Eyes

She was passing through his Temple and he jumped out of his bed. He ran barefoot to the door which communicated his private rooms with the exterior.
He stood there, his mind yelling for a sight of her. “One more time” he pleaded.
How strange the games of the Gods were—
The past months, after all the battles were over; his life had been torture, and after his encounter with Marin, he had finally accepted the reason.
He wanted her. He needed her.
“Ophiucus Shaina” he said as if she could listen to his whispers. “Shaina.” He repeated, and his cosmos shone bright, telling her she could pass. Hiding beneath that he wished to share a moment with her, to have her by his side, just there, even if in silence, but just to have her close.
That he knew.
But reality is another thing, and it is not always possible to get what your heart desires, but—what if your heart could obtain what it seeks?
Then, what would a person do?
He felt her passing through the Temple again, how long has it been since he felt her the first time? But now she was walking down the steps, and so, he walked out. He hid his cosmos and went out, like a lion, crouching before attacking his prey. He stood behind a column, staring at the female figure walking in there; the wind bringing him the smell of her. He closed his eyes smelling, lost in it. Enjoying it. The footsteps suddenly stopped. He could hear his heart beat almost as if it were out of his chest and near his ear; but soon they began again; slower this time, but unmistakable.
He sighed when she was gone.

* * *

“Marin, what are you doing here?”
The woman asked when she saw her friend walking by the cemetery. She had just talked to the Goddess and wanted to say goodbye to Cassius. The Eagle looked at her without saying a word. Her whole world had just been torn apart. But she was a Saint—one protected by Zeus—she was telling herself; she wasn’t the pathetic being she was acting like now—
“Marin, I’m talking to you!”
“And I’m not answering, am I Shaina?”
Ophiucus backed up. Something really wrong must have been happening for Eagle to speak like that. Two cold silver masks staring at each other. Shaina abandoned the fight soon. The air was strange and heavy and she needed to leave quickly.
She took her mask off. One more time, and she thought that in the past twenty four hours, she’d taken it off more times than in her entire life. She knelt before the grave, it was very near to her cottage and she’d always felt as if he were watching over her; the cold rough stones hurt her knee enough but she could endure it. She’d never really cared about anything else but Cassius when she was there.
“They are green.” She heard Marin saying while walking towards her.
“I beg your pardon?”
“Your eyes, they are green.”
“Marin, what\'s wrong?”
“He was talking about her eyes—hers—”she was lost in her thoughts. She could see Shaina talking but she couldn’t hear her words.
“Marin—Marin—”
“Let go of me!” she yelled, freeing herself from Shaina’s grip. When had he seen her eyes? Have they—?What if— ?” all her questions were incomplete or had an answer. And that was driving her crazy.
Shaina let her be. She had more serious issues to deal with at the moment. She went back to Cassius’ grave, praying for him to be at peace. Promising she would be back soon.
Marin just stood there, watching her silently. Realising Aioria was in love with Shaina.
‘They’re not green’ ‘—I can’t love you’ he’d said. He was in love with green eyes. The very ones she didn’t have.
She was watching each of Shaina’s movements carefully. She’d never feared Shaina, but she’d always respected her. She was a tenacious warrior, a very powerful one, her partner. Her rival. And Marin hated herself because she felt it was all her fault. Maybe Shaina had given Aioria something he couldn’t refuse and then he’d seen her face. She was just wandering in her thoughts, asking herself how he knew Shaina’s eyes were green.
“Shaina—” she finally said, while the other woman was standing ready to leave and turned to her. “who has seen your face—ever?
Shaina stood up. She had her mask on her hand and looked at it thinking about how to answer Marin’s question and not feel more ashamed. ”Seiya and Aioria—” she said.
“I understand—”Marin began to say but stopped again when she noticed Shaina wasn’t finished.
“They saw my face when I tried to kill Seiya at the hospital, that happened before the Battle of the twelve Temples; later, when the battle of against Poseidon took place, the rest of the Bronze Saints saw my face as well.”
“Shaina—”
“That’s my shame Marin. Mine alone and that’s why I’m leaving.”
The two women stood there in silence. Marin was trying to understand everything she’d just heard. She was now more than sure that it was Shaina of whom Aioria had spoken before. She almost started to cry but didn’t, holding back the tears. It wasn’t the place or the moment to do so. She clearly saw when Shaina put her mask back on her face.
“Where are you going?”
“Home—maybe.”
Both Korês remained silent. Shaina was enjoying her final moments in the place. Marin was observing her, trying to fathom from her covered face all the reasons she needed to stop blaming her.
Ophiucus started to walk. She didn’t look back, being too intuitive as for not knowing Marin was looking for something in her, although there were a few things they had in common.
Both were Athena’s Korês, Seiya and now—Aioria.
But that morning she was walking away and it wasn’t the moment for remembering. There were just a couple of hours before dawn and it was the perfect moment to leave.
She didn’t say goodbye nor did Eagle. Shaina walked back to her cottage without muttering a sound. She didn’t look at Marin again. She just walked away, however, when she arrived in the place, there was someone waiting for her. One of Athena’s priestess was there waiting for her.
“Lady Ophiucus,” the woman began to say and bowed slightly before her. Shaina leaned her head a little as a sign of respect towards her and asked her to speak. “The Goddess has sent you this and says also she’s not taking a negative as a response.”
Shaina took the small bag and opened it. She found a lot of money in there but when she was about to reply, the woman was already leaving.
She said something between her teeth, something as a curse which nobody heard. Once again, her fate mocked her.
‘Is everything OK?’
‘Yes, my love—’
She’d heard them when she was leaving the Temple—and Marin—she had smelt Aioria, and she wondered if it was going to stop one day. Ever. She closed her hand, holding the small bag tight.
The woman entered the place and picked her fewest things and left. She walked down, heading right to Athens not knowing if she was coming back or not.
She didn’t want to think about it either. So, she closed the door behind her and walked away. Finally.
There were no guards around and she could leave quickly without being stopped. She walked and didn’t look back. She knew too well that if she did, she\'d run back to the place. She might even run to the fifth temple—and she sighed at the thought. She breathed deeply when she found herself standing on the beach near Piraeus Port. There was no one but her there, the fishermen were just walking along the place, looking for their boats, one at the time, without noticing her; and she took advantage of that and acknowledging she didn’t want to walk with her mask on, she took it off.
The mask had never been a predicament for her, but that morning, the feeling of the wind gently caressing her face, made her feel extremely happy.
Green eyes looking at everything as if it was new. As if for a first time. She felt overwhelmed by it all. The Korê walked to the sea, her clothes and shoes getting soaked wet by it, but she didn’t care. She screamed full of joy and happiness and although she felt like it, she didn’t cry.
Not even because of joy, she did.
The sky and the ocean were bluer than usual. The most beautiful blue she’d ever seen. The sun was brighter and that day, breathing deep brought her smells she didn’t have any recollection of. She held her mask tighter, looking at it as a strange yet familiar object. Shaina laughed out loud, knowing that the next time she’d wear it—if ever—she would have no regrets or sorrow.
She put it in the small bag and kept walking.

* * *

When he entered into the big dining room, the first he noticed was that she wasn’t there.
It was a custom already to be together for the meals. Athena wanted her Saints and friends to get to know each other and become a whole group; but it was going to take some time. However, so far, things were working just fine.
Shaina wasn’t there, yet Marin was. Silently sitting there at the end of the large table, wearing a half mask that revealed only her mouth and the point of her nose, nothing else. But he remembered her eyes. Those beautiful hazel eyes which he would have adored some time before.
But wouldn’t anymore.
Aioria sat, taking his placed at the table. Athena was sitting at the head and all of them had a place. That morning, he tried to sit close to the Goddess, but the seats were already taken, although there was an empty space that he took.
Right in front of Marin.
Athena greeted them and breakfast began. All of them were very comfortable speaking and sharing but he felt it wasn’t right at all. Something, or better, someone was missing.
Why had it taken him so long to realise he was in love with her? He thought. He sighed, letting the spoon fall into his cereal bowl.
“Is there something wrong, Aioria?”
The Saint looked at Athena who had just spoken; he looked at her, trying to hide his fears, but couldn’t lie to her, although his words did.
“I’m just not hungry, that’s all My Lady.”
Athena looked at him. She could figure it out what was happening to him. In fact, it was crystal-clear for her. But she said nothing. Shaina had trusted and opened her heart to her and she was going to honour her trust.
He lowered his head and took the spoon again, bringing it to his mouth. He was making a big effort not only for not looking at Marin directly, but also for not allowing himself to lose his temper right there.
Where was she? He repeated to himself. He wanted to see her. That at least.
Maybe she was sick—or maybe she was training—but she’d never disobeyed Athena’s wishes—
“Hey buddy, are you staying?”
He turned and saw Milo standing by his side \"is everything ok, Kitten?\" Aioria smiled faintly and stood up following Milo down the path of the temples. He was walking absently. He didn\'t notice nor hear what Milo was saying to him. He just kept walking not knowing himself where he was going. Not paying attention to the people around him. Leaving Sanctuary behind.
He was feeling like dying inside. He didn’t want to give a name to what he was feeling but it wasn’t something he could actually avoid.
He walked to the beach and sat right there. “Oh Athena, take this pain away from me” he muttered. It was so painful—he, Marin and Shaina had gotten into a situation he’d never meant to happen.
He had loved Marin, he knew that too well and wasn’t going to deny it. More than a year ago, when his brother was still a traitor, Seiya an apprentice and Athena was in Sanctuary, he would have given it all only for her.
However, what would she have been willing to do for him?
He didn’t know and was sure he\'d never find out now.
For his feelings for her had vanished long ago. When he got tired of waiting for a sign of her trust. Yet, she’d never trusted him.
Shaina didn’t trust him either, did she?
How could she trust him, when he’d badly injured her not one but twice. One when she got in the middle of Seiya and him and his bolt was flying towards the first. The other one was when he’d just killed Cassius and she wanted to help Seiya.
Seiya—Shaina—
Damn it!
His feelings were as much a mess as he himself was.
Marin—Seiya—Shaina—
His green eyes sparkled once again at the memories. He’d seen her eyes for the first time in Japan—her eyes. As green as olive. As green as his own. A bunch of imaginary butterflies flew around his stomach, creating a marvellous void in his abdomen. He smiled.
That day he’d seen truth and strength in those same eyes. And he’d also felt her body between his arms, also two times. Both of them he’d wounded her. He sighed.
He’d known the power of the great warrior in her.
However, the night before, in a hidden river behind a sacred place, he’d also seen the beautiful woman she was. He blushed.
She wasn’t only beautiful or powerful—she was simply perfect.
Perfect.
He got up and started to walk along the beach. He used to walk when he was nervous. He couldn’t help it to think about her. And in his memories he remembered the feelings of the quick touch of her skin when he’d taken her to her small cottage after hurting her the two times—it was soft and tender, contrasting with the strength and ferocity her cosmos emanated. For a moment he closed his eyes and imagined the touch of her skin and the look of her eyes upon him.
Just to be with her. Holding her between his arms, filling his senses with her smell. Just that—to hold her and never let go.
“I love you.” He whispered to the wind after many an hour of being there.
Later, he returned to Sanctuary.

* * *

She had taken a plane that took her to Italy, Athena’s money was being of some use after all. She’d thought that maybe if she went to a place she could call home, then she might have found the place for her in the world. A place where she’d fit. So, she went home as she’d told Marin she would.
She felt strange standing in that place. She had been told about Italy\'s geographical shape, she’d also seen it on maps, but it was weird to be standing there. She was finally there, in Catania, on Sicily Island. After many years, she had returned. And began her journey.
She started to move from one to the other looking for the only thing she actually remembered from that island. She couldn’t even count the days; they were passing just too fast. However, the worst part of all was that she was missing Sanctuary badly. She started to miss her small cottage, the other amazons as well as training with them, she was even missing Marin. But most of all, Aioria was all she could think about.
Seiya was there in her thoughts but—it wasn’t the same. Her memories were clear but the feeling was slowly fading away.
By Athena—if only she could be worthy of him—but she wasn’t. She was a Korê, and according to the law, seeing an Amazon’s face was a humiliation even worse than seeing her nude and she was forced to kill or love the one who might dishonour her, yet—there wasn\'t any way that the man may fight for his life nor that he could love her back. Besides, she was sure he didn’t love her. The night she’d left, Marin had smelt of him. It wasn’t an intimate smell at all—but it was the same smell she had the two times he\'d carried her in his arms, she remembered it too well; and she’d envied Marin. She still did. As much as she’d envied her Goddess some time before.
She felt unworthy.
She kept walking, following her memories. She was too little when she’d left the place but for many a year, before she’d been cast away, Geist used to tell her about the place, the people and their parents.
People looked at her strangely; her clothes weren’t normal for the place she was in, so she went to the nearest shop she found and bought some new clothes. She smiled when she saw her reflection in the mirror.
And gasped when she paid more attention to her eyes.
They looked different. No, They were different.
There wasn’t hate in them anymore. There weren’t any recognizable emotions in them, they were just—peaceful, as she’d never seen them before. Why? She didn’t know.
She could just feel it was all because she wasn’t in Sanctuary anymore, and only because of that, her journey was of more worth.
She left the place with a half smile on her face. Not even Marin would have recognised her. No one could have.
The dress really suited her, although she was feeling really strange wearing one, especially because that one left her legs from her knees down to everybody’s sight. She was wearing a pair of delicate sandals and had tied her hair in a pony tail, making her neck look longer that it actually was. In the small store, she’d found something else, a silver chain with a snake rolling itself on a cane, a caduceus, just like Ophiucus symbol was; which she was wearing with pride, although nobody but her knew the reason.
Not that she thought about it, not even she could have recognised herself.
Whenever she was walking by, men turned to look at her. Yet, she didn’t care. Too many years surrounded by men—most were even inferior to her own rank, the rest respected her enough as not to get involved with her in any way; so, she paid no attention to them. Too close to give them a sample of her ken.
She stood by a park and sat on a bench and began to eat some fruit. She took her bag and from all of her things, she took out a very old picture. A gorgeous woman and a very handsome man were sitting, each of them had a girl sitting in their laps. The photograph was too old and damaged because of the time. It was yellow and smelt to old things. However, the girls smiled as if the picture had just been taken. Besides, it was pretty clear who the girls were. Geist was with their father, she was with her mother.
All smiling.
She looked at the picture and then in front of her, then back to the image. It was—the same place. She walked fast towards the old church What if—she shut her mind. It wasn’t the moment for what if’s.
She opened the heavy door and walked in. An old priest was lighting some candles. It was almost the moment for the rosary and very soon people would be there, so he was preparing the place for them.
“Excuse me, Father,” she said almost whispering. The man saw her and smiled responding to her in perfect Greek, “May I help you?” she smiled and looked at him, happily showing the picture to him.
The man looked at her once again, trying to see if he’d known her from somewhere until he finally seemed to have recognised her.
“Francesca—”