Chapter 8

The thought of being without her was just as unbearable as for her to live forever without him.

Lysander thought about it, and knew that he wanted to be with her. Even though his time was short as a mortal he wanted to spend it with her. "I want to be with you Actaea. Yes, I am a mortal and you are cursed as an immortal but I want to spend what time I have here with you, make a life with you." Actaea didn't know what to say. After everything that has happened; loosing her beloved adopted son Aeolus, being banshee of her home, never to return and then being cursed to live forever.

Actaea didn't think she would find someone to fall in love with. Even though Lysander's was mortal, she wanted to spend what time they had together. "I want to be with you Lysander, I want to be your wife no matter how long that may be." He took her into his arms and pulled her closer to him. "You honor me for being my wife. To have a sea nymph as my wife will be honorable."

"I would be so happy to be your wife Lysander." He smiled at her. "How would your mother feel about me though? I don't want to take over her home and change anything."

"She would be happy for us, she is always saying that I need to settle down and start a family. And we can build our own home. And to have a sea nymph as a daughter in law will be an honor."

"Even though I'm cursed, I don't want to put that on you or your family."

"I don't care, I want to be with you. And i want my mother to live in the home my father built for her and him. She wouldn't want to leave there. And for my sister she is actually engaged to be married. Her and her new husband will be taking over the house with our mother. You and I will have our own home, and start a life together." He looked so happy and hopeful. Even though Lysander knew that she was immortal cursed to live forever and he only mortal. He wanted to spend what time he had with her.

"I'll arrange everything. I'll speak to the head priest at the temple of Aphrodite about having the ceremony there. I'll inform the elders and introduce you to my family. They will be so happy to meet you. The people in the village have some idea of who are when you arrived here. But they didn't know for certain that you were a daughter of the sea. They all will be so happy." He couldn't stop smiling. Which made her smile too. She would be happy with him even though it would be a short time together. "Could we live here in my hut? I want to stay near the sea? If you would be alright with that?"

"Of course, whatever I can do to make you happy, my sea nymph." He leaned down and kissed her on the check. Actaea was so happy she couldn't believe this was happening. "Is there anything I can do to help you?"

"No, I'll take care of everything. I'll go speak to my mother first, and then I will go speak to head priest this afternoon and see about performing the wedding ceremony. I would love for you to meet my family. Can I bring you over to my family home tomorrow in the afternoon?"

"Of course, I would love to meet them. I can't believe this is really happening. We are going to be married and be so happy together." He leaned down and kissed her. "I will see you tomorrow, my sea nymph." He took her hand and kissed it, then be bowed and left afterwards.

Actaea couldn't believe this was really happening. She didn't think she would find someone to be happy with. It was happening all so fast but she knew it was right. Actaea stood up and stepped outside her little hut, and walked along the beach. She let everything that happened run thru her head. Her beloved Aeolus passing was the hardest thing for her to witness. Then to be cast aside from her family. Being cursed by another god, was seen as by other gods and humans as a dark omen. She wished she could have stayed on Naxos to be with Maera and Aeolus's son Drakon. It was just so hard to be with them without Aeolus. She felt like it was part of her fault I'm not able to saving him. It was just all so much that she didn't know she could be happy.

Actaea was thinking about her beloved son that she didn't notice a figure coming out from the sea. Suddenly the form took shape and it turned out to be her sister, Amphitrite. Her sister calmly walked thru the waves as if it was they were nothing. The sea was part of being a sea nymph. Her sister walked towards her, and can came face to face with her on the beach. She hasn't seen her sister since Aeolus's death, and the memory was still painful. "Amphitrite? What are you doing here?"

"My dearest sister, how I have missed you." She came closer and hugged her. It felt so good to see Amphitrite. "Why are you here sister?"

"I heard rumors that you had come here after Aeolus had passed. I've been trying to find you since then."

"You've been trying to find me? I didn't have a choice Amphitrite. Poseidon, you're husband cursed me live forever. To watch all those I love die while I live on. He couldn't punish the one who killed beloved son and turned his anger on me. For I made an oath, a promise to protect him. And I failed him, I failed my son. And now Drakon and Maera will be without him. Drakon will never know his father, and Maera will be forever alone without him." Her sister had such a sad look on her face. "I will do anything I can to have Poseidon reverse his curse. I want you to come home. Come back to Naxos, Maera needs you, her and Aeolus son need you Actaea." She didn't know what to say, Actaea was speechless. Here she had to watch her beloved son die in front of her, cursed by her brother in law, and self imposed exiled. It was just all so much to take in.