"When I said I would leave the choice to you husband dear I was at least expecting a pleasant surprise."

The sarcasm in Hera's voice was laid on heavily and once upon a time such a tone would have raised Zeus's hackles but it seemed in their time apart he had even grown to miss her sarcastic wit. Turning back to his wife Zeus smiled as her less than impressed ice blue eyes peered out at him, glinting even in the shadow of her cloak.

A cloak Zeus had conjured himself to keep her warm from the early morning breeze that blew in off of the sea. Not that a goddess could really feel the cold in the way the mortals did, by contrast they scurried about their business, the market area already busy as farmers brought their produce in from their farms to sell and traders set up their own stalls. All the while oblivious to the pair of immortals who wandered amongst them disguised from mortal eyes, appearing to the humans as a wealthy handsome couple and nothing more.

"You did say you wanted to get out of the house more often." Zeus teased reaching back and catching Hera's hand, pulling his reluctant wife along beside him.

"Yes but this wasn't quite what I had in mind." Hera retorted, her delicate noise crinkling as she passed a pen of pigs who stunk to high heaven…and their owner who smelt almost as bad. "Why bring me here…among these…"

"They are our children just as much as the rivers and mountains my dear." Zeus chided Hera slightly. "Besides I think you will be impressed at some of their accomplishments."

"Mortals." Hera muttered mainly to herself watching as her foolish husband was drawn into banter with some fisherman over the quality of his catch. "I will never understand your fascination with them."

"That is only because you haven't spent enough time with them!" Zeus insisted turning back to meet his wife's gaze. "I want you to understand…there is so much joy in their creation, so much for us to take pride in. Is it so wrong to want to be able to share this with you?"

To that Hera had no answer…no there was nothing wrong in wanting to share his thoughts and feelings with her but did he have to start with mortals? The one creation that had caused her the most pain. If Zeus thought spending a day in a stinking market surrounded by humanity was going to miraculous change her opinion of mankind then he was more deluded than she thought.

As far as Hera was concerned humanity embodied all of the worst characteristics and too few of the positive ones…they were so weak and faithless, they were like children only concerned with themselves and there here and now, never thinking ahead and considering their actions…Why take that foolish mortal right in front of her…

Hera watched as the old hunchbacked man searched and counted out whatever coinage he had on him, and was it for food or clothing that he spent the last of his coin…no it was on drink, wasting the last of his money on a container of wine.

"What has gotten you frowning now?" Zeus asked bemused as his wife continued to ignore him in favour of staring in disgust at some pathetic mortal.

"Just listen to him." Hera scoffed before turning back to her husband. "How you find anything admirable in this race I will never understand."

"Oh thank you...Thank you Cassius I shall not forget your kindness…May the gods bless you." The peasant grovelled and Zeus had to admit perhaps this hadn't been the best way to try and showcase humanities greater attributes.

Even the trader seemed offended by the man's cringing. "Just don't spread it around I don't want to be bankrupted. Now go before your wife realises you have vanished!"

"So he may not be a warrior or even a great thinker but he is at least devout and a devoted husband." Zeus argued rolling his eyes as his wife merely harrumphed in reply, her eyes locked on the servile little man who could barely carry the jar of wine by himself. In fact he staggered under the weight before accidentally knocking into a few larger and well-dressed men who turned on him in anger.

"Forgive me…" The peasant began only for his words to dry in his throat as one of the men took the jar from his arms and raising it high then threw it down to the floor. Hitting the ground with a terrible crack the jar broke and the sacred wine spilled out like blood over the ground.

Falling to his knees the peasant scrabbled trying to put the jar together to hold onto the last new dregs but they trickled through his fingers as tears fell down his cheeks. "No…Oh Zeus help me!"

Laughing the thugs merely kicked wine sodden dirt in his face. "Well cripple that is what happens when you don't pay attention to where you are going."

"But my daughter's wedding… the wine was to be the offering to Hera...My wife will never forgive me..." The man sobbed turning his pleading his eyes on the crowd before getting to his feet and staggering back to the wine merchant who shifted uncomfortably under the old man's gaze.

"Cassius please couldn't we come to some sort of arrangement..."

"I am sorry Regulus but that was the last cheap barrel I simply cannot afford to assist you." The wine merchant began.

"Then let me." Zeus interjected pulling a leather pouch from beneath his toga, ignoring Hera's startled gasp. "How much for your best wine Master Cassius."

"5 dinars a Jar." The merchant replied stunned as a moment before he could have sworn there was no one there and now this couple seemed to have appeared as if from nowhere.

"Excellent then we shall take two." Zeus added counting out ten glinting gold pieces into the stall keeper's sweaty palm.

Astounded by the expected kindness of generosity that was too much for Regulus to accept. "Oh kind sir I could not accept such a generous gift...There is no need for charity the God's will provide, they always have before, I will find some other offering for the goddess."

"How do you know this is not the god's will?" Zeus questioned with a chuckle, pushing aside the man's objections. "Please I insist"

"But..."

"I assure you I will not be swayed from this action Master Regulus." Zeus insisted, infusing his mortal voice with some of his godly majesty and power. After all he was Zeus, even is disguise what right had a mortal to argue with his will?

Placing a restraining hand on Zeus's arm Hera chided him for his temper with a look. "What my husband means to say is please accept them as a wedding present to bless your daughters happy day and with them our fondest thoughts and blessings, after all such a day should be one of joy and not a moment of strife should enter it."

Bowing his head slightly Regulus reluctantly accepted, something about this powerful couple convinced he dare not to do otherwise. "In the face of such kindness and such beauty how could I possibly refuse?"

"Good." Zeus added. "So that is settled…I wish you well Master Regulus…"

"However in some small way I must offer recompense." Regulus cut in surprising Zeus; no one had dared to talk over him in centuries, well if you discounted Hera and Hercules. "I insist if you and your lovely wife do not have other plans I would be honoured to invite you to attend the wedding...Please I must insist after all it is only right that you sample some of your wedding present."

Amused by the dumbstruck expression on her husband's face Hera had to stifle a laugh. It seemed mortals may have a use after all, if only to bring Zeus down a peg or two, and since this whole outing had been his idea let him suffer through it some more.

"We have no pressing engagements and would be honoured to attend." Hera answered before Zeus could decline her smile only growing as she felt her husband buzz with anger at her impudence. "Come my dear it should prove educational if nothing else." Hera teased low enough for only her husband's ears.

Harrumphing himself Zeus had no choice than to offer Hera his arm, easily lifting the second wine jar with his superior strength as the crippled Regulus struggled under the weight of the first leading them out of the marketplace and towards the docks.

"I am afraid it will be more simple than you are used to. I hope our humble festivities will not be too far beneath you." Regulus called back, envying the older man for his stronger frame, which despite the long silver mane proved to be stronger than Regulus's own.

"The richness of a gathering is in the character's of those persons present not in the lavishness of the arrangements, or so I have always believed." Zeus answered primly much to Hera's amusement.

"Thank you...Although I fear my wife may be slightly overwhelmed by the presence of such important people at our little gathering and may not share such noble sentiments." Regulus added as they came to their destination, a small fishing boat moored up against harbour wall, the sides and rigging decorated with wild flowers. It was simple but festive.

"In that thought women, I believe, are universal." Zeus retorted this time much to Hera's displeasure.

"Regulus where have you been? Jonas's parents have been here above an hour and I have had nothing to offer them...Oh...I forgive me My Lord...My lady..." The wife's rant quickly came to an end as she caught sight of the guests with her useless husband, guests dressed far finer in what was for them everyday where than the bridal family was in their finest garb.

"Miriam fear not everything is hand but please let me introduce...forgive me but in all the excitement I forgot to even ask your names." Regulus babbled as his wife attempted to gather her calm and fix her appearance.

"My name is Pankratios and this lady I am honoured to call wife is known as Hypatia." Zeus replied as he smothered a smile at Hera's bemused expression at his selection of names for them.

"We are honoured by your presence please let me get you some refreshments." Miriam insisted ushering her new guests aboard and to a prize spot at the stern of the boat where the more expensive looking cushions provided a place for guests to rest their ease.

"Tell me Pankratios dear how do you think our hosts would react if they knew you chose your name literally?" Hera hissed her eyes narrowing at her husband's amusement as Zeus escorted her to their seat.

Sinking into the soft cushion Zeus chose to silence any more of her objections, pressing his lips briefly to hers he relished Hera's sudden intake of breath before adding, "Hush wife."