199. Olympus
Olympus
The invitation came not long after
I had sent my own messenger.
As Oceanus’s palace now no longer
contained Gods fighting the Olympians,
Metis herself escorted us to Zeus.
In her time at war, Metis’s might
had only grown. She could harness
the winds at whim in a way
neither Asteria nor I
could ever have mastered.
We had all underestimated her,
and it was our own undoing.
To Pallas and I, and our children,
Metis only smiled.
She embraced me and said tenderly,
‘You have made the right choice.
Do not doubt that.
Zeus will treat you and yours well.’
A darkness unsettled me still,
but to Metis I offered a tight smile
as she harnessed the winds again
and we stepped, seemingly, into air.
‘The journey is not long,’
Metis reassured us all.
As we flew together into the clouds,
it was Bia who first saw it.
‘Mother, look!’ And there it was.
The mighty white pillars of Mount Olympus.
The palaces were built with adamantine
to protect them from harm,
and the smoothest marble I had ever seen,
to hide them in the clouds
from wandering Titan eyes.
The residences were built in a circle;
the centre held the dome of the Gods.
Two golden thrones sat in the middle,
one for Zeus and one for Metis.
Around them were more thrones
for the other Olympian Gods.
It was a marvel to behold.
When we arrived, Zeus rose
from his throne and walked toward us,
arms open in greeting.
‘Welcome, sisters and brothers,
I am delighted you have accepted
my offer. You are well met.’