Tales of Olympus

Chapter 4: Of Weddings and Memorials

"For it is the doom of men that they forget."

-- Merlin (as portrayed by Nicol Williamson),Excalibur(1981), directed by John Boorman. Screenplay by Rospo Pallenberg and John Boorman, based onLe Morte d'Arthurby Sir Thomas Malory. Copyright © 1981 Orion Pictures Corporation. Distributed by Warner Bros. All rights reserved.

The next week was a special kind of torture for Zeus. He was aware that Demeter would not take rejection well, so he had to make a plan to distance himself from her while also planning a wedding to Hera.

While he was not pleased with the idea, he did appreciate the idea of safety from the dangers of Fate.

Destiny was a fickle part of creation. For some, the future spelled success; for others, doom was all they would have.

Before too long, he simply decided to call all of the gods, with the exception of Hades (and for good reason), to Olympus for his declaration. He arranged for Cratus and his siblings to be in front of him just in case Demeter or anyone else reacted poorly.

As such, when the time came, the grand hall of Olympus echoed with sounds of murmured whispers. The gods and goddesses assembled in curiosity over what big announcement Zeus had in mind.

The many gazes were drawn towards the majestic throne where Zeus stood in front of in all his resplendent glory. His thunderous voice cut through the hushed anticipation..

"Gods of Olympus!" Zeus boomed. He made sure to stand as tall and kingly as possible. His voice carried to every ear, and the civilians of Olympus were carrying across the hall with an authority that brooked no dissent. "Today, I announce my decision to take a wife."

A ripple of murmurs swept through the hall at his proclamation. Eyes looked throughout the hall, looking for who he chose. Some fell onto Demeter, others on Themis, some on a lesser titan called Leto, but none fell on the divine female chosen.

"Hera," he declared, his tone firm and unwavering, "will be my queen."

As Zeus' words rang out, they also sank in for two women in particular. Demeter's dismay became palpable, mirroring that of Hera.

However, Demeter had hoped that Zeus was going to announce her. To have him say that would choose her was the dream. She had laid with him. She had surrendered her morals for him, but once he had what he wanted, he discarded her. The bitter sense of betrayal overwhelmed her as her eyes glared at the King.

Amidst the commotion and celebration that was overtaking all of the other gods, Zeus turned his gaze upon Demeter. She could see a mild form of contrition.

Demeter's brow furrowed in consternation, her hands clenched at her sides, and she gritted her teeth in a loathing rage that was building within her. This would not be the end of this for her. She had every intention of taking this up with Zeus.

---

The shores of Gaia's island were a relaxing environment that most gods could appreciate under most circumstances. This day was not that sort of situation, and the goddess who came to this sanctuary was not the majority of deities.

Hera could not care for the ambience, the light, or the water. She teleported in looking for the one Titaness that could have done anything

Rhea was in the secluded grove that Hera had heard about from Zeus many times during the War. As she approached Rhea, Hera's steps only grew more forceful.

"What did you do?" Hera said through gritted teeth.

"Hera," Rhea greeted cheerily. "I had hoped you would come. Did Zeus make the announcement?"

Hera's gaze bore into Rhea. "What...did...you...do?" she demanded, her voice barely above a whisper.

The restraint in her voice was the sign that Rhea needed to know she had crossed some line. More than this, the break between her words was the indication that Rhea would receive no further warning should events turn hostile.

"You will not talk to me like that, little girl," Rhea remarked, waving her off. A weak light emanated from Rhea to try and push Hera away.

The moment the magic touched Hera, the goddess reacted. She lifted her hand to dismiss Rhea's halfhearted effort before lifting her hand and summoning her own power. Rhea froze, losing control of her own body as Hera turned her mother in the air. The arcane control forced Rhea to look into her daughter's eyes.

The Titan Queen's gaze faltered into one of fear under Hera's penetrating stare and exercise of power. For a moment, she seemed lost for words. While she had threatened Zeus to no avail, Hera had been given what Rhea had raised her up to only for Hera to react immediately.

"I will ask one more time before I mess up your pretty little paradise with your ichor," Hera said through a menacing, oppressive state. "What did you do?"

Before Rhea could respond, the Earth Primordial emerged from the shadows. Her eyes were calm as she stood behind Hera. She did not move or attempt to strike the next Queen of Olympus.

"We have made you queen," Gaia answered slowly. "The way we did so is immaterial, Granddaughter."

The words struck Hera in the stomach. She slowly turned her attention to her grandmother.

She had expected manipulative duplicity from Rhea, but not Gaia. The Earth Primordial always seemed above or distant from the machinations that surrounded Olympus.

"It matters to me! What did you do to Zeus?" she asked, keeping her mother in a state of paralysis.

"We reminded Zeus of his promise," Gaia answered in a serene cadence.

"Why?" Hera asked in a heated rage.

She did not know it, but tears had formed in her eyes and started streaming down her face.

"Tears...Really, Hera?" Gaia wondered. "For your Chthonic King?"

"For your taking away of my choice!" Hera screamed back. "I would have been content to stay on Olympus or even marry Zeus, but you're trapping me with him and him with me. He will be my eternal prisoner. He will hate me. If you think he won't make me suffer for it, you're delusional."

Rhea said nothing to this statement. In fact, both matriarchs were silent for a good moment.

"We might not have done anything," Gaia replied. "You were guessing at our involvement."

Hera stared bewildered at her grandmother. How did that matron feel that this sentence was a defense of any sort?

"But you did do something!"

"Something you knew on instinct," Gaia countered with a knowing look. "That's what we need in a Queen. You saw our machinations. Maybe it was Zeus' words, his inflections, the way he announced it. Who knows? Who cares! That you knew it what mattered."

"But why?" Hera asked again.

"Because Zeus is a fool, a powerful fool, but a fool nonetheless. Olympus needs a steady hand, one who can use their instincts to plan ahead," Gaia said intensely. "That is who you are, Hera. Deny it, run from it, hide away, but it is who you are. You are not meant to be some Underworld Queen, or some Magic Counselor to the King, nor the advisor to the Queen.Youare meant to be the Queen of Olympus. It is time you start acting like it!"

---

Zeus' palace echoed with the angry footsteps of Demeter. She struggled with the potent mixture of anger, betrayal, and confusion that swirled within her like a tornado. Because of the announcement days after them having sex, each emotion wrestled for dominance even as she confronted the king of the gods.

Once within Zeus' inner sanctum, she stared Zeus down in his throne.

Zeus looked up as Demeter entered. She could not read his expression. At the very least, she was certain that he had expected her anger as he had not so much as flinched when she arrived.

"Demeter," Zeus greeted, his voice cautious as he rose to his feet. "Now...Iknowyou're upset," he went on with raised hands. "But the situation is far more complex than you realize.

Demeter's eyes blazed with a fury that Zeus had not seen since the Great War.

"Then explain it to me, Zeus!" she declared with a wrath more heated than Helios' light. Her eyes stared at him with cutting coldness. "I thought... since we... IbelievedI was going to be your bride!"

Zeus would not buckle to her anger, no matter how justified the emotion was. Rather, he sighed at the effort he would need to put in to placate this agricultural goddess. His shoulders slumped slightly at the weight of it all. He had known the confrontation was inevitable the moment he had given the declaration. Given her near passionless display in the bedroom, he was ill prepared for the raw emotion that radiated from the goddess.

"I made an oath to Rhea," Zeus explained. He knew an outright lie might get him caught up in something dangerous. After all, he had no intention of battling Hades for the Throne of Olympus if Demeter knew that the oath had been exchanged for Rhea's help in securing the throne. "As a show of honor to her, after I ascended the throne, I allowed her a single boon, where she could ask anything of me, and she has chosen who I will marry. I can not refuse her, Demeter."

Demeter's eyes narrowed as her lips curled into a sneer of suspicious cynicism. "Do youreallyexpect me to believe that?" she scoffed. "After we spent the night together, Rhea demands that you marry Hera, and that this was not your plan all along?"

Zeus hesitated before stepping forward, allowinghisanger to flow a little more freely.

"Believe what you want" the Thunderer shot back. "I can understand your anger, Demeter, but I wouldnotmarry Hera of my own choosing!"

He was careful not to allow that deception to be the last thing she heard from him. "My hand was forced in this!"

Demeter's expression softened slightly. If what he said was true, there was little to be done, by either of them. A begrudging acceptance started to overtake her despite her ire demanding she take retribution on the King of Olympus.

"Very well," she conceded with a smooth, cool tone. "I will accept this... for now, but know this: If I find that you have lied to me, Zeus, I will not forgive you for the betrayal."

Demeter turned on her heel and strode from the chamber. There was someone else she would need to see. She could allow her rage out upon this individual, and no one was going to stop her.

---

Prometheus was most comfortable when he was in his workshop. The flickering light of the forge, the stone walls, the tools, the workbench, the creations. This was where he was meant to be.

And with this new project, he was not making new life. Instead, he was commemorating a lost life. Prometheus had chiseled away at the figure of Metis from the block of marble. He had considered using bronze as the medium for preserving the Oceanid, but after creating humanity from bronze on Metis' advice, the son of Iapetus did not want to use the same medium for her. She was wholly unique and should be preserved as such.

With the form of the titaness' shape beneath his skilled touch, Prometheus had memories rushing over through him. Metis had deserved better than she had been given, and Prometheus wondered if he had done something wrong by talking to Hera about his theories. She would deserve better.

If events continued to progress as they had, Prometheus would do all he could to protect her. He owed her that much/

With the final details in place, Prometheus stepped back to admire his handiwork. He did all he could to ensure a similarity.

Metis stood tall and proud as she had in life. Her eyes did not sparkle with the intelligence she had wielded in life, but her right hand was in front of her stomach ready for the final decoration. Prometheus lifted the gleaming Aegis shield up and slipped it onto the statue's arm.

As he gazed upon the statue, Prometheus understood that in Zeus' reign on Olympus, alliances shifted more like a blowing breeze. Perhaps, such a gift kike this could serve as a reminder of his loyalty to Zeus, but that was not the most important aspect. For the son of Iapetus, he intended that Metis never be forgotten.

Prometheus made a silent vow to himself: Hera would be watched over and Metis would not be forgotten.

Should the day ever come when Prometheus found himself at odds with Zeus, or his loyalty was called into question, he would use the memorial of Metis as his last effort to remind Zeus of how dedicated Prometheus had been. It would be a last ditch effort, but the fire titan knew that heneededto stay on Olympus.

The future could only be saved if Prometheus was a part of it.

---

Sunset arrived on Gaia's island when the temperamental goddess also appeared.

Demeter's fury burned greater than any wildfire had ever done before. It would consume her if she did not confront her wayward mother.

The grove that had been an exclusive area for the Titaness and the Primordial was once more invaded, a second in recent memory.

Steeling herself for the confrontation ahead, Demeter had meant to be calmer, but when she saw Rhea simply sitting there, Demeter very nearly brought her power down upon her mother.

Rhea sat there at a tree table. Her dirty blonde hair fell in gentle waves around her shoulders and over her icy blue dress. This pristine nature of the Titaness Queen only served to stoke Demeter's rage.

The middle daughter of Rhea and Cronos saw a reflection of Hera in their shared mother. This only aggravated her further as it was a reminder of whom Zeus would marry, who was chosen over her. Hera was not more deserving than Demeter.

"Why did you force Zeus to marry Hera?" Demeter screamed. Despite her best efforts, her voice trembled. She had never before questioned Rhea. The words tumbled out with venomous resentment for her mother.

Rhea did not flinch at the indignantly infuriated disposition being launched at her. Given Zeus had multiple lovers, the former queen fully expected there to be a certain reaction, especially after Hera's tantrum.

"Do not come to me about matters you know so little about, Daughter," Rhea said. Though she did not intend to, Rhea adopted a tone similar to Gaia when the Primordial reprimanded her.

Despite losing her temper, Rhea did not abandon her outwardly calm towards Demeter.

"You just gave Zeus to Hera!"

"Yes..." Rhea breathed. "And?" she added, indifferent to her daughter's complaints.

"Hewillinglycame to me, Mother!"

Rhea met Demeter's complaint with a soft, steady gaze that warned of a hardened resolve. After dealing with a far more powerful child, Rhea was not concerned with the trifle of a daughter who had no purpose in the future. Gaia was planning ahead, and there would be key players that influenced the shape of the times to come; Demeter simply wasnotone of those individuals.

"Yes...And?" Rhea repeated carefully. "Did you truly want him? Or was it the throne that excited you? Until two days ago, I might not have known that Zeus even had an interest in you."

"What does that matter?" Demeter shot back. "I would have been queen!"

"Queen to a foolish King. I do not believe that is your future, my daughter," Rhea remarked simply enough. "You were a passing fancy to Zeus. You and I both know that. If I had not forced his hand to marry Hera, his gaze would have wandered soon enough."

In that moment, the last echoes of Demeter's anger faded into the still silence. She might have railed and yelled, but something about that seemed wrong. A small sense of clarity ran through her even with her justified anger.

"And all you would have been left with would be the daughter Zeus has left within you."

Demeter looked down, seeing no sign of a child. Then again, she would not. She had only been intimate with Zeus recently. She lifted her head and looked at Rhea with renewed frustration.

"You would deny my daughter a father?" Demeter asked, more surprised than angry if she were being honest.

"You have both dodged an arrow on that score. Zeus would be a horrible father, and I doubt you would be a strong enough mother to handle balancing Zeus as king and your title as mother. You might have given Zeus everything, and I assure you, these kings will take what they want."

"You don't know that!" Demeter screamed out.

"I think I am the only one who does!" Rhea shouted back. "I was queen to Cronos. I helped spirit Zeus away. This peace you all bought with your war would not have been possible withoutmysacrifices."

Demeter flinched back. Rhea's outburst seemed to have stolen Demeter's anger for her own. Demeter had believed that her resolve would be unbreakable, but before Rhea, it felt smaller, hollow, weaker by nature.

"I know who does and does not have the strength to rule on Olympus, Demeter, and it is not you."

"No," Demeter said, after a weak sigh. Her voice was low, but still held the last bit of her anger. "I would have been stronger."

Rhea had no immediate answer. Instead, she stared at her daughter with an intensity not known between this pair before. When she saw that this had hurt her daughter, Rhea relented. She had lost enough with Eletheia leaving and Hera's anger, so instead, she bent.

"I hope you have the strength for that little girl inside of you without Zeus," Rhea said with a soft compassion. "She will need you far more than you need to be queen."

---

In the shadows of her forest, Gaia listened intently. The Earth Mother watched as another of her granddaughters confronted her wayward successor.

Rhea was becoming far too full of herself as of late. The motivation to handle Zeus was to their benefit, but the Titan Queen was starting to think that she was in control of the plans against Zeus.

Gaia knew she shaped no destinies. That was for the Fates alone, but she could guide the actions of the gods against her foolish grandson. She had made him after all. Rhea birthed him, sure, but it was Gaia who had trained him, made him into a warrior, reared him into adulthood. He would have been nothing without her.

Rhea's decision to assist Zeus wed Hera was a pivotal moment for everything. Gaia could see it. What if Hera birthed an heir that Zeusbelievedwas his. Another of his sons could depose him, but the son with Hera could capture the throne. The two would be different people.

This marriage was a crossroads of destiny; it just had to be. The future of everything could go one way or another. No control and god against god, but if Gaia could align events, she might be able to mold a being more powerful than any of his predecessors. This King could be an atavism of divine might. This King could be a second Ouranos, but with the wisdom of the ages. He would need to have power, but the guidance of Gaia to direct him.

Gaia turned to the heavens, recalling the Progenitor of Chaos, invoking a primordial power all the way down upon the roots of the soil itself.

"I swear... Chaos... Great Progenitor," she started in her sacred covenant. "I will never raise my hand against my grandson, or depose his replacement. Just... Please... Please... Let this work."

This was her chance, her small chance, at redemption.

For an immortal being who had watched two kings come and go, this redemption was a purpose that transcended the actions of most other divinities.

With a plan in mind, Gaia began her work on the gift for Zeus and Hera. Her vision would take shape. This would be Hera's everlasting prison until the time was right. If events went as Gaia hoped (or much rather prayed), the future Queen of Olympus would be liberated, but... beyond that, Gaia could not know. There was no way to know. She was not Chaos or the Moirai, so Gaia could only trust in the Progenitor and the choices of Hera and the other gods.

The tree that was taking shape was unlike any other; its branches were laden with the golden fruits of her devotion. Each apple was radiantly resplendent, but the duplicitous nature of the fruit could not be known until the first bite was taken by Hera.