Chapter 22
Demi awoke with her heart pounding. "Oh god, no," she said crying, as she got out of bed.
"What's wrong?" Ally asked.
"I need to talk to mom," she replied, leaving the room.
Demi walked into the hallway. Her mother was standing there waiting for her and took her in her arms to console her.
"Let's go for a walk," Aphrodite told her.
They went outside and walked toward the lake. Demi cried the entire way. They sat on the grass near the water.
"Why?" Demi asked.
"It's the way it has to be."
"But you're Gaia. You can change it."
"There are limits to what I can do. Creating and maintaining Xanadu leaves me with little reserve. I created tools to do what I'm not able to do. Once Xanadu is gone, I would have the ability to change it, but by then it'll be too late."
"Oh mom," Demi sobbed.
"Demi, nothing ends. Where's your father?"
"He's part of you now," she replied.
"And always will be."
"Do they know?"
"Not yet. Say nothing. If Alex finds out, he won't go through with it, and all of Xanadu will perish."
"When are you going to tell them?"
"I'm not telling Alex. I'll talk to the others in the next day or two."
"Mom, there's no other way?" she asked.
"I wish there was," Aphrodite replied.
They spent much of that day together talking, and in the late evening returned to the house.
"Is everything okay," Ally asked Demi.
Demi smiled. "I just needed some mom time. It's all good now.
*****
The following day Aphrodite went to Ariana and Demi. She held out her hands to them.
"Take my hands," she told them.
As they did, the three disappeared.
*****
That evening Titanus joined his father, who was picking fruits and vegetables for the family.
"Hi dad. Want some help?" he asked.
"I thought you were with the South America group today."
"I was. Terra came and talked to me about something. I needed to run it by you."
"Sure, what's that?" he asked, as he continued.
"Terra wants you to impregnate her," Titanus told him.
Alex stopped and turned to his son. "That'll be your job after she's Mamas."
"Dad, she wants you to do it, and before she's mamas."
"Why?"
"She says it's important to her. She wants to carry on your direct line. She's dead serious about this."
"Son, it's not how we do things. I'll talk to her."
"Talk to Ariana too. Apparently, they're both in on it. Ariana has already checked. There are no rules saying you can't."
"How do you feel about this?" Alex asked.
"I'm fine with it if that's what she wants. Helen and Urania are going to be my Emamas too."
"What? When did that happen?"
"Mom told me this morning after breakfast."
"I wonder when they plan on filling me in on any of this? It's not like I'm Papas or anything."
"Don't shoot the messenger, dad," Titanus chuckled.
"Sorry. I didn't mean to bark."
"No problem."
They finished gathering things together and took them to the house. Titanus left and returned to the South America group. Ariana walked into the kitchen.
"Hi babe. Did Titanus find you?" Ariana asked.
"Yeah, what's going on?"
"It's hard to explain, but you need to impregnate Terra."
"Why me? That's supposed to fall on Titanus."
"Hey Demi!" Ariana called.
Demi walked in the room a moment later. "You told him?" she asked.
"I need you to explain it," Ariana told her.
"Okay, sit at the table," Demi said. "Terra needs you to give her twins; girls, Sol and Luna."
"Why?" Alex asked.
"It's just what's meant to be. Trust me, I'm the Oracle."
"And Terra's okay with this?"
"Yep. She wants it to happen today."
"Why the rush?"
"So, they'll be adults when we leave Xanadu," Ariana said.
"Helen and Urania are going to become Emamas' to Titanus at the fall equinox too."
"Let me guess; it's how it's supposed to be," Alex sneered.
"Essentially, yes," Demi replied.
"But why?" Alex growled.
Aphrodite walked into the room and looked at him. "Because I'm Gaia, and that's how it's going to be!" she said with authority. Her demeanor softened. "Alex, have I ever let you down before?"
"No," he replied.
"Then, I'm asking you to trust that I know what I'm doing. Please?"
"Okay, mom. When do Helen and Urania turn eighteen?"
"In three days," Demi replied.
"We'll do the virginities first then the Emamas at the fall celebration. I'm not doing them together. Agreed?" Alex asked.