Music and dance

Io felt a bit better though when she ran into Leto, who was just as expected, not that far from Apollo.
" He loves the music you know", the tall, slender goddess told. She was wearing green as usual, a colour matching her olive skin, jade eyes and curly jacaranda hair. "I usually have to tear him away from sets like this one, and it saddens me so much. It's really beyond bed time for the twins now but I promised them they could stay at least until their father arrived. Faith knows that Zeus seldom have time for his young. I don't blame him, he has a tough, demanding job and I hold all the respect in how he's doing it. Still, the twins have all the right in the world to get to know their father as well."

" Where is – Artemis?" Io asked, blushing a bit at not being able to remember the girls name in an instant.
" Oh, she's around here somewhere…" Leto indicated with a swing of her head that she was not sure where. "While Apollo usually stays put where the band is his sister can run off to whatever she finds exciting. Maybe she has found her dad. I better go have a look. Would you mind keeping an eye on Apollo, Io, I guess he's not going to make any trouble. "

¤*¤*¤*¤

Leto had been wrong on that account, While she went looking for her daughter the band had taken a short break and meanwhile Apollo had sneaked up on the platform to check out one of the instruments, a large lyre. The little boy touched first a few of the strings, conjuring up beautiful sounds. Then he tried to lift the lyre, but it was too heavy for his little arms. And with a resounding crash the device slid to the floor. Little Apollo jumped back, tears forming in dark blue eyes. At the same time one of the music nymphs came running, worried and angered at the 'ignorant child' who had dared to touch her instrument.

Io was there first though, placing herself between Apollo and the raging redheaded musician.
" Is he your custodian?" the nymph snarled, twisting her otherwise comely face.
" He's the son of a friend of mine and I'm sure he meant no harm, he was just curious. Isn't that so?" Io turned over her shoulder, but Apollo had run off, disappeared in the crowd.
" Well if he has in any way damaged the lyre you will have to replace what it costs to fix it or get me another one. These things are our work tools, they are expensive ones and not toys for brats who really should be in bed by now. You can tell that to his mother or father or whoever is neglecting him. "

Io felt that such was something she could not tell the great Zeus but she only sighed when the nymph went to pick up her instrument.
"Look it has got a dent in its frame. Now the sound will be lessened and the rest of tonight's performance in jeopardy. I suggest…"

Next thing a commotion took place as the throng of gods and goddesses parted letting through no other than Zeus himself carrying his son on one arm.
" Now did I hear there is a problem with a jagged lyre?" the king asked, his dark voice almost booming in the large hall. (Wherever Zeus was you often heard it, Io thought). The nymph looked up, and suddenly all anger was gone, a trace of fear shifting over her face as she recognized the boy on Zeus' arm and understood the relation between Apollo and Zeus.

" I…" she started. "Your son wanted to see it and I guess he wasn't as careful as…"
" He's only four; you should not let such valuable pieces lie unguarded when you go off to the ladies room or wherever you went. Apollo meant no harm; he was just curious and interested. An interest that should be encouraged instead. Now, let me see the instrument!"

Reluctantly the nymph handed the lyre over to Zeus who took it in his free right hand. He turned it over and looked at it for a while, seemingly unbothered by its weight. Then he returned it.
" The dent is gone now; you can resume your performance. And next time, be more careful. "

Then he turned to his son:
" That goes for you too, Sunshine. If you want to look at an instrument like that, better ask its owner when she or he returns. I'm certain they'll let you see, feel, touch and hear it if you ask nicely. Now let this be a lesson for you to be more careful with other people's belongings in the future. "
" Sorry dad, I didn't mean to topple it," Apollo said and hid his face at his father's shoulder. Zeus patted him lightly at the head and then he turned to Io:
" Thanks for helping my son," the king said. "He's just a child and like all children more curious than careful. "
" I know", Io smiled. "Wasn't really a problem."

Behind them the nymphs took up their music again, a beautiful tune in tranquil minor. Io glanced at Zeus and the son he was carrying.
" Where did Leto go?" she asked conversationally.
" Oh she went to get Artemis who fell into the koi pond. The little rascalette!" Zeus was fighting a losing game against his own laughter it seemed.
" Artemis or Leto?" Io joked.
" Both, to be true." Zeus smiled. Then he went on: "I really ought to make sure this little gentleman is put to bed too. See you around, Io. "

¤*¤*¤*¤

A while later Io found Hera sitting down with some other deities and the queen nodded for Io to come over.
" How do you like it, your first Olympic party? Any interesting prospects coming your way?"
" Oh well, I keep running into talkative river gods mostly. And then some guy called Prometheus. Said he had been in the war with you and Zeus and that he was Zeus' chancellor for a while but that he had quit because he and the king disagreed on most things. Kind of a gentleman but a bit self centered. "

" Oh, you'll soon find them all to be, the gods," a petite redheaded goddess next to Hera piped up. She was clinging to her drink and appeared a bit on the tipsy side.
" Oh but you can't say that about everyone because you had some bad luck, Dione. You just have to keep on looking," the dark-skinned goddess on the other side of Hera said.
" Oh, easy for you to say, Nyx, who already have gotten hold one a bloke," Dione replied.
" Whom I might not keep for much longer. Erebus is terrible, he just keeps on grunting when you try to speak to him. I mean really; doesn't the man have anything to say?"

Io couldn't help thinking the other goddesses sounded quite a bit like wood nymphs. Where these the most intelligent, the most powerful beings on Earth? she pondered. Then she guessed she was disappointed. While Hera's friend kept on talking about this god or that goddess, Io let her eyes wander, checking out the gods. Unwilling to admit it even to herself she was actually looking for the host of the night – Poseidon. But then she had actually only seen him twice. First when he greeted the Zeus group in his outer hall and later when he held his welcome speech about an hour ago, just after the incident with Apollo and the lyre.

She really felt like sharing that story with someone, Hera perhaps. But she didn't know the goddess' friends and she had no idea of what they would make of it. So she kept quiet and soon Nyx left to dance with a blue haired fellow Io faintly remembered being called Oceanos. Dione excused herself and went for the ladies room, and with her went the tall, noble lady who had presented herself as Eurynome. That left Io finally alone with Hera.

" You don't look like you're enjoying yourself," Hera said.
" Well – I'm not sure. I don't dance and I feel a bit 'out of protocol' here, not really knowing how to behave. "
" Just be yourself, Io!" Hera encouraged. "That works well most of the times. And do reconsider about dancing, that's a great way to meet new people of the opposite sex."
" I just wish…" Io started and then she finished the sentence hanging in air.

" What?" Hera wanted to know.
" Oh nothing really." Then, to revive the conversation mostly, she told her friend about the event with Apollo earlier in the evening.
" Oh the little lad!" Hera smiled. "He's so fascinated with music, and really a sweetheart if you just break that shy barrier of his. It's easier with the girl. Artemis is cool with strangers most of the time, and even a bit too outspoken and sincere, which might get her in trouble when she gets older. "

" She'll need a rub"off, you mean?" Io asked Hera.
" Well it has to be performed with care, she's an intelligent and sensitive being beneath that rough surface. Raising children is a hard art that takes more than one clever mind, because each and every one of them are individuals and should be treated with respect and understanding. And at the same time made to comprehend that the world is seldom there to serve them all on a silver platter. Which might be hard to understand if you're a child of Zeus for instance. "
" He spoils the kids?"
" That's what Leto fears at least. I don't have that much experience with children yet. But I guess it's only a matter of time, Zeus and I have decided to start having them when the new palace wing is ready. It will be large enough for a dozen of children, Apollo and Artemis included. And Athena should she happen to come visiting."

" Who?"
" Zeus' oldest daughter. Didn't I mentioning her earlier? She lives with her mother in Tritonis, not far from Atlas' place. "
" Yes, I remember now. Themis'... no, Metis' child. I always confuse these two!"
" You're not the only one. Besides, Athena's hardly a child anymore, what can she be – in her early twenties? And while I haven't seen Metis in ages, Themis is still visiting Olympos now and then. I even think she's here tonight even if I have yet to spot her."

Hera get something distant, glanced to her looks like she was fearing that her precursor could still be able to wake an interest in Zeus, and thus turn into a threat against Hera. As if Hera had thought it out aloud Io laid a hand on Hera's white arm:
" I don't think you have to worry about any of these ladies. After all they left Zeus for a reason, and I don't think they have changed their minds about that now. "
" The reason was betrayal," Hera sighed. "And sometimes I fear that for myself too. But then I shrug it off. Zeus wouldn't have gone through such a hassle convincing me he was the right for me if he planned to betray me. He ought to have learned from these mistakes by now. After all he has learned from his mistakes in other parts of his life."

Hera was interrupted by Nyx returning, with some gods in tow, one of them asking Hera up for a dance. When Hera accepted the gallantly offered hand she nodded to Io:
" Remember what I said about dancing. It can be fun and it can be serious, it's entirely up to you. "

So Io accepted the dance with the god with fudge brown eyes. He was as well carried as Hera's dance partner and he introduced himself as Krios. The man swirling around with Hera was Hyperion, father to Selene. Io had met him and his lovely wife Theia briefly earlier. The solemn nymph quartet had been traded in for some satyrs performing more up-tempo music with pipes and drums and Io realized it was actually fun to spin along in the arms of various gods. And later in the evening she got to see someone she'd never thought she'd lay her eyes on.

Io had just thanked Proteus for a dance, when suddenly a buzz reverberated through the assembly:
" Is it?"
" Can it really be?"
" He doesn't really look that fearsome. "
" Why is he here? "
" To pay his respect to an old brother in arms. He too fought by the side of Zeus."

Io turned and caught sight of the deity coming through the door. And he sure was something to look at. Tall and narrow-shouldered and dressed in all black leather beneath a likewise black cloak with red lining. His tar black hair was tied back from a pale face with deep-set eyes with an odd-coloured sheen, hawky nose and thin lips that didn't betray any kind of emotion. And with an aura of darkness and other-worldliness surrounded him which made it clear who he was. Hades – the main god of the underworld, ruling the yonder dimension just like Zeus ruled the Earthly realm.