I do not own Pirates of the Caribbean.
Dawn scowled as she hurried through the docks of Port Royal, her pack of things over her shoulder and the painting tucked to her side, wrapped in oiled cloth to protect it.
The painting had been surprisingly difficult to create. Mt. Olympus was a finicky subject. It didn't like to be painted, even by a goddess. Dawn found she had to change certain details to get her sketch marks to stop fading away or rearranging themselves.
It turned out to be a beautiful painting, even if it wasn't entirely accurate. Dawn didn't want to give it to the Olympians. She didn't want to be in Port Royal either, about to go see Zeus.
Truthfully, Port Royal was a beautiful place. But it belonged to Zeus now, and that spoiled it.
She had always been disgusted with Zeus for not resisting more when the Bindings were happening. He said he could not resist the power of the Centre of the Earth, and he was right. No one could. But Dawn had tried. She'd nearly died trying.
For that, as well as her nearly successful attempt to steal the priceless gem, she was greatly respected. Dawn had been only a minor goddess before the Bindings, but her great, desperate attempts to free her fellow gods had elevated her position. The Olympians now honored her as one of their closest family members, they respected her, and they wanted to protect her.
Dawn didn't want their respect or protection. She wanted her freedom back, but she wasn't likely to get it anytime soon. After she was bound, the Centre of the Earth was whisked away and hidden. None of the gods knew where it was.
Her mood worsened as she saw the mansion. There was a great party going on. Of course there was. Dawn should have expected it. If there's one thing the gods are good at, it's throwing a party.
She walked around to the back. Goddess or not, she was dressed in her usual brown skirt and white shirt. To look nice, she'd added her worn brown leather vest and braided her hair. It would be considered incredibly self-important to go to the front door.
Dawn pounded on the servant's door. It was immediately opened. The butler looked flustered and disgusted as he saw her. "Yes?"
"My name is Dawn Olympus, a relative and a painter. The governor commissioned a painting. I'm delivering it." She half expected the butler to take the painting from her and present it to Zeus himself, but apparently he was expecting her.
"Miss Dawn?" He said, his eyes going up and down her body. Obviously she wasn't what he'd expected. "Wait inside."
Dawn walked a little ways inside and waited. It didn't take very long before two pairs of arms were suddenly hugging her very tightly. "Dawn!" They both cried as they squeezed the very life from her.
When the women stepped back and Dawn had taken a deep breath, she looked at who had greeted her so… warmly.
They were both stunning women, dressed in the latest fashions. One had shining golden hair and sparkling ocean blue eyes. The other had dark brown hair and rich green eyes.
"Hello Aphrodite," she said to the blonde. "Persephone," she said to the brunette. "How are you both?"
Persephone took Dawn's left arm and Aphrodite her right. They started to lead her down the hall, Persephone carrying her painting. "Oh, we're wonderful. The climate here agrees with us much more than England ever did," Aphrodite said.
Persephone nodded in agreement. "How are you, dear Dawn?"
"I'm-" Dawn found herself distracted by their grip. They were holding her tightly, as if they expected her to bolt. Which could only mean one thing. "No," she said, interrupting herself.
"No what?" Aphrodite asked, feigning innocence, but Dawn saw a glint of determination in her eyes.
"No, I will not consent to being stuffed into a costume like the ones you are wearing. I like my clothes."
"We're going to fix your hair too, dear," Persephone said, holding her still tighter. She looked at Aphrodite. "I told you."
Aphrodite sighed. "Well, one can always have hope."
"Let me go," Dawn said, glowering at them.
"Dear, that horrible scowl will freeze on your face if you don't stop," Persephone scolded. Dawn paid her no heed and started to struggle.
"Now, dear," Aphrodite said, as the reached a doorway, which Dawn realized was their destination. "Don't make a scene. We wouldn't want the party guests hearing, now would we?"
"Yes," Dawn said, trying to pull her arms from their grasps.
"Now, be a good girl and let us fix you," Persephone said. She opened the door and shoved Dawn in.
"You shouldn't fix what isn't broken!" Dawn shouted desperately, but Aphrodite and Persephone were both inside the room by then, and they shut the door with a quiet click of doom.
You had to hand it to those goddesses, they worked fast. Dawn had only been in the room for an hour and they already had her bathed and in her dress, which was a very light blue. "It matches your eyes!" Aphrodite had said. They were putting the finishing touches on her hair, most of which was piled in a great mound on top of her head. The two goddess were just fixing several corkscrew curls they left hanging down when there was a knock on the door.
"Aphrodite!," a loud, female voice shouted. "You've kidnapped Dawn, haven't you? Let me in!"
Dawn breathed a sigh of relief. It was Artemis, one of her very best friends. "Get me out of here!" she yelled. Persephone shushed her.
"I'm coming in whether you like it or not!" Artemis said, and the door burst open to reveal the virgin goddess of the hunt. She looked like an upright member of society in her beautiful dress. Dawn stared.
"What did they do to you?" both girls asked each other. Then they looked between each other and Aphrodite and Persephone. They laughed and walked out together, Dawn almost forgetting to grab her painting on the way out.
"You're aren't done yet!" Aphrodite called. The other goddesses paid her no mind.
"You forgot your fan!" Persephone called. She too was ignored.
"I'm sorry I couldn't have saved you sooner," Artemis said.
Dawn shrugged. "It's fine. I don't think you could have stopped them anyway."
"Well, I should have tried. We virgins have to stick together," Artemis said. Originally, Artemis had been very angry at Dawn for still being a virgin. She said that more than one of those in a Parthenon would confuse their followers. Athena had fixed the situation by spreading rumors about Dawn's nightly activities, which Dawn was fine with. The Greeks were much more open about their 'nightly activities' than the English.
"Where's your brother?" Dawn asked, looking around.
"Here," said a deep voice behind her. She turned around to see Apollo, the sun personified, and another very good friend. "Hello. Are you still a bachelor?"
"Always and forever, my dear. Not even your beauty can sway me," Apollo grinned. They pretended to flirt all the time, but everyone knew that they viewed each other as siblings did. Despite how much some people, coughcoughAphroditecoughcough, might wish otherwise.
Dawn laughed. "Honestly, I think I can do better." She squealed as Apollo poked her in the side. "Hey!"
Apollo just laughed. "You're just so much fun, Dawn."
Artemis put her arm around Dawn's shoulders. "Are you staying with us this time, Dawn? It really is quite beautiful here."
"Yes, it is," Dawn said, avoiding the question.
They saw right through it. "That isn't an answer, Dawn," Apollo pointed out.
"Dawn?" a sandy-haired figure appeared at the end of the hall, saving her just in time.
"Here Hermes!" Dawn said, waving him over.
"Finally," he didn't even notice her new outfit. "Got that picture? Good, lets go." He grabbed her wrist and dragged her through another hall, down a set of stairs and pushed her into another room.
There was a long table in this one, with chairs set around it. A dining room then. At the moment the only people in it were Dawn and a man.
This man was tall and muscular. His hair and beard were gray and he oozed power. It was Zeus.
Dawn curtsied, managing not to fall in Aphrodite's terrible shoes. "God King," she said, greeting him formally.
"Dawn," he said in reply. His greeting was rather informal compared to hers by design. "Have a seat."
Dawn would have preferred to remain standing. She sat and placed the painting on the table in front of her. Zeus looked at it with a mixture of delight and despair. "Did it give you much trouble?" he asked.
"Yes," Dawn replied. "I had to change several details before it would settle down."
Zeus appeared both relieved and disappointed. "Bring it to me," he said. Dawn got up and brought the painting to him. She went and sat back at the end of the table, watching him carefully unwrap the picture. He gasped as he saw it. "Dawn," he murmured. "This is surely your masterpiece."
Of course he would feel that way. Mt. Olympus his home. To Dawn, this was just another painting. It wasn't any better or worse than the rest of them. The subject matter was just a bit more breath-taking. She smiled slightly. "It's not quite a masterpiece."
Zeus paid her no mind. He was still examining the painting. Dawn waited patiently, wanting to see if she would get paid for this. It was Zeus's decision.
He set the canvas down. "I'll have it framed immediately. In the meantime, I must ask you, would you consider living on Port Royal? It worries me, having you so far away, Dawn. Should anything happen, we wouldn't be able to help you in time."
Dawn shook her head. "I must decline your generous offer, Zeus. I like my situation. How goes the hunt for the object?" They both knew what Dawn was talking about. The Centre of the Earth. What else? But no god ever spoke of it out loud, in case someone was listening who shouldn't be.
Zeus frowned. "Ares is no closer to finding it than he was the last time you asked, Dawn. I'm sorry."
"Would you consider allowing me to search for it as well?"
Zeus shook his head. "Again, my answer is the same as the last time you asked. You have done more than enough for us, Dawn. All we want is you to be safe."
Freedom is more important, Dawn thought, but she didn't dare say so out loud.
"If you will not live here, would you at least stay for eight weeks? I would like you to help us all get settled in here. There are quite a few places here that could use something to lighten up the room. Your art would be most welcome."
Dawn knew that during the whole eight weeks, they'd be cooking up ways to get her to stay. But she couldn't leave right away. Her friends, Apollo and Artemis especially, would be hurt by it. Dawn nodded. "Yes, I'll stay for that long, to help."
Zeus beamed. "Splendid! Now, you must join the party downstairs. Everyone will be ecstatic that you've decided to stay."
Dawn scowled. Zeus made it sound as if she was staying for good. She got up and bowed. "Good day, sir."
"Yes," Zeus said, "Go join the party." Zeus always needed to have the last word.
She walked out of the dining room scowling. She was definitely not getting paid.