The Last Ballad of Olympus: The Waltz of the Vulture and Owl

Bright as the Sun, Penitent as the Lost Soul

 "Where have you been, you two? Have you found Titan—?" A heavily pregnant woman called as she entered from the back door, carrying another little boy in her arms. And before she could finish, she went still when her green eyes caught the presence of the beautiful stranger.

At first, the woman felt alarmed by the intruder, but when she looked into those silver eyes, she suddenly felt bewitched by some spell. Her nerves were shaking. Body and mind became numbed by such apparition that it prompted her to lower her toddler and knelt before the maiden, surprising her children. "By the might of Jupiter! I never thought your presence would bless my humble dwelling."

Somehow confused, Athena painted a dubious look on her face while the mother took her hand and kissed it with great reverence.

"I know those eyes very well. The bright eyes that bore all the wisdom in the world—it was the same eyes that showed me mercy and luck. I may be one of those millions of prayers that rang in your ears, but as your sincere devotee, and with all my heart, I am grateful to you—our dear beloved Lady Minerva."

The name then dawned on her foggy thoughts. "Minerva." She breathily echoed. "Minerva. Minerva—that is it! Are we in Etruria?"

Stupefied by the former goddess's response, the mother was stammering with her answer—still both on cloud nine and in fright, thinking she might look like a fool in front of the ethereal woman that graced them with her presence. "Well, yes, my lady. We—we are in Sy—Syracuse."

"Syracuse." She repeated her words like a maimed little girl who was learning how to speak. "My goodness, we have traveled that far."

But her thoughts were interrupted when an enthusiastic air possessed the mother of the house. "Oh, so the hearsays were true! A goddess with bright eyes had indeed come into this land." She said as she carefully stood.

"Oh, do be careful, my dear." Athena immediately held her, genuinely fearing for her condition.

"Thank you, my lady. Oh, I never thought I could gaze upon you in the flesh. Since tender years of mine, I have been a devoted follower of yours, Lady Minerva. Not just me, but my whole family."

"And I am honored to have met you and your little darlings," pointing at Phoebus, Helena, and Titan. "I have been in a state of wonderment ever since I opened my eyes to this place."

"You did not know you were here in Syracuse, my lady?"

Athena shook her head negatively. "No, I do not. Oh, it is a good thing I have explored the place!"

"Minerva? The goddess?" Phoebus finally spoke after having his contemplation while carrying his toddling brother. "I thought your name was Athena?"

"A goddess," Helena whispered in great awe, directly looking at Athena with a burbling fascination. "Pretty lady is a goddess."

Athena giggled and secretly adored such curiosity the children possessed, reminding her when Erichthonius was the same age. She reached her hand out to them, gesturing to come closer as she sat down on the floor, which surprised the mother, who then took a chair for her. "Come here, you three little ducklings." She sweetly called.

Titan barked, also wanting to be part of the circle.

"And you too, Titan, come and join us."

"Dear me! Oh, please do not sit there on the floor, my lady. Here you sit—"

"Do not worry, dear mother." Athena smiled, assuring that it meant no foul on her. "It is better that you should be the one sitting on the chair, for you are carrying a human there in your mighty womb."