Poseidon's Daughter

Chapter 56 Zeus, Hera, Hermes and Apollo

Zeus

How do I get my wretched brother off my back? How do I gain back the control I lost? Zeus ponders over and over. His thoughts consumes him and emotions rule him.

That child of his brother could doom us all. Could doom me!

Poseidon is strong. Stronger than I would like to admit. I can't outright kill the brat. I could control her. But how?

"What are you planning now?" the familiar voice of his wife came from the doorway.

"Nothing," he replied annoyed at his wife. For all her beauty and wit, she just did not know when to give up.

"Whatever you are planning Zeus, it better not be about Poseidon and his daughter," she warned.

"And why not?!" his eyes ablaze.

"We don't need another war. Please, just let it be for once. I do not wish to fight you or anyone else because of a silly matter like this," she replied sincerely.

"This isn't a silly matter!" Zeus gritted out in disbelief, how could his wife not see the truth of the matter?

"You are angry because Poseidon defended his daughter," she stated.

"I am furious that he broke the laws. The laws that govern our way of life," he said.

Hera huffed at her husband, "You are a hypocrite Zeus. How many laws have you broken? Have you bent? You got away with most of it because you are the king.

"It's not the same. My brother not only fathered a child, but that very child humiliated me as did my brother," he said obsessively, "Do you not see the danger that child poses? Do you not see what control she has over Poseidon?"

"I am not blind Zeus. I can see that he would give her the world, if she had asked for it. He would probably do it with a smile too."

"Then side with me in this. Rhea Jackson has got to go," he pleaded. He knows his wife has a way to persuade the others.

"Poseidon won't allow it. I believe that if we leave them alone, then there will be peace," she pleaded in return. Her husband angers her often, but she still loves him despite his flaws.

"I don't want peace," he said.

"You won't have peace for a long time if you continue down this path. Give it some time. Observe, plan, then when the time is right, execute."

He looked at his wife, lovingly, for the first time in a long time. She has a way of subtle manipulations. "Do you have a plan, my darling wife?"

She smirked at him, "Not yet. But when the time is right, I'll let you know. You are not the only one humiliated by these circumstances, dear husband."

Apollo

The sun god was confused. His brother Hermes asked him to help his son, Luke.

"What happened?" asked Apollo concerned, looking over at his brother's son who lay on his bed, pale from blood loss.

"I...I don't know," Hermes' voice quivered, "he has been here a few days. I thought he would be alright. I had a delivery to attend to, and when I returned, everything was in disarray."

Apollo knew what happened, he could sense it from the young mortal on the bed. He could sense it the moment he touched Luke's skin to heal him. This child was suffering mentally. He carried so much pain in his heart, in his very soul. That was one thing Apollo couldn't heal.

"He needs help Hermes. You can't leave him alone right now. He is unstable. You have to be a true father to him. Speak to him, build a relationship. Take him with you if you have to. You have to show him you are there, that you care for him and that you love him."

"I don't know how to be a true father," Hermes mumbled sadly.

"Neither do I. But despite the laws, I interact with my children. I love them. They are part of me as your son is part of you. I wish I could raise my children, be there when they get hurt, or when they succeed," Apollo said.

"You are better than I, brother," Hermes stated.

"I really am not. I am just as shellfish as the rest of the Olympians," he replied.

"Yes, but you are deeper, more intelligent than what you show to the world," Hermes said.

"I could say the same to you brother."