Hi guys and welcome to chapter 5. I hope you're all enjoying the story and such. Thanks to all my loyal readers who leave me flattering and constructive comments. They really make my day when read them. Okie dokey, shout outs for the last chapter.
Jlover97 (as per usual. Awesome reader) special thanks to you for helping inspire an element of the chapter.
redlox2 (another awesome reader)
Aifos di Cambri
ZoeJackson9
Review and you get put on the list simple as! Right well here's to the new chapter. I tried to make the gathering sort of 'Game of Thrones-y' seeing as that's the sort of setting it would be in, only far more Greek haha! Oh, and I know Greek Gods are immortal, but they must have a way of killing each other seeing as they have in most myths. I hope you enjoy it.
Gee xx
At noon both Athena and Poseidon headed to the Grand Olympian Temple for the meeting Zeus had called them to. They had been a little late due to their activities in Athena's bedchambers which had gone on a little longer than they expected, so they had no time to take different routes and make sure no one saw them together. Anyway everyone was likely already there so they'd just be angry at their tardiness rather than anything else, so walking in together was the least of their worries. As they entered the temple, all the other's eyes scoured them intensely. Athena lifted her head and met none of their gazes, keeping her strict façade on and not allowing any of them to pity her. She glared around the room as she sat down, Poseidon looking at her with awestruck admiration. He bowed his head in apology to Zeus.
"I am sorry brother. We came as swiftly as we were able." He said.
"We?" he questioned.
"Yes, brother, Athena and myself." He repeated.
"You were together?" Zeus boomed. For one moment, Poseidon and Athena locked eyes worriedly and the rest of the Olympians raised their eyebrows in confusion.
"No, brother, but we arrived together. For that I…deduced we were both late since I've never known there to be a time difference between here and the front steps." Poseidon answered cheekily, causing the others to hold back sniggers (other than Hades who did not look amused). Zeus rolled his eyes and sat back.
"You should know, brother, we have far more pressing issues to discuss than the value of your… wit." He countered bitterly, scowling at Poseidon, who looked unfazed. He smirked confidently around the room, looking immensely pleased with himself. His eyes rested on Athena a little longer than on the rest, and she concealed a smile. "We face an eminent threat, the fury of which we cannot afford to underestimate."
Poseidon's grin vanished. Zeus eyed all of his company gravely and all their smirks fell too. Now was when they knew they had to face the music and analyse the situation ahead, and an eerie silence drifted across the room. All eyes focussed on Zeus, who remained level-headed in the faces of his followers. He had never been one to shy away from a chance to show his strength, but this was a dire situation even for him.
"As you have all been told, the Titans are breaking through the Gates of Tartarus. Hades has confirmed this." Zeus motioned to Hades, who nodded in confirmation as the eyes of the others briefly flitted at him, "We know what will happen. All that remains now is to decide what we do when the time comes."
There was another short silence, and then there was a mighty uproar as all the Gods began shouting at once. Zeus looked around with an authoritative anger as they all screamed their opinions, first to him, then at each other in anger over each other's stupidity. Zeus' anger boiled in him for a moment, and then he lost control and slammed a fist to the armrest of his throne with an echoing boom. The gods immediately hushed, careful not to agitate him further and shifted a little in their thrones, eyeing each other coldly. Hera reached a gentle hand over to Zeus, and placed it on his arm. He cocked his head to her slightly and nodded as an indication he had calmed himself.
"Athena has suggested that we wait to strike until the Titans arrive to attack us here. That way we have the home field advantage in battle." He put forward.
"Ha! And wait for them here so they can kill us in our own home? In the comfort of our own beds, perhaps? Wait like sitting ducks?!" Hephaestus laughed. Athena scowled at him. "And they call you Goddess of Wisdom. It would be wise to remove you from your office, and have your owl sit there to replace you."
Those agreeing with Hephaestus laughed with him, and he puffed up conceitedly, enjoying the praise. Athena was about to interject when another voice cut in, filled with anger and distain.
"You dare talk to her like that, you ignorant piece of filth!" Poseidon sneered at Hephaestus, whose face returned the anger and rage within it.
"While session is in effect, I shall speak as I see fit. I am a God! That is my right!" he roared, the cheers of his supporters acting as background noise.
"And she is a Goddess! As such she is entitled to the respect of everyone else in this room, just as she gives hers to you!" his words caused his own set of supporters to hum in agreement. "And those who make impossible slanders for their own amusement while we gather to face the possibility of conquest are the ones I don't see 'fit' to hold their office and be seated at this council!"
"Oh, Gods save us!" Hephaestus leered sarcastically, "How typical of you, Poseidon to turn into a thousand-strong army every time a girl so much as looks at you with that… sparkle in her eyes. Oh, and also a sweet curve of the ass which I do see in one such as my sister, that much I can afford her." Hephaestus and his fellows guffawed at his mockery and Poseidon was now fuming. The rage in his eyes began to swirl angrily as the ocean does before a maelstrom. He said nothing, biding his time.
"This is a disgrace!" Athena interjected.
"Spare us your 'insight', sister." Hephaestus continued to talk from his high horse, arrogant and revelling in the laughter and jeers of his agreeing fellows, not many of which were women for plain reasons.
"Peace, good husband!" Aphrodite challenged him, her words dripping with sarcasm.
"Oh, do shut up you mewling quim!" Hephaestus hissed at her, "You and Athena alike. Two of a kind, sentimental children ever protesting that what you do 'matters' and that you speak wiser words than us men of the council. I tell this to both of you: you have not a clue what you're doing most of the time and you made through on father's coattails and blind chance."
"Arrogant, pig-hearted, slanderous fool!" Poseidon roared, getting up from his throne and causing everyone to hush in quiet fear. "I pray you; if you think me a thousand-strong army, show me how you see yourself. Fight me." He demanded. At first Hephaestus look hesitant, but he too got up and faced Poseidon when he met all the eyes looking at him expectantly.
"If Uncle wishes death, he shall receive it… in abundance." He sneered through gritted teeth into Poseidon's face. They then both turned at the shriek of another voice.
"This is a disgrace!" Athena sat again, now having risen from her own throne. "Both of you are being a discredit to the honourable offices you are supposed to hold with wisdom and nobility! Sit, both of you! I will not be the cause of any further digression of this matter."
"Athena-"
"Silence!" Poseidon was interrupted by the bellow of a livid Zeus, who rose from his throne too, causing Hera to rush to his side in an attempt to hold him back. "There will be no more of this petty conflict! Sit, Hephaestus. And mark me the next time you think it wise to enter these chambers with a tongue like that so help me, I will cut it out and feed it to the hydra!" his words caused a deflated Hephaestus to sink back into him throne, shamed. Zeus' eyes then fell on Poseidon.
"As for you, brother, I am growing tired of having to witness your constant need for attention. It is getting tiresome. Sit, and speak no more!" he ordered. Poseidon glared at him, and then glanced over at Athena before walking back to his throne and sitting down. Zeus whispered to Hera his bidding for her to sit again and she did, scuttling back obediently. Zeus remained standing, and began walking around the room.
"Has anyone else a word to share? More slanderers, perhaps? I bid you get it out of your system now!" he thundered. No one made a sound. "Very well. If it pleases you all, might we get back to the matter at hand? Good. Now, as I said, Athena has suggested we wait for our enemy to meet us here. Ares has agreed with her on this. So if anyone has any objections to how we strategize this, I'm afraid their point will not be valid unless they hold a fitting title!" Zeus spat at Hephaestus, reaching his throne and leaning into him with his words causing him to cower away. He then straightened himself up and stood tall, walking towards the large golden sundial in the middle of the room.
"As you pointed out, daughter, it would bode ill for us to attack at the gates. As you say they must possess powers unforeseen to be able to escape. To attack them there would be doing them a service. And the only service I wish to do them is to assist them back to where they came from!" He said, looking at Athena, who nodded in agreement.
"I also suggest that we ourselves resist fighting on the front lines until absolutely necessary." She added, causing some gods to argue. She maintained her hard face and continued over them, unwavering, "That way we might observe them and see what powers they possess rather than wandering blindly into an attack they have no doubt been planning since the day they were banished."
"Yes, my daughter. Of course you are right. But we will not be seen as cowards. Never cowering." Zeus said, almost looking at her for confirmation that the time would come for them to fight.
"Of course not I-" Athena began before being interrupted.
"You said there would be a war, sister!" Ares put in loudly, "You gave me your word to yield to my command in the face of battle."
"Yes. I stand by my word, brother." Athena stated calmly. "You will have your battle; I have no doubt about that." Ares nodded respectfully to her. A gesture she returned.
"Then I say that, when the time comes, we strike with such a fury this world has never seen." Ares crooned with an anticipating glint in his eye. The others smiled at his enthusiasm. Zeus grinned also. He then turned with his back to her and the sundial and faced the rest of them.
"I put forward, that we not only defeat our enemies; we make an example of them. We send them back to the depths of hell with such force that all other opposing entities will become faint and fearful, and crawl back cowering into their caves of despair! I propose we paint such an illustration of what happens to those who dare attack us I our rightful home, mortals will speak of it for eons to come! I swear to you, my good and faithful contemporaries that the broken and shattered remnants of what used to be our enemies will not be enough to feed as scraps to the dog when this is over. I will lead you to a victory so glorious, not one of you shall be displeased with the outcome! I swear this to you, as your king!" Zeus decreed, howling and putting his arms in the air. The other gods responded and leapt up, shouting cries of war and exchanging encouraging slaps on the back and handshakes. Zeus then returned to his throne and the others calmed themselves, sitting also.
"This assembly is finished. Go and prepare yourselves. And remember, my friends: I will not fail you." He finished, once more standing and exiting the room with Hera at his side through the back of the temple towards their bedchambers. The rest of them left through the front of the temple, each peeling away to their own homes. All except Athena and Poseidon, who remained at the bottom of the steps until all the others were out of sight and earshot. Athena had held him back as she had some important things to say before they left together.
"Poseidon. A word if you might hear it?" she said strictly. Poseidon, sensing her tone, nodded carefully.
"Of course, anything you want." He replied turning to face her as she looked around warily to be sure they were the only ones there.
They thought they were alone now, but Aphrodite, who still felt apologetic for her husband's cruel words, had turned back to apologise to Athena. When she saw them, she ducked behind a pillar and listened intently to what they were saying.
"What on Heaven and Earth did you think you were doing in there?" she asked him sternly. Poseidon looked stunned at her harshness.
"I thought I was defending the woman I love from slanderous tongues, and poisonous words she didn't deserve. But clearly you think otherwise or else you would not have asked." He retorted sarcastically, causing Athena to give a wry and unamused smirk. They always did know how to fight each other.
"Very witty. You made a fool of me in there!" she hissed angrily, her cheeks turning red.
"Well I assure you that was not my intention!" he hissed back, getting angry as well.
"Well you did! Whether it was your intention or not!" she raised her voice. He scowled at her.
"And how, may I ask, did I offend you so?" he asked shrewdly. She glowered at him, unimpressed.
"You made it look as though I couldn't defend myself. There Hephaestus was, mocking me and calling me weak and you just could not resist jumping in and putting him in his place, could you?" she was right in his face taunting him now. Both of their tempers rose, "You proved his point by not allowing me to fight my own battle. You're the one always going on about how we have to be this big secret and -"
"You agreed with me on that!" he cut across her.
"Yes I did! And I still do! But I find that exceedingly difficult to do with you jumping on swords pointed at me by every man who dares threaten me, even when I see them a no threat at all!" she shouted, so livid her cheeks were emblazoned a deep red in her fury.
"Well, you –" he stopped in his tracks and stared at her face. She was so beautiful even when she was angry. He backed down, knowing he had no leg to stand on, "You're right. I'm sorry. I just couldn't stand the way he spoke to you."
His gentle and tamed voice seemed to calm Athena, and she too backed down. Her cheeks returned to their normal, pleasant tanned colour and she nodded in acceptance of his apology. The both took deep breaths and Athena ran a hand across her face, regretting having gotten so angry.
"I'm sorry too." she sighed with a small smile, reaching a hand to rest against his neck and allowing her thumb to stroke his jaw. His face relaxed into an apologetic smile also and he raises his own hand to hers, removing it from the flesh of his neck and bringing it to his lips to plant a soft kiss on her palm.
"All I ever wanted to do was defend your honour. Is that not my duty now?" he told her cheekily, making her chuckle.
"I suppose it is. But I did tell you before relationships are not my forte." She joked, causing him to roll his eyes and pull her close, enveloping her in his arms.
"I love you." He whispered.
"I love you, too." she replied, allowing him to kiss her on the mouth. It was a sweet, lingering kiss. When they parted, they smiled at one another lovingly, and she kissed him again, stroking his face with her palm while he held her waist affectionately in his arms. Aphrodite, who had witnessed the entire exchange, pinned herself to the back of the pillar and dared not even breathe loudly to avoid them seeing her.
"Impossible." She thought, "Have we been this ignorant that two of our own could find love and not even I noticed it. I: the Goddess of Love. I, who prize myself on being able to sense attraction in the darkest, hardest to reach corners of the world? I cannot believe this! And what's more I'm sure I'm the only one who knows. If anyone else had, they would have made a stuffed pig of Poseidon in the assembly when he defended her. Should I tell anyone? No, not yet. I at least owe them the courtesy of allowing them to continue. I will speak to them at a later date. I'd hate to ruin such a moment. I can't help it. I'm a romantic at heart."
She slipped away without the couple even noticing, and they continued in their passionate embrace. When they separated, Athena bit her lip as she gazed into his deep blue eyes and let two of her delicate fingers tiptoe up Poseidon's torso seductively. They trailed the contoured planes of his breastplate from his abdomen to his pecks.
"You know, as much as I didn't appreciate your little outburst back there I have to admit, a part of me found you all the more… attractive." She whispered, the words spilling from her lips with fervour, "Could any woman blame me? I've never seen you so… attentive before. It was very…" she leaned in so her lips were an inch from his, "Stimulating."
She pulled back before he could kiss her, teasing him to within an inch of his life. He gave an impressed smile at what she was doing, and it was working. She hadn't tried something like this before; all the innuendo. Well she hadn't tried it like this. He had to say he loved it. Athena could be quite the little vixen when she wanted to be. It was a trait she didn't let anyone else see, and Poseidon for one felt honoured at the privilege.
"Well it is in our nature that when we are stimulated, we get territorial. Care to mark your territory, my love? So every woman in the world knows what is yours?" he teased back. She raised an impressed eyebrow.
"I'd be delighted." She muttered, seizing his hand and pulling him in the direction of her temple. They both ran together, laughing and not caring if anyone saw them. A little late for that, not that they knew it.