The day that I have dreaded has finally arrived. Moving day! This is going to be a hard day for me. You see, I have lived here on the mountain of Olympus for the last two millennia, and now I have to move down the mountain with the others. What is making this so hard is that I must leave my two brothers and my sister. We have never been apart for more than a few days.
“But how am I to leave you?” I asked my brother, Kratos, as I flopped on my bed for the tenth time.
“Easily, little one. You just go,” he responded.
“Besides, little one, we won’t be far from you. You can fly up here any time you want,” My sister Bia said as she sat next to me.
“Unless father Zeus forbids it,” Zelus suggested as he leaned on the door frame.
“No, I don’t think he has…” but I thought to myself internally, I hope he hasn’t.
“Well now, what do you want to take with you?” Bia got up off my bed and walked over to the wardrobe, where my few clothes hung.
“I don’t have much,” I shrugged.
“You’ll be able to pick up a few things when you’re down there, won’t you?” Bia asked.
“I guess. I started my job a few weeks ago and Janice, my manager at Starbucks, suggested that I buy my clothes at a place called H&M or Forever 21. I’m hoping to go with one of the others later on.”
“Little one, are you taking your armor?” Kratos asked as he held up my shield. “You might need it.”
“Really?! There isn’t a war down there.”
Kratos stood just like our first father. He was holding my sword, just as he had during one of our trainings. “A GREAT WARRIOR IS NEVER WITHOUT HIS/OR HER ARMOUR!” Kratos mimicked our father Pallas. The room erupted with laughter.
“Oh wait…” Zelus came into the room, taking the sword from Kratos. Pointing the sword at Kratos, he said, “AND A WARRIOR NEVER LAYS HIS SWORD DOWN UNTIL HE’S DEAD!” Zelus put the sword under his armpit to pretend to be slain, falling back onto the floor, making us all laugh more.
Bia got up next removed the sword from Zelus. “And father Pallas would say, “CLEAN KILLS ARE A SURE KILL!”
I jumped up on my bed and in my full voice and spread my wings. “BETTER TO BE COVERED IN BLOOD FROM BATTLE THAN TO RETURN HOME WITHOUT A SINGLE KILL!” I shouted and the others joined in. Our first father said this all the time. Collapsing on my bed, I brought my wings in as we all laughed and laughed.
As the laughter subsided, a tear was falling down my cheek at all these memories that were surfacing of the old days. I couldn’t help feeling all these different emotions. I hadn’t thought about the first parents in a long time. Yet over these last few months, that’s all I can think about.
Zelus got up from the floor, and as usual, he was next to me in an instant, holding me close to him. “Now, now, little one, don’t start that again. We are not far from you.”
“Yes, little one, and the others are on strict orders to keep their eyes on you for us,” said Bia as she also joined us on my bed.
Kratos, not wanting to see his little sister upset again, crossed to her and lifted her up into an embrace. “We will always be here, little one.”
“Family hug!” Zelus shouted.
After a few moments like this, we parted and once again looked to the wardrobe. One of Uncle Hades’ minions had brought up boxes for everyone. I crossed over to the wardrobe and pulled out my two finest tunics and my three pairs of gold sandals. As I pulled on the belt that was stuck on something, Kratos crossed over to help me. He reached up and pulled down a box. “What’s this?” he asked me.
“I have no idea,” I answered.
I took the box from him and crossed over to the bed again. All eyes were on me as I took the lid off. Inside were things from the temple days and there was something I had thought I had lost so many eons ago.
Bia asked me, “Nike, why do you still have that?”
“I…I” I quickly put everything back inside the box. I got up to put it back on the shelf.
“No, little one, it’s time to tell,” Kratos said sternly.
“She needs to know the truth,” Bia said as she stood and crossed to put her hand on my shoulder.
“No, I just couldn’t.” I looked away from them.
“With her birthday coming soon, you need to say something. You’ve kept the secret long enough.” Zelus said, nudging me gently.
Turning to face my elder siblings, I knew they were right. I didn’t want to be the bearer of bad news.
“But what will she think of me? Of all of us?” I asked.
“She’s smart just like her mother. She will come to terms with it as soon as you tell her.”
I nodded my head as I placed the smaller box in the other box.
“Alright, little one, its time.”
And with that, we all four jumped off the balcony to get me settled in my new nest down in the new Olympus Administration building, without them for the first time in all my existence.
Thank you, mortals, for reading my little tale. This is part two of three parts, so stay tuned for the other chapters. And yes, they are meant to be read this way. Nike the Winged Goddess can be found on twitter @NiketheGoddes
Nikki Crump-Hansted is a professionally trained actress from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. She’s been writing short stories and telling tall tales since she was very young. Nikki is currently one of the original Gods of the Pantheon. She not only writes for the Goddess Nike, but also does her voice, as well as the voices for many of the characters she has written in the blog. Follow her on Twitter @CrumpHansted
| Original God (OG) - Charter member of In The Pantheon |
#WritingCommunity #ThePantheon
- To Be Seen Is a Beautiful Thing - April 1, 2022
- A Mother Knows - January 26, 2022
- A Mother’s Wisdom, Part II: Victory in Balance - October 30, 2021