I couldn't make out what I heard, I couldn't think much of it either.
The voice was warm, the kind that could put a baby to sleep or stop a war merely by words.
It was most likely one of the townsfolk, though everybody in here seemed to talk very rashly, there were undeniably going to be a few exceptions.
I tried to avoid walking too far from the house, the river was already in sight, and if I went any further, I was likely to get lost.
I sat at the riverbank, grabbing a small leaf I saw on the floor. There were no trees near here, and I wondered where it came from.
I crossed my legs, muttering, "I would rather be bethrothed than this."
The river bubbled, a strange shadow in it, I got up instinctively, shifting back but observing from afar.
"A crocodile, perhaps?"I wondered.
"That's rude."
My heart stopped for a second as my legs gave out, my body falling to the ground. I held my chest for a second, trying to restore myself.
A man was in the river, his hair wet and curly, his eyes a charming green, and the sun's hues seemed to play on his skin.
"I'm sorry," I said, still catching my breath. "I didn't know people swam in this river."
He rested his jaw on the riverbank, looking at me in a way I didn't understand, "They
His voice was warm yet deep, the exact voice I heard earlier.
"Aren't you a person?"
He grinned, "Would you call the son of Uranus, restorer of the sea, a person?"
"Are you claiming to be the son of Uranus?"
He tilted his head to the side, his hair falling along to his rhythm.
His movement revealed the red scars on his left hand, right by his clavicle.
"I won't answer your questions, mortal, your days will be filled with sorrow, and your nights will only know nightmares. Human beings can not handle the mystery of this world. "
I tried to put my finger on it, there was a word Mr John often said, a better word for this sort of people he once told me to avoid.
"Mentally disturbed," I said out loud, remembering it. "It's better than calling your kind mad, right?"I questioned the strange man.
He went silent for a second, taking his time to look at me before responding, "Did you just call the son of Uranus, mad?"
I shook my head, "No, I said mentally disturbed."
"Do you want to be cursed mortal?"
I moved closer to him, bending to his level, "I don't mind curses from a man bathing in the river and claiming to be the son of Uranus, especially not when he has to call others mortal to convince himself".
I placed a hand on his coily, wet, black hair, stroking it with my fingers, "Don't worry, I'm not judging you."
"I curse you, mortal. You will kill the person you love the most."
I let go of his hair, getting up, "It seems it's time for me to leave. Enjoy your day."
I walked back towards the house, not allowing what he said to get to me. He was but a man. What could his words do?
The back door was still slightly open when I got there, I should have closed it before I left to investigate the foreign sound.
It led to the kitchen where Briel seemed to be cooking up something. She turned to me once I got in, tears in her eyes from cutting onions.
"You're back!"She said, running towards me. "I was scared, Aaron can be so reckless. He let you go out all on your own."
So her husband's name was Aaron.
"I'm sorry ma'am," I said, trying to escape her grip, "I won't go past here again."
She smiled, "You seem a bit worried. Is something wrong?"
I shook my head, "No."
Briel returned to cooking, telling me where my room was beforehand.
Aaron was in the living room, his feet were on the table, and there was a cup of coffee next to him.
"Where did you go?"He asked before I could head upstairs.
I stopped, "Nowhere in particular, I just moved a bit from the house to see who was making that sound."
He grabbed the coffee cup, turning it with his fingers, "And did you discover anything?"
"No."
He took a sip of the coffee, ensuring our eyes never met, "You can go now."
I grabbed my belongings, heading to my bedroom, a rather large space with a bed, lamp, and a shelf holding three books.
"They really only care about necessities," I thought, keeping my bags next to the bed.
The room had two windows, enough ventilation for a 19-year-old. I opened them both, allowing the hot air to be displaced by the cooler one.
The one closest to my bed seemed to have a better view, I placed my hand on it, letting my body rest for a second.
From it, I could see the river, the same one I was at earlier today, the sight of it reminding me of that man's words.
"Speak of the devil," I thought, as he came into my view, still in the river, still enjoying his day, still believing his own lies.
Another man approached him suddenly, he had wavy red hair and eyes the same colour, he gave the 'Son of Uranus' a book, it appeared to be a small journal.
His green eyes lit up as he attempted to get out of the river, my eyes wondering if I should close them just in case.
A weird mark appeared on his back as he came out. It looked like a spear, an ice spear basically, I know he didn't have that when I was there.
My thoughts bounced back and forth, "When did he paint it on his.."And suddenly, a shiver ran through my spine.
That was the mark of the second guardian.
Uranus.
My body went completely still, I was sure my heart wasn't beating anymore, but my thoughts wouldn't stop.
My words, my doubting, mocking.
My curse.
He looked towards my window suddenly, my body not being able to move away.
A grin was on his face as he looked at the red-eyed one, tapping him as he pointed at me.
I didn't need a soul to tell me, I had just dug my own grave.