The Gift of the Lethe

The Return of an Age

Athena shifts, Pallas feeling the goddess' thighs moving where they are cushioning her head. Pallas pushes herself up, opening her eyes. She is mercifully able to see again, even with the residual effects leaving her with blurry vision.

"Are you okay, Thene?"

"I'm fine, my legs were just starting to fall asleep. How are you feeling now?"

Pallas frowns, plucking at the grass with one hand. "The migraine has faded to a headache, which I still have, but I think I'm well enough to move around now."

Athena makes a low humming sound. "The apple may help the rest of that headache disappear."

Pallas cranes her head to look at it, innocently lying on the grass between her leg and Ladon's neck. The golden flesh gleams at her, made so much brighter by the faint glow from the silver-green grass.

"Should I eat it now?"

"Is there a reason not to?"

Pallas shrugs, fiddling with one of the bracelet charms. By the feel of it, the wave. "I'm just nervous, I guess. I know I'm allowed to eat it, but this is still Queen Hera's garden. It's forbidden."

"We could go outside the garden, if you would prefer that."

Pallas is quick to shake her head. "No, I don't think that's necessary."

She plucks the apple from the grass and turns it over in her hand, examining the pockmarked flesh. Its hard surface looks just like that of a normal apple, albeit one made of pure gold. She can smell it without a single break in the skin, a heady scent that sends her mind reeling and her mouth watering.

Pallas raises the fruit to her lips and bites into it, holding back a moan as the juices flood her mouth. She devours the rest of the apple and sighs, licking the residual juice off of her fingers afterward. Athena takes the core from her and twists her fingers, sending it off somewhere.

Pallas can feel the changes already being wrought from the immortal fruit as the energy it gives her courses through her body. Her limbs and organs are strengthening, the weight of mortality is sliding from her shoulders. Her mind is sharpening too, and not just because the headache has disappeared.

Her memories are clearer now that they are no longer viewed through the lens of mortality. Her thoughts are sharper, no longer having to push to find information she needs, nor to work through problems. She shivers, falling back against Athena. She stares up into the goddess' face picking out the tiny flecks of bright blue on her irises that can't be seen by human eyes.

"Styx, I had almost forgotten what this felt like."

From beside them, Ladon lifts one of his heads and moves to sniff Pallas, nosing her in the stomach. She laughs and wraps her arms around him.

"Do I smell different after eating the apple?"

Athena makes a small snorting laugh, the one that never fails to bring a smile to Pallas' lips. "You look a bit different, so perhaps he is confused."

Pallas is momentarily distracted by that. "I look different? How?"

"Still like you, but you looked mortal before. Now, it's like you glow, I suppose. You look . . . eternal."

Ladon huffs in agreement and rests his head on Pallas' lap, provoking an 'oof' from her at the weight. Pallas strokes the palm-sized scales of his head and neck, feeling the shifting motion of his muscles. She twists back to look at Athena, frowning.

"Do you think we should leave soon? Would it be disrespectful to Queen Hera if we stayed?"

Athena frowns. "I think it would be wise to not linger, but a few more minutes shouldn't bring us any harm. If Ladon releases you, we may be able to speak with the daughters of Atlas before leaving." Ladon whines, lifting his head to look at Athena reproachfully. She laughs. "Don't give me that look, Ladon. You know she can't stay forever. But . . . if you let her go, perhaps I will speak with my stepmother about allowing Pallas to visit."

Apparently beyond eager to have Pallas visiting again, Ladon uncoils from around them and launches himself back to the tree, winding around its trunk. Pallas laughs and pushes up from the ground, walking over to stroke the snout of one of his heads.

"I'll return if I can, I promise."

He huffs into her palm and withdraws.

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What do you think of the apple? Will Pallas get to visit Ladon? Will there be repurcussions for this? Tell me your thoughts!

Happy reading and  I'll see you next chapter!

~ Goddess of Fate, signing out