Greek God 20 (The Introduction)

Down the flight of stairs, the queen walked gracefully. She held with one hand her silk light blue skirt, and the other rested on the arm of one of the body guards. She greeted people by name, and seemed to have a warm smile for everyone. Poseidon gave her a brief look over; a little shocked at how he could have been so wrong in judging her character. It was obvious that she was a kind hearted queen. The people seemed to admire her.

Hali looked at her too. She had heard her voice, but her vision had been too wonky to actually see a clear picture. Apparently the queen had thought them no threat, though. Hali had to give her credit for not immediately assuming they were evil... as she could imagine happening.

The dance had stopped as soon as the queen was announced and the light applause had begun. The queen made her way over to the food table and sank into a chair next to it. Just a regular chair, no throne, no overdressed ceremony. Just plain and simple.

The band begun and Hali turned back to James... ready to finish what had been a pleasant dance. He inclined his head and took up the waltz position again... but Hali noticed that he was tense, and his smiled seemed forced.

"Is something the matter? Did I step on your foot?" She put a week smile with her words, trying to lighten the sort of depressed mood. What had happened?

James blinked at her and offered her a real smile. "Oh, no. Sorry, I just saw someone I would rather not have to deal with. So, how are you finding Atlantis?" James made small talk with her, explaining some of the sites or of what little she had seen from the 'prison' cell. His tone was warm and comforting, and affection danced in his eyes along with his excitement. Hali smiled, his enthusiasm catching. He obviously loved this city.

The dance ended, and the waltzing couples broke apart, clapping lightly for the band. They were quite good. She and James were on the opposite side of the room from her supposed husband, and looking back on the gaggle of females around him, she gladly stayed away. Well, okay, not gladly, she amended to herself. Just wisely.

Hali turned around to face James again. Smiling up at him, she was about to ask him a question, when someone addressed her. "Well, I believe that this is the young lady that is the new addition to Atlantis. And how are you my dear?" A ponderous voice asked.

Hali turned around and immediately stopped short. My god... this man should not be seen in public in the matrimonial costume. He was heavy and sweaty and in no way toned. Jerking her gaze up to his face, she noticed that the sweaty continued, and that a mask covered the better part of his face. He thought that he had a chance with the beautiful queen?

Hali lightly scolded herself; she didn't need to be mean. "I uh... I, Yes. I guess that I am the new arrival. Hali Nelson. Pleased to meet you." She held her hand out to him to shake. Instead he grasped it in his sweaty palm and brought it up to his lips for a quick kiss. Hali cringed inwardly, but tried to keep her face as pleasantly blank as possible.

"And I am Gristock, the Queen's Personal Advisor." Completely ignoring James behind her shoulder, he continued on. "And as such, I would like to formally welcome you to our humble country. I know that some things will be hard to let go of, but be grateful. The Queen and I have decided that you and your husband are not dangerous, and have been allowed to mingle with society. I don't know if you are aware of it, but you are to be moved into the royal quarters until you have found occupation and then the means to find your own place. Or you have found someone to take you in." Gristock concluded his speech, most of it spoken in a haughty tone, snagged a glass of champagne from a wandering servant, and drank deeply from it. Hali kept a pleasant smile on her face. Oh dear...

"Yes," he huffed slightly to her. Hali forced herself not to look below his chin, as she might have burst into giggles at the site of his heaving belly. Clearing his throat, he started again. "Yes, well, now that the Queen has settled, let's formally introduce you two."

And Gristock took her arm and forcefully propelled her towards where the queen was holding court. The touch of his fleshy, hot arm against her bare one was not pleasant, and she glanced back with a note of pleading to James. One which turned to surprise when she found he was no longer there.

***

Poseidon watched as Hali was dragged away. He could tell that she obviously didn't want to go with the old man. Not that he blamed her. The man really shouldn't go around without a shirt.

Quickly excusing himself from the woman whom he had quickly gotten bored with, he easily made his way around the perimeter of the room. Quirking a slight smile, he appreciated the fact that people just seemed to get out of his way. One of the finer parts of being a god. Just a bit away from Hali, he called out her name.

"Poseidon! How delightful!" She had a forced smile on, and planted herself so that the man could not drag her any farther without knocking her over. "This is Gristock, and he was just taking me to be introduced to the queen."

The hint of panic in her eyes made him understand completely. Nodding once, he offered her his arm. She jerked her arm away from the man who now resembled a fish, wide eyes and gapping mouth along with the shallow complexion, and hurried over to his side.

Poseidon took her hand and slid it under his elbow, but did not let go as was customary. He leaned down to whisper in her ear. "Now, are you ready to meet her?"

His breath brushed against the sensitive skin, and he repressed his grin when he saw her shiver slightly. Bracing her shoulders, she nodded slightly, her eyes appeared greener in navy blue, and the panicked expression quickly faded to be replaced by humor. "Yes, let's go and meet the queen."

"Good," and before he could think about it, he dropped his lips down to hers and brushed his slightly across the soft rosy lips. He wanted to deepen the kiss, but he pulled back, well aware that they were in a crowded ballroom.

Hali looked back at him, her eyes wide, and shocked. Grinning slightly, he turned to the older man, whom he had been ignoring up to that point. "I am the lady's husband. Did you say something about meeting the queen?"

"Uh... yes, yes I did. Follow me please!" And with that, the overweight man waddled through the crowd, most of whom moved very quickly when they saw the size of his girth.

***

James kept to the shadows of the ballroom, watching the woman Hali's approach to the queen. He could not believe it. The green stone hidden somewhere in the city was supposed to push out any one of magical powers, and yet her one was, one who had high enough connections to come to a matrimonial ball.

Frowning he turned his gaze to the man now holding her hand possessively. He would be a problem. The man seemed large enough to hold his own in any fight, and there was a confidence that radiated from him. No doubt he knew a thing or two about combat. That would make his superior's job harder.

Once he had figured out what Hali Nelson was, he had signaled to his superior and quickly explained the situation to him while the queen was distracting everyone. She now was going to be dealt with accordingly. His lips twisted ironically, no one was to get in their way.

James once again leaned back against the cool marble, and waited for the fireworks to begin.