave her my message this morning, and I have not seen her since. It seems you have not either, since you have just now appeared.

"Mother is well. She did indeed relay the message, and so she sent him and I just now to you, as we have spent the entirety of the day lazing in the fields near the river. Damian is acting a turtle, I am afraid, but he should arrive soon." Arsenio laughed once more.

"Splendid. Come inside, Daughter, and meet my friend, Belen, god of wine," her father waved a hand in the direction of a sullen looking man, who was nearly as wide as he was tall and quite red in the face from merry-making. Glancing at her father's hands, she saw that he was carrying a golden goblet, which was almost empty. Gently pulling the goblet away, she set it on a side table; her father became quite vivacious whilst drinking wine, and it was in the best interest of everyone that she make sure he did not drink too much. Belen nodded in her direction, and she gave him a small smile. She did not understand how her father could be friends with such a morose man. "And this is his son, Jerome, god of the sea."

Ambrosine curtsied in the direction of Jerome, a bored looking young man who had the foam of the sea in his eyes, as well as hair the color of the sun. "It is a great pleasure to make your acquaintance, sirs. My brother will also have the pleasure of meeting you when he arrives. I overtook him in the field just behind here, for I am quicker than I look." Belen laughed heartily, something which surprised Ambrosine, as she had believed him to be quiet and harsh-spirited. Cheeks burning in shame, she lowered her eyes.

Jerome, however, was not laughing; he was sulking pitifully. "Father, please. May I go to meet Ioannes now? He said that we may go stargazing, and you do know how I love the night sky." Ambrosine's eyes immediately fixated on Jerome, her green eyes shining.

"You are acquainted with Ioannes?" Jerome turned his head to the goddess, as if just noticing her, and nodded slowly.

"Yes. We have been as if brothers since childhood."

Ambrosine smiled nervously. "Please, send my apology to him, from Ambrosine. I was not myself, and quick shocked to learn of his parentage. Also relay my thanks, if you will. He will remember." Jerome nodded once more, confusion clearly evident on his face.

The god turned his face back towards his father, although his blue eyes remained on Ambrosine. "Father, please, now may I go? I have a message to deliver, which is more than enough reason to depart without being taken as rude."

Belen sighed and waved his hand uncaringly. "Yes, you may, Jerome, but certainly return before the moon reaches the highest peak. You have duties to attend to." Jerome eagerly stood up and left, heading towards a field which Ambrosine had not yet visited. She mentally made a note to explore the field a different day.

Just then, Damian walked in through the already open door, breathing heavily and holding a pair of circlets, weaved with cobalt flowers. "Sister, I do believe that your mind, in the heat of the race, wandered from the crowns which we wove."

Ambrosine shrugged, abashed, but smiled, betraying her abundant happiness. She reached for the larger and looser of the two and placed it delicately upon her head. "Thank you, brother. For what is a queen without her crown, or her knight?" The knight wrapped an arm around his queen's shoulders, addressing his father.

"Now, Father, what did you call me here for?"

:':

"Ioannes! I am finally here!" Jerome's call reached Ioanne's ears from where he was lying in the cool meadow, and he rose to his feet, turning around and seeing the dark silhouette of Jerome's approaching figure. Waving a hand in greeting, he lowered himself to the ground again, continuing to peruse the stars, shining as brightly as lanterns.

"Hello, brother," he said softly when Jerome's footfalls landed near his head. "If you are ready, please, join me. I believe the stars are prepared to give us their show." Jerome lay down as well, facing the opposite direction, their heads side by side.

"The stars are so bright tonight…" Jerome mused quietly. "Perhaps Astraios is pleased by something tonight. Oh, brother, before my brain is addled by the beauty of the stars, I have been requested to send you both an apology and thanks, from a goddess by the name of Ambrosine. She would not tell me why, however, or perhaps I left too quickly for an explanation. Have you been acquainted with her before?"

Ioannes sighed. "Partially. She took an unfortunate fall on a rock not two hours ago, and I saved her from falling. She seemed quite displaced, and when she was informed of my parentage, she suddenly ran away, and it seemed as if she was mortally embarrassed by something. I felt strangely guilty afterwards, but for what, I do not know," Ioannes trailed off for a moment here, tracing the constellations with his finger. "She has the most beautiful eyes." He added, as if an afterthought.

Jerome nodded, and Ioannes could feel the movement through the ripple of the grass. "She does. Her hair is quite a vision as well; you do not see auburn hair often. It seems very fitting that she be the goddess of spring, is it not?"

"I agree whole-heartedly."

Silence coated the air, and it lay like heavy shroud for a few brief moments. Only the chirp of faraway crickets and the buzz of the night-life seemed to provide sound.

"Look, I see Polaris…"

:':

i'm afraid that i wrote this entire chapter in one sitting, and so it's most likely riddled with mistakes... please point them out! (:

yes, i completely changed jonah's/jerome's appearance. i don't know. now that i think of it, i might be basing him a bit off of eugene simon, who, coincidentally, plays a character named jerome... /losing her mind/.

please review? please? don't alert or favorite without reviewing, even if it's just 'hayyy i like ur story update'. although i would welcome you to write that properly(:

thanks!

.aRi.