The Perfect Life - Dionysos' Challenge

6. Objective Observers

The throne room on Mt. Olympus was quiet. Gone were the trappings of banquets and parties. All that sat in that hallowed hall now were the two thrones of Zeus and Hera, the Mirrored Pool, and the various instruments of the Mousai. Zeus sat on his throne and stared into the Pool, thinking of his brother, Haides.

A fine mist rose from the pool as it shimmered to life. Though the Pool's reaction to his thoughts were inadvertent, the thunder god's curiosity was now piqued. As the mist cleared, a scene unfolded within a human home, filled with adults laughing and drinking wine. If he looked hard enough, Zeus could see a small child and his mother sitting at a table, eating.

He recognized the child as Coren. So, was Haides visiting the child? he thought to himself. The Pool shifted to answer the king of gods. Haides appeared, leaning against a doorframe as he observed the humans holding conversation around the child and mother. Zeus rose from his throne and walked to the edge of the Pool and stared down into the waters. What is Haides up to?

"Allow me to hear," Zeus commanded the Pool. The throne room was flooded with the noises and voices from Marcus' home. He followed the progression of his brother, and his cohorts, Thanatos, and Hypnos. He laughed slightly as he overheard the two older gods talking about Haides behind his back, second guessing his brother's actions.

"Well, at least I am not the only one who thinks that," Zeus mused, hands clasped behind his back.

"Think what?"

Zeus turned his head slightly, watching Hera step into the throne room. Her red-brown hair cascaded down her back, glowing in the sun's light. "That Haides is going about this challenge all wrong."

Hera strode across the marble floor with purpose, stopping next to her husband and glancing into the pool. "I wouldn't say all wrong, dear. But he could use some sound advice before the child gets any older."

He glanced at her sideways. "At least he has stuck with it after four years. It means he is taking it somewhat seriously. I don't think he is quite as consumed with it as he should be."

"Oh, I don't know." Hera moved away from the Pool and stepped up to her seat to sit. Once settled, she crossed her left leg over her right and sat back. "For Haides, he's been pretty dedicated. He visits the child's home several times a month and has prevented the boy's self-destruction on several occasions. Small children are fairly accident prone."

Zeus turned, eyebrow raised. "Really? I had no idea he had made that many trips. I will be honest; I thought he'd be bored of it by now."

Hera scoffed. "Why does no one recognize Haides' intelligence? Of the six of us... he is probably the most intelligent. Well, perhaps not more than Hestia..." She waved her hands, as if chasing off an errant thought.

The soft sound of approaching footsteps echoed in the chamber. Zeus looked up and smiled at the two fair, young cupbearers entering. Ganymedes and Hebe paused at the entrance, waiting to be invited in. Hera waved them in, smiling upon her daughter and the young man that followed close on her heels.

Hebe bowed before her mother, the smiled cheekily at her father. "Gazing down on the world again, father?"

"Only checking up on Haides, my beautiful girl." Zeus nodded, then looked back at his wife. "Intelligent Haides may be, but if he doesn't become more involved, he is going to find himself at a disadvantage."

Hera dismissed Zeus' worries. "Oh, he will be fine. Look at the extent he went through to get Persephone."

"Speaking of Persephone," Ganymedes chimed in, "did you know she has joined in the challenge?"

Hebe elbowed Ganymedes and glared at him. He shrugged and cocked his head in her direction, not realizing he had done anything untoward. A silent argument proceeded between the two youthful gods.

"What? A human soul for keeping?" Hera jumped from her throne and ran down to the pool. "Show me Persephone!"

The scene before them shifted to a dark cellar in a large town fifty leagues from where Haides stood. They watched as Persephone lovingly comforted and stroked a frail looking girl until she fell asleep. Zeus merely blinked in astonishment while Hera clucked her tongue.

"Well, what do you expect?" Hebe huffed. "Haides gets the chance to shepherd a soul as a bet and the soul is placed in a well-to-do family. Persephone has always been soft when it comes to children, especially those that are not so lucky." The royals' daughter shook her golden curls. "If only she had been given the chance to have a child of her own."

"She's touching and singing to the girl child. Isn't that...forbidden?" Ganymedes asked, looking up at Zeus wide-eyed.

The king of gods glanced at his wife and blew out a long breath. Of course it was. The gods had decided a long time ago to stop personally meddling in human affairs. Yes, guide and help at a distance, but to manifest and touch? No, not anymore. Yet, there she was, touching the little girl. Perhaps, if they were lucky, the child would not remember or think of it as a dream when she was older.

He, or Hera, would need to speak to Persephone about this. Until then, they would keep a close eye on this child.

"Now, this is how one gets involved in the life of a child." Hera looked down approvingly.

Well, there went that thought, Zeus groaned.

"If Haides wants to win, he needs to do more of this," she waved her hand so that the pool switched to the house of Marcus where Haides lurked in the shadows, "and less of this. You can't give goodness from a distance. Eventually, you must get your hands dirty."

Zeus paced around the pool and snapped his fingers, watching as it split in two – Haides on one side, Persephone on the other. "If he refuses, he fails, simple as that. From what I see, Persephone is the winner of this bet, not Haides or Dionysos."

Kneeling down for a closer look, Hera inhaled sharply and touched the water. "Did you see that? The girl child looked at Persephone! Zeus, the child saw Persephone. I thought we agreed that we were never going to show ourselves to the world again?"

Shaking his mighty head, Zeus sighed. "Like I said, Persephone is the winner, not the men."

The Pool suddenly rippled though no one requested it to, changing the scene with Coren. In the background, Dionysus appeared as Haides disappeared. The god of debauchery watched on, bored. He looked around, absorbing details to file away for later use. Slowly, Dionysus meandered through Marcus' home and wove through the gathering of people until he stood next to Coren.

He lightly touched the boy's shoulder, causing Coren to look his way. The four gods watched as Calliope inquired of her son what he was looking at. The little boy simply shrugged as Dionysos grinned, and they continued eating treats together. Dionysos' mouth turned up slightly before disappearing.

"Do you think that Dionysos has already begun his sabotage?" Hebe asked anxiously.

Zeus shook his head. "Not yet. The demi-god has nothing to mess with. Coren is only four years old. I fear, my daughter, that Dionysos will let the boy grow up some and have the beginnings of a great life before he plagues Haides and the boy with his mischief."

Ganymedes' shoulders sagged. "I pity the little boy."

Hera looked down at the two souls. There was such a stark contrast to the two children's lives. Surely, Dionysos has something cruel in store for the boy, and Persephone will do everything in her power to give her charge the life every young girl deserves.

Hera turned from the pool, heart heavy, knowing that the gods had once again decided to play with mortal lives. This time though, something about it just didn't seem like any fun.