Mother in law

"If Herakles thinks he's going to date Hebe, he'll have to think again", Ares said with a sour face.
"Oh, come on!" Athena looked up from her book. "What's your problem, Ares?"
"He's got a problem with everything these days, just because he lost that war in Garnamara. Without you even being in it", Artemis pointed out.

At those words Ares grabbed at his big sister in a very ungetleman-like way but Artemis backed away swiftly and with elegant steps. She almost giggled when the war god tried to reach for her one more time. Once again she danced away, rounding the sofa Ariadne was sharing with Athena and stared challenging at the war god, wiggling her fingers in a teasing, beckoning kind of way.
"Come on, Ares! Wanna play catch?"
"I'll win then", Ares grunted. "You're not used to be the prey, right!"
"I can be that for a change", Artemis returned. "You know I've studied the beasts. "

While Artemis ran away with Ares after her Athena turned to Ariadne:
"So it was true then? Herc dating Hebe?"
"So he told my husband", Ariadne replied. "I see no reason why he should be lying about such a thing. "
"Was he drunk?"
"A bit. "
"Okay." Athena sighed and closed her book. "I guess someone's going to have to tell them to stop sneaking. It's better to come forwards telling the truth, or it'll all be much worse when it bubbles up. "

"Hera's not going to like it, you know," Ariadne said.
"No, that's very true. Since you have a good hand with people, Ari, would you consider talking to Hebe? Then ask Dion doing the same to Herc? "
"Sure," Ariadne nodded. "I'll give it a try at least. "

¤*¤*¤

"It's Zeus", Hebe said and stared at her nails. "Mum I can handle all right. She'll know love in spite of not being that found of Herc. She'll yell and scream and call me things, but then she'll see reason. Zeus on the other hand, now that's quite a different story. He has never liked me. He consider me an anomaly, someone who shouldn't have had happened. In spite of his constant womanizing and all his stray kids he refused to accept me in the household. Not until mum threatened to leave him was I allowed to stay at Olympos instead of being sent away somewhere. "

"Hebe, that's not the Zeus I know. Besides Herc's story is exactly like yours, only with opposite roles. He has a problem with Hera, while he thinks his father wouldn't really mind. I think both of you should ease up a bit. Go talk to Zeus and Hera. They both know love – as well as heartbreaks. When they have calmed down a bit I don't think they'll really mind. "
"Then you don't know them well. Ari, you've been here a year. And it's been a lucky year. You haven't seen Zeus' wrath yet. That's nothing you want to be the receiver of, I assure you."

"And you have been that?"
"Yes. Several times. That he dislikes me is an understatement. "

¤*¤*¤

The rain was hammering on the roof that night and thunder was heard in the distance. Ariadne lied together with Dionysos and sleep failed them both.
"Do you think they know? Zeus and Hera I mean." Ariadne asked, striking her husbands' wide, hairy chest.
"About what?"
"Herc and Hebe of course?" Ariadne answered.
"Of course they do. I mean that gossip has been the talk of the town since Herc and Hebe returned from Rhodes. By not travelling together they made it even more obvious that something was going on. "

"So why haven't Zeus or Hera raged, demanding an explanation? Or is your dad out there thundering away his anger tonight before dealing with the situation tomorrow?"
"I'm not sure. I'm not even sure they have discussed it with each other yet. Hera is still in Argos, taking care of that royal house with succession trouble. "
"What's going to happen, you think?"
"We'll see about it tomorrow. Or the day after, the latest. We've both been doing what we could. Now we can only wait and see. Let's sleep now, honey."

¤*¤*¤

No, Zeus wasn't happy about the development, that much was sure. On the other hand he wasn't furious either. He just looked at Herakles and Hebe who stood together in his office, facing the king of the gods. A bit off to the side Dion and Ariadne were standing together with Athena, Hermes and Aphrodite, they had all been asked in for moral support.

"Now, how did this happen?" Zeus asked, looking at the two lovers from behind his desk. The strawberry blonde Hebe was clutching her lover's hand, staring down at her sandals. Herakles was facing his dad though.
"Just like most love, it just happened," he replied boldly.
"Do you have a finger in this?" Zeus turned to Aphrodite.

"No." The goddess of love shook her head, blonde curls bobbing. "I had no idea this has been going on. I was trying to patch it up with Hephaestos, and it took all my time and effort. So I wasn't looking to help others. "
"Perhaps it was Eros playing pranks again," Hermes suggested.
"Might be," Aphrodite nodded.

"Never mind who's deed it was," Zeus said and folded his hands. "You two have obviously found each other, what an irony! And I don't intend to stand in your way, but I will be honest with you here today. First of all, Hebe, I was far from happy learning that the daughter I had hoped for had another father. It is not your fault and I guessed I took out some of my anger at your mother on you in the past. I know you dislike me. But can we at least behave civilized towards each other? That would gain us both a lot. "
"But you betrayed mother. Several times," Hebe looked up, boldly facing her step father. "Why do you expect to be treated differently?"

Ariadne gasped for breath behind a hand, she had never expected Hebe to be so brave.
"My betrayals gave you Herakles, that's all I intend to say here today in this matter," Zeus avoided the subject. Then he turned to his son: "Herakles, you have a history with women which is far from benign. Deianeira, Megara, Hippolythia "you know the list. But now you are together with a goddess – a daughter of queen Hera. Don't mistreat this young lady or Hera's wrath will be even worse than what you've seen so far. And this time I won't be there to help you out!"

"I promise," Herakles confirmed. "I mean Hebe no harm. I can swear by Styx if necessary.
"No need for that", Zeus cut him off. "Finally – you both will have to deal with Hera too. And I promise you that talking with me here this morning was a piece of cake compared to what you will face from the queen. She's still not over your apotheosis, Herakles. "

"Father," Athena stepped forward. "You're right about Hera. Honestly I think Herc and Hebe need some help here. "
"Why? They could handle me all right. "
"We would have helped them if they hadn't." Athena said and Aphrodite let up an agreeing sound.
"We don't want to see them unhappy because of their love," the latter filled in.
"I should have known," Zeus smiled. "You are all a sweet bunch. So how are you going to deal with Hera, have you thought about that?"

"I have an idea," Athena began. "I'll go with Hebe and Herc and..."
"Not you young lady," Zeus stated firmly.
"Why?"
"Because as soon as Hera sees you she's going to smell the plot," Zeus told. "Better sending someone who's not that known for scheming as Athena or Hermes. How about you Dionysos of the honest face?"
"Why, me?" Dion asked with a hesitant voice. I'm not sure I'm up to anything like that.

"Because if you come Hera would expect nothing. Especially not if you drink with her a while first."
"Perhaps, Dion said. "I've done it before. With Heph among others. But not with Hera. She's... She's a bit too smart. Even with my wine inside of her. "

"Zeus, why are you helping us?" Hebe asked frankly. "Since I can tell that you aren't too fond of our union. If you want to use us to set up mum I'm not sure I want to..."
"Don't let her get in the way of us!" Herakles exclaimed.
"No, but..."
"Because I want harmony in my house." Zeus replied. "Most of all, I want Hera to be smoothed up a bit mostly for her own sake. I hate to see her upset. I believe that when she gets the chance to think over the situation she'll be more relaxed about it. Now, don't you think so, Hebe?"

Hebe sighed.
"You're right, Zeus. And I will behave civilised, I promise."
"So are you doing this, Dion?" Zeus turned to his son again.
"I..." Dion hesitated again, but then Athena marched up to him and grabbed him by the arm he was not holding around Ariadne.
"Little brother, you love your wife to pieces, and you two are so lucky, she said. Now if you want to help Herakles and Hebe who feel the same way you come with me. I'll tell you my plan on the way. Then you, Hebe and Herakles will arrive at the right moment. "

Aphrodite began to take a step forward, but Athena held up a hand:
"Aphrie, you'll be as suspected as I in this case, since you're the goddess of love. You better stay at Olympos. As will the rest of you. Come, Dion! "

¤*¤*¤

It was raining again. No thunder this time though. And it was way past midnight, hours since Dionysos and Athena had left for Argos. Hebe and Herakles had left about an hour later, but not one of the foursome had returned to Olympos yet. And Ariadne had begun to worry. She knew that Hera was powerful, almost as powerful as Zeus himself. If she had got mad... If anything had happened to Dion, Thenie, Herc or Hebe...

Ariadne didn't dare to finish the thought. Should she go talking to Zeus? Hesitating she remained sitting by the window, looking at her own reflection in the glass. The same sweet face as ever, reminding her that she was a goddess now, one of the mightiest beings on planet Earth. Yet she had hardly ever felt so helpless.

Then suddenly there was a change in the air, Ariadne could feel it in her veins. A strange kind of surge. It was like a door had opened and closed somewhere. A powerful door closing against something terrible. Then white snowflakes started to fall outside.
"Dion?" she whispered, putting her hand against the glass. But there was nothing there, not even the faintest trace of reply...

Ariadne remained sitting, watching the snow fall...

¤*¤*¤

She must have fallen asleep, because suddenly she was jerked awake, to that same strange feeling. Yet now it was daylight outside, the ground covered with a white carpet. November snow! That was unusual, even on these altitudes.

The next moment she noted the entrance door opening downstairs, letting in a cold wind of fresh air. She heard voices and energic stamping of feet, no doubt to get rid of snow.
"Dion?" Ariadne rose expectantly. But when she ran to meet her husband she noted that he was not alone. He was carrying a petite woman in his arms, a weak, shivering being plaided in Dion's red leather cloak.
"Who?"

Then the woman turned, faced Ariadne. And the goddess noted something very familiar around her dark eyes and sensually curved lips. Was that a sister of Dion?
"Ariadne dearest," Dion said and walked up to his wife. "Meet Semele! My mother. "