Queen Of Hell & Paradise (Immortal gods: Book 1)

Chapter 8- The Fate of Zeus

Omniscient POV

The Apportioners sat at their looms, weaving and disentangling knots in their tapestry. 

They inspected each and every thread in their fabric, searching for flaws or ways to enhance the beauty of the strands. Two threads in particular caught the eldest's eye-- one was a blinding, shimmering white while the other was a pale, lusterless green. They were knotted together, distracting from the fact the white one was supposed to be coiled around the bright, crimson strand beside it. 

"Lachesis," she reprimanded, capturing the second sister's attention. The Allotter looked up incuriously upon mention of her name, waiting for Atropos to continue. 

"Why is Zeus' thread entwining with another?"

Lachesis raised a brow languidly. 

"When is it not?" she replied apathetically, resuming her distribution of a mortal's lifespan. Her gaze flitted to the long trail of twists and snags on Zeus' thread. 

Atropos did not look up from her shears as she succeeded a response. 

"You understand the implications of the many knots that make up his thread, yes?"

Lachesis stared at her blankly, uncertain to where her sister was leading with this. While they could see the future concerning the lives of mortals and immortals, they were unable to tell that which awaited them. They were not deities like the rest, they held no threads because their lives intertwined only with each other. Even so, it was for work-related purposes. 

 Hence, she did not anticipate her sister's response. 

"It means I must cut more threads ahead of their time. I can not keep doing so because it will eventually ruin Zeus' thread," she added stolidly, lifting an unimpressed brow and snipping a lisle. In the distance, the sounds of a shriek and a heavy exhalation resounded in their dome. They ignored the noise, it was the routine reaction of a dying human body-- something they had become accustomed to. 

Clotho and Lachesis remained unblinking, waiting for the eldest to sustain her explanation. 

"The King of the Gods insults us by straying from his duties and violating our laws. Eons ago, he was willing to crawl at our feet for us to impart him with wisdom, he fought fervently for the power and throne he now possesses. Now, he makes mockery of us by infracting the consecrated union we allowed him into. He inclines himself toward physical gratification rather than the obligations of his sovereignty."

Lachesis and Clotho lifted a mildly surprised brow, their eldest sister was in the right. 

"I agree sister," began the youngest, "This is not what we appointed Zeus to do. He has neglected his duties as king of the gods and has forsaken his marriage to Hera. He offends our existence by behaving as though he lacks responsibility."

The Moirai allowed silence to percolate between them, each deliberating and reflecting on their spoken words. The idle hiss of Lachesis' voice was what finally disrupted the meaningful quiet. 

"What do you propose we do?" she inquired balefully, her lips slinking up into a crooked smile. The Inflexible flit her gaze to her sister before setting down her shears and holding the white, glimmering thread in her fingers. She observed it pensively, unable to inhibit her gaze from becoming stained with malice and ill-intent. 

"We must instruct him to better ways," she jeered, holding up the strand to the light. The Spinner and The Allotter cackled on instinct, glaring at the scintillating fiber in the eldest's craggy fingertips. 

"By virtue of what?"

 The youngest grinned jaggedly to herself as a thought came to her. 

"His actions have spoken clearly. He wishes to repudiate his commitments as King."