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‘To hell with it being better in the end, to hell with Helios, and to hell with cosmic forces or whatever.’
Artemis raised her eyebrows. ‘I have no idea what you are talking about.’
‘Just… to hell with everything!’ Dionysus went on. ‘I don’t care anymore. I love her, okay? Ariadne. I love her and that is why Theseus had to leave. There.’
‘I know? That you love her, I mean.’ Artemis folded her arms over each other. ‘It’s not really all that difficult to see.’
‘More than I thought, Artemis.’ He stared at the ground. ‘I really did tell Theseus to leave her because of cosmic mumbo-jumbo, but I just don’t feel like giving Ariadne that as the whole explanation anymore. She has been suspecting I did it because I wanted her myself for a while now, and well, I don’t care anymore. She’s right. I love her, and way more than I initially thought. There is a high chance that that clouded my judgement and that made me tell Theseus to break her heart.’ With a sob, he sank into the grass.
Artemis hovered over him. ‘Well, then… tell her.’
‘And then what? It’s pretty clear she doesn’t want to see me. With very good reason.’
He looked up when his sister began to laugh. ‘Well, then, you’ll have to really show her, don’t you think?’
‘...what do you mean?’
‘I mean you have to court her. This deep love you’re talking about? Show her. Make an effort.’
‘I have been.’
‘Don’t make me laugh.’
‘She’s one of your girls, though.’
Artemis shrugged. ‘Not really. Her head and heart are somewhere else.’ Her smile vanished. ‘That being said, you’re going to treat her well. If you screw up, you won’t get to see her ever again. Is that clear?’
Slowly, her brother got up. ‘It was from the very start.’
‘And your best effort, Dionysus. That’s what I want to see. Nothing less.’ She stared at him until he nodded. ‘I’ll leave you now. You probably need some time to contemplate it.’ With a nod, she disappeared, leaving her brother behind.
He knew his sister was right. He really did have to make an effort to show Ariadne he cared about her. All the effort he could muster up.
He balled his fist. And he would give her it. By the gods, if there was anyone who deserved it, it was Ariadne.