Way of Queens

My sister was in love with Zeus but even her love was not enough for him to let her rule his descendants even though she was smart and wise and had all the qualities a queen should have. The man was too proud, he would not allow any woman to rule. It was like he was the patriarchy itself in a living form. How else would anyone describe a god who ordered his descendants to give a woman human offering for him and his fellow gods to help with procreation?

"Sienna, I can't...I really can't do it." I still remembered my sister, Cassandrhea, sobbing so hard that her whole body shook in turmoil.

I had replied to her, "It's okay, Cassie, if you don't want to do it, you don't have to."

Cassandrhea's lips trembled. "B-but they will kill me and the gods will be angry. A lot of disasters will happen, they will curse us."

"No, they won't." My sister stared at me, confused. "I'll take your place."

And when my sister had refused and I had stepped in to take her place, he would not accept any rejection, his pride was too wounded for that so he tricked her into sleeping with him and impregnated her anyway. Clearly, he didn't value us, women and I planned to teach him a lesson.

I remembered the story of Athena, Goddess of Wisdom. According to Hesiod, Theogony, when Athena's mother, Metis, the first Goddess of Wisdom, was pregnant with Athena, Metis told Zeus a prophecy that sent him into a spiral of worry, that she would bear first the maiden bright-eyed Tritogeneia (Athena), equal to her father in strength and in wise understanding; but afterward, she was to bear a son of overbearing spirit, king of gods and men. As Zeus was the current king of gods and men, he feared being overthrown, so he swallowed Metis and his unborn child. Despite the odds, Athena was born as a fully grown woman from the head of Zeus, fully arrayed in armor. Rather than becoming a rival to Zeus, she became his valued advisor. But Athena did not exert her wisdom as superior to Zeus', because this would make him see her as a threat, just as the prophecy implied. Thus, Athena held a high position of power. If Athena could use her wisdom in order to manipulate Zeus, then perhaps, just maybe, I could best him. I could get what I wanted while teaching him not to underestimate women.

There was a vacuum of power in Hellenicus, no one dared to suggest a ruler but Zeus had already planned on naming Diomedes as our king. Personally, I had nothing against Diomedes. He was a decent man however just like the rest of the men population here, they often thought that they were far more superior than others. They would not let women be anything other than human offerings, bed warmers, and servants. Even those they claimed to be loved would not have any power or voice in their household. I planned to change that. Women had more value than just a means to procreate and serve men. So I started to plan my next meeting with Zeus, thinking of ways to best him while also proving my point.

The opportunity unexpectedly arrived on the day of my sister's death. I had warned her before, long ago when she had been in hiding, but she loved him too much to see reasons.

"I came to the cave every full moon but he never came. Maybe he finally came to his senses and realized that polygamy is not a good foundation for a successful marriage."

My sister giggled. "You know he didn't technically marry us, right? We're just concubines or perhaps mistress is a slightly polite way to say it."

"Still," I sighed. "It's not right. What if one of his wives decided to curse us? We're not gods and without our other halves, we're not even as strong as we once were. He can easily summon a lightning bolt and we cease to exist. How can we defend ourselves? Did the gods think about that?" I scoffed. "I don't think so!"

"There are different types of love, Sienna," my sister had said then and looked where it had gotten her. Out of pure jealousy, Zeus killed my sister's soulmate and then Hera, Zeus's wife, had her descendants mercilessly kill my sister's baby with my sister watching. Eventually, my sister followed her baby and her soulmate to the grave, taking her own life rather than having it taken away by the goddess Hera.