The Immortal Heart

Chapter 26

Hestia and Hades were just recently finished with cleaning Demeter’s wounds and changing her bandages when their siblings returned to the cave. The fact that Zeus now wore robes again told them that the excursion had not been a complete waste of time, but what they were really interested in hearing were news about the boat.

“The boat is undamaged,” Zeus announced before anyone could ask the obvious question. “And we were also able to salvage quite a few things from the ruins.” They had left most of what they had brought with them in the cart, but Zeus carried a sack of items which he figured might be of immediate use.

“We found some medicinal ointments in Poseidon’s chambers,” he said, handing the sack to Hestia. “Perhaps we could use them to treat our sister?”

The goddess examined the contents, opening the jars one after the other and meticulously sniffing the various salves. “Did you make these yourself, Poseidon?” she asked, and her voice gave away her surprise.

“I did not,” the god confessed. “Demeter made them for me, but she told me what they were good for.” He proceeded to explain to his sister which ointment was supposedly good for treating muscle ache, skin rashes, inflammation, swelling, and open wounds.

“We just finished binding her burns,” Hestia said thoughtfully. “I’d rather not subject her to the torment of unbinding them. But we should definitely bring them with us aboard.”

Hestia had also gone out to further add to her supply of willow bark, grateful for its ubiquitous presence as well as its healing properties. Demeter’s fever had not yet broken, but at least ingestion of the willow had made it manageable.

“We should leave as soon as possible,” Zeus stated. “Let us gather what to bring with us and head for the shore.” He glanced at the wounded goddess, now conscious but still very weak. “We have no time to lose.”

From their position at the cave, the family could see the ocean, as well as where Poseidon, Zeus, and Hera had come from. The forests filled the paths to the shore, and as long as nothing hid within those trees to ambush them, the Olympians knew the thickness of the woods would help to hide them from the titans, at least for the time being.

“I apologize that we have to move you,” Hades said to Demeter in a voice that sounded as though he spoke to a child, “but we are taking you to the boat. From then on you will be on the water. Then our mother will help you feel so much better.”

Demeter was awake, but just barely. Her eyes shut, she mumbled something incoherent and simply took her brother’s hand, squeezing for a second to show that she understood. Smiling, Hades lifted her into his arms, closing his mind to her pained moans, and carried her down into the forests, following his siblings with Hestia close behind.

The group of gods continued on the path, Zeus in the lead and Poseidon in the rear in case of ambush. Though various creatures called and rustled in the vegetation, they did not attack, and the Olympians soon found themselves at the shore, the fishing boat still bobbing in the water.

With Poseidon standing watch of the edge of the forest – as though something might come rushing out at any moment – his brothers and sisters proceeded to load the boat.

“We should leave some of the food behind,” Hestia suggested, regarding the remnants of the boar meat. “Poseidon can always catch fish for us once we are on the water.”

“You’re right,” Zeus said, brow knitted.

“We will have to make the boat hold all of us and our supplies, or else we won’t be going anywhere.”

The boat contained a small storage space for captured fish below deck, and the Olympians filled it to the brink with food, as well as jars of fresh water, in case no rain would fall during their voyage.

Hades would have wanted to place Demeter somewhere in protection from the elements, but putting her in the storage with no light was of course out of question. There was room for bedding that could house four gods on the quarterdeck, and as there were six of them, the Olympians saw no other choice except to take turns sleeping.

“I have made this journey before once in my life,” Zeus told his siblings. “Then it took me four nights to get to these shores from Crete, and the wind blew in my favor.” The leader did not speak aloud what everyone was thinking. Would Demeter last four nights? Though he would have wanted to say that she would, this was far from certain.

An ominous creaking sounded from below deck when all their supplies had been brought onboard, and Zeus gave the wood beneath his feet a hard stare, as though daring it to break apart. Hades placed his sister in the improvised bed made from Poseidon’s bedclothes and did his best to make her as comfortable as possible. He regretted having to let her go, but in secret his back and arms thanked him, as carrying the goddess had put a huge strain on his slender form.

“Rest now, sister…” Hades whispered, kissing Demeter’s heated forehead. Hestia had given her another dosage of willow bark tea just before departure, which had hopefully dulled her pain.

The boat’s sail was unfurled, but the breeze was very weak. Zeus wondered if the family would have to figure out how to paddle the boat when Poseidon, eyes focused on the horizon, interrupted his worries.

“Let the boat drift…” he said. He almost looked as though he were in a trance, staring at something which was not there.

“What?” Zeus asked, wanting an explanation he would not get until much later.

“Let it drift,” Poseidon repeated. “We will be moving much faster soon.”

“But how do you know?” Hera asked, vocalizing the doubt which marked her brothers and sister.

“A feeling…” he replied, and he tightened the lines on the mast as though his strange behavior had never happened.

Zeus was in doubt, but he had never doubted his brother before now, and he did as requested. Hera asked him if he knew what on earth Poseidon was talking about, but the youngest god simply said that their brother should be trusted as always. Though the goddess remained silent, a creeping suspicion briefly passed through Hera’s mind that Poseidon was going mad after the loss of the fortress.

And so the boat drifted aimlessly on the sea as its passengers worried about where they would head. It continued to ride the gentle waves without direction to the point that its direction was the exact opposite of Crete, and this was when Zeus began to lose his patience.

“Just wait,” Poseidon said, and for a brief moment Zeus saw the doubt in his brother’s own eyes. The Olympian leader was about to go against his fellow god’s directions when suddenly the wind began to pick up. The others hurried to make absolutely sure the sails were unfaltering, and within seconds the boat was blown straight on the invisible path to Crete.

“This… this is astonishing,” Zeus said, hair blown about by the wind. He looked around and saw the same thing was happening to the hair of his siblings, who also shared looks of amazement. He glanced back at Poseidon, who was the only one who was not stunned by it all. Instead he wore a grin of self-satisfaction.

“How did you know?” Zeus asked. Poseidon smiled at him.

“A feeling.”

The favorable wind carried them far that day, but toward the evening it gradually died down until only a faint breeze remained, once again leaving the Olympians’ boat drifting on open waters.

“Can you not work your magic a second time to give us more wind in the sails?” Zeus asked his brother, frustrated to be slowed down by the erratic behavior of the elements. If only he could seize power from his father and the other despicable titans right now…

“It doesn’t work that way, Zeus,” Poseidon explained apologetically. “I cannot create winds, merely sense them… and perhaps influence them once they are present.”

“Our sister might not last the trip unless we pick up some speed!”

“And I know that!” the older god retorted, fighting the urge to raise his voice. He had already done all that he could to help his family, and though water was definitely his natural domain, Poseidon was not lord of the seas and thus could not control the waves or winds.

Zeus knew more than well that his brother was right and did not take the argument further, even though his frustration and feeling of powerlessness were a strong incentive to do so.

“How about you procure us some food?” he suggested, hoping that the other god would at least have luck catching fish.

“It would be my pleasure,” Poseidon replied, already looking around for the nets. He stripped down and brought forth his three-pronged spear, contemplating if it would be any use.

“What good is fish when we have no place to fry it?” Hera interjected, her voice giving away her displeasure at the situation.

“The rest of you can worry about that,” Poseidon grumbled, and he jumped into the water.

Minutes passed and the god had not resurfaced. Ten minutes went by and the others began to worry. Although Poseidon could hold his breath for an astounding length, he was still an Olympian, not a creature of the ocean. Hades said he thought he saw something which resembled a head peeking above the water, but the object was gone the moment he mentioned it. No one spoke their fears, but the same fear was shared by all: their brother had drowned.

Hera and Hestia had desperately tried to come up with some sort of way to start a fire on the boat without bringing the family’s transportation down in flames, but their efforts were in vain. Frustrated and no longer patient, Hera threw a cooking pot aside, watching it roll down toward the deck, stopping when it hit Zeus’ foot.

“I am definitely not eating raw fish.”

“You will have to,” Zeus said, looking up from the pot to his eldest sister. “Consuming it directly will not make us sick. We should be more concerned about survival on this ocean, and I do not want to hear anymore of your personal limits.”

Hera only frowned back at him, but she crossed her arms and remained silent until a sudden noise from behind made her yelp in surprise.

Looking in the direction of the sound, the gods saw a hand relaxed over the edge of the boat, a net of fish spreading a puddle on the deck where it had been dropped. Another hand clung to the skiff and pulled until Poseidon’s face appeared.

“Brother, you’ve done it,” Hestia said. “We had thought the sea took you from us.”

Poseidon smiled impishly. “Never. I apologize for being away for so long. I was… sidetracked.”

Zeus’ face screwed up into an expression of conceited disbelief. “Sidetracked? What could have kept you so long?”

“I had resurfaced, and I was about to come back much sooner, but I became aware that something was following me. I think I lost it, but whatever it was…” Poseidon’s expression became quite grave, remembering the shape of the thing that came out of the depths after him. “Whatever it was… it was big.”

“Did it attack you?” Zeus immediately asked, fearing that his brother had encountered a minion of Cronos. If their father found out where they were headed, the Olympians were doomed for sure.

But Poseidon shook his head. “No, brother, it seemed content to merely… observe me. I don’t know its intent, but if it had wanted to attack, it could have done it.”

Zeus gazed out over the waters, deceptively calm on the surface, but who knew what kind of monstrous sea beasts dwelled in the depths? His siblings had gathered around their leader, equally disturbed by the news, and Zeus wished he’d had a more reassuring message to give them.

“We must try to be as quiet as we possibly can,” he said. “Let’s not attract the attention of this creature. Perhaps it is merely curious of us.”

Conversation was hushed or absent altogether as the gods ate their meal consisting of raw fish and greens from their storage. Hades brought Demeter’s share to her rather than moving the wounded goddess from her bedding, and his sister valiantly tried to eat; Hades suspected it was to please him rather than out of true hunger.

“I’m sorry I cannot manage it all,” Demeter murmured after she had weakly pushed her unfinished meal aside.

“It doesn’t matter. You are doing so well,” Hades said, kissing her forehead. “I’m proud of you, little sister.”

The wind picked up a few hours before dawn, and with Poseidon’s influence, the boat was headed for Crete once more at an agreeable pace. Raw fish was tolerated only because the gods could not afford to be wasteful, although Hera would have liked to point out that the moment they found a way of cooking food she would readily go back to roasted meat.

The following day was uneventful, as predicted when traveling by small boat, but Poseidon announced that the current of both the sea and the wind meant that the family was making excellent time. Hades certainly hoped so. Again, Demeter did not complain much, but this could have been because she had little strength to communicate her pain. Sometimes she would close her eyes for only a few seconds, then open them and ask her brother how long she had been unconscious. The very idea of her utter blackouts disturbed Hades.

Rain began to fall in mid afternoon, which was fortunate for the gods as they were running low on drinking water. However, rain on the sea was cold, and wrapping themselves in their robes only left the gods wrapped in cold wet clothes. Hades tried his best to cover his sister and keep her as dry as possible, though she deliriously insisted she loved the feel of the rain against her flushed face.

Rain faded away into fog, rolling along on the sea as though it were an intangible living creature. The misty white walls around them worried the gods, as they could barely see further than a few feet in front of the boat. Though the vessel had been speeding along wonderfully, Zeus insisted to his siblings that they were likely nowhere near anything which the boat may blindly crash into, although he feared the same outcome as much as his family did.

Suddenly something rumbled to their right. Initially the gods ignored it, miserably thinking a thunderstorm was headed their way, but seconds later the sound came closer and louder. Zeus, his memory fine as a knife’s edge concerning storms, knew that this was not thunder.

No… this was something alive.

Gathering warily at the starboard side, nervous that their gathering might tip the boat, the gods strained their eyes into the fog. Some were terrified at what could have made that noise, while others – Poseidon especially – were desperate to see something, anything that could have explained what could make such a fearsome loud sound. Was Cronos or one of his brethren lingering beyond the wall of clouds, mocking the Olympians’ false sense of safety?

Another rumbling, this time all but right next to them. The thing had to have been only a few meters away, biding its time. When something moved, Hestia nearly gasped, holding back any sort of noise at the last possible moment, horrified that the thing might hear her and attack. Hades, watching like the rest, held Demeter’s hand a little tighter.

A shadow their eyes had not sought out from the fog moved, and the thing made a strange chuffing noise. Zeus had found himself gripping the sword still in his belt, though he knew he had no chance if he used it against the massive creature. But as the boat passed this ominous shape, the thing moved no more. In fact, it seemed to watch them. The gods could not see eyes, but they knew this monster was aware of their presence, and watched them as their boat floated away.

*

Hestia had hoped that her sister’s wounds would look better the next time she unwrapped the bandages to replace them with new ones, but what she saw made her doubt the burn sores were healing at all. The fabric used to bind Demeter’s legs was practically soaked through with blood, tissue fluids and white discharge which Hestia could only assume was pus from the infected wounds, and she dreaded the discovery awaiting her when she actually removed them.

Hades devotedly remained present even though he was as affected as Hestia by the discovery, and he saw it as his duty to distract Demeter from seeing the state of her wounds.

“Look at me, sister,” he encouraged, stroking Demeter’s hair while firmly keeping her face turned toward him. “Let Hestia work. You’re healing so well.”

“You always were a bad liar, Hades…” the fatigued goddess said; she could tell from the look on her brother’s face alone that what he saw was not good news. “I am going to die, aren’t I?”

“No! No, you’re not going to die!” Hades vehemently exclaimed, already feeling tears burning behind his eyelids. “We’re going to get you to Rhea so that she can save you. Do you believe me?”

“I might not… last that long…”

“Yes, you will! I’m not letting you go, sister. None of us are. You have to stay with us. Promise me!”

“We should reach Crete in just one night,” Hestia said. “You only have to hold on for a little longer, dearest.”

She removed the bandages on the leg that had suffered the most severe burns and looked at the blistered skin which seemed to have liquefied and totally loosened from the underlying tissues. Hestia was lost in thought, contemplating if she should try to remove the dead skin tissue before redressing the wounds, when she heard movement behind her, shortly followed by the sound of vomiting.

Turning around to ascertain the source of the noise, Hestia saw Hera standing behind her, doubled over and holding a hand to her mouth. Her face was quite red at her loss of self-control, but seeing the ravaged, decomposing nature of her sister’s skin overwhelmed her. The fortress was burnt to the ground, the titans had nearly killed them, they had been eating raw fish for almost two days now, and something massive and terrifying was following them, but seeing the state of Demeter was the final straw. Knowing that the wounded goddess would definitely be dead in a matter of days made the gods’ surreal fate very real.

“The smell,” Hera managed to say in a raspy voice. Zeus had grabbed a rag and dipped it in the sea so that he could wash the puddle of vomit away, then turned his attention to Hera, taking her in his arms to comfort her. Though she had been genuinely sickened by the sight of Demeter’s wounds, Hera found herself relieved and very glad to have finally gained the notice and sympathy of her brother and leader. Whatever chance that worked, the goddess would eagerly – and greedily – take it.

As Zeus provided words of reassurance, Hera ignored him and looked right at Hades. The eldest god stared back, puzzled until he realized why his sister smiled at him so, and he was soon glaring at her. He knew what she wanted, and the sense that she was getting it sparked a flame of anger in Hades, a flame of jealousy.

“It is very bad, is it not?” Demeter said just above a whisper, drawing Hades’ attention back to her. “I know it is.”

Hades gave a defeated sigh and nodded. Eyes shut, Demeter fought in vain to hold back a solitary tear.

“And what if Rhea heals me?” she asked. “What if there are scars?”

“Sister, all that matters now is to make you well,” Hades argued. He had to admit that the state of Demeter’s damaged skin was quite severe and might result in some extensive scarring, but why did that matter as long as his sister’s life was saved? He would not look upon her in a different light because of some physical scars that spoke of her ordeal, and he was sure that none of their siblings would, either.

Demeter was not convinced. Seeing Hera regurgitate the contents of her stomach upon witnessing her wounds had put a mark in her soul. What if no one could gaze upon her without revulsion after this? If a future as a pathetic deformed creature that no one wanted to be near was what awaited her, then perhaps death would be preferable.

“There, now…” Hestia said once she had replaced the used bandages with fresh ones and covered her sister’s lower body with a sheet. “Try to get some rest, darling.”

Demeter closed her eyes, too weary to dwell on thoughts of an uncertain future. She soon passed into a fever-induced, restless slumber as her siblings continued their hushed activities on the deck, afraid to once again draw the attention of the gigantic sea beast which Zeus had caught a glimpse of the previous night.

Another night was drawing near, and the Olympians were understandably anxious about the upcoming day, which, if Zeus was correct, was to be the day they arrived on Crete. The boat was making good time with a strong wind in the sails, but Zeus was still not pleased. Demeter had survived the voyage so far, but getting her to Rhea would also take time, as Zeus did not even know his mother’s exact whereabouts... or if she would be willing to help her children in the first place.

Concerned about the future of his family, the Olympian leader felt utterly powerless aboard the cramped little fishing boat, completely exposed to the wrath of the elements. While worry played a large part in Zeus’ current frustration, it was not the only thing that made him frustrated. Not having gotten a chance to relieve his sexual needs in over four days contributed as well.

Hades, looking thoroughly exhausted from watching over Demeter, was finally chased away by Hestia, who insisted she would stay awake for their sister for the night. Though he wanted to argue, to stubbornly stay by Demeter’s side, Hades could barely keep his eyes open, and he begrudgingly shuffled off to sleep. He told himself he would only sleep for a few minutes, but he was sleeping the moment he shut his eyes on his bedding and would remain so for the next three hours.

Dreams fluttered through his mind as he slept, but the god could barely remember them before he was awoken by something brushing against his face. It was rough and bushy, and it tickled his cheek.

“Zeus…?” he was already asking before he was fully conscious. He remembered the last time he awoke with the thought that he was greeting his youngest brother, only to realize it was only Poseidon reviving him from near death. This time, however, he guessed correctly.

“Hello, brother,” Zeus whispered, nuzzling the other. Hades smiled and welcomed the younger god’s affection, as he had missed his brother’s intimate touch terribly.

“What has happened to us, Zeus?” Hades asked sadly. “And why must it happen?”

Zeus kissed the tip of Hades’ nose, then his lips. “We will have revenge against the titans, dearest brother, I guarantee it.”

Hades curled up into his brother’s form as they lay on the deck, ignoring all around them and simply sharing each other’s warmth and company. “And if it only angers them further…?”

“I promise you…” Zeus said with another kiss. “We will never have to fear attack from them ever again.”

Sighing, Hades rested his head against his brother’s shoulder. “Right now I don’t care about any titans,” he said. “I only want our sister to get well again.”

“She will, Hades. Have faith in our mother, have faith in me.”

“I do have faith in you,” the older god insisted. “But that doesn’t stop me from worrying about our future.” Unlike his youngest brother, he had no memories of Rhea, the titaness Zeus put so much faith in. While she had saved Zeus from their father, Rhea had allowed the Titan king to devour her previous five children without a second thought, and Hades could not help but resent her because of this.

“What is she like?” he asked Zeus. Never having met his mother, her appearance was as much of a mystery to him as her character.

“Mother? Oh, many years have passed since I last saw her… But I remember her too well. Her skin is very pale, like yours, and she has eyes the color of the sky, like me. And she is very tall,” Zeus added with a slight chuckle. While height had been added to his frame since he last saw his mother, the Olympian leader knew that she would still tower over him by several feet.

“Do you believe she will even recognize us?” Hades anxiously wondered, his mind already conjuring up images of a furious titaness chasing after trespassers who dared to enter her domain.

“She will recognize me,” Zeus replied without a shade of doubt. “She will grant us sanctuary and she will heal our sister. I know this.”

Hades nodded, trying hard to share his youngest brother’s conviction. “I look forward to sleeping in a real bed again,” he said. “Especially if you are to share it with me…”

Hands grasped at lean flesh. Hades sighed at the touch, cuddling closer.

“I agree,” Zeus muttered, and he nuzzled against his brother again. Hades simply lay there, welcoming the touch of youngest sibling, the warm breath against his skin and gentle kisses that set passion aflame.

“Hades…” Zeus whispered, kissing the other’s neck. “I want you.”

Hades moaned in compliance, grip tightening around powerful, muscular arms. So close he wanted to be to his brother that the elder god wound one of his legs around that of Zeus, encouraging him to continue, to never ever stop.

Zeus came face to face with Hades once more and they shared a kiss that welcomed the youngest Olympian’s tongue into an open mouth. Hades moaned around the tongue. He could taste Zeus like a familiar, delicious meal.

“Let us part from the group,” Zeus said as their kiss broke. His breathing was heavy already, and Hades could have sworn he felt something grow against his thigh. “We cannot afford much in the way of privacy, but we should not have to interrupt the slumber of our siblings by making love amongst them.”

Smiling, Hades returned a kiss on the nose to Zeus and almost instantly he was taken up in the younger god’s arms and carried across the deck until they reached the mast.

“Want you…” the elder of the two mumbled, hand against his belly. “Here… within me.” Zeus grinned and wet one of his fingers, reaching under Hades’ robe and between his legs, obliging him. Hades gasped only slightly, welcoming the entry and squirming against his brother’s finger.

“More…” he cooed. Zeus added a finger and continued. “Mmmnn… yes… more.”

“You’re insatiable…” Zeus murmured back, his fingers now buried within the other to the second knuckle. Perhaps he was not the only one who had suffered greatly from the involuntary abstinence; his brother seemed to be just as eager for this as the Olympian leader himself.

Hands grasped blindly to feel his erection, concealed beneath a layer of fabric, and Zeus parted from his brother just long enough to pull his robes over his head, not wanting to deal with the distraction of clothes being between them.

Hades’ eyes took in the naked and aroused form of his younger brother, and his own organ responded with a jerky movement, thickening and angling up toward his abdomen. He reached for Zeus again, still fully robed, and shuddered when his brother’s hands tore at his clothes, attempting to get him out of them as quickly as possible.

“Brother… be careful…” Hades pleaded after hearing a seam give. “This is the only robe I have…”

“It never fit you anyway…” Zeus grinned back, but his hands ceased their frantic attempts to remove the piece of clothing, and instead he merely pulled it up above Hades’ waist in order to get better access to him. The robe was one of Poseidon’s and thus far too large on the eldest god’s short, lithe frame, but it was still better than nothing at all.

“Turn around…” the younger god urged his brother, hands on his hips, and Hades obeyed, grasping the mast for support and rubbing his naked backside against Zeus’ pelvis. His breath hitched in his throat, and he felt almost lightheaded with excitement.

Preferably Zeus would have simply liked to enter Hades in one clean thrust, but even now their union required something to ease the way, or he risked causing his brother undue harm. Looking around, the god’s eyes fell on one of their lamps, and he reached for it with one hand.

His grasp slipped at the very last moment and he received a handful of the oil rather than a small sampling. Hades chuckled at the mumbled curses and guided his brother’s hand down to the impressive erection which now rested on the small of a skinny back, encouraging Zeus to continue.

Slathering the oil all over his erect phallus, Zeus pushed his hand forward, off of the organ and onto his brother’s back, and the physical contact made Hades shudder, the pace of his breath picking up. Smiling mischievously, Zeus used the copious amount of lamp oil on his hand to trail his fingertips slickly down until he reached the pucker of his brother’s orifice. The moment he touched it, he felt it twitch, either in excited anticipation, or unexpected surprise. Again he pushed two of his fingers inside and twisted his hand, feeling the snug interior.

Hades shuddered rather intensely when he felt the fingers press on a part of him he never had as a goddess. It was sometimes far too sensitive, but in a time such as this when their coupling was allowed only a few moments, it became quite useful.

“My apologies, dearest brother,” Zeus whispered, leaning over and kissing the place between his fellow god’s shoulder blades. “I am getting ahead of myself. Are you ready?”

“Yes…” Hades said, his voice breathy. “Yes… please…”

Granted sanction, Zeus guided his throbbing, practically hungry phallus between the halves of Hades’ rump, and immediately began to thrust.

Being taken from behind against the mast of their fishing boat was not something Hades had expected to experience when his affair with Zeus began, but despite the dire and stressful situation, he welcomed the pleasure brought to him by his brother’s hands and phallus. Zeus kept a firm grip on his fellow Olympian’s hips, occasionally leaning forward to press himself against Hades’ back and kiss his neck and shoulders.

The two gods were only vaguely aware of their slumbering siblings located only a few paces away. Should any of them wake up, they would not be able to avoid witnessing their brothers’ activities, but this did not concern Zeus, and even Hades managed to avoid thinking about it too much.

Aware of the rushed and inconvenient time for their coupling, Zeus saw no reason to hold back his pleasure and hoped that Hades shared this sentiment. Releasing his hold on his brother’s hip only to reach around to grasp his phallus, the younger god found the organ to be stiff and ripe, engorged with blood and practically ready to expel Hades’ release. He gave it a few pumps with his hand and this was all it took to draw out Hades’ climax, usually accompanied by loud moans but remarkably more subdued due to the lack of privacy.

Feeling his brother sagging in his hold, Zeus helped keep the other upright while he thrust into the still clenching passage. He was close now, so close…

His peak came upon him as though it were a surprise, even though he had felt it coming. The intensity of it shook his body and nearly made him collapse to his knees. He held back a cry of pleasure, though doing so took all of his self-control. He would have hated to give away the location of the boat to that thing in the fog simply due to the fact that he could not control his own howls of pleasure. Disengaging, Zeus felt a few drops of seed fall to the deck with a very soft plik-plik-plik…

Hades gave a long, blissful sigh. Though he had not meant to, his climax had pulled much of his strength from him, most of it already sapped by exhaustion, and he hung limply from his brother’s grasp as though he were dead.

The thought of death brought Hades’ mind back to the present, and he glanced down the deck to where Hestia slept next to Demeter. His head drooped again, and he gave a long sigh. His climax had brought him such a wonderful, much needed release, and meanwhile Demeter was dying only a few paces away. Hades felt awful.

He was brought out of his weary contemplation by a kiss against the back of his neck, and he turned to look at Zeus, whose arms were wrapping around him in a far more supportive manner.

“What troubles you?” the younger god asked.

“Everything,” Hades muttered. “What we shared was everything that I hoped it to be… but in the end, we are all still here, on this boat. We are all still searching for help and have nowhere left to call home.”

He received a second comforting kiss, this time on his forehead, just below the hairline.

“Making love now was the only time we could have managed to spend with one another. I needed this, and from what I felt just moments ago, so did you. Otherwise, the lack of release might have driven us both mad.”

Hades wrapped his thin arms around Zeus’ waist, and he felt the younger Olympian do the same, arms around his shoulders. He felt warm in his leader’s arms, though Zeus was quite naked and the sea air was so cold, and a part of him wish they could never let go, never face the cruelty of what truly went on around them.

Eventually, though, the two gods parted, and Hades focused on the task of pulling down his robes and smoothing them while Zeus dressed himself. When glancing at the mast, Hades could see a few drops of his release sticking to the wood and slowly trickling down the nearly smooth surface. He gave a brief, humorless chuckle and decided to leave it to dry.

“Go back to sleep, Hades,” Zeus told the older god. “Wake Poseidon. We should reach the shores of Crete by noon. These waters can be treacherous, and I need our brother to help me navigate.”

Hades would have wanted to spend some more time in the sole company of his brother and leader, but he went to do Zeus’ bidding without objections, knowing that the safety of their family was their main priority.

Crouching by Poseidon, presently sleeping between Hera and Hestia, he gently shook his younger brother’s shoulder. Almost instantly two brown eyes looked right at him, silently asking if anything was wrong.

“Zeus asked me to wake you,” Hades said in hushed tones so as not to awaken their sleeping sisters. “He believes we might soon reach the shores of Crete.”

Already dawn was breaking in the east, the sun naught but a sliver of bright light peeking out from the horizon. Poseidon sat up, motioning to his brother to take his place on the bedding, and then briskly got to his feet to go ask what Zeus wanted him to do.

Hades looked at Demeter before laying down, resisting the urge to reach out and feel her skin to make sure she was still alive.

Just a little longer, dear sister, he thought. You only need to last a little while longer…


TBC...


A/N: The following will take you to an illustration for this chapter. NOT WORKSAFE, contains nudity and sexual activities! http://henrikas-ravings.com/against_the_mast.png