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Hylla crossed the borders of Camp Jupiter without having too many problems with Terminus. On the other hand, she did not need weapons to defend herself: she could do everything with her bare hands but the monsters tended to ignore her, frightened. She allowed herself a few moments, during her walk, to gaze at the context that surrounded her. The dark lights that followed the Californian sunset perfectly framed the romantic and modern context of New Rome. The structures inspired by the original models met pieces of modern architecture and people strolled peacefully or ate sitting in restaurants. Continuing to walk, she passed in front of a structure that opened with a reflective glass door and white wood, at the base of which a nice red cat crouched, observing Hylla with big green eyes and fluttering the end of its tail slowly. The queen of the Amazons, who had always had a weakness for cats, took a few minutes to devote herself to the caresses of that cat that seemed to have been placed there on purpose, as if he was waiting for nothing else. Only after a while she took her leave, caressing the cat one last time and, continuing to walk for a little longer, she arrived in front of a row of small but pleasant-looking villas. As she got closer she scrutinized the arcades better, looking for the one numbered 3.
“Number 3… number 3…. Oh, there it is! " once found, Hylla took a few more steps before finding herself in front of short gray steps that ended in front of what must have been the entrance door, made of opaque glass, finished with thick black wooden edges. Only then, after ringing the bell, Hylla noticed that the structure of the house was almost completely covered with gray stones. The Amazon had never liked homes that were too large, especially if managed alone, but she had to admit that she would have gladly lived in that house. She would have congratulated her sister, she had good tastes, although she saw that style belonged more to someone else.
The door opened and Hylla was called to attention by that noise, returning to reality.
"Thalia?" Hylla said nothing more, just staring at the woman who was in front of her. She almost risked dropping the bottle of fine wine, from her impression. She looked so much alike but different at the same time. She hadn't really seen her for over ten years, her slayers didn't change that much. But she was so… grown up.
“Hylla! Hello. We were expecting you. Come in, we haven't seen each other for so long! " and she eagerly embraced her. Although the queen of the Amazons was shocked and suddenly caught, she awkwardly returned her embrace.
The two broke apart and Thalia added, “Oh, you're still out! What are you waiting for? Come on in." The woman moved aside to make room for her and invited to enter. Hylla looked around and followed Thalia. The heels made noise on the light-brown parquet that covered at least the entire first floor. Hylla continued to look around and further on, on the left, she saw a large, dimly lit living room where the two did not pause, taking the stairs. They went up to the second floor and a very good smell of food flooded the nostrils of the guest who continued to look around almost perplexed. And here she saw her in the kitchen. A beautiful and tall woman, who barely exceeded 5'7. With her long, loose black hair that fell softly just below her shoulder blades. She wore a pair of plain white shoes under her black pants that softly wrapped her legs and a long-sleeved V-neck shirt of the same color. She put out the fire and when she heard the sound of the footsteps stop she turned and stared her older sister straight in her eyes. "Sister! So we stopped seeing each other in potentially deadly situations?"
Hylla replied with an amused half smile and after putting the bottle of wine she had brought down on the table, she studied her sister's face. She was still as she remembered her. Her features had not changed, but inevitably she had grown and with her, her body had evolved as well. The sound of a timer interrupted that awkward moment of silence.
"I think it's the oven." She added Thalia, taking care to take a few steps to go check. “Yes, it's the oven. Dinner is ready. We can take a seat at the table. " And so the three did. The table was square and well laid out. Thalia was seated to one side, between the Ramirez-Arellano sisters each seated at one end of the table. The three of them uncorked the bottle of wine and served themselves chatting slowly about this and that, still wrapped in an initial sense of embarrassment.
"So ..." Hylla began, "you two ..."
"We are together, yes." Reyna ended up for her. She then she took her glass and took a long sip of wine. "Is very good. Are they all like that in Seattle? "
Hylla took a breath, but didn't answer that last sarcastic question. They had more serious things to talk about. "That's not the point, Reyna."
Hylla wiped her mouth and as Reyna kept looking down at her plate or smiled at her two canine automatons at her feet - Aurum and Argentum - Thalia glanced at her. For a moment Hylla almost felt electricity crackle around her, struck by those incredibly blue eyes framed by very black hair that in recent years she had evidently let grow and were now a little bob just above her shoulders.
"Why didn't you tell me before? I'm your sister. " Hylla started again. Reyna looked up and looked into her eyes at her sister. "Don't ..." she cleared her throat. "We haven't had a chance to talk." Hylla dropped the silverware onto her plate, causing a high pitched noise that made the two dogs next to her landlady jump. "You could have try to find the way. At least I tried. "
“Um, I'm sorry to interrupt you ladies but I leave for a moment to go to the bathroom. Excuse me…" Thalia said, and so she did.
Hylla noticeably lowered the sound of her voice and asked her sister, "Was it her fault?"
"Who?"
“Thalia. To tell you not to tell me anything. "
"Oh, no!" Reyna raised her eyebrows, puzzled. "It wasn't her, Hylla." Then she continued. "I am sorry. For real. But I would have preferred to tell you in person and ... "
"We could have seen each other earlier." Hylla added. Reyna leaned forward and stroked her hand. She started to speak, but Thalia came out of the hall and sat down again.
The two sisters instinctively separated and Reyna got up to go get the rest of the dinner.
Thalia and Hylla were now left alone and, to break the silence, they still talked about superficial arguments, while the Queen of the Amazons tried not to stare at her too much, despite the amazement that the woman aroused in her.
"How are business with Amazon and male trafficking?" asked the daughter of Zeus suddenly.
"Oh good. They are very fruitful. I like money. "
"I had imagined it." Thalia added softly, then bringing the still full glass to her mouth. Hylla shot her a dirty look. "Oh yes? Do you notice it so much? Good. That was exactly my intent. " Hylla took a few sips too.
Thalia watched her in amusement for a moment, careful not to get noticed. As much as the two sisters looked alike, the difference between the two was equally striking. Reyna was not so attached to material possessions, she perhaps preferred dogs a little more than cats and she didn't smell as rich as Hylla, literally.
What the hell fragrance is she wearing?
"It's Dior." Hylla replied, as if she had read her mind. Thalia opened her eyes wide to ask her how she had done it but here Reyna broke in with three saucers in her hand. In each of it there was a portion of a dessert that Hylla recognized immediately.
"Is that a Pina Colada cake? It looks very good! "
"Yeah." Thalia agreed, lazily putting a hand under her chin. Hylla tried not to weigh that simple gesture too much and concentrated on her delicacy that was served to her.
"Yup. I did it. I know it's one of your favorites and you have high expectations, I hope not to disappoint you. " The two exchanged a hint of amused smiles and ate.
Hylla liked it. Reyna was delighted and Thalia hoped that at least for that evening that was nearing its end there would be no quarrels that included serious injuries and grudges carried to the grave. She gave a sigh of relief.
Then, Thalia went out again, into the courtyard for a breath of fresh air and Reyna accompanied her sister to get her things. Reyna helped her put on her coat and as she did so, Hylla asked "Are you happy with her?"
It had certainly been strange, surprising, to learn of this novelty that she had actually suspected for some time. She could not be satisfied with the runaway behavior of her younger sister who had made everything with her in order to delay the moment of truth for her, the person who had raised her and would have really loved her to the end. An unselected best friend she could always count on. But these were not the things to really worry about for Hylla. It was obvious that finding her sister, who a few years earlier had sworn chastity to the goddess Diana, was now back at her house, in the place where she had left her, and that she was living permanently had left her a little perplexed. But nothing too serious.
"Will you get married?" she asked quickly, she hadn't even thought about her either.
"I would like to, yes." Reyna, on the other hand, had had to think about it for a while, before giving her an answer. "And I think she would like it too."
"I believe that too." Hylla added with a smile. She had finished dressing and with Reyna she had headed for the exit.
"Thalia went to smoke, didn't she?"
Reyna let out a laugh and nodded back, disconsolately.
"Well, it's her life. The important thing is that you don’t take this habit too. Because you don’t smoke, right?” Although Hylla couldn’t see her in the face and was walking slowly down the stairs behind her, she realized that Reyna had just bit her lip.
"Dei, do you smoke too ?!"
"Sometimes yes, if it happens ..."
“My Gods. It sucks. "
"Come on Hylla, you also like the smell of smoke!"
"Yes, but I won't ruin my lungs at thirty!"
They had come downstairs to her and Reyna was leading her way to the door.
"Do you want me to accompany you to the borders of the Camp?"
“Honey,” was Hylla's quick reply, “ who did you take me for? I'm still the queen of the Amazons! "
The Ramirez-Arellano sisters laughed and hugged again, this time even harder.
"Come to Seattle, sometime ..."
"Agree."
“But don't let another 10 years go by. Possibly before getting pregnant. " Reyna started to reply to her last statement, but her sister did not leave her the way. "Juno is always lurking!" she added. She ironically stroked her belly, gave her a loud kiss on her cheek, and walked down the porch steps.
She turned one last time and added.
"The doors of my house are always open for you."
"Mine too, you know, hermana." Reyna answered.
And so the two finally took their leave.
Hylla finally caught Thalia, whom she greeted warmly, as she headed for her car.
If her sister was finally happy like this, nothing else would have mattered.