The Immortal Heart

A/N: usmorgan, thank you so much for your review! It means a lot to us that you took the time to tell us what you think, and hopefully you will continue to enjoy this story.


Chapter 8

The following day, Zeus led Hades into a nearby storage room to inspect the fruit, dark, fat grapes preserved in jars.

If only it were summer, Hades thought to himself. He would have loved to pick fresh grapes from the vineyard.

“Sample some of the jars whilst I prepare,” Zeus said, arranging the ingredients on a table. He threw a sly smile his brother’s way. “And do not let me catch you eating them all.”

Laughing, Hades opened the closest jar, plucked a nearby grape from it, and placed it in his mouth. He closed his eyes as he chewed, thinking of how heavenly the wine would taste based on the flavor of this fruit alone.

The two brothers worked hard throughout the day, retrieving the stored grapes from the jars they had been preserved in, crushing them and sealing them in airtight craters where they would be left to ferment in order to become wine in due time. Zeus also showed his brother several tricks that would add further sweetness and taste to the wine, and the older god watched in deep focus, wondering if Zeus would trust him to do this independently one day.

“I have a question, brother…” Hades spoke while they were climbing the stairs back up to ground level.

“Hmmm?”

“I merely wonder why you asked me to help you rather than Poseidon,” Hades asked, happy to have spent such a pleasant and instructive day in his younger brother’s company, but nonetheless confused as to the reason for it. Zeus had not shown any interest in spending time with him outside the bedroom until now, and Hades could not help but wonder if he would demand something in return.

The leader’s initial response was an amused snort. “Hades, surely you know that our brother’s area of expertise is water, not wine,” he chuckled. “And other than that, I prefer your company to his.”

“Truly?” Hades asked, truthfully surprised at the answer. “I would have thought… well… the two of you do everything together.”

“Oh, not everything,” Zeus replied. “We hunt together because we are nearly matched in strength and endurance. As well as anything else requiring our muscle,” he added.

Reaching the peak of the steps, Hades felt one of his brother’s hands guide his sight toward Zeus, who looked him straight in the eyes with the utmost seriousness. “But I do not desire him.”

Hades blinked, color rushing to his cheeks. He was about to avert his gaze, lead it to the floor, but Zeus’ hand nudged at his chin, making him look up once more in time for a kiss against his lips. Stiffening at first in surprise, Hades quickly relaxed against the soft lips of his brother, and he obediently opened his mouth to let Zeus taste him. Stepping forward, the younger god guided Hades backwards until his back was pressed against the wall, all but pinned there by Zeus.

The two gods remained in each other’s arms kissing one another for several minutes until they heard one of their sisters clearing her throat. Breaking the connection, Zeus stood up straight to face the goddess without qualm, but Hades found himself descending the staircase by two steps when he realized who had been watching them.

“Supper is ready to be served,” Hera announced.

“Wonderful,” the Olympian leader said, grasping his brother’s hand and tugging Hades all the way up the stairs. “We will join you in just a moment.”

Zeus smoothed out his robes, slightly rumpled from pinning Hades against the wall, and walked past his sister. Hera could not resist throwing a malicious glare at the older god as he was led on by Zeus, his hand still in the strong grasp of his brother’s large fist. Hades fought the urge to recoil from her presence, sensing the pure, unadulterated loathing she carried for him in her eyes. Shaken by this, but determined not to let it ruin the day spent in his brother’s company, Hades held his head high and walked proudly by Zeus’ side all the way to the dining hall.

*

Hera was determined to take Zeus’ focus off of Hades and steer his thoughts back to more important matters, namely the matter of choosing a consort. The eldest daughter of Cronos was strongly convinced that she and no other was the only correct choice for the Olympian leader, and if Zeus happened to forget this, Hera saw it as her duty to remind him.

He still took her to bed, but less frequently than before, and she knew, of course, that their brother was the reason for this. Zeus only seemed to have eyes for Hades nowadays, and Hera was absolutely infuriated having to compete for the leader’s attention with the scrawny excuse for a god.

This evening, however, Zeus was all hers. He had approached her before supper, grasped her by the waist and said that he desired her company for the night. Hera felt triumphant; perhaps Zeus had finally come to his senses and would direct his attention back to where it belonged?

“Zeus, my dearest…” the goddess began, sensually stroking her youngest brother’s powerful chest after they had made love. “I hope you have given further thought to whom you will choose as your consort…?”

The god held back a sigh. Already he was regretting to have chosen Hera as his nightly companion. “You know how things are, sister,” he replied curtly. “I cannot dwell on such matters before I have managed to vanquish the threat of our father once and for all.”

Hera was not discouraged. She refused to be. Instead she hooked her leg around that of her brother, continuing to stroke at his chest. Her fingertip traced the edge of a nipple, hardening it in seconds. Zeus grunted at the sensation and closed his eyes, enjoying his sister’s touch. Hera smiled.

“Have you anyone in mind at least?”

Cocking an eyebrow, Zeus opened his eyes and looked his sister’s way. “Possibly.”

“Oh, do tell me, brother,” the goddess encouraged. “Share your thoughts. I delight in hearing them.”

Smiling, Zeus finally gave in, both his older sibling’s interest and movements winning him over. He turned onto his side, still keeping Hera’s leg interlocked between his two.

“I admit I have considered a few,” he said. “Perhaps Hades, or”—

Hera was annoyed enough to sigh audibly. She did not care that she was showing her obvious disapproval to her leader, even if it would end in angering him.

“I see you do not agree to his merit,” Zeus stated, brow knitted. Hera managed a smile, though in her present mood it appeared as a mocking one, causing Zeus to disengage from her as she spoke.

“Why Hades?” she asked. “Why not someone more appropriate… such as one of your sisters?”

“Such as you?” Zeus retorted, his tone impatient.

“I don’t mean to discriminate, dearest brother.” Hera stroked at her youngest sibling’s cheek, though he refused to look at her. “But myself or our sisters would be more able as your consort. What if you wished to increase the size of our family? You would need a goddess.”

Zeus wanted to say that thoughts of children were always very far back in his head, but he could not deny the fact that Hera was right; if he ever wished to produce an heir, Hades, being male, would be unable to give him one.

“I do not think this is something I wish to discuss with you,” he simply said, hoping he had made it clear that he wanted to change the topic of discussion. Hera, however, kept pressing the matter.

“You need a consort that can bear you children,” she insisted, almost imploringly. “Regardless if you defeat Cronos or not, you will need to add to your legacy. Please tell me you agree, brother?”

Zeus took the hand still caressing his chest and removed it from himself. Hera’s little tirade had struck a nerve inside the god, but he adamantly refused to acknowledge that she was right. Deep down inside he had already made his choice; Hades was the one he wanted to be with. There was no question about it anymore. Zeus’ relationship with his oldest brother had progressed beyond physical into a deep emotional bond which he did not share with any of his other siblings.

“I will hear no more of it,” he very nearly growled at his sister and stood up from bed to extinguish the lamps still burning. “If you wish to remain here for the night, you will be quiet.”

Hera, though stubborn, was not so foolish she did not recognize signs of true anger in her brother, so she decided to let the matter be for now, convinced that Zeus would see reason soon enough.

Though he allowed Hera to curl up against him as they slept, Zeus remained silent. Arms folded, he lay awake for hours whilst his sister soon found sleep. Her reasoning had brought him troubling thoughts and he stared at the ceiling as he contemplated his and Hades’ predicament.

The act of taking a consort alone was something to be left until after the defeat of Cronos, let alone adding another generation to the family of Olympians. But did he want children? He had hardly given the idea much thought.

Rising from his bed, he wandered outside his chambers in naught but a sheet wrapped around his waist for absentminded modesty. He deeply considered the situation as he walked, staring over the painted walls of the fortress. The god would have ended up outside the stronghold had he not noticed part of the walls’ imagery was moving. Stepping forward to get a better look, he realized the image was not part of the painting at all, but an insect. A moth, to be precise. Grabbing the small white creature in his hands, he observed its form with great interest.

“Awfully dull, aren’t you?” he muttered. “We’ll see about that.”

Concentrating, he imagined the insect growing brighter in color and soon the moth was transforming in his hands, right before his eyes. It grew larger, its wings shifting and turning a brilliant green, developing spots that resembled round, fearsome eyes.

Allowing himself a small smile, Zeus let go of the transformed moth and watched as it took flight and disappeared out of sight.

Only then did Zeus form his clever idea.


TBC...