Persephone, Daughter of Zeus, blessed
Playmate of the moving seasons, light bringing, of beautiful form,
Holy, ruler of all, maiden, showering fruits [...]
Radiant, horned, you alone are longed for by mortals.
You are Spring, delighting in fragrant meadows
Your sacred body appears to us in growing fruits and branches.
Beneath the hills and wrapped in night,
the cavernous plains below,
the realm of Hades, Mystic Hades, Holder of the Keys of Earth [...]
Thou alone are the author, visible and known.
Teacher of Mysteries, Rapturous Lover, Power All Ruling, Holy Giver of Hope,
who delights in the hymns of sacred poets-
Orphic hymns
Its petals were a pretty.
A pink color that faded into a paler shade until it almost turned white on the tips, all of them were arranged in such a… symmetrical shape of eight petals each crown with the on at the center protected the tiny yellow pistils and four leaves one on each direction of the wind was the perfect complement to the whole shape of its form.
She didn't know this flower.
And that was outrageous because how can she not know a flower? Any flower?
'Because this is Olympus and the rules of the earth don't apply here'; that's what her mind told her as an answer, and because she had never been here, this was probably only the first one many unknown things that she would find.
Still, the other part of her – her pride, her divine heritage –, had a hard time not feeling the slightest bit annoyed by this.
For starters the water was too chilly for a flower like this to grow.
There was a rustle behind her, but she ignored it, it was probably one of those showy annoying birds again, even as the sound came closer and closer.
"This garden is not to be visited without the Queen's permission."
There was a rumble on the water and the air along with the voice that nagged at her and she could not help but yelp and stand straight as much as she could, her tunic was heavier than her usual clothes and the numerous hairpins and jewelry her mother's attendants had filled her with only made it harder.
She took a deep breath, an apology already on the tip of her tongue ready to spill before facing whatever punishment she deserved to disturb the precious garden of the Queen.
"My apologies, it is my first visit to Olympus and I was admiring the flowers, I was not aware I had trespassed the Queen's personal gardens." She said, and raised her head to meet her …host?
Purple eyes and black clothing from head to toe almost knocked the wind out of her lungs and she almost threw a curse at the air – which in this place would probably reach her mother's ears because of some mean air nymph – from all the deities she had to be run into here, he just had to be the first one.
The way in which he regarded her only made her ultra-aware of her slight, his eyes locked into hers and his hand – adorned with a single obsidian ring – went to be placed under his chin, judging, considering; he held himself the same way the a king would.
And just like her mother said, he was a total pompous and arrogant person.
"I see," He finally spoke again, and she swore that after the trail of his voice even the birds had lost their chirp. "And you found these flowers to your liking I presume?"
"Yes!" She exclaimed, her voice resonating in the middle of the silence brought by him. "I've never seen them before."
It was the slightest bit unnerving how he kept staring at her, then his lips turned up and he spoke again.
"I have hard time believing that." Her eyebrow twitched at the sound of those words.
"Um, it really it's my first time-"
"I do not doubt that part, your ceremony is the very reason this place is so concurred today, I mean the part where you claim not knowing this particular flower." he interrupted her, "Admitting such thing considering your talent… most gods wouldn't do so as freely as you did, from this day on you are fresh meat to many of the gods and here you are giving away a blind spot of yours to someone you don't even know."
"Was I supposed to know that?" She said, feeling a vein pop on her brow, where was she supposed to know these things anyway? Her mother only told her to be careful where she wandered but that was it.
He was such a know-it-all, just like her mother said.
She wished the heat of embarrassment she felt rising from her belly was not noticeable but before she could compose herself, there was a mass of blue, green and brown jumping from the bushes in between them, cackling and stumbling into the fountain.
The splash it made went to wet the skirt of her tunic.
"Ew… that bird! My mother is going to make you for dinner!" She said throwing her fist to the air.
"I highly doubt that," He said again, as if someone has asked his opinion. "The birds that you scared off and jumped in the fountain belong to the Queen, her majesty loves the colors of their feathers and often uses them as arrangements, and the flowers you seemed to be puzzled over are called lotus, the Queen prefers them because they grow all year round and because they're symmetrical, thus she proclaimed them sacred to her temples."
She was thankful for the information on the flower and stored it into her memory.
"Her majesty loves symmetrical." She said, and the thought seemed to click an idea in her head: everything in Olympus followed a pattern and a bigger picture, what a difference from the wild meadows she had lived all her life in. "You seem very familiar with the Queen."
"That is a gross exaggeration." He said, his eyes hardened at this, and she decided not to pursue the matter.
"May I ask for your name?" She said and for the first time in very long she found herself wanting to ask and know the answer instead of being an act of courtesy or obligation.
"Have you not guessed already?" He asked, a fine silvery eyebrow rose above his eye, looking closer she noticed the golden lining on the border of his tunic and the wreath above his head and she instantly recognized the leaves of poplar trees.
"I do know of you my lord, my mother may not talk about you as often, but when it happens, she goes on a length of your many virtues." She said clicking her tongue, just like her mother said he would, he looked displeased. "For example the fact that you rarely leave your lands to even get some much needed sunlight, or how since you've taken over you've become such a self-important king who likes throwing around their authority when they see fit."
Rather than the frown or the anger she expected, she heard a chuckle and even though he attempted to hide it with his wrist she could just imagine his stupid smirk on his stupid face, his eyes locked with hers again, and this time they did not look like the cold gemstones she'd seen before.
Instead they looked like stormy clouds.
"My apologies but that is quite an opinion." He said after regaining some of his composure back, his eyes remained filled with mirth. "One that no doubt my sister has delighted on inculcate you with."
"Very funny," she grumbled.
"I'm curious however, on what you…." He paused a little, his eyes shifted as if looking inside the shelves of his mind for her name. "Yuzu, the Maiden, thinks about those statements."
"I think…" Yuzu sucked on her bottom lip, unsure of how to answer; it was not as if she often thought that hard on the people that displeased he mother one way or another – there were a number of gods she was not fond of – it shouldn't be this hard and the prolonged silence only made it harder… maybe because people, let alone gods seldom asked her thoughts on anything. "I think, Reiji the Unseen One has yet to live up to such reputation."
§
"Did you hear? The Earth Mother is back!" The whispers of Olympus were being particularly loud today and if it was up to her she would not bother to deal with any of it.
But today was a special occasion, and as she gave her chariot and horses to one of the attendants.
"And with a daughter no less!" The giggle that accompanied the remark was the last straw.
"All of you scram! Do your jobs or keep quiet!" At the resonating voice all the nymphs disappeared in a whisk of air.
It was only luck that her brother was free of attending this event – the sun needed to rise after all – But she would be unable to keep awake if a cup of nectar or ambrosia was not put in her mouth right now.
Selena allowed her stark white tunic to change into a midnight blue tunic, her star crown visible to anyone within sight.
"You made it in time." A voice said behind her from the corner of her eye, there was the lining of a silvery tunic and the many light specs coming from Aegis falling on Rin's shoulders. "Mark me as impressed."
"I'm sure the Praised and Sharp Owl-Eyed One has better things to do than make an attendance list." She said clicking her tongue giving a sideways look to Rin whose golden eyes narrowed in disapproval.
"Certainly, I was just hoping that all my siblings would do a proper first impression to the our oldest sister." She said and started walking towards the throne room.
Selena failed to see the great importance it had, so Ray was the first out of hundreds of siblings and half-siblings they all had as Third Borns in Olympus, big deal. "I was under the impression that this was supposed to be about her daughter, you know, The Maiden?" At that Selena hurried her step to walk alongside Rin.
"Of course that's how you The Great Huntress and protector of young girls would see it as." She said stopping to put on her helmet as it was customary of them to be in full regalia whenever the Sky King called for a meeting.
She didn't appreciate the jab but she was not about to get into a competition of insults with the war and wisdom goddess; she let the tomfoolery to her brother; so Selena kept quiet as they reached the entrance hall – its golden door engraved with all the important events of the era of the Olympians – and of course Rin hurried to push the door open first.
"Come sister," She said her other hand reaching out to her.
§
This wasn't supposed to be that big of an event, so a young god would receive their domain by the Fates; back in the old days when they emerged from Old Night and pronounced the new king of Gods it had caused marvel and as such it had been recorded in the door of the throne hall.
Nowadays? It was a standard practice, a rite of passage for all the immortals who earned enough recognition to guarantee such calling.
However, there were three things that marked this particular ceremony as (possibly) important:
First, The Earth Mother was setting a foot on Olympus for the first time since the Battle against the First Borns.
Second, the young goddess was her daughter, it had been too long since the immortal offspring of an Olympian had emerged.
Third, but not least important: The King and Receiver of Many was also here.
The moment the hooves of his dark horses pulling a golden chariot had descended on Olympus the whispers of the air nymphs – talkative little things – had whispered into his ears countless of times about the news.
'He's here!'
'The shadows are gathering because of him!'
'Ew, he smells like the dead!'
He, of course paid no mind to the whispers that followed his every step – not all of them belonging to nymphs – and stood on the throne hall examining the place, his eyes locked with his own and he nodded in salute; rather than occupy his seat he stood on the far side of the room and greeted the Hearth goddess.
With her golden hair, green eyes and wide smile the goddess greeted him and they both seemed to exchange some pleasantries, gracious host as she always was.
"Mother, I'm telling you it's fine! The air nymphs helped me dry my clothes!"
"But your hair got all messed up, at least let me fix the-"
Like many others, this was the first time he got to see the Earth Mother in person, her green attire and red hair with very few adornments looked simple compared to what the Queen and other goddesses wore around here, but the way she held herself and spoke (even as she fussed over) was one of full authority and temple.
The younger goddess on the other hand, regardless of her resemblance to the Veneered Mother, of the exquisite clothes and accessories no doubt had been a gift from her followers, she was the perfect picture of a country girl putting her first formal appearance to her more 'civilized' family members.
"The Fates know that I'm not fond of this place either, but you have to adhere to the hospitality we are being shown, remember what I told you comes first?"
"Yes," the tone in which the girl spoke talked to him of tiredness and resignation and he couldn't decide if the Mother realized this or she simply choose to ignore it. "I must greet the Keeper of the Hearth and thank her for the warmth and home offered to us."
"Perfect," The Mother nodded in approval, and with a nudge prompted her daughter – The Maiden, he realized now – to walk over to the fireside. Her movements were a combination of both mechanic and exaggerated as she repeated the usual salute to the goddess.
"Gold-haired Goddess and Keeper of the Hearth, I come here on behalf of the Fates and the King of All, present to you with these offerings and beg for your blessings and protection." The Maiden finished and placed aromatic herbs at the feet of the Keeper.
Of course the moment she chose to look at the other deity present, realization that she had interrupted them, her tongue was tied in place.
"Um… hello, again."
Before The King could utter any response he saw the Mother coming up behind her daughter and cross her violet eyes with the purple ones of his.
The Ruler of the Dead and the Giver of Fruit will now meet eye to eye for the first time in centuries.
Reira did as he always: sat back and watched.
.
.
.
The feeling of fading into the background was a familiar one for her.
Whenever her mother had 'important matters' to attend with some visitor or some of her priests, she would always summon the nymphs or the occasional minor goddess to watch after her while she attended to them.
They were the ones who had thought her the art of 'becoming one' with your environment, not in the literal sense they did whenever they needed to escape unwanted attention, but the simple act of joining the flow of life, according to the nymphs the feeling was different for everyone, naiads felt like turning into a stream, dryads said they felt the wind on their hair and their sprouts growing.
Yuzu was proud to say she had mastered the ability – she delighted on the feel of grass between her toes and humming at the bees gathering pollen –, but right now it wasn't helping her much.
She knew her mother was not fond of the Unseen One, she was not fond of death in general, technically no immortal was fond of that thought; which was why the fact that he was the ruler of the dead was a little bit ironic.
Their glaring eyes were scary and the energy she felt from the stare off was way heavier than any anger she'd seen from her mother in a long while, her hand was placed on Yuzu's back, it was their sign for 'stay close let me handle this', why was mother using their emergency code for such situation?
It meant one thing: listening to her gut about not telling her the real reason her attire was drenched was a good call.
Listen to your gut instinct, Yuya always said that.
"Fancy meeting you here… Reiji" She said and at the sound of addressing someone in the throne hall without their proper epithet she almost bites on her tongue.
"M-mothe-"
"Ray…" The same voice that had almost jokingly nagged at her earlier was now sharp as a knife. "….it is a real occasion to have the revered Earth Mother here."
Her mother clicked her tongue, the same way Yuzu did when annoyed but she doubted she could reprimand her for it like she did to her.
"Eloquent as always, your many, many subjects have sure helped you hone your conversational skills."
This was most definitely far beyond the exchange of pleasantries, and Yuzu could see the vine wrapped on her throne react to her mood, creeping into marble floors and columns. This did not go unnoticed by him as he raised an eyebrow at the vine creeping on his ankle.
With a simple nod, the plant fell from his sandal, the colors quickly leaving and turning first a dull brown then grey and the ashes were then carried away by the wind.
"And I see how working with plants and fieldwork has clearly improved your restraint and attitude."
"That's not-"
"Actually, working alongside mortals and sharing knowledge instead of locking myself away with shadows as company and scrolls full of dust has definitely improved my general mood, it's just around pompous gods that make me go sour."
"I'm sure that's not what mother mean-"
"That sounds rich coming from the Holy and Glorious Noble Queen Amongst Goddesses,"
To say Yuzu felt like giggling at that would be an understatement, he mother did have a ridiculous number of titles.
"If people want to pay tribute to the one that brings them food and nourishment that's their choice, of course it can be ridiculous at times, not that I expect you to know about it, but even so I still make an effort to be gracious and smile."
By now the vines were starting to be more visible than the white of the hall.
"Hmph," And with that single sound around half of them turned into shriveling tiny things. "Of course; smiling, growing plants and being adored by others sounds like quite hardship."
There were cracks starting to appear on the walls and the roof as the roots started to take hold on the structure of the hall, right as her mother's hands balled into fists at her sides.
"And you have it so much more difficult isn't that right?!" Her voice resounded all over the hall. "Sitting on your throne, overseeing a wasteland and judging the fate of the remains that mortals leave behind after death!" Any pretense of politeness was gone and her mother was now yelling into his face.
"Don't presume to know what it's like to govern the Land of the Dead!" His yell didn't resound but it filled the place either way as a shiver ran all over her body and she was sure the looming shadow was not the bad lighting nor her imagination.
"Yet, you know exactly what is like to be in my place? Don't jester!"
"ENOUGH!"
The yell came out of her without any effort and she felt exactly the opposite of fading into the background – meaning she had no good words to describe it – but the anger turned into tremors inside her and when she opened her eyes not only were her Mother and the Unseen one staring at her, eyes wide and shocked; the Hearth Keeper and the Crafter too looked taken aback at her work.
The plants conjured by the mother no longer moved or threatened the structure, they were now entrenched and woven around the hall, tiny sprouts were now adorning them and slowly they all bloomed one by one in synch with her heaving breaths.
There were more steps and new eyes joining them, The Owl-Eyed Maiden – eyes golden and all-seeing – and the Great Huntress – Crowned with Silver Stars – entered the hall at the same time and looked on the pale lavender flowers she created.
"What is the meaning of this commotion?" A voice was heard before seen, it reminded Yuzu to the commanding voice of her mother without any of the softness, in the middle of the hall next to a golden throne a beautiful woman wearing a sky blue tunic, wearing a veil and a golden belt was standing.
The pattern of feathers she saw on the embroidery reminded to the peacocks and she was holding a staff crowned with a lotus flower.
The Queen of Heaven.
Right on cue, everyone bowed their heads to her and took their place next to each of their thrones – except for the Hearth Keeper who had no throne and the Crafter who remained in his seat – leaving Yuzu in the middle of the hall only a couple of steps from her Majesty, who looked around the place, now covered in green and lavender hues and then she felt her eyes on herself.
"Raise your head child." The Queen spoke, Yuzu still felt her mother's presence behind her, and when she looked up Yuzu saw she was the only one not moving from her spot. "May I ask why did you see fit to deface this sacred room with one of your filthy weeds?"
"I was not-"
"Your majesty," Her mother spoke before she could start… which was probably good, because rather than fear or shame, Yuzu could felt something sour rising from her belly and burning at her throat. "I believe you may be acting a little harsh on my daughter, she is but a child and has yet to master properly-"
"Earth Mother, it is a pleasure to have you in Olympus after so long, on the land nobody dares to question your authority I'm sure… however is it correct or not that as you stepped into my domain implicitly agreeing to my hospitality you are my guest," the Queen said instead her eyebrow raising with her words, her mother did not answer but she could see she was biting the inside of her cheek. "That being the case… Be so kind to step aside."
"…" Still no answer from her mother, but with very forced steps she did as told… was it a bad that besides the person speaking Yuzu could actually find some sense in those words?
"Good," The Queen said her smile widening and crossed the few steps separating them. "Now child…" She stopped right in front of her and Yuzu was forced to lift her head to meet her eyes directly, the Queen reached out – her long nails reminded her of claws – and grabbed a single lock of her hair, "No, not child anymore, after all you are here to receive your loot from the Fates themselves, for this day on you will be considered a goddess, responsible for a domain and of your own actions… don't force me to repeat my earlier question."
"The hall was going to come apart, I can't remove these flowers, or…" She attempted to say, to have The Queen so close was unnerving to say the least, from the corner of her eyes she saw The Unseen One staring at them and he shook his head, Yuzu then understood that her majesty was not interested on explanations "…My apologies, your majesty."
With a sigh Yuzu concentrated and willed the flowers to retreat into their buds, the little leaves and vines shrank and disappeared in between the cracks and back into her Mother's throne.
The walls trembled and small pieces of rubble and debris fell all over, and Yuzu closed her eyes waiting for the disaster…
Instead she heard three knock on the floor, and there was a gush of wind flowing through her and the hall, there was a blinding light she felt even through her lids and when she opened her eyes the hall was just the same way as it had been when she first entered.
"How nostalgic it is, to look to look at you, so young, so talented… and naïve." Yuzu felt a cold hand on her jaw, forcing her to look at her again and the Queen closed her distance again, whispering: "Don't get too cocky, just because the King, my husband favors her wretched bastard daughter so much, you are nothing but yet another one of the overpowered brats that we need to keep on a tight leash," And she retreated again her nails grating against her shoulders. "... don't ever forget that."
"Of course not... your Majesty." She said gulping down, her body was trembling, you don't always tremble out of cold or fear
"Now, that this is settled…" The Queen finally took a step back and looked around, a soft hum communicated her displease over the current attendance, that is until her eyes posed on The Unseen One, there was the softness that she had been missing, and something about her stance changed. "Hearth Keeper, is the King ready?"
To her surprise the Keeper regarded her in equal grounds. Of course, she was a Second Born, like the rulers of Heaven: a goddess with long blonde hair tied with a simple ribbon, matching a very simple white tunic was the perfect image of a home owner and Yuzu couldn't help to draw comparisons with her Mother and the Queen in her head.
"I believe he is, however I must insist we wait for the other Olympians, as per the instructions of the Fates." The Keeper said her green eyes fixed the Queen's completely unafraid.
"I apologize in the stead of my brother The Bright One, for he is running his duties at the moment, I will cover any function of his, as he would cover mine, for we are the Archer Twins." The goddess of flowing blue hair showed her silver bow and the golden bow strapped of her wrist, symbols of their power.
She was the Great Huntress and Moon Goddess, Yuzu had never meet her, but she knew her brother; she almost choked at the thought of this solemn lady being Yugo's sister.
"You and your brother are excused." The Queen said dismissively and looked around the room. "Where is the Messenger? The Warrior and the Lady of Foam? The God of the Trees?"
"I'm here!" To the sound of his voice, Yuzu's head turned to Yuya and she almost waved at him, but in a blink-and-you-miss-it moment he put his finger to his lips and winked. "I apologize your majesty, but as you know the messenger is always busy."
Yuzu almost dropped her jaw at the casual greeting to the Queen, but rather than offended, she looked down on him as one would to an amusing pet and nodded. Yuya took his place on his throne: like the others, it was made of simple stone except crowned with his symbol of power: his staff with the intertwined serpents and many of his attributes were carved in it.
"I also have messages from all our missing guests today, they are deeply sorry for their belatedness but promise on the Styx to make it to the banquet afterward, they shall bring an offering for your forgiveness my Queen."
"Hmph, of course they will." She said and signaled for the Keeper to continue the ceremony, and the goddess took her parchment and scented herbs from the floor and threw her offering to the fireside.
A heavy silence and for the tiniest moment Yuzu feared that they would not appear, she was not worthy enough of a domain of her own and be saddled with a nymph's job for the eternity.
Then there was a crisp in the fire and them white smoke was born from the burning of the offering the scent it gave matched all the herbs she had carefully put together and she saw all the other gods disappear from her sight due to the thickness of the smoke.
"Come hither…"
The voice she heard was nothing like that of a god, mortal or creature she had ever heard, for starters, it resonated in such way that Yuzu was not sure if the speaker had actually spoken or the words were being send directly to her mind.
From the smoke, she could see a silhouette walking towards her, at first she thought it could be her Mother, but the shadow looked nothing like anyone she'd seen in the room; it was too small, that was the true form of the Fates? Like many others born from Night itself it had no form or face, it was nothing but a shadow? Something that even her immortal mind could understand?
"Are you deaf or something?" A tiny voice from below her shoulder came, when she looked down, Yuzu was not sure what she had been expecting to find.
Not a girl barely into puberty with the wildest mane of orange hair of course.
"You... Are one of them?" She asked instead feeling a little twitch under her eye.
"Your deduction abilities amaze me, keep that up and one day you may end up dethroning the owl-eyed one." The tiny girl said a single thread spinning in her nimble fingers. "Hold this for me." She ordered holding out the end of the thread
Insults aside, it meant she was the Spinner then. (Maybe that explained choosing to appear as a child?)
Of course she would be a fertility goddess just like her mother.
"This thread is yours." The voice cut her off again, except this time it sounded deeper, older. Yuzu almost keeled over when she was met with the taller, older version of the girl from before, she was almost as tall as herself, and unlike the bratty demeanor of the Spinner, and this one had an almost motherly aura to her.
'The Allotter? What in the-' Yuzu thoughts came to screech halt dropped the string.
"Mine…" She asked instead and looked transfixed at the shiny thread in the woman's hands, who was using her shoulder and forearms to measure it.
"Quite a pointless task for the likes of you isn't it?" The Allotter said with a sigh positioning the thread in a spindle she produced from under her tunic and even though the thread was stark white the resultant tapestry had all kinds of colors and figures.
So many it hurt her eyes to look at all of them and try to make sense of them.
"Here it stands what's woven of your life already," she held the tapestry to her eye level and mused. "The Maiden, a child born of the Great Mother and the King, both holders of Harvest... from beneath your trim ankles and your abode bountiful life is born and terminated, yours shall be the blessed mysteries of growth, blossoming and decay,"
"Decay?" Yuzu repeated puzzled, but before any answer came from the woman, there was another whisk of smoke and she found herself looking down again, the wild mane of orange hair was not so wild anymore and its color had been drained, the figure held a pair of heavy-looking scissors on one hand and the end of the thread in the other, it was impossible to make out her face because she was wearing a veil.
The Unavoidable One, Fate.
"The Great Mother choose the earth instead of heaven knowing of the fate of decay that was bound to it, because growth and life cannot exist without decay and death running beneath the earth, but she refuses to acknowledge it, the sunless lands are despised by her despite the most precious gifts bestowed from them… it was matter of time before she to bore the burden of it."
'Bore…as in birth?' She wanted to ask, a terrible heavy feeling was forming on her belly.
"…But Thy Mother continues to thread on dangerous territory still, too much taken but none given, betraying the words of what has been, of what it is and that which will be…"
"Betrayal? To Whom?"
"To the Crooked-Minded King, the Great Hunter, the Dark Ones… The Mother's threads are very twisted and her fate is owned by too many and in retaliation she ought to give up her most precious treasure… Yours is the burden now Mistress. "
"What should I do? What is my…" Yuzu swallowed another lump before finally saying it. "…my Fate?"
"Listen to the Old Stories from the Sea,
Beware of the bountiful trees and offered food.
When you face the Archway,
Follow the torches of the Distant one.
Behind the Doors lies your answer…"
The words spoken made little sense to her, and at times they resonated with echoes as if the three of them were speaking even though the crone was the one still in front of her. Then she too disappeared along with the smoke and Yuzu found herself on the throne room once again, everyone even the Queen looking at her expectantly.
Right, she needed to say something.
'Only share the lot assigned to you, anything else the Fates reveal to you, is for your thoughts alone.'
"I have received the Great Goddesses revelations, and I'm here to reclaim my domain..." Even if most of them were incredibly good at hiding it, some of the gods leaned forward in curiosity, Yuya was like an open book as usual and he cupped his face with his hands and almost keeled over in eagerness, the Huntress nodded, her mother knuckles where white as she gripped the armrest of her throne and the Queen's eyes were fixed on her: "... Spring Growth."
The fireside cracked as soon as she finished the sentence and for a few seconds it burned brighter than ever, then it went back to normal.
The Main Gate the one at behind the biggest and highest - if most simple - throne opened slow, light and gushes of wind and birds coming from it.
When it opened completely, the Sky King made himself present:
His blue tunic and a purple cowl were the only adornments he needed, unlike others who were rarely seen without some regalia, the proverbial king left an impression only with his presence.
Rather than sit on his throne next to the Queen he walked towards her, his eyes - a lighter shade of violet that was too much like her mother's... and someone else - seemed to be glued to hers, but Yuzu was too used to those eyes that only looked at her because of her resemblance to his own daughter.
"The claim is accepted! As decreed by the Fates, Yuzu formerly known as 'The Maiden' daughter of the Earth Mother..."
'...And the King.' her mind oh so helpfully filled in.
"... will now take her place among Olympians as Goddess of Spring Growth." He extended his hands wide and pointed at the empty spot next to her mother.
The throne that was adorned with shells and waves with a trident on top were all replaced with leaves and seeds, there was a tiny flower bud on top of it.
She felt a hand on her shoulder and recognized her mother's gesture, but she was frozen as she spoke noticing the look of common agreement between her and the King.
§
Feeling sick to her stomach was most definitely not a feeling that she looked to associate with her ascension ceremony.
Of course she wasn't aware that this was an ascension at all.
"Yuzu! Cheer up!" She was able to hear before the air was almost completely squished out of her lungs and she was lifted from the marble floor, after she coughed a little she was freed from the embrace and she turned to see the wide smile of Yugo.
"Shouldn't you be you know, driving the Sun Chariot?" She said with a deadpan in her voice, still, Yugo's presence was quite an anchor at this moment.
"Uh?" He said looking at her as if expecting to find something in her teeth. "Are you paying attention? It's already sunset." He exclaimed pointing at the orange sky purple splotches slowly painting it. "The Evening Nymphs are tiding things up and then my sister is up for work soon!"
For a moment Yuzu didn't answer, he was right after all, what had she wasted an entire day in Olympus? Other than ignore the chills she got whenever the King or Queen were in her proximity, having 'pleasant' chats will all the other Olympians, all utterly interested on what her mother had been up to for the last couple of centuries, trying to make her spill the beans on... Yuzu wasn't sure what; her weaknesses? Allegiances? Why was there need of such thing if war was over a long time ago?
"Your sister is... interesting." was the only thing she said, remembering their only interaction: Her eyes throwing daggers at the Lady of Foam (whom had very conveniently arrived at the same time as the Warrior) for daring to try to arrange for her possible suitors.
"Ah, I know she can be a drag, Selena would rather run among in the wild with her nymphs instead of coming to these parties!" Of course he had seemed fit to slap her back and laugh.
It made her cup of nectar spilled over on the skirt of her tunic.
"Damn, sorry let me get you a napkin or-"
"Don't worry Yugo… hey you know a lot about Olympus right?" He had to, despite his foolish self, he presided over knowledge, truth.
And prophecies.
It was like a spell; his eyes widened and his smile turned into a thin line as he seemed to become slightly taller and imposing.
"That depends..." He answered and his frown almost made her sorry for asking, but it had to be him, Yuya was bound to his duty as messenger and boundary keeper. "What makes you think you can trust me Yuzu?"
His change of mood, the wreath of laurel around his hair - Yuzu knew why he wore it, but nobody brought it up in his presence and she wasn't about to start – he sounded tired, grim and even a bit sad and the formal white tunic lined with gold gave him a melancholic aura and finally she could see the god of poetry and music in him.
"Because… you just asked me." She said, simple answer yes, but she never saw any use on beating around the bush or flowery speech… Hah, that was the type of lame pun he'd like, in another moment with better mood she might tell him about it.
A humorless laugh was not something she associated with Yugo, and she could feel her chest tighten at the bitterness it held.
"Good point." He said and his blue eyes seemed to be looking at something way beyond her comprehension. "Do you know why the Second Borns won against the First Borns despite the massive differences in power? What happened that they manage to secure Victory in his hands?"
What was this? An history lesson? She already knew about this, everyone did; she thought and clicked her tongue before answering.
"That's because with time, too many minor gods and creatures allied with them, even some of the less prominent Titans joined their cause; the turning point was when the cyclops delivered the lightning bolt-"
"A good answer to the question of 'how' but the why," His playful smile was back on his face. "The why has a much simple answer, so simple I'm afraid you may smack me if I tell you." Yugo made his best to give her a dismayed look.
"Fine," She said, wanting to snort. "Oh Great and Bright God, Son of the Gentle One!"
"Since you ask so nicely…" He said and Yuzu briefly wondered overt enthusiasm was partly why he always got in trouble. "…Because Fate decreed otherwise."
Right on cue there was a gush of wind and the sky so suddenly covered in the mantle of night when he said it making him look all dramatic.
"You were right; I wish mom didn't confiscate my fan before coming." Yuzu could not help the snort that accompanied her remark. But then Yugo laughed like he always did, shining and infectious which had her laughing with him.
"I was wondering why there wasn't any stories of you fan of doom just yet, that should be your power symbol!" He laughed even harder at that.
"Just because I don't have it doesn't mean I can't just smack you!" Yuzu exclaimed without any real animosity. Their laughter died soon enough when Yuzu was reminded of her unanswered question and Yugo probably saw it in her eyes. "How come I have a throne now?"
Yuzu had guessed what Yugo was trying to get about: after winning the war against the Titans divided their spoils of the war among themselves with one sole exception: The Earth itself was forever to remain untamed as its womb had given birth to the blade that sliced the old King in pieces.
It was their birthright and their prize, then… why would the Earth-Shaker withdraw his claim to make place for her? Whatever Yugo's answer was, it had to be the truth.
"It is your birthright, you're the daughter of two Olympians" Yugo simply said and before she could protest he held up his hand. "Just think about it Yuzu, you are the daughter of the King! How do you think all of us who have 'earned' our seats of power are his offspring?"
Before Yugo could say anything else, there was the sound of opening doors and suddenly a whole lots of cheering, and there in the middle of the party hall it stood the last missing god: Yuri, from the distance she could only glimpse his violet hair so similar to the grapes and the wine he enjoyed so much, behind him a group of nymphs walked and gave drinks and fruits to all the attendants.
Yuzu was not too familiar with him outside the Festival of Flowers where he invited her along with his mother, from Yugo though there was a click of his tongue as his eyes narrowed following Yuri's every movement as he danced with ease around the reprimand of the Queen and continued to greet all the present people.
"Why do you even that dammed gardener gets to have a throne too? Even if he was born incomplete? The Queen made his life impossible, big deal, when I drive the sun chariot I'm known as the All-Seeing God, do you have any idea how many bastard children she lays her wrath on? You probably know what happened when Selena and I were born, well I was there and I can tell you nothing that Yuri went through has not been endured by others too!"
He had grown agitated and had thrown his arms at the air many times, Yuzu was aware that he and the Yuri were not in the best terms and that he was still resentful of the removal of the Hearth Keeper to give him a throne.
From the party hall the sounds of laughter and music only got louder and louder.
"…He did travel to foreign lands and won wars in the name of the King, and even traveled to the Underworld to bring his mortal lover back and for that feat he was recognized as worthy of a seat… nobody but him and the Unseen One knows what happened down there, – he claims that the matters of the Underworld are his alone to handle – but my sister saw them emerge in the dead of night, so there's no denying what he did."
…And maybe Yugo was also slightly envious too, why hasn't that occurred to her before? The laurel crown around his hair stood out now more than ever.
"I still have a hard time wrapping my head around it; I understand what you say, my birthright, that's why the Lady of Foam seats amongst us as the last daughter of the Heavenly Father, compared to her my 'birthright' is feeble at best and I know I'm good at what I do, and mother most be proud, but still all of you performed a great feat before being ascended…. And I've done nothing."
'You're just overpowered brats we need to keep on a tight leash…' It hurt her pride to admit it, but where was the use of lying?
"Your mother." He said a little more subdued now but when Yuzu looked at him to elaborate. "Back at the start of the Sky King's rule there were a lot of goddesses wanting to claim the then empty throne of the queen of heaven, from those candidates everyone knew your mother was the one favored by the King."
"My mother is his daughter…" The bile was rising on her throat again. "Siblings are one thing… I-it was ordained that the Earth and Heaven were both born from Chaos and brought together by Necessity!... the Titan rulers were brought together by fate as well in the same manner as their progenitors…" She was aware that her voice got higher pitched and she struggled to finish whatever point she was trying to make. "…He could not take her even as consort."
And yet here she was.
"But he was King of Heaven and as you said we are all heavenly descendants of Earth and Heaven, so who is to say he couldn't just decree it?"
"Why didn't he?" She asked, thinking back to the somewhat frequent visits the King did to her Mother and the unsettling way he stared at her and Yuzu, to the point she always found a way to excuse herself to the fields when she knew he was coming.
"The Fates, they spoke of Himika as the lovely-eyed goddess and proclaimed her as the Chosen Bride of Heaven." Yugo said as if it was a common knowledge, it probably was.
Not for her though.
"My mother says that the Queen was raised by the fore parents of the sea, it was only because of her that they joined the war with the King, and she was the first one of the Olympians to be revered among mortals, she always spoke of how reticent she herself was of the marriage and how the Sky king had to court her." It wasn't often that her mother opened up about what happened during the war, it usually took a lot of prodding and subtle questions to get all the juicy details.
"Now you said something interesting… did the Fates ordained the marriage because it was beneficial for the war and Olympus? Or did the war, the whole creation aligned to what they foretold?" Yugo said.
"But you just said he's the The Sky King."
"Before him, the Supreme King held that title, and before that it was the Heavenly Father, don't be mistaken Yuzu, even, no, above anyone else, Kings are bound by Fate, why do you think mortals, immortals and gods alike curse their Fate, but no one ever does anything against their iron decrees? Those who have are doomed to fail because trying to make out your future out of a prophecy is like trying to put together a puzzle with a single piece."
"It's just a flimsy thread." She said attempting to sound cocky.
"A thread that can be twisted, woven and entangled with many others, but never broken." 'Not by us that is' She thought remembering the scissors.
"What does it mean to have your fate owned?" Yuzu finally asked, 'What does mother own you?' she thought.
"It means you pissed off the wrong people."
"What old stories can be heard in the sea?"
"What do I look like a sea god to you? The sea is huge; there must be lots of old stories in it since it flooded the Earth when the world shell was cracked."
"Why should I beware of offered food and bountiful trees?"
"Dunno… it's poisoned? Rotten? Unripe? Is the tree infested? You're gonna have to be more specific."
Her hand moved before she herself noticed and flicked Yugo on his forehead.
"Hey what was that about!?"
"For being so helpful, Prophecy god," She deadpanned, giving up on any other question and feeling like sinking her face on the rail of the balcony, if only like everything in this place wasn't made of ivory that felt too cold to the touch.
"I answered your question as truthful as I could, and may I remind you prophecies are only one of the many things I preside over, I'm a busy god you know? Such a pain."
"Why doing it then?" Yuzu finally gave in and rested over the banister, but it was warm at the touch, she saw the hand of Yugo glowing dimly over them.
"It keeps me distracted," He said looking at the sky almost wistfully. "When I'm not doing something all my thought get too loud inside my head, sometimes I feel like if I let it get too loud I will be paralyzed."
"Well, I assume this is a perfect timing then." The voice behind them was all too sudden that it almost made them jump in their spot and when she turned over, the golden eyes was the first thing that caught her attention. "Archer God, the Queen requests your services with the Golden Lyre for the nymphs brought by the Ivy-bearer wish to put on a show with your aide."
"Of course he does," He said and Yuzu was the only one who sow his somber eyes before he shook his head and the light returned to them. "Coming Yuzu?" He asked turning in direction to the place where she could see a group of nymphs poised on in the center, it was at this moment that Yuzu realized that they were completely naked with the sole exception of the vines around their heads and body, she averted her eyes quickly.
"…No." Yuzu shook her head to emphasize. "I have a lot to think about."
"You are in perfect company then." Yugo said waving goodbye
Thus Yuzu was left alone with the goddess who didn't seem to have any interest in going back to the party. There was something eye-catching about her, maybe it was her armored tunic which she refused to get rid of even if her helmet did after her ascension, her mint-colored hair seemed to reflect the dozens of lights the scales her pelt was made of, looking at her so close Yuzu got the feeling that this is what mortals thoughts about when they spoke in fear and awe alike for the gods:
Unmoving, untouched and eternal.
"Owl-Eyed Goddess, you grace me with your presence." She spoke as soon as she realized she had been staring too long without saying a thing.
"You can call me Rin, this is a party after all… unless you want me to call you Goddess of Spring Growth every time we speak to each other?" There was a playful tone to this that made the previous ethereal spell to be broken.
"I apologize, but the way you spoke to Yugo I assumed…"
"I bear no ill will to the Sun God, but I'm not too fond of the arts and the occult practices he prides himself in, my realm is that of reason and practicality." Rin spoke with a dismissive hand wave. "I was not aware that you two were in such good terms."
"It comes with the job, growth is not possible without sunlight and we both get off work when night falls, we tend to run into each other."
"I understand that much, however my confusion stems from the protective nature that the Earth Mother displays towards you, I would imagine she is not fond of gods playing around with her treasured daughter given the way she speaks of you."
'She's not,' the thought almost made it through her lips, but she simply smiled, if she made herself look clueless maybe the Wisdom goddess would lose interest like it happened to the others tonight.
Yuzu felt shivers run down her back at the chuckle the goddess.
"I suppose you mother has a whole lot of faith on you and doesn't believe you capable of disobeying her..." She said and seemed to think her words better. "Or maybe I'm too generous and she doesn't give you enough credit to think you would slip anything right under her nose?"
"What is that supposed to mean!?" She yelled feeling a vein on her forehead pop but right away felt herself flinch over being heard, but no, every attendant's attention was still drawn to the dancing group, even her mother was unusually content-looking on her throne and applauding to them.
Even from afar she noticed the slight flush to her cheeks and the cup sitting on the armrest of her throne confirmed that she was not just 'content'.
"Much to my chagrin I must admit that the gift of the Ivy-Bearer has no precedents and while I may not like its effects near my person to see them in other people is quite amusing." Rin said, a glint on her eyes betrayed her still neutral expression even when she looked back to her. "No need to be so sour Yuzu, but if you think you're the only one of the Third Borns hiding mischief from our elders then the Earth Mother may have a point in your naïveté."
"I see..." Yuzu said an even though she felt annoyed she still felt a weight lifted off her shoulders. "I don't know why she hid the real purpose of this ceremony from me, it's not like I could have done anything to avoid it."
"Why are you so certain the she knew? The King might have an inkling but even he can't steer the wheel of fate." Rin asked and Yuzu just sighed as she remembered the passing look between her and the King.
"She knew; I can tell it." She insisted even after talking to Yugo, the nagging feeling was still there.
"I don't have enough insight to provide counsel on this, however if you so desire to escape your mother's yoke, now that you have a seat in Olympus you could live here, even if she decided to come back too, you could have a temple separated from hers."
Escape, the word tasted bittersweet on her tongue, is not like she wanted to escape her own mother... not permanently of course.
"No... I don't think I like Olympus that much." She said thinking on the cold floors and walls, the perfectly arranged pond with their colorful fishes and flowers, even the trees seemed to grow in a perfect shape here and after just a couple of hours she already misses the feel of grass between her toes. "…And I don't think I like the King either."
She would probably go insane in all its glorious symmetry, and without the help of Yuri at that.
…Damn, she said that out loud didn't she?
After several seconds passed without any reactions from Rin, Yuzu dared to look at her, and once again she got that ethereal feeling from her presence, her expression was a perfect mask of unreadability.
"I must go now," She said after a little more while. "The dance is about to end and as Counsellor of the King, is my duty to be at his reach."
And Yuzu was left alone with her thoughts once more.
§
The wine tasted sweetly in his tongue, almost too sweet.
It did not stop him to continue drinking however, because it was the only thing that made the excess of people, talk, music and just overall noise remotely tolerable, fortunately the fates seemed to take pity on him and finally the dance was over meant that all he had to do was to quietly let himself out, get to his stallions and be gone.
He barely noticed her, unusually quiet and alone until she addressed him.
"Going home so soon?"
Reiji's senses felt immediately attacked by her voice, it was like listening to a cacophony that made him hyperaware of his own body urging him to gawk at her, in any other day he would have shrugged it off with little effort, but now as tired and intoxicated as he as it made him to give in.
Her honey-colored eyes and hair was the first thing he noticed and he willed his eyes to not wander anywhere else.
"Lady of Foam, is there anything I can assist you with?" He spoke his words carefully.
"Not really, I'm just relishing in this moment where you're finally talking to me." She said rising her own cup to her lips. "I should thank Yuri personally for this opportunity."
"Forgive me for any perceived slight, however it is hard to imagine what would the goddess of love would want with ruler of the land of the death." He spoke his eyes fixing on A neutral spot of the red rose on top of her hair.
He needed to get out of her reach, but it would do him no favors to insult her of all goddesses.
"All will be forgiven if you walk with me and let me feed your beautiful horses." She said offering her arm to him, his first instinct was to deny her… no that was a lie his very first instinct had been to heed her requests but he held onto himself, still what harm could she done to them? It was probably a rouse to get him onto some type of scheme.
In spite of himself he grew curious.
"On one condition," He spoke careful not to touch her. "Cease your use of your charms on my vicinity."
"Oh so you've noticed?" She sounded way too delighted for someone whose ruse was boosted.
"Within my court resides the Lady of Crossroads; I recognize the language of magic when it's put in use." He said, remembering the guilty of him being in this accursed party in the first place.
They walked on silence after that, the night had already fallen – another thing he failed to notice – which fortunately meant that at least here in Olympus the air nymphs would be resting, he did not need any annoying rumors of him and the Lady. His chariot had been moved slightly farther away from the rest and it had been awkwardly out of place, whoever did it was most likely in the spirits of doing it as fast as possible for fear of touching anything from the Underworld.
The horses were as usual completely still and their black fur almost blend into the night but their eyes stood out in darkness.
"Quiet Orphnaeus," He spoke the moment he saw them neigh the Lady approaching, love goddess or not they were all trained to obey only hisorders and the leader the other ones followed his cue.
The Lady approached them without waiting for his sign, she walked on a curved angle and offered her hand to his snout, his neigh went from annoyed to cautious then contented in the span of a few seconds and from her hand she produced a perfect red apple.
To say Orphnaeus sank her teeth in it would have been an understatement.
"Your black pelt is as soft as it looks, I recon you've been well cared for." She said, and it took him a full minute to realize she was not talking to him when the other horses complained for the lack of attention she simple laughed and went to give them what they wanted. "I've never seen stallions as beautiful as yourselves."
"Mares." He spoke in his head before realizing he had actually said that out loud when the Lady peered back at him. "Orphnaeus – he has dark blue eyes – and Nycteus – Purple eyes – are stallions but Alastor – with the golden eyes – and Aethon – Red-eyed – are mares." He continued.
"Ah I see," The Lady simply said and looked back at the horses. "I assume these where given to you by the Earth Shaker am I correct? He made these majestic creatures out of the same foam I was born from."
She was correct, he was given these horses when he moved to his new domain to the Underworld, just like his chariot had been a gift from the Owl-Eyed goddess; Reiji was more interested in her confirmation of the account of her birth:
From the foam formed in the sea where the blood of the Heavenly Father was spilt, while she herself had claimed so when she appeared in Olympus one day, there were many who doubted her.
Reiji didn't feel like she was lying now, and he was good at detecting lies.
"Lady of Foam if it's not much of a bother, I must take off back to my realm again." He said, realizing his absence in the party may not be noticed, but hers would definitely be.
"Always in such a haste to get rid of my company is it not?" She said without turning, her voice turning silky again. "In that regard you do take after your Revered Father; you are both scared of me."
Reiji felt his fists ball on its own accord and his whole body froze at her words, that was not the type of claim people dared to make in front of him.
"And pray tell Lady, for what reason would I be scared of you?" He dared to ask and a giggle was the only warning before she warped herself right in front of him, her face inches from his forcing him to look at her directly.
"Because you are not a fool and you know." She said and her hand was placed on his chest right above his ribcage. "You've known since my ascension that I'm more than a pretty face and a beautiful body, I'm sure you've heard all about it from the dead themselves; how terribly destructive my powers can be and yet just how sweet that destruction is."
There were very few moments in his immortal life where Reiji had been rendered speechless, and now he could add another one to the list.
He felt himself being shoved by her hand with an amazing amount of strength and he stumbled quite a few steps backwards, forcing him to grab on the first support his hands found.
Which happened to be warm, soft and in the form of an arm.
Because it was an arm, the arm of Ray's daughter.
Reiji already knew that behind him the Lady had already disappeared – because Yuzu would most have definitely greeted her – but he still surveyed the place for her, or at least a spot to glare at rather than direct it at the wrong person.
"Are you okay?"
§
It hurts.
It hurts too much.
Still, the pain is not the worst thing of this, no, everything is dark around her… too dark to even make out the silhouette of the one pinning her down on a cold and hard surface and her screams are being drowned inside her chest, she knows something awful will happen if a single one manages to get past her lips.
Rough hands grab onto every patch of her skin, making her squirm no matter how much she tries to keep still because every time she so much as moves, he moves harder against her and the pain will then become unbearable.
She doesn't understand what is happening, why is this person hurting her, why isn't her mother here to help her? Where are her companion nymphs? If they had been instructed to never leave her alone.
The body above hers stills for a couple seconds before collapsing on top of her.
She shuts her eyes, lest he sees the tears gathering in them.
.
.
.
"…zu… Yuzu?" The voice sounded distant and muffled, but she continued to keep her eyes shut, maybe if she didn't acknowledge him, he would leave her alone. "Yuzu!"
Her body shot forward the moment the voice of her mother became clear through her sheets and ears and Yuzu felt instantly relieved when the familiar sight of her room greeted her along with the sunlight and the warmth it gave her.
"Mother?" She said and yawned at the same time, feeling her lips parched in need for some water.
"You overslept." Her mother said and she finally caught sight of her ordering things she had merely thrown into the floor when they arrived last night. "What is this?"
Yuzu turned her sight to the cloth she was holding and the feeling of her sinking stomach was enough to scare any drowsiness left, because in her hands her mother was holding a large piece of clothing, completely black in color, the fabric rough and made to give warmth.
Of course it didn't belong to her or her mother.
"No idea!" She practically shouted which seemed to weird out her mother but when she saw her putting it away most likely to throw it away got to her feet in record time and took the cowl from her hands. "Sorry" she hurried to say at the glare thrown at her hastiness. "I meant yesterday it got so cold in Olympus and someone lend me this cowl to me for warmth and it would be rude to throw it away!"
"Who lend this to you?" Her mother asked, eying suspiciously the black wool fabric and Yuzu went through a list of names of people who would wear black in Olympus, which got down to only two names.
And one of them she was out of the question to mention.
"Selena did! Just as she was leaving for her duties she saw I was shivering and gave me her cowl!" Her arms were flailing all the time while she was speaking and she was positive that her mother could see she was lying through her teeth.
Which is why she had no words to describe the relief she felt when her mother simply smiled.
"I see, it's so much like her to do that type of thing, after all Olympian or not you still fall down under her protection."
"Yes! She was!" She thought trying to think back to what she knew of her. "A little standoffish but very kind indeed." Yuzu was almost proud of such a successful lie but she couldn't push her luck for too long.
"That is true, of course she would prefer the dark colors for her night duties or even to blend in within her forests, that's where you will find her during the day, ask one the nymphs one of them is bound to be able to lead you to her." Her mother said exiting her room to their little kitchen, she could hear her fumbling around.
"Uh?" It was the only thing she could say as she followed the sounds and was greeted by the sight of a basket full of various herbs and food.
"Now that you've been acknowledged as a goddess you need to maintain good relations with the other gods, we will have to make more frequent visits to Olympus and at some point you will have to host a festival but for now this is a good start; you need to repay the kindness to the Huntress, it's very important to stay on her good graces."
"Is it?" She asked, is not like she couldn't do it, it sounded simple enough and some town among the mortals already worshipped her as the Grain Maiden of the Grain Mother, but it would have been nice to get a heads up.
"Yes, I will try to arrange that she and the Owl-Eyed one come visit us in the next few days, you're need to show you can honor the sacred hospitality as well."
There were alarms flaring at her head at the mention of Rin and her mind flashed with the memory of her cold eyes.
"Why them?" Yuzu asked and at the sharp glare of her mother she hurried to say: "I-I mean they were very nice to me but they also seem to not really be into social gatherings why not some of the more sociable gods, like Yu- the Messenger, um, there's also Yu- the Sun God maybe even the Ivy-Bearer or..." She needed to think of non-male names because the glare was becoming worse with every single one she named. "The Heart Keeper... but I guess it would be very hard for her to leave Olympus right? Oh what about the Lady of Foam?!"
"You stay away from that goddess." Her mother said in a sharp tone, her hands gripping the table where the now full basket was sitting but at seeing her back away her eyes softened again. "Yuzu, look at how messy and problematic things can get when you look closely at all of those gods – especially that Lady – and look at how wholesome, respected and powerful Selena and Rin are on their own right, without any attachments or disasters to clean after, wouldn't it be wonderful if you could share that with them?"
It dawned on Yuzu what exactly her mother meant.
"You mean becoming a one of the virgin goddesses?" She asked and her mother didn't answer but the contented smile she gave her was enough answer. "...I understand; I will try my hardest."
"I'm sure you will, you're my beloved daughter after all," She said pushing the basket into her arms. "Go and make this errand will you? And don't be in a hurry to come back too early, I will take care of the fields for today."
"Yes, mother." She simply said, a good walk may do her well anyway because she doesn't know if she can stand to be inside the house right now.
.
.
.
'Where to go though?'
Once she finally walked far away from the fields into a flatland that delimited what she considered her home and was on equal distance from the woods, the beach and the mountains, the woods where a definite no, even if she avoided going to meet the Huntress there too many nymphs there that would snitch on her either by accident or simple mischief.
The mountains where barren, full of rocks and full of caves, in other words completely unappealing.
From here she could smell the salty fresh air from the sea, would it be wise to get near to it? Would the nearest wave try to snatch her away to the palace from the Earth-Shaker the moment she tried to pick on some shells?
.
.
.
"That is the one, the Maiden." The figure looming behind him pointed to the girl stood in the open.
"I thought she was an Olympian goddess now? What was it? Of Flowers or something?" He said waving his hand in dismissal.
"As if I would let another of my husband's bastards to take on the throne of another one of my siblings." The voice sounded strained and he got the feeling that if it wasn't for how carefully watched the little maiden was, she would already have met an awful fate.
This required forethought and patience, none of which the Queen was good at, so that's where he came in.
"So I force her hand?" It seemed hardly necessary, given the time and place, but royal orders where orders. "Do I make her meet her end? Should I put her in the path of despair and grief? Or…"
"Send her down below the earth, to the sunless lands where her little flowers can't survive." She spoke through gritted teeth.
"Such is your will then so is mine my queen."
§
The oceans were restless today.
It had made him distraught so he thought that rather than working at the forge today, it would be a good idea to visit his Nurturer in the sea, maybe gift her some of the new jewelry he had been working on.
Just when he arrived to the shore where he knew the daughters of the sea liked to wander he found one that was most definitely not one of them.
The Maiden... no, the Spring Growth Goddess now, what was she doing here? Far away from her flower fields and farms?
"We don't know, she arrived here simply walking, earth gods are strange like that I guess,"
It was not a daughter of the sea as he thought but Oceanid, a daughter of the Ocean, they seldom traveled all the way to the shore but here she was.
"We tried to ask her if she was lost but she doesn't seem to understand us."
"I'll ask her," He said, walking towards her, she looked lost in thought and failed to notice his presence until he was right behind her.
"Who...Oh, it is you Crafter." She said turning around to face him, there was a basket in her hands and he could smell the food in it.
"Greetings, Spring Goddess." He started eyeing up the curious glance of the Oceanid, she looked between them expecting a signal to talk again. "May I ask if you are lost? This lady here wishes to know."
"You understand them?" She asked instead and she crouched in front of him to look at him in the eye.
It was... embarrassing, so he looked away.
"I was raised in the caverns of the sea; the Nurturer daughter of the Sea was my caretaker." He spoke, briefly wondering if this was the type of sensible information that was appropriate to disclose on a first meeting or not.
"Ah, I see, I'm not lost." She said twiddling with a lock of hair, it was a pretty shade of pink. "I was killing time." Her voice had become small in at the last word.
The Oceanid released a giggle at that.
"Are you eloping?"
Reira could say he shared her embarrassment when rather than answering his (her) question her face became as pink as her hair.
"N-noooo! It's nothing like that!" She said and kicked the sand and splashed the water with a stomp.
"Oh, I see, were you abandoned here? If you tell me their name I will talk to the Lord of the Sea and my sisters and I will drown them."
"What? No, no, no, no, I don't want you to drown anyone!" She looked downright scared of it, Reira was then reminded that there was a reason why not many sea deities where welcomed in earth; their thought processes were too outlandish even for many of the gods.
Was that the reason the seat of the Seas on Olympus had been taken by the Spring Goddess? He could not be sure.
"He, you're a funny one."
"So I've been told," She said in a flat tone, she didn't sound displeased nor content, so what was he supposed to make out of it? "What is your name?" She asked instead.
The Oceanid tilted her head at the inquiry but answered nonetheless.
"Leuce, daughter of the Ocean and the Grandmother."
"Yuzu, Ma- Goddess of Spring Growth, daughter of the Earth Mother and the King." She introduced herself.
To that the Oceanid froze in place and muttered something he couldn't quite make out, then she jumped back into the water, disappearing into the distance.
"Was it something I said?" She asked to him sitting onto the sand.
"Technically yes, but I can't answer as to why." He said sneaking looks at her attire: it looked light and simple enough, definitely not made for long travels. Except for the piece of black clothing draped on her shoulders, which he recognized as made from the black wool of the Underworld.
Where had she gotten that? She also noticed his curious look or he supposed she did because all of the sudden her eyes widened.
"Right! You're the Crafter! Son of the King and the Queen! You're his brother! – You can call me Yuzu by the way, no need to be so formal out here right? – Anyway, this is a weird question but do you have a way to communicate with him! This belongs to him and I need to give it back, please!"
Alright she spoke too fast, but he got the bottom line of her request.
"I do not have the means to communicate with him, the Underworld is a separate realm of its own, lest of all the way to arrive, only he as the King holds the Keys of the Land of the Death, and a few other gods belonging to his court, but none of them are particularly easy to find." Reira felt the need to be honest with her, after all she was surface and fertility goddess, the underworld was no place for her. "Right, you can call me Reira as well."
She barely seemed to pay attention to him however since she looked smaller and less vivacious now.
"There she is!"
They both looked for the source of that sound and saw that Leuce was back on the shore, but this time she was accompanied.
Reira couldn't believe his eyes, here on the surface in front of him and Yuzu stood the Consort of the Ocean, Mother and Grandmother of all sea deities, Daughter of the Heaven and the Earth, with her gown made of rays of light and scales, and the wings sprouting from her brow, her attire was all blues, silvers and greens, contrasting with the deepest shade of black hair that Reira had seen matching her dark eyes, a single blue gem in between her brows.
He kneeled on the sand in her presence as it was appropriate for someone like her and Yuzu seemed to take the hint and did the same, even if she never heard of her it was impossible not to realize she was one of the First Borns.
"A pleasure to meet you Spring Goddess, I have been waiting for one like you to show up in the shores."
Of course she spoke the language of the gods, as she used to reign over them as well.
"You honor me, Grand Nurse; what could I possibly do for you?" Yuzu asked her head still low and her hands attempting to grip on something, but sand was no good for any of that.
"First, raise your head child." Yuzu obeyed, and the pearl-adorned hand of the Nurse took her chin between her. "Your visage brings memories to me, of my sister and my daughter may she become one with the earth, and of course my granddaughter."
That was putting it lightly, and still Reira couldn't think of a single Oceanid or Sea daughter who resembled Yuzu.
"Of course you do not know of whom I speak, my daughter met the end of her life too soon and thus never had a cult or rites of her own."
"The Wise Counselor." Reira said, remembering the stories of her from the Nurturer.
"Yes, Crafter, she was one of the first ones to side with the Olympian King and provided counsel for him against my and her father's good wishes; when he assumed the throne of Heaven, the Sky King promised glory for her like no other, but the Fates decreed otherwise. A prophecy was spoken that her first born son would be more powerful than the Sky King, this was only known after she was already with child."
Yuzu's eyes shot open at this, full with fear, there was no need to elaborate on the fate of the Wise Counselor, it didn't matter how powerful the Titans were they all feared the power of the lightning bolt and with good reason for it was one of the few known weapons that destroyed the physical body of an immortal.
"Are you here to seek revenge? Am I to be cursed because I'm his daughter and the reason why the sea has no reigning seat in Olympus?" The words were spoken with surprising resolution.
"You are mistaken child, fate is fate, unmalleable and cruel thus I have come to understand the reasons of his decision, even if at the time I felt stricken by grief, for flawed as he may be, The Olympian King is still fairer and wiser than my brother ever was, we will not rise against him, but none of my kind will ever set a foot on Olympus either."
"What do you seek from me then Grand Nurse?" Yuzu asked.
"I seek to fulfil the promise to my daughter and have this delivered to her child, a daughter it was thus I believe she was spared for this promise still binds me and calls to her." She claimed and deposited something into Yuzu's hand. "Can you be trusted with this, Spring Goddess?"
"…Yes Grand Nurse." She said unable to deny her and bowed her head to her.
"Then swear it, swear it onto my eldest daughter, Styx." And from her hands a jug of water was produced, the murky dark waters did not look like anything coming from the Ocean.
With trembling hands Yuzu took the jug of water and slowly drank from it, Reira felt his brow wince, everyone knew the waters of the Styx burned down the throat of anyone who drank from it.
"The Sky and the Earth be witnesses to the most formidable oath among us the blessed immortals, I swear to the Grand Nurse that I shall deliver the motherly token left behind by the Oceanid Counselor to who it rightfully belongs."
§
Today was too damn sunny, it made the fruit less juicy, flowers did not open to such flare and the sweat made his tunic stick to his skin which was too annoying, that dumb idiot better not be starting summer before time.
He took another chug of wine off his pouch.
The sweet and bitter liquid was burning pleasantly on his mouth when he caught sight of her, the honored guest from the day before whom he had not a chance to tease under the watchful eye of the King and the Earth Mother.
Yuzu, always nice, friendly and helpful Yuzu, accompanied by no other than the little runt, the Crafter.
He had tried once to give her some wine, in the last Festival of Flowers but her mother would have him thrown into Tartarus (probably) if he so much as touched a single hair of her pretty head.
Reira was not fun to play with, Yuri had been briefly interested on his condition – a lame god whose physical growth had been stunted when he was thrown into the sea? With clearly some anger left unsolved if the golden throne incident was any indication? Sweet – but half of the time he didn't even understand what sense of humor was and he always answered his questions with the most annoyingly long and needlessly detailed statements with a flat tone that made him think of on the grace of a rock, clearly his mind had suffered some of the impact too.
He could feel some sympathy for that, but it hardly translated into interest let alone patience for to deal with him.
Tease the flowery maiden at the risk of dealing with the trinket kid? Decisions, decisions… one that seemed to be made by him as they seemed to be saying their goodbyes when the little runt took off on the way to the ocean again.
His feet had already taken the decision for him when his mind barely formed the most fun of ideas.
.
.
.
"You look exhausted; can I offer something to drink?" She heard an almost yelped at the new person in front of her.
Yuzu had always thought that his violet hair with some rose-colored streaks was very pretty, but there was something on his smile, not fake; she knew fake smiles all too well; more like something… unhinged about them that unnerved her.
On the other hand, it really was an incredibly hot day and she had at least another two hours of walking to do.
"Thank you Ivy-"
"Call me Yuri, I've never been one to care for such titles unless it's to spread madness and panic on the land." He said, looking a little too proud for her taste.
"Right, thank you Yuri," Yuzu tried again and took the puck offered to her, she had never had any wine herself but she had seen the effects it had on her mother and other gods after some of it.
Overall she was much less fussy and more agreeable, so what was the harm on a single sip?
.
.
.
Yuzu was a giggling drunk, at least at the beginning the more wine he continued providing for her the more talkative she became, after the first drink, it had not been hard to lure her to his home.
"…And then can you believe she chewed me out for two hours, two! Because I let a boy of the town buy me a honey biscuit? He was a mortal! What was he going to do to me that I couldn't handle?!"
And much feistier too, he decided he liked her better like this.
"I mean…I feel a little bad because I guess she just… wants the best for me… but it's such a pain too! Can you believe I can't even tell her that I'm friends with Yuya and Yugo?"
"Oh, is it?" He said, feeling his interest spike once more. "And what about me? Not even if I wear a pretty dress?"
There was a delightful and rich laughter as a reward.
"Psst I'll probably have to make up some foolish lie about this too…damn… I can't go home like this can I?" She said shaking her head several times as if trying to shake off the dizziness. "What time is it? It's getting cold again."
"It's almost evening." He said and then noticed the cowl she was pulling from her basket, nothing weird about it, it was getting a little chilly, but it was black, he knew where the black wool for that cowl had come from.
He felt his smile widen even more.
"Is that a gift from a paramour?" He asked making sure he emphasized the last word.
"Wha…no, no, no, no… no, it's from Reiji, you know…the Unseen one." He couldn't tell if she was blushing because her face had become red since quite a while now, but the fidgeting of her hands and feet was enough for him. "…Ugh I really need to give this back."
What a delightful nonsense, the Spring goddess with the King of the Death.
"Why don't you?" He asked leaning into her, wanting to see every one of her reactions.
"Reira says no one can enter his realm without permission or a summon… the last thing I want is Mother getting a wind of it." Her speech was becoming less slurred.
That was no good, he thought pushing the pouch into her once more.
"I know a way down there," Yuri waited for her reaction before going on. "You offend me Maiden, don't you know of one of my many names is the God Beneath the Earth?"
"…I remember, everyone talked about it… can you really tell me?" She said and Yuri felt like admiring her lack of fear of the Land of the Dead, if she was a nymph or a mortal she would be a great fearless devotee of his cult. "What's the Underworld like?"
"Mmmmh, it's very different from the surface and Olympus, some people think it's lame or scary like its ruler, but there are so many wondrous things about it." He was getting sentimental again, bad timing for that, he needed to reel back to her plight. "There's something you need to do before though."
"Uh?"
"Why do you think people need to purify themselves after a funeral?" He said and stood and from pulled a key from his person, under one of the planks of the wooden floors there it was:
"Ever had one of these?" Yuri asked holding a single red and luscious seed to her mouth.
A box full of seeds of one-way tickets to the Underworld.
...And here is my oportunity to let people know how much of a mythology nerd I am, there are some aclarations I need to make:
- Rather than renaming the characters to their god's self and having to take space to describe them so people realize who they are I prefered to use the (aproximate) translation of the greek names as if they were titles rather than their actual names, don't question it, this is still fanfiction.
- If you have any familiarity with greek mythology (or like me are a mythology nerd) you'll realize I took some serious liberties with the family relations in this AU, just roll along with it, some of them where made for convenience others will actually be important later though.
- All, and I seriously mean all of the stuff mentioned in this story is inspired one way or another by actual religious, philosophical or research texts, obviously I tweaked with most of them too but I'll explain more in the next chapter.
- I realize some are very obvious but just in case the gods identities are as it follows: Reiji: Hades, Yuzu: Kore/Persephone, Ray: Demeter, Leo: Zeus, Himika: Hera, Yoko: Hestia, Yuya: Hermes, Yugo: Apollo, Rin: Athena, Selena: Artemis, Asuka: Aphrodite, Reira: Hephaestus, Yuri: Dyonisus, Mieru: The Fates (Moirai) *Spoiler Character*: Tethys (aka. Grand Nurse), others will be revealed in the next chapter.
