The first words of Alexandros's petition broke the silence of the throne room on Olympus just as Eos rose to bring light to the mortal world. The king and queen of the gods listened to the prayers issuing from the Theban temple with a mixture of resignation and forced calm. Only the fact that they were required to interpret the omens for Semele and Athamas's marriage, kept the royal couple from conflict on that ancient dawn. Not even the power each received as Alexandros invoked their names was enough to quell the tension between them.
For heaven's queen, every marriage served to remind her of her king's unfaithfulness, and the fact that she was unable to prevent him from seeking amusement in the mortal world.
Familiar with his queen's rages and knowing that any attempts at reconciliation would be futile; the Thunderer was determined to do his duty and bid his queen farewell as soon as their part in the wedding was over.
Neither expected that this ceremony would be different from the countless other times priests had requested their favor for the joining of two mortals' destinies.
Face impassive and eyes intent, he sat in silence, knowing that the discerning of omens for this mortal couple would only require the smallest use of power.
Cool elegant and poised, she sat enthroned at his right. Her beauty was undeniable, yet it possessed no warmth or gentleness, but an icy perfection which seldom was disturbed.
Once he had desired her, pursued the daughter of Cronus with a relentless determination for three mortal centuries. Even now she remained a queen of unmatched beauty amongst the immortals. How often he had wanted to shatter that mask of calm perfection, strip away every layer of expertly crafted disguise and matchless radiance, until he beheld the true goddess beneath.
But any hope of that possibility had quickly been destroyed the moment he had taken his first mortal lover. He recalled only too well the scathing comments and awesome demonstration of power which had accompanied their first confrontation. Had he not been determined to defend his actions, Jupiter might have been impressed with the effortless control his queen displayed as her power flooded his essence.
He knew what infuriated her. It was not the fact that he had visited the mortal realm, or that he had taken a human lover. It was his interest in mortals, and that he had gifted one with his love and a child which had roused Juno's anger.
Nor had this mortal woman been the first. Over the centuries Juno had lost count of the women her husband and brother had welcomed into his bed. And though he had become an expert at presenting a mask of impassivity and outward calm, she had suspected something was amiss when her consort had returned from his travels throughout the earth three years ago by mortal reckoning.
Over the centuries she had also learned the art of creating an impenetrable mask, one which she suspected only her brother possessed the skill to effortlessly strip away. Even now the fragile hope lingered that he would accept her subtle challenge, to look past the mask of regal queen to behold the true goddess. No matter how hard she tried that desire would not be quenched, and somehow she knew that one journey to Thebes held the answer to her questions.
If only the queen of heaven had been able to divine the thoughts of her consort, she would have glimpsed all she desired to learn. For overseeing the joining of the house of Cadmus to Beotia had stirred memories within the king of gods. Memories of a young princess eager for tales of the glories of Ilium, of a king and his court listening enraptured as he told of its fiery end.
But strongest of all was his recollection of Semele, one of the few mortals to interest him in centuries. He had admired her grace and strength on the night he had come to the court of Cadmus. She was a passionate woman bound by convention, a dark beauty who possessed a love of knowledge, and a thirst for power which equaled his own. Yet she was held captive by the expectations and laws of her people, forced to assume a mask of cool indifference when beneath it lay a woman who desired freedom.
Curiosity stirred as he watched Semele step forward, a slender and determined figure outwardly calm and dignified. He let the ritual words of the bride flow through his mind, scarcely listening to the familiar requests for favor and prosperity.
But when the princess of Thebes began her mental petition, it took all of his iron will to keep his face impassive. Strong and clear, the voice of the princess Semele filled his thoughts, full of passion and a note of desperate longing. This was no request for a simple reading of omens, but a plea for him to look at the very fabric of destiny to render a judgment. Admiration at her daring, and interest in the immortal realm stirred within the king of the gods as he listened intently to Semele's mental request.
She had asked for his help by right of ancestry, and the remnant of divine fire she had inherited as a daughter of the line of Agenor. And not even he could ignore a prayer based on the ties of blood or divine heritage. Though many on Olympus looked on any connection to the mortal realm with contempt, he had always treasured that fragile link. And now that choice was at last rewarded, as he signaled to his queen to withhold her decision for a moment.
She willingly acquiesced, a secretive smile playing about her lips as she realized that her consort was not the only one to receive an intriguing prayer on that ancient morn. Juno's face wore a frown of concentration as Beotia's prince made his request. Athamas had long ago earned her favor, because of his adherence to traditional methods of governing and the fact that he had sworn before her altar to be faithful to the princess chosen by his father.
An ironic smile played about the fair goddess's lips. Perhaps Jupiter was right, there were some lessons mortals could teach the gods after all. Now if only he would learn from Beotia's prince, her existence would be far more pleasant. Determinedly she set such thoughts aside. She had long ago resigned herself to the fact that her marriage was one based on power and passion alone.
Like her husband she had little need to attend to the prayers offered, though the power they lent her essence was considerable. So she was surprised when her brother rose from his throne, face inscrutable and eyes revealing nothing of the reason for this abrupt breach of procedure. In response to her questioning glance he turned to face his queen.
And it was then she saw something she had not seen in the eyes of the king of gods for countless centuries. Excitement, mingled with keen interest and barely restrained curiosity were present in those normally unreadable eyes.
"Husband? What has happened?"
For a moment he didn't answer, intent on the summons of the three sisters of destiny.
"The Moirae have requested my presence."
Wisely he chose not to mention Semele's part in this summons, knowing that his queen would be enraged if she knew that a descendent of Agenor had asked for his aid.
She stared at him in astonishment. The Moirae had requested his aid on few occasions since her consort had become ruler of Olympus and the mortal world. And in all of those incidents the fates of either mortals or gods had rested on the questions the three sisters wanted Jupiter's help in settling. She wanted to know more, to ask what role Thebes played in this urgent summons.
But as she knew only too well Jupiter would not share the secrets of destiny with anyone. For only he possessed the skill to read glimpses of the past, present, and future in the patterns woven by the Moirae. All gods were subject to the will of destiny, a fact that frustrated all on Olympus who possessed the power and desire to change its course.
She would never forget the heated arguments on Olympus over the fate of Ilium. She had fought for the Greeks, still furious about the choice the young prince of Troy had made over the rightful owner of the golden apple. Her consort had remained impartial throughout the ten year conflict, but she had always been aware that had Troy's destiny not already been written, her brother would have prevented its destruction.
That war had taught all of them a hard lesson, one that even now they fought to deny.
Destiny could not be thwarted.
Not even the power of the king of gods could alter a decision made by the Moirae.
Why then were they requesting his aid?
These and a dozen other questions filled the mind of heaven's queen as her consort took his leave, to examine the threads of two mortal lives and render his judgment according to the will of destiny.
Note from the authoress: In Handel's opera the chorus gives a brief glimpse of the argument between Jupiter and Juno, but the singers playing the roles don't make an appearance until the second act.
So I thought it would make the story more interesting if I gave my readers a chapter that shows the tension on Olympus.
Hope you enjoyed the chapter.
Feedback is greatly appreciated.
