Aracadius huffed, he cursed the fates. It was now proven, The Moirai were after his life, weaving the strands of his life in the most complicated ways of all.

Imagine, he a blacksmith, his only fortune was the blessing of Hephaestus on his craft. He was the best blacksmith in Athens... But the war with the Spartans was his downfall. At six and twenty, he imagined a happy life, working in the furnaces by day, coming home to his wife's arms by night, enjoying with his two children by their small house near the rivers.

As they fought, all the able bodied men were recruited for their army.

Their king and the army chiefs had chosen the worst job for him.

When one hopes to bathe in the rivers and wash the grime of the day, he was stuck searching for survivors.

But he was in a worse predicament... Making the weapons in the furnaces by night and fighting in the day.

But as he stumbled in the dark, his chiton catching on the bush, he saw something that blew him away.

Till now, his army chief had posted him near the land.. He didn't even know they were fighting anything other than humans, by Zeus's grace there were no rains.. But this.. This was horrifying.

He stared at the spear he made, 10 feet long, the sharp tip lodged into the hide of the monster.. It seemed to be his back, the scales glimmering in the moonlight. It floated in the water, the blood pooled into the pond, as it breathed its last.

But his heart couldn't grasp it.. Monsters? Had the living upset the dead? Had they made Hades mad? Had he opened the gates of the underworld?

The monster's hide was strong enough to build shields for the war, to protect themselves against the fire.. He also learned.. He needs to make the spears sharper.

His mind was wracked with questions when the rustle of leaves startled him. He drew his dagger and hid behind the bushes.... A shock passed through him as a lady walked ahead towards the pond.

A woman?

She drew her sword, falling to her knees as she sat by the monster, whispering in silence.

" You shouldn't watch a woman without her permission. Don't you know Hera curses those who do? " Her voice carried over the wind and he stood still, unblinking and held his breath, but she was relentless.

" Holding yourself silently isn't the way to hide, you must be able to camouflage yourself." She continued, standing up.

With his cover blown, he stood up, but the moment he saw her war helmet, he held the hilt of his dagger with more determination.

" You.... You're the enemy.. " He said silently, eyes tracking her movements as she smiled.

" Oh. So now you know? " She smirked, drawing her sword back out from the soil, then took the helmet off.

If seeing her earlier gave him goosebumps, this was worse. He felt like he knew her.. That he'd been too far from her in all his life. That until now, his life was incomplete.

She walked over to him, smirking then frowned.

" What did you do to me! " She shouted, as she shifted back, as if he stung her.

" What! " He replied.

He knows he should hold her hostage. Take her away... She's an enemy. He'd be rewarded so handsomely.

" You -I - it's like... Like a nettle sting! What did you do! " She shouted.

" I didn't even touch you! " He scowled and she frowned.

" But how -" She tripped, falling over  on the stone nearby. Before she could stable herself, his hand shot out on instinct, holding her to safety.

If her face was memorable, familiar... This.. This was horrifying.

It felt like his life was truly complete now.. But how... Why...

She stared at him, hissed, as if in pain, then stepped on his toes, running off into the night...

He sighed.. He knew he should have held her hostage.. Not get lost in confusing feelings..

However.. What he didn't anticipate was her approaching that pond every night... What surprised him more, was him following her to the pond.

At first, the swords were drawn at all time. Each night they spoke of everything but the war.

Once when he sat with her, the hair fell in her face and his hand reached out to push it out.. Again, out of instinct mind you, no feelings. But the way she jumped back again.

" Again with the nettle sting! " She shouted and he was lost for words.

" I - I didn't -" He couldn't belive his own hands. No one else reacted this way.. He and his friend, Perseus exchanged iron and hammers all day but no one ever told him he stung.

And then this lady, who was his enemy, he doesn't even know why he sat with her, each night.

It made him realise how much the war ruins lives.

She was such a strong woman, a true fighter. IIf she was an Athenian, he would have taken her to his mother already. She didn't back down, each night as she walked to the pond, she frowned, frustrated seeing him there everytime..

" Why are you here each night? " She asked once, when he sat next to her, the swords separating them.

" Why are you? " He replied, his answer enough.

Neither of them knew why they sat together, being pulled in like magnets. No.. Magnets isn't the right comparison.

They were like two nebula stars, being pulled into the blackhole, falling, falling, falling.

But the last day of the war.. When the kings sat down for the peace treaty.

They watched from the sides as the hypocrisies came to light under Apollo's blessings of light, when she walked in, the King's right hand woman.

He sighed, as Perseus laughed.

" So? That's your Aphrodite? " He asked and he laughed, holding his friend's shoulders.

" My friend.. She may be Aphrodite
But I am Hephaestus. I won't get the girl. " He shook his head, walking away to the pond.

One last time.

He sat at the same spot, the sword out again..

" Won't you remove the sword? " Her voice came over and he looked around, seeing as she walked over.

She looked different. She wore a beautiful stola, embroidered with gold details. No sword in hand.

" I wouldn't know.. Maybe I'm here to cut my hand off? " He said, eyes hoping to have her sit with him..

" Why? Have you truly given up? " She giggled and he shook his head.

" No... " He said, standing up, " You shout in my ear everytime I touch you, since I 'sting you' with nettle leaves..  How can I listen to you smile all my life if I am made deaf by your screams? " He smirked, walking over to her.

She moved closer, taking his hand, hissing again, " Well... Very forward I must say... All your life? Not in every life? " She asked, smiling.

A loud laugh fell from his lips as he stared at her... She was right... All his life? No... He would go with her to Hera's shrine, praying to have her in each life.

Then he sighed, holding her hands softly, pulling it close to his lips, reverently placing a kiss to them, she didn't hiss this time, rather sighed, as if it gave her hope...To him, his heart felt warmer, new blood pulsed in his veins. 

" So? Ready to scream in my ear all our lives? " He asked and she smirked.

" If you keep up with the nettle sting? Yes. " She smirked.

And that was it... When the two soulmates met again..

The Morai smiled from Olympus, the two red threads intertwined to one gold.