§ § § - March 25, 2000

The goddess gave Leslie a wide grin as the couple approached her in the lane. "Well, and where will I find my followers?" she inquired.

Leslie smiled, hoping fervently that Christian's confusion would keep him quiet. "Just come with me," she offered. "There's a very pretty little ornamental temple not far from the Japanese teahouse, and that can serve as your gathering place. It'll be all yours for the weekend, if that's all right with you."

"It sounds lovely," Athena said happily. "By all means, take me there. So tell me, then, what should I look out for? I realize this is the final year of the second millennium, so I imagine there'll be quite a lot of begging for deliverance from the end of the world and such things as that."

"Not really," Christian volunteered, to Leslie's surprise. "Mostly just panic over Y2K, which was nothing after all."

Athena eyed him sidewise, long enough to make him look away as if wishing he'd held his tongue. "Whatever that means," she said, and Leslie hid a smile, simultaneously giving Christian a pinch at the waist that got her a very dirty glare from him. "If I can't expect that, then what?"

"Why don't you let it be a surprise?" suggested Leslie, hoping that might go over with the goddess. "There's not really a lot of call for end-of-the-world deliverance nowadays. As far as I can tell, it's more down-to-earth. I mean...people asking to be cured of this or that disease, or help with financial trouble, or to meet a significant other, or…"

"What, pray tell, is a 'significant other'?" Athena asked.

"A very silly phrase that has no equivalent in jordiska," announced Christian with another glare at Leslie. His voice sounded unusually pompous, she thought.

In response she removed her arm from his waist and stepped out ahead of him to devote her full attention to Athena. "Modern-day vernacular," she said. "It's a unisex term for 'boyfriend' or 'girlfriend', or even 'spouse'. As a matter of fact, you might be interested to know that these days the language is a lot more conscious of terms that sound too much like they favor the male of the species." She fielded Athena's interested look and went on, "Of course, a lot of it goes overboard…'flight attendant' somehow sounds more dignified than 'steward' or 'stewardess', but I think 'chairperson' walks a really fine line, and 'personhole' instead of 'manhole' is just going way too far."

"What's a manhole?" asked Athena, at which Leslie heard from behind them a poorly stifled snort of derisive amusement. She ignored it.

"I'll explain later," she said, vowing to let Christian have a piece of her mind as soon as she got a chance. "There's the temple. I don't know how you want to handle this, but you know where to find us if you need help."

Athena nodded, surveying the little Greek-style temple that had been built a couple of years before for someone's fantasy, located in a small grove of trees about five minutes' walk from the teahouse. "This looks as if it will do very nicely," she said in approval. "I thank you most kindly, Leslie dear, and give Roarke my thanks as well." She leaned over as if to tell Leslie a secret. "I like your young man, but he seems a little…well, you know…blasphemous."

Leslie snickered and said, "No, just ignorant." And maybe a little obnoxious right now, too, for whatever reason, she thought. "Don't worry about him and just have a good time."

Athena nodded and went off to explore the temple a bit, while Christian drew up beside Leslie and chuckled. "This should be interesting," he observed with what came across to her as a patronizing tone. "I can't wait to see what happens. She's very pretty, of course, but she really doesn't look much like a goddess, Greek or otherwise."

"Then why don't you hang around," Leslie offered just a little too sweetly, "and you can be her evangelist. Recruit her some followers so you can see those results you anticipate so highly. As for me, I have a job to do. I presume you know your way back to the main house if you get bored." She strode past him and headed at a brisk clip back the way they'd come, puzzling over the superior, condescending air he'd started adopting, reflecting with unease that it was totally unlike the prince she loved. Not till she reached the Ring Road did she realize she was still alone. Had he really taken her up on her sarcastic suggestion? If word got back to Roarke… Leslie clamped a mental lid on that thought and detoured to the teahouse to see if Katsumi needed anything.

Athena, meanwhile, had overheard Christian's remarks and was now peering at him with a slightly jaundiced eye. "I don't look much like a goddess?" she asked acidly.

Christian caught himself up short and cleared his throat; she looked ready to deal out some seriously injurious consequences. "I don't mean to be insulting, truly; but I merely thought that goddesses were supposed to be more beautiful than any mortal woman."

"You sound disloyal to Leslie," Athena remarked, enjoying the rush of color that flooded his face and not seeming to realize it was that of growing anger rather than embarrassment. "To be honest, this is my travel persona. Zeus and Hera laid down the rules back in the eleventh century that if we absolutely must leave Olympus, for whatever reason, we are required to tamp down our natural beauty to keep from blinding poor ordinary mortals."

"Or being recruited by some Hollywood talent scout," added Christian, unable to resist.

"That too," said Athena serenely. "You know, Leslie was right. I actually could use someone to help convert folks to my side…a preacher, if you will. How good are you at speeches? You should be quite skilled at it, actually, being of a royal family…even if it is only a minor one."

Christian narrowed his eyes at her. "I beg your pardon!"

"Well?" Athena prodded, ignoring his affrontery.

"Well, what?...oh, you mean the speeches? No, as a matter of fact, not only am I a member of a minor royal family," Christian said with poisonous emphasis on the italicized word, "I am the most minor member of said family. I'm little more than a figurehead. If anyone's needed for speeches, they come to my brother the king. Arnulf is a natural windbag, so he's the perfect choice. I'm about as close to being a private citizen as a royal can ever hope to be. I live my life, I earn a living and I keep a low profile."

Athena was shaking her head. "This will just never do. If you're merely a figurehead, then what good can you possibly do me?" Christian's expression grew thunderous, and she finally noticed. "Oh, calm down, young man. Maybe all you need is a little practice. I have to tell you, you don't act much like any royal I ever met. Most are quite pompous. You seem to be little more than an afterthought."

Christian's mouth dropped wide open with outrage. "I'll have you know that when I am called upon, I can perform just as well as anyone else in my minor royal family!" he exploded. "So you want an evangelist to get you some worshippers? Just tell me what message you want me to get across, and I'll deliver it. You want pompous, then pompous you'll get. I think it's time I proved to you that I truly am a prince, and perhaps after you've heard me speak, you'll realize that you most certainly have seen me in the media, unless you happen to live under a rock and have never heard of television."

That got Athena's dander up and she glared at him. "Young man, you'd better be careful what you say to me," she warned in a deadly tone. "I don't care if you are a prince—I am a goddess, mind you, and goddesses trump princes any day of the week. Don't you forget that. Now, come on, and let's see you put your drachmas where your mouth is." She grabbed his arm and started for the greensward where many guests were taking their leisure; Christian, still worked up and ready to put the lie to any accusation she made, stalked along, his longer strides soon putting him out ahead of her. "Young man," Athena shouted.

Exasperated, Christian stopped short. "What?"

"I am the goddess, you are the mere prince—so you stay behind me," she snapped imperiously. "And one other thing. Why are you carrying a banana peel?"

For the first time Christian realized he still had the remains of his breakfast banana in one hand. He stared at it as though he had no idea how he'd come by it, then gave her a supremely regal look. "It's part of my plan to win you followers," he announced loftily.

Athena's expression was very dubious indeed. "Is that so? And precisely how are you going to do that?"

"Watch me," Christian said and resumed his walk towards the green; Athena now had to run to keep up. She finally came abreast of him when he paused in front of a small audience gathered around a long-haired young guitar player and watched him with growing disbelief while he declaimed, "Ladies and gentlemen, if I might have your attention. Forgive me for interrupting your fine performance." This he said to the guitarist, who was eyeing him as if beholding a madman. "Have you ever wondered what alternatives there are to today's organized religions? Are you tired of following the crowd and want to be different? I have the perfect alternative for you. I present to you the goddess Athena, live and in person. She can give you anything your heart desires—all she asks in return is your loyalty and your faith."

The gathering mumbled, some of them snickering. The guitarist cocked a bushy eyebrow at Christian and said skeptically, "Yeah? How 'bout you prove it, motormouth?"

"Do you see this banana peel?" Christian demanded, holding said item aloft so that all could see it. "In the blink of your eye, Athena can make this a whole banana once more."

"You're pushing it, young man," Athena hissed at him.

"Just do it," Christian hissed back. "Trust me."

"That's what they all say," Athena grumbled, but drew in a deep breath and aimed a brilliant smile at their audience. "Just as my…assistant has promised. A complete banana. No, an entire bunch of bananas! Yes! Bananas for all!" She swept a hand grandly through the air, and the next thing Christian knew he was loaded down with four or five bunches of bananas. He gaped at his burden, stunned completely speechless, while the crowd applauded with sudden enthusiasm and descended on him, grabbing bananas from his stash till he found himself empty-handed—even down to the original peel he'd been carrying with him.

"That's awesome!" shouted a boy about nine or ten years old. "Hey, lady, can I have a ten-speed bike?"

"I want a skateboard," yelled a teenager.

"One moment!" Christian roared over the clamor, which died out immediately, to his delighted surprise. He was normally not one to take the spotlight, and speeches tended to give him panic attacks for days before he was required to give them; but having a captive audience at his beck and call was giving him a strange new confidence. If Leslie could just see me now, he thought. How could I possibly be bored? Arnulf always said speeches were easy. Maybe he was right. "Come now, do you ask the Lord or Allah or the Buddha for such things, so disrespectfully? This is Athena, a goddess in her own right! Show the proper respect, or she will refuse your prayers!"

Athena peered at him. "Hmm, that's not bad, young man. I appreciate it." She turned to the crowd and smiled at them all. "Yes, he's correct…I can give you all your heart desires, as long as you follow a few simple rules. All I ask is that you show me the respect due any god or goddess. You, the player of the musical instrument. What is your fondest wish?"

"To jam with a band, man," the guitar player said immediately. "To be rich and famous, instead of panhandling on the streets trying to get people to listen to me. I'm a genius, y'know, but I can't get anyone to see it. Can you do that for me, Lordess Athena?"

"Lordess?" Christian muttered, confused, unsure as to whether this was an actual English word.

"But of course," Athena said. "My only request is that you spread my word."

"Done," the man yelled enthusiastically. Athena beamed at him and waved her hand in his direction; he promptly disappeared, presumably to some venue where he was playing with a rock band.

"Can I still have a ten-speed?" shouted the boy who'd first spoken up.

Athena nodded. "As long as your parents are willing to worship me," she said. "My temple is just near the teahouse, and everyone is welcome. I'll be very happy to see you all there."

Christian stood by watching, trying to believe and wondering if he wasn't hallucinating, while Athena deftly granted the wishes of everyone in the crowd. At the same time, he got the feeling that someone was watching him, and turned around to see Leslie standing a few feet removed from the gathering, looking as though she wanted to explode with mirth. He fixed her with a dirty look and signaled at her to come closer to him; grinning outright, she did so.

"I see Athena's been very successful, thanks to you," she observed.

"Oh? And what do you know about it?" he inquired.

Leslie started to giggle maniacally. "I never knew you had it in you," she chortled. "Declaiming like that and having Athena change water into wine, as it were. Maybe you missed your true calling."

Christian hiked one eyebrow at her. "I'm happy to see you're so thoroughly entertained by my performance," he said acidly. "But don't forget, you are the one who suggested I assist the lady, so I'm not the only one to blame."

Leslie sobered. "That may be, but you might want to duck out now while the getting's good," she advised. "Athena's got things well in hand from the look of it, and you really weren't supposed to get involved anyway."

"You told me to," Christian reiterated.

"I was joking!" Leslie shot back, making his eyes widen with exasperation. "Come on, Christian, let's go, now. I really have to get back to the main house anyway."

"Suppose I choose not to?" Christian challenged her. "You can't force me to do something I don't wish to do. Don't forget, I am a prince after all." She squinted at him in astonishment while he continued, "I don't care how minor my family is, I am still a prince. And I can be as royal and regal and dignified as anyone else. Once Athena knew what she was dealing with, I was the natural choice."

Leslie peered suspiciously at Athena, who was now holding court amongst her audience, and mumbled, "I think she's done something to you. You've never put on airs like that before. At any rate, you sure aren't yourself." She focused on him and questioned snidely, "So, Your Royal Highness, may Father and I be graced with your august company at the lunch table, or shall we dine alone?"

Christian stared at her, and she stared back, and for a moment they seemed stuck in their own orbit while Athena basked in her newfound attention. "I'll see if Athena can spare me," Christian finally said distantly and nodded at her, dumbfounding her. "Until later."

Leslie lingered long enough to see if he really meant it: and when he sauntered back to Athena and took up a post by her side, she realized there was something fishy going on. As little as she wanted to confess to Roarke, she was going to have to. He was the only one who might have any ideas.