𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐇𝐑𝐄𝐄 || 𝘈 𝘓𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘍𝘪𝘳𝘦

"WE HAVE TO BUILD THESE NEW FLOWER BEDS, DUNCAN," Flora scolded. "We don't have time for you to do this."

"You mean, you don't," he corrected, smiling. "I have all the time in the world considering I've built everything here. So, I'm going to take my little moment of rest to have a drink of water."

A wicked smirk tugged at the corners of the man's lips as he watched Flora huff and walk inside. Begrudgingly going to grab a cup of her water as she was undoubtedly exhausted from the warm weather today. But that hadn't been what bothered her; it was Duncan. The man's usual mood had improved simply overnight. The reason being; no nightmare. Which was unsettling, to say the least.

A breath of fresh air was the closest thing to it for Duncan. Getting the hours of sleep he needed to properly operate without being on the brink of passing out. It truly was something great and Duncan was allowing himself to be indulged in the feeling while he could. That hadn't meant he didn't stop researching for a few more minutes, because he had. Looking more into Athena and was not at all surprised to find out that the woman he saw in his dreams was the same. Her goddamn statue looked exactly like her. But the dream and what he saw yesterday wouldn't do her beauty any justice.

But that was where the man stood now as he took a sip from his water bottle. Placing it down on the small table located under a tarp attached to the greenhouse only a mere few feet away for shade. Grabbing two bags of dirt and hoisting them on his shoulders and made his way across the built garden and to the new flower beds he built yesterday.

His and Flora's small business had come to fruition when they moved to Australia. Placed a downpayment on the place and did all their renovations and built everything that stood now. Flora is the brains and Duncan is the brawn. Although, he did allow himself to put the hammer down and plant a few seeds once and a while. Something about it calms him and he tries to soak it in for as long as he can before Flora comes over scolding him for putting them in the wrong spots despite her many teachings over the months. Damn well knowing the man would likely just trail off and lose his attention.

But besides that, it took them 2 months to get everything up and going and for 4 months, it's been going amazing. Allowing them to have enough money to live on and work. Pay their employees that they worked alongside. It was a good life for them and it helped that instead of staying inside an office, Duncan had decided to get his hands dirty. Leaving all the logistics and money to Flora who was far more experienced in that department.

Tossing the bags of dirt down, he grabbed the knife from his pocket and sliced open the corner of each package. "Hey, Duncan!" Jack greeted, finally arriving at work. "Sorry, I was late, brother. Slept through my alarm."

"Hey, it's no problem," Duncan assured. "Just don't let it happen again. Flora has been off the walls this entire day so far." Lifting the bag, Duncan began to pour the dirt inside the flower bed. "Been a hassle to get her inside and to stay there."

Jack raised a brow. "Really?" He mused. "What did you do to piss her off?"

The blonde nudged his friend as he moved to the next bag. Jack had been the first person Flora had hired and it hadn't been a mistake since. The man was a hard worker and a genuine great change of pace for every employee that worked at the greenhouse. His nature was truly a gift for everyone that worked there as he could uplift everyone's moods. Well, everyone except Duncan who had been in a rough patch since he got to Australia.

Duncan but did pause to think for a moment. Why was she acting in such a way? It couldn't have been him, could it? Some had been gnawing at her from the moment Duncan first saw her this morning. Although she didn't make it well-known until they got work, her actions said enough. The way she handled the dishes by easily discarding them into the sink, uncaring if they broke or not. Or the way she drove - which already put Duncan in a state of panic - was worse by tenfold.

And being so close to the girl, considering her a sister, whenever she was bothered it ended in extending itself to him.

"When are you going to ask her out, man?" Duncan mused. "She's into you, so why not just make your move?"

"No way, bro," Jack chuckled, "she's way out of my league. Maybe when I'm dead perhaps I will."

"Oh?" Duncan laughed. "Who would've known Jack Espinoza was such a wuss when it came to girls."

That had earned a soft punch in the shoulder that left Duncan laughing. "But I'm telling you, she's into you," Duncan reassured. "She isn't going to end up like that last chick. What was her name?" He snapped his fingers, face deepening in thought before he pointed at Jack. "Ava, right?"

"Yeah, that chick was a bit off the rails for me," Jack sighed. "I just want to buy my time, you know? Get to know Flora before I possibly ruin what we have."

Duncan shrugged his arm over the man's shoulder with a warm smile. "I'll tell you this," he said. "Flora is a wonderful, lass. She's the best the world's going to offer to any of us. Now, I wouldn't dare dabble in that because the woman could beat my ass into the next century without breaking a sweat." Patting the man's shoulder, Duncan shrugged. "I say you go for it. The worst to happen is she says she's not ready for anything romantic. But that doesn't mean it won't ever exist."

"Or she fires me and tells me that she never wants to see me again." Jack deadpanned.

"Yeah, but that's not going to happen. You are thinking about the "what if's" that you aren't focusing on the present," Duncan chuckled. "You've got the charm and I've played Cupid long enough, my friend. Now, it's your turn to make the move."

Before either could continue, Isabell that sat at the front desk stood at the back door. "Duncan!" She called. "We have someone here wanting to speak with you."

"Tell them I'll be right there!" The woman nodded and went back inside.

He turned to Jack and pointed at him. "As I said, make the move." He told him before making his way inside.

The conditioning hit him nicely as he dusted his hands off on his shorts. Walking down the beautifully multicoloured walls that Flora had spent weeks painting. His boots pulled in a few specs of dirt that stuck out like a sore thumb on the grey-carpeted floor.

"This better be good, Belle," he sighed. "I have to go back to playing Cupid with Flora and..."

His words trailed off as his eyes found the striking blue ones that pierced him. Sucking in a harsh breath as he could feel the tightness in his chest increase. Her eyes were brighter than any ocean he had ever seen. Something that he wished he could jump into and swim in for centuries until his life would surely end. To see what that open sea had in store for him. All the bad and the good, he was willing to welcome it fully with his entire body and soul.

Duncan found his gaze slowly rising to her hair. Even under a roof, dividing her from the sun, it complimented her slightly tanned skin and ocean-blue eyes. Almost a natural glow to it and is effortlessly sleek and soft. She was truly a goddess and Duncan was understandably speechless as he stared at her. Not even acknowledging when Isabelle exited the room, the awkward silence finally initiated her to leave and give the pair their space.

"Arthur?" Thena whispered and Duncan felt his heart skip a beat. Her voice was softer than he expected, but that could've been from the hesitance within her words. Body tense and steps closing in little by little. The tears in her eyes reminded him of an ocean not too far from his mind. A constant reminder of what infliction his ancestor left on his mind--corrupting it with this memory he had no understanding of the importance. "Is that you?"

Taking small steps forward, Duncan never let his eyes fade from the goddess. "I'm not him," he told her, swallowing the lump in his throat. "I- I'm sorry."

That hadn't stopped the woman from stepping forward as well. The pair standing with only two feet dividing them. Duncan was unsure of how to feel or what to exactly say to the woman. His nightmare may have been confirmed by his mother but it hadn't stopped him from still being awestruck by her. Trying to come to terms that this was all real and not some sick trick of his mind or dream.

Thena pursed her lips, the corners tilted in the tiniest of smiles. "You look exactly like him." Her hand came up to cup his face. Surprisingly, he didn't pull away in uncomfortableness but soaked it in. The warm touch of her palm rested against his cheek. The tips of her fingers lightly scratched against his beard.

"Did you know him?" Duncan mused as Thena felt her smile slightly falter, sadness.

"I loved him," she confessed, a hint of a reminiscent smile on his lips. "I lost him went he went to sea looking for knowledge."

There stood no bitterness in her tone or words. If anything, there was sorrow that clouded her heart and voice. Feelings and words unsaid that she wished to be given a second chance to say to Arthur. But she felt like she was being reunited with her lost lover once again. Risen from the grave to greet her once more in some twisted way. Unable to fathom the fact that the man that stood in front of her, was a descendant of Arthur. They looked so identical to one another that if a mirror were placed in front of them, there would be no changes. The only difference is the faint scars on the bridge of Duncan's nose and cheek.

Chewing on his bottom lip, Duncan grabbed the woman's hand and removed it from his face softly. "Whatever you seek from him I cannot give you," he said. "I'm sorry. I only know what is written in books and told by my family."

And as if parting from a long lost lover, giving up on what once was, Duncan parted from her. Walking back the way he came with a painful stinging in his chest. Once, he might've said he would across a lake of fire just to see Thena and speak to her. Understand the amount of history she held with his ancestor. But now - he didn't know why - the weight of history weighed on his shoulders.