"Ares? Isn't he the god of warfare and combat?" Agathe wondered
what the artist portrayed him as to make him 'too' handsome. "Do
you think I could touch the face of the statue? I know it sounds
weird, but I can get an idea of how something looks by touching
it..." She didn't want to take too much time away from fort
building though. "Just for a moment, the fort is more important."
She added with a chuckle.
"Not weird. It makes sense. You can't see with other senses like
you can with touch. Hearing and smell won't get you too far with
the statue. I make my way around mostly by feel when my eyes are
closed trying to protect people. I get it. And you are more then
welcome to do so. I don't think he'll mind," Sasha laughed. "Do you
mind if I take your hand? I'll lead the way and let you familiarize
yourself with the room. The statues are mostly against the wall.
But I can move him and the poles. They have bases. I assume they
were umbrellas to protect from the sun but my great grandma used
the fabric for other stuff. They'll work perfectly for holding the
fort up."
Agathe smiled and nodded. "I don't mind. Honestly it makes the
saying that I'm in good hands true." She chuckled. "This fort is
gonna be so awesome! I don't remember being this excited for
anything in a long time!" She held out her hand so she could be led
around.
"The last time I was this excited would have to be meeting you,"
Sasha replied, taking Agathe's hand. "I like that statement,
though, you being in good hands. I think it applies to me too, in
this moment. Thank you for having my back." She lead the way to the
room she had in mind, pointing out different paths and were they
lead verbally. Once she entered the room, she lead Agathe to the
Ares' statue. "Here he is. I think he is pretty handsome here.
Never met his real life counterpart but I am weary. Most stories
paint him as a hot tempered meany. But what if that is only because
they don't understand him for him? I am painted in a bad light but
I don't think I am mean. But he is the god of war. So maybe the
tales are true? I would have to meet him to judge."
Agathe listened intently as always, and chuckled as Sasha spoke
about Ares. "I have to agree with you there on a few things, on
your not being mean and not judging until you meet them. Though I
don't know if we'll ever meet Ares..." She reached out slowly and
aimed high so she wouldn't place her hands on something she'd
rather not. Her hands hit the statue's cold stone chest and she
moved them up his neck to his face where she felt the strong
jawline that he'd been given, his short seemingly curly hair, and
distinguished nose. "He does feel handsome," She said with a smile,
a passing thought made her smile widen. She wondered if she'd be
able to 'see' Sasha's face at some point. The snakes seemed to be
okay with her, so if they represented Sasha's emotions, maybe she
was okay with her as well?
"I think so too. Poseidon would be his uncle but in my opinion,
Poseidon has nothing on Ares. Though, he is classically handsome as
well. I just can't stand the ugly of his actions. I just realized
you have no idea what I feel like. I mean, you felt my tail and it
starts at my waist. From their up, I am womanly. Except for my hair
and face, I look like most woman. Would you want to feel my face? I
can hold back my snakes but I think they are pretty much okay with
you," Sasha said, having been setting up the umbrella's in their
stands.
Agathe tensed and began to wonder if she could sense thoughts or
futures like an oracle, but she dropped that thought as she
realized she should answer, but she didn't want to sound too
enthusiastic about it otherwise it'd be weird. "I would like to
find out how your face feels... Your snakes do seem to be okay with
me, so maybe you don't have to hold them back." She let go of Ares'
face and turned towards the sound of Sasha's voice.
"I will stay still and let you find me. Snakes, you behave, okay?
Agathe is a definite friend, not foe," Sasha told her snakes,
holding still. She was excited for Agathe to 'see' her.
Agathe stepped closer and held out her hands, hesitating a moment
before letting them find Sasha's shoulders. Just like she did with
the statue she brought them up her neck to find her jaw, her
fingers trailing very lightly across her skin making sure to be
gentle so the snakes wouldn't be concerned. She raised her hands
more and moved them across her cheeks to see a graceful definition
there in the bone structure. She wouldn't learn anything by
touching Sasha's eyes, so she didn't go there. She lowered her
hands a little to find her lips and lightly traced them, smiling
slightly as she pieced everything together to see a very pretty
woman standing in front of her. "Wow..." She breathed softly.
Sasha felt her cheeks heat with a blush. "Wow good?" She asked
softly, hesitantly. "I...I tend to avoid mirrors and haven't really
seen myself since I changed." Her snakes did move. But only to rub
against Agathe's hands.
Agathe smiled broadly and lifted her hands a little so that the
snakes could reach them a little better. "Sasha, I think you're
beautiful. Inside and out. Just keep in mind, that I'm basing this
off of how you feel. I'm blind. I can't see worth the dirt on the
bottom of my feet, but when I say you're beautiful inside and out,
I mean it. Whether you believe it or not is up to you." She had
felt the change in temperature, and soon her cheeks had a faint
shade of pink to them.
Sasha smiled, reaching up to gently cup Agathe's face. "Thank you.
It means so much more coming from you then anyone else. You see me.
Not just my personality or feeling what I feel and look like, but
me as a whole. I don't say this because I feel compelled to return
the compliment, but I think you are beautiful as well. Your inner
spirit is so fierce and alive. And while looks may not matter to
you, you are very pretty. Your scars do not take away from that.
Only are a testament to you. They are exotic. They say you survive
and live. I hope no one ever tries to make you feel bad about it.
I'd pity them if I felt they deserved it but anything that happens
they will deserve." She took a deep, calming breath then. "I feel
back to normal."
Agathe tilted her head a little into the gentle touch. She clenched
her jaw as she managed to fight back the tear that was threatening
to fall. No one had ever told her she was pretty, let alone comment
on her inner self. No one had taken the time to see her inner self.
She smiled and took her own calming breath. "I'm glad that you're
feeling better," She raised a hand to place it on Sasha's. "I hope
I can continue to provide you with that feeling." She looked down
and a little away from her as memories seeped in of those rocks,
fists, and feet.
Not knowing exactly what caused it but sensing Agathe's sadness,
Sasha pulled her into a hug, gently rubbing her back. "I did not
mean to upset you...what has you so upset? How can I help you? I
want to comfort you as much as you do for me."
Agathe chuckled slightly, soothed by the hug and gentle rubbing.
"Oh it's nothing really... Just my past and memories coming back to
remind me of pains that I once had to deal with." She took a deep
breath as she willed those thoughts away. "You're already helping
by just being here with me. Though the not running me out by
throwing rocks and anything else was a good help as well," She
chuckled again having explained the memory without really being
depressing about it.
"Only rocks we'll be using are those to start a fire, to contain a
fire and to hold up this fort," Sasha replied, giving her a quick
squeeze before releasing her. "I don't ever want to hurt you.
You'll be safe here with me."
Agathe smiled and let go when Sasha did. "I don't know if you
realize how much that means to me... I hope I'll be able to show
you through actions than attempt to explain it."
"Actions do speak louder then words, sometimes. I hope you feel the
same way with me," Sasha replied. "Alright, we have blankets and
the poles are up. But I think I should have put the blankets on the
poles before I set them up..."
"I do," Agathe said before turning her head in the complete
opposite direction from where Sasha had set up the poles. "Well, if
you want to lean them over I can put the blankets over them..."
Sasha chuckled, turning Agathe in the right direction. "Sure. But
why don't I bring the pole to you and the you can cover it? That
way I won't accidently hit you with them? That would be pretty bad
timing considering I just promised not to hurt you."