Chapter X Ares

I walked into the Great Hall. Today being Athena's birthday, I decided my birthday gift to her was not starting any wars for a week. The most I could do, since there are only fifty-two weeks and all.

I looked around the white hall. "Dionysus, you've really out done yourself this time." I chuckled, picking up one of the glasses.

My half-brother appeared, using his thumb and pointer finger to take the glass from me. "Can't you just wait until the party?" He asked me.

I shrugged. "What can I say? I'm thirsty."

"Yeah, well, you're not the one who had to set all of this out, so, you can't complain." The black haired boy told me.

I looked at the glasses again, seeing how finely sculpted they were. The stems were pure white, with either a white owl or dove feather design. The glasses were either filled with Ambrosia, or Athena's favorite white wine.

I rolled my eyes. There wasn't a correct emotion to describe how I felt about Athena. Her being the Goddess of Peace, and I War, of course we're going to clash. But sometimes she takes it too far. Like when we were fighting on top of a hundred foot tall wall when she asked me how it was like to fuck Aphrodite.

This, naturally, pissed me off because I've only kissed and complimented my brother's wife. So I nearly threw her into the waterfall crashing down next to us. Nearly.

Looking around, I wondered what would've happened. Being a goddess, Athena would've come back—Olympians are all immortal—but she might've changed. Sometimes I wonder what she would have been like, as a slightly different person.

"See you later, brother." I clapped the smaller man on the back, beginning to get lost in thought. I wandered to my room, fumbling with the knob.

"Need help?" I looked to see Athena, a condescending smile on her face.

"No," I snarled, finally opening the dam door. I'd have to ask Hephaestus to teach me how to fix that.

I don't know why, but Athena followed me into my room, softly closing the door behind her.

"We need to talk." She said, sitting on my bed.

"We do now? I don't think so." I said, annoyed.

She looked at me, her eyes sweeping over my body; taking me in…She'd never know how nervous she made me when she did that.

"It's my feast day." She began, crossing her legs. Being the man I was, I glanced at her toned legs. Chasing me around certainly paid off. "I want you to do something for me."

I frowned. Instantly, a no formed on my lips. I was about to respond when the door swung open.

"Ares! Guess who's here!" I recognized little Persephone's voice. I turned around and picked up my little sister, swinging her around. She laughed, and her monkey—Dusk—scampered up her shoulder.

"Tell me, pretty little one." I said to her, smiling.

"Uncle Hades and his friends! They came to wish Athena a happy feast day." She smiled, and then saw said older sister behind me. "Oh…Happy feast day, Athena." She said softly.

"Thank you, Persephone. I'll see you three later." She walked out, and I noticed the limp in her left leg. I had broken it when she accused me of fucking Aphrodite.

It's not like she didn't deserve it.

"Come on, Persephone. Let's go meet Uncle's friends."

"Can I bring Dusk?" She asked me, the silver monkey still on her shoulder.

I smiled. "Of course you can. I'm sure they'll love him."

She giggled in glee, causing me to continue to smile. If someone was ever depressed, just put them in a room with Persephone for five minutes.

I followed her down the hall, to my mother's chambers. We walked into her parlor, where she was waiting with Hades…

And two of the most beautiful people I'd ever seen.

Now, don't get confused, I've never, ever slept with a man, but I know how to appreciate beauty. These two captured it and made it their slaves. The girl, who I had to assume was the same one Apollo had been rattling on about last night, had the most beautiful light amber locks. They tumbled down in loopy curls.

She was wearing a light purple dress that would put anything Aphrodite could wear to shame. She didn't have an overtly curvy figure, but just the right balance. She had an iron belt resting above her hips, and I had to wonder if it'd been my mother or Hades who had given it to her.

The only thing on her face was simple lip paint. Nothing overtly dark, not too light either. It was a purple-ish pink that brought out her eyes and the stones she wore around her neck and in her hair. Both changed color as I looked at her. Even as they changed color, you could see them clearly against her slightly tanned skin.

Now the young man, who I guessed was the infamous Cerberus, stood slightly behind Hades, who had his arm around the girl, and my mother.

His grey hair was clearly natural, even though he couldn't be much older than me. His eyes were maroon, an interesting color for anyone. His cloths had to have been Hades's at one point or the other, not because they were ill-fitting, but just the color scheme. He wore a long sleeved white shirt that had a ruffled collar—the Victorian style that had yet to come into play on Earth, but us Olympians were all over—and iron cufflinks set with amethysts. Over that, he wore a black velvet vest with matching amethyst buttons. His pants were simple black fabric.

His boots caught my attention. I figured that they were his, or, they had to be a very old pair of Hades's, like before I was born old. The grey leather was embroidered with red into a complicated pattern and also studded with garnets.

I looked back up to his face. I realized he was smiling at me. That was one sexy smile.

"Ares!" My mother came over and hugged me. "How glad I am that you are here!" She said as I hugged her back awkwardly.

"Auntie, look at my new monkey!" Persephone said. Hera smiled at the grey monkey—which she would never admit had been her suggestion.

She turned around and walked over to Hades. "Uncle!" Dusk slid down her arm as Hades picked her up and swung her around. I had to think the nine year old loved the attention that being the youngest girl got.

Dusk came back to her, jumping back onto her shoulder. Persephone stroked the monkey's chest. "Uncle, if I introduce you to my monkey, will you introduce me to your friends?" She asked him.

Hades smiled. "I think they'd want to know you either way."

My half-sister shrugged. "Well, this is Dusk. He's my best friend, and I'm the happiest girl because of him."

The silver monkey's tail twitched, gently tickling Persephone's back. I heard her soft giggle as Hades gently pet Dusk in between his ears.

He stood up fully, having had to crouch down for Persephone and Dusk.

"Persephone, this is Cerberus." The beautiful young man stepped forward. "He's the fiercest protector in the entire world." Hades added, causing the grey haired youth to blush. He came closer, holding out his hand.

Dusk crept down Persephone's arm, cautiously. Then he jumped onto Cerberus's arm, letting the man pet him.

Meanwhile, the girl who had been next to Hades had been talking to my mother. She turned around, her dress working in just the right way to show off her body, and went to Persephone.

"Hello, little flower. I'm Hyenna." She said, smiling. Her smile was just as beautiful as Cerberus's. Hades was beyond Lucky, having these two with him most of the time.

"Hello, auntie Hyenna." She said.

Dusk, who had had a small hand in Cerberus's hair, let go and scampered over to Persephone. It was if he was saying what auntie?

Hyenna laughed. It was a bit of a nervous laugh, but I could detect the want behind it. Did this girl want to be with my uncle?