Chapter 209 - 2.86 Sneaky, sneaky.
"Let's go get some sleep, beautiful," Xander said as he picked up Diana and walked them to their room. He gently placed her down on the Queen size mattress that automatically adjusted temperature, pressure and positioning based on the way they slept. It was on top of a beautifully decorated bed set. Their room looked like a cardboard cutout of what a house in Paradise would look like.
"I love you Xander, sleep well." Diana said, turning to give him a kiss before flipping around, grabbing his arm and wrapping it around her tightly.
"I love you too Diana. Sleep well. I swear, I'm probably going to sleep in until the afternoon with how warm and comfortable it is cuddling you. Your heartbeat is so calm and your breathing is so peaceful. It makes me fall asleep almost instantly," Xander said while kissing the top of her head.
"Aw, you make me feel warm and loved. I'd say safe, but we're kind of in Paradise right now so I don't exactly think anything's going to happen and if it did, Athena would intervene, right?"
"Yes, and I'm sure all the other gods and goddesses would as well. I'm certain my mom and dad would be here immediately. Even Emery and Emma would help out and that doesn't include Celeste, Eris or anyone else up here."
"Oh, she's sleeping.' He smiled as she noticed her head was finally calm and she was just peaceful and feeling loved. It didn't take him much longer to fall asleep either.
******
The two slept in until around 11 am, when Diana woke up first. She stayed wrapped in Xander's arms, smiling.
'I wonder what Aphrodite is going to explain. I turn 17 in 5 days and I'm already getting a marriage lesson. I wonder how much I really saw ahead?' She thought, nervous but excited to learn something new.
Xander finally woke up and squeezed her tightly. "Morning sweetheart," He said while kissing the top of her head. "Looks like we didn't move much, did we?"
Diana laughed. "No, I slept straight through the night. Did you wake up at all?"
"Nope, not even to pee or anything. I guess we missed each other a lot and yesterday, well honestly the last 77 days have been physically and mentally exhausting. I'm just glad to be home with you. I do miss home though, what about you?"
"Yes, I miss home very much. I miss my parents, I miss Liz, my other friends and the party members of course. It's just crazy to think that we've lived over four months and they haven't even lived a single day. We're going to go back and be 18… like what's school going to be like? Do we even go? Do we graduate…"
"That's probably why Grandma Ditey is going to talk to us about. Our entire life course has changed drastically!"
Xander got up and made them breakfast and Aphrodite showed up shortly after.
"Ok! Who is ready to learn all about marriage between a god and goddess?" She said overenthusiastically.
"Wow, she's excited.' Xander thought, laughing at his grandmother's vibrant emotional colors."
"Alright, so what are the big differences?" Diana asked.
"Well, first, Xander, here's this." Aphrodite said while handing him a small black block, which caused both of them to blush.
"Really? Just going to hand me a box that's very obvious what it is and start explaining stuff?" Xander said while facepalming in embarrassment.
"Things are different for a god and goddess. You have received my formal blessing as a couple and it blocked her visions of her future. This is the first time in over 100,000 years a god and goddess are blessed by me to be formally married so it's kind of a big deal!"
"I guess I never looked at it that way. I saw everything and your blessing blocked my memories, right?" Diana asked bluntly.
"You didn't see everything, but yes, my blessing blocked your memories and you did see yourself married to Xander and I won't go into anything more. Anyway, the first thing you need to know is that Athena MUST bless you before you can have a child. Xander, you father and mother both had to formally ask for Athena's blessing to bear a child before the procreation process was even possible."
"Woah, so you're saying I could never get pregnant if she didn't give me a blessing?" Diana blushed. "Not that I'm rushing to have sex or a child or anything!" She quickly blurted out afterwards.
"No one is saying you are babe, let's just hear her out." Xander said while squeezing her hand and smiling.
"Ok, now, once Xander officially proposes to you, you'll receive a blessing from me and a blessing from Athena, so if you want to go ahead and get that out of the way, that would be great." Aphrodite laughed.
"Are you serious? Like literally right now?" Diana laughed.
"Well, this isn't exactly when or where or how… I'm just going to say one thing first. I never even THOUGHT about any of this so, I guess here goes."
Xander got on one knee, opened the box, which was an incredibly beautiful ring, "Diana, will you please marry me one day?"
"Yes…" Diana said with a smile.
"Yay!" Aphrodite clapped.
"Now quick, kiss her so I can–"
"Grandma, can you slow down a little bit? Can we at least ENJOY ANY of this?" Xander asked politely.
"Sorry! Just super excited, you're my grandson and it's hundreds of thousands of years since I got to do this so… sorry!"
"It's ok Aphrodite," Diana said while giving Xander a kiss and allowing him to slide the incredible ring on her finger. It was a flawless metal neither of them had seen before and the ring carried a pure pink diamond gemstone.
"Ok, now you two hold hands, please?" Aphrodite said and started using her magic, which they both felt flowing throughout their bodies. Athena appeared.
"My turn! Congratulations!" She said as she cast magic and a golden aura floated from her hands that went through their bodies at the same time Aphrodite's did.
Both of them felt completely overwhelmed, dizzy, tired and fell asleep. Diana fell asleep laying on Xander's lap, who awkwardly laid backwards and fell asleep.
"This is so exciting!" Athena exclaimed. "You were way off on how long it's been by the way sister, it's been over a million years since a god and goddess were engaged to be married and then married. They don't know it, but Sora and Brie do!"
"You told them in their dreams?"
"Yup, right before coming here."
"Yup, absolutely. Sora and Brie were ok with the double blessing and such?"
"Yup, because Eris can manipulate Xander's time spell so the one and half years they spend sleeping will fly right by! That's why Sora and Brie are coming after Eris does."
A portal appeared and Eris walked through.
"Well speak of the former devil…" Aphrodite joked and gave her little sister a hug.
"Are they sleeping?!" Eris asked excitedly.
"Yes, right there, go work your magic please!"
"I hope they both don't hate us for this!" Eris said as she manipulated Xander's time magic.
"Halt!" Eris said, stopping her magic.
"Woah, they both actually grew a little bit too. Diana certainly filled out a little bit more as well, I really hope they aren't mad," Aphrodite laughed.
"They are the ones that came to Paradise and asked for the blessing! They passed the original trial and fell for the Limbo lie!" Athena chuckled.
"Well, let's wake them up!" Eris said excitedly.