Authors note: my greatest tragedy is not being able to write all day and being to lazy to double check for errors orz. I'm thinking about making an origin story about Athena but being new to fan have not figured out yet how to add chapters. oh well tell me what you guys think. thanks!
Athena probably should have known better than to bless a person who was the offspring of madness. Athena had been one of the gods to feast with Tantalus interested when he said it was a banquet nobody was likely to forget. The appetizer was good roasted greasy pig, mushrooms, large shrimps, and herbs the wine was divine not as good as nectar but good. Tantalus was a pleasant host joking and charming but his two kids that had attended were pale keeping their eyes to the plates the whole time and not muttering a word. Athena at first assumed it was because they were afraid of them but then thought better of it; they were known to be rude believing themselves to be equals of the gods, had Tantalus forced them to come.
She remembered he had three children; where was Pelops? Did he think because he was a king now he did not have to grace the gods with his presence and why were the younger siblings quaking in fear? No, the girl Niobe had for a second glanced at her father and then looked back at her plate repulsed. Something else was going on here. The servants were also pale, trying to shadow their faces and quickly fade to the walls huddling into small groups, keeping safe distances from the long enormous table. Athena tried something; she emptied her wine cup and held it out to the closest group trying to look as harmless as possible, she even gave them a drunken smile. The group panicked looked between themselves and pushed the skinniest boy from the outer wall of the circle. Frightened as a lamb he almost tripped on his own two feet, he dipped the clay jar filled with purple wine his hands shaking trying not to spill. He bowed but not before fearfully glancing at Tantalus. Yes, something was going on but what? Was Pelops absence some type of insult or was he trying to avoid some great evil.
"Oye sister what troubles thou?" Hermes whispered chewing on a mango. He was a teenager and politeness was never one of his forte. Athena raised a brow.
"Did something on my face show?" she was always solemn in the company of the other gods or mortals never letting her face reveal anything.
"Your stoic mask is as perfect as ever. However, it did come to my attention that dearest Nike seemed concerned and has been studying your stunning face for quite a while." Nike's red eyes bore into Athena's soul. She had followed the clues Athena had noticed and was wondering what trap Tantalus had set if there was one to begin with. Athena toasted to her, their way of saying that things were under control and drank.
"Why were you staring at Nike, Hermes?" she asked irked at her brother.
"I watch anyone that is beautiful but that does not mean I act on my urges. She is stunning though caramel hair, eyes that send arousal into ones veins, scrumptious figure." He shot Nike a wink and Athena regarded him with a strained smile.
"Best keep it in your chiton brother."
"Now, now don't get jealous you're a close second to Aphrodite." He was playing with her as he did sometimes to lighten her up. He was genuinely worried so Athena turned away from them to Tantalus a couple seats away.
"Tantalus where is thou eldest son Pelops king of Pisa?" she said straightforward. The gods near them became quiet for when Athena spoke it was a good idea to listen. Tantalus only grinned at her and got up.
"Goddess Athena wisest of Olympus my son is in the kitchens and is preparing the entrée but it is not right for a king to cook and the main course has been delayed long enough. I shall go bring it forth so we all may eat and fill our bellies." Bowing he walked away.
Athena hadn't been looking at him while he spoke instead at the mortals who had all cringed at the mention of Pelops. Her peers felt the tense atmosphere and looked at Athena for answers. She remained quiet waiting for father and son. He didn't arrive for a long time and nobody spoke finally in the language that only the gods knew Hera queen of Olympus broke the silence.
"What ails you daughter of Zeus?" who could refuse their queen.
"Queen of us all, something is wrong here I sense a great maliciousness from my half-brother Tantalus. I fear he mean to do us evil." Hera never liking her husband's bastards believed her, Zeus was more hesitant.
"Owner of Aegis what makes you believe so?"
"The mortals tremble father. His children have not spoken at all." Zeus frowned.
"That means nothing all mortals cower at our glory." Athena nodded.
"Yes, but they are also marveled by us. These dare not raise their eyes from the floor not out of piety but it is as if they know they have reason to fear our wrath." Even as they spoke the language of the ancient the mortals became whiter than ghosts unable to comprehend but daring not to look at them until their master returned with the kitchen servants. When he did he sat Pelops still missing and his hundreds of servants served the gods meals on a silver platter. It was steaming freshly done stew.
"Forgive my tardiness. Please dig in." nobody did only Demeter who with Persephone still missing was vacant during the whole meal and important conversation. She took one gulp before Athena stopped her. Athena had been playing around the green liquid when lifting her spoon instead of a carrot the top of Pelops thumb came up. Sickened she shouted to Demeter to stop and rose like a storm to a terrified Tantalus.
"Vile one has thou butchered faithful son Pelops into pieces and hoped we consumed thy son!? Like Cronus had done to his children." the other gods had also picked out pieces of Pelops horrified. Demeter unfortunately had swallowed a small part of his shoulder. Tantalus two living kids backed away from the table but Tantalus remained petrified.
"Is this some savage joke meant to mock us? Answer me demigod!" Athena was furious.
"Tantalus thou shall pay heavily for this crime." Zeus promised and Tantalus disappeared into a puff of smoke.
The gods decided not to punish the other mortals and his children. They would resurrect Pelops sympathizing with him. It would have been kinder to let Pelops remain dead and to have killed the others too then they wouldn't have to suffer the misery that was to come; for if you angered the gods the fates saw it as their sacramental duty to befall tragedy upon the whole family. Niobe who was traumatized with the death of her brother and her father receiving eternal agony was sitting in a corner head resting on her knees. Athena filled with pity went to her.
"Do not fear me small one for I come with a blessing." This perked Niobe ears.
"You shall conceive 14 kids the sex will be an equal number. They will be the most talented of the land no one will match their beauty, grace, and skill. Finally, you shall be a queen of admiring people, happy and rich you shall wish for nothing." Athena finished.
"Thank you goddess." Niobe said. Satisfied Athena vanished with the rest of the gods.
Years later Niobe did get married to Amphion the king of Thebes. When she bore her first child Athena came disguised as a philosopher and became the boys tutor. She became the tutor of all 14 of Niobe's kids and jokingly nicknamed them the niobids. Under her guidance they grew to be wise, skilled, and fair princes/princesses. They were charitable to their people treating all of them equally. Niobe was very proud of her sons and daughter, and voiced it was often as she could which wasn't often because Athena fresh of turning Arachne into a spider a few years back always chastised her before she could finish.
"Do ye not remember boastful Arachne who for her arrogances was turned into a tiny spider? Let not thy pride cloud judgment be silent and humble in all things." (In truth this is just a cover story; the real story is… a story for another time).
But there came a day when Athena was busy making foreign negotiations with the Asgardians. That same day a festival was being held in honor of Artemis. The people brought in offerings for the goddess and the royal family was attending. Not all of the royal family for Niobe's brother Broteas had been cruelly killed by Artemis. Driven insane by her he leapt into a burning pyre his body was unrecognizable burned to a crisp mouth hanging in withering pain and horror. The family grieved heavily for their prideful uncle and Niobe didn't believe Artemis deserved her praise. In fact she felt angry and strong. She had given birth to the most amazing princes of the century blessed by Athena herself. They were good and beloved throughout the kingdom each child possessing a specific gift given by Athena: creativity, athleticism, wisdom, kindness, trustworthy, courage, fairness, determination, and more; all qualities used to benefit the kingdom. The priest in front of the statue dedicated to Artemis waiting for Niobe to present him with the expensive newly woven purple cloak decorated with pictures of woods, stages of the moon and stars. Her people behind watched knowing something big was about to occur. Niobe shrugged and said.
"You know what I don't want to." Baffled the priest stammered out.
"Your highness that would be an offense."
"My daughters spent hours weaving this so why shouldn't we keep it. What has Artemis ever given me," she turned to her shocked people "what has she given to any of you. Leto had only given birth twice but I had labored fourteen times! My kids are as good as hers. My daughters chaste, skilled, contain knowledge of the arts and are kind; my boys hunters, loyal, strong, brave and musicians. They have all been personally looked after by Athena. Have they not their whole lives worked to make yours easier." A murmur of agreement ripped through the crowd.
"Your highness, please stop least you anger the gods." The priest begged.
"Why not instead pray to us! We are more likely to help you not the gods. Do my children deserve to be worshipped?" Niobe knew she was getting carried away but couldn't stop.
"They do, they do!" the crowd chanted.
Above in the sky a very angry Leto had heard all of this; she summoned Apollo and Artemis.
"This woman dares to compare herself to us! She says her children are superior to you two!"
"Do not fret mother we shall make these mortals pay." Apollo said venomously stringing his bow.
"There is risk, Athena watches over them brother." Artemis pointed out.
"Athena is handling an important matter in a far of land. It will be to late for her to do anything once she comes back." Apollo informed her.
"Kill her children only," Leto said "let Niobe live the rest of her life walking in sorrow and grief." Leto sent the down.
The niobids boys were out racing around a beautiful clear lake. The younger boys were picking up shells to give to their mother.
"Ha-ha, hurry up Foy." Yelled the oldest one on his third lap.
"You picked the fastest horses." Said the other. There were two chariots and four boys so they teamed up. The smaller kids played on the lake after safely collecting the shells and putting them where the waves couldn't reach, splashing water at each other laughing joyously. That's when the first arrow flew hitting the little boy on the heart. He just thrust his chest our startled and looked down at his chest, shirtless he could see the sharp stone sticking out. His other brother shrieked alarmed. The injured one who had enhanced bravery looked at his frightened brother.
"run." Down he went to the reddening water. His last breath had been in vain because a second later the other brother was shot in his right eye. The one in the beach organizing the shells had heard the shriek and raising ready to tell his brothers was also killed instantly.
The older brothers remained ignorant of being hunted. Unable to hear with their loud hooting, the strained neighing, the rush of the wind, and the thrill of winning. They didn't all die from arrows. The chariots were neck on neck racing when Apollo shot the ones pulling the reins and the poor horses. The two boys slumped dead and the last surviving ones dyed when the horse's wild with pain slammed the chariots together.
Meanwhile in Thebes Artemis had murdered all six sisters. The youngest five years of age was cowering behind her mother Niobe. Artemis quiver at hand marched up to them.
"Mercy goddess please it should be me. Spare my youngest daughter. She has done nothing against thee, I was the one to rudely speak against you in your temple." Artemis was also angry at that and was about to shoot both mother and daughter when the girl got in front of her.
"No please not my mother." She was a lovely girl with hair that reflected the sun. She had selflessness and Artemis protector of young girls was touched by this act.
"No! Athena help." Niobe shouted jumping in front of her daughter only it was to late. The arrow had pierced the girl in the spleen. Sobbing she reached for her beautiful girl but Artemis came from behind her faster than a cheetah and lifted the girl into her cradling arms. The little girls face was serene and gentle. Artemis with the girl disappeared into the wilderness.
Somewhere in the northern lands where the snow falls heavily Athena felt a jolt go through her. Mortals could pray to the gods but it was up to them to listen or not. Athena naturally wanted to help the weak and to do that she had to help them. But she was a goddess and gods had a tendency to forget prayers in seconds (short attention spans). When gods received prayers it was like eating chocolate delicious but once eaten they moved on to the next thing. To fix this Athena made it so when mortals prayed to her she'd feel a small zap since you were less likely to forget pain. If they prayed to much it was just a vibration.
Anyways Athena was in Asgard wrapped in bear furs revising a scroll when she jumped an inch from the bed. She heard Niobe's plea for help and put the scroll down. Nike sitting between her legs, using her breasts as a pillow and reading with her, had felt her jump. She turned her head to look at her.
"Must have been a powerful prayer. Which hero has cried out for your help or guidance this time?" Nike asked in Chinese. It was the language Athena preferred to speak in privacy; nostalgic for her past home in china, her innocent carefree youth spent learning with her mentor Enki before he died.
"No it wasn't a hero. Remember Tantalus daughter Niobe?" she said in Chinese. Nike tried to recall.
The girl you gave your blessing to right?"
"Yeah, She's in trouble." Athena looked torn between doing what her father commanded her to do and what she was supposed to do. Nike kissed her neck and brushed her soft dark loose hair.
"Go I shall finish reviewing everything and if Odin calls I shall cover for you."
"But—"
"You can go willingly or I can drag and throw you out back to Midgard."
"Are you trying to get rid of me?"
"perhaps." Nike said sneakily.
In the end she was pushed out, Nike slamming the door on her face and calling her a workaholic. Returning to Thebes she heard by the frightened whispers of the mortals what had happened to her niobids. Walking into the palace she saw the guards carry their dead king who had committed suicide unable to bear his children's deaths. The whole country was weeping but no one more than Niobe; she was broken inconsolable crying without any end in sight. She held tightly the cloak that was supposed to go to Artemis.
"No not my children. I'm sorry…I'm sorry." She kept repeating. She didn't recognize Athena even without her disguise.
"Widowed mother I am sorry for your loss. Come I shall end your tragedy." With that Athena took her to Asia and turned her into stone unwilling to outright kill her. Zeus displeased at what had happened and thinking the whole kingdom was cursed turned all the residents into stone too. The niobids were left unburied for nine days much to Hades displeasure until Athena finally caught Apollo, Artemis, and Leto forcing them to help her bury them.