Prologue
Mount Olympus
They were seated in throne room of Olympus when Zeus called the order. The Twelve Olympians, sitting on their respective thrones with Zeus on the platform, overseeing everything. Like always.
Hera couldn't be more jubilant with the new decree, her husband would finally stop meeting with mortals and spawning illegitimate children. She glared the twins, Hermes and Dionysus. She would now not have to worry about any other children gaining favours from her lord.
"Father, are you sure?" Athena asked, from her golden throne. She had been quietly debating the ruling her mind and she was still undecided. Demigods were of use, they fought for the gods when the gods could not. Yet it would be healthy to not be worrying about their safety. Having no child of her own, she could not understand what the other gods felt like. But she assumed it wasn't a nice feeling.
"I have decided Athena." Zeus called from this throne.
"What about love?" Aphrodite spoke up. "How would I create love if I am not able to see the humans? Do you presume me to mate the gods together?" She spitefully asked caressing a lock of dark hair.
Harmonia didn't posses the wings or the will to help with her work. Phobos and Deimos were too ugly and bloodthirsty to be gods of love. She hoped her fourth child would be just what she wanted. She stroked her tummy still flat. She knew it was a matter of time before it was born but until then she could change her figure to hide it. It was more Ares wrath she feared then Hephaestus. She still had not told him and didn't plan to.
"What use is there of love? Only you care of that, everyone is content with their lives." Ares looked at Aphrodite before turning back to his father. "War is something that Mount Olympus needs. I could always make something come up."
"No one travels around Mount Olympus father." Hermes called.
"STOP." Zeus roared silencing all the murmurs and bickering. "I have made my decision and it will not be changed. There will be no interaction with the mortals from here on. Gods will stay in the heavens and mortals will stay below."
Hermes knew is new decision would only end in chaos. The mortals were the playthings of the gods, how were they to do so, if they could not even move the pieces. He wasn't about to speak up against Lord Zeus when he was in such anger, nor when Ares seemed to be father's side. He had not missed the look his way by Lady Hera; he would need to be weary of her for some days.
"Father, you need to understand many of the gods here become inadequate if connections were drawn. They would turn on themselves, causing anarchy in the heavens." Athena reasoned.
"Athena is right, father." Artemis spoke from her new form. She normally donned a small girl when out hunting, yet this was the council she needed to be recognised. "We have already seen the implications of such with Eris. I would prefer to control my free will as would my hunters."
"We rely on the mortals, albeit less than they do, but closing off Olympus seems to be fatal." Apollo called.
"Violence is not something I wish within Olympus, we have overthrown the Titans that should not go in ill faith." Zeus started. "What I am to say will be final and anything against will not be taken to account. The gates of Olympus will be open, and Gods are to do as they wish. Yet they cannot pursue a mortal or mate with them. They can be influenced," he nodded and Aphrodite, "and war is acceptable. Anything apart from a sexual desire for the mortal will be approved."
"What if this were to be disobeyed?" Hera asked.
"That is for the council to decide. We are not a dictatorship like our fathers; we are a democracy, something we have passed on. The passing stand with me but we all have equal say." Zeus reasoned.
It brought no joy to Zeus to know that they would not be able mate with the mortals but that was something he would have to bear. Too many have died due to their desires, this had to end. Theseus, Achilles, Heracles they had all had a bad life. They wouldn't have been born were it not for the irrationality of the gods. It would be safer to outlaw the crime, although it was only a matter of time before it was broken. He just hoped it wasn't by him.
Before another word could be said an ear-piercing sound vibrated over the marble pillars. Between Artemis and Hephaestus, Aphrodite clutched her stomach and the armrest of her throne. Her dark hair covered her face as she bent her head to concentrate the pain. Her azure eyes closed and her lips pressed into a neat line.
The gods looked around at each other as to what could have caused the goddess to convulse in pain. Ares held his hand in innocence showing he had nothing to do with it, although they knew he could not have. He was on the other side, requested by Hephaestus.
"I feel you should all leave." Artemis shouted to be heard over the screams. She smoothed the hair back and rubbed Aphrodite's back.
"What is the matter?" Hephaestus asked, not touching his wife. He already knew the answer, and that it wasn't his.
"She's in labour." Artemis softly said, yet everyone heard and the males ran from the throne room as fast as they could. Zeus even turned into an eagle to fly overhead out from the door.
"I feel I would be no use here. I should leave." Athena called edging closer to the door.
"Return Athena." Demeter called. "I am sure you will be most insightful."
"I mean no offense ladies, but I was not born the conventional way, I leaped from my father's head, and am a virgin goddess. I am the least knowledgeable of these rights."
Artemis sensing the argument told Athena to leave and calm down the women who had most probably congregated outside the room.
Kopkos
Zoe kicked their feet in the puddle the maids had made, it was a scorching day and she had been sent out by their father. At five she was a snobby girl that always got what she wanted, being the first to leave the palace. This meant that Zoe thought she was better than everyone else, even her baby sister. She had already begun to take some of her mother's jewels and wore them to dinner. However she was never told off, instead her mother brought her jewellery to wear. Zoe had brown hair curled into a bun, even though it did not look appealing and she was too young. She wore her clothes with pride, and they were always variations of blue to match her eyes.
Zoe watched from the luxury of the palace, as people worked the land, she couldn't wait until she was old enough to help them. She could make laws to help them and provide peace to her lands. Yet for that she would need to be married and hope that her mother did not have a boy. As the oldest daughter so would inherit the throne, and the kingdom she married into. The land would be magnificent, but to do that she would have to get rid of her prettier younger sister which wouldn't be too difficult. Alexis was always a sickly child, no one would want to marry her.
"My Lady, your father calls you to the throne room." One of the servants told her.
She rose from the water and straightened her dress. "Yes good, now go clean the stables. I have practise after later on." She gave a wave of her hand, something she had seen her mother do. The servant bowed and walked away.
Walking in the throne room she saw her father talking to some-one with grey hair, both looked rather frustrated talking with their hands. Her father was frequently running his hand through his brown locks and taking sips from the nearby goblet. There was no-one else in the room, showing the topic was confidential. Zoe announced her presence through a small cough and the other man turned to face her. She had seen this man many times, yet mostly when he looked after her sister.
"Ah Zoe. I have some news for you that will please you. Your mother is having a child, so you will have another little brother or sister." Her father said, and Zoe faked happiness. She did not want another sibling it lowered her chances of the crown.
"Father that's great. I hope it's a girl then I can dress it in little dress I have."
"Yes child I'm saw the child will love that. However I will need you to feed your sister as Cirio helps your mother. Do you understand?" Zoe nodded at the request and made her way to the chambers.
Outside the door she saw the small maid that was holding the plate of food. No one was allowed to feed Alexis except the royal family or Cirio. Zoe told the maid to sit Alexis on the bed so she could be fed.
Alexis was two years younger than Zoe, constantly overshadowed by her sister and constantly unwell. She had the dark brown hair that ran through her family yet it faded into a much lighter brown. Her eyes were also different to the families, a subtle green colour, processed by no other member of the royal family. Zoe had always been jealous of her sister beauty, she had the lovely green eyes that no one had ever seen.
"Zoe, have you brought a dolly for me to play with?" Alexis asked her eyes widening with hope.
"Of course not. Alexis I have brought you food, you're much too sick to play." Zoe reasoned while placing a spoon of soup into her sister mouth.
"Cirio says I am improving, would you like to see?"
"Not right now. Finish your food." Alexis nodded too quickly and Zoe saw back in pain.
"Try to move slowly, I don't think you should show me the improvements you've made."
"Can I have a dolly to play with then?"
"No."
"What's happening in the palace?" Alexis asked before taking a spoonful. Zoe thought whether to tell Alexis about their mother, it would just add strain. And it made Zoe seem older to know something Alexis did not.
"Nothing much." She gave Alexis some bread but forget to tear the hard shell off. Alexis went into a coughing fit and her eyes began to water. Shocked by the sudden noise, Zoe dropped the food onto the bed meaning the liquid food spilled onto the smaller girl causing her to scream so more. Zoe quickly left the room, leaving the sick child coughing, screaming and gasping for air.
Mount Olympus
It was a boy.
The goddess Aphrodite had another child, much more beautiful than the last three and already much more troublesome. He kept on screaming until he was given to his mother, yet even his voice was angelic and hypnotic. She called him Eros.
Aphrodote knew this was the child she was waiting for. The one that would help her with her cause and instil love and desire in people's heart.
"Who's the father?" Zeus asked one day after everyone had stopped coming to see the small Eros.
Everyone was seated in the throne room and young Eros was with Harmonia elsewhere. Zeus hoped it was not a mortal. Imagine the chaos if one the day a law was created it was also broken.
"It is not mine father. I expect no interaction with this child." Hephaestus swiftly called, yet no one was surprised. They had already made their conclusions as to who the father was, and so had he.
"It's me I presume." Ares called from opposite her. "Unless you've been unfaithful with someone else too."
"I am not a common whore, I have certain standards." Aphrodite called.
"They are certainly not very high if you have been with Ares." Athena commented.
"Dear sister, you do wound me so." Ares answered back, he would get her back another time. He could cause a war in the lineage of Odysseus, that would teach that quick tongue sister of his.
"Aphrodite will you have single hold over the child?" Hera asked, bringing the conversation back to topic.
"No she will not." Ares answered to the surprise. He rarely wanted interaction with Harmonia, who was placed completely in Aphrodite's care.
"Excuse me. I do believe this question for me."
"You see after three children with you I understand that having it live with only one of us is a very had decision. Harmonia is much too soft now and the twins to not understand when it is enough. Eros will learn the balance and be the better of two worlds. So to speak." Ares reasoned.
"So he does think." Hermes called. "And here I thought you were with him for his good looks."
"You WILL NOT have my child." Aphrodite emphasised.
"Father I do believe Ares should have some involvement in young Eros. A child needs a both parents something that Ares know. Aphrodite could not understand this." Athena started. "The best way to enforce the new law is to show unity within the council first. If we support each other than the other gods and goddess will follow. Even Enyo can be swayed I believe."
"I have decided, Eros will remain with his mother." Zeus held a hand up to stop anyone from talking, " he will stay for only five days of the week. Saturday and Sunday Eros will stay with Ares. The children, Harmonia and the twins, are allowed to go to whichever parent they want."
Even as Zeus talked, he knew that Eros will only cause trouble when he grew up.
Kopkos
Alexis screamed at the top of her lungs as she could feel the heat around her. it was all consuming and she could feel herself dying. She clutched the toy Cirio had given her and then threw it at the wall. If she kept the toy no one else would get to play with it. The little deer would be little help when she was in the fields of punishment.
Zoe had told her that evil children would go to the fields when they died, and Alexis frequently felt like she was dying. She had been bad, she had never told her mother when she hadn't eaten all her food or when she could not feel anything below her waist. The feeling had returned later on in the day when her father rearranged the covers on her bed.
Alexis then heard something terrible, her mother was screaming much louder then she had, which meant she must be hurting a lot more. Alexis slowly pulled back the cover, hearing the crash as the bowl fell to the ground. She shielded her eyes and her legs gave way as they could not stand on their own. At three years old, she crawled out of her room and towards the noise.
As she reached the noise her legs began to burn, as did her arms. She sat down; leaning against a wall in a part of the palace she had never seen before. The screaming stopped soon after and Alexis hoped her mother a safe journey to Hades. Goddess Artemis must have been very busy or must not have liked her mother very much.
Alexis vision drew back as her head began to ache and her eyes began to sting. She prayed to Artemis to keep her safe she fell to the ground.
Done
I know I didn't introduce Eros or Psyche but this is the prologue so I was setting the setting before the story actually started.
I know I never made the sisters very evil, but they are only young and they will get older.
There is a reason for Alexis being so sick, and it will be explained later on.
I made Phobos and Deimos twins as there is nothing to indicate that they weren't.
The two sister do have very different personalities and unlike the myth only one will lead Psyche astray, if she even does.
I will try and follow the myth, and other that I may interweave into the story, but their may be some difference.
Please review
