with their loved ones. Mother had led a good life and Father was here, waiting to welcome her when her time came. His brothers would come here too, he was sure of it. His nephews and niece...
His thoughts went to his wife and daughter as it often did. One day, he might see Kora. She would be twenty-five years old now. Was she already married? She had been a beautiful little girl, and he had no doubts that she would have blossomed into a lovely maiden. He spent a lot of time thinking about her. Never in his mortal life would he have dreamed that he would have a child with a goddess. Demeter had lifted the curse from his life and loved him, and he had worshiped her freely.
Demeter would be gone for days at a time, performing her duties as the Goddess of the Harvest. Her absences made him appreciate her all the more, and he always welcomed her back with ardor. Sadly, he knew that he could never be with her here in Elysium. This was one of the consequences of loving an immortal being.
Anytime a person felt that Elysium was not the right place for them, they could petition to go to the Lethe Court, where they could drink of the waters of oblivion and be reborn in the mortal world.
This place was nice, but it wasn't one that he wanted to stay in forever. He had met new people here and made friends, but he still missed his goddess. He could not forget her as long as he remained here. This would mean meeting the Judges, or possibly Hades himself face-to-face as he made his case. He could only be honest, and wondered what Hades might say to know of his relationship to Demeter. But he had heard that the Lord of the Dead was a stern but fair ruler.
This was something he had considered for a few years. He saw lovers being reunited with one another, joy filling their eyes as they saw cherished ones, rushing forward and kissing and hugging often. Every time he saw such a thing, he felt wistful.
What's the point of living in Paradise if I do not have somebody to share it with? His mind was made up. He would go to one of the shades who kept an eye on this blissful haven and wait to be summoned before the Judges or even Hades himself. He already knew what he was going to say.
o0o
The sun was setting, and the view from Olympus – no matter what side one was looking from – was spectacular. Zeus had the best view of all, his Palace having been built at the peak of Olympus in his sire's time. Kronos and his brethren had lived here and when the Olympians had taken over, many of the palaces had been torn down to build new ones more fitting for the new generation of gods, but Kronos's Palace was one that had remained intact.
Of course, Zeus had removed every remainder of his father and had the Palace refurbished in his own tastes. Gone were Kronos's blood-red tapestries and decorations, to be replaced with cheery blue, white, and gold. When his children had been growing up, the palace hallways were filled with the sound of little feet. Zeus had not heard that sound for a long time.
A set of footsteps almost as light as a child's met his ears as he sat in the solarium atop the Palace, where one had a full three hundred-and-sixty angle view of Olympus and Hellas. This was one of his favorite places to be, where he truly felt as if he was on the very top of the world. He was currently reclined on a divan, being fed grapes by his newest lover, a dryad. Just as he was about to close his mouth on the grape that dangled from her fingers, another nymph emerged from the staircase.
“My lord, I hate to interrupt...” The nymph knew that Zeus did not like to receive visitors when he was in the solarium, but Demeter would not accept the demurring refusals for admittance. The Harvest Goddess was a tall and imposing figure, radiating quiet strength, easily intimidating the young Aurai. “Your sister is here, and she will not be denied.”
His thoughts went to his wife and daughter as it often did. One day, he might see Kora. She would be twenty-five years old now. Was she already married? She had been a beautiful little girl, and he had no doubts that she would have blossomed into a lovely maiden. He spent a lot of time thinking about her. Never in his mortal life would he have dreamed that he would have a child with a goddess. Demeter had lifted the curse from his life and loved him, and he had worshiped her freely.
Demeter would be gone for days at a time, performing her duties as the Goddess of the Harvest. Her absences made him appreciate her all the more, and he always welcomed her back with ardor. Sadly, he knew that he could never be with her here in Elysium. This was one of the consequences of loving an immortal being.
Anytime a person felt that Elysium was not the right place for them, they could petition to go to the Lethe Court, where they could drink of the waters of oblivion and be reborn in the mortal world.
This place was nice, but it wasn't one that he wanted to stay in forever. He had met new people here and made friends, but he still missed his goddess. He could not forget her as long as he remained here. This would mean meeting the Judges, or possibly Hades himself face-to-face as he made his case. He could only be honest, and wondered what Hades might say to know of his relationship to Demeter. But he had heard that the Lord of the Dead was a stern but fair ruler.
This was something he had considered for a few years. He saw lovers being reunited with one another, joy filling their eyes as they saw cherished ones, rushing forward and kissing and hugging often. Every time he saw such a thing, he felt wistful.
What's the point of living in Paradise if I do not have somebody to share it with? His mind was made up. He would go to one of the shades who kept an eye on this blissful haven and wait to be summoned before the Judges or even Hades himself. He already knew what he was going to say.
o0o
The sun was setting, and the view from Olympus – no matter what side one was looking from – was spectacular. Zeus had the best view of all, his Palace having been built at the peak of Olympus in his sire's time. Kronos and his brethren had lived here and when the Olympians had taken over, many of the palaces had been torn down to build new ones more fitting for the new generation of gods, but Kronos's Palace was one that had remained intact.
Of course, Zeus had removed every remainder of his father and had the Palace refurbished in his own tastes. Gone were Kronos's blood-red tapestries and decorations, to be replaced with cheery blue, white, and gold. When his children had been growing up, the palace hallways were filled with the sound of little feet. Zeus had not heard that sound for a long time.
A set of footsteps almost as light as a child's met his ears as he sat in the solarium atop the Palace, where one had a full three hundred-and-sixty angle view of Olympus and Hellas. This was one of his favorite places to be, where he truly felt as if he was on the very top of the world. He was currently reclined on a divan, being fed grapes by his newest lover, a dryad. Just as he was about to close his mouth on the grape that dangled from her fingers, another nymph emerged from the staircase.
“My lord, I hate to interrupt...” The nymph knew that Zeus did not like to receive visitors when he was in the solarium, but Demeter would not accept the demurring refusals for admittance. The Harvest Goddess was a tall and imposing figure, radiating quiet strength, easily intimidating the young Aurai. “Your sister is here, and she will not be denied.”
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