The Scarlet Crown

by addine995

Their affair would have to remain a closely guarded secret. For if the King found out, he would strip them both of their royal status and to hell with laws and traditions. Aphrodite might be able to get away with it, but Ares would certainly not. Zeus had already threatened him one too many times. He ought to behave or he'd lose the few privileges he had. Please R&R.

21. Chapter 21

A/N: OK so I figured I have a very bad habit. I talk A LOT. I was going to explain a few things but my brain's officially gone. I'll just tell you that Erotokritos is an actual poem and you can listen to its many different song versions on YouTube (there's one of Ross Daly which I strongly recommend but it's only music), Despotiko is an actual island in the Cyclades, it has lots of antiquities, and it is also uninhabited. I'm basing the Oceanides family off on the Niarchos/Onassis families, but without the tragedies that plagued those two families and both of these tycoons owned islands in Greece. Plus, I am taking tons of artistic liberties with Dione's family but still I'll try to keep them as close to their mythological counterparts as I can. Plus I've arranged their family tree according to what is written in a website called . So, in short, if there are any inaccuracies, do let me know :) And Dione's security code name is a reference to the late Princess Diana - her own security code name was 'Purple Five Two'.

Also, uni has started and that means I will not be able to update as often as I used to. The chapters might get smaller but I have no idea how long it will take for me to finish this. I might end up making it a trilogy and have each "book" of it consisting of 50-60 chapters each :P

As always, reviews are welcome (and I'm sorry for my endless blabbering :D).

---

23 December 2006

Oceanus and Tethys' home, Kensington, London

The place was a mess, but it was to be expected. Before the staff had managed to tidy up their employers' things, they had to pack up again so that their mistress, Dione Oceanides, would be able to travel back to Greece. Everyone knew that her hurried decision to fly to Athens first thing in the morning had to do with the Crown Princess, yet no one had managed to find out the reason. Not even the rest of the Oceanides family.

All that they knew was that Her Royal Highness had sent a very long email to her mother. Context unknown. But if Dione's behaviour was anything to go by, then something very serious must have happened.

Worried as they were about Aphrodite, the Oceanides family couldn't hide their disappointment. Dione, Tantalus, and their children - namely Pelops, Broteas, and Niobe - had arrived from New York only the night before. They had been the last to join the rest of the family. Therefore, their arrival signaled the beginning of the celebrations. Christmas was always a family affair for them. It was already bad enough that Aphrodite could never join them because she had engagements to attend to in Greece. Dione made them worried that something terrible had happened to her. Yet, she had been adamant.

As had been Tantalus. Since Dione had told him about her decision before they went to sleep the night before, he hadn't stopped expressing his disappointment every chance he got. Not even shaving while being jet-lagged could stop him:

"She's twenty-six years old! Not a freaking child anymore!"

His deep and hoarse voice echoed from the en-suite bathroom to the main bedroom. There, Dione had been busier giving instructions to her maids about which clothes, shoes, and accessories she'd like to take with her and which outfits needed extra care. She had already taken two aspirins to soothe her headache, but the best treatment for it would be if Tantalus would stop yapping at last.

She hadn't told him that she hadn't slept at all the night before. The sedative she had taken hadn't helped at all either. Yet she had remained in place, not wishing to disrupt Tantalus' peaceful slumber. Eventually, she had given up and had gone for a small walk in the balcony instead. She hadn't cared about the piercing cold. On the contrary, it had helped her think about the email again. It had upset her more than she would dare admit. She had had a bad gut feeling for days and now it had been confirmed.

Aphrodite... having an affair with Ares!

The more Dione thought about it, the more eager she was to leave. She had to see her, talk to her, help her in any way she had to... Her daughter was in trouble and only she could give her the helping hand. But she couldn't do so with her husband yapping as much as he did:

"I'm not having this conversation again!" she shouted, throwing a dress in her suitcase. She didn't have to, yet she helped the maids just to keep busy. It always helped calm her down somehow.

Tantalus was having none of that nonsense, however. He stepped into the lavish bedroom, not caring about looking ridiculous in his underwear and with shaving foam all over his cheeks and chin. It was definitely a sight the staffers would gossip about later.

"Yes, you will!" he shouted, holding up the razor. Dione stopped what she was doing and let out a long sigh. Tantalus continued unabated: "We have told your parents we'd be spending the holidays with them! For heaven's sakes, wife, your mother's in her mid-eighties and your father's in his nineties! You keep worrying every single year that this Christmas might be their last yet now you just up and leave as if your perfectly healthy and grown-up daughter is suddenly suffering from a deadly disease!"

"I said, I don't want to talk about it anymore!"

Tantalus had enough. Wiping the foam off his face with the towel on his shoulders, he started to follow Dione around the room. The servants surely found the sight amusing. Hardly ever did they get to witness the pair disputing. Yet, every time they did, Dione either got too stubborn to reply or she came up with some great one-liners to make her husband shut up. They always sided with her. It was odd. Everyone despised Tantalus, yet they all loved and respected Dione. Not only was she the very definition of a lady, but she was also the mother of the most beautiful and famous princess in the world and an enigma to almost everyone, except for her friends, family, and people working for her.

"It's so damn convenient for you to leave the conversation when it suits you!" Tantalus shouted while he was stepping back into the en- suite. While he was doing that, Dione had kindly and calmly asked the three maids to leave them alone. They were more than willing to do so. They were just so eager to share the news with their colleagues!

Once Dione and Tantalus were left on their own, Dione sat down on the bed and crossed her arms and legs. She could hear their giggles from behind the closed door. She knew perfectly well what that meant.

"I hope you're proud!" she said, staring at her husband. "Now everybody will be talking about your temper again!"

"I don't give a damn about them!"

Tantalus stepped back into the bedroom. He was freshly shaved and smelled of aftershave. Plus, he had also managed to cut himself. Again. No matter how many times Dione had kept reminding him that he should not shave while they were arguing, he never listened to her. She had realized a long time ago that it was no use. They were both stubborn people.

He opened the closet and took out a white shirt and black trousers. While she was watching him getting dressed, Dione couldn't help thinking what a nice little metaphor his choice of colours was about their marriage. She was white, he was black. She was always the first to stop the fights and he always caused them. They disagreed on many things, like every married couple. The children's upbringing, the family's finances, a wrong choice or decision either one of them had made... and about whether or not she was too attached to Aphrodite. She replied calmly: "Good. Because I don't care about what you think, either."

Tantalus was taken aback. He stared at his wife. Keeping her posture, she explained to him calmly, yet close to a yelling: "She is my daughter! And she needs me! She wouldn't have sent me such a long email at three in the morning if she wasn't in trouble!"

"If it's her fault, she should get herself out of the dirt! She doesn't need you to save her! You have other kids to worry about too!"

"Those are here with me! She's not."

Ah! Once again she was playing the same card! Aphrodite was away so she had to worry about her far more than she worried about Pelops, Broteas, or Niobe!

"Listen to me!" Tantalus said, raising his pointer finger at her in frustration: "If this is an excuse...!"

Dione knew that his threats didn't mean anything. Confidently, she stood up and made her way to the side of the bed, where her suitcase - one of the three she'd take with her - was resting. She had no idea for how long she would be staying, so she had better be prepared for everything. Zipping it, she said: "Threaten me all you want, I've made up my mind!"

"Aha!" Tantalus brought his hands to his hips and looked at the ground for a few moments. When he looked at Dione again, she had just took the suitcase off the bed and was currently placing it by the door, along with the two others. "And you are going to do what exactly? Help her? She's a fully grown adult. She's the future queen! What if there's a political crisis or a scandal and she has to take responsibility? Will you be there to hold her hand too? Such a ridiculous sight!"

Dione pretended not to listen. She checked the closets and her dressing table once more to make sure she had not forgotten anything. She would not take a maid with her. She could manage perfectly fine by herself. Besides, she had booked a suite at Aphrodite's hotel. She would get some help from her staff if she so desperately needed it, although she very much doubted it.

Still, she had to give Tantalus the answer he was so desperately looking for: "It's Zeus. Are you happy now?"

All of a sudden, Tantalus' behaviour changed. He was no longer angry but concerned. It was no longer Aphrodite's fault then. Zeus had messed up and Dione had to go change his mind or whatever she had to do this time.

"What's he done now?" he asked.

"I can't tell you."

"I'm your husband!"

"It's her secret! It's a state secret... In any case, the fewer people know about this, the better."

Tantalus approached her. She touched her forehead. The migraine was stronger now and she was wishing that the flight and the stress that came with traveling wouldn't take their toll on her. It didn't matter that she was traveling by her and Tantalus' private jet; in fact, the only difference it had to commercial airplanes was that it was more comfortable and could get her in less than three hours instead of four. But when she noticed Tantalus in front of her, she raised her head to face him.

"Is it that serious then?" he asked gently.

She nodded. "You need to give her more credit. She has done perfectly well for herself. Other women in her situation would have gone mad! She could do perfectly fine without me. But I have to go. Maybe I'll do more harm than good. But I will never know for sure unless I go there."

He hugged her and rocked her gently. She welcomed that gesture. Then he said to her his sole real complaint throughout their marriage: "I just wish you would divorce that family already!"

He couldn't break the bond between Dione and Aphrodite, but he didn't mind that as much as his anger made people believe he did. However, he had grown tired of people treating his wife as if she was still a member of the Greek Royal Family, when it was obvious from her attitude for the past twenty-five years that she had wanted nothing to do with them and, wasn't it for Aphrodite and her fame, Dione would've been largely forgotten. As if she never existed. But she couldn't help it that she had been so famous during her short tenure as the Crown Princess, or that her daughter happened to be Zeus' eldest legitimate child and the first female future queen of Greece.

Dione smiled. Breaking the embrace, she explained to him once more: "She's my daughter. Besides, I had told you when you had proposed that I would never leave her. You knew all along that my life is... extraordinary. Whining about it now won't change things. It's been twenty years!"

Tantalus snickered. He just loved that woman! At forty-nine, she was as radiant as she had been the first day he had seen her at her and Zeus' engagement party. He had spent two years wishing silently that she would notice him in the crowd, yet he hadn't dared do anything out of respect for his best friend, the Crown Prince. He couldn't just steal his fiancée. But, Zeus had given him the solution. Dione had come to his house one night unexpectedly, with baby Aphrodite in her arms. She had been looking for a shoulder to cry on. He had made a makeshift cradle for Aphrodite, offered Dione the strongest drink he had, and he had listened to Dione as she had been telling him that her husband and her best friend had been having a secret affair. A year later, Dione and Zeus had been waiting for their divorce to be finalized, her former best friend had been on her way to become the new Crown Princess and future Queen, and everyone had been trying really hard to conceal the scandal that had broken out and which might have even caused Zeus the throne. Dione had also been disputing with the Palace about her and Zeus having joint custody of Aphrodite. King Cronus had been adamant that his granddaughter would have been raised royal and have almost nothing to do with the Oceanides family, except perhaps to invite them to royal events because they were family. Yet, Zeus' opinion prevailed. He had listened to Dione's wishes and he had wanted to come across as modern. Thus he had convinced the Palace and the Parliament to make an exception to the law. After all, under Greek law, Dione ought to have been granted the custody in the first place, since that's what it would declare. But considering that Dione wasn't a royal by birth and that Aphrodite was, Aphrodite would have to stay with her father, which would be in favour of royal tradition, yet against the law. So, the only solution would be for Aphrodite to spend half her time with her mother and the other half with her father. In the long run, and judging by Aphrodite's behaviour, that decision backfired in favour of her maternal relatives.

Still, as Dione would kindly remind him, once a royal, always a royal. Either by birth or by marriage. It didn't matter.

"Go, then," he said. "Make new secrets and promises that the father and the stepfather should never find out about!"

Dione chuckled. "I'll be back as soon as possible, I promise. If not, we'll meet again in New York next year!"

He looked into her eyes again and held her close. "Very funny!" he said sarcastically.

They remained like this, quiet, for a few seconds until the door opened suddenly and the sound of little feet filled the room. Dione suddenly felt someone hug her legs and she looked down, only to find Niobe in her pajamas, looking at her eagerly and with a big smile on her face:

"Will you give Froufrou my Christmas card?"

Dione scoffed. She would never get used to that nickname... "It's Aphrodite, dear. And why aren't you in bed?"

Niobe let go of her mother, took a few steps back, and raised both hands in the air: "The sun is up!"

Dione knelt in front of her. No matter how many times they had done that journey, Niobe still couldn't quite grasp the meaning of jet lag. Normally, other children were so tired that they fell asleep the minute their feet touch the ground. But Niobe had never been one with the crowd...

"Darling," her mother explained, "you've been awake for twenty-two hours! That's almost an entire day and night!"

"Grandma says that if I sleep now, I will be like a ghost tonight, just walking aimlessly around the house!"

Yes, that did sound like Tethys. No matter how many years she had been living in England, she still would translate Greek expressions into English and she wouldn't let go of her strong Greek accent at all. 'Walking around like a ghost' was the Greek way of saying 'You won't be able to fall asleep'.

"Your grandma always travels by boat, she chooses the easy way out. You should not listen to her. You won't be like a ghost, but you will be sleeping for two days and when you wake up it will be Christmas!"

Niobe dropped the smile: "But I love Christmas Eve!" she complained.

Her parents knew why. Every year, the Oceanides family would play treasure hunt. One of the men would dress up as Santa Claus and the children would have to find him. They always had to work as a team, though. The adults would all be stationed in different rooms of the house, each one with a new hint and trace. If the children managed to find him before midnight, they would get to eat the chocolate pie and traditional Greek Christmas sweets that Tethys always baked with her daughters and granddaughters. If they did not, Tethys and Oceanus would ask them a random question about their adult relatives, such as 'Who was afraid of straws when they were little'. If they found the correct answer, then "Santa" would show up and hand them their presents. If not, they'd find them under the tree on Christmas morning. There no cookies and milk involved, for they did not celebrate the British or the American way. Everyone had wanted the children to grow up as Greek as possible, so they would stick to the Greek traditions as much as they could. Currently, the adults outranked the children, but it only made the game all the more complicated and fun.

"Don't worry about missing the game, dear!" Dione added. "They'll wake you up just in time for it, I'm sure. But! If you sleep now, you may wake up just in time for the game and you might find Santa this year!"

Niobe scoffed. She was too old for this... "Fiiiiiiiiiiine!"

She turned to leave, only to be stopped by Tantalus:

"Haven't you forgotten something, young lady?"

Suddenly, she realized that she was holding the Christmas card she had made for Aphrodite in her hands. She turned, handed it to Dione, and hugged her: "Have a nice flight!" she whispered in her ear.

"Thank you, dear!" Dione replied, kissing her hair. "OK, nap time now. Off you go!"

Niobe couldn't hide her disdain at having to do as her mother had instructed her. But, as long as she wasn't sixteen yet, she'd have to do as her parents instructed. Or at least that was what Tantalus kept saying.

Once Niobe had left, Dione put the card carefully inside her purse and checked her mobile phone. The driver had texted her to let her know that both the car and the jet were ready when she was. Carefully, she put on her royal blue Dior dress coat with the matching belt and the black Gucci leatherette gloves. Securing her purse on her shoulder, she approached her husband, kissed him chastely on the lips, and then said: "Time for me to go on my mission. Wish me luck"!

"Call me when you get there," Tantalus said tenderly.

She nodded and touched his face for a moment. Then she opened the door and left.

Her relatives would all be there to bid her goodbye and to wish her a pleasant journey. But, from the way Aphrodite had described it, it would be the exact opposite of that.

Zeus had messed up. Again. And she would have to change his mind once more.

She wished she could divorce that family, too. But, as long as her daughter was part of it, she was still royalty.

Like it or not.

---

A few hours later...

Royal Suite, Hotel GB

I'm the biggest idiot on the planet. Thank you for your consideration. I'm not talking to Lydia. She has known me for so long that nothing I do or say surprises her anymore.

Guess who forgot to do her homework? That's right. Not only have I not gone through my agenda for Christmas, she also walked into my study today to find me leaning back on the chair, legs on the desk, just staring at what to others looked like the ceiling apparently, with a fresh white rose in my nose which I took from the vase in the sitting room (they change the flowers every two to three days in here), and just humming little stupid songs to myself.

Sticking to the festive spirit, though, I was humming I Want A Hippopotamus For Christmas. It's ridiculous, I know. Other women sing love songs when they're in love and I sing about hippos and crocodiles and "tinkly-tinker toys"... Unless you read it as a metaphor. In this case, the adorable hippo that I can "play with and enjoy" is Ares and all the other animals mentioned in there which I don't like one bit are my exes. You're welcome.

But before you send me to the madhouse, I do have an explanation for this. Anna put on a CD with Christmas songs I had bought from the US ages ago (this song isn't known in Greece at all) and so that was what I had woken up to. And then Blanche's tail landed on my face. A great morning right there.

It's not enough to convince Lydia, though. At first she was surprised, then she looked at me with that wry smile on her face I am her teenage daughter and tell her that I finally found myself a boyfriend, but soon enough she realized just how incurable my own absentmindedness is so now she just tries to put up with me the best way she can.

I begged her for five more minutes of (day)dreaming, though. And she, ever the gifted negotiator, gave a very diplomatic answer: "No."

Hold on a minute... Anna... I remembered what my friendly maid is called. Geez... That's what being in love does to me. I can actually recall the small things that I just... somehow... didn't care about. I feel rather bad now. She's been working for me for ages, accompanied me to over twenty foreign trips, knows what I keep in my drawers... Yet I couldn't even bother to remember her name...

Well, what can I say. Hanging out with Ares does come with perks.

Plus, Lydia too said to me first thing today that I'm glowing and it makes me feel more relaxed and prettier. And to make me even more of a happy Crown Princess, she opened the black file and forced me to get back to work.

I hate schedules...

Yet, true to form, I do get handed my own copy and I do take some notes on it. Except that proper etiquette has gone out of the window today and I'm still remaining basically reclining on my chair, legs crossed on the desk.

She wants to tell me off, I can see it in her eyes, but she respects the Monarchy too much to do that.

By the way, I still cannot remember the name of my spying maid. I wouldn't be surprised if she has a name that fits her secret identity. Um... How about Ursula? Ares needs to take me on another secret date at three o'clock in the morning again. This way, I might be able to remember that as well.

Anyway, back to the best Hamlet performance ever, given by none other than the incomparable Lydia Kalogrides. Just picture her in men's clothing, pretend that she doesn't wear her reading glasses and that the piece of paper in her hands is actually a scalp, give her a different script, and the resemblance is uncanny.

"This is the confirmation from the Palace," she says. "It reads, quote, the Make-A-Wish event will take place on Friday, February the second, in the Reception Hall of the Royal Palace." She hands me the statement for me to sign and I gladly do so. At long last, my own wish is coming true! Now that the gala is over, those children can get the royal treatment they deserve. When I hand it back to Lydia, she furthers: "The people at Make-A-Wish are currently picking out which children will attend. You said you wanted fourteen children-"

"It wasn't me, it was the Palace!"

Interrupting is rude, thanks for the reminder, and I do apologize, but I'd like to set the record straight. Believe me, I would've invited all forty kids on the list if I could. But Zeus Almighty's aides had kept trying to convince Lydia to convince me to narrow it down to fourteen. I had been given a copy of the list Lydia and the rest of my team of staff had also received from the foundation, a complete list with their names, ages, and illnesses they are suffering from. It was the most heart-breaking thing I've read in a long time, even worse than all those best-selling romance novels I hide in here. I actually cried while reading it. All those children, wishing to come to the tea party and join the fun but being unable to just because they weren't selected... It was the worst thing ever. In the end, I just handed it to Lydia and let her decide.

Unless I ensure that the foundation and I host that party every year. Give to all the children the opportunity to see a real-life princess in action, complete with her gown and tiara. I actually get lots of complaints from children during engagements that I shouldn't have left my tiara at home because I'm a Princess and princesses always wear tiaras, gowns, and sashes.

Aren't they just adorable!

Yet Lydia continues reciting like the great actress she is: "-Fourteen children to attend and priority will be given to the terminally ill ones." Please stop reminding me... "Your press secretary would also like to invite a few journalists at the occasion. For media attention."

Not bloody likely.

"Tell him I only want one of the royal photographers." My own orders are more important than those of my press secretary. Guess why and you'll get a cookie. "I think I would like for it to be captured on video! But whichever photographer is picked, I want them to be careful. I wouldn't wish for the children to feel like they're being watched. I imagine that meeting me inside the Royal Palace would be enough to make them shy. I want them to enjoy every second of that afternoon. Perhaps we should also upload it to the Internet. Do we have a website?"

Lydia looks bewildered: "No, Miss, I'm afraid not...

"Why not?" Yes, I've just had an idea. Fasten your seat belts. "I think it would make for some amazing PR. We need to look to the future, not the past, if we want to survive. Have you ever heard of the term 'social media'? Those are becoming increasingly famous worldwide. You just go on a website, sign up for free, and that's it, now you're online!"

"How very interesting. I shall have your press secretary to look into it."

"Thank you. You may also remind him that he needs to be a little more... open-minded. But he's only been working with me for three years. He still has quite a lot to learn, we won't hold that against him."

Lydia throws me a disapproving glare and then gets back to topic: "Right. Now, about the gown you shall wear on the occasion. It should be the exact same dress you will wear at the New Year's Eve gala, right?"

"Yes."

Now, it may seem tacky of us to host two lavish galas in such a short amount of time, but the New Year's Eve gala at the Royal Palace is a tradition. In fact, it's the biggest night of the year for the Athenian high society and the last and first time each year that we get to wear our tiaras and sashes. We may be the only royal family left in the world that still makes such a big deal out of New Year's Eve... Last time I checked, every other royal out there was celebrating it with their close family. In private. Or away at an exotic destination or whatever.

Truth be told, there had been discussions in recent years about not hosting that gala anymore. But frankly, it'll be easier to convince the Greeks to trust their politicians than to end that tradition. Oh, well. Don't worry about the dress, however. It's all ready and it fits me just fine. My dresser has been working on it since last year. As she does every year. She designs it herself too. For the record, she worked for Chanel and Dior before landing in my team of staff.

I just don't hire random people here!

"Is the Rose Crystal Tiara ready?" I ask.

"Yes. It is being taken care of."

That is actually my most favourite piece of jewelery from those that I own. It's a diamond tiara, made in the shape of a fully blossomed rose. Thunder had given it to Mother as a wedding gift, but after their divorce Mother didn't want it, so she passed it down to me. Technically, it's also my first-ever tiara, even though I didn't get to wear it before I turned eighteen. Those are the rules. No tiaras while you're a minor. And you thought our lives were great...

So, next on the table: Lydia reminds me of the lengths Zeus Almighty went to make sure I won't run to freedom via the fire escape again. Believe it or not, he had the cameras that were already on the fire escape replaced, because he thought that the ones that were already there hadn't done a good enough job. The old ones were simply fine, I just had a great wig worth the small fortune I spent on it.

Talking of, I should ask Anna to get me another one.

Oh, I forgot. I now have two more bodyguards working for me, but I won't be seeing them at all. They'll be working in shifts, just sitting in a room that was intended for the use of the hotel staff but which now must be filled with the newest computers and just looking at what's going on inside the room and all over the corridors of the hotel. I mean it. Each and every single corridor is now being supervised 24/7. Even the ones accessible only to the staff.

Still, the only places left without a secret camera installed in here is my bedroom, the bathroom, and the boudoirs. Sorry, boys, but I won't strip on camera for you, even if you kill for my sake.

Oh, have I also mentioned the frequent patrols of the hotel security guards to the fire escape, just in case some unwanted visitors sneak in? Honestly. I go out for one night and Thunder just makes this place more of a fortress than it already was.

So, if you hear them whisper 'Seafoam', now you know that they'll be talking about me. Perhaps I have a new security code name. How about... 'Serendipity'?

I mean, it does sound fitting...

Lydia clears her throat loudly and almost immediately, she claps her hands.

I must look as absentminded as I am again because she looks like she's been trying to draw my attention for a while.

"I'm here, I'm awake!" I yell, raising my hands in defeat while sitting straight again.

She looks at me with that well-known half-smile of hers which shows just how hard she's trying to keep from either laughing or screaming at me: "I can see that!"

I'll just let that sarcastic comment pass me by. No one but us know she talks to me like that and I let her. After all, she's old enough to be my mother. Just don't tell her I told you that.

She hands me another piece of paper and then takes a step back as if making sure I actually read the damn thing. It's only a confirmation.

Oh, boy... Oh, no...

"As you can already see, you will have to act as regent again while Their Majesties will be in the US on a state visit in March."

I had done nothing wrong when I went there. In fact, I had gone there to prepare the ground for their visit. Not to mention that the reason they're going is entirely different than mine. I went for the people. They go for politics. Long story.

"I should've signed this months ago!"

Greek bureaucracy at its finest. The Constitution acknowledges me as the King's Regent when he's away so, technically, I don't need to give the PM a written confirmation about it. But no one knows why I have to do it. Yet no one seems to wonder why either, except for me and everyone that gets to hear me whine about this.

Lydia shrugs her shoulders: "I'm afraid, Miss, I don't know what happened either. It must have gotten lost so they issued a new one."

That's why nothing ever gets done in this country. I let out a long sigh and, without further ado, I sign it and hand it back to Lydia.

"Do remind me to convince all those politicians that my taking on the role of Regent happens automatically and they don't have to give me tons of papers to sign!"

Yet she continues talking as if she hasn't heard me: " Their Majesties are going on a state visit to the U.S. between the second and the seventh of March. As you know, they do need a few more days to prepare, so you will act as Regent from the first to the eleventh."

Sounds like their kind of decision. "Do they really need four days to recover from jet lag?"

"No. His Majesty has also requested that he sees you on the job. See how good you are at bringing forth stability. This whole thing about the reform on education and the cuts on retirement fees may result in an early general election and it will be your job to prevent it."

I can't believe this... So he's leaving me to do the hard part of the job while he takes a few days to himself?

"They're stupid either way." Here I come playing the political expert to brighten up your day. "Every time we have a new government, education is the first thing everyone wants to reform and the very first thing they attack is the measures the previous administration passed. Then another one comes as well and it's a vicious circle.

Lydia looks at me so proudly, as if I'm the Queen already. "I see you read the newspapers!" Actually, Zeus Almighty makes me, but I still like her for reminding me so gently. "Then I believe you must also be aware of the reactions to your..." She's trying to come up with the right word: "-disappearance and the gala."

There's not much to see here. Some people think I messed with them and that this is a sign that I won't make a good monarch and others are just glad that I'm alright. Spot the monarchists in the bunch. There was also one guy in a center-left newspaper that said Prince Ares and I have a great sense of humour. He might have been sarcastic, his writing style showed he was not. Well, then, now Zeus Almighty has one more reason to be proud of me. I finally managed to do what no other King of the Hellenes has done. The liberals like me!

Still, on a general note, most newspaper focus on the gala. The republicans say that the Royal Family once more used public funds to overindulge in their wealth and status in a disgusting and tasteless way and that the people should keep on the lookout for more tax raises to pay off the cost of the gala, all while thousands of retirees live in danger of losing a large amount of their income due to the cuts on their fees so that the government can finance the education reform. Or something like that. Either way, this won't be happening. Trust me, I read the top confidential government papers right after Zeus Almighty has signed them. Lydia always brings me the briefcases herself. Always trust your Private Secretary to do the toughest part of the job for you. Anyway. I do agree with them on one thing, though. If the Queen really wants to do some good for this country, she should get out in the street or just found another charity in support of the poor. You're a royal, you're representing the country, you're meant to be out there, see how the nation lives! Witness the difficulties they face, the things that make them smile, how they dress, how they act, how optimistic or pessimistic they are for the future, how they treat you...!

See, Father Dearest, I did learn my lesson now!

The monarchists, on the other hand, keep repeating what a great success the gala was and how the Queen now returns to her normal schedule of engagements. Business as usual!

Suddenly, I have an idea. One that doesn't involve an Internet connection.

"Do you think it'd be a good idea if I invited Hephaestus over?"

Lydia was saying something else but she shuts up and looks at me as if I'm even more of a weirdo than she thought: "Miss?"

"We do have a dining room which is hardly used. We can order room service and we will be able to meet in a friendly environment."

She just stares at me for a few seconds and then she finally speaks: "I think this might be getting it a little too far."

With a determined grin on my face, I stand up and approach her. I sit on the desk and rest my hand on her shoulder. About time we spoke as friends: "Lydia. Darling. The King is obsessed with getting me married to that particular man and I believe I ought to give him a good time, at least. Rather... Why don't we invite Prince Ares over too? This way he'll rest assured. Or maybe not. No, that's a horrible idea. Arrange for me to have dinner with Mr. Petalas at a fancy restaurant, the fanciest one you can find, and tell the Prince that I'd like to have dinner with him here! I do believe there is some unfinished business between us."

Yup. Her worst fears have been confirmed. She looks at me like she's about to give me a good lecture on proper behaviour. Well, if I were her daughter or niece and not her boss and future sovereign, she'd have definitely done so: "I do not believe it would be wise for you to invite His Royal Highness over. Not after everything that has happened between you. Let alone after this cover is still widely discussed."

Ah! The infamous A ROYAL ROMANCE? headline with the picture of Ares and me dancing. The title and the article have nothing to do with the newspaper by the way. Oh, yes. It's the headline of a republican quality newspaper and the title refers to our 'romance' with wealth and, quote, 'the useless pomp and pageantry that seems to be used as a way to promote Greece behind Palace walls. Meanwhile, the government tries to find the funds for the reforms in the educational system which shall bring forth cuts in retirement fees and the budget in health care'. Well, for one thing, I agree with that because I dislike the current government as much as they do. But, I have to give it to them, they do know what they're doing. All those rumours about Ares and me will start again, until everyone comes back to their right minds and realizes just how ridiculous the prospect of Ares and me getting together is.

If only they knew!

"I don't think it would be wise for us to wait," I reply, trying my best to sound convincing enough. "The Prince and I have some unfinished business between us and the sooner everything has been said and done, the better!"

Lydia notes something and then she taps her pen on the file and faces me again: "When should each dinner take place?"

"I'll leave it up to you," I say as I walk back behind the desk and on the brown leather chair: "You know my schedule better than anyone. Anything else?"

Lydia opens her mouth to speak, but she's interrupted by the sound of the door opening. It's Anna. See, I can remember her name after I've mentioned it a few times! Until the next time I forget about it again, that is. I'm so sorry, dear!

"Um, excuse me, Miss, Mrs. Kalogrides. The car is ready."

At once, I grab my purse from the desk and get up. I have to go to Tatoi, to bid Queen Demeter farewell. Before I exit the room, though, I turn to Lydia: "You might want to order room service while you're working. They make excellent chocolate croissants in here!"

Lydia removes her reading glasses and closes the file: "I'll keep that in mind. Thank you, Miss!"

"You're very welcome!"

It's not the first time I let her work here. She also likes how far more quiet and comfortable it is compared to her office at the Royal Palace. In there, she has all the Private Secretaries, Private Assistants, Press Secretaries, etc work, drink coffee, and be loud without intending to be and she can't focus in there as well as she does here. Plus, there's also Blanche to keep her company and play with her when she gets bored.

Besides, I do need someone I can trust to stay, other than Anna of course. I have a feeling that I'll be up for a surprise today.

Whatever it is, though, I have a feeling that Thunder and Peacock won't like it.

Not one bit.

---

Helipad, Palace of Tatoi, Acharnai

The entire Greek Royal Family had all gathered to bid Demeter farewell before her flight back to Denmark. She was the last of their royal guests to leave. Only Cronus was absent. Again. He had sent no excuses or goodbyes either. As if he no longer wished to be a member of the family.

Well, as long as he would keep away from Rhea, no one complained about his absence.

Demeter surely didn't seem to mind. She had not even mentioned him, preferring to say goodbye to everyone else instead and to spend a few minutes talking to her mother. The next time she would come to Greece, she'd bring Persephone with her. Plus, she had accepted Zeus' invite for her family to join them on their summer cruise to the Greek islands on the HGMY Thalatta. Her brother had also been kind enough to lend her the Royal Helicopter so that she could travel to the Athens International Airport safely. A Challenger CL-604 of the Danish Royal Air Force was already waiting for her there, complete with a Danish crew and her aides, ready to take her back home.

She was sad to be leaving, even though she was smiling softly. She hated goodbyes and so she tried to keep it as short as possible. Yet, everyone reminding her how much they'd miss her until the next time they'd meet again made it harder for her to keep from crying.

After kissing Zeus goodbye and curtsying to him, she turned on her heel and boarded the helicopter. The door behind her closed, the crew made sure that everything was ready, and they gave the signal for taking off. An aide standing nearby motioned to the King and he, understanding what it meant, suggested they all made their way back to the Palace.

Ares was the last to leave. He had made sure he was walking right behind Aphrodite, so that he could take a good look at her without his relatives thinking he acted weird. She looked radiant. As always. But he wouldn't talk to her much. They had figured it would be better if they would just stay away from each other as much as possible. Better have their relatives believe they had yet another fight than to give them reason to believe the rumours. Still, he was allowed to stand next to her and, pretending to be putting his hands behind his back, to secretly caress her arm or whisper a few naughty things in her ear that made her smile so hard that she had to keep from laughing. Instead, she'd step on his foot to reassure him that she liked his joke and to encourage him to go on. But Ares knew it was also a warning. He ought not to overdo it, or else she wouldn't be able to contain herself.

Just what Ares wanted.

He was already planning their second (or was it the third?) secret meeting. He'd love to hold her in his arms, to taste, smell her, and take her all in before he would return to the army base in three days. It sounded impossible. Starting tomorrow, they would hardly have any moment to themselves. Perhaps he could call his General and ask him for a few more days, say until after New Year's. Or maybe not. He liked a good challenge. The prospect of him and Aphrodite stealing only a few moments, even if it was just for a single kiss, was daunting.

Challenge accepted, then.

For a moment, he regretted that Aphrodite had worn trousers instead of one of her trademark flowing skirts. The wind that the helicopter's rotors caused would have made for an amazing Marilyn Monroe moment of her behalf and a glimpse at her gorgeous legs. He smiled to himself. They and her hips were his favourite parts of Aphrodite's body. They made her the amazing "dancer" that she was known to be.

He should consider himself lucky he was walking behind her, then. Aphrodite was holding Hebe's hand and chatting to Eileithyia about all that nonsense women say to one another. Yet he remained fixed on her legs. He could still feel a tingle down his spine at the memory of caressing the soft skin and being trapped between them. It was like they could keep him in place and guide him at the same time.

And wasn't she just the master at this game!

But soon enough, a heavy hand landed on his shoulder and brought him back to reality.

Like it or not, he recognized that heavy voice whispering in his ear:

"Look at how slow everyone walks, as if we're just coming back from a freaking funeral!"

His uncle, Poseidon, was not in a good mood today. It may have been Queen Demeter's departure to blame, or perhaps he had had another dispute with his wife or his brother, since he promptly avoided both of them. Amphitrite preferred to chat with Hera and Hestia and Zeus preferred to socialize with Hades. So, his favourite nephew was his only chance so that he wouldn't be left outside alone entirely.

Under normal circumstances, Ares would have welcomed his beloved uncle with a smile and a friendly pat on the shoulder. Poseidon had always been a father figure to Ares, always there to defend him everytime Zeus blamed him or accused him and constantly giving him advice on life and women. As a matter of fact, Poseidon had been the first to talk to him about women (and even introduced him to some when he was in his early twenties) and he had always encouraged his love of fast vehicles.

Yes, life would've been so much easier for him if Poseidon and Amphitrite had adopted him instead. Perhaps then he would also be able to go public with his relationship with Aphrodite. Cousins never grew up together, so it would have made it easier for the world to believe they had actually fallen for each other.

But no matter how much he trusted Poseidon, he could never tell him about Aphrodite. It would take the magic of their affair away. Plus, it might result in some endless lecturing by Poseidon. Or, even worse, Amphitrite might find out and she'd tell Hera. Those women never kept their mouths shut.

Lucky for Ares, he came back to reality before Poseidon had even realized he had been daydreaming. "Good to see you're in good spirits, too!" he teased him.

Poseidon took a careful look at Ares. He looked tired. He had black circles under his eyes and as if he was in desperate need of a drink. As if he was trying to conceal his frustration over something.

"My brother gave you a lecture last night, didn't he?" he said.

Ares chuckled before leaving a long, desperate sigh. The night before, Zeus had hosted a private farewell dinner for Demeter. Yet he couldn't help using the occasion as another opportunity to lecture his "mindless and careless" children that "mobile phones are an essential part of your security and you should never leave without them." Everyone around the table had agreed with him, either because they truly meant it or just didn't want to ignite his fury further by defending them. Not even Hera came to the rescue, choosing instead to intervene only to change the subject to something happier. Aphrodite had gotten away with it. After all, Zeus himself had also called her "careless" and "absentminded". Ares, on the other hand, had not been so lucky. After dinner, Zeus had asked to see him in his office downstairs. The soundproofed room was the ideal location for a father-to-son talk.

There, he had given him yet another lecture. One he had heard plenty of times in the past. He and Aphrodite ought to be more careful and take full responsibility for their own decisions and actions, as fully-grown adults are expected to do (oh, the irony!), and how he had not followed his wishes to stay away from Aphrodite. Ares had been about to say that he had been to different places than Aphrodite and he had only seen her for the first time after the gala at dinner. But before he could say it, Zeus had unfolded a newspaper that had been lying on his desk and he handed it to Ares. It had been the one with the picture of Ares and Aphrodite dancing and the headline A ROYAL ROMANCE. Ares knew that the relevant article had had absolutely nothing to do with the picture, yet the King persisted: "People look at the covers. They're hanging around the kiosks all over Athens, they're shown on television, they're faster and easier to read than the entire newspaper. This picture is not befitting of two siblings." Ares had taken a more careful look at the photo. The lack of distance between him and Aphrodite, the way their bodies had touched and how they had looked at each other like they had been the only two people in the world... For a moment, Ares had feared that Zeus might have known. But then he had thought twice. Zeus wouldn't have been as calm as he had been then if he had found out about their affair. He would have kicked him out too and torn apart the adoption certificate, thus riding him of all the life he had ever known. It would have been the ideal punishment that Zeus would have come up with. Or maybe no. Perhaps he would have also gotten Aphrodite married to that creep Hephaestus sooner in order to keep Ares away from his sister. But then Zeus had furthered: "Aphrodite's press secretary advised against pressing charges because he doesn't want a scandal to break out. But you can't control the rumours." Then, approaching Ares again, he had taken the newspaper from his hands and looked him in the eye. He had had that glint in his eye that Ares would have frightened by when he was eight years old. Yet, Zeus couldn't terrorize him anymore, punish and threaten him as he might. "I just don't want to see a picture like that on the newspaper ever again," he stated. Ares had simply handed him back the newspaper and left the room as soon as possible. He had spent the night drinking, smoking, and thinking of her and all the times he had held her in his arms.

And now, she was right there, in front of him, and he couldn't even touch her because Zeus and Hera made sure to keep a close eye on them at all times!

"He will never change!" Poseidon chuckled softly, bringing Ares back to reality. He turned to face his nephew: "I gave up trusting him ages ago!"

"He believes those stupid covers!" Ares said, only to add mimicking Zeus: "The media play a significant role in the family's reputation and consequently, to the survival of the Monarchy. I get it!"

"You should keep him away from the Internet then. Triton told me about this website, uh... Facebook or some other stupid name like that. From what I figured, people there come together and discuss various topics they find interesting. Well, he had come across a photo of that cover and people from all over the world kept commenting on how close you were while dancing."

"I thought that Amphitrite forbade him to use the Internet!"

"I convinced her that it would be a good way to practice his English. Socialize a bit too, perhaps. He has to have it under a fake name for privacy, though. On that, my wife had been adamant!"

Ares scoffed. The lengths they had to go to keep the media out of their lives! Yet, rumours were the result of endless gossiping and if people could see their special bond, soon word would reach Zeus and Hera. He kept his eyes fixed on Aphrodite, as she was now practically running up the marble double stairs in the garden connecting the front yard of the Palace to the rest of the estate. She was trying to catch up with Hebe, who was jumping up and down and pretending to be the ballerina. For a passing moment, Ares thought what a natural mother Aphrodite was. She touched Hebe tenderly, never left her out of her sight, and she had always made sure to catch up with her and keep her from harm.

But then, Ares pinched himself. He had no idea what had come into him. He had never considered having children. They meant trouble. To him, parenthood equaled the total loss of freedom and the entrapment into a boring routine filled with responsibilities and lack of adventures. All because of a baby that would cry every two hours, require constant feeding and changing, only to grow up and bring forth even more trouble. By the time the parents were rid of that burden, their youth had been wasted.

No, children were out of the question. Yet, when he took a glimpse at Aphrodite again, as she was hugging Hebe close and kissing her forehead tenderly, he couldn't help thinking that, perhaps, she was the only woman for whom he'd make that sacrifice.

Still, she'd be the exception. Not the rule.

Then Poseidon spoke again: "She's a beautiful woman, isn't she?"

Startled, Ares turned to look at his uncle: "Sorry?"

Poseidon was looking at him with a smug grin on his face. Then he pointed at Aphrodite. "Pretty, but lethal," he added. "Like every other woman out there!" Then he hugged Ares by the shoulders and brought him closer to him. This way, he could give him some man-to-man advice while they'd be walking up the stairs: "You know, son, there comes the time when you meet that one woman that means the world to you. When I met Amphitrite, I knew right there and then that she would be the woman I'd marry. I didn't seem to care that she wasn't of noble birth, aristocratic, or related to royalty. I do give your father credit for one thing, however. Thanks to him, we can now marry commoners for all we want!"

Ares knew that old rule, about how the members of the Greek Royal Family could not marry someone who wasn't a fellow royal or - at least - an aristocrat, or else they would lose their rights to succession. That used to apply to both men and women. Rhea may have been born and raised in a Greek island, but she was of noble birth. Her grandparents were Russian nobles who had moved to Greece searching for a warmer climate. Their children might have married commoners, but that had not striped them of their noble background. Yet, after the Monarchy had been reinstated in 1975, that law was abolished after claims that it had been too anachronistic and no longer applied to modern society, let alone a European country. Thus, Zeus had been allowed to marry Dione without losing his rights of succession. Same for Poseidon and Amphitrite. In fact, wasn't it for the law of absolute primogeniture, Poseidon would have been now the Crown Prince. Again, women used to be outranked by the men in the line of succession. It didn't matter whether that man was the brother, cousin, or nephew to the King. Due to his gender, he could outrank the King's daughters. Ares was certainly not the genius when it came to gender equality, but even he could agree that that law was stupid.

"Alright," he replied. "But what does it have to do with me?"

Poseidon rushed to explain: "You were gone without a reason and came back the same afternoon. Either you're in love or you're too desperately in love. Who is she?"

"I'm a man," Ares replied, sounding more annoyed than he intended. "I am entitled to have secrets. You told me so."

Poseidon chuckled: "Come on! Is she a supermodel? Knowing you, she must be." Suddenly, he stopped. They had arrived in front of the Palace of Tatoi. Everyone else were making their way inside, unknowingly allowing Ares and Poseidon to continue their conversation uninterrupted. Poseidon stood before his nephew and, taking a good look at him, he furthered: "Last time you looked as starstruck as that, you had dated the winner of the national pageant! What is she advertising? Swimming suits? Lingerie? Perfumes? Is she ah... some actress of some kind? A singer?"

Ares put his hands in the pockets of his coat and shrugged his shoulders in defeat: "I need to stop dating celebrities. I get that."

"I didn't say that. But, whoever she is, she's done wonders on you. She makes you question everything you've ever known. She's the reason you wake up every morning. I can see it in your eyes!"

Scanning the yard, Ares' eyes met Aphrodite's. It was just for a passing moment, for she stepped into the Palace a few seconds later. Like a vision or an illusion. Still, he kept staring at that door, hoping that she'd show up again soon enough: "In fact, Uncle, I think you may be right!"

"Great!" Poseidon replied. Something in the way he had uttered that word made Ares worried that he may be suspecting something. Perhaps he had noticed Aphrodite smiling at him, although she meant it in a friendly way, not a seductive one. She knew the rules to the game better than Ares. Let alone Poseidon, a total outsider in their world. Yet what Poseidon said next confirmed that he had no idea: "When we stumble upon one of her pictures in the magazines, you had better show me what she looks like."

Ares thought that it might be a good idea for him to tease him a little bit: "I'm pretty sure you've seen her before!"

"Ah! So, she is famous!" Both men laughed. "Is she good-looking at least?"

"You know me!" Ares said, taking a cigarette out of his pocket. He needed it so badly right now! "I settle for nothing short of angelic!"

Poseidon touched his shoulder again. It was a very father-like gesture, the sort of affection that Zeus never cared to show. "Worship her, then," he advised. "Angels turn into devils when they're double-crossed."

Ares couldn't help himself: "I should get that on a T-shirt!"

The two men burst out laughing again, but soon enough they also joined the others inside.

Ares knew that he and Aphrodite would continue their little game of "hide and seek". Being surrounded by their relatives would only make it more exciting. Then he'd just keep his fingers crossed that she'd lead him to an empty room and let him push her against the wall and bring his lips to hers. Then the earth would stop turning for a while, until they'd be interrupted by the sound of people talking or approaching the closed door.

It was the most classic part of this game, yet the only one they had yet to try.

Well then, about time that changed.

He knew that Aphrodite felt the same way.

The look in her eyes revealed as much.

---

The same afternoon...

Royal Suite, Hotel GB

Remember the two bodyguards standing outside my front door every single hour of every single day?

Don't worry, they're still here. But they... are grinning? They're the guy whose nose Ares broke and that colleague of his who always does his shift at the same time as him. Now, to the one who had fallen victim to Ares' anger, I did give him the holidays off but he still comes back here, to make sure I'm still alright. I need to get him a special gift this year. Plus, I like the new nose better than the old one. But I don't dare tell him that.

Still, the question lingers. Why do they look at me like I'm five years old and they have a surprise in store for me?

"Welcome back, Miss!"

They're not allowed to call me 'Your Highness'. For security reasons. I'm still supposed to be living in here incognito. How come people haven't figured out yet, I don't know.

I turn to look at the other bodyguard that's accompanying me, but he remains as stiff as a sour pickle. Eventually, they do let me in and there's my spying maid, ready to take my coat and purse. Let's just call her Ursula and wish upon a star that I won't forget her name this time. Anyway, as soon as I got rid of my it (it's a typical red coat, designed by a Greek so that Thunder and Peacock stop whining - they yapped quite a lot that I wore Gucci at the gala...), Lydia shows up. From the sitting room.

And as if that weren't odd enough, she also has the biggest grin on her face.

Oh no...

I know that face. Every time Lydia smiles like the Mona Liza and has that glint in her eyes that the Joker would be jealous of, either Zeus Almighty has cheated on his wife again and needs me to get him out of the dirt or...

"It's Mother," I mutter. "She's here, isn't she?"

I also keep looking for Blanche. She wasn't behind the door to welcome me. It's not time for her walkies either. So...

Lydia's smile gets wider and without nodding, she steps aside and hurriedly, I open the door.

Blanche is on the sofa, chewing on a brand new toy. She's too busy to even bother noticing that I'm here. And next to her, is a woman that looks very, very familiar.

All the way from the high-heeled black Louboutins (custom-made, mind you), and the Chanel No. 5 to the excellent posture, ladylike manners, and gentle voice.

Mother!

She's here! She's finally here with me!

I don't know who jumps into whose arms first, but that's just a detail. What matters is that she's here! I'm holding her in my arms again, with the widest smile on my face, and she rocks me gently, tangling her fingers in her hair and just letting me realize that she's truly here.

She is!

All of a sudden, I feel... lighter. Just touching her and looking at her is enough to make me the most relieved I've felt in the longest while.

Mother has the unique ability to make me feel at home when she's here. Like all the wounds will be healed with one magic touch from her. Perhaps that's the miracle of mother/daughter relationships. I wouldn't be surprised Eris and Eileithyia feel the same way about Hera. I just won't be able to see her as my mother, no matter how many years go by. Mother is more than enough. No one, not even Lydia, will be able to sit on her throne. In short, she's my own superhero.

Look at me now, talking like Niobe...!

"How? When?" I ask in English once I break the embrace. Perhaps she might not wish us to speak Greek. After all, she does have a heavy English accent when she speaks it now.

She takes a stray strand of hair and puts it behind my ear. Then she takes both my hands in hers. She has a feather-like touch, as is befitting to a real lady.

"I read your email," she says in Greek. "I thought you might need some help!"

That's my mother! Always there the minute she realizes we might be in danger.

To be frank, though, I did not mention anything about Ares and what happened between us. But I did tell her everything else. From Zeus Almighty's match-making to the gala and Hephaestus' bracelet. She must have read about my disappearance too, or at least heard of it. She and Tantalus read all the Greek newspapers. Not to mention that, somehow, the news of my going AWOL made headlines worldwide...

I'm such a big prankster sometimes!

Maybe she doesn't know the disappearance bit though. If she doesn't bring it up first, I won't mention anything. It might bring back awful memories. To both of us.

Mother sits down again and only now do I notice her baby blue Akris dress and navy blue Dior dress coat. She has carefully placed it next to her on the sofa, so that she won't wrinkle it, along with the matching leather belt. Her black leatherette gloves are on the coffee table. Plus, her own cup of tea is almost full.

Now, it may sound like she and I have a similar sense of style, but we couldn't be more different when it comes to that. After all, the way we dress mirrors our personality. I love colours and attention, but she doesn't need to draw all eyes on her. Dione Oceanides, 'The Queen That Never Was' has a domineering presence and her clothes reflect that. She doesn't dress for the fun of mixing colours, fabrics, and patterns. Oh, no, she's too busy for that. Instead, solid colours are her favourites. Structured shirts, skirt-suits, shift dresses... But with a few feminine touches still. Kick pleats to the back of her skirts, sleeves revealing her wrists or up to the elbow... The perfect mixture of modern Ralph Lauren and vintage Dior. Alas, the very definition of feminine strength, subtle elegance, and timeless glamour. All tailored and ironed to a T.

She also has lived an impressive life. Her father, Grandpa Oceanus, is a self-made tycoon from Paphos. His wife was born to a family of tycoons in her own right and she was known as the most elegant and glamorous woman in Athens during the 1950s and 1960s. Mother is their fifth child and third daughter out of the ten children they had in total. Then she moved on to become the Crown Princess of Greece, only to divorce the future King and follow her heart. Somehow, she married Zeus Almighty's (former) best friend and she has been living in New York for almost twenty years now. Yes, believe it or not, Zeus and Tantalus used to be very close. Like brothers, actually, until Zeus found out that Tantalus had married his ex-wife. I guess this is one of the many reasons they moved to New York. Along with Tantalus' business activities, that is. Anyway, long story short, Mother is now the chair and co-founder of the Gynae Foundation, a non-profit whose aim is to raise awareness on reproductive health and sex-ed, improve health facilities for newborn children, maternity health, and to provide women of low income (single or married) with pads, tampons, and contraceptives. Lately, they've also been working with Planned Parenthood quite a lot and criticized about it even more. But Mother doesn't care about critics. The U.S. is a crazy, crazy country and it gives Mother the thrill she's always wanted - be political and make an actual difference in the world, but without having to actually run for office. The Gynae Foundation is active in about fifteen (mostly third-world) countries and Mother plans to expand that network to the Balkans and the former Soviet countries.

But don't take out the 'Welcome Home' banners just yet. She's not planning to work in Greece any time soon. She knows the media will care about her being here more than the reason she came.

Don't you just love journalists?

She holds her cup of tea again and turns to face me: "So, do tell me! How have you been coping so far?"

I tell her everything. All the while, she listens to me thoroughly. I can't help noticing that she has changed. Something about her does look different. She hasn't changed her face cream, shampoo, or makeup. Rather, it's the hair...

"You've cut your hair!" I say in Greek. Mother has persisted that we speak Greek when we are in here. We'll only talk in English when the matter is very serious. She still has trouble expressing herself in Greek properly.

At long last, she got that pixie cut! She has naturally straight hair and it looks great on her. I love how the long fringe falls on her forehead and frames her face. For years I kept telling her to do a pixie cut, but she kept saying she wouldn't like to get rid of her long hair just yet. She loved to wear them in curls but never on a bun. But, I'm so glad she went with it now, even after all the whining I've done to her about it.

Next stop, a bob. It'll look good on her too. Just wait and you'll see.

I forgot to mention, she's a rather legendary figure here. Like me, only more so. That comes out of causing a sensation for getting married to the Crown Prince while heavily pregnant and for divorcing almost two years later, only to disappear in New York and make a career out of very controversial and even taboo topics.

"Yes!" she says, smiling, and touching the back of her head. "I needed some change. Do you like it?"

"I love it! I really do!" She chuckles and then I can't help asking: "So, how long will you be staying?"

"For as long as necessary."

"What about the others in London?"

Every Christmas, the Oceanides bunch gather at Grandmother and Grandfather's stately home in London (one of the very few left, mind you. They bought it from a Duke or something ages ago). I wish I could join them, but I have to stay here and attend engagement after engagement on Christmas and New Year's. The plaque unveilers then turn into pie and cake cutters. It's as boring as it sounds. But you get to see Zeus Almighty in his full military uniform! We used to wear long day gowns complete with fascinators or hats and sashes and orders, but we are dressed more simply now, thank god. Still, skirt suits are a must.

We need to stick to tradition. Or else the sky will come crashing on our heads.

Suddenly, Mother opens her purse (which matches the Dior dress, mind you), and she brings out a CD. "This is the new copy of the DVD from the last summer holidays you've spent with us."

Oh, thank goodness! I had lost my copy while I had my things packed up for the tour. After all this time, I still don't know where it is.

I take it in my hands. I can recognize Khalkiope's gentle handwriting among millions of others! She's my first cousin, the daughter of Eidya, Mother's younger sister.

You'll learn them all in time, I'm sure. In about a decade. The Olympios bunch may be complicated, but the Oceanides squad is huge. I mean it. Half my aunts and uncles in my maternal family have been divorced and remarried at least once. Some have children out of wedlock, too. And I'm standing in the middle.

Hence my troublesome sanity.

Anyway, I spent the summer of 2005 at Despotiko, the most beautiful island in the Cyclades and it has been owned by the Oceanides family since the 1960s. They spend all their summers cruising the Greek islands on board their yacht, the "Titania", then stay to Despotiko throughout July and August and then they spend September in my mansion in Paphos. Summers in Cyprus are unbearably hot, so autumn and early spring are the only times of the year when they like to visit their home country and favourite island. Still, they love Despotiko just the same. They're not allowed to build on there, though, because it's filled with antiquities, which in return are owned by the Greek state. Still, they do own all the beaches!

Yes, sorry, I got excited. So, I did spend my summer holidays in 2005 with them and they made sure that every single second of it is captured on camera. It was the two most fun weeks of my life! Then, the HGMY Thalatta came over, and I had to join the Olympios squad all over again for the remainder of the holidays.

To say the transition was harsh is an understatement...

"Shall we watch it?" I ask Mother, more excitedly than I intended to sound.

"Certainly!" she replies.

Without a second thought, I rush to put the DVD on. The TV I have in the Suite has a built-in DVD player - a special import from the U.S. Before I realize it, Mother and I are eating chocolate croissants (provided to you by the power of room service) and laughing at all the mischief all of us first cousins would get into together. We'd pull funny faces at the camera, throw water and food at each other, dive from rocky cliffs, (try to) cook and do some speed racing. In another bit, the entire family is playing the tourist at their own island, visiting all the ruins. We've just come back from a long day at the beach, so that's why everyone is wearing either shorts and T-shirts or just their bathing suits. Except for me and Grandmother Tethys. Granny's in white linen trousers and a blue shirt and I'm in a beach dress.

I don't know what had gotten into me that day. I missed playing the royal, I guess. For which I was teased a lot.

That's who my maternal family is. They don't give a damn about ranks or titles. I just happen to be their future queen. But at the end of the day, I'm still their granddaughter, niece, and cousin. They even call me "Froufrou". When I was little, I couldn't say my own name so that's how I'd introduce myself. Some of my cousins, and my half-brothers, even call me "Biscuit" because they say that "Froufrou" sounds like it. I guess they're right then...

Oh, I just missed them all!

Now forgive me while I rest my head on Mother's knees and try hard not to cry while she continues to caress my hair and reassure me that everything is going to be fine. She doesn't even need to say it.

I know it will.

She's right here. She'll keep me from harm.

That's all I need.

---

The King's Office, Royal Palace

Zeus was getting impatient. He was certain that Hephaestus and his parents had seen the pictures of Ares and Aphrodite in the press, the news, and those god-damned gossip shows. Since Aphrodite herself seemed unwilling to take the initiative, he had to fix the damage on his own.

Hurriedly, he picked up the receiver and called the number. After a few moments, a deep, hoarse voice was heard. Zeus didn't waste another minute:

"Mr. Petalas!"

"Majesty!" the financier said. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"I was told you had a complaint about a particular cover on a quality newspaper."

'As if I'm the one to blame for that as well...' Zeus thought.

"Yes. Concerning His Royal Highness-"

"He's not a threat." The authoritative tone in the King's voice made Hephaestus' father sit up straight in his chair. On the other end of the line, Zeus grabbed a pen resting on his desk filled with closed files whose content had to be read and signed and began to scribble something down on a white sheet on paper.

"Yes, but the media-"

"They want to sell and make up rumours. I can confirm that nothing written in there is true. The wedding between the Crown Princess and your son will proceed as arranged."

"Thank you, Your Majesty. Shall I be expecting the engagement announcement in three months? You had told me, during the Crown Princess's tour, that the Palace would have to sell a story to the press about them having a past and we'd hope that the people would believe it."

Zeus knew what he was playing at. He was trying to gain the upper hand, play the trump card that he had been the one with the money. Yet, Zeus still more powerful. Both in terms of rank and of important connections. The Petalas family wanted to raise their social status. Stupid 'nouveau riches' with no significant family history to go with their wealth. Hephaestus' forefathers had been blacksmiths in a tiny island at Lemnos. So small, in fact, that it didn't even exist in the map. Everyone there had been either shepherds or blacksmiths, who married their first and second cousins to keep the few plots of land they owned in the family. After all, they had all been related to each other one way or another. Hephaestus' grandfather had made a fortune during the German occupation of Greece during the 1940s by selling foods at the black market. He had received wedding rings, expensive jewelery, and fur coats in return of some beans, flour, or milk. After the war had ended, he had avoided criminal prosecution by traveling to Germany, Britain, and Sweden via Italy and Norway. There, he'd sell everything he had acquired during those dark times. He had wanted to get rid of them before their owners came back asking for them. Ten years later, he had succumbed to his mother's wishes, returned to Lemnos, and married his second cousin. Then they had left for Argentina, where he had become a famous jewelery maker. They had returned to Greece in the 1970s, their twenty-year-old son in tow who had studied finance and who would later continue the long family tradition by marrying his third cousin and having a son with her, called Hephaestus. Everyone in that family had turned out just fine, which was considered a scientific miracle considering the decades if not centuries of constant incest. Yet, Mr. Petalas would later sell his parents' jewelery store in Buenos Aires (a blooming business indeed) only to make a fortune via investments.

The only thing they lacked was the one they had been after for almost sixty years: inclusion in the elite. The best possible way to achieve that would be by breaking the mold and marrying their son off to the most powerful family they could imagine. It just happened that Hephaestus had fallen under the Crown Princess's spell and the King in some urgent need for money and fast. It had been the best opportunity for a good old-fashioned matchmaking.

Zeus hated that. He despised the prospect of having someone who could barely walk straight as his future son-in-law and he felt disgusted at being in the need of a family who wanted to use his family's history and prestige for their own gain. Still, whatever lies he had kept telling to everyone, from Aphrodite and Hera to himself, he had not changed his mind about one thing. Hephaestus would offer Aphrodite the emotional stability she was lacking. Perhaps, over time, she would see it too and stop flashing everyone with her antics and conquests.

It was his turn now. He'd follow Mr. Petalas' method and hit him right where he hurt: "I must say, the Queen and I are worried about Hephaestus' appearance and the questions that it will most certainly raise. Incest is a big taboo in all the European countries, although not so much in the world of royalty. The Queen is mostly concerned about what consequences that little detail might bring to the aspect of reproduction. Any troubled gene might affect either Hephaestus' ability or, even worse, it might find its way to the baby's DNA. I trust that Hephaestus has gone through the examination I had requested. I respect your wishes not to have our physician examine him or to send a copy of the results to my secretaries. But, if there is such a prospect, I ought to know."

For a few seconds, Zeus could hear the sound of papers falling and crumpling. When Mr. Petalas spoke again, he said the same words he had been telling the King all along. Which he believed was what His Majesty had wanted to hear: "It is all perfect, Sir. Tens of doctors have confirmed that. Besides, you want the money, the connections, and a husband for the Crown Princess, my wife wants the status and fame, and I am more than pleased to expand my network. It's a win-win situation."

"We'll see about that. You know that I don't want a hemophilic or deformed grandchild." The way he said it let it be implied that there would be consequences in case the Petalas family were lying about their son. But Zeus also had to do what Hera had asked him to do. She had thought it was a good idea and he could find no reason to disagree: "Now, given the opportunity, I would like to invite you personally to the New Year's Eve gala at the Royal Palace. You will receive the invite by a trusted aide of mine within the next forty-eight hours. The Queen and I would be thrilled to have you among us. It will also be a good way for my daughter to meet her future in-laws."

Hera had written those words in a piece of paper and he was reading them aloud. She had underlined the word 'thrilled' but Zeus wasn't in the mood to play the good actor. Good for him, Hephaestus' father paid more attention to what the King had said rather to how he had uttered it.

"Thank you very much, Your Majesty. I am sure my wife will be pleased! Hephaestus is also invited, I take it?"

'Those people are stupider than I predicted...' Zeus thought to himself.

"Of course," he said instead. "He will be escorting her to that one as well. I will once again be breaking the protocol, but the more events they attend together, the faster the rumours will circulate and the easier it will be for both of us to seal the deal. I expect you have also read about the state visit to the U.S. in March. The Crown Princess will exercise her right to act as Regent during that time. But that doesn't mean she will bring the match to an abrupt end and she is aware of it."

'I hope...'

Yet, Mr. Petalas' next words only increased Zeus' doubt that Aphrodite wouldn't do so: "With all due respect, Your Majesty, there is something in the Crown Princess's behaviour that rubs me the wrong way. It's not just the Prince. It's the overall attitude."

Zeus stared at his watch. He was beginning to grow impatient. The five minutes required for that phone call were almost over, and yet here he was, wasting his time over something completely pointless!

"You knew that when we agreed and I will repeat to you what I told you then. Trying to change her will make matters worse. She's smarter than she says she is. But she also knows what her duty is. She won't undermine her own father and King. For that, you can sleep soundly. Give me up to six months, starting on New Year's Day. If their engagement is not announced by June first, the agreement no longer stands. I can guarantee, though, that the Crown Princess will stay out of trouble until then."

That very moment, the door opened. It was one of His Majesty's Private Secretaries. True to form, she, too, had been waiting for the five minutes to go by before she could announce the news to the King. She was surprised to see that he was still on the phone. Still, the five minutes were almost over and it was a bit of an emergency. It couldn't wait any longer.

"Manhattan Five Two has arrived," she said loud enough for the King to hear at the other end of the room.

Zeus stood still. He had no idea what to do.

Dione. That was the person behind that ridiculous code name. Dione Oceanides, the woman that would've been his queen instead, was in Athens. Out of the blue. Now, of all times!

The secretary promptly closed the door behind her but remained in the room. Maybe it was the sound of the door closing or Mr. Petalas eagerly asking him if he's still on the line that brought him back to reality.

"Yes. Excuse me, I'll have to call you back." He hung up, stood up, and fixed his jacket. After clearing his throat, he turned to his secretary: "When?"

"A few hours ago," the woman in her early fifties replied. She was the longest-serving and most trusted Private Secretary that His Majesty currently employed. She knew just how serious the situation was and how Mrs. Oceanides' arrival could swift the balance of the Royal Family, just as the storm was over and everyone was beginning to enjoy the holidays. "She is staying at the Grande Bretagne," she furthered. "The Crown Princess's bodyguards have just informed me on that. We don't know for how long she'll be staying. Her Majesty hasn't been informed about her arrival."

"Good," the King nodded, rubbing his chin and walking up and down in the room. Then, he turned to her again: "I wish it to remain that way."

"I wasn't going to say anything without your permission, Sir."

"Great. Thank you."

She curtsied and left, closing the door behind her. Once Zeus was left on his own, he clenched his fists tightly and tried to keep from throwing all the files out of his desk.

It must be Aphrodite's doing for sure. There was no other way or reason for Dione to come all the way to Greece unless she felt that her daughter was 'in danger'. The damsel in distress...

His ex-wife would certainly try to put an end to the match, if she knew about it. Whom was he kidding? Of course Dione knew! She and Aphrodite were so very close that they knew each other's secrets. Every single one of them. He was in trouble. Dione would try to stop it by presenting to him the same argument that he had told his father to convince him to consent to his and Dione's marriage.

The Oceanides family were billionaires. They had at least ten times the money that the Petalas family had. Heck, they could even destroy the entire Greek economy with a single phone call! Aphrodite certainly knew what she was doing. She was trying to push him against the wall and make him change his mind. Or, if she had not thought about using her mother that way, Dione certainly would have. Zeus knew perfectly well that Aphrodite would live comfortably for the rest of her life with the trust fund her maternal grandparents provided her with. She would also have plenty of money left to pass down to her children and still they would be extremely rich. But, since he had divorced Dione, Zeus had not been allowed anywhere near that money. It was even harder now that Aphrodite was an adult and had her own bank account.

Suddenly, he had an idea. He would invite Dione out to dinner. He'd book an entire restaurant to themselves, under a false name. Perhaps even introduce them as husband and wife. It'd have to be an expensive one, for those were familiar with those kinds of tricks and could provide them with the privacy they needed. There, they could talk things through. Hera wouldn't join them. Even if she was asked to do so, she'd never. She and Dione hadn't spoken to each other in twenty years. Better yet, they had mastered at avoiding each other at all costs, even though they tolerated each other when the cameras were flashing, capturing their every move in the few occasions they happened to attend the same event. Should he let Hera know about this, though? He'd think about it later.

Maybe it'd be a better idea if that restaurant wasn't in Athens at all. He could commission the royal helicopter, the jet, or even the HGMY Thalatta for them to have their dinner in peace. Yes, the royal yacht was a good choice. It'd give them privacy and keep them away from the paparazzi, which was the most important thing. The last thing he wanted was to ignite the rumours that they were together again. Yet both Zeus and Dione would be in a familiar setting. She loved sailing and he treated the Thalatta as his third home, after the Royal Palace and Tatoi.

Nevertheless, Zeus knew that Dione's arrival in Athens wouldn't remain a secret for long. She was a mystery to most, which is why everyone was as enchanted by her as they were by Aphrodite. For that reason, it would be better if he would tell Hera about it, instead of having her find out via the media or their staffers.

He had lied to his secretary, but it was for good reason. Besides, he'd need some time to think about what he'd tell Dione.

He remembered her icy stare. She had looked at him like that only twice in their lives. The first time while she had been giving birth and he had been in the delivery room, being completely useless and the second time when she had told him she had wanted a divorce. Perhaps it's true what people would say. A third time would be the charm.

If only he knew for whom.

---

Hotel GB, Royal Suite

Santa came early this year and he looks just like my mother.

Don't give me that look. I'm serious!

The DVD isn't the only present she's brought from New York. She's also given me Niobe's Christmas card (she has drawn a big Christmas tree on the cover and inside she writes 'Merry Christmas Froufrou' with too much silver and gold glitter), a long silver and diamond necklace Mother brought from Tiffany's, and a folder filled with family pictures. She took it out of her purse after we had finished watching the DVD and now here we are, barefoot, knees bent on the sofa, Blanche on Mother's lap, and we're laughing ourselves to tears!

As for the photos, they're scattered between us. Those are random private pictures of the Oceanides family taken throughout the decades. There's Mother and all four of her sisters in that dreadful 1980s fashion and monstrous hair, then another one, (taken on the same day apparently, because they're wearing the same outfits), with my grandparents, Tethys and Oceanus, sitting in front. All of their ten children, their spouses, and me and some of my first cousins. Oh look, there's Tantalus with long hair! And then there's four-year-old me, three-year-old Khalkiope, and six-year-old Astris sitting by our grandparents. My male cousins are all lying on the grass, not caring about getting their clothes dirty. Plus, two of my aunts were pregnant when that photo was taken. Then come the most recent ones: Khalkiope's sixteenth birthday party in Barcelona. We had escaped to a beach bar and got her drunk for the first time, never caring about the long lectures from our parents that followed suit for days on end. Plus, some random guy had thrown his tequila on me and I ended up dating him for three days as a punishment. Up next: Grandma and Grandpa's fiftieth wedding anniversary almost ten years ago (also known as the day Mother found out she was pregnant for the fourth time and took everyone by surprise). Next: Christmas 1996, back to the good old days when Zeus Almighty would allow me to spend a few days during the holidays with Mother's family, and we decided to celebrate by dressing up as cowboys and cowgirls for some reason. It was one of the best ideas we've ever had. The next one is much more recent. It was taken last year apparently. All of my cousins who have children on their own are holding them in their arms and the little ones are so very cute dressed in their bear onesies and scarves that their grandmas had knitted for them (yes, Tethys and Oceanus are grandparents. They have four great-grandkids so far and keep asking their children-less grandchildren when they will have kids of their own. No one can escape it. Not even me). Then there's Mother and all of her sisters and sisters-in-law posing for the first ever sweaters they had knitted for someone's grandchild (they all took classes together, also to help them bond better. It's a tradition now every time there's a new baby in the oven). Then there's me and six-year-old Niobe in the corner of my parents' kitchen in their house in the Upper East Side dressed in our PJs, wearing pots as hats, and covered in a blanket which puppy Blanche ended up claiming as her own chew toy. Then there are my half-siblings, cousins, and cousins-in-law visiting Disneyworld in Orlando during my tour. There's that giraffe that kept sniffling everyone's hair, a random snake which we found very amusing for some reason, and me hugging Mickey tightly (we're the same height too, mind you), wearing Minnie ears and smiling like an idiot. Plus that one time we had sneaked into a Christina Aguilera concert, despite having bought the tickets for months in advance. But we mingled with the crowd. It wouldn't have been much fun if we had just entered via the VIP entrance and just sat on the chairs that the organizers were kind enough to provide us with. Oh, the perks of being rich, famous, and related to royalty!

My favourite though is the one we're currently laughing at. It's a picture of me, Astris, and her husband Hydaspes in Times Square during my tour, the day I had to be photographed for Vanity Fair and Life & Style (a Greek magazine, something between Vanity Fair and Vogue). They had asked me for an interview and a photo shoot, Zeus Almighty had forced me to do both, and Astris didn't want to miss the fun so she joined both photo shoots, which luckily took place on the same day in different places of New York. Let's start from the Vanity Fair one. There I am, posing at the steps of the MET in a long sugar pink cape gown by SANTARENA (they're a new fashion house based in Santorini, hence the name), and wearing my hair in a messy chignon and adorning the Rose Crystal Tiara, because when you do something, you gotta do it right. That's a silver and diamond tiara, which has the shape of messy rose leaves leading to a fully blossomed rose on the very front of the tiara, and with another diamond in the middle of the rose. Zeus Almighty had bought it as a wedding gift for Mother, but after they got divorced, it passed down to me. It's actually one of my favourites. The purpose of the photo shoot was to show me as this modern-day fairytale princess and we have the outtakes where Astris joins the fun in her blue jeans and 'I Hate Mornings' T-shirt, pulling funny faces at the camera and playing the ballerina on the stairs and I have to hold her so that she doesn't break a leg.

Which would be ironic since Astris is a Hollywood actress. But don't tell her I told you that. She likes to believe she's famous despite having me as her cousin.

As for the Life & Style one, there I am, in the middle of the Times Square with all the cars passing me by, but I pretend not to care in my Celia Kritharioti Grecian-inspired indigo embellished gown, posing at the steps and on the matching carpet. It was Astris' idea. My bodyguards loved her as you can imagine.

Mother, too, finds this story and our antics really amusing. But then we find a picture taken the same evening, when we all had to attend the same gala about the close cultural and business ties between Greece and the U.S. The draper guy in the tuxedo standing between Astris and me and who has a slightly darker skin than us, is Hydaspes. He's more fun than his name makes people believe.

"Only Astris could've found a guy like him!" I say. "A wealthy Greek-Indian, who's in the water industry. Very exotic!"

"You know your cousin. She went on a trip to India to shoot a movie, stayed for some self-discovery session or whatever and came back six months later to become an advocate for clean water and in the arms of a guy who makes a career out of selling just that!" She takes one more sip of her tea (she gave up drinking coffee ages ago), and adds: "She really liked the funny little hats and animal onesies you had bought for the baby, by the way. It was a nice change from all those blue outfits everyone keeps buying."

Oh, yeah, one more detail I forgot to mention. She's pregnant. She and Hydaspes dated for two years before they got married in May 2004. Long story short, they had two weddings: a Buddhist one in India (which was practically eloping since it was just them and a few good friends), then they travelled all the way to Britain where he was introduced to the big and great Oceanides bunch, and then - finally - they had another wedding ceremony, which was much bigger, better organised, and graced the society pages for a very long time.

Truly a wedding - and a couple - to remember, huh?

"When is she due?"

"In mid-February," Mother replies, setting her cup aside. "She keeps complaining that she wants to be done with it as soon as possible, before your grandmother drives her crazy with her endless advice and constant whining about how she should eat more!"

"I don't blame her. We are all very excited about the baby."

Suddenly, it comes back. The day of the abortion. I can still remember the stifling smell of medicine in the room, wearing the hospital robe, and convincing myself that it is the right choice. Even if I had run away at the last moment, Mother would've understood. But still. I had no other choice.

I feel a warm touch in my hand and I flinch. Mother is looking at me, worry drawn all over her face. She doesn't need to say it. I know that she can read my mind.

"Darling?" she utters instead. She has such a soothing voice... Like it is enough to heal all wounds.

"I'm fine." I realize then that I teared up a little. How stupid of me! I wipe them up immediately and Mother just takes my face in her hands and kisses my hair. Without saying a word, she holds me tight in her soft arms and doesn't say a word. Blanche whimpers and licks my fingers. It tickles me a little and I pet her. While I'm doing so, I further: "It's just... I wish I was with her now."

"You agreed to be the baby's godmother. Believe me, that's the greatest honour there is!"

I know that. Godparents in Greece are considered to be three times more important than your parents. Tradition has it that a couple's first child is baptized by their 'koumbaros', the equivalent of the Best Man and Maid of Honour. But, nowadays, it can also be a friend or a relative they get along with. That certainly applies to mine, although they come with a title. There's the Queen of the UK, the King of Spain, the then-President of Cyprus, and the Queen Consort of Norway. Her husband couldn't attend my christening that day, so she was the best shot. In the past, politicians would also baptize children to secure voters because of the 'family bond' that's created this way. I know for sure that Cronus and Zeus Almighty have also become godparents to numerous of their subjects' children, either because they happened to be born on the same day as them or because they might be the fourth child of their families. Well, that's one way to encourage reproduction I guess. Astris' son won't be my first godchild either. I've christened the oldest of the Dutch princesses and both daughters of the Prince of Asturias and his wife. Not to mention Lydia's niece or all those little girls born since 1998 that are named after me. So there you have it. Not only do we encourage baby-making, we also secure the future of our reign!

Whoever came up with this in the first place?

Anyway, I break the embrace, sit up, wipe the remaining tears off my eyes, and change the topic: "I forgot to ask... Where are you staying?"

Mother takes her purse from the coffee table, opens it, and reveals a key. She's still wearing her reading glasses: "Suite two-fifteen. It's not big but I can manage. I'll only need it to sleep and shower. I figured I shouldn't spend a fortune just for that! Besides, I'll be spending most of my time here with you. If I need to work, I can use your study."

She has done it before. She knows I won't mind one bit. In fact, I just can't resist teasing her just a little bit right now: "Well then, I'll make sure to give you the royal treatment!"

We laugh again but soon it's cut short because Lydia shows up. She's been in the study for so long, just trying to fit everything into my agenda. Two dinners may have been a little too much for me to ask, especially these days when we have to be on the road all the time. But now that Mother is here too, it goes without saying that I'll want to spend some more time with her!

"It is time for me to go," Lydia says, files in hands, purse on shoulder, and wearing an unbuttoned trench coat. "Your Highness, I have left your new agenda on the desk. Should you be requiring anything else, you know where to find me."

I tell her boringly: "Yes, thank you, Lydia."

She curtsies and turns to leave, but soon Mother stops her: "Lydia?"

"Yes?"

"I'd like to thank you too. For everything!"

"It's my pleasure!" Lydia replies with a smile. "Enjoy the performance at the opera tonight. Good night!"

"Good night!" Mother and I say concurrently.

You may be surprised that they're on a first-name basis, but I have gotten used to it by now. Lydia and Mother are old enough to be each other's sisters and they have known each other for almost ten years. It'd be ridiculous if they addressed each other as 'Mrs. Kalogrides' and 'Mrs. Oceanides'. Mother also jokes often that Lydia is the best replacement she could've found to play the mother when I need one. She's right, and Lydia has been doing a marvelous job and isn't going anywhere, but sometimes, you do need your own mother to take your hand and show you the way.

"Now," Mother adds. "You look like you need to go out. When was the last time you went for a walk? No engagements, cameras, seducing anyone, or igniting a diplomatic crisis. Just to clear your head."

I sigh: "To be honest, I don't think I can remember."

"Well then. I do believe it is about time you did just that." She pats on my lap: "Now, up! Up, up, up!"

She's putting on her shoes, but I can't help thinking how exhausted she must be too. "You look like you need some sleep."

She turns to look at me and smiles: "I can manage. I have to take care of you first!"

"There's no convincing you otherwise, is there?"

"Nice try dear! You know what, why don't we play the tourists? We haven't done that in a while!"

Just put on the largest sunglasses you own and the biggest hat you have, and you're good to go. Bodyguards in tow. Yup. We'll definitely go unnoticed this way.

Especially with Mother being such a big mystery to the world that it only adds to her fame and she's practically a living legend here. The closet thing Greece has to its own Diana of sorts.

Then I have an idea: "I'll ask the chauffeur to take us to Plaka." That's perhaps the most famous area of Athens after the Acropolis and it looks like it's straight out of a movie with its narrow streets made of stone and marble, Edwardian buildings, and ancient Agora nearby. Best part yet: the Acropolis is so close, you think you can touch it if you stretch out your arm! In the spring and summer, it's even better, when the sun is shining and the flowers are in full bloom. "We can eat some takeaway gyro on a pita. Nothing tastes better than it at five in the afternoon!"

Thank heavens I don't have any engagements to attend to today, except for the one I had this morning and the opera tonight.

Mother drops the smile: "It's very crowded there."

She says that because she worries about my own safety. But I'll be fine. I survived with Ares by my side and the bodyguards out of sight for almost ten hours and still, there I am, perfectly unharmed.

"It's early afternoon in December! Now that you have a pixie cut, it'll be easier for you to just conceal your face!"

Funny story, I was once thinking of getting a pixie cut myself. But then I looked at myself in the mirror and realized I love my hair long more than I believed at first. Plus, long hair makes for some amazing tiara hair and that's the best part about being a Princess, if you ask me.

I ask Anna to inform my bodyguards that I'd be requiring one of them with us. Mother dislikes having to do be accompanied by one at all times too, but she's nobody's fool. She knows the lengths we both have to go to go by unnoticed in here. It's easier in New York. Unless some paparazzi show up. Then the fun begins...

Still, she can't help commenting: "Oh dear! Remind me, while I'm here, to tell your father how claustrophobic it is to live like a bird in a cage!"

"He won't listen to you. You know what he's like. He'll lecture you about how important I am in the family and all."

"It doesn't matter. It's unhealthy!"

"I'm fine! The first five years are always the worst, remember?"

Ten minutes later, Anna comes back to tell us that everything is ready when we are.

Mother doesn't waste a minute. She puts on her shoes, dress coat, and belt. As I put on my own coat and boots, Anna comes back carrying sunglasses, scarves, and hats. She helps me wear mine, while Mother puts on her gloves and puts on her hat by herself.

Once we're good to go, she says: "Right. Time for me to become Greek again!"

"You say it as if it's a bad thing."

She scoffs: "Sometimes, dear... I think it is."

Trust her word for it. She has experienced first-hand how Greeks are treated abroad. But I don't say anything. Just hold her hand and walk through the fire escape with her.

Oh, one more thing I forgot to mention. Now that my bodyguards have discovered it after six years, and made sure to install security cameras they can trust, that's the only way for me to exit the hotel now.

I actually wonder if Zeus Almighty forbade them to use it on purpose. To see if I'd use it to my advantage, perhaps. Thinking about it, I am a bird in a cage.

But Mother can change Zeus Almighty's mind. Believe me, she's a miracle worker.

Besides, I think Father is still in love with her a little bit. That's why he can't deny her anything.

And to think, if he had treated her better, she wouldn't have divorced him, and none of this would've happened. So, at the end of the day, it's all still his fault.

Mother will just make him realize it. If she agrees to see him, that is.

---

Private Quarters, Royal Palace

Hera closed her purse and looked at her reflexion in the mirror. She exhaled deeply. Perhaps she could fool the photographers and spectators tonight that she was in a festive mood. She had worn a silver embedded dress for the occasion. Yet the heavy makeup and perfectly coiffed hair did little to hide her exhaustion.

She should have expected as much. It had been a long day. She had spent hours overseeing the preparations for the New Year's Eve gala. At least she knew how that would go... They would stick to the same plan they had followed for years.

If only every single one of her problems were that simple!

She had hardly slept a wink the night before. Every time she'd close her eyes, even for a few seconds, she would have that dream again. There she'd be, in Ares' room, going through his things. She would remember that secret box under the carpet. She'd get it out, open it, and out would rush Ares' secret.

All those pictures of his own sister...

Had she done something wrong? She had raised them as royal tradition declared. Aphrodite was the future Queen and received the best education possible; Ares was the outcast and his parents - Hera mostly - had tried as much as possible to help him adapt to the royal lifestyle. She could see it in her son's eyes, he was grateful to them about the life and opportunities they had given him.

Still. Her and Zeus had made sure that all of their children would grow up to be as close as they could be. They knew that each had a personality of their own and that they often clashed. But what Ares felt for Aphrodite was sick. It was unhealthy.

And tonight, she'd have to stand her ground and keep herself together at all times. But the mere thought that those two would sit by each other in the theatre, the possibility that they might hold hands in secret or, even worse, that Ares would have his arm protectively over Aphrodite's back while they posed for the pictures outside the Greek National Opera before the performance made it worse. The glances they'd exchange, even for a few passing moments, the flashes of the cameras, the dark room, the forbidden love story of the play, that cover, their dance at the gala...

People would start talking. Unless they were already doing so. Sooner or later, the truth would come to light and the greatest scandal in the history of modern royalty would break out. It would earn global attention and, just like that, everything Hera had worked so hard for, all the pain she had endured and the tears she had shed due to Zeus' cheating and the means she had managed to hide each single one of his affairs from the world... She'd have failed. The republicans would ask for the Monarchy to be abolished. No one likes such stories. They're sick.

She and Zeus were the heads of the family. Zeus didn't know, thank goodness. She'd keep it a secret from him as much as possible. He already made fun of the newspaper covers and those pictures saying that the media would just come up with various stories. Aphrodite's press secretary had said that there were plenty of photos of the Crown Princess and the Prince dancing closely and those from the gala were just a drop in the ocean. His colleague in Their Majesties' service had declined to comment. Hera knew that their stance would only increase the gossip, but unless Ares and Aphrodite would throw fuel to the fire, the rumours would cease soon enough and be forgotten.

Until their next mischief. Then it'd be the same old vicious circle.

No, no. She shouldn't be thinking of such things right now. They'd draw all over her face and keep her from appearing genuinely jovial. No, there was another solution. She'd speak to Ares. That was the only solution all along and she shouldn't have postponed it for so long. But at least now she had something in her hands that would make him listen to her. She had taken a few pictures out of that secret box, placed them in a white folder, and kept them in her purse. Oddly enough, she felt that carrying them on her at all times was the only way to keep the secret from becoming known. She'd take them at the opera too. It'd only serve as a reminder to be done with it as soon as possible.

But she couldn't confront Ares about the pictures per se. It'd infuriate him, he'd shout at her, and he'd leave the room before Hera had had the chance to say a few words. She hated how her son's temper took the better of him and she despised herself for feeling so intimated by it every single time. She'd rather treat Ares as her favourite child. That way, he was annoyed at her overprotectiveness over him and he was kept from seeing the ways with which she kept the family as farther away from harm as possible.

No, she needed something more extravagant this time. Something that would make Ares listen.

She knew just what it should be.

Aphrodite's abortion.

She'd ask to see him, ostensibly to talk with him about... something that had to do with her obviously... His thoughts on Hephaestus? The gala? Their picture on the cover? Or something off-topic, such as... the weather? No, that never worked. How he enjoyed himself during the Christmas holidays? It was the perfect subject for a composition for children.

Or just plainly about Aphrodite. He'd come over. Call it fear, curiosity, or eagerness. This way, she'd make him listen. They'd be in her office. To make Ares understand she was the one in charge. Yes, it was a good plan. She'd tell him about the operation, but she wouldn't tell him who the child's father would be. After all, if she had kept the baby, Aphrodite must have been, what, four months along now? Five? Six? In any case, she'd have started to show.

If Hera was lucky, the baby would not have been Ares'. She'd figure it out by his reactions. Then she'd see what she'd do. She just kept hoping, wishing, even praying, that her suspicions wouldn't be confirmed.

Aphrodite had always been careful enough to protect the privacy of her lovers in her diary entries. She simply referred to them as 'il' - 'he' in French. So, it could have been anyone. Hera would use that to her advantage.

Suddenly, she heard a knock at the door. She jumped up, as if was she abruptly woken up after having a nightmare, and she turned to see who it was.

Zeus was standing by the door connecting their bedrooms. He, too, was fully dressed for the opera in his black suit and bow tie. He took a careful look at his wife. Since he had found out about Dione's arrival, he couldn't stop thinking about his ex-wife. How she must have changed since he had last seen her. If what he had heard over the years, whether in the press or by common friends of theirs, was true, then she had aged gracefully and was prettier now than she had been when she was young. The last time he had seen her was five years ago and she looked stunning back then. How much do people change in that amount of time?

But now, as he was looking at Hera in her knee-length couture dress and red shawl, he had no doubt that, at the end of the day, she was still his most deserving Queen. Dione had not been born for that kind of life; she enjoyed the privacy and the ability to make some serious change in this world, or at least that was how she saw it. Hera, on the other hand, looked like she was born to be a royal. She had been his rock without asking to overshadow him or undermining the royal status and the privileges that came with it; she had endured silently and, throughout their marriage, had only threatened him with divorce once, unless they had a fourth child. Preferably one that she'd give birth to. Dione had not given him a choice or a chance, expect for the fact that she had wanted a divorce and her demands for joint custody of Aphrodite. Perhaps it was for the better that she had not been his Queen then. After all, they were married for such a short time that most people don't even remember her as a royal at all.

He cleared his throat, as if that could keep him from comparing the two women, and he stepped into the room. He was smiling, but the look in his eyes scared Hera. Before he could compliment her and perhaps also flirt a little, she asked him to jump straight to the topic: "What happened?"

Zeus let out a long sigh. She could read him like an open book by now. There was no need keeping it a secret any longer: "Dione is here."

Hera looked at him with wide eyes, not changing her former expression. Then she took a step back, as if looking for more space. That was what she always did every time she heard those words. As if wishing to vanish or just hide. As if she was the one to blame for everything.

Zeus sat on Hera's bed and stared at the floor. He'd let Hera pace up and down the room as much as she wished, if it made her feel better. But instead, she walked to the armchair nearby and sat on it, facing her husband. Zeus had no idea what to make of it.

"She's not coming to the opera, if that's what you want to ask," he told her, raising up his head to look at her.

"Could Aphrodite have asked her to come all the way from New York?"

Hera knew that her arrival would complicate things, especially if Aphrodite was the one behind it. It might either have to do with Hephaestus or with Ares. After all, Aphrodite never kept anything secret from her mother, or so Hera had heard from all those servants gossiping.

Zeus nodded: "Perhaps. But this isn't the point." He stood up and began to pace up and down the room. He had brought his hand on his chin, thinking about his next words. Hera kept staring at him patiently, mind blank, as if trying to contemplate that unexpected twist in the plot. Finally, Zeus spoke again: "You know, my dear... I'm thinking about inviting her at the New Year's Eve ball. She is, after all, Aphrodite's mother."

Hera clenched both fists tight. All those years she had been trying to avoid that woman and now Zeus would invite her to the greatest occasion of Athens' high society?! But then again, it might be a way for him to keep a close eye on Dione. Find out her intentions, too, perhaps. That way, they could stop her from doing whatever she had had in mind when she had boarded that plane.

"If you think it's for the best, then I think you should," she replied.

Zeus stopped and faced his wife. He could never dream, not even in his wildest dreams, that Hera would accept to be in the same room with Dione, not when she could very easily avoid it. She must have had something in mind, surely.

"Really?"

"Yes. Now with Aphrodite's engagement and wedding, we will be seeing her all the more often. I believe we should get used to it. It won't be pleasant for either of us, but... No matter what I do, she's still your ex-wife."

She had to remind Zeus that, at the end of the day, she was still his better half. For some odd reason, Hera's worst nightmare was Zeus leaving her for Dione again. She knew it was unlikely; even if he'd want it to happen, Dione would stop it. Over the years, she had made it clear in more ways than one that she had not regretted divorcing him. Still, the fear lingered.

"Good," Zeus said a little impatiently. He needed a drink. His hands were trembling. "Thank you. Excuse me."

He walked to the door, stopping only to touch her shoulder gently. She didn't touch his hand; she was too bitter for that and Zeus knew. He left immediately after, making sure to close the adjacent door behind him. Once Hera was left on her own, she stood up and walked up to the dressing table, on which her purse was resting. She opened it and took out the folder. She hated that she would have to do it, but she was left with no other choice. Dione had great influence over her daughter and her decisions, so the best Hera could do would be to try and use it to her advantage.

She'd invite her to a private audience. It would cause the servants to gossip, but better to them than Ares and Aphrodite. She'd speak to her about their children, ask her to put an end to it. Dione was smart. Much as she loved her daughter, it was impossible that she, too, would consent to their obscure affair. They had gone from friends to enemies; about time they signed a peace treaty and formed an alliance.

If someone had told Hera twenty years ago that that day would rise, she'd laugh at their face. But now, the tables turned and the rules changed.

The one thing Hera hated about Dione the most had been her ability to turn the page and move on with her life, never looking back or trying to change the past. Perhaps it was about time that Hera did the same.

After all, she'd never put an end to it unless she took matters in her own hands.

No matter the cost.

---

Royal Suite, Hotel GB

There I am again, getting all prettied up. Ever year on this day, the entire Greek Royal Family attend a performance at the opera or a play at one of the good hundred theaters there are in Athens. Yes, all of us. Including Uncle Poseidon, if he can keep his eyes open and refrain from snoring halfway through the show this year.

Actually, this is a very old tradition. It must be a good two hundred years old now. But, the Greeks love going to the theater and it's a good way for us to promote it. (Besides, it's very typical of people to fall asleep in there too, so Uncle Poseidon does do something useful for a change). Each single year, though, we go for a Greek play or operetta. Or, if it's not written by Greeks, then at least it is translated into Greek and played, directed, and produced by Greeks. We gotta promote our own country after all.

Last year, we had seen the stage adaptation of a 1960s comedy. That decade is considered as 'the golden era' of Greek cinema, with dozens of movies produced each year. It's a great way to learn about Greece back then. Plus, they are so well-loved by the people even to this day, that they're often broadcast on TV and quotes are also recited a lot. Ask Anna, she loves throwing random quotes from those movies at me and then she leaves me confused as I am to figure out which movie it is from and which legendary actor uttered it. Which reminds me, I did meet plenty of actors who had stared in those movies when they were young as well. They come with tons of stories to tell and they have the most amazing way of telling them. Tell you what, those people spent ages doing stage and cinema work, and they do know how to say a line. I won't tell you what play it was because I'll confuse you.

But the year before it, we had attended a musical satire. They call this theatre genre 'Epitheorisi'. The word means 'inspection' and it's a genre that I've only found in Greece so far. Well, simply put, imagine Saturday Night Live if it was a musical, more political, and had actually funny jokes in it. There's the 'host' and there are many different sketches, each one criticizing the government and modern society. As you can imagine, we, too, are a favourite source of inspiration. Our PR team thought that it would be a good... well... PR if we attended one of those and the actors hadn't missed a chance. They had kept turning to us halfway through the sketches, asking us tons of random questions, and one actor had even walked off stage, and up to us to 'interview' us. Apparently, I was the only one who had genuinely enjoyed it. Do not be fooled by the pictures of Zeus and Hera laughing and enjoying themselves! I heard the next day that they had had such a huge fight they were awfully glad they were sleeping in separate bedrooms all along.

That's why they decided to go with opera this year. It's good, it's fun, there's plenty of singing, no politics, plus we had fired the guy that had come up with that idea. Poor him. But, don't worry. I made sure Astris hired him as her PR advisor. Her mood swings are better than Hera's. Trust me.

So, now, my pretty-me-up team is here again, my hair and makeup are done, and my dresser is zipping up my dress and makes sure that everything is in place. Contrary to common belief, I decided not to give those journalists what they wanted. They kept whining over the fact that I had attended Hera's birthday gala in a Gucci gown. Well, now I'm in Chanel Couture. But, before you kill me just yet, my jewels were designed by Greeks. I'm wearing my hair in a curly half-up ponytail, secured in place with a diamond brooch, plus the small diamond earrings and huge faux pearls ring that I'm wearing. No bracelets. The dress has 3/4 sleeves, so those wouldn't do. But, don't worry, they have small silver details in the hems which can work just fine as a replacement.

What? Oh, sorry. Yeah, here's the dress: white, a little above knee-length (it's not exactly mini, but Thunder and Peacock will definitely see it as such...), a plunging neckline kept in place with a silver collar which basically goes around my neck like a foulard and keeping the shoulders of the dress in place. Plus a flowing double skirt, silver heels, My dresser describes those things far better than me but I keep forgetting the terminology all the more lately.

I know what's to blame. Please don't remind me. My mother's here.

She's actually drinking a cup of hot milk with honey and she's staring at me getting ready. It's funny. I remember the time when I used to watch her put on her makeup and do her hair before the mirror.

Man, I'm old...

No one's uncomfortable, though. My team has known her for years. They're so much at ease with each other, in fact, that Mother never hesitates giving suggestions and they listen to her. She might not show it in the way she's dressed, but she definitely knows a lot about fashion.

The apple doesn't fall far from the tree after all, does it?

"Which play are you watching again?" she asks while my dresser keeps making sure for the thousandth time that there are no spots or anything on my dress. She even takes the lint roller again to remove Blanche's hair from me. Oh, the joys of having a Samoyed in the house... Dog hair ahoy...

"Erotokritos ke Areti," I reply. "Father's favourite."

It's actually the opera adaptation of perhaps the most famous Greek poem of all time. The original is called 'Erotokritos' and was written by Vitsentzos (as in 'Vincent') Kornaros presumably in the early seventeenth century. No one knows for sure. It is actually considered one of the most significant literary works of Greece, also in terms of language. It is written in the Cretan dialect of Medieval Greek and it might sound intimidating, but we can understand what it says. The poem consists of 10,012 fifteen-syllable rhymed verses, hence how easy it is to make a song out of it. Most Greeks have only ever heard it as a song in many different variations. From traditional Cretan to opera to rap to rock. In short, it's legendary and very versatile.

So, here's the much-anticipated plot. Pay attention. It's important. So, we're in ancient Athens and it's ruler, King Heracles, and his wife have a daughter, Aretousa (the 'Areti' in the title is a variation of that name and, fittingly, her name means 'virtue'). Erotokritos is the son of the King's trusted advisor. His name means 'he who judges/is judged by love'. Long story short, he falls in love with the princess, but due to his lower social status, he can't confess his love to her face-to-face. Instead, he tries the next best thing: every night, he sings under her window. Aretousa eventually falls for him too, but she has no idea who he is. One night, Heracles sends soldiers to arrest him (probably because he was singing during quiet hours), but Erotokritos and his beloved friend kill them. Erotokritos then realizes that his love for Aretousa won't end well and goes to a self-imposed exile in Chalkida, in Evia, that big island right next to Attica on the map. While he's away, his father falls ill and Aretousa goes to visit him. She sneaks into Erotokritos' room and finds a portrait he made of her and the lyrics to the songs he'd sing to her. She takes them with her and when Erotokritos returns, he finds that they're gone. His parents tell him that Aretousa had come to see them and was their sole visitor, and so Erotokritos, realizing that his life may be in danger now that the princess knows he loves her, stays at home and pretends to be ill. Aretousa though sends him a basket of apples to wish him well and that's when he realizes that she loves him too. But, trouble's on the way because Heracles organizes a jousting competition to find a suitable husband for his daughter. Now, I ain't the expert on history but this is an anachronism. There's no way there were jousts in ancient Greece! So, as you'd expect, many noblemen from all around the world participate and Erotokritos is declared the winner. (Talking of, someone should suggest that to Zeus Almighty. It'd be a good way for Ares to win my own hand in marriage...). Erotokritos and Aretousa continue to meet secretly under her window and she pleads with him to speak to her father and ask for her hand in marriage. In a very kingly manner, though, Heracles is furious that a pageant like him would dare ask for such a thing and has him exiled. Simultaneously, Aretousa receives a marriage proposal by the king of Byzantium (another medieval reference right there!). Aretousa and Erotokritos get engaged in secret and he leaves Athens. In the months and years that follow, Aretousa refuses to marry the king of Byzantium or any other nobleman in this case, and her father imprisons her and her faithful nanny (who has always had her back, like the one in Romeo and Juliet). Three years later, Athens is under siege and Erotokritos shows up again, but he looks completely different due to magic. He saves the king's life and gets wounded in a battle. Heracles is so grateful to the 'stranger' that he offers him his daughter's hand in marriage. Aretousa refuses and so Erotokritos goes to see her in her cell. He's presented to her as a stranger and tells her how he found Erotokritos dying in the woods, killed by a wild boar apparently, and his last words were about her. Aretousa falls to the floor and mourns her loss and then Erotokritos washes his face in front of her to reveal his true self. Aretousa falls into his arms, the king accepts the marriage, and Erotokritos becomes the next king of Athens.

I know, I know. Life imitates art. I just hope that Father Dearest doesn't get any ideas about imprisoning me as well, or else he'll have to face Mother's wrath. But we can keep the jousts. I've always wanted to be the lady all those knights would fight over.

Mother, however, sees it somewhat differently: "Ah! Honouring his Cretan roots this year, I see!"

I scoff but then my dresser comes to my rescue: "You are ready, Miss."

"Thank you!" I reply standing up. She just tidies up her things. Meanwhile, I approach Mother. "How do I look?" I ask twirling around slowly.

She places her cup on the bed and claps her hands once. That's a good sign: "Simply radiant!" Then, taking it again, she pops the question: "Will... Hephaestus be there too?"

I sigh. Of course he would be. He's Thunder's new favourite pet...

"Father persists that we make as many joint public appearances as possible so that we can fool people we're actually a couple." Mother nods. I face her and ask desperately: "Can't you come? I'm sure they sell some last-minute tickets..."

She flinches just a little, but doesn't lose her sense of humour: "I'm so tired, I might just go to bed very early tonight. But can you just imagine? Me showing up and stealing Hera's thunder!"

She throws a fist in the air and we both burst out laughing. I lean over to her and hug her. I know, white is a terrible colour to wear because it gets dirty out of nowhere, but Mother was careful enough not to spill the milk on me. I hear my dresser's footsteps getting louder and Mother whispering a 'thank you' to her before the door behind her closes. Mother now hugs me with both hands, so I guess the dresser took the cup with her.

"Thank you so much for being here!" I tell her once we're on our own.

"I had to." She breaks the embrace. I walk up to the mirror to fix what curls might have been ruined. Thankfully, everything's still in order. "And the fewer people know I'm here, the better. But, knowing them, the entire Greek royal family must have found out I am here by now."

I smile. Security around me has gotten so ridiculous that I need to have my mobile phone with me at all times. They're actually looking inside my purse to make sure I got it now. I don't like it either, but either I endure, or I go through yet another lecture about security presented to you by Zeus Almighty in all his glory.

Honestly, this guy has given so many lectures, he should become a professional. I know of some universities that are hiring...

That's actually a way for me to get rid of Athena, but I might as well use it on Father Dearest too. There, I solved his financial issues! No need to get me married. Now, where are my jousts?

"Will... Ares be there too?" she asks in English.

I stop on my tracks. I turn to face Mother. She's smiling softly. Thank god we're on our own in here at least! She gets up and approaches me. She leans toward the dressing table and crosses her hands in front of her. Time to get serious.

"Look," she furthers. "You know what I am going to say so I will spare you the trouble of having to listen to it. At the end of the day, he's still your choice. Just be careful not to break your own heart again, dear."

"I have a feeling that I might. I just don't know what to do with him."

She keeps on smiling: "You do love him, don't you?"

"He just..." I don't know how to put it. Mother and I have had lots of such conversations in the past, yet this time it feels so... different... "Every time I look at him, I feel like I'm discovering the world anew. I get shivers down my spine, butterflies in my stomach, and he makes me doubt everyone and everything, yet..."

She bents her head to the side a little. She's motioning for me to continue. I'll just let the words flow out of me. It's always easier to do so when you feel at ease with the person that's listening to you.

"I feel complete when I'm with him. Like he's been the missing piece from the puzzle. It's odd but... He makes me see everything so clearly, yet the more he does so, the more he confuses me. It's not that he's my brother turned lover. It's like I've been living in a cage and he's set me free, and I thank him for it but at the same time I'm so terrified, I want to come back."

"Is it the consequences you're afraid of?"

I scoff: "I wish I knew!"

Mother doesn't reply. For a few moments, she looks to the ground. She always does that when she's thinking. She crosses her legs too, one knee on top of the other. She's still in her Louboutins and she wants to get rid of them, I can see it in her eyes, but she's never barefoot when there are other people in the house. Even if those are working for us. When she looks at me again, she makes a completely unexpected question: "If Hephaestus and Ares were the only men on earth, who would you pick?"

"Je ne sais pas," I reply. It's better that I say this in French than in English or Greek. After Zeus Almighty ordered tighter security around me, I'm even more aware of eavesdroppers. "He's the adventure I long for, yet everyone says Hephaestus can give me the world and everything I've been looking for all these years. I can look past his handicap, but his family history makes me feel repulsed. I know what you'll say. We're royalty and incest has been the norm in our world for centuries. And now that Ares and me have committed something that most people will see as such, I don't..." I bring my hands to my face. "Gosh, I wish there was an easy way to describe your feelings!"

"You are repulsed by Hephaestus' background, but at the same time feel guilty about Ares," she replies in French.

"Something like that."

She nods. Then she switches back to English: "Lydia mentioned that you wish to invite Ares to dinner here."

"I can cancel it, if you'd like-"

"Oh no! I'd love to see him! Last time we had met was at your twentieth birthday party, I believe. I did see a few pictures of him in the press recently. He really is a very handsome man."

Indeed he has... Ever since he was a teenager. Except that now he knows he is and he can't stop using it to his advantage. And to think, he'll be sitting right next to me tonight! I'll have to try very hard to keep from touching his hand or from standing too close to him. It'd have been easier if the seating plan was different. Oh, why do we have to see that performance!

"Just be careful," Mother adds, letting out a long sigh. "He will make you cry yourself to sleep at night. You'll hate him for that. But you'll still love him even more."

I remain silent for a few moments, avoiding her gaze. Eventually, I say: "You told me once that our better half is the person we'd like to soothe us after a nightmare. That's how you knew Tantalus was the one for you."

"You were a child back then. I had to give you the simplest definition of love there is!"

I can't help chuckling at that. Mother has always been like that, trying to answer every single one of our questions, no matter how stupid they were. Once, I remember asking her why squirrels were called squirrels. Some twenty years later, Niobe asked her the same thing about penguins. We were children and the world was weird. Actually, it still is.

Mother furthers: "You're not me, though. You are far stronger than I was at your age."

That's not true... "At twenty-six, you were already divorced and a mother."

"But I was also more lost than you are now. I did put it behind me and reemerged like a phoenix rising from the ashes, yes. But it wasn't as easy as the media or the stories we tell each other make it seem. There were days when I didn't want to eat anything or talk to anyone. Sleepless nights spent crying and trying to see what I could do. My own mother had to hide all the cutlery in the house for fear that I might end up harming myself. You're not like that. To you, every day brings forth a new beginning. You may be confused now, but trust me, you know that everything will come into place eventually. Same with Ares and Hephaestus. You will figure out what to do about them. Unless... You have already."

I stare at her, as if her face will give me the answer to everything. Maybe I have. Or she has given me the answer. I did decide to take Ares as my lover and to proceed with marrying Hephaestus but... I can't. It won't be true to who I am. Hephaestus doesn't deserve to be treated so cruelly. Perhaps I haven't given him enough signs to send him running as far away from me as possible. And with Father pushing him towards me all the more, there'll he no escape. Rather, breaking his heart will be the only solution. But I have to be true to who I am and my heart belongs to Ares. Still, Hephaestus is my duty. Unless something occurs that will make the King change his mind, I'll never be able to escape him.

I am about to tell all this to Mother, but before I can say anything, the door opens. It's Anna: "Excuse me, Miss. Your car is ready." Then she turns to Mother, remembering that she is here too: "Ma'am."

"Thank you, Anna," I reply. "I'll be right there."

Anna curtsies and closes the door behind her. But two seconds later, it opens again. My dresser rushes inside and helps me put on my coat (a matching silver one). The new instructions from the Hellenic Royal Police now declare that I exit from the fire escape accompanied by a bodyguard at all times. It's what they do in the grand hotels I'm staying at when I travel all over the world. They always make sure I stay in hotels with underground parking, so that my car can wait for me there. But, what can I say, the Grande Bretagne doesn't offer this kind of luxury and the parking houses they cooperate with are... well... inconvenient for me. Thank heavens my custom-built Mercedes Benz is already heavy-armored, or else they'd have to issue a new one as well.

Two minutes later, I am good to go. Mother now has a big proud smile on her face: "I see you can finally remember her name!"

I figure I'll tease her back: "You know what they say. It takes an average of six years for us high-born people to find out the names of our staff!"

She laughs a little. Then she hugs me again. She'd have kissed me on both cheeks too, but she has to be careful not to ruin my makeup. "Enjoy yourself!" she says. "And do tell me all about it at breakfast tomorrow!"

We'll be having it here. Time for me to use the dining room. I pay for it, after all. "I'll see you at eight. Tomorrow is going to be a long day. I love you!"

She nods and then says: "I love you too!"

Isn't it wonderful how nice those four words sound when someone tells them to you in person? I did hear her utter them plenty of times over the phone, but it's not quite the same. Now, I can see the smile on her face, feel her rubbing her fingers against my hand, and I just missed it. With a little luck, I can persuade her to stay until the new year. We need some days to ourselves. When she goes back to New York, we won't meet again for months on end. If the inevitable does happen and I end up the wife of Hephaestus Petalas, then she, Tantalus, and my half-siblings will join the engagement and wedding celebrations. But still, I need to spend some more time with her. Our walk earlier today was enjoyable, but not enough.

I draw a deep breath. Right. Time to get the show started.

Oh boy...