The temple of Mount Olympus is quiet. The normal activities have been suspended as the loyal gods and goddesses spend their time reflecting on their purpose and power. They mourn the tragic loss of some many that have called Mount Olympus home for so long. They bear a loneliness reserved for gods. For whom can they pray to when their heart hurts so?
Hercules enters the temple chamber and immediately notices all the empty thrones. The gods and goddesses seated stare down on earth with earnest face's. They look upon the lives of those that have fallen so far watching them bear so much. They wear their piety mask of pity in this tragic Greek performance.
Hercules searches the long empty temple hallways for his father. He sees Hermes turn in this hall from another, and begins walking toward Hercules.
He asks, “Hermes, do you know where my father might be?”
“Yes. I just came from visiting him. He is in the temple tower securing the vials holding their powers.”
“Thank you Hermes.” He prepares to walk away as Hermes speaks.
“I do not think this to be a good time to visit the king. He is saddened for what he is doing. I believe he wishes to be alone at this time.”
Hercules nods his sincere face up and down to declare his agreement of Hermes comment. In his heart he knows this is the best time to visit his father. He respectfully waits for Hermes to stride away before proceeding to father. He climbs the tall swirling staircase up to the top of the tower. One of the two giant statues that guard each side of the entrance way speaks.
A godly face appears on the stone statue's face. He leans his spear toward Hercules. “State your purpose!”
“I've come to visit with my father King Zeus. May I pass?”
The guardian draws his spear tight against his stone body as the thick golden door slowly swings open. Hercules walks inside the entrance to find father sitting in his chair with a dark glow covering his gloomy face. He sits and just stares through the glass at the shelves of pulsing purple vials.
“My son. I wish you not to see me like this. But since you have, please come near.”
Hercules stands alongside his father sharing the same hypnotizing rhythmic light.
“This is what it means to be king.” He pauses a moment. “To render justice against those you care about and even love is the hardest thing I'll ever do.”
Hercules bows his head and folds his hands together. “Yes father. I share this burden with you. Their is no joy in rendering punishment.” As he looks he notices each vial is showing the current life that the vial holds.
“I hold their essence under my power. Each beat of their heart pulses with each purple burst. Yes my son, there is no joy in this at all. It is just something that needed to be.”
He notices Aphrodite's vial. Hercules sees her begging from strangers for something to eat. He knows this is the first time she has ever experienced the pain of hunger. Her worried face worn with wrinkles cries in her humbled hands hoping these with so little of their own will have compassion on her.
His eyes jump from vial to vial witnessing the meager lives of those that have fallen. None is so painful as watching the last container on the shelf. Both god and son gaze at Ares. He hold the bouncing plow in the heat of the summer sun. He wears a crown of sweat wiped by blistered hands that are dried on his dirty tattered attire. His face is filled with the days worry. Father places his finger on the vial and gently spins it forward in time. He sees a moment in time to come a glimmer of hope play atop the container's surface. Ares face fills with a smile. He stares off in the distance to gaze upon his beautiful pregnant wife. Her hand holds the arm of a small boy.
Zeus smiles and whispers, “My grandson.” He holds the vial in this moment. His heart connects with a joyous memory when he walked hand in hand with is son. Through this joy and this pain, his heart tells him love will make everything alright.
Zeus walks with Hercules along the bank of the Okeanos river. No words are spoken that their ears can hear. It is just sharing this time together between a father and his son. Zeus smiles and says, “It seems we have visitors approaching.” His elevated stature allows him to see what Hercules cannot yet.
His eyes strain to see whom it is walking towards him. He is able to see Hera's smiling face first. Hercules smiles too. A smaller person walks with her. He yells out, “Is that you mother?” His excited heart forces him to walk faster toward them. “It is you!.” He rushes to embrace her.
Hera and Zeus look down and enjoy the warmth of the moment.
“Mother, oh mother.” He is perplexed by something as he continue to hug Alcmene. “I thought all goddesses where equal in height. How is it you remain the height of a mortal?”
Alcmene replies, “It was my one request that I remain my mortal size.”
This still confuses Hercules. “Why mother?”
“So I could always embrace my son.” She giggles and she feels him bounce from his inability to control his outward emotion. She soothingly rubs his back as his bobbing body ceases trembling. “My dear sweet son.”
Hercules looks up at Hera. “Thank you second mother for helping with the impossible and to understand what I did not.” She says nothing. She winks and nods her smiling face to declare her acceptance of his sincere compassion. He hold Alcmene at arms length. “Would you mind following me mothers and father? There is someone I would like you to meet.”
All four stroll across the green field of Elysium. They see the distant mortal facing away as she leans over to smell the flowers. Several butterflies land on her hair and hands.
Hera tells the unaware woman, “You do know they are drawn only to those with innocent hearts.”
Viola turns toward the voice as she prepares to speak. She sees the King and Queen of the gods and immediately bows her head and gaze to the ground. She is too nervous to speak.
Hercules comes to her aide and gently caresses her arm with his hand. “Viola, there are some gods and goddesses I wish you to meet.” He slowly tugs her arm up as her eyes are slow to rise.
The only thing her anxious mind can think to say is, “Oh my.”
“Mothers, this is my good friend Viola.” He proud stands by her side proping her weakened body up.
Hera sees her beauty and says, “For surely the goddesses have blessed you.”
Alcmene comes alongside Viola. She places her finger under her chin and gently lifts her face. “My dear. Do not be afraid. I am Alcmene, Hercules mother.” Viola's eyes lift up to gaze at her face pass her golden halo. Both smiles at each other.
Zeus says, “Does not the king get a proper introduction?”
Hercules says, “Sorry father. This is my girl friend, I mean my friend that is a girl, I mean...”
Zeus helps his stuttering son. “What you are trying to say is this lovely young lady is your really good friend. Is this right son?”
Embarrassed smiling Hercules replies, “Yes father. That is what I am trying to say. Thank you.”
Viola's affection for him far outweighs her current fear and anxiety. She lift his chin and kisses him.
Father Zeus says, “Aha.”
Both mothers see how much Viola really cares for their son, and sense just how much their son secretly loves her. Viola's cheeks blush as red as roses as her head tilts respectfully downward.
Zeus tells Viola, “If there were ever a human woman to bear me grandchildren, you surely would be her.” He smiles and waits to see how everyone responds to his wonderful compliment.
Hercules can only say, “Father!”
Zeus is perplexed as both mothers apologize to Viola for his unthoughtful comment. “Why? What did I say?”
Hermes approaches. “I have a message.”
Zeus says, “What is it?”
“I am sorry King Zeus. This message is for your son.”
Zeus is slightly embarrassed assuming this message is for him. “Well, go ahead then. Tell my son what is so important.”
“Thank you my king.” He turns toward
Hercules as states, “It seems you are needed on earth.” Hermes opens his scroll and views its message. “There is a creature called Chimera terrorizing a kingdom. 'We urgently request your assistance in this matter. Might you consider helping us Hercules.' Signed 'Bla bla bla'.”
Hercules asks Viola, “Might you mind waiting here a little longer?”
She swoops another kiss. “I'll wait for you. Go help those who need you.”
He hurries and hugs each mother and pecks them with his kiss. He gazes up at father. He bows before him as he says, “I must go father.”
Zeus senses the urgency of this situation. “Go with my blessings. Now hurry away.”
Hercules whistles for Pegasus. He trots across the rolling hills. He leaps upon his trusty steed and yells out, “Mount Olympus! To the earth. Away!”
Everyone present watches as the pair departs. Pegasus gallops up and up while flapping his beautiful enormous wings.
Hera says, “This sure is a thing of beauty.” She watches as they soar down toward earth.
Alcmene lays her arm over Viola's shoulder as they watch him disappear. Both whisper the say exact words. “Be safe.” Their concern for Hercules assures Alcmene her son has made a wise choice. She now knows how fine a wife Viola will be-one day.
Zeus whispers, “I go with you my son.” He thinks about how special this moment is. His mind reminds him of the harshness life can hold. But in his heart it whispers and all the world is right!
Thank you for reading books on BookFrom.Net Share this book with friends