Trumpets blew. Bells toiled.
"Hear ye! Hear ye! All residents of Mt. Olympus are to be formally dressed and presented at the palace for the homecoming of the great, the illustrious, the magnificent Zeus!"
"Huzzah!" the crowd yelled, throwing caps and babies into the air.
The speaker bowed, and prancied off, leaving the citizens to promptly rush off as well and get ready. Some masculine-armed ladies impatiently waited, as they waited for their heavily thrown babies to return back from the air.
Word spread. Wine spilled. Songs rose. The air was filled with joy, cheers, and more babies were thrown.
Hera watched bleak-eyed from the highest towers, looking every bit the evil witch that the people had portrayed her as. The lights were off, casting a gloomy, dark veil over her. She did not share in the people's joy. To them; Zeus was hero, their savior. To her; Zeus was a cheat, a filthy, womanizing swine. But he was her husband as well. So she dressed. More out of habit than out of respect, for sure.
As she prepared, and managed the affairs of the palace for the night's festival, her mind continuously strayed to the man she had met earlier. But, she shook it off for the millionth time, and tried to drown herself in her tasks.
The festival did not start until 9:00 but the palace was packed by 8:00. Zeus was expected to show by 10 or 11, when the real party would begin.
The festival began at 9 as planned. And it was a success. People drunk till they dropped. Inhibitions were dropped. Everything dropped, except Hera's blank expression. And for one guard who quietly slipped away.
Enamore was in agony. He was starved for food and drink. He was weak. He would not live for much longer. He had heard the guards collect the rest of the prisoners for some festival, and they had conveniently forgotten him. He would've laughed, but it hurt too much too. As he slipped back and forth between consciousness and unconsciousness, he heard footsteps closing in. Closer...and closer..until they stopped directly in front of his cell. To Enamore's great surprise, the door was flung open and a guard stepped in.
What was happening?
Enamore saw that the guard had no food, nor drink. So, was he to be beaten, then? There was no whip, but the guard could easily beat him with his armoured fists.
It was a struggle for Enamore to even keep his head up, but he wanted to look the guard in the eye as the guard beat him down.
The guard stepped forward. And he raised a hand. Enamore flinched, reflexively.
The guard paused, as if puzzled. Then started shaking. It was Enamore's turn to look puzzle. Then, as it dawned slowly on him, he realized the guard was...laughing?
The guard continued to raise his hand, until it reached his visor. And then he flipped the visor back.
If the guard was expecting Enamore to gasp in the shock of instant recognition, he was sorely dissapointed. Enamore did not recognize the guard, at all. Of course, all he could see at the moment were the eyes, and what eyes they were! They were bluest-gray, or the grayest-blue eyes he had ever seen.
"Who are you?" Enamore asked.
Enamore could tell the guard was frowning in thought. After a moment, he shook his head, flipped his visor down, and pulled out a bunch of keys. He jingled them mischievously.
"Oh!" Enamore exclaimed. "You are here to free me, then?"
The guard nodded, jingling the keys again. He picked a key, and placed it in the lock. He turned. Nothing.
Silence. The guard looked at Enamore. Enamore looked at the guard. The guard shrugged, and tried another key. Nothing.
This might be a long night, Enamore thought, as the guard tried the third and fourth keys. But, at least I'm going to be free.