Tagenite is a type of pancake made with wheat flour, olive oil, honey, curdled milk, and were typically served at breakfast.
Also just random thought. In the movie Phil refers to his legs as "bowlegs" did he have rickets as a kid? (HAH kid. Puns. They suck)
Okay I really need to get back into this habit:
Becc-gallanter: I'm glad you're liking this story so much. While many appear to love RW I hate it, but then again I started it when I was 15 so of course my writing has improved (or I sure as hell HOPE it has!) and yeah I just didn't want to do the Zeus arc, it went nowhere made no sense, was out of character, and broke canon.
Empress Nightshade: Thank you! Hades is very very very hard... I'm glad people see to like him but I just can't do him justice. I'm happy people think my Hercules and Meg are in character.
After flopping into bed I must have fallen immediately into a deep and mercifully dreamless sleep. I woke up when the sun beating through the window found my eyes. I groaned, reluctant to get out of bed. My head was throbbing, my wrists were throbbing, and I wanted to hide away from the world when the memories from last night began to remind me what an idiot I was.
"Ugh... what did you do..." I groaned, jerking the blankets over my head to block out the sunlight; my memories of the previous night decided it was necessary to start my day off right. The bed beside me was empty, and I assumed Phil had dragged Wonderboy off on another adventure. There was no note on the nightstand, which only deepened my suspicion that Phil dragged the poor boy away before he could protest. And how did I manage to just sleep through that?
I reluctantly got out from the bed, stretched, and dressed for the day in something clean. I had gotten used to sleeping in clothing while interred in Tartarus; the last thing I felt safe doing there was crawling into bed nude. It was far too hot to leave my thick unruly curls down, so I pulled it back into the usual ponytail. It took several minutes to convince myself to leave the bedroom, overcoming the overwhelming urge to slam my head against the wall until I was unconscious again. Why could I not control myself last night? I decided to blame it on the poppy. My stomach was feeling unsettled, and I decided to blame that on the poppy too. Making my way to the kitchen I saw that some tagenites had been prepared and grabbed one for myself. A bit richer than my stomach wanted, but I reminded myself I needed something.
After my light breakfast I headed for the veranda, and decided to explore the property. I was feeling antsy being inside, despite the enormity of it. The villa was surrounded by a garden, filled with various plants and statues. Large marble enclosures holding flowers of every color, trees in full bloom, ferns and shrubs lining the wide cobbled pathways. It was strange how it had escaped nearly all the city-state's destruction, one crack in the walls and a tree crushed by a large stone were the only evidence the villa had to show of the destruction that nearly wiped Thebes off the map. Apparently Wonderboy had been too busy cleaning the city to worry about his own homestead.
To the south of the garden was a large stable where the great hero's loyal steed stayed. As I approached I heard a voice. I strained to focus on it, but the stable was still too far for me to distinguish. Helen. I groaned, not ready to deal with her so early. I pinched the bridge of my nose and began to walk towards the stable running a dozen scenarios through my mind, the words I would have for her, and the even less polite words I would have for Hades should he show his face. I may not be overly fond of his flying pinto, but that didn't mean I was about to stand by and let harm come to him. Wait a minute... if Hercules left this morning why would he leave Pegasus behind? What do Helen and Hades want with an empty stable? Maybe it's just a trap. I thought to myself, biting my lip. I tried to walk a bit more carefully, so my approach was silent. As I got closer I was finally able to recognize the voice coming from the stable,
"Hercules?" I called out,
"Meg?" came a surprised reply. Well at least my attempt to be sneaky was successful. But I was embarrassed I let my paranoia get the best of me. Good gods girl, calm down.
"I was just taking a walk when I heard a voice from the stable. Gotta say Wonderboy, didn't know you were such a little green thumb," I remarked, thumbing behind me and walking towards the door of the stable where Hercules joined me.
"Huh? Oh, the garden. Yeah. Well... I hired someone to do that for me. I grew up on a farm, then moved to the city. I missed seeing some green so I hired the same man who built that garden we visited a few days ago," He wiped his dusty hands on his clothing, and I couldn't help but smile,
"Hercules, the greatest hero in all of Greece, cleaning his own stables?"
"Gives me some time to hang out with Pegasus," He defended and I heard the aforementioned give a snort, "Besides I grew up on a farm. Doesn't feel right to never do something farm-ish," he shrugged. "How'd you sleep? You were asleep before I even left the room last night,"
"Fine," I replied, shrugging my shoulders. "What about you?"
"Good! Like a baby," he chuckled. "Umm how are you feeling?" His eyes glanced down before trying to make eye contact again.
"Fine," I replied, more short than I intended. I just didn't want to discuss my bruising again nor be reminded of my behavior.
"You wrists?" He added, pointing.
"I won't lie, they hurt," I held my hands up, turning them over to better inspect the bandages. Like before they were stained green from the herbs beneath.
"Do you need the medicine?" Hercules asked, "That pain stuff, poppy?" I shook my head,
"No. I don't like how it made me feel... but the herbs felt really nice yesterday when you changed them, so we can change the bandages that should help," I offered instead.
Pegasus approached and gave me a hearty nudge with his nose, "Well good mornin' to you horse-feathers," I smirked, scratching his ears, glad for the interruption. He lolled his tongue and began to kick on of his rear legs, and I couldn't help but chuckle. "Hmm... you really enjoy a good scratch behind the ears, huh?" I got a chirping-snort as a reply and decided to take it as a yes.
"Looks like you found Pegasus's weak spot!" Hercules laughed, and Pegasus attempted to give him an indignant snort but was too busy trying not to fall and roll onto his back.
"Seems so," I replied. I let Pegasus go from my ear-scratching trap and he looked torn between recovering his dignity, and wanting to beg for more scratches.
"So, I was thinking..." He trailed off, giving me the impression I wasn't going to like his suggestion. "Phil invited us to his island for the day. He wants to make us dinner," I was surprised by this suggestion. The satyr had never shown anything but contempt for my entire existence until the night of the Cyclops. I guess I could return the favor and give him a fair chance too. For Hercules's sake. If I was going to share a home with him, I needed to get used to his coach.
"Okay," I replied, admittedly a bit reluctantly. I was able to admit Phil deserved for me to give him a chance. He had been hostile since the day we met; he had also been the one who had seen me at my most vulnerable moment. After that pillar, I hid most of it from Hercules. But once he left to fight Hades on Olympus my walls fell. I lacked the energy to maintain them anymore. Phil saw it all. My pain, my fear, my regret. I was scared to face him again after that. He saw a side of me even Hercules had yet to see.
"Great! This flight is beautiful, you'll love it!"
"Wait, flight? Like... fly? In the air?"
"Oh come on, you can't still be afraid of heights?" Hercules mocked, and I put my hands on my hip doing my best to give him a scowl.
"A fear of heights... a terrible fear of heights," I clarified, "Doesn't just poof away overnight!" I defended. I knew Phil lived on his own small island, but I had assumed there was a ferry we would take, or some other boat. Anything but flying. Hell, I'd rather swim than get onto the back of that homicidal horse.
"You'll be fine. I'll hold onto you, okay?" I stared at him, and he gave Pegasus a hearty pat on the neck, "And Pegasus will play nice and fly nice and low for you, okay?" He offered, the threatening glare he gave his winged companion was less than subtle. After a few prolonged moments of silence Pegasus nodded, enthusiastically enough I suspected a hint of sarcasm in his happy whinny. "See? You'll be fine!" He laughed, coming up to me and taking his hands in mine, "We can leave a little before noon. It doesn't take long to get there with Pegasus,"
"You owe me one for agreeing to get on your flying pinto," He gave my hands a reassuring squeeze and promised to return to the villa once he was done with Pegasus's stable. We exchanged a kiss and I continued my walk around the gardens, figuring I had some time until I had to meet Hercules for the doom-flight.
I followed a cobbled path to a large flower box filled with red and white flowers. In the center of the flowers was a tall marble statue. I approached this statue of Aphrodite and was taken aback at the detail. The artist who carved this must have spent years on it. You could even see the lines in her hands, her hair look tussled by the breeze. Her eyes almost looked like they were boring into you. I reached up and touched the hand of the detailed stone, for a brief moment sure that the stone would feel as much like skin as it looked.
As a girl I would pray to Aphrodite. As a princess I was destined to be married off to a man I wouldn't likely meet until I was betrothed. After the death of my brothers I ascended to first in line for my father's throne and marrying me off became ever more important. I would pray to Aphrodite that my hand would be given to someone I could love. That I would know the profound bond my parents had before my mother died.
"I prayed to you," I whispered. "For years I prayed," I shook my head, remembering where that had led me. "It wasn't until that I stopped praying, that I gave up... that my desperate foolish childhood wish was granted," I laughed to myself. The gods. The Pantheon. They cursed my entire family. The Sword of Damocles. That curse followed me all my life. It killed my mother, my brothers, nearly killed my first lover, nearly killed Hercules. It killed me. Giving up on the Pantheon was the best decision I ever made. I learned to rely on myself. I no longer relied on deities who looked upon me with scorn. I was stronger for it, knowing no one and nothing was looking out for me. There was me, and only me. I would have to grant my own wishes.
"I remember your prayers," A voice came behind me. I turned, seeing a woman behind me. She was absolutely stunning. Tall, lithe, and beautifully pale. Her blonde hair brought out the blush in her cheeks, contrasting the brilliant blue of her eyes. Long legs tapered into curved hips and a narrow waist. She was everything every woman dreamed to be. I narrowed my eyes at her, balling my fists. "You were so young then. You would come to my temple, leaving me devotions of incense and apples. My favorite," she chuckled. "You were always one of my favorite little mortals, and yet... I could never give you what you desired. I tried... so hard. I wanted to see you happy," She sighed, a pout marring her features, "I am so sorry Megara," Her voice tapered to a whisper and she dropped her hand.
"So why now? Why after I stopped being such a devoted little temple visitor?" I asked, crossing my arms.
"I wanted to talk to you, after you were brought to Olympus with Hercules. You saved him, you sacrificed you life for him. You are why he stopped Hades. Just because you stopped praying doesn't mean I stopped watching over you. Your prayers aren't why I was so fond of you," She explained, and I lifted my brow to allow the awkward silence to hang in the air. "You were always so loving. You would do anything for those you loved,"
"Now you're getting a little romantic-play for me," I tilted my hand and tried to back out of the conversation. I think she forgot I'm the reason Hercules was ever in any actual danger.
"I just want to thank you for saving my half brother. And let you know that even though you gave up on me I didn't give up on you. The other gods may not have noticed your sacrifice, but I did my dear. I just want you to be happy finally,"
"Well you can do that by leaving things alone. I don't need your interference," She tried to protest for a moment but I began to walk away. My years in Tartarus were enough personal experience with a god to last a lifetime.
Okay so I know Disney canon is that Megara dated Adonis, and he was the one who broke her heart (to run off with Helen of Troy). However, I just can't see Meg, even at fifteen or so, dating such an arrogant narcissistic tool. Since I never plan to follow the original myth, in the sense I don't plan to have Hercules butcher his family and Megara run off to be remarried, I wanted to use a piece of it. In some versions of the myth Megara escapes the slaughter and marries a man named Iolaus. Iolaus was also in Hercules the live action show I grew up with (holy shit did I just date myself there. I'M OLD... for being such an avid fanfic writer at least). So I wanted to use him, even if just serving a minor role, as the one who betrayed Meg. I'm also taking some liberty with the curse on her family. The best research I can find is an implication towards the Sword of Damocles. Just a general sense of doom looming over those in power. I am using more Disney canon than mythology, so cut me some slack. I am, however, trying as hard as I can to maintain a level of accuracy for daily life. I encourage criticism in that regard.
I also want to know if you enjoyed her conversation with Aphrodite? Like Hades I am not really witty or sassy myself, so writing a sassy witty character like Aphrodite is hard. I'm not sure how I feel about the scene. It's something I wanted to include in the original RW and never did. I always wanted to have Aphrodite become a character. I rewrote that part a few times, still feeling unsettled about it.