'Why haven't I ever seen you before?' And her voice is gentle like the lapping of waves.

'Grandmother doesn't like me coming to the shore.' And he is young but already golden haired and sky-eyed. Rough material about to be hewn and shaped. 'She's worried someone might see me.'

'I see you.'

Zeus sat alone on the steps outside the palace on Olympus staring up at his skies. He had always been able to feel safe under them even when they raged with storm clouds. But not that night, he would have to act soon but he found himself continuing to put it off. He'd made his decision yes, but already he regretted it even if he knew or at least felt he had no choice.

'Zeus.'

The young king glanced up and his heart fell when he saw Metis, his wife and consort. Does she know I've been avoiding her? Does she know why? He wanted his heart to ache more, to feel a rush of love like he did when they were younger before the war. Justice perhaps demanding that this be painful, that the one who was about to perform such a crime suffer as much as their victim. But he knew his heart was absent. It was in the hands on a young goddess with large dark brown eyes. Not the blue grey of the Oceanid who stood in front of him.

Zeus forced a smiled and reached for her. "Sit with me, love.'

She smiled at him, it was a sad, worried smile. 'I've missed you,' She admitted as she sat down beside him. 'The bed . . . its been empty without you.'

'I know, I've been busy,' Zeus murmured as he pulled her against him, his lips brushing against her neck. 'You smell like the sea.' And he was thankful for the rush of nostalgia over their sun-filled days in Crete. Good, he needed that.

'You've been spending a great deal of time with Hera lately,' And her voice while not accusatory was definitely suspicious. 'I've seen the way you look at her. . . '

'Lets not talk of Hera,' He said with a roll of his eyes. Hoping to stray away from talk of his sister. Arguing wasn't going to make this easier. 'Do you remember that game we used to play on Crete?'

'Zeus I'm serious, I know about the affairs but the way you look at he-' Before she could finish Zeus had his mouth on hers. Wanting to make this as painless for her as possible, he wanted to suffer for this yes. But another part of him wanted this done with. His decision had been made. It was the same one his father had made. His siblings were worth more than anyone else, he needed to protect them.

'Play with me,' He whispered, managing a playful looking smile.

'You'll be the death of me you know that. Which game then?'

And Metis noticed any bitterness to her husband's laugh after that she didn't mention it.

'The one where we shapeshift. Can you still do it with that belly of yours?' Zeus asked, convincingly teasing as he gestured to her pregnant belly.

'Do you doubt me, Tallaios?' She said with that mischievous look in her eyes that had first made Zeus fall in love with her. 'Watch this I'll turn into something -'

'It better be small if you want to impress me, love.'

'Oh are you challenging me then, fine I'll turn myself into a fly.'

'Metis.'

'Hmm?' The Oceanid looks up, her hair is still wet from when she had risen from the sea.

'My mother's coming to take me to my father,' He watches her and gets what he can only describe as a hungry feeling in the pit of his stomach, his heart. . . and his loins. He wants her and badly wants her to want him too. "I'll . . . I'll miss you.'

She reaches for him, a cold, wet hand on his. 'But you will come back won't you?'

'Of course I will!' He insists. He's just a boy, and boys thank these things can last forever and they won't change no matter what happens. 'Metis . . . I love you.'

But boys are often wrong.

But only men know that.