The Minoan Rhapsody

Everything

Olympus Council Hall was in chaos. Ten of the twelve thrones wandered around the long, rectangular open space, walking between the bordering columns, randomly looking for a victim. Statues were playing, jumping around the burning hearth at the middle of the hall. Flying objects sought targets to hit. The loud thumping of everything metal hitting stone walls, floors, and columns whenever they missed flesh and bones was constant, irritating if not dangerous.

Hera sat on her gold, silver, and ivory throne; her eyes tightly closed. The bronze willow leaves on its back rest danced as if blown by a breeze. She didn't speak a word but rather grinded her teeth while Charis, one of her servants, cleaned her lower body with wet rags. She looked up and saw Thalia, another servant, dropping a clay amphora full of fresh water as she got knocked off her feet by Athena's throne.

"I told you to watch out for them!" Charis yelled.

"They are everywhere!" Thalia complained.

"Just go back and get more water and some rags," Charis said waving her off while she looked at Hera, cold as stone, out of the corner of her eyes.

On their right, Zeus sat on a wooden chair placed by the side of his black marble and gold throne. Two gods stood in front of him. Hecate, the goddess of witchcraft and the occult had an eerie edge to her pale beauty, which was framed by her dark, straight short hair. Young Hermes stood barefoot, restlessly waiting while his eyes scanned for incoming danger.

"This is no magic," Hecate told Zeus. "This is not a spell, or some curse born out of hatred."

Zeus lowered his head as he took a deep breath. "I don't doubt you. Your domain spans all realms. I don't know where else to turn. What do you think this all might be?"

"You really have to ask?" Hera snapped at him. "You shouldn't have thrown Hephaestus away. His creations are loyal to him and now everything rebels against us."

He raised his head and scowled at his wife, "Easy for you to say now. You didn't have your head nearly sliced in two."

"A minor inconvenience!" Hera yelled back. "You must get him to return."

Zeus pressed his lips and looked at a silver and bronze statue of a swan, nipping at Hecate's tunic. He waved the Goddess off, who faded away at the silent command. He turned his attention to Hermes. "She is right. Hephaestus either returns or we throw his creations into the abyss."

"You are willing to throw everything out?" Hermes whispering question got lost within the loud continuous noises.

"What? Speak up!"

"He said that you should not throw everything away, which is why you must find him." Hera answered Zeus.

"It will take some time," Hermes said as he eluded one of his winged sandals which tried to fly right through his head.

"You may not be as fast as before, but you are still physically gifted and an Olympian, nonetheless. Just grow a beard and find a way to do it quickly. Seek help from anyone skilled to do the job. People or creatures foreign to Olympus, if necessary. Anyone or anything no matter how far away they might be. If we don't find a way out of this, we might have to leave Olympus behind."

"You know you will never leave Olympus," Hestia said as she entered the hall through the entrance's giant maple wood doors. Not one of Hephaestus creations got in her way as she approached Hera. She walked through the chaos as if nothing was happening. She carried a water amphora and a wooden plate with ambrosia on it.

"Where is Thalia?" Charis asked.

"I offered her some help. She'll be here in a moment. She is getting the rags you asked her for." She glanced behind and smiled at Demeter's throne who offered its seat to her. She gave the amphora to Charis and sat. She offered the plate to Hera while raising an eyebrow and a corner of her mouth. "Hungry?"