LILY

I heard the boys laugh as we were eating our breakfast. It was so different to eating quietly as we once did a few weeks ago. I liked this way better.

I was cutting my eggs on toast when Donny asked, "Hey, Lil? There's a market happening today. It's kinda like a festival. There will be music and food...all that kind of stuff. Do you wanna go?"

"Yes! Oh my gosh yes!." I exclaimed in excitement. I rest my knife and fork on the table, "I haven't been out of the castle in a while. It will be nice to go somewhere new."

"If you guys are going, you have to be careful," Ozai warned, "Word had finally got out that Zeus found his mate. We need to be cautious about where we go."

"Yeah yeah, I know. I'll protect Lily, don't worry." Donny said.

The castle was high up on the snowy mountain, where at the base, it was not as cold. I got ready and put on some fairly warm clothes. Donny guided me out of the castle and we began our walk down the mountain.

I liked hearing my footsteps crunch down on the white snow, "I love snow."

Donny chuckles, "Well that makes one of us. I've been on top of that snowy castle long enough. I'm about ready to leave it and go live on a tropical island where no witches are allowed."

I giggled, "I guess you're right. It would be annoying to live here for over a hundred years."

"Maybe just a little."

We were almost to the little village when I asked curiously, "When I was younger, my Aunt Mia told me the story of the Hellhound Legend. And her father told it to her...is the story true? I mean, it is accurate, isn't it?"

Donny did not answer straight away, "Umm..." He seemed hesitant to answer, "It is not my place to say, Lily, but I will tell you this. Not all stories that people tell are true."

What does that mean? If the story isn't true...then what was the real story? What actually happened? Questions invaded my mind, as well as my drive and curiosity motivate me to try and answer them.

"Zeus is the oldest out of the three," Donny told me, "Maybe you should ask him when he gets back."

"If the story isn't entirely true, does that mean what breaks the curse isn't true either? Is there a different way?" I try to press.

Donny sighs, "Stop, Lily, Zeus has told us to promise not to tell you anything. I can't break that promise. I respect Zeus enough to not disobey him."

I huff in annoyance. It wasn't fair! It's not like he really cares about me, why would he care about me knowing anything!

Donny and I walked in silence. I didn't want to talk right now if he wasn't going to answer my questions. We walked for a while longer until my ears tingled from the sound of music up ahead. I was excited! The last time I was out of the castle was when I sneaked out with Donny and Sozin. That was a few weeks ago.

So hearing the sound of people talking to each other, children laughing, the sound of music and the smell of different kinds of delicious foods was making me fidget with excitement.

I grabbed onto Donny's arm and tapped it over and over again, "Come on, Donny! Come on!"

He laughs at how I was bursting with energy. I think he was excited too. He guided me well through the market, and through the street filled with bustling people.

"I wanna hear the music, Donny! Take me to the music!" Donny ushers me through the crowd until I began to hear the familiar sound of instruments playing and voices singing.

We stood there and I was listening. My heart soared as I listened to the beautiful tune of the music. I flipped my hair over and began to tie it up in a tight ponytail. While doing this I asked Donny, "Are you a good dancer?"

He scoffs, "Am I a good dancer," He says sarcastically, "Of course I am! I am the best of the best."

I laugh and nodded my head, "Good! Dance with me!"

"Wait what?" He said hesitantly, "Lily, you're blind."

"My being blind has nothing to do with it, it just depends if you're a good dancer or not," I challenged him. I took his hand and pulled him over to the stone courtyard, "Come on, Donny!"

"You're crazy Lily!" He laughs. But he complies. Donny positions my hand over on his shoulder and he holds my other hand tightly in his. He wraps his hand around my waist and pulls me closer.

"You're ready?" He asks.

"Yes!" I was so excited. My body was buzzing to dance. Donny actually was a really good dancer. He was on beat with the music. He pulled me all over the place, making me laugh and smile so hard.

"This is amazing!"

I felt so happy. So light. Donny was amazing. I think I considered him one of my closest friends. These past couple of weeks have been one of the best I think. Ozai and Sozin have been good to me, it was to the point where I wasn't scared of them anymore. They were my friends. I felt we were almost like our own little family. I loved it.

As we kept on dancing, Donny whispers in my ear, "The music is changing. and So is the dance. Are you okay with dancing with another partner?"

I nodded my confidently, "I'll be okay."

"Okay, I'll keep an eye on you as we dance." My heart warmed at his concern.

Soon the song began to change. And without stopping, Donny twirled me away until someone else caught a hold of me. I laughed at how fun this was, and what was even more cool was that I wasn't at all concerned about my blindness right now.

However, that was short lived when I felt my partner. Sparks had tingling over my body. My breath drawback from my body as my brain was trying to comprehend what was even happening. The strong hand guided me gracefully through the dance. My small hand was trying to find his...and when I couldn't I breathlessly asked in a quiet voice, "Where are you?"

A large and calloused hand touches mine and holds it tightly. I felt the heat of his face near mine as he huskily whispers, "Here I am."

My eyes widen. Impossible. It couldn't be...could it?

This mysterious dancer, lead be through the rhythm of the music. Guiding me a smooth path along the courtyard. I revelled in this feeling...this electric feeling. We were so close together, our chests almost touching. His arm was secured around my waist safely. His face was right next to mine. I've never wanted to see more than I do right now. I needed to confirm this impossibility.

But the Music soon stopped and the crowd applauded for the band. The man gently withdrew his arms and hands from me.

"Thank you for the dance, Miss. You dance beautifully." Says the familiar voice.

I reach my hand out, "Wait!" But he was already gone.

"Lily?" Donny appeared beside me, "Wasn't that fun! I've never-wait...what's wrong?"

"N-Nothing. It's just that- I'm just...d-did you see who I was dancing with?"

"Yeah, it was just a random guy. He seemed nice enough, but I still was keeping an eye on him."

My mind was trying to wrap around the situation, but I didn't understand anything. What I do understand, is that what I felt is impossible. But then...it wasn't...because it happened.

"Come on, Lil. I'm hungry."

Donny took me to a bakery. He got me a croissant with a hot chocolate where he got a donut with a latte.

We sat down and ate, but my mind was not with me. It was thinking about that dance. That man. That feeling.

"When Is Zeus supposed to come back?" I abruptly asked.

"Oh," Donny was taken back by quesiton, "He said he was supposed to be back in time for Sozin's birthday next week."

He was supposed be back next week? Then how did...

My mind was getting fatigued from trying to understand.

I shook my head of the memory. I won't let it ruin my time here, "Donny, why don't you describe the village to me?"

"Sure, well we are in the supernatural world after all. So things here are much more...traditional, you could say. The houses are made mostly of wood. They have straight wooden designs on them. Kinda like french style. Lanterns are hung from house to house to light the streets. There little cafes on pretty much every side of the road. There flowers everywhere and bushes, decorating the streets."

I smile, "It sounds beautiful. I wish I could see it."

Donny and I finished up at the bakery and decided to head back. The sun was setting and we didn't want to walk back up the mountain when it was dark.

I was holding Donny's arm when he suddenly stopped. Making me jerk slightly. He stood in silence, but I began to feel his body tense up.

"Donny?" I said quiet enough for only him to hear, "Donny, what's going on?"

He did not answer. He took my arm off his, and pushes me behind him. I took hold of the clothing on his back. Something wasn't right.

"Well if it isn't the Hellhound puppy. How cute, you taking Zeus's mate out for a stroll are you?" Says a deep and hoarse voice. I gulped and gripped Donny's back tighter.

"Leave," Donny says in a voice I had not heard before. He was so care free and boyish, but right now, he held an authority. He was serious and it scared me because that means this situation was not good. "Lily, when I tell you to run, you run as fast as you can to your right." He said without room for me to question.

"I won't kill you, if you leave us alone," Donny said in a deeply and scarily calm voice.

The creepy voice chuckles, "You silly boy, there are many of us. Give us Zeus's mate and you won't be harmed."

I heard Donny step forward, "I can't do that. She is under the protection of the Hellhounds, if you take her then all hell will break loose."

"No, the only thing that will break is your skull." The voice threatened.

Donny yells at me,"Run, Lily!"

I gasp as I run to my right, straight down a street. I heard Donny's voice shouting turning into an animalistic roar. He had shifted.

I held my hands in front of me as I sprinted as fast as my legs would let me. Fear had struck. I was so scared. I was blind and I didn't know what to do. I didn't know how to contact Ozai or Sozin. I kept running and running, bumping into people and not having time to apologise.

I felt a hard impact as I bounced off of the wall and fell to the ground. I winced as my back hit the ground

A deep chuckle that terrified me echoed out in the street, "You must be Zeus's mate. How lovely."

I whimpered in fear as I try to back away but a hand clasp over my throat. My eye widen in fear, "Donny!" I screamed, but the hand tightened, closing my voice. I gripped the hand and tried to get it off, but it was so strong.

It lifted me off the ground. I scratched and clawed at his arm, desperate for air. My mind began to become hazy as the oxygen left my body. Soon I felt myself being thrown into the air. The nervous sensation all over my body soon stopped as everything went black.

***

A throbbing pain was consistently pulsing at the back of my head when I woke up. I opened my eyes slowly to adjust to the light. I sat up, but instantly winced from the pain. My whole body was sore and weak.

From the smell, I knew I was in my room back at the castle. I gently placed my feet on the ground and stood up, but my legs were weak. I groaned and leaned against the wall. I took deep breathes. I wanted answers about what happened.

I cautiously made my way out of my room. I held unto the wall to support my sluggish body, while walking down the hall. I was trying to find Donny's room. Every step I took felt like I had run for miles. I was tired, my head was going to explode and I felt sick.

I followed his scent as I approached his room, FINALLY! However, before I even went in I heard shouting inside. I was too weak to stand. I let myself sag to the floor and listen to what was going on inside.

"I gave direct orders to not let Lily out of this castle! Why would you disobey me!?" A voice shouted. Everything inside of me stilled as I recognised that voice. Zeus. He's here? Why would he come back?

"I'm sorry!" Donny quickly apologised, "I thought it would be safe since there was a crowd around."

"You fucking idiotic pup! You put my mate in danger! Look at her! She's been unconscious for a week! That is your fault!"

"I wouldn't have purposely put her in danger!" Donny shouts back.

"Well you did. I was in the middle of something important! Something that will help me with this curse, but I found that my mate had been attacked! If I come back in the next three days knowing that ANYTHING else happened to MY mate, I will ring your bloody neck!" Zeus growls.

A wave of pain had invaded my head. I moaned which caused there to be silence inside. Footsteps quickly came toward the door until I heard it open completely. I should have felt alarmed, but my body felt too terrible to even care.

"Shit, Lily?" Donny said in concern.

Zeus growled, "Watch your language around her."

"What? You swear all the time?"

Zeus ignores Donny. I felt arms dig under my body and gently lift me up. I knew who it was. The feeling of him touching me eased my pain. I lazily wrapped my arms around his neck and leaned my head on his shoulder as he carried me.

"Z-Zeus..." I said weakly.

"Sssshhhh," He hushed, "Don't speak, Lily. You need to rest." I found myself relaxing in his arms, it was to the point where I felt like I was about to fall asleep.

My body was laid on my bed and the blankets were pulled over me. I heard him turn on his heels and walk away.

"W-wait!" I said with all my strength. My breaths have become short, "Why are-"

"Ssssshhhh, you are safe, Lily. Now rest." I heard him whisper to me. I felt something being pressed on my forehead before it left, leaving me alone. Did Zeus just kiss my forehead?

I couldn't even comprehend what just happened before I began to feel my mind slipping into oblivion