Council Hall

Titania, The Realm

That evening both Eos and Kronos headed quickly over to the Council hall for the meeting. As they entered, they saw most of the other higher Gods sitting around the huge table, all lost in conversation and Eos quickly took a seat.

Normally Kronos was the leader of these functions but being that Zeus had called this one, he walked over to the podium and sat in a chair on one side of it as the chatter quickly died down.

Kronos looked at all the other deities who were gazing at him with quizzical looks on their faces. Their expressions seemed to suggest that he knew why they had all been interrupted from their various activities to attend this rather sudden and impromptu meeting.

Kronos stared back at each of them however, his expression blank and unreadable.

Poseidon who had been sitting there drumming his fingers on the table, a sign that the God was either bored or aggravated suddenly said, “So father. Why has Zeus called this meeting? What exactly, is this all about?”

Kronos was about to answer his younger son when Poseidon said, “I really loathe these sudden meetings! I was in an important chess game with Apollo and when I heard my brother’s booming voice it unnerved me so much that I couldn’t concentrate and ended up losing the match!” The sandy haired bearded man glared at Kronos with an angry look on his face.

The deities started chattering again, while a few even snickered, but Apollo said, “Yes Kronos! What exactly is your son’s reason?”

Kronos again opened his mouth to speak and assure the God of the Arts as well as the others, that he had no idea what the meeting was about, when suddenly loud thunder was heard. Which meant the arrival of their leader.

The chatter, stopped suddenly as a hush fell over the assembly. All eyes focused on the door which sat on the wall behind the podium, as Zeus entered.

Kronos sat there his back to the door, examining his fingernails, as he heard his son’s voice, say, “THAT WILL BE EXPLAINED TO YOU APOLLO, AS WELL AS MY BROTHER POSEIDON AND THE OTHERS VERY SHORTLY!”

Zeus stepped up to the podium and Kronos turned his head and nodded. Zeus nodded back at his father and then looked around at each of the deities questioning faces.

He said, “I have called you all here because of a recent new addition to the Realm. A prisoner has been released from their thousand year stay in the Underworld, having found retribution from their crime of suicide.”

There were a few gasps as all eyes locked onto the High God’s face and it was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Most were shocked including Kronos, as he knew there had only been one other time a deity had actually completed their sentence in the Underworld. That God, or more specifically that Goddess was Hekate, Goddess of Witchcraft and Magic.

Hekate had been sentenced to the Underworld because she had used magic against an immortal, having wanted the immortal’s lover for herself. That crime, cost her three thousand years, (three years in earth’s time), in the Underworld before she’d showed contrition as to what she had done. She now lived in Olympia peacefully but was not one of the higher Gods as much of her power had been removed as a cautionary measure, to prevent her from repeating her crime.

The deities sitting at the table all waited, for if they were to speak and ask Zeus who the new arrival was, they felt sure, they would be chastised for it.

Zeus said, “That prisoner’s name is Deianera. She has been awarded full power and currently has completed her briefing and the Bestowment of Honors ceremony afterwards and now resides in her own palace,” he finished.

The whole table erupted then as people started talking and exclaiming over hearing this news.

Kronos met Eos’ eye and they both wore twin expressions of amazement. Deianera was a controversial figure. The fact that she had not only been given Goddess stature but also been awarded full power was troubling to Kronos as she was the daughter of a powerful Goddess.

“SILENCE!!!!” Zeus boomed as the walls shook. The chatter cut off as the The God of the Sky stood there glaring at them.

“For any of you who have not kept up with your Ancient History classes I will now give you some background on Deianera,” he said his voice normal again. He looked around at each of them. “But before I begin, would anyone care for some refreshment?” he asked, his tone soft and pleasant.

Kronos had to fight back a chuckle, for it never ceased to amaze him how his son could go from an angry rather cantankerous and intimidating God to a very normal, soft spoken, rather pleasant deity.

The others simply stared, looking a bit confused at his change of manner.

“I will take that as a yea then,” Zeus said and suddenly a cup of Thunderbolt Tea appeared before each of them.

Poseidon stared at his cup watching the tiny little streaks of lightening and hearing the soft rumblings of thunder. He loathed Thunderbolt tea, he thought. The last time he’d drank it, he’d belched thunder for hours, frightening his wife Amphitrite so much, that she nearly left him. Poseidon remembered when he had first arrived in the Realm, he’d been surprised to find out the deities still ate and drank, the only difference was that their bodies as such, did not digest anything. However they still retained the same after effects as they’d each had suffered from when they were mortals. He’d heard that to be around his other brother Hades it was nearly intolerable at times, especially when the head of the Underworld had consumed beans.

However, many of the other deities picked up their cups and politely drank their tea as Zeus began to speak again.

“Deianera’s newly bestowed title is Goddess of Erotic Desire and Magic. Her Mother is Hekate, the Goddess of Witchcraft and Magic, one of the *Chthonian Gods, most of you probably know,” Zeus said.

“Deianera’s father is Dionysus the “God of Wine and Fertility,” and when he said this he looked down the table at Dionysus who was sitting there with a contented look on his face. Dionysus had been elated to hear that his youngest daughter had finally made it to the Higher Realm.

“Deianera is very beautiful,” Zeus continued, “and thousands of years ago when she was a mortal, she married Heracles. The centaur, Nessus saw her great beauty and tried to rape her after he had carried her across the river, but Heracles killed him with an arrow, which tip had been dipped in the blood of the Hydra.

The dying Centaur gave Deianera a piece of cloth soaked with his blood, and told her to keep it. With it, he said, she would have Heracles’ love if she ever came near to losing it.” Zeus at that point took a sip of his own tea, smacking his lips delightedly.

“After many years,” Zeus went on, “Deianera was horrified to hear that her husband had taken a young wife, and that he was coming back with her. The young bride, Iole, was also rumored to be very beautiful, and Deianera was at her wits end. When she had made sure her husband was really coming with Iole through a servant, she put the Centaurs cloth in a barrel of water, and then put a shirt in it that she sent to Heracles. When Heracles put the shirt on it contained the centaur’s toxic blood and instead the shirt stuck to his skin and caused him horrible pain. When he tried to take it off, pieces of his own flesh came with it. He made it back to his home only to find that Deianera had hung herself when she had realized what she had done,” Zeus related.

There was some rather subdued chatter at that point as some of the Deities had never known this before as they had indeed neglected their Ancient History lessons.

“And so at age twenty-three our newest Goddess was sent to one of the two caves in the underworld,” Zeus continued, talking above the chatter, “for a period of 4,000 years, or, 4 years in Earth’s time. The fact that a mortal showed up at all in the Underworld caused a bit of a furor. Even I was perplexed and so had to consult Kronos who in turn looked to one of the prophecy books. There was a direct prophecy, it turns out, that foretold that Deianera would eventually achieve Goddess stature, which then cleared up the confusion. He took a another sip of his tea as a plate of sweet biscuits appeared before him as well as various places on the table.

Poseidon brightened visibly as he saw a plate of his favorite seaweed biscuits appear right in front of him. He quickly grabbed a couple and started scarfing them down. But he’d filled his mouth too full, and unthinkingly grabbed his cup of Thunderbolt tea and took a big swig, swallowing quickly. Almost immediately he belched loudly as thunder shook the room.

A goddess who had been sitting next to the God of the Sea, squealed loudly as Zeus broke off mid speech. He stared at Poseidon and said, “Is there a problem my brother?”

“I apologize your grace and to you all,” Poseidon said to the others. “I’m afraid Thunderbolt tea doesn’t agree with me,” he admitted rather shamefaced.

“WELL WHY DIDN’T YOU SAY SO?” Zeus thundered, as the same Goddess let out another tiny shriek.

“Perhaps you would care for something else?” The God of the Sky asked, his voice pleasant again.

Abruptly another cup of tea replaced the first cup in front of Poseidon. He cautiously picked up the cup and looked inside, wondering what other bad brew had been given him. Instead he relaxed as his face broke into a smile. Bless his brother’s whiskers, he thought. It was his very favorite, Sea Foam tea. He smiled at the High God then as he raised his cup.

“In the underworld,” Zeus continued, “The cave Deianera served out her penance in, called Erebus, was relegated for those Gods or Goddesses or those others who would later become Immortals, which have taken their own lives and must live out a period of time until they reconcile themselves to the seriousness of what they have done. Afterwards, to be released to the Higher Realm if or when such reconciliation takes place.”

Zeus looked up briefly and saw that one of the newest members of the council, the Goddess of Peace, Eirene, had her hand up.

He nodded at her and she said, “Excuse me your imminence, but you mentioned two caves in the Underworld? I have never quite understood everything about the second cave and who it contains,” she said with her gentle voice.

Zeus stared at the Goddess momentarily, thinking for a Goddess she was quite uninformed. A beauty with a sweet peaceful nature befitting her powers but nothing much in her head other than that.

“The second cave, called Tartarus,” Zeus replied answering her question, “is for the worst of all evildoers, whose crimes are unforgivable, who suffer there throughout eternity with no hope of retribution.”

“Such as?” Eirene asked again.

Zeus sighed and thought, why oh why does she NOW take an interest in Ancient History?

He said needing to end this meeting, “Goddess if you had paid more attention to your Ancient History class you would not be wasting my time at this moment.” His face looked rather stern and the Goddess suddenly blushed and feeling mortified cast her lovely eyes down.

“But I will answer you,” he told her and she raised her eyes again, though her face still retained a faint blush.

“Hades, my own brother,” he said, “though he has full power in the Underworld, was at first forced to spend his time in Tartarus, but eventually a slight concession was made on his part by myself and he was then allowed to fully rule over all in the Underworld. Others in Tartarus are Sisyphus and Tityus, as well as Keres the spirits of death and destruction, and Erinyes the furies. Each of their powers were abused in unforgivable ways and so their powers were removed and bestowed upon the other deities, here in the realm,” he finished. “Does this answer your question Goddess Eirene?” he asked.

She said, “Yes thank you Imminence.”

Zeus took a bite of his biscuit, chewed and then swallowing said, “Deianera has recently come to terms with her suicide and has accepted her error in judgement. Hades has interviewed her and was satisfied that she has repented and just recently submitted his findings to me. I sent back her release papers and this morning she was transported by her Mother Hekate to the Realm.”

Kronos was sitting there lost in thought. All of this was interesting but what did it have to do with the Adonis Mission he wondered. It didn’t explain why his son said he was closing the mission down.

As if his son had read his mind, Zeus popped the last of his biscuit in his mouth and swallowed. He said, “However there has been a rather unfortunate development regarding all of this.”

All eyes were locked upon him now as they noticed a more somber tone to his voice.

Zeus stared at all of them again and said, “I’m afraid that the Goddess Hekate has been restored her full powers once again.”

A buzz went around the assembly.

“How is that possible my son?” Kronos asked.

Zeus turned then and looked directly at him. “Because one of the Gods has ordered it,” Zeus replied.

“You ordered it?” Kronos asked him.

“No it was not I, my father,” Zeus replied.

“But son, if you didn’t order it,” Kronos said, “there is no other God or Goddess capable of accomplishing that and even if there were, they would have to pay the penalty for doing such,” he stated.

“That’s not entirely correct,” Zeus told him.

Kronos stared at him. Then suddenly, comprehension dawned.

As Zeus read his father’s eyes he said, “Yes, Kronos, it was Heaven, your own father, my grandfather and our Supreme God, who has restored power to Hekate.”

As Kronos digested this piece of information, Zeus spoke again saying, “It was also his decision to close down the Adonis Mission.”

Kronos, encouraged that his son was finally getting to the gist of the matter, waited for him to continue.

Zeus started tugging at his short goatee, a sign that he was agitated. He said, “Although Heaven as the most Supreme God could have chosen not to give me a reason, and would have been in his right to do so, being that he is a benevolent and fair ruler. he did reveal to me what his reasons were. He told me he has decided to rule the mission a failure because of the recent prophecies.”

“Which prophecies?” Kronos asked a bit confused. There had been several as of late.

“You do not check the book daily my father?” Zeus asked with a scowl.

“Yes, yes my son, I do,” Kronos was quick to hasten. “In fact there was a new one just this morning.”

“And you were going to inform me about it, when?” Zeus asked raising his eyebrows.

Kronos said, “I was planning on telling you son, when Eos and I met with you earlier but you did not give me much of a chance to say anything, before you left.”

“Zeus said, “Yes.. well...Would you mind telling me now and the rest of the assembly what this latest prophecy is?”

“The prophecy says, further mischief from a deity will occur,” Kronos related. But then he said, “But you say Heaven read the prophecy. Although this is a little off topic my son, would that be the proof we need that these prophecies do not come from Heaven? For why would he need to read his own prophecies?”

“It does not prove anything my father,” Zeus said not conceding his point at all. “For all we know he could have been hiding the truth of the prophecies origins by saying he recently read it.”

“However,” Zeus announced, “this newest prophecy of yours is NOT the latest. Two others have been found, more recent. Did you not see these my father?”

Kronos startled, admitted he had not. He thought back to when he and Eos had been in the prophecy room. They had talked about the new prophecy and then he had shut the book. Not long after was when Zeus called them to his domain. Then later after their return he had not looked in the book again for he had been busy with other duties. That’s when they had to have appeared, he thought.

“The first newest prophecy is this,” Zeus faced the assembly. “The words read: ‘Due to an oversight, the host may not produce a child’,” he told them. There were gasps, groans and moans and Zeus raised his hand.

Kronos’ mind was in a whirl. What could that mean? He had replaced Alexandria’s pills with fakes, and she was judged to be fertile as well as the mortal Bon. So why would they not produce a child? Yet the exact words were, “may not” not “will not.” Could this mean the outcome still might be favorable?

However his thought processes were interrupted when Zeus spoke again. “The second prophecy says, “A meddling deity will try to ruin the mission and take the mortal for her own!”

The entire assembly erupted then as there were shouts, cries, names being thrown around, fists being pounded on the table. Out and out general chaos.

Zeus yelled in his booming voice, “ENOUGH! ONE MORE OUTBURST LIKE THAT AND I WILL MAKE THIS A PRIVATE MEETING BETWEEN MYSELF AND KRONOS!!!”

As the deities all got control of themselves, quietening down, Kronos turned to Zeus and said, “Son, do you have any idea what either of these prophecies could mean?”

In a voice loud enough for only Kronos to hear, Zeus said, “Actually, I was hoping you could tell me,” as he then took another sip of his tea.

Thursday, July 19th

Cape Neddick, Maine

Alexis finished her hair and grabbed her bag. She was about to leave when she heard Bon’s voice, from downstairs yell, “Hey babe! Are you almost ready?”

She yelled back, “I’m coming Bon!”

Leaving the room she hurried downstairs as she saw him standing at the bottom of the staircase waiting. She glanced at her watch. It was 5 p.m. and they needed to get to the airport to pick up Rye and Olivia, but she needed to stop at her house first and change her clothes.

Stepping off the last step and into his arms he bent his head as they kissed briefly. Then they left the house and headed next door.

Ten minutes later after Alexis had speed dressed they got into the limo as the driver then headed for the airport.

After arriving at the airport forty-five minutes later, they hurried inside the moderately busy terminal just as Rye and Olivia’s plane was announced as arriving.

Once they had found the gate, a couple of minutes later they saw the couple enter. Alexis walked towards Olivia and the girls hugged as Bon and Rye greeted one another.

The four of them went to the baggage claim area then to pick up the couple’s luggage and soon they were on their way.

Once inside the limo, Alexis said, “So how’s your new business venture coming along, Liv?”

“Great,” replied Olivia and reached inside of her bag. She pulled out a small catalog and handed it to her twin.

“Is this the final product?” Alexis asked taking the catalog.

“Yep, hot off the presses two days ago,” Olivia smiled.

Bon and Alexis looked at the cover. There was a beautiful smiling picture of Olivia with her hair swept up on top of her head, wearing long dangle black pearl and gold earrings and a beautiful matching choker. The words on the catalog said:

Simply Olivia

*Fine Jewelry and Accessories

“I love your picture,” Alexis said. “It came out great and those earrings. Black pearls! Do you have those in silver?”

“Yes I do,” Olivia replied. “But let me show you another pair which I think you might like better!”

Bon said, “Hon this is all fascinating, I mean if Rye and I were women, but we’re gonna go up front as we need to talk about some business.”

Alexis said she understood as he bent his head and kissed her, and then he and Rye moved forward in the limo.

Olivia came over and sat by her sister then as Alexis handed her the catalog. She ruffled through the catalog and stopped it on a page and pointed to the earrings.

“Oh Liv!” Alexis exclaimed. “Those are beautiful! Just stunning! I have to order these as I have just the outfit they’d go with!” The earrings were white gold, encrusted with diamonds and the bottoms each held a lovely black pearl.

Olivia chuckled totally delighted that her sister was genuinely thrilled with her designs and said proudly,“I already have fifty-three orders for jewelry, perfume and other accessories! And the catalog has only been up on the Internet since yesterday!”

Alexis told her how proud she was of her and Olivia said, “So you really like my designs Lex?”

“Absolutely! I love them! Now show me some of your perfumes.”

As the girls poured over the catalog chatting pleasantly, Bon and Rye were talking about the charity event they would be doing next month. It was to help raise funds for the building of more houses for people who were basically homeless having lost their homes because of floods or fire. Along with Bon Vincent on the bill, other performers would be Bruce Springsteen, Van James, Chris Daughtry, Billy Joel, and a host of others. All proceeds would be split evenly to build houses in several states that were needy.

“Yeah,” Bon said, “I talked to Billy the other day. He says he wants to do a song with us.”

“Cool,” Rye replied. “Did he say which one?”

“Nah,” Bon said. “But I told him I could dig it, and that we’d like to do one of his own with him.”

“Wow,” Rye said, “That’s a bit of pressure man.”

“Nothing we can’t handle, bro,” Bon said. “In fact I just thought of the one song of his that would be perfect.”

“Oh really?” Rye asked as the limo driver pulled into Bon’s estate.

“So what’s the song?”

As the driver stopped and the girls got out, Bon looked at him and said, “Pressure,” as Rye laughed.