The Master Strategist

Cauldron

"Their faces were priceless." Alithia laughed, which turned into a choke.

Hera has been the hardest on her. I offered her my shoulder to lay on earlier, but she refused.

She is sitting straight now, shining in the sunlight despite the bruises, scars, and burns.

She smirks at me. "You look even better in your husband's light."

Knowing she doesn't care much for physical appearance adds to the compliment. "That or Helios is hoping to get lucky with me." I joke.

We were taken out of the dungeons of the ship days ago. Hera gave no explanation for it.

I thought it was a break. I was wrong.

The rays of the sun, things I once relaxed in, burned as hot as the flames of Hades.

We have had no respite, water only being given at night.

We are positioned and chained on a wooden bench near the front of the ship. Unlike Alithia, I have slunk down as far as I can. Dried blood covers either sides of my head and blocks part of my vision.

She simply stares out at the ocean ahead. And the ship. Hera made sure we knew who she was bringing us to.

"It can't be Apollo. He kills me with discs not sunlight." I try to distract her from the blood-spattered sails ahead.

She laughs dryly. "Light does not reach in Hades."

She isn't afraid. She's resigned.

"Tell me." I beg, unable to face my future like she can. "What happens next."

"Perfectly boring things, Hyacinthus. Political things."

"You're a strategist." I counter.

"Of battles. Not of lies said over dinner." She rolled her eyes. "The point is, I refused both sides."

I stare at her. "You denied both the demons and the gods. When they were in your own home."

"I said they could kill me, there and then. I didn't care to serve them in life so they might as well kill me now. But rules of hospitality and all, and even Hades follows those rules. And the demons serve him now."

I continue to stare. "Forgive me for asking, but why didn't you side with the gods? With Hermes and all."

She sighed. "I do not want to be in their war. For I have no power."

I open my mouth to argue.

"My mind can't shield me from a god's power. I anger one and I'm dead. I'd rather it happen because I refuse them rather then over a work spat. Besides, no matter who wins, my kingdom will get nothing. There was no strategy in joining either side."

Then she turns to me. "While we wait for the Ex-Queen of the gods to return, why don't you tell me how you got captured, oh mighty immortal."

I sigh. "Hera captured me when she retook the Cauldron from the Olympians."

"She took it!" Alithia spat. "Again. After her failure with the giants last time." She paused. "Hermes' armband. Did she get that."

I shake my head. "Just the Cauldron. And me."

  
 

It had been few days since the failed talks with Athena's Master Strategist when the attack came. But not the one where I was captured.

Athena came into the war room enraged. "Where is Hera? Where is Hades."

Everyone had quivered in fear as she came upon a map of the lands.