Thief Of Truth's Heart

Chapter 4

"Poseidon-"

"No."

"But you can clearly-!"

"No."

"Brother, just let us see the situation here-"

"Zeus, when I said no, I meant no. I am not getting my eleven year old daughter married to your son. I am not desperate for an alliance either. We are brothers, after all."

"But an alliance between our two realms can mean a permanent truce between us!!! Try to understand!!!"

"Of course, don't take me to be an idiot. I know what it entails, and I still refuse to make my daughter go into something she barely understands."

"I am not saying right now!!! When both of them grow up a bit more, and are a lot more matured than they are now, perhaps then....?"

"Then you will be waiting forever. My daughter is the Goddess of Innocence, which means retaining a sense of naivety forever."

"But the attraction clearly isn't one-sided!!"

"I don't care. I am neither going to use my daughter to maintain peace between our realms, nor make her agree to a marriage she doesn't even understand. She is worth billions more than being used as a pawn, and we should be capable enough to remain at least civil to each other."

"But she listens to you without any questions!!! There is no way she would be unwilling then!!"

"Are you asking me to manipulate my daughter into doing something she has no idea of?!!!! I am not going to be one of those fathers who sell their daughters for some stupid peace!!! I will rather go to war against you than having some makeshift peace by marrying off my only daughter!! She is not a cattle to be sold at will!!"

"I didn't mean to insult her!! I just want to say that should they harbor mutual feelings for each other, then we could consider marriage. Far in the future, I mean!!"

"You better not seek out to insult my precious little princess, if you don't want chaos to descend on Olympus. And don't think I don't know why you are so adamant at a marital alliance between our realms."

Zeus pinched his nose and sighed. "Fine. I want your indefinite support on any matter that I decide on. I may be the King of the Heavens, but I have not won the war by being blind to my surroundings. You were the most brilliant soldier and powerful yet manipulative strategist who I was proud to have under my command during Titanomachy. Artemis doesn't show interest in Triton in that way, but it is okay. Frankly speaking, it is your daughter who inherited your infamous temper, along with all your other strengths. Having Atlanta married to Apollo will not only tether you to Olympus for good, but also-"

"-bind my daughter by marital responsibilities to your realm. And you have already known what power she wields, even though she rarely uses it, and wish to have it at your disposal. Moreover, she is the Goddess of Loyalty, so you have the guarantee that she will never betray you, and you can count on her even with closed eyes.", Poseidon scowled heavily. "I detest the term 'tethered'. The Sea-"

"-cannot be restrained? We all know that brother, spare us the lecture.", Hades walked to the place where his other two brothers were bickering.

"Shut up Hades. You don't know half of it.", Poseidon angrily muttered.

"What is wrong with this boy today?", Hades asked Zeus in a mock whisper.

"I am not a boy!! I am a grown up, very much handsome adult. Treat me as such!!"

"Careful brother, your adult is showing.", Zeus sarcastically dished out an insult before turning to his eldest brother. "We were discussing the not-so-subtle crush of Apollo."