#aegeus food

[aegeusfood]

Why Kids Should make Koala March Biscuits their Snack of Choice?

In the ever-evolving world of parenting, finding the perfect snack that strikes the delicate balance between nutrition and taste can be challenging. As children's taste buds develop and preferences change, it becomes crucial to discover snacks that not only satisfy their cravings but also provide essential nutrients for their growing bodies. Enter the delightful world of Koala March Biscuits – a snack that not only captivates young taste buds but also offers nutritional benefits that make it an ideal choice for kids. Let's delve into the reasons why Koala March Biscuits should be your child's snack of choice.

1. Irresistible Flavor Combinations

Koala March Biscuits are renowned for their diverse and irresistible flavor combinations. From classic chocolate to fruity delights, these biscuits offer a palate-pleasing experience that keeps kids coming back for more. The variety in flavors ensures that there's a Koala March Biscuit to suit every child's taste preference.

2. Nutrient-Rich Ingredients

While taste is paramount, parents are equally concerned about the nutritional content of snacks. Koala March Biscuits stand out by incorporating nutrient-rich ingredients that contribute to a child's overall well-being. Packed with essential vitamins and minerals, these biscuits provide a wholesome snack option that aligns with the nutritional needs of growing kids.

3. Convenient and Mess-Free

Parents often find themselves torn between providing tasty snacks and managing the inevitable mess that follows. Koala March Biscuits offer a convenient solution by being inherently mess-free. The individually wrapped biscuits not only maintain freshness but also eliminate the hassle of crumbs, making them an ideal choice for on-the-go snacking.

4. Educational Element with Fun Koala Shapes

Beyond being a tasty treat, Koala March Biscuits add an educational element to snack time. Shaped like adorable koalas, these biscuits engage children's imagination and curiosity. The fun shapes spark conversations about wildlife, fostering a learning environment even during snack breaks.

5. Portion Control Made Easy

In a world where childhood obesity is a concern, portion control is crucial. Koala March Biscuits come in pre-portioned packs, helping parents regulate their children's snack intake effortlessly. This feature promotes a balanced approach to snacking and encourages healthy eating habits from a young age.

6. Allergen-Friendly Options

Recognizing the prevalence of food allergies, Koala March Biscuits offer allergen-friendly options, including gluten-free variants. This inclusivity ensures that children with dietary restrictions can indulge in a delightful snacking experience without compromising on taste or safety.

7. Affordability for Budget-Conscious Parents

In the realm of parenting, budget considerations play a significant role. Koala March Biscuits strike a perfect balance between quality and affordability, making them an excellent choice for budget-conscious parents seeking a cost-effective yet delightful snack option for their kids.

8. Positive Reviews and Parent Testimonials

The popularity of Koala March Biscuits is not just a claim; it's backed by positive reviews and glowing testimonials from parents worldwide. Real-life experiences attest to the product's ability to meet the diverse needs of families, making it a trusted choice in the realm of children's snacks.

9. Sustainable Packaging Initiatives

Environmental consciousness is on the rise, and Koala March Biscuits are keeping pace with sustainable packaging initiatives. The brand's commitment to eco-friendly practices reflects a broader awareness of the impact of consumer choices on the environment, contributing to a better world for future generations.

10. Where to Find Koala March Biscuits

Curious about where to get your hands on these delightful snacks? Koala March Biscuits are readily available at major supermarkets and online retailers. The accessibility of this delectable treat ensures that parents can conveniently incorporate it into their shopping routine.

In conclusion, making Koala March Biscuits the snack of choice for your kids is a decision that harmonizes taste, nutrition, and convenience. With an array of flavors, educational value, and a commitment to health and sustainability, these biscuits encapsulate the essence of a well-rounded snack for the discerning parent and the delighted child. Elevate your child's snacking experience – choose Koala March Biscuits today!

[priscus]

the infamy of crete

the first of the athenian tributes came when he was twelve. before that he had lived on a diet of palace scraps; bones and vegetable peels and fruit rinds dumped into a trough at the center of the labyrinth. food meant for pigs now meant for the bull-headed boy locked away in the bowels of knossos. and then one day the trough had been empty. for a week it stayed that way, and then one week became two; two became four, four became eight. until the boy that had once been called asterion was little more than a beast blinded by hunger.

it was in that hungry, half-mad state that king minos saw fit to make use of the monstrous child the queen had borne. he demanded king aegeus of athens pay tribute for the death of his beloved second son, androgeus, and that the tribute be paid in blood. fourteen athenian youths—seven boys, seven unwed girls—must be sent to crete to sate the hunger of minos’s terrible beast. minotaur, it was called. asterion. no longer.

fourteen tributes were lowered into the center of the labyrinth; fourteen tributes met their untimely end. the creature who dwelt within the darkness was not a killer at heart. but he was hungry. he was desperate. and he was far larger and far stronger than any boy his age would have been—should have been. it took less than a day for him to learn how to rend a man in two with his bare hands, how to tear flesh from bone and gorge himself with it. those who escaped him in those first moments only lasted a matter of days, so hungry was he. so starved.

and after the last of the blood had been shed, the remaining pockets of marrow sucked from athenian bones and the red haze of hunger had lifted from his sight, the creature wept at what he had done. this was only the beginning. every seven years, another tribute would be made. every seven years, he would kill and feast again. and every seven years, he would be reminded what a monster he had become.

[gildedwar]

Theseus dnd au below the cut

It took a prophecy to birth Theseus Argent of Waterdeep, the words of an Oracle were the only way his dear father could spawn an heir. “Do not loosen the bulging mouth of the wineskin until you have reached the heights of The Sword Mountains, lest you die of grief.” He didn’t understand the prophecy, but a friend, a fellow noble did. A team is made and an expedition set; at the tops of the mountain they celebrate, and the wine flows.

Nine months later, he is born. With hair that shines with hidden highlights of gold within blonde hair, floating as though floating with a gentle wind that was not truly there. Blessed with unending charisma and looks enough to attract even the most striking of people.

His father, Aegeus Phylund was born of a Human and an Air Genasi. His mother, Aethra Argent; a human with Aasimar blood thrumming through her veins. Both Waterdhavian Nobles. His mother was lovely, favoring the human aspect of her blood enough to blend in with her family. Her golden locks glitter, her smile captivating. A kind soul, one that guided Theseus through his childhood with patient hands and kind smiles. Healing kisses upon the scuffs of childhood. It was through her that he came to understand the world, his. 

He grows, and with him so goes his strength. He swears to the life of a paladin and yet he does not swear to the god of his family, but instead the goddess Sune, a woman that an oracle advised him to seek. He agrees with what she stands for, beauty, and love; upholding her values, and being a hand of helping rather than being a force of destruction. His oath is sworn for loyalty, though his loyalty is to his peers, and his want for justice and order. Fairness. He would never betray those he makes a promise to, for that he was certain.

He'd become something of a hometown hero to the small congregations of people that surround Waterdeep, taking on raiders and creatures that bother farms and those that can't defend themselves. His family is pleased, and he is pleased as well. He finds it fulfilling when they show their thankfulness when they join hands with smiles and trinkets; all they had they had said.

"You need not to give me anything," he tells them back, but he accepts them with kind words.

It wasn’t until he was a Paladin with a sworn oath that he was told of his father, the other side of his family that went beyond the angelic duties of his family. Monster hunters, tamers, slayers. All of the above strikes his interest, in a home that was so inclined to their disgust in fiends. What was a fiend if not a monster? He’d become a paladin with the intent to smite evil off the planet, but the ability to tame evil? To use it for good? He can’t wait to be sent off.

He goes on his adventure, each threat slain as his angelic guide instructs. The influence of Sune is visible in the spear he wields, a gift blessed from the goddess herself, pink and blazing with the channeling of her divinity, in the shield he defends those weaker with, blocking attacks. Where he goes he partakes in her ideals, among taverns with lovely people. Much like his Patroness, he had many loves but never did he stay long, leaving a trail of broken arrows behind him.

It's only when he arrives at his destination that things begin to take a turn, his life, and perspective on good and evil skewing. 

A minotaur, the supposedly vile creature he'd been sent to find; with the intent to bring him back dead or alive. His father's family wanted to add such a beast to their home hunting area. Or perhaps he was one they intended to sway to their side with the promise of food, shelter, and safety in exchange for its cooperation and defense.

However, things are far different once he comes into contact with him.

When he arrives, it's in an unfair fight, a handful of men against an already injured bull. Theseus' presence is felt immediately, light shining from his person like a beacon of the gods themselves. Wings had sprouted from his shoulders, and he looked like an extension of the heavens, an angel in mortal form. When the bull gazes up at him, he can see a shift in its disposition, something like hope appearing in his big brown eyes.

He thinks Theseus is here to save him, the Aasimar realizes. Looking at the opponents of the minotaur, he feels no love for them, horned friends with reddened skin. Tieflings. Perhaps it was his blood that made him abhor the children of hell, or perhaps his upbringing. Regardless, he finds himself swayed more toward the defenders' side, and in a split moment his entire view of the situation shifts.

The paladin now is here for the barbarian.

The Bull had been fighting a losing fight, succumbing to many enemies but the tides of battle change as Theseus joins the fray. Together they slay the party sent by his paternal side of the family, and Theseus swears his oath to the supposed beast, one binding them together. They become partners then as their hands' clasp, as life flows from the angelic man to the injured monster. 

He did not seem like a monster to Theseus, a fact that has his patron gleeful and his angelic guide furious. Sune would not have forgiven him for destroying something beautiful, and his new partner was certainly something of beauty with his large eyes, fanned by long curled lashes, and his deep rumbling voice. If he were a simple oxen he would surely have been revered for his coat that glitters in the sun like blackened brass.

The minotaur would stay with him until his debt was paid, Theseus had saved his life. Bound now by this new bond, they join forces and what a force they become. It is only Theseus' word and good standing that keeps the bull, a lovely man by the name of Asterius, safe. People are distrustful initially of the hulking man, fearful because of what stories are told. Theseus imagines it must be difficult to be the monster that parents warn their children of, especially when in the radiant light of his halo. Yet it doesn't darken his presence, it only helps him to assimilate into society.

Together they grow, they fight, and they slay. Their original deal seems to melt away, instead, the bond of battle and friendship keeps them by one another's side. Funny how safe one can feel next to the perceived monster, and how safe a monster could feel beside a being that many would have anticipated to slay him. Theseus could not imagine doing such a thing, he'd learned on that first mission that many times, the monsters are the hunters, not the hunted. 

The two only grow in their popularity, making tides as they become akin to legends. A peer of the gods, they call Theseus. A monster turned hero, they call Asterius. They become a powerhouse of a team, and their names are known far and wide by the time they grow into themselves. Still, they adventure, but as they age they find that it is quite difficult to find such a challenge, and amongst Waterdeep, many heroes reside. They end up recruited into an arena, Gladiators that stand against the challenge of any. They still have yet to lose, though there is one who returns frequently, and who seems to be giving them a run for their money. 

[seretistravelike]

What Things To Do On A One-Day Tour In Athens?

Greece is the dream destination with a wealth of history, tantalizing cuisine, breathtaking landscapes, and a relaxed way of life. It offers something for everyone. During your Greek vacation, Athens, with its major airport and gateway to the Greek Isles, is a must-visit. In just one day, immerse yourself in the city's wonders. Delve into its rich history, indulge in delicious food, soak in stunning scenery, and experience the laid-back lifestyle. Athens is the perfect introduction to the enchantment that awaits you throughout Greece. In this blog, you will get ideas for a one-day tour in Athens, an unforgettable adventure.

Top 3 Things To Do To Elevate Your Visiting Experience

With the passing years, Athens has become a popular destination for visitors. It will take you only a few days to examine the culture and beauty of the place. You can easily plan your day tour without any problems. Scroll down to read about the places to add to your one-day tour in Athens.        

1. The Temple Of Poseidon

The temple of Poseidon circulated the myth that King Aegeus jumped off the cliff to find death. Built In the Golden Age of Pericles, the Temple of Poseidon honors the Olympian God of Sea. Alongside the Parthenon and the temple of Aphaia on Aegina Island, it completes the Sacred Triangle of ancient times.

2. A Look Around Town

In a one-day tour of Athens, you must explore the city on foot to see the authentic culture and rich heritage of the place. I prefer interacting with the city's locals to know about the hidden stories and talk about the city. Doing so will help you to get a deeper knowledge of the city or unseen places of the Anthens.

3. Visit Local Markets & Grab Lunch

Visiting the places but have yet to explore the local market, you have missed the real fun about the place. You are roaming around the street and grabbing traditional dishes with unforgettable tastes. It will help you to find new friends in a new city. Additionally, it will clear your mind and get you fresh air to destress your mind. You will enjoy your one-day tour from Athens.        

Book Your Package For Athens Today!

After a busy schedule, you need to slow down and have some quality time with your family or friends. At SERETIS TRAVEL ike, you will find amazing packages to make your book a trip for yourself. They have years of experience in planning and executing the trip. Also, they have a half-day, one-day tour, two days, and more itineraries for your ease. Visit their website and understand more about their offers and packages.

[abookishdreamer]

Character Intro: Theseus (Kingdom of Ichor)

Age- 18

Location- Athens, Olympius

Personality- He's an overachiever, always striving to push past perfectionism and being the absolute greatest. He's opportunistic, highly ambitious, a bit selfish, & cocky. He has high hopes for himself (as a mortal) to be on the same level as the gods. He's currently single.

Theseus grew up mainly with his mother Aethra & his grandfather Pittheus (who was a gov't official) in the state of Troezen. Even though he didn't want for anything (in an upper middle class background), there's one thing he always dreamed about- his father.

He would randomly receive letters from his father, thus being the depth of their father/son relationship. Theseus wasn't super close with his grandfather, but he absolutely adores his mother. Once when he was 13, he beat up a group of neighborhood boys that were talking shit about his mom.

At school, he was known to be a prankster & show-off, often excelling in physical education. He once gave a kid his collectible edition Titan trading cards for the answers to a very important test.

Some of his most favorite foods that his mom would make include spanokopita, huevos rancheros, menudo, huarache, pambazo, & Theseus' ultimate favorite- chorizo quesadillas.

A rite of passage he fondly remembers was when he first tasted alcohol. He & his grandfather shared a shot of tequila.

Things changed for Theseus around the time of his 15th birthday, where he decided to look around his family's underground cellar. Inside, he found a golden brass chest & inside, he came upon a photo of a man holding a newborn as well as the most extraordinary sword he's ever seen. After confronting his mother about it, Theseus was then told the identity of his father- Aegeus, the lord of Athens. After the discovery (and the blessing of his mother), he decided to use his family's boat, set sail to Athens, & claim his birthright.

He video-streamed his journey to Athens, showing his followers the perils he faced and fought- thus getting widespread attention from a lot of people & even some of the gods. It wasn't exactly an emotional father/son reunion when Theseus came face-to-face with Aegeus, but his father was still glad to see him again, throwing a HUGE celebration in his son's honor. Theseus even got to experience his first lap dance.

Theseus has started partaking in sword fighting lessons (paid for by his father) & he still kept in touch with his mother through emails & video chats.

Now, he's going on another epic adventure- joining a fellow mortal guy named Jason & The Argonauts! He and Jason (the leader) have become quite close.

"One is the only number that matters!"

[marine-indie-gal]

Wanted to do a little spin around one of the Gods' Mortal Lovers that being Dionysus' Wife, Ariadne. Ariadne was one of King Minos' Daughters as well as being the Youngest Daughter out of the Seven Children of Minos. She is Smart, Clever, Joyful, Loyal, but is very Passionate and Emotional at the same time. When she found out that her Mother, Pasiphae, was turned into a Cow thanks to Poseidon, she went up to Athena's Temple and asked Athena to turn her Mother back into a Human. The Goddess of Wisdom granted her wish as Pasiphae was turned back into a Human. But there was a little problem going on with Pasiphae...When Poseidon instantly turned one of his Mortal Nephew's Wives into a Cow, The Cretan Bull (the creature he sent towards Minos to sacrifice), instantly fell in love with Pasiphae's Cow form, but the Bull was deeply unaware that it was Minos' Wife since the Bull didn't recognize her. Pasiphae had no deep feelings for the Bull because she deeply loved her Husband but the Bull instantly chased her through the Meadow and got her pregnant. Needless to say, it was then during that time when Pasiphae got turned back into a Human, she was pregnant for the Cretan Bull's baby and thus, the Birth of the Half-Sibling was Born. The Minotaur. Minos was deeply shocked and yet horrified to find his Wife was pregnant with the Cretan Bull's Baby that was the birth of a Legendary Monster, even Ariadne's Siblings couldn't believe it as they were horrified by the scary appearance of the Monster. Minos decided to build up a Labyrinth for the Minotaur so that his Monstrous Stepson wouldn't dare to try to hunt and kill people. At nighttime, Ariadne would secretly drop some fruit for the Minotaur just so that her Half-Sibling would need some food to eat in order to survive. When a Hero (who is the Son of Another King), Theseus, steps in, he takes an opportunity to slay down the Minotaur. Minos agrees for this request that Theseus made a vow of to save his Entire People. Ariadne gives Theseus a Golden Clew just so that Theseus could at least find his way back out of the Labyrinth. After the execution of the Minotaur, Minos and Aegeus (Theseus' Father) decided to have their Children be arranged as Ariadne would be with Theseus as his Wife. Theseus wasn't really interest in having the Idea of Ariadne as his Wife but when he was dazzled by one of Ariadne's Sisters (Phaedra) he decided to come up a plan for Phaedra that he would ditched Ariadne just so that he could marry one of her Sisters. Eventually, after the Wedding, Theseus takes Ariadne off of a Boat Ride straight towards Athens. That night, while Ariadne sleeps in at the beach with Theseus, Theseus made his own getaway as he ditches Ariadne and leaves her off the Island of Naxos with the Others on his Boat. The Next Morning, when Ariadne sees that she has been betrayed and ditched by her Husband, she cries in heartbroken as she couldn't believe that her fiancée ditched her. However, when Dionysus hears her cry, he steps in and comforts her as Ariadne explains to what truly happened of why she was sad. Dionysus felt bad for the Poor Princess as he took her in for shelter in his own temple. Once Ariadne stays with Dionysus for awhile as well as meeting up some Other Gods like Apollo and Hermes, Dionysus somehow becomes fascinated by her affection. He wanted to make Ariadne as his Bride but unfortunately, he wasn't sure on what Most of the Gods would think if they would allow Mortals to accept them as the Lovers of Deities (besides than their Main King, Zeus, who was always affected by Women including his Wife, Hera). When Ariadne finds out that Theseus was actually cheating on her with Phaedra, she felt cheated on as she was angered by Theseus' cheat on her but Theseus never really loved her all this time since she really wanted to ditched her for one of her Sisters that he was deeply more impressed of as Ariadne cries in extreme heartbroken with tears. She headed back to Dionysus as she told her the Sad News of her Ex-Husband's true plan all along. Dionysus felt so bad for Poor Ariadne so he had no choice but to punish Phaedra by making her ugly as Theseus (who was also cursed) was forced to be with his Now Ugly New Wife forever instead of instantly rejecting her but they at least ended up having Two Sons in the End. After the Cursed Revenge, Dionysus cheered Ariadne up with a little surprise for her as Ariadne, who was now in love with the God of Wine, accepted his proposal as she become Dionysus' Bride. The Gods already accepted the idea of Mortals being Lovers of Deities as Zeus gifted Ariadne to turn her into a Full-Fledged Goddess as Ariadne ended up becoming the Goddess of Labyrinths with Dionysus by her Side.  I've decided to take out the whole Lust part where Ariadne's Mother falls in love with the Bull and that's how the Minotaur was born thing because...Yeah, nobody ever really wants to have that. Like I said, I'll just take out the entire dark parts of the Myths and make it more "Kid-Friendly" like instead like how Kid-Friendly Greek Mythology medias do that. Ariadne (c) Greco-Roman Mythology SpongeBob Depiction of Ariadne (c) Me

[megarx]

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ EXTENDED INTRO: Meg Dimitriou 💜

( OOC: This is the extended, much more detailed version of Meg’s history and her starting point hehe. Beware if you read below the cut !! )

To begin with, Meg is basically this meme.

Meg listens to Carly Rae Jepsen, mxmtoon, and Taylor Swift. E•MO•TION is her favourite album. It’s pretty spectacular what a pair of earphones and ‘Runaway With Me’ by Carly Rae Jepsen can do for your psyche when you’re stuck in the Underworld. Though if you ask her she’ll just shrug and tell you she’s listening to nothing.

She started cooking meals, old recipes from her mother’s family, and sharing them with the shelters, but if you mention you saw her volunteering she’ll say it was someone else.

Her mother sent her a box of her father’s old belongings, which included her dad’s digital camera, and though she had half a mind to drop it from a high building — once she got there, she found that there was a good view to capture. Now she brings it everywhere with her. But she will act like it’s nothing if you point it out.

And for someone who’s been burned a lot by love, there’s still a part of her that can’t help but yearn for it. And with that remaining nugget of love, there’s also hope. Hope that there’s more to life than whatever the fuck just happened with a bunch of Greek gods and a city full of self-proclaimed heroes.

Meg doesn’t ever want people to know that she’s trying. She feels that once people know, they’ll be able to use it against her somehow. And she is so tired of being blackmailed and conned and used ( rip she still will be tho bc hades and the contract and maleficent out here rip ). She’s never had steady ground beneath her feet, even in the Underworld — everything was always cracking or shaking, threatening to trip her over or, at the worst, swallow her whole. No wonder she’s gotten even more flighty now that Hades is gone and Hercules is AWOL … off being a god somewhere. Apathy became her favourite coat to wear, and after everything that happened, she’s now more insistent on living by that code.

A few words stuck out to me from her bio :3

                                             ***content warnings: death ( lots of it ), suicide mention

> RELIABLE ( the past )

nothing was ever reliable, not her family, not her home. when meg was 5, her family moved from california to greece, at the promise of a distant relative. after struggling financially in america, they migrated to athens with the belief that there was an apartment waiting for them and jobs. and yes, they did have a new place and they did have new jobs —  but her family struggled to adjust. her parents became unhappy, tied now to their distant cousin and unable to leave. they began to neglect each other, and their daughter.

from growing up with such a big family and so much love, to being alone in a new city while watching her parents’ marriage fall apart was … devastating.

from an early age, meg had to adjust to a new culture, a new city, and the changing dynamics of her family. by the time she was 14, she’d given up hope entirely on her family and started hanging around the city well after dark —  only coming home for food, storing her stuff, and sleep.

the boy she fell in love with and died? his name was aegeus. they were both 17 and madly in love. they swore to elope and runaway with each other, even got matching tattoos, but he died in a car accident a year after they met.

heartbroken and depressed, she heard of old stories of a place in the city where you could commune with the god of the underworld and sell your soul in place of another. while meg wanted nothing more than to be with aegeus, having him live instead of her was a better deal than him not living at all. hades heard her prayers and agreed to the deal.

she died. waking up in the underworld, she figured that she could find a way out and go to aegeus again — but when hades showed her a vision of the upper world, meg saw aegeus holding another woman in his arms as they slept, in the bed she had once been so familiar with. horrified and heartbroken all over again, she swore to never give her heart to someone again. whatever remained of her heart hardened and became cold.

but she did not want to die again. not just yet.

hades offered a new deal : he would keep her soul as payment, but she would be allowed to roam the world again, doing his bidding until she had worked off her debt.

and meg, having no other hope (after losing what little hope she had in the first place), agreed.

so ... the dead are more reliable than the living.

meg’s real name is megara manansala ramos. her mother is filipino, her father was mexican, but adopted by a greek couple as a youth. after meg’s ‘death’, she took on the greek surname of her grandfather, ‘dimitriou’, to obtain new papers.

she’s lost count of how many minions she roped into hades’ conquest against olympus. her main job was being hades’ ‘overworlder’. she could walk around freely without drawing suspicion from the gods.

meg’s natural charm and beauty was her most useful tool, much to her chagrin. she also lost count of how many minor gods and monsters had offered her their hand in marriage, or their bed. most of them died of course, either by hades’ own impatient hand, or the quests he would put them on, or eventually defeated by hercules and the heroes of elias.

surrounded by so much death, the apathy and coldness was necessary to survive. she couldn’t be seen flinching while someone’s soul screamed on its way to tartarus. she couldn’t show fear in the face of cerberus. every weakness she showed, hades would use against her — because that was exactly what he did to all his other minions.

it did help that working under hades gave her a hefty allowance to be able to live comfortably while doing his bidding. and she learned. there was something to be said about working under the god of the underworld. he balanced world domination with handling the passage of the dead. he was a pretty good businessman, and meg would be lying if she didn’t start seeing from his POV once in a while.

and then came hercules …

she seemed to have a weakness for the golden ones.

aegeus was golden, and now here was hercules. literally blessed. muscles for days. an adorable smile. a heart of gold, no pretences, no lies. and when he carried her in his arms, she felt so warm and cared for — it terrified her.

she let herself be swept up into being courted by hercules, telling herself this was all for the bit. she was glad hercules was so strong; her goal had been to find his weakness, but the guy literally didn’t have any. she could smugly report to hades that he was virtually indestructible.

but when hades told her that hercules’ weakness was her …

she couldn’t be the one to ruin him. not like she had been ruined before. she never wanted him to know that kind of pain.

> RELUCTANT ( the somewhat present )

hades being defeated should have been a happy ending but …

meg still felt empty.

she thought once hades was defeated, the deal would be off and her soul would return to her but it didn’t.

i wanted the price of meg’s deal with hades to be something she couldn’t forget. what does it mean to sell your soul to the devil when the devil was already back in hell?

i wanted to make it so that souls were kind of ... a tangible part of one’s body, once it was gone via strong magic (a god’s magic), you can definitely feel it missing. meg is walking around soulless.

so what does this mean? since working under hades, she found that she needed to sleep less. she could stay awake for longer, not need food for longer.

her body needed it of course, but her heart didn’t long for it. with her soul outside of her body, she had to learn to take care of herself in a different way — making sure she was eating and resting enough. meg’s apathy was largely wilful, but it also couldn’t be helped because without her soul, it was harder to stay connected to the living.

making connections with people will eventually be her saving grace (without getting her actual soul back rip), because then her friends and family will be like little batteries keeping her going </3

and this was the most shattering truth of all. the heroes could rejoice, hercules could be a god, hades was defeated … but she was still trapped.

the reluctance came with wondering whether she should try anything.

how was she meant to get back to the underworld? could she talk to a god about getting her soul back? could she talk to hercules?

but hades’ nagging voice remained in her head: she was hercules’ weakness.

and even though he was imprisoned in the underworld, she still feared destroying hercules somehow … in the old ways of breaking his heart, or in some new way that hades must have set up, something she had no idea about.

so she distanced herself from hercules — without so much as a goodbye.

she distanced herself from everything that once connected her to hercules. she avoided the gods. she knew about the god’s child with maleficent, and while her heart felt for the little baby (just another pawn like her), she felt it best that she forget him too.

she lived quietly, taking whatever she could from hades’ old place — pawning all of that to have enough money to get a new place — and finding a new job. hopefully one that didn’t ask for her soul.

she visited california after hades disappeared, to try and find her old house. there she caught up with an old family friend, and on a whim, she gave them her address in elias — and the friend contacted meg’s parents.

meg received news her father died earlier this year, and her mother sent along the belongings her father wanted to pass on to meg. one of them was a camera. another was a book of recipes.

now meg lives in the posh part of town, after being mysteriously gifted an apartment by an old woman named hattie. ( secretly ... this was hestia. the gods still keep an eye on her yes maam )

basically just think of the Arconia from only murders in the building (i’m taking the easy way out and just saying it looks like mabel mora’s apartment jdfhgvjhgd)

outside of building

foyer

square in the middle of the building

meg’s apartment

> SOLITUDE (the hopeful future )

she knows she’s not going anywhere. maybe it’s because it’s the last place hades was around, or because of the magic in elias, but meg feels the most alive in the city — and this isn’t ‘alive’ in the inspiring sense. she literally feels like there’s something about the city that feeds the missing part of her. elias became a battery.

she’s avoiding any more pain by keeping a distance from people. she had a period where she had a few hook-ups with people, but nothing that lasted more than a night. no close friends, no meaningful lovers, no family. all she’s wanted since she was a little girl was peace and solitude, and she thought she could find this in people but all they’ve done is mess her up — or vice versa.

she’s happier with the small hobbies she’s collecting (it’s the one thing that makes her feel fully human). and music, of course. meg can’t be seen around elias without a pair of headphones — if she’s ever seen at all.

and who knows maybe one day she’ll be able to fix the problem of her soul.

[greektravelblog]

Day 4

Today was the day I finally had the "holy crap, I'm in Greece" moment. At 12:30, a small group of us (thank god) departed and made our way to Cape Sounion. Cape Sounion is well known for the Temple of Poseidon that stands on the top of the hill, greeting incoming boats. It is involved in two famous myths. The creation of the olive tree, and the journey of Theseus.

The first one goes like this:

When trying to determine who would be the patron god of the city of Athens, Poseidon and Athena both stood out. They began to fight for the patronage, and when she realized that fighting was futile, Athena suggested a competition. Her and Poseidon would create something for the city, and the inhabitants would select the best one. Poseidon, struck his trident to the ground, and salt water began to flow. His gift to the inhabitants was a salt water fountain. Athena, created the very first olive tree. The inhabitants recognized that they could use every bit of the olive tree for fuel, food, and trade so they named the city after her. However, Athens was a very naval central power. They needed to stay on good terms with the god of the seas if they wished to survive. So to appease him, they built the Temple of Poseidon at Cape Sounion and would travel before every voyage to receive his blessing.

The second is a bit more complex.

In the myth, there is a creature called a Minotaur. The king of Crete held it in a Labyrinth beneath the city, and would hold a blood tax every five years. Since Crete was the power at the time, he would call seven Athenian boys and seven Athenian girls to be brought to Crete to be thrown into the Labyrinth to die. Each boat that left Athens with children held black sails. Tired of the death of children, Theseus, the prince of Athens asked his father to be allowed to travel to Crete with the children in order to kill the Minotaur. Aegeus, his father, was reluctant as Theseus was his only child, but he relented when Theseus promised to return on a ship with white sails, symbolizing his success. Theseus did in fact slaughter the beast with the help of the Cretan princess Ariadne whoh gifted him a magic ball of thread to guide him out of the maze. Taking her home as his wife, they stopped at another small island along the way. When Theseus discovered her flirting with the god of wine, Dionysus, he left quietly, abandoning her there. She was so furious, she cursed him. It wasn't anything seemingly gorey, but her curse of forgetfulness caused Theseus to return with black sails, not white. When Aegeus saw the sails from the cliff at Cape Sounion, he believed his only son dead. In despair, he flung himself off the cliff, killing himself. The sea is now called the Aegean Sea, in honor of him.

While these stories aren't very happy-go-lucky they make sense when you're standing in the same spot. It really feels as if these things could have happened. It seems magical almost. I sat on an ancient piece of marble and I struggled to respond to M as she talked to me about something. I am in Greece. I'm sitting on a chunk of rock that was mined, shaped, and placed thousands of years ago by people who were so technologically and emotionally advanced that they created my favorite thing in the world: theatre. I mean, it doesn't get much cooler than that.

After we left, we drove a bit before stopping at a beach. We got some swimming in before having an amazing lunch that had 6 courses, including zucchini fries and the best calamari I've ever eaten. On the way back, once the ocean is out of sight, I promptly fell asleep. Currently, I'm sitting with my roommate R and eating some chicken kabobs with tzatzikis sauce and that rocking lemonade. Over all, best day so far. And hopefully, you'll see me again Cape Sounion.

Things I've taken away from today:

Yes, the water is that clear.

Don't bike in Greece, you'll die.

No food goes to waste, which is why the strays are so well fed/taken care of/

Greek gelato is the best I've had so far.

The water is really salty, so floating is easy in the Aegean.

I'm in love with this place.

[comfyswitcherblanketfort]

Geralt and the Minotaur

Y’all can thank @bounce-a-coin-off-your-witcher for encouraging me to do this, I defs would have just thought about it for a couple months then forgot 😂

Pairing: None for this part

Warning: talk of violence and murder, retelling of Theseus and The Minotaur myth, talk of human sacrifice, if theres more plz let me know!

Summary/Notes: Myth background in case you didn’t go past the PJO books with your mythology obsession like I did. In ancient Greek mythology they believed in ‘joint fatherhood’ so basically the kid would have attributes from both fathers (bc philosophy was the tits back then not necessarily biology) King Aegeus (Vessimir) couldn’t produce an heir with his wife so he went to the Oracle of Delphi and she told him to ‘open his wine sack’ (helpful right?) long story short he bangs a princess and then Athena (patron goddess of Athens) tells the princess to go down to the sea with an offering where she bangs Posiden (co-patron god of Athens) hence Theseus (Geralt) is not only a demigod but a bastard prince.  I think this is all the background yall are gonna need if you don’t already know the myth

__________

Geralt knew the story well. For as long as he could remember, his mother would comb his stark white hair before bed and he would ask, “Tell me about my fathers?” She would smile fondly and begin to braid his hair in a pattern much like her own. 

“My little hero, your fathers are powerful, fair, righteous men. You have not only the blessing and favor of Poseidon, but the right to the throne of Athens.”

When he was younger he would squirm and protest, “I know mumma, but who were they?”

Vissena would sigh and change the subject until he was older, at which point she began letting the crumbs fall from her words. Crumbs Geralt followed to the truth of his heritage, piecing together stories his grandfather had told him about a sword and sandals pinned beneath a stone. 

When he was twelve, his mother told him the truth.

“You are destined to free the city of Athens from a terrible fate. When you can lift the stone and retrieve your father’s sword you may travel to his palace and claim your place as prince…” Her voice came to a strangled end before she coughed and continued “But you mustn't think about that now. You’ve rope to braid and cattle to feed.”

When he finally told her he was ready to try, her eyes welled with tears. She merely nodded, continuing to run the comb through her baby’s hair like she always had. He understood as he grew older why she was so reluctant to let him go. What mother can willingly send her child away in only destiny’s hands, regardless of his exceptional strength?

At 16, he succeeded in his first task, retrieving his father’s things, and set off to Athens. He went by land, wanting to rely on himself, not his grandfather’s wealth and power. He fought Perophes, disarming the practiced warrior with surprising little effort, to complete his second task. Fighting Coercion sent chills down his spine, with the man’s reputation for killing every opponent he faced he was certainly formidable, but he bested him nonetheless. His third task was complete. However, his name only became synonymous with ‘hero’ after slaying the wild boar. 

His first kill was at 17, still on the road to Athens. He could have let Procrustes live, could have delivered him to the nearest king for imprisonment, but his gut had twisted at the thought of the consequences of his failure. He tied Procrustes to the same small table he tied all his victims before slicing clean through the giant man’s limbs that hung off the edge. Leaving him to bleed out like he’d done to the skeletons littering the floor. It only seemed fitting, though the memory still made him queasy on nights when he couldn't sleep.

Even upon arrival at his father’s home, there was danger staring back at him in those beautiful amethyst eyes. The prophetess Yennefer would stop at nothing to keep the life of luxury and power she’d gained. She whispered false prophecies in King Vessimir’s ear, convincing him this boy who claimed to be his son was nothing but an imposter. Geralt should have expected such a welcome. 

As he lifted a cup of poisoned wine to his lips, Vessimir glimpsed the sword at his side, recognizing it in time to knock the ceramic out of his hand. 

The vessel had yet to shatter on the floor before Vessimir had rounded on the violet eyed woman with fury in his eyes like none Geralt had ever seen. 

The whole of the dining hall was holding their breath, waiting for the explosion to come.

King Vessimir whispered but one word, “Disappear.”

The woman glared daggers at Geralt as she waved her hand, stepping through a portal into nothing. He stared after her for a long time, having never witnessed manipulated magic up close and if he were honest with himself, he was a bit dazed.

As his father explained and apologized Geralt simply tilted his head in confusion, slowly putting the pieces together in his shock.

“Your sword, it was mine. You must forgive me, I believed a lie. I beg you.”

Geralt nodded, “You have a state to protect.”

Vessimir grasped him by his shoulders, “No, I have to protect you.”

Geralt smiled, endeared by the old king’s sudden saccharine sentiments, “I’m no boy anymore, you shouldn’t worry.”

As the rest of the guests at the banquet began to resume conversation Vessimir guided Geralt to a window overlooking the beautiful city that he would now be calling home, “So I’ve heard.  I would have thought your mother would raise you to be more merciful.”

Geralt eyed the ground, “Mercy for one who has killed so many and would kill again isn’t really mercy.” His voice was smaller than he would like, but after all these years of imagining his father, well he hadn’t expected a criticism of his ethics. 

“Good.” Vessimir nodded, leaning against the edge of the window, “We can work on your tone, but that’s a good start.”

A tentative smile took over Geralt’s face, “Work on my tone?”

“If you’re going to rule Athens and defeat Crete, you’ll need to be more assertive. But none of that now,” Vessimir waved a hand and a servant brought two more goblets of wine, “Now, I want to get to know my son.”

-

The following months were filled with lessons, from Vessimir’s top generals in battle strategy and formal combat, from a matronly maid in etiquette and the cultural customs of the port city, and from Vessimir himself in diplomacy. Geralt was thrilled at first, ready to prove himself worthy, but the routine slowly lost its shine. Eskel and Lambert were no doubt excellent fighters and leaders, but there were only so many ways to disarm someone with every weapon in the royal arsenal, and they were running out of challenges for the boy. If that’s what you could call him anymore. With regular meals, unlike during his travels, and the way his trainers pushed him he was starting to look more worthy of his Olympian heritage and place at the throne. 

He stood by his father’s side and paid careful attention to all of his meetings, every last one. Even the ones at dawn after a night of drinking with Eskel and Lambert. 

He sat on a stool, a step down from the platform where his father’s throne was carved out of stone as he observed the nobles bringing their worries, reports, and complaints to the king from the outskirts of the territory. The large amphitheater was teeming with men ready to share their opinion. Geralt found that rarely did anyone bring something that really needed fixing, just listening was usually enough to soothe their egos. It was all rather mundane now, Geralt could mouth the words his father would say before they filled the air, until the last representative. 

"My king, the spring is approaching, will we allow Crete to take our children yet again?”

Geralt’s brows knit together, eyes darting between the man and his father as they spoke.

Vessimir wiped a hand over his face, looking ten years older in an instant, “We don't have a navy that could even begin to challenge Crete’s. We have no choice.”

The gathered crowd erupted in shouts of outrage, only silenced when Vessimir stood, “It is the life of fourteen, or the life of the nation. Which will you surrender?”

There was more yelling, this time between a select few delegates, but Geralt ignored it and leaned to his right, lowering his voice so only Eskel could hear him. 

“What does he mean ‘the life of fourteen’?”

Eskel frowned, “He hasn’t told you?”

Geralt glared at him, waiting for an explanation.

“King Minos’ son was killed at the games a good twenty or so years back, so as penance he takes fourteen virgins from us every nine years. Seven men, seven women, and feeds them to his bastard Minotaur.” Eskel glanced over Geralt’s shoulder at the king, a look of worry clear on his face. 

“I thought the Minotaur was just a story, a parable of Crete’s barbaric nature.”

Eskel raised an eyebrow, not impressed by Geralt's literary analysis, “It’s no tale. It's as real as the ground under your feet, and it plays with its food.”

Geralt whipped his head back around to his father in time to catch his words, “There is no voting on war because of the brashness of your grandfather Letus, tread lightly. Until we have a reasonable plan of action all we can do is submit!"

Before he knew what his legs were doing Geralt was standing and shouting, "I'll go! Send me father! I'll kill the beast and return!" 

Cheers erupted from the crowd but Geralt only cared about his father's reaction and Vessimir was still as stone. For a moment Geralt worried for his heart, then Vessimir gripped his arm and leaned in with a panicked look on his face, "You are my only son, I will not send you to your death." He growled. 

Geralt felt a fire rising in his chest, "Your people are forced to send their children unwillingly yet when yours volunteers you're exempt? Does that seem fair to you?"

Vessimir’s grip tightened, nails digging into Geralt's arm, "Doesn't matter. You are the only heir. I can't risk the stability of the government."

Geralt stepped closer, making sure to stand at his full height, "Then you do not believe in me? In the power and blessings of Posiden that courses through me?" 

Vessimir snarled but said nothing. Surely not used to being challenged, especially not so publicly, about his devotion to the gods. 

Geralt lowered his voice, "I will go. I will free Athens as is my destiny, and I will come back to you unharmed." Geralt gripped his father's arm, and nearly pleaded, "I cannot sit idly by, you know I can't." 

Vessimir's eyes softened ever so slightly as he released his grip, "I should have known your mother would raise a stubborn man." 

Geralt grinned, "She said I got that from you." 

The amphitheater had gone quiet, all eyes on the king and this strange new prince. 

"Geralt will go." Vessimir sighed, clapping a hand on his son's shoulder. The crowd cheered in earnest this time and Geralt soaked it all in, their hope and elation. Vessimir raised a hand for silence and continued, "Now tell me, scholars and strategists, how will we bring him back alive?"

__________

part 2 here!

[aegeusfood]

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[demonprosecutor]

NEW HADES ONESHOT, TITLED: OH NO!

part 1 | part 2 | part 3 | part 4 | part 5 | part 6 | part 7 | part 8 | part 9 | part 10 | part 11

trouble comes in the form of bedraggled travelers - stinking with the scent of journey-sweat, the ghost of blood, and strong brows streaked with dirt. they stood on the the threshold of the door, intimidating and tall enough to block the sun with their heads. Some were injured, supported by his compatriots, and the leader, aegeus, did not look any better.

“My name is aegeus of athens. My men and i need aid, if you are amenable to helping?” as if there was any question, as if there were any part of you that would ever deny helping out those in need. (lady hestia had always had a soft spot in your chest, and something inside you pulses with a warm pleasure).

You dry your hands on a nearby cloth, draped over your shoulder, smiling close-lipped in welcome. “Of course, you will find safety in the lands here.” however, you do pause, turning your head towards the stairs that housed the slumbering god prince - much to your exasperation, he was too much like a cat, sleeping deeply whenever he did. If you had to wager a guess, he would rouse well-past noon, only coaxed to wakefulness by the smell of lunch.

(you spoil him awfully, plans to slaughter a cow in the name of the gods and prepare a meal of kings)

Aegeus smiles at you, teeth pearly, arch of his nose hooked and strong, dark eyes obscured by the boyish curls not tamed by the purple-dyed headband that pinned locks back from his face fruitlessly. Perhaps you stare too long; for his brow arches and you avert your gaze to stir into action. “Ah, erm, i shall set out cots out back and bring out my medical supplies. I’m afraid they are rudimentary at best, so cleaning wounds and binding bandages are the best I could do.”

The leader of the group waves a careless hand, corners of his eyes crinkling kindly. “Worry not, my men shall clean themselves up. We only desire more rest.”

Your head bobs in a single nod, directing the small motley group towards the back where they could find rest on hay bales, the straw cushioning. There was a strange magic in the lands that lady persephone tilled, a gentleness in everything she did that translated to the earth in equal. You hear them, ears pricked for danger, sigh at the truest sense of the word ‘reprieve’.

Much like the bees that buzz in the cradle of branches, you busy yourself with gathering the appropriate supplies - laying fresh fruits and baked bread into a basket before hurrying outside in lithe steps. You distribute your wares carefully, smiling with the slightest quirk at the corner of your mouth.

All the while, Aegeus watches with the simple delight of seeing his men resting and able to fully relax the hard jut of weary shoulders. He accepts the fruit and bread graciously, “we do not know how to thank you generosity, it is beyond what we had hoped for.”

You shrug slightly. modesty was in your blood and you are never someone who could ever find comfort in the gratitude of others, even if it was well-warranted. (the lands that edged the outskirts of lady persephone’s fields were wild ones, ones that lady artemis delighted in hunting in. it was no place for men). “no need for thanks.” you say after a few awkward seconds, at which you deigned to look up at aegeus who simply watched you in amusement.

shyness was not a part of your normal build, but something about aegeus elicits something within you - a certain flightiness that makes you want to shift in place and to run. brows furrow together before you start pulling out cots for the men to rest at during the night - the lady of the house was not due back to the cottage for a week’s time, so you knew that she wouldn’t protest against it. not that you were going to attempt to hide this whole affair in general.

although, something does strike you as strange. the briefest blink of action, or more accurately, action that should have been, that caught your eye. the same man who grimaced and groaned about an apparent head wound was laughing freely, tossing his head without a care, as though he were not injured at all. but suddenly, aegeus was in front of you - a flicker of movement that has you startling and clutching the basket closer to your chest.

“fair helper of the gods, would it be too much to ask for water to quench our thirst? we would drink the river water, but it is well-known to be the Styx, and we do not fancy an early journey to the underworld.” he looms over you somehow, face arranged in serene calm, yet eyes betraying a hardness that has you nearly taking a step back.

but when faced with wolves, turning to run is the worst one could do.

your mouth is dry, hands white-knuckling its grip around the handle, as you nod and carefully, with the awareness of deer - retreat to the the cottage.

instead of the empty kitchen with lentil soup simmering over the tripod cauldron with friendly licks of fire underneath the heated metal, you find the audacious prince of the underworld sneaking a sip! 

“zagreus! stop sneaking!” he peeks one eye open, the red one, expression torn between guilt and bliss. but you were never that good in remaining firm, even if firmness was warranted. how do you think the cats that prowled about stayed well-fed and plump? you try your hardest to frown, but the attempt shatters as you pass by him and throw a piece of bread at him from the pile, eyes crinkling at both the easy catch and the delightful crunch of food well-cooked. “if you’re going to sneak my food, at least try the bread with it.”

prince zagreus, scourge of the underworld wretches, snorts out a laugh, as he does what you instruct. while he may have the stubbornness of a bull, you find that he has the tendency to go along with what you say... well, majority of the time. his eyes widen before his features melt in orgasmic bliss that would have lady aphrodite cooing. “ugh, this is delicious. are you sure you aren’t the deity of cooking?”

it’s well-meaning and one that makes you laugh, thwapping him with a clothe. “ha, ha. flatter me all you like, prince zagreus, but you won’t be able to sneak food before the allotted time.”

the god pouts for two reason: “it was worth a try, and what did i say about calling me prince zagreus, it’s just zagreus.” he never did like reminder of his own status - found it to be isolating in ways he did not wish to revisit any longer.

you laugh and place a tray in his hands, loading cups onto it, while you carried a pitcher of water. “alright, just zagreus. come help me give water to our guests.”

“who?”

“just injured travellers that need a place to stay at before continuing on with their journey.” zagreus looks towards the back where you both can hear the boisterous laughter of men before nodding and walking to help give water. 

(it did feel awfully nice to be able to boss someone of zagreus’ personage around)

but he stops just a few steps away from the back door, suddenly enough that you bump into him and spill a bit of water on your chiton, nose mashing against his solid back muscles without remorse. involuntarily, you squeak, “ow! zagreus!----” 

before the ringing cries of weapons being unsheathed has you stiffening and zagreus dropping the tray of cups with a shattering echo that makes you wince. you try edge out from behind him, to peek around his bulk to see what the Hades is going on, but he throws out an arm to keep you behind him - protective. if you were terrified for your life, you would be endeared - but for the moment, you were terrified beyond reproach.

“what matter of god-abomination are you!” one of the men yelled, hefting an expertly-crafted bow in his hands, glinting arrowhead trained on the prince.

the prince growls, eyes glinting dangerously and hands flexing into fists. something battle-hungry swirled in the depths of his being, only stayed by your hands, curled tightly into the back of his chiton. leashed by your own fear. “who are you!?” he demands harshly, moving in such a way that you could tell he was herding you back into the cottage. 

however, you dig your heels in stubbornly, nearly folding yourself against his back. 

“it would bode wise for you to answer our questions, we are not merciful men.” the once-kind tone of aegeus warps into something oily, something that truly makes your skin crawl. a conniving fox who found rest in the hen’s coup and is preparing to consume all of the chickens. you, the fool who opened your doors for the predator. 

the implication of the tone was clear. alone, zagreus would have a chance to fight, but with you there? it would make it far more difficult. zagreus grinds his teeth together, “my name is zagreus, son of persephone and hades.”

you think that it would be the end of that, but suddenly, zagreus sweeps you up in his mighty arms and barrels through the back door - slamming it shut with his back. already you can hear the thud of weapons against the creaking wood and the cacophonous shouts of men hungering for something you didn’t understand. 

perhaps you are screaming, perhaps you are not. but in your tunnel vision, all you can see is prince zagreus holding your face as though it was the most precious thing he’s ever known, “--- listening, are you listening!” you blink before nodding as best as you could in his hands. “i want you to hide underneath the stairs, curl up into a ball and cover your ears. do not come out unless i get you, ok?”

your hands shake and curl around his wrists, “but what about you?! you-- you’re outnumbered and they look-”

he squishes your face until all protest ceases, face smoothing into confidence, “don’t worry about me. i got this, i’ve faced a lot worse. go. go.”

zagreus nudges you to the stairs where you curl up under it, pressing your hands against your ears hard enough to make them ring, as he runs upstairs to retrieve his weapon.

your heartbeat thunders in your chest in unrelenting thuds and you count: one apple, two apples, three apples, four...

by the time you reach eighty-three apples, something taps your back and you shoot up in alarm, bumping your head against the underside of a step. you yelp and zagreus hisses through his teeth, reaching over to rub the place where no doubt a bump was going to form.

through your tears you see him, splattered a bit with blood and... “zagreus! you’re--- you’re bleeding.”

he looks down at his side where an open wound was sluggishly bleeding red (don’t gods bleed gold? do gods bleed at all?), far too nonchalant for your liking, “it... would seem so.”

you crawl from your place and drag him into the only chair chair, ignoring the bodies laying yonder, swallowing down the bile that threatened to rise at the blood that caked his body. “does it hurt?” you look for your bandages, the kitchen remarkably intact despite the fact that the door was beaten down and had sword slashes and arrows sticking out of it. “silly question - it does.”

“not that bad. i’d had worse...”

there’s another pitcher empty nearby, and you fill it with warm water, snagging a clean cloth. tipping the pitcher, you start cleaning the wound, wrinkling your nose and ignoring the way your skin crawled. it was silent, the only sounds being the hisses of stifled pain, the whispers of fabric. you stand up, and grab another cloth and dip it into the pitcher of water before cupping the prince’s chin and wiping away the blood that found its way onto his face. it felt... intimate standing between his open legs, scrutinizing his face for anymore injuries.

you make it up to his neck before you realize just what you were doing. 

what in the gods’ name am i doing?

you clear your throat and take a step back, skin prickling for another reason from the look that the prince gave you, looking to the side. the cloth, stained with red, twists uncertainly between your fingers. “i’m sorry. i... i should’ve known better. i caused you to get hurt.” guilt saturates your tone, enough that zagreus reaches out, hand around your wrist carefully. 

“hey. hey, don’t talk like that. it’s not your fault. you were being kind and they took advantage of that.”

“but i should have been more wary!” you protest, yet allowed yourself to step closer, close enough that zagreus can pull you into a loose hug, shushing you gently. you don’t cry, lost the ability to do so for a long time, but it was close. eventually, the chaos lifts and you pull away, feeling more put-together (you suspect that a breakdown was in order later when zagreus wasn’t around). “... did you get all of them?”

the prince’s countenance darkens, hand curled into a tight fist against his thigh. “no, the leader got away.”

that makes you shiver. aegeus... was more than he seemed, and he appeared to be the type of man to not forgive and forget. but he was gone and that is what mattered. “oh.” you bite your lower lip and look towards the back, “what do we do about the bodies?”

zagreus pats your hand where it rested on the table, “don’t worry, i’ll take care of it.” uncertainly, you nod your head. frazzled by the day’s events. 

“well, i suppose... lunch is in order. go clean yourself up, you stink.” you manage to muster up a smile at the way he pouted and whined, helping him to his feet (although he did playfully make sure you couldn’t tug him up), and nudging him to get cleaned.

as you spooned lentil soup into the bowls, your troubled mind goes to aegeus, before you shake it violently.

it would bode well for you to banish that from your mind, nothing would come from it. after all, no one would dare to cross the gods. 

[ivepetthatpokemon]

I pet Adria, Aegeus, and Sargasso. These Wooper triplets cause a lot of trouble around Hulbury. Sargasso, the oldest, nicks food from The Captain's Table. Adria, the middlest, sneaks into Nessa's gym to swim at night. Aegeus, the youngest, keeps watch.

A friend heard about my tablet plight and gave me theirs, I am eternally grateful. Bear with me while I get used to using a new tablet. Like me work? Consider buying me a coffee: https://ko-fi.com/ivepetthatpokemon i hate this part so i may just close this down

[6rookie-writer0110]

Hearing That Tanya, And Leah Hurry Up And Finish Their Food. Curious Of Their Mate/Imprint Origin. They See Reader Look At Them And Say My Full Name Is "Y/n Johnathan, Samuel, Perseus, Achilles, Theseus, Odysseus, Damokles, Aegeus, Steve, Prince, Kent." Making Them Shocked Of His Name. But They Notice Some Of His Middle Names Are Greek. Making Them Curious. They Reader Say "I Tell You Both About My Father "Kal-El The Last Son Of Krypton Another He Goes By Is His Human Name Clark Kent".

Everyone- 😱

[matrixaffiliate]

A Twist of Fate

Co-written with @hufflepuffmarlenemckinnon

FFN and AO3

Chapter 17

It should not have taken quite so much effort to refrain from laughing at him, Marlene chided herself. He had just poured his heart out to her, professed his love for her, and offered to be a dog for the rest of her life in order to be with her. She shouldn't be amused, he had no way of seeing what she saw, knowing that their destiny was each other, and that Fate had brought them together.

"Sirius, please get off the floor," she smiled down at him and gently tugged on his hands.

Sirius looked like he'd received his death sentence as he stood and Marlene couldn't help but take pity on him.

"Love," she smiled up at him as she snaked her arms around his neck, "is an excellent word for how I feel about you." She pulled him closer as his eyes widened. "Destiny, is another excellent word."

"Destiny?" He furrowed his brow.

"You, you are my destiny Sirius." She smiled up at him. "You and being the Instrument of Fate. I will not marry the mortal man my father chose. I have chosen to retain my powers. I have chosen you, if you'll have me. Should you be willing to accept all the insanity that being the Daughter of Fate entails, I want you by my side."

Sirius' lips crashed into hers and Marlene finally allowed herself to laugh as he kissed her and ran his hands over her.

"Is that a yes then?" She chuckled as he moved to kiss her neck.

"Let me think about it," Sirius smirked against her and Marlene smacked the back of his head.

"Such a temper, Miss Fate," he pulled back laughing and smiled down at her. "I'll walk the world with you."

Marlene really wanted to keep kissing him, but she was suddenly aware of a schedule they needed to keep. Apparently, accepting one's destiny was rewarded in all sorts of ways, some more enjoyable than others. She sighed as she denied herself of kissing him for the second time in 24 hours.

"Let's get the tributes home," she ran her hand along his face. "Then we can go find someplace to celebrate."

He smirked down at her, "That's an interesting term for it."

Marlene laughed and grabbed his hand, "Ever your father's son."

They came to the entrance where the guards were looking both shocked and confused at the Minotaur's lifeless form.

"Send for your sovereign," Marlene fell back into the cold character that Sirius had created for her.

One guard seemed to thank her for the opportunity to leave her presence and bolted. It wasn't long before Minos' was storming down to the maze entrance.

"Murderers!" He cried. "I will involve my father! You will have Zeus to answer to!"

Marlene was finished with him, "Minos, I grow tired of your tantrums! Shall I expose you to your Kingdom for the child you are? Do you dare tempt Fate?"

"My father is the king of the gods!" He stomped his foot.

"Come now, pet," Sirius made grapes grow over the dead Minotaur and snagged a bunch before leaning against Minos. "The Minotaur was a dreadful nasty toy. I'm sure we can find you a better one. Why don't you come back to Olympus with us and ask your Father Dear to come up with something a bit prettier. Perhaps a bit less smelly, as well. You can let King Aegeus know he doesn't have to send people or money to you anymore on the way, since we'll be dropping these lovely little mortals back to their families." Sirius bumped a grape against Minos' nose again and made the same boop noise he had before. "Doesn't that just warm your little heart, Minnie?"

Minos looked like he was going to scream. "I will do no such thing!"

Marlene sighed tiredly. "You will not stop us; you are about to find out exactly who is in control."

She turned to their group, "Let us return." She stalked past Minos and managed to hide her smile as Sirius gave him another kiss.

"You heard her pet, it's been fun but Fate is in charge you know, and I like living with my bowels inside my body."

Sirius walked up to her side and took her hand. "Don't ever let me play my father again," he whispered. "I'm starting to annoy myself."

"But you're so good at it," she teased him quietly.

"Rude!" He rolled his eyes.

Marlene led them to the docks, all the while Minos following after them screaming about how they wouldn't get away with this. Marlene smiled as she saw the sun crest over the horizon, he was about to find out why she was the more compassionate one to be cursed by.

The black ship was still harbored where it had been and as she approached, the sailors all stared at her from the deck, yelling for their shipmates and captain. She spotted the captain and called out to him. "We require passage back to Athens."

He sputtered.

"I forbid it!" Minos yelled.

"Minos," Marlene turned to face him with cold eyes. "My patience is at an end. This day, your Kingdom shall know you for the twisted insolent brat that you are. This day your skin shall decay and your bowels fail you, until the sun sets, all shall know your true nature!"

The change of leprosy was slow but his incontinence came immediately. Minos was now screaming for an entirely different reason. Marlene turned back to the captain.

"When do we leave captain?" She called up to him. He sputtered a moment before remembering how to speak.

"At once, Dreadful Daughter!" He saluted and called for the gangplank to be lowered.

"As soon as you find white sails," Marlene nodded and led their little group back onto the ship, "and enough food to feed the Athenian friends you are returning home."

Amazingly, the ships harbored next to theirs were more than willing to give their ship everything they needed and more to get them off the Island of Crete. They set sail within the hour and Marlene moved to stand near the stern of the ship, watching Crete disappear. She smiled as Sirius walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist.

"Is it later?" He pushed her hair aside to kiss her neck.

Marlene chuckled, "That depends upon the manner of celebration you're asking for, presently."

He hummed against her, "Right now I'll settle for this."

She spun in his arms and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Then it's later." And she kissed him.

[theathenianinspector]

Most Greeks believed in some form of magic and that certain dangerous individuals could use it to get what they wanted, whether that was turning men into pigs or poisoning the next door neighbour. But how did they react to magic and what did they believe witchcraft was?

  Speaking from the 21st Century, it’s pretty difficult trying to find an objective definition of magic in ancient Greece. But a good start would be looking at the myths of Circe and Medea. Both of these mythological women were witches. And both were specifically known for using herbs (pharmaka) to unleash their powers. Circe slips ‘baneful drugs’ into the food that Odysseus’ men consume and then taps them with her wand turning them into swine (Homer, Odyssey 236). While another myth involves her turning the beautiful nymph Scylla into a horrific monster with multiple snapping dog-heads which proceeded to plague unfortunate sailors (and that included Odysseus!), as a result of a jealous rage over the affections of Glaucus

  She bruised immediately the many herbs

most infamous for horrid juices, which,

when bruised, she mingled with most artful care

and incantations given by Hecate.

Ovid, Metamorphoses 14.43-7.

Scylla after Circe’ potion.

While Medea used her magic to help Jason steal the Golden Fleece which was being guarded by the dragon which she lulled to sleep with a combination of a potion and songs to Persephone/Hecate (Apollonius of Rhodes, Argonautica 4.123-161). Both mythic figures were seen to have been helpful at times as well as dangerous, controlling powers that were different and even beyond the martial prowess of heroes. A bronze sword was little good if a hero was poisoned or transformed into an animal. Circe initially harmed Odysseus’ crew, but then became a useful ally in helping him converse with the ghosts from Hades; while Medea, after returning to Greece with Jason, would slay her husband’s new wife Glauce with poison and murder her own children.

  This attitude of pragmatism and dread was not evident in myths alone. In 4th Century Athens a lady named Theoris was executed after being named a witch for her use of drugs and charms:

  ‘It was this brother—I pass over the other facts—who got possession of the drugs and charms from the servant of Theoris of Lemnos, the filthy sorceress whom you put to death on that account with all her family.’  Demosthenes, Against Aristogeiton 79.

  Being accused of witchcraft could have very serious consequences for women. Not only did the Athenians kill Theoris, but her entire family. Examples had to be made otherwise every politician would have been openly asking for poisons and sorcery to undermine or kill their opponents. Theoris’ charges were implicitly for murder, more specifically by means of poison. The Athenians’ fear of a witch’s poison didn’t arise from thin air. Their legendary king Theseus (slayer of the minotaur) was almost poisoned by Medea, with the consent of his father Aegeus (Apollodorus, Bibliotheca, Epitome 1.5-6). The witches of myth sowed dread among the children, and probably among the adults, of Athens. The way sorceresses straddled that line between natural and supernatural taps into the same source of fear that we feel whenever we imagine monsters of mythology. The word ‘pharmaka’ (drugs) recurs when the Greeks talked about witchcraft. What they meant by ‘drugs’ were the grasses and herbs witches used were from the natural world. It was on the whims and demeanor of the witch if they would be used for harm or benefit; and who would be the victim. She had all the power which derived from her skill and expertise; uncommon traits when referring to ancient Greek women. Although not all magic was organically plant based.

    Lead Curse Tablet (left), Curse Figurine in Coffin (right)

The ancients also used curse tablets made of lead which were engraved with whatever harm the individual wanted his foe to suffer. Lead was a cheap material, easy to inscribe and its pitch black colour associated it with darkness and the Underworld. They were then punched with nails as if to hammer in the message to the gods or ghosts. Many tablets were left among graves and tombs outside of cities, so the shades of the dead could read and carry out their bidding. Also placed with the tablets were ancient Greek curse figurines (aka. Voodoo dolls) often shaped in painful positions and placed in coffins. Because graveyards were always outside of the city gates, curse makers were actually making an effort and possibly putting themselves in danger from bandits and wild animals by venturing outside the safety of the city walls. If they weren’t placed in graveyards, they were nailed onto the doors of temples.

  “I bind down before the chthonic gods the legal action of Apithamb.al

against Numerius and Dameas, lest he be able to speak in opposition,

lest he be able to speak in opposition to any legal action or to

hate.”

Greek Curse Tablet found in Lilybaeum

  We can observe the example tablet which calls for the gods to silence his opponent at an oncoming court session. The above all practical application of dark magic to get what the man wanted. Or, considering that the ancients must have noticed when their curses didn’t happen, maybe this entire ritual was cathartic, or they were hoping for a slim chance of success. Who knows? Notice also the reference to ‘chthonic gods’, a reference to the Underworld deities since dark magic such as poisons and curses were among the domain of the Underworld gods; Hecate in particular, the goddess of witchcraft and magic. Sometimes imagined as a kindly and helpful goddess who helped mortal men achieve their ambitions (Hesiod, Theogony 410-453), she was also revered as a patron by Medea who practised dark arts and was intent on killing her and her husband’s entire family. Did this reflect the character of Hecate’s follower rather than of the goddess herself?

  ‘By the goddess I worship most of all, my chosen helper Hecate, who dwells in the inner chamber of my house, none of them shall pain my heart and smile at it! Bitter will I make their marriage, bitter Creon’s marriage-alliance, and bitter my banishment from the land!’  Euripides, Medea 395-398

Representation of Hecate

The problem with dark magic and witchcraft was that for all its terrible reputation, ancient Greek heroes and even contemporary mortals could see the advantages of using it. Even Hecate, a goddess of dark magic, necromancy and a resident of the Underworld was initially seen as a powerful benefactor in the Archaic period. Men paid for the services of women like Theoris of Lemnos because they genuinely believed that a little magic could get them what they wanted; whether that was the death of a rival or a cure for impotence. (The latter probably came up more often than we might wish to imagine!) It’s why they also stole away in the middle of the night to graveyards to plant curses. Odysseus himself only beats Circe because he himself drinks a potion made from an herb called Moly that resists her sorcery (Homer, Odyssey 10.302-5). For all the ancients’ flaws, they did value practicality, and they weren’t afraid to play dirty. And Jason’s own father Aeson regained his youth and vigour with Medea’s help; he also killed Pelias, the man who had stolen his throne, with her aid as well.

Medea tricks Pelias’ daughters into chopping up their father.

Sorcery and witchcraft may have led to stigmatisation and possibly even death in the worst cases, but that didn’t mean that the Greeks didn’t see the practical advantage of discretely using the powers of the Underworld or the magics of herbology to achieve their goals. Was this hypocrisy? Kind of.

  Happy Halloween,

Dan Tang

The Athenian Inspector

  If you want to learn about the Romans, check out: https://romanimperium.wordpress.com/

Witchcraft, Dark Magic and the Greeks Most Greeks believed in some form of magic and that certain dangerous individuals could use it to get what they wanted, whether that was turning men into pigs or poisoning the next door neighbour.

[strangelittlestories]

Theseus and Asterion

A #microfiction for fans of Labyrinths, monsters and badass demigodesses...

Why does someone make a Labyrinth? For people to get lost in?

No. You make a Labyrinth with a centre. You put people in it to find the path.

Why do you put something in a Labyrinth? To hide it?

Ha. Putting something at the centre of a Labyrinth is the surest way to make people *seek* it.

For this is what Pasiphae did when she gave birth to a monster. Pasiphae, child of Helios. Pasiphae Sunspawn. Pasiphae the Oracle, who saw with eyes as bright as daybreak.

Pasiphae who was more sunfire than woman. Who mated with a Godly bull because *fuck you* that's why.

Pasiphae who saw her child's twisted path as clear as dawning.

What do you put in a Labyrinth? What do you keep swaddled at its heart?

Oh, something precious. Something that must be kept safe.

She called him Asterion, for the stars that were his eyes.

She suckled him on sunshine and when he was big enough, she weaned him onto scraps of scorched flesh.

The rumours abounded, of course, that Asterion was feeding on the flesh of humans. And perhaps, it is possible, that when wicked people came to take him away from his mother, that he fought then and killed them with the godly strength that others would call monstrous.

Would you not have fought for a parent?

Alas, rumours are what they are. Something had to be done.

What kind of person designs a Labyrinth as a prison? An engineer?

An engineer is really just a person who solves puzzles. And when Pasiphae came to Daedalus with a puzzle, he saw a way all the parts could fit together.

In return, she made sure he had plenty of wax and feathers in his cell. For all the good it did him.

What do you call a Labyrinth that you don't plan to leave? A trap?

Or, perhaps, if you were safe and if your sister Ariadne (who could find the secret ways of the maze with string to guide her) brought you enough food and enough books, you might call it home. For a while at least. You might, deep in the dark with an ever shrinking supply of candles, you even remember that you are more than a monster. At times.

But Pasiphae dreamed of more than this for her darling child. For the precious, holy creature who held heavens in his countenance.

So, when one of her other sons (one of Minos’s brats) died due to the treachery of the Athenians, Pasiphae saw a way that salvation could perhaps be bought with that tragedy. Knowing the Greeks and their fondness for Heroes, she knew that demanding reparation in a tithe of human lives would surely bring a shining paragon who would rescue her child.

Admittedly, she did not expect it to take so long. She saved what poor unfortunates she could from their fate in the maze (though it must be said, that was as much to spare Asterion the guilt as to spare them their lives).

Finally, Theseus arrived. Ariadne was persuaded to make doe eyes and escort him into the Labyrinth’s core.

What do you call a person who willingly goes into an impossible Labyrinth to confront a holy monster? A hero?

You might be better off calling him an optimist.

For when Theseus met eyes with Asterion, he fell for him immediately. How could he not, when his eyes seemed full of galaxies? And so, in the heart of maze made by a master, *their* two hearts were joined.

The extraction wasn’t easy to arrange, but everyone involved was determined. And Minos was very much prepared to believe that the bull remains he found in the maze were those of Asterion.

Once the lovers let Ariadne off to meet her lover, Dionysus, at Naxos, it should have been plain sailing for them.

But Poseidon had never liked Asterion and he threw up a storm to scupper their ship and their hopes.

With home tantalisingly close, Theseus had the crew ring up black sails, to indicate that the Gods were displeased and that sacrifice should be made.

Theseus’s father, King Aegeus, tried every sacrifice he could think of. Wine, gold, animals … nothing worked. He grew desperate.

What do you call it when you would give anything? When you would pay your every iota and dash yourself upon the rocks, praying that you might wrestle fate aside?

You might call it sacrifice. You might call it ritual. You might call it love.

Whatever you call it, the storm broke. Theseus and Asterion made harbour safely.

Their happiness would be tinged with tragedy, but it was always going to. And it was happiness, nonetheless.

And far away, looking down on them through the sun as it burned through the clouds, Pasiphae smiled.

Why does someone make a Labyrinth?

So that something precious might be found in its heart.