The Master Strategist

Radiance

"So," I say after out latest torture session. "You and Apollo. How'd that happen, oh great god Hyacinthus?"

He looks at me in shock for a moment, shock at my stamina or curiosity I don't know. He was a mortal once, he should understand.

They were hard on him before. He has a large scar down his cheek and they burned his left thigh.

It is lucky his husband is the god of healing.

Then he smirks. "What about you and Hermes?"

I sigh. "I asked you first. And you became a god so I bet your tale is a bit more interesting..."

        
                        

I give in. Alithia is hard to resist. I can see why Hermes married her, though she's not my type.

"Fine your grace, I will tell you my tale of romance."

She laughs. Besides being beaten near death and chained to a wall, you couldn't tell she was being held prisoner.

"Apollo and I met in the warmest day of the year...

How do I compare thy to the sun?

I laugh at the stupidly of the common flirtation given to me by men and women alike.

Another suitor, another stupid line, another of mother's pleading looks, another of father's grave stare, and another comment about getting into my pants.

I get it, I'm a sexual being too, but I don't want to hear how you want to have sex with me in every other sentence of conversation.

So, I do what any traditionally beautiful misunderstood hero would do: pout in a pasture.

As I sit there in the dabbled sun, I think of all the great love stories of our age. And I realized: Not a lot of them have a happy ending.

Except for Eros & Psyche and Persephone & Hades.

Either way I'm gonna have to be kidnapped to have a happily ever after, I thought to myself.

Suddenly, one of the dabbled rays of sunlight falls right besides me and glows an unbearable bright.

I close my eyes for an instant, and when I open them again, there he is.

Long golden, and I mean golden, hair flows down his tan, muscled, unclothed chest.

"Hello." He says with a smile.

I'm frozen, with my mouth open wide. While heat radiates off him like the sun, my skin feels as cold as ice.

After a while of this, the god of the sun, for I know that is who it is, reaches out and gently closes my mouth.

"You're so cute when you're dumbfounded." He purred.

What does one say when they talk to the gods? Or, more specifically, what does one say when they aren't being threatened or cursed by a god.

Then I remembered the other reasons you could be visited by a god.

I jumped up, prepared to run for my life and virginity.

I thought Apollo was hot and all, but I'd rather be turned into a tree than raped.

But the god raised his hand to my shoulder, and with almost no effort, gently pushed me back down to the ground beside him.

"What-what are you going to do to me?" I asked.

He smirked as he pulled a disk out of no where.

"Wanna play."

Alithia laughs.