Zeus sat on his throne, his hands at his temples, deep in thought. With the Trident, he was halfway to creating his son again, but he needed something of his, something more significant, otherwise he ran the risk of creating a different son. He needed to find a way to pull Poseidon from the bowls of Hades, circumventing his brother's authority over death. Footsteps approached and he looked up, Theseus was on his knees in front of his throne.
"Stand Theseus. You are one of us, no more of this formality. What is it you wish?"
"Well, I was going to request to visit earth in another form, but you have hit on my true question better. I wish to return to earth to train my son the way you trained me. In disguise of an old man, old hermit, someone no one would notice." Theseus looked up at him, carefully shielding his true feelings, his face as neutral as the calm ocean.
The face of Zeus rarely smiled, but today it did.
"Of course! I couldn't have thought of a better plan myself." He winked at Theseus, in a rare gesture of humanness. The God who had cared enough to prepare him to defend humanity was more visible than ever.
"Thank you my God. When may I leave?" Theseus tried to keep his voice even, but he couldn't keep it from shaking a bit. He would be able to see his son and love again, up close.
"Whenever you wish, my son." Zeus wasn't sure where it came from, but it felt right to say. He felt as if Theseus was his own. He had many children with human women, sometimes not knowing until they grew up and cursed him, or prayed to him.
Theseus stood up, and walked up to grasp his arm in farewell.
"Be careful you are not recognized. That is my only warning."
Theseus nodded, and walked towards the edge of the throne room, preparing a harmless human disguise as he walked.
Acamas kicked at the ground, dirt flying in front of his sandal. A laugh from behind him made him turn around. A small child, perhaps a girl judging by the long hair and big wide eyes, was observing him from behind a rock.
"What's so funny?" he asked defiantly, standing tall and trying to look fierce like Stavros.
"You're kicking up dust, it'll cause the pirates to see your location." She said seriously.
His forehead scrunched up,
"What pirates?"
"Those! See their ship on the horizon?" he looked, there was only a fisherman's ship bobbing a few feet below them near the beach.
"You're crazy! There aren't any pirates."
The girl shook her head at him and pointed toward her forehead,
"It's pretend. It's in your imagination. Your mind makes it real."
He turned back to the sunrise, and he could just make out the tattered sails of the dangerous looking ship.
"We must prevent them from making landfall!" he shouted and beckoned the girl to follow him, as he picked up a makeshift sword in the form of a fallen branch.
Stavros came upon Acamas and his little friend when he was asked by Phaedra to inform her son it was time for their noontime meal.
"But we were having so much fun…" the boy whined, and Stavros quickly urged him to invite his friend to join them,
"If it's alright with your parent's, dear one."
She grinned up at him, her teeth a bright white against her dirt covered face.
"They won't mind sir." She took Acamas' hand and his own as they ascended the cliff-side.
R/R please.