Cry of the Moon

Chapter 9: Prometheus Ruins Everything

As Zeus predicted, the new humans don't develop past using sticks and rocks to kill each other over food and shelter. Their creator, Prometheus, Titan of forethought, began appearing before the council day after day, requesting our permission to give a branch of Hestia's sacred fire to the humans and, day after day, he was turned down.

One day, while I was out with my daughters for a stroll through a beautiful forest on the mortal world, I saw a figure appear from behind a tree and begin moving towards me. I push my daughters behind my back to protect them before I recognize the figure of Prometheus and relax.

"Good afternoon, cousin," he says, bowing slightly.

I laugh, hugging him. "Why do you bow, Prometheus? We've known each other since before I drove the moon across the sky.

"You are the Queen now."

I roll my eyes. "You are the first to treat me as such. Everyone else just grabs me in the streets and demands things of me I cannot give them."

Prometheus grimaces, looking slightly embarrassed. "On that subject, I must speak to you."

I force myself not to groan. "Prometheus, if this is about the humans, there is nothing -"

"Please, just listen to what I have to say." Prometheus is begging me and my heart tugs in my chest, wanting to help him for I've been reduced to begging before and I know just how desperate someone must be to beg for help. I turn to my daughters and tell them to go and play in the woods nearby while we talk. Then I turn my full attention to Prometheus. "I cannot promise I can help, but I will listen."

Prometheus nods, a thankful smile lighting up his face. "That is all I need."

He takes my hand and guides me to the edge of the forest. I glance over my shoulder and am relieved to see my daughters have had the good sense to follow, staying just out of earshot. Being immortal, I'm not worried they could be hurt, but I do worry a Titan or other being may try to kidnap them as leverage to get something from me.

"Look at them," Prometheus says, and for a moment I think he's talking about my daughters. However, when I turn back to him, he's looking in the other direction, out over a valley stretching out below us. A group of humans run around it, chasing a large bull and waving long, sharp sticks in the air. "What do you see when you look at them?"

One of them throws their stick and it hits the bull on the rump, causing the creature to rear and below in pain and anger. I wince in sympathy, thinking of my beautiful bulls back at my palace, sleeping between their nightly rides. "I see savages," I tell Prometheus. "They hunt for sport and kill each other over the smallest of things. They have yet to learn compassion or love."

"And yet you are destined to love one, are you not?"

"I am destined never to be loved by one. And how do you know about that?"

"You forget, cousin, Phoebe was my aunt as well. I overheard her telling my father your prophecy."

"Why would she tell Iapetus my prophecy? It had nothing to do with him or your family."

"My father was the Titan of morality. Our aunt wanted to know what a human was, and he was the one she thought might know. Ironically, although my father of course had no idea what a human was, it was from hearing their conversation that I got the idea to create humans. But I digress. You say you see savages when you look at my creation. But think of what the Gods and Titans would be with what few resources are available to humans. We would not be any better than them, so is it fair for us to call them savages from our high seat of luxury?"

"Prometheus, it's not that I don't agree with you, but I've heard all of this before. Everyone on the Council has, and they turned you down. Multiple times."