The Cursed King

Alexei chose to help Elise because the woman obviously needed a break. 

Heck, after everything that happened with that bastard Loriel, Alexei would have also wanted to run away like Elise. He really couldn't blame the woman and it must have been so tiring being pursued by not only one but two men.

Thankfully, Alexei was the best at finding a great spot to hide away from the world.

At this particular moment, Alexei wasn't going to take her anywhere in New York but instead, he opened up a portal in the air, taught to him by 'Dimitri', and soon there was a bright light that swept over the two of them.

Elise and Alexei arrived in the mountains of Cretea.

"We're in Cretea now?" Elise's eyes widened and she quickly looked at Alexei who looked a bit pale. She rushed to his side and placed a gentle hand on his back. "Are you okay?"

Teleporting was something that took a lot of energy from Alexei so he didn't like using it, but now the two of them were countless miles away from Elise's husband and whoever raised Dante from the dead or something.

His guardian would have probably encountered that if he was heading to New York wouldn't he?

"Oh crap, I forgot to tell my guardian that I'm in Cretea now and the service here is terrible."

Elise needed to tell him the truth.

Elise watched this person in front of her actually show a lot of concern to his guardian who was actually Dante all this time who pretended to be his twin brother, Dimitri. It was going to be incredibly hard to explain it and Elise actually just received the information today.

However, she took a deep breath and then touched Alexei's shoulder. "Would you mind if we go somewhere else first?"

There were other gods and visitors in Cretea and all of them were looking at Elise and Alexei. The young god normally didn't care about the looks of others but he was receptive to Elise's need and nodded quickly.

"Alright, let's go somewhere where people won't disturb us," Alexei nodded.

Mother and son would eventually end up in an area in Cretea that was dedicated to the god of war personally. There was a great temple that stood in front of them and yet contrary to him boasting about the place, Alexei scratched the back of his head and looked at Elise.

"Uh, if it's a little messy… don't mind it, okay? I've been gone for at least two centuries and let's just say that the nymphs aren't exactly the best cleaners." Alexei laughed as he welcomed her to the temple. "Do you want some ambrosia? Make yourself at home, okay?"

"Thank you, Alexei."

Elise was led to a beautiful and open courtyard inside of the temple. She would look around here and find some nostalgia because it reminded her of her first time here in Cretea and she was in awe.

However, right now, Elise was in awe of the young man in front of her.

It never came to Elise's mind before, but Alexei had been nothing but kind, accommodating and respectful to her. The young man did have his own eccentricities but as Elise looked at Alexei she was starting to see the resemblance between him and Loriel, except for Loriel's hair now that was no longer ash, but black.

Actually, not that she took a good look at Alexei, she could really see her husband's physical features on this young man.

Well… not so young, when she took into account that Alexei was actually around 15 centuries old.

Tears stung her eyes to see Alexei fully grown and into a charming but good person. Elise wondered if his older sister survived, how wonderful would their relationship be as siblings? 

"Oh no… tears." Alexei winced when he saw the woman crying as he stepped into the courtyard with mugs and immediately placed them down and offered her a handkerchief. "It's really stressful, huh?"

"More than anything," Elise wiped her tears but managed a smile. "However, some things are necessary. Thank you so much for the drink, you're so kind that it makes me miss my father and grandmother."

"Huh? I remind you of your father?" Alexei's brows immediately rose up as he sat down on the opposite side of her. "Is that a compliment…?"

Elise chuckled and nodded a bit. "My father was the king of Myreen, Alexander Leoralei."

Alexei's eyes widened and he put the mug that he was about to sip from. "Wait, I know that guy. He was one of the people I had to visit and learn from in the past. I think I was so young back then, but I met him because Myreen was said to be a utopia?"

"Wait, what?" Elise this time was the one who was surprised and leaned forward towards Alexei. She didn't think that she heard him correctly.

Alexei coughed. "Dimitri, I mean my guardian said it was important for me to learn about how humans operate since I do technically watch over wars and stuff, but it means that I also needed to learn about peace so he dropped me off there. He tends to do that."

Elise didn't know what to say about Dante bringing Alexei to Myreen.

A part of her hated the fact that her father and grandmother must have been so disappointed to know that she just disappeared, so this was a surprise.  However, Elise didn't care about whatever Dante did to make up for it. 

She sort of understood what he was trying to do, but right now, she held Alexei's hand and asked. "What was it like to meet them?"

"They were good people," Alexei smiled and did his best to comfort the woman in front of him. Even though he did not have the full picture yet, he understood that Elise was actually a much older god than him.

Now that Alexei thought about it some more, he thought that he saw a portrait that looked exactly like the woman in front of him and he only realized that just now. His memory of that time was a blur, but now he knew how it mattered to Elise. 

"Is that all?" Elise asked. 

Alexei shook his head and smiled. "No, there was more to it. Actually, they were really kind. Treated me like I was their grandson. Ha. They are good people, really. King Alexander even taught me how to use the thunderbolt move I used earlier because Dimitri doesn't know how to fight at all, even for an ancient god."

"I see." Elise couldn't help but smile. "Still he raised you well, hasn't he?"

"He did." Alexei nodded. "After his brother, Dante was killed by Loriel, he took me to Cretea so I could stay with the other young gods. It was where I met Baron and also Hilde. Baron's like my brother and Hilde, well, she said that I reminded her of someone."

"Oh, they… they were nice," Elise said.

"Hilde not so much?" Alexei grinned at her.

"No, not really." Elise shook her head and took a sip from the mug. She tasted chocolate like exactly the same type of drink that Loriel made her and her eyes widened. "This drink is…?"

"Ambrosia tastes like whatever is the most delicious thing to you, I think?" Alexei shrugged and sipped his drink. "Mine's alcohol. What's yours?"

"Hot chocolate."

"Very modern."

Elise rolled her eyes at the younger man but was burdened with the new amount of information she learned from her son. 

The fact that Dante had lied to Alexei about his identity and told him that Loriel killed his parents was never going to be okay with Elise.

However, Elise could see how Dante did at least try to make it up to her father and grandmother. A part of Elise knew that her father and grandmother must have been able to tell that Alexei was their grandson and great-grandson respectively. 

She took a deep breath and then looked at her son and gently said. "I have something important to tell you, Alexei, and it's going to be a long story, but… let's just say, I'm actually your mother."

Alexei spat out his drink. "What?!"

***

ONE HOUR LATER

It was a long talk that was filled with a lot of questions and interruptions from Alexei. He wanted to cover his ears almost like a child and deny everything because Elise was telling him that everything he knew was a lie.

Dimitri was dead.

Dante was the one who raised him.

Loriel was his father.

Elise was his mother.

NO WAY!!!

THIS CAN'T BE TRUE!

"Tell me you're joking, Elise! I don't have a similar sense of humor as you," Alexei looked at Elise pleadingly. "This is not funny, you know."

Elise bit her lip. She only found out the truth today and she was still struggling to accept the reality. Everything she knew was also a lie. So, she could understand why Alexei couldn't immediately accept her story.

His world now suddenly turned upside down and Alexei was nothing more but someone who lived his entire life deceived and yet taken care of.

At one point, the young god nearly broke his cup when Elise started explaining why Alexei ended up with Dante.

However, when Elise was finally done telling everything on her side, the young god of war's head bowed down low and was resting on the table. Alexei couldn't even look her in the eye and he looked glum.

.

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I just wrote the outline for Elise's and Loriel's story ending today and I really like it. I can't wait to share it with you!

Btw, I commissioned chibis for Elise and Loriel.. They look so cute!! You can see them in the comment.