Part III
Days passed and Ares' ire rose more with each passing moment. His daughter, Hippolyta, had disobeyed him and it cut a far greater wound than any he had ever received in battle before. He had held such high hopes for his daughters. He had envisioned a day when they would rule the world with an iron fist-a fist of war and blood. There had been days when he could taste the victory. Now, it looked as though that day would be farther away. Hippolyta had betrayed him, disobeyed a simple rule he had put forth. She had fallen in love. LOVE, it was a vile thing. Hippolyta's secret lover had turned out to be none other than the Captain Daniel of the Wolf Troops. He had risen quickly through the ranks and Ares held such hope for him. He had considered promoting him to General and giving him his own army should his men take the rebelling kingdoms of the north, which they had. Now his plans were set back again, and all because his daughter, a female, decided to fall in love against his orders. By the gods, were she not a great warrior, he would kill her.
Deep within the villa, the Captain of the Wolf Troops was strapped to a torture table. Through out the previous days, how many exactly he did not know, he had been tortured beyond reason. His lord and master, the god Ares, appeared every so often to see the state he was in. Those were the times that he screamed the loudest. He screamed not only because he knew it would please his master, but also because those were the times that the pain was most unbearable. At first he thought he might gain his freedom by resubmitting himself to Ares, but it was to no avail. Ares cared not for his pleas. In the end, he found his only comfort to be the thought of his love, Hippolyta. He thought of the few meetings they shared in the garden. He thought of her smile, her touch, and her kiss.
Hippolyta, the daughter of the dark god, was perhaps the luckier of the two. Her punishment for disobedience was 1000 lashes and a night in the stocks. She did not wait for her father to add more punishment. When she was released from the whipping block, she went immediately to the training fields. There, she began training. She punished herself so that her father would not have to. She knew him well. She knew that his anger would only grow and the only way to subside that was through time.time, and her winning victories.
Ares sat in his throne room fuming. He drummed his fingers on the arm rest of his great throne. His men had gained glory in the north; they had claimed all the territory in his name, but it did not make him happy. It did not lessen his rage. He sat on his throne, his posture screaming rage.
Across the way, a harp was played. The other favored daughter of Ares played and sung a song of war, her father's favorite tune. It did not seem to better his mood. As the song came to its end, Antiope gracefully moved away from the harp she played and towards her father's dark form. In the days since her sister's secret love had been discovered, she had done naught but try to think of a way to save her sister and to cause her father to forget his anger. She did not care what happened to the young Captain that Hippolyta loved, but she knew that Hippolyta's heart would be broken if Ares allowed his death. For days she pondered on the predicament. Speaking with her sister in the evenings, she thought she had come up with a plan that would cause happiness to all involved.
"My lord Father, forgive my intrusion on your thoughts, but you look as though the weight of the world were on your shoulders. You and I both know that weight belongs on the shoulders of Atlas instead. Perhaps, you will allow me to help you return it to him? May I massage your shoulders, Father? It will make you feel better at least."
Ares looked at his other daughter. He could not blame her entirely for her own sister's betrayal, for betrayal it was. "I do not think it will calm my rage, Antiope, but you may." He removed his cloak as Antiope approached his throne. With her help, they removed the bodice of his armor revealing a light silken blouse beneath. Gently, Antiope began to massage her father's shoulders, working the tight muscles under her hands; gradually she roughened her approach to the height that her father enjoyed. After a few minutes, his muscles loosened and he seemed to relax beneath her touch. Now is my chance, she thought.
"Father, I have been thinking about this terrible deed Hippolyta has committed." Her father visibly stiffened at the mention of his other daughter's name.
"Oh?"
"Aye, Father. It is a terrible thing Hippolyta has done to you. After all, you have given her everything. What daughter could ever wish for more? I honestly do not know what she was thinking. It is terrible. For her to bring down such a fine warrior as well, it is unforgivable." She paused. "However, I have been trying to think of a way in which this err may be righted. It would be a shame to lose such a fine warrior. He rallies the troops so well, any would follow him."
"What is the point, girl? Get to the point! Aye, I do not wish to lose such a warrior! But what choice do I have? Your sister has left me with none!" Ares pulled away from his daughter's massage and leaned forward, his chin rested angrily on his fist.
"Actually, Father," Antiope moved to the side slightly so that she might see her father's face better. "Hippolyta has left you another choice. For in her secrecy, none have learned of her betrayal. You have told no one save me, and I have spoken to none on this matter. Instead of killing the warrior, Father, and punishing Hippolyta (granted she does a fine job of that herself), why not give him a reward?"
"WHAT!? Give him a reward!?" Ares stood quickly and spun around to look at his daughter. "You would have me give him a reward!? After he has betrayed me? Are you mad!?" Ares raised his hand to strike at his daughter.
"Nay, Father! I am not mad! Would you but listen to my reasoning, you would see! What better way? You do not wish to lose such a warrior! Nor do you wish to punish Hippolyta! You also do not wish for any to learn of this act! By killing Captain Daniel, suspicion will be raised! Aye! You could give word that he had been killed in battle, but who would believe such? The warriors will talk! It will eventually come out! You must cut them off before they have a chance! Reward the Captain for his services! You said yourself you had wished to promote him to general and give him his own army! Well, do it! And give him Hippolyta's hand in marriage!" Antiope paused to let her father think on her words.
"Promote him? MARRIAGE!? NEVER! My daughters will never marry! Think of the loss! I would lose my best warriors! Never! Think of."
"Think of!" Antiope interrupted, "think of the offspring such a union would make! Think of the courage and cheer it would give the warriors! To see the daughter of their lord married to his greatest warrior! What an unstoppable team! Your warriors would follow them into battle all the more readily!"
Ares stood, hand raised but still. Slowly, as the reasoning sunk in, he lowered his hand. "Perhaps you are right, Antiope, perhaps you are right." He looked in thought as he turned slowly and returned to his throne, reclining. "Aye, think of how the warriors would rally. Think of the allies such a union would gain! Aye!" Antiope moved to face her father, kneeling before him on the steps of his throne, she waited, as he thought of the possibilities. "Aye, Antiope. Let it be so."
Days passed and Ares' ire rose more with each passing moment. His daughter, Hippolyta, had disobeyed him and it cut a far greater wound than any he had ever received in battle before. He had held such high hopes for his daughters. He had envisioned a day when they would rule the world with an iron fist-a fist of war and blood. There had been days when he could taste the victory. Now, it looked as though that day would be farther away. Hippolyta had betrayed him, disobeyed a simple rule he had put forth. She had fallen in love. LOVE, it was a vile thing. Hippolyta's secret lover had turned out to be none other than the Captain Daniel of the Wolf Troops. He had risen quickly through the ranks and Ares held such hope for him. He had considered promoting him to General and giving him his own army should his men take the rebelling kingdoms of the north, which they had. Now his plans were set back again, and all because his daughter, a female, decided to fall in love against his orders. By the gods, were she not a great warrior, he would kill her.
Deep within the villa, the Captain of the Wolf Troops was strapped to a torture table. Through out the previous days, how many exactly he did not know, he had been tortured beyond reason. His lord and master, the god Ares, appeared every so often to see the state he was in. Those were the times that he screamed the loudest. He screamed not only because he knew it would please his master, but also because those were the times that the pain was most unbearable. At first he thought he might gain his freedom by resubmitting himself to Ares, but it was to no avail. Ares cared not for his pleas. In the end, he found his only comfort to be the thought of his love, Hippolyta. He thought of the few meetings they shared in the garden. He thought of her smile, her touch, and her kiss.
Hippolyta, the daughter of the dark god, was perhaps the luckier of the two. Her punishment for disobedience was 1000 lashes and a night in the stocks. She did not wait for her father to add more punishment. When she was released from the whipping block, she went immediately to the training fields. There, she began training. She punished herself so that her father would not have to. She knew him well. She knew that his anger would only grow and the only way to subside that was through time.time, and her winning victories.
Ares sat in his throne room fuming. He drummed his fingers on the arm rest of his great throne. His men had gained glory in the north; they had claimed all the territory in his name, but it did not make him happy. It did not lessen his rage. He sat on his throne, his posture screaming rage.
Across the way, a harp was played. The other favored daughter of Ares played and sung a song of war, her father's favorite tune. It did not seem to better his mood. As the song came to its end, Antiope gracefully moved away from the harp she played and towards her father's dark form. In the days since her sister's secret love had been discovered, she had done naught but try to think of a way to save her sister and to cause her father to forget his anger. She did not care what happened to the young Captain that Hippolyta loved, but she knew that Hippolyta's heart would be broken if Ares allowed his death. For days she pondered on the predicament. Speaking with her sister in the evenings, she thought she had come up with a plan that would cause happiness to all involved.
"My lord Father, forgive my intrusion on your thoughts, but you look as though the weight of the world were on your shoulders. You and I both know that weight belongs on the shoulders of Atlas instead. Perhaps, you will allow me to help you return it to him? May I massage your shoulders, Father? It will make you feel better at least."
Ares looked at his other daughter. He could not blame her entirely for her own sister's betrayal, for betrayal it was. "I do not think it will calm my rage, Antiope, but you may." He removed his cloak as Antiope approached his throne. With her help, they removed the bodice of his armor revealing a light silken blouse beneath. Gently, Antiope began to massage her father's shoulders, working the tight muscles under her hands; gradually she roughened her approach to the height that her father enjoyed. After a few minutes, his muscles loosened and he seemed to relax beneath her touch. Now is my chance, she thought.
"Father, I have been thinking about this terrible deed Hippolyta has committed." Her father visibly stiffened at the mention of his other daughter's name.
"Oh?"
"Aye, Father. It is a terrible thing Hippolyta has done to you. After all, you have given her everything. What daughter could ever wish for more? I honestly do not know what she was thinking. It is terrible. For her to bring down such a fine warrior as well, it is unforgivable." She paused. "However, I have been trying to think of a way in which this err may be righted. It would be a shame to lose such a fine warrior. He rallies the troops so well, any would follow him."
"What is the point, girl? Get to the point! Aye, I do not wish to lose such a warrior! But what choice do I have? Your sister has left me with none!" Ares pulled away from his daughter's massage and leaned forward, his chin rested angrily on his fist.
"Actually, Father," Antiope moved to the side slightly so that she might see her father's face better. "Hippolyta has left you another choice. For in her secrecy, none have learned of her betrayal. You have told no one save me, and I have spoken to none on this matter. Instead of killing the warrior, Father, and punishing Hippolyta (granted she does a fine job of that herself), why not give him a reward?"
"WHAT!? Give him a reward!?" Ares stood quickly and spun around to look at his daughter. "You would have me give him a reward!? After he has betrayed me? Are you mad!?" Ares raised his hand to strike at his daughter.
"Nay, Father! I am not mad! Would you but listen to my reasoning, you would see! What better way? You do not wish to lose such a warrior! Nor do you wish to punish Hippolyta! You also do not wish for any to learn of this act! By killing Captain Daniel, suspicion will be raised! Aye! You could give word that he had been killed in battle, but who would believe such? The warriors will talk! It will eventually come out! You must cut them off before they have a chance! Reward the Captain for his services! You said yourself you had wished to promote him to general and give him his own army! Well, do it! And give him Hippolyta's hand in marriage!" Antiope paused to let her father think on her words.
"Promote him? MARRIAGE!? NEVER! My daughters will never marry! Think of the loss! I would lose my best warriors! Never! Think of."
"Think of!" Antiope interrupted, "think of the offspring such a union would make! Think of the courage and cheer it would give the warriors! To see the daughter of their lord married to his greatest warrior! What an unstoppable team! Your warriors would follow them into battle all the more readily!"
Ares stood, hand raised but still. Slowly, as the reasoning sunk in, he lowered his hand. "Perhaps you are right, Antiope, perhaps you are right." He looked in thought as he turned slowly and returned to his throne, reclining. "Aye, think of how the warriors would rally. Think of the allies such a union would gain! Aye!" Antiope moved to face her father, kneeling before him on the steps of his throne, she waited, as he thought of the possibilities. "Aye, Antiope. Let it be so."