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The Immortal Heart	By : amandalee Category: 1 through F > Clash of the Titans (2010) > Clash of the Titans (2010) Views: 7819 -:- Recommendations : 2 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: We do not own Clash of the Titans or the characters portrayed in this story, and we make no money from writing this.

Chapter List
- 42
- 43
- 44
Chapter 43

If only Hades could somehow tell his sisters that they worried for nothing, for he was presently quite safe where he was on his journey. He and Poseidon’s flying horse had been flying for nearly a day, and though they were hungry from the length of their journey, both were rather well.

Hades was mindful of the amount of food he could carry in his pack, and did not want to run out of rations in case they became lost, but after achieving flight on this wild beast without getting thrown or kicked, he had become quite confident that the horse would find its way to land.

Hopefully said land was the Olympian’s home and not the other side of Crete.

Thank goodness I thought to dress warmly, the god thought to himself. Not only were they flying over the cold of the sea, but they were far enough into the air that they would occasionally pass through clouds. Though he shivered slightly, Hades knew he could have been much colder had he not thought to wear a cloak.

Much of their journey passed flying through clouds, and the god had no way of knowing if they were headed in the right direction. He did know, however, that they needed to find land soon, or Hades and his mount would inevitably succumb to fatigue or thirst, both of which were threatening to overcome the pair. His small storage of water had nearly run out, and though water filled his entire range of vision, sea water as a drinking source was a poor option.

Hades steadfastly tangled his hands in the white beast’s mane, worried he might doze off and start to slide off the animal were he not careful.

I was stupid to try this, he thought ruefully as another hour passed, and the sun began to set behind the darkening horizon. He had flown for a full night and a day without rest, and yet there was no land in sight. Was the eldest son of Cronos destined to end his life here, on the vast ocean, tumbling into the depths after falling off his exhausted mount? A less meaningful death was difficult to think of.

Lingering hope of finding his brother somehow managed to help Hades keep his impending despair at bay, and he frequently rubbed his sleep-worn eyes to keep them from sliding shut.

Suddenly the god noticed that they had lost altitude and his sight was thus no longer hindered by clouds. Afraid that the horse was nearing the end of its strength, he leaned against the powerful neck, whispering encouraging words in the animal’s ear. When he lifted his head, he saw it, and for a moment Hades was convinced that his exhaustion was making him hallucinate. Land was within reach, only a few leagues away.

“Press onward, my friend,” Hades whispered in the horse’s ear, a sudden anxious timbre in his voice. “We are nearly there. Do not give up just yet.”

Hades hoped that what he and his mount saw before them was no hallucination brought on by thirst and exhaustion, and that indeed they had made it to the mainland. A fear occurred to him for a moment that they had only gone in circles or had arrived in some unfamiliar place, and that their journey had been for nothing, but he stubbornly ignored that fear. Coming to Crete had been a straight venture from one point to another, and this had to be home.

The stallion continued its descent as land came ever closer, and Hades could feel the warmth in the air against his cheeks. He closed his eyes and savored the change. This could not possibly be a dream.

Either the horse was not yet used to landing or it was weary from the long flight, for reaching the ground was harsh and jostled Hades so that he held onto the animal’s neck tightly. No matter the reason, the horse seemed to be just as happy to be on solid ground as Hades, and it nuzzled the god with its soft nose as it allowed its rider to dismount.

“I am happy we arrived too,” Hades said with a chuckle as he halfheartedly warded off the affectionate nuzzles, delighting in the soft chuffing noises the animal made. “Now, let us see if we can find something to eat.”

*

Poseidon made a few attempts to initiate conversation with his brother in the morning, but Zeus quickly proved that he was not in the mood to talk. Whether this was still related to what occurred two nights ago or if Zeus was simply in a dour mood was something the elder god was left wondering on his own.

“Staying here is a waste of time,” the leader muttered as the two gods shared a meager breakfast by the now extinguished camp fire. “Three nights, and still no sign of Chiron. I’m beginning to think that damn half-breed has betrayed us.”

“Chiron would never do that,” Poseidon promptly objected, holding on to his fond memories of the centaur. “If he wanted to betray us, he could have done so when our allies entrusted him to deliver our gifts. He could have taken them to Cronos, but he didn’t.”

Zeus smiled grimly. “You are of course right,” he admitted. “But if anything, I know how quick allies can become enemies in war. We shall stay here one more night. If we have received no word from Chiron by the morrow, we’ll pack up and find our true allies by ourselves.”

Though Poseidon knew that he could not go against Zeus’ decision, the desire to defend his equine half-brother still remained strong. “Chiron is a true ally,” he argued. “He will stay true to his word, I’m sure of it.”

“He has until tomorrow to prove it,” Zeus said tersely. “You must not let your feelings cloud your judgment.”

“I wasn’t.”

“Good.”

Poseidon glanced at his younger brother, wanting to continue the argument but knowing it was no use. Unless Zeus’ mood improved, it was going to be a long day.

Hours passed at a dreary pace. Poseidon was nearly sitting on his hands to keep his patience, while Zeus allowed his own edginess to run on its own. The youngest god took up practicing his sword arm against a tree trunk and by the time he had tired himself, Poseidon hated to be anywhere near his brother. Those savage swings and hacks meant any foe facing the Olympian leader would not stand a chance, if the state of the tree was of any indication.

Shortly before noon Poseidon was contemplating whether he should ask Zeus to join him in fishing or not when a peculiar feeling came over him. He felt a presence nearby that he had not felt in the past few days, and that presence was very familiar to him…

No wonder it felt so familiar. It was similar to himself. As though he had left a mark on whatever this unseen thing was. But the last time he had used his influence on a living creature, it had escaped him.

“It can’t be,” he muttered in disbelief. Zeus, who had walked nearby, heard his voice.

“What were you saying?”

Poseidon did not answer at first. He stood up and looked around for any sort of sign that his creation was near. He did not hear hoof beats, so he looked to the sky.

“It’s here,” he said.

“What? What is?” Zeus asked, alarmed. He too searched the skies, fearing an enemy was approaching.

“Not an adversary,” Poseidon stated. His ears strained and he heard a distant neighing. He smiled. Seconds later he saw something break through the clouds.

“My flying horse!” he exclaimed happily as the approaching figure descended. “He’s flown across the sea!”

“Nonsense,” Zeus replied, following his brother’s gaze. “It cannot have…” But one thing the god had learned was to always trust his own eyes, and to his astonishment he could see that Poseidon was right. The thing flying high over their heads was too large to be any known bird, and once his eyes had adjusted to the bright light surrounding it, Zeus spotted the hooves galloping even with nothing but air beneath them.

Poseidon’s experiment truly had flown across the sea.

“Quickly, brother!” he shouted in excitement. “Trap it! Make it land! We must---”

The sound of another voice carrying through the air made the youngest god interrupt himself. The voice was coming from the flying spectacle and urging the horse to descend with care. Despite the wind scattering it, Zeus recognized the voice before his eyes could confirm what he was hearing. The horse had a rider, and it was his eldest brother and mate.

Poseidon was aiming his trident at the creation, ready to follow his brother’s orders when Zeus suddenly tackled him to the ground, shouting at him stop immediately. Briefly the elder god wondered if the leader had gone mad or was just being really indecisive when Zeus bellowed the shocking news to his face.

Hades was on the horse.

Quietly, as though he had done nothing except ride on flying horses throughout his life, Hades landed his mount on the ground a short distance away, and the two younger gods struggled to their feet, momentarily too stunned to speak.

Zeus was the first to come running closer, though Poseidon followed quickly afterwards. Hades dismounted and was on the ground before they reached him, and he wore a joyous grin as he greeted them.

“Brothers,” he said, arms out. “I was worried I would not find you.”

“What are you doing here, Hades?” Zeus asked, eyes wide with worry. Immediately his thoughts turned dark. “Are our sisters alright? Did something happen?”

“Nothing is wrong, dearest brother,” Hades said, smiling. “I came to see you! Can you believe it? I managed to ride our brother’s horse all the way here from Crete.”

Zeus had become silent, hardly listening to his brother’s words when he realized this was no emergency.

“You came to see us.” The tone of his voice was low and soft, but sounded almost deadly as he spoke. Hades had a feeling this would not be the worst of it, not nearly.

“Well…” he said quietly, feeling very foolish now. “Yes, I…”

Hades could speak no further because Zeus’ broad hand struck his face. The eldest god staggered and turned his head to avoid another blow. He was silent from shock.

“Why on earth would you ignore the safety of Crete where we left you just to come and see us?!” the younger god demanded, making Hades jump, frightened. “What if you had been attacked? What if someone or something has followed you?”

“I…” Hades felt like an absolute idiot. “I don’t think I saw—”

“I am very sure you didn’t think!” Zeus snapped. “You were safe with our sisters! Now you are here where the enemy lies in wait to strike. And they will try to attack you first. Do you think that is what I want?!”

“Zeus, for pity’s sake, CALM DOWN,” Poseidon shouted nearly as loudly as his youngest sibling. “Do you want our enemies to hear us? Though I agree that our brother has decided poorly, what is important is that he safely reached us, with an extra ally no less. The least you can do is be thankful that he is unharmed.”

Hades could not meet his furious brother’s gaze and thus turned his eyes down to the ground, feeling as they overflowed with tears. He had expected this to be a cheerful reunion, to be taken up in Zeus’ arms and held tight as he covered the face of his brother and leader with kisses. Instead Zeus had struck him across the face and stood shouting at him as though Hades was worth less than a bug beneath his sandal. The eldest god wished he could sink through the ground, anything to get away from the rage in his beloved’s sparkling blue eyes.

When he saw that Hades was weeping, Zeus’ first impulse was to tell him to stop. Crying was not going to improve their situation or excuse Hades from the foolish decision he’d made. However, the smaller god’s tears had always been effective in soothing Zeus’ flaring temper, and this time was no exception. Stepping closer to Hades, saddened to see his mate recoil from him, he grasped him by the shoulders and rubbed gently.

“Please forgive me,” he said. “I should not have hit you. That was wrong.”

Hades continued sobbing and did not look up to meet Zeus’ eyes.

“Brother, you must turn back,” Zeus calmly instructed. “It is too dangerous here for you. Go back to Crete, where you are safe.”

“I cannot go back,” Hades replied in a half-choked voice. He and his mount had spent almost a full day up in the skies, and they were both absolutely exhausted. Making the same journey so soon after completing their first one seemed like an impossibility.

“Zeus, he is right,” Poseidon interjected. “Sending him back now would be even more dangerous. It is a wonder that Hades avoided detection by Cronos and his ilk on his way here. His luck might not last if we send him across the ocean once more.”

“I’m sorry…” the hapless god whispered, face in his hands. “I just wanted to help…”

Zeus softly stroked Hades’ back, starting from the nape of the other god’s neck downward. Such was the strange thing about the youngest Olympian’s touch. Within only a few moments Zeus’ strength had displayed both cruelty and gentility. Hades was often pleasantly surprised at how tender his brother’s touch could be, and now he took the opportunity to enjoy that tenderness. Sadness and shame still ruled his heart, but he was calm.

“You were helping by looking after our sisters,” Zeus said quietly.

“I was not,” Hades softly replied. He blinked away several more tears, and soon he felt anger as he remembered the reason why he had finally left. But before he could explain any further, a loud snort erupted from his mount.

Both gods looked up in surprise to see the winged horse, bug-eyed with tension, all but snarling at Poseidon, who was quickly pulling his hand away. As they looked to their brother for some kind of justification, Poseidon only stared back, looking to be both in shock and disbelief.

“He bit me!” he exclaimed, rubbing at his shoulder.

“Easy,” Hades said, immediately at the horse’s side, stroking its neck. An irritated shudder passed through the animal’s muscle and the eldest god was momentarily reminded of Chiron. He wondered if his brothers had thought the same.

“Clearly he’s not going to forgive you anytime soon,” Hades said with regret.

“How did you manage to tame him?” Poseidon asked, and both his brothers could spot a hint of envy in his voice.

“Like all horses, this one has a sweet tooth,” Hades replied, smiling. “So I offered him apples. This was so appreciated that he let me get close and eventually mount him.”

Poseidon proceeded to mutter something unintelligible about ungrateful beasts, still obviously discontent that the horse had rejected his advances once more.

“You must be hungry, brother,” Zeus said, addressing Hades. “Did you have anything to eat at all during your journey?”

“I brought some apples and other fruits,” Hades said, indicating his bag, which looked sadly deflated. “I ate some, but he ate most of it. I figured that his hunger was more important to still than mine, considering…”

“Considering that he was carrying you on his back, yes,” Zeus finished the sentence for him. “But you must be starving. Let me at least give you something to eat.”

The Olympian leader led his eldest brother toward their tent, where meat from the previous day’s quarry – an adolescent wild boar – still remained. The heavenly scent of roasted boar meat filled Hades’ nose, and he could not think of any previous occasion when he’d been this hungry.

Zeus watched in mild surprise as his brother ate almost ravenously, his usual table manners all but gone, as Hades tore chunks of tender meat from the bone with his teeth and barely even took the time to chew it before repeating the procedure.

“Careful now,” Zeus said, a little entertained by his brother’s voracious appetite. “You’ll make yourself sick.”

“That is not very difficult for me,” Hades muttered, mouth slightly full. He slowed his eating and took the time to drink some water. As he gave his stomach some time to digest what he had thus far eaten, he felt a blanket drape over him. His hunger had been so great that only now when he was offered some heat did he realize how cold he was. At least he was no longer in the sky amongst chilly clouds.

“What shall we do with your horse?” Zeus asked as he sat down behind his brother, arms at the elder god’s sides and providing further warmth. Hades quietly relished the comforting sensation of his mate’s presence.

“It’s not truly my horse,” Hades replied with a small smile. “Poor Poseidon. He wanted that animal to trust him so badly. Perhaps he should have tried a colt.”

Zeus laughed. “Maybe so. A stallion is too willful for someone like him. He did not think to win its trust first… like you did.”

Hades felt a heat in his cheeks and thought he might be blushing at the compliment. “So… I tamed that horse to carry me and me alone, and I found the mainland with no sense of direction. For once I have achieved something.”

“You don’t give yourself enough credit. I am sure you were of great help to our sisters before you left.”

Hades made a small noise of confirmation, but it hardly sounded convincing. “If only…”

Zeus’ brow knitted in puzzlement. “Brother?”

“The reason I left Crete to find you and Poseidon was that I could no longer stand being in that house… with her,” the elder god quietly explained. He kept his voice low to conceal the anger that rose within him as he continued with his story.

Zeus did not need to ask his brother to know whom Hades was referring to. The only member of their family who did not get on with Hades was their eldest sister.

“Did she hurt you?” Zeus asked sympathetically, stroking the slight form in his grasp.

Hades proceeded to tell his brother of the nightly incident in his bedroom when Hades had gone there, believing the bed to be unoccupied.

“I understand that I frightened her, but she was so vicious… The things she said, on top of hitting me… When our sisters came rushing in, she accused me of trying to force her. It was horrible. She looked like she wished the life out of me.”

“But it was not what made you leave?” Zeus asked.

“That happened last night,” Hades murmured. “I went out for a walk to collect my thoughts, and when I returned, the door was locked. She knew I was going out, and yet she locked me out on purpose. I got so mad I swore I’d leave, and…”

“You did,” Zeus added, then chuckled. “I still think it was a terrible decision, and I have not forgiven you, but it was brave.”

Suddenly Hades had lost his appetite, and he stared at the remains of meat on his plate. Now his feelings of foolishness had returned, joined by a sense of absolute guilt.

“How was it brave?” he asked, truly awaiting an honest answer. “I left like a thief in the middle of the night, without even telling them. Demeter and Hestia must be hysterical with worry. Oh, but I felt…”

Though Zeus was annoyed at the news that Hades had left without any warning to his sisters, he was not entirely surprised.
“Why did you not tell them, Hades?” he simply asked. He felt Hades tense within his hold, as though awaiting another blow in explaining.

“I did not want to be a bother.”

I thought as much, Zeus thought in annoyance, but he did not say this aloud. The look on Hades’ face indicated that the older god also thought this was a poor excuse.

“Demeter was angry when she allowed me back inside. Whether it was more with me or with Hera I was not certain. But I lay there alone in bed, wanting no other company than yours… and I could no longer bear it. My heart ached for you and I ignored thoughts of telling Hestia or Demeter where I was going.”

A moment of silence passed and Hades had a feeling that Zeus was angrier than ever. Instead, Zeus reached forward and picked up a piece of meat from the plate before the two gods and held it inches from Hades’ face. The older god tentatively took the food and nibbled on it.

“I meant that you were brave to face the unknown with only a pack of dwindling food and an unpredictable mount. You say it took you a day to cross the sea?”

Hades nodded as he nibbled.

“Impressive. You have been foolish… but you have also been clever. I may still be cross for your departure, but… I think I am also a little proud.”

Hades failed to hold back a smile at his brother’s words. Hearing Zeus saying that he was proud was the greatest reward the shy, withdrawn god could get.

“Did you miss me at all, Zeus?” he asked, twisting his neck to look at the other over his shoulder. The arms around him tightened their hold.

“Every second of the day,” Zeus replied solemnly. “Especially at night…” He would not go into detail about what his burning desire had driven him to do a couple of nights ago, but still he made it clear what – or rather who – his thoughts lingered on while he lay wrapped up in his bed furs trying to find sleep.

“Good thing there is room for another in our tent,” Zeus pointed out. Hades had not brought any bed furs of his own, but Zeus would gladly share his own with his mate. “Although after that hearty meal of yours, I’ll expect you to keep us all awake with your belches and breaking of wind!”

Hades giggled, and when Zeus suddenly poked him in his full belly without warning, an audible burp exited his mouth. The younger god was soon roaring with laughter.

“Listen to you!” he exclaimed. “One could think you ate that entire boar by yourself!”

Now blushing, Hades murmured something about not eating for a full day, and Zeus poked him again, harder this time, but no belch left his mouth now. Instead Hades began to feel slightly sick, and he knew that unless he took care, he might soon have to crawl outside to vomit up his recent meal.

“Stop, stop, I don’t feel well,” he said, still laughing but well aware that their playful behavior could not go on much longer.

“You were very hungry,” Zeus observed as he obeyed his brother’s request. “What with the speed you devoured your meal, I would not be surprised if you developed a stomachache.” A pause, and then he added, “waste of a good meal if you vomited.”

A small reserved chuckle escaped Hades’ lips, and he simply smiled. “I shall try to keep everything down,” he said, and he leaned back against his brother.

Zeus seemed to be very aware of the other god’s very full stomach, for he wrapped his arms around Hades as gently as possible and took great care in guiding him down to the ground. A warm puff of air touched Hades’ cheek and lips soon followed. Eyes shut, Hades felt at peace in his leader and mate’s arms.

“Are you in any discomfort?” he heard Zeus gently inquire. “If I don’t hear another belch, I fear you might burst.”

“That’s not funny,” Hades replied, trying not to smile at his brother’s silly behavior. “You could likely consume far more and not even feel the slightest change.”

“Our bodies are very different,” the youngest god said. With one arm still acting as a cushion beneath Hades’ head, Zeus freed his other arm and placed a careful hand against Hades’ stomach. Every part of the Olympian leader was warm, especially his hands, and began to rub as gently as possible, as though encouraging the food to digest peacefully. Hades might have laughed if the contact did not feel so good, so very good.

A flicker of sadness passed through Zeus’ thoughts as he continued. Though not prominent, Hades’ belly was full, and feeling it brought back memories of the two gods in bed, taking turns touching a round swell and discussing what features from each parent their child might possess.

Zeus was not one to show his emotions, and he would not allow his brother to notice his sadness. The child was now in the past and there was nothing to be done about it, and in addition, Zeus knew how sad the subject was to Hades.

The elder god was about to drift off to sleep, still exhausted from his trying journey and soothed by his brother’s tender touch, when Zeus’ hand suddenly pulled up the hem of his robe and started caressing his inner thighs.

Hades, knowing he should have expected Zeus to initiate sex but still slightly unprepared for it couldn’t help but twitch. “I’m sorry…” he murmured when Zeus frowned at his response. “I suppose riding through the skies has left me jittery.”

Zeus’ scowl turned into a warm smile, and he leaned down to kiss his mate on the lips. “I understand,” he said. “The fear of being thrown off up in the clouds can put anyone on edge. However, allow me to soothe you.”

The bigger god’s hand trailed from Hades’ lily white thighs to his groin, firmly cupping both his soft member and testes. A shudder passed through Hades at the intimate contact, and he realized how much he had missed his youngest brother’s undivided attention.

Zeus removed first his own clothes and then both Hades’ robe and travelling cloak, bundling up the latter for his brother to use as a pillow. The air inside the tent was chilly, and Hades shivered when his bare skin came in contact with it.

“Shhh, I’ll warm you…” Zeus whispered, lying down next to the smaller god and taking him up in his arms. He gently kissed the gooseflesh formed on Hades’ shoulders and simultaneously allowed his hands to explore further down.

His concentration was suddenly interrupted by Poseidon entering the tent with no prior warning and asking if they could trust the animal to stay put without tying it to something.

Though the impatient look on Zeus’ visage was funny, Hades did not laugh. He too was annoyed at the interruption.

Poseidon had not seen much of his brothers’ activity to know what was going on, and he turned his head, feeling incredibly rude for barging in as he had, one foot inside the tent and the other outside.

“I think the horse will be fine,” Hades replied. “He has all the grass he can eat. Besides, if you go near him with a tether, you will frighten him away.”

Poseidon nearly huffed with annoyance, but he knew his eldest brother was likely right. The stallion was anxious enough in his presence, and the sight of a bridal or a rope would send it galloping out away… or it would bite him again. He rubbed the healing mark on his shoulder. He was lucky the damnable beast had bitten only as strong as a warning.

“If you say so,” he said doubtfully. “I apologize in interrupting you. The two of you have not had some time alone in a week, and that is certainly a long time for either of you. I should—”

“No, no,” Zeus interjected. “We all share this tent. There is no need for you to leave.”

Clearing his throat, Poseidon fully entered the tent. “Thank you. Pretend as though I am not here,” he said. He took a seat to prepare himself for bed, but not before wincing as his backside met the ground. Zeus had not noticed this, but Hades had. He wondered what this was about, but soon a tongue was lapping at his chest and his focus switched entirely to Zeus once more.

Though their brother lying only two feet away was a distraction, Hades tried his best to ignore Poseidon and instead concentrate on the wonders Zeus did to his body. He was, however, unable to completely relax, and his eyes were constantly drawn to the curly-haired god to check if he was watching them.

Zeus noticed the nervous behavior in his eldest brother and cupped his face to keep Hades’ eyes and focus on himself. “He doesn’t care,” Zeus murmured in his mate’s ear. “Do as he said, pretend as though he’s not even here.”

“I’ll try,” Hades whispered back, willing himself to do as the youngest god had told him.

Poseidon felt it was the most polite to keep his back turned to the two lovers sharing his tent, though he was not able to block out the sound of passion originating from them.

I should have just stayed outside until they were done with their business, he thought, knowing that finding sleep would be impossible until Zeus had gotten his release.

Hades moaned when Zeus’ fingers delved into his channel and found the spot responsible for such pleasure when touched. One of his hands travelled along the edge of the animal fur he was lying on, when it suddenly brushed against a body that was not Zeus.

Poseidon failed to suppress a wince when a warm, slender hand unexpectedly touched the small of his back, and he glanced over his shoulder at the pair. Zeus was busy slicking his phallus with oil while Hades lay on the ground, visibly bothered.

“Sorry,” Hades muttered, blushing a little.

“I take up too much room,” Poseidon replied with a smile, hoping it would show he was not bothered at all. In truth, he was very much affected.

“Are you ready?” he heard Zeus ask Hades, undistracted by the brief exchange. Hades must have nodded, for he said nothing, and after a small bit of shifting in positions, penetration had been made. Hades made a soft little moan; he was experienced and allowed his leader’s phallus to all but slide into him, and it clearly satisfied him greatly. A rustling was heard as Zeus began to thrust and then both gods were moaning.

Clearly Poseidon simply could not sleep outside on the cold ground, and he had been welcomed into the tent, but still he felt out of place beside his rutting brothers. Out of place and in the way. He did take up too much room, and every so often he would feel an accidental nudge from a shoulder or knee, or the unintentional brush of a hand. Poseidon would have loved to fall asleep and let the coupling pass by unnoticed, but the noises and movements kept him wakeful. Eyes shut, he could only listen to the soft little moans of his older brother and the passionate grunts of his younger. The god did not need to turn over and watch to know how deeply his fellow gods were blissfully pleasured. Poseidon squirmed in place and his thighs rubbed up against one another, his sex nestled between them. He began to wonder if he could get away with pleasuring himself right next to them.

Poseidon soon decided against it, considering the embarrassment if he was found out, and also Zeus’ reaction to such. His youngest brother’s jealous and possessive nature did not take kindly to others – other males in particular – looking at his mate, and Poseidon did not want to give Zeus the wrong impression. Hades was beautiful, but to Poseidon he was as unattainable as he had once considered Hera, and he knew it was best not even to fantasize about the other.

Hades felt Zeus’ orgasm as the Olympian leader’s powerful body shuddered, immediately followed by a twitch in his member which was buried within Hades. The smaller god welcomed his brother’s climax, letting his hands tenderly caress the other’s broad back on which they rested.

Zeus rolled off Hades, momentarily forgetting the limited space inside the tent and thus collided with Poseidon’s still supine form. The older god, who lay with his eyes closed but was not yet asleep, emitted a rather comical groan of pain when Zeus’ elbow was thrust into his ribs.

“Forgive me, brother…” the leader muttered upon realizing his mistake. “Perhaps you could move more to the side?”

Perhaps I need to exit this tent altogether, Poseidon thought but did not say, as he obediently moved the few inches he was able to without pressing himself against the fabric of the tent.

By the time both Hades and Zeus had come down from their peaks, they gathered themselves against one another and made a few inches more space for their brother. Poseidon shuffled back to where he had been, curled himself in his blanket and tried to now find peace so that he might fall asleep. The breathing of his brothers had slowed until he was certain they were asleep, and within minutes he was able to join them.

*

Poseidon had no idea how long he had been asleep, and he was not asking himself such a question when he opened his eyes, because he had been woken to a surprise. In the short moments before he was fully awake, he felt as though he were still dreaming. That dream held him in the feeling of an embrace.

He was being embraced by someone, a face nuzzling against his shoulder as it snuggled warm against him. It reminded him of the safety of his bed at home, in the fortress before it had been ruined by the titans. Happy at the warm, cuddling body, he opened his eyes and realized – to his shock – that this was no dream.

In sleep, Hades had turned over and, feeling the warm presence of Poseidon, shuffled closer and was now pressed against him, oblivious to what he had done. Zeus of course was also still asleep, but now without his mate by his side. Should the youngest god wake and discover what was going on…

Do not panic, Poseidon thought to himself over and over again. Do NOT panic.

He briefly considered waking Hades, but the discovery of whose arms he was in was likely to frighten the older god, and Poseidon did not want to risk doing something that might awaken Zeus as well.

You could have at least brought your own bed furs… Poseidon thought, trying to figure out how Hades had managed to get in under his furs with no conscious thought behind it. The other’s slight form felt warm and soft against him, likely drawing heat from Poseidon’s own body.

Though he had enjoyed the contact in his sleep, Poseidon did not want to be caught sleeping with his leader’s naked mate in his arms. Carefully grasping Hades, he gave the sleeping god a light nudge, hopefully incentive enough to move away from him and back toward Zeus.

Hades protested with a sound somewhere between a murmur and a whimper, but he moved and did not wake up, now situated between his two brothers and uncovered by furs or blankets.

Hades quickly began to shiver, and it did not take long for the cold air to draw him out of his comfortable slumber. Realizing that he must have separated from Zeus in his sleep, he dragged himself closer to the Olympian leader, annoyed at the circumstances.

“Hades…?” Zeus murmured, now also awake and regarding his chilled brother. “Did you go outside…?”

Poseidon listened intently, hoping he was in no way suspected. He would have liked to think that Zeus would ask for a reason why Hades had been sleeping against him, but the youngest Olympian’s temper was as quick and ferocious as the lightning which was now a part of him.

“Mmn?” Hades responded, fully awake and he looked down at himself in confusion. For a brief second he wondered if he had indeed been sleepwalking. “How did my blanket come off?” he asked himself more than Zeus.

Poseidon contemplated faking a loud snore to show he was asleep.

Zeus replaced the blanket on top of his cold brother and put an arm around him to give more heat. Hades nuzzled against him instinctively, craving that warmth like air. He received an affectionate kiss on his forehead in return.

Poseidon waited several minutes more before he decided to rise from bed, hoping his exit from the tent would look as though he had woken innocently.

“Poseidon?” Zeus asked drowsily. Poseidon told himself again not to panic. “I apologize if we woke you.”

“No, it is nothing,” the older god replied, hiding his relief. “I just need to urinate.”

Dawn had to be coming soon, as the sky had faded from a black to the most subtle of blues. Following through on his answer, Poseidon parted his robe and emptied his bladder in a patch of grass behind some large rocks. He watched the sky as he did so, admiring the beauty of a rising sun that had not even made itself yet known.

The god was considering his luck back in the tent when he heard something in the distance: galloping hooves. He would have presumed this was the winged horse were he not able to see the animal standing idly nearby, grazing.

His weapon was back in the tent.

Finishing his urination, Poseidon hurried back to the tent, but the loud nature of the pounding hooves told him this new visitor would be within sight at any second. The god braced himself for the inevitable confrontation, prepared to fight with his bare hands. He wasn’t just responsible for his own safety now, but Hades’ as well, and Poseidon knew that Zeus would skin him alive if he later found out that his brother had not done everything in his power to keep Hades out of harm’s way.

“Poseidon? You are awake early, dear brother. Or did my arrival startle you into wakefulness?”

The familiar voice reached the god’s ears before he saw the figure it belonged to, and for a moment all Poseidon could do was stare dumbly.

“Chiron?” he asked in disbelief, blinking into the darkness where the outline of the centaur was now visible.

“Close your mouth, brother, or something will soon fly into it,” came the horse-man’s witty reply, and Poseidon could finally see his face amongst the shadows. Chiron galloped even closer, now laughing, and Poseidon finally allowed his arms to drop to his sides.

“You frightened me,” he said. “But I’m very happy to see you. Our brother was already starting to doubt your resolve.”

Rather than taking offense at the remark, Chiron’s face assumed a look of regret. “I know I was unable to arrive at the time we agreed on,” he said. “And I hope you can forgive me for that. But there was a small disturbance.”

“What is it you speak of?” Poseidon inquired, but he was interrupted by Zeus exiting the tent, a blanket hastily wrapped around his waist.

“Who are you speaking with, brother?” he asked irritably before his sleep-heavy eyes registered the presence of the centaur. “Chiron! I believed you had abandoned us!”

“I assure you that would be the very last thing I would do in this life,” Chiron replied gravely. “Trust me when I say that no one wants Cronos overthrown more than I.”

“I might beg to differ on who wishes our father’s death more than the other,” Zeus said, his brow furrowed. “But I am relieved that you finally arrived.”

“As am I,” the centaur replied. He was about to speak further on what kept him late, but he noticed movement at the opening of the tent behind Zeus. Puzzled, he was slightly surprised to see that the figure stepped out into the steadily growing light and revealed itself to be none other than Hades. The elder god looked a little embarrassed and hid behind his brother.

“Hades?” Chiron exclaimed. “I thought you were going to stay behind?”

“I was,” the god muttered, color coming to his hollow cheeks. He was interrupted by Zeus, who cleared his throat.

“Yes, well, things had a way of changing whilst we were gone. Hades found himself the sole individual who could bring us one of Poseidon’s little creations.”

“Indeed,” Poseidon added, not missing a beat but also unable to mask the annoyance he felt toward what should have been tamed by himself. “Hades, would you be a dear and fetch the horse? He’ll only run away if I retrieve him.”

Smiling, Hades did as asked, feeling useful. Chiron looked in awe at the creation in question as the god hurried over to the grazing animal and led it closer.

“He is most impressive,” Chiron said, grinning to Poseidon. “Why will he not come to you, brother?”

Now was Poseidon’s turn to blush, and he frowned to himself, glancing at the ground. He would only look at his half-brother as far as his hooves.

“Apparently I used too much force in an attempt to win him over to my command,” he mumbled. “But I chose a stallion, and he evaded me shortly after growing his wings. He seems to take to Hades far more easily.”

“That is because I give him treats,” Hades modestly said, chuckling as the horse proceeded to search him for any fruits.

He had none on him now, and his mount responded by giving a loud snort of disappointment. Hades told himself to keep in mind to search the grounds for something that the animal liked as soon as the sun rose. While grass was sufficient to keep the horse alive, it could hardly be called a treat.

“Now tell me, Chiron,” Zeus suddenly spoke up, fixing the centaur with his gaze. “What kept you for so long?”

“Nothing of importance, I assure you, brother,” Chiron quickly replied. “But the Cyclopes thought…”

Zeus raised an eyebrow, wordlessly urging the other to finish his explanation.

“I have worked hard to gather as many warriors to our ranks as possible. The Cyclopes knew of one they thought would be a great asset.”

Immediately the Olympian leader’s interest was perked. “Who is this warrior you speak of? Tell me his name! Did you manage to win him over?”

Chiron hesitated, unsure how to answer the questions asked. “He is not strictly a warrior, Zeus,” he said. “I was told he could be found dwelling in a cave in the mountains and I went to bring him to us.”

Zeus did not like the cryptic way his half-brother spoke of the new valued addition to their ranks, and he was starting to suspect that there was something Chiron had yet to tell him.

“Is this someone sympathetic to our cause? Does he have a name?”

“His name is Cerberus,” Chiron said. “And though it was harder than I first thought, I believe I succeeded in winning his trust. You see, Zeus, Cerberus is not a sentient being, like you or I. He is… well, I don’t quite know what he is.”

“Not a sentient being?” Poseidon echoed. “How do you know he will stay on our side?”

“If anything, he is loyal,” Chiron said, a little perturbed that he was being doubted. It showed in the flick of his tail. “Cerberus recognized the giants and has remained close at hand ever since then. He is ferocious and will prove to be effective in intimidating our foes… and destroying them.”

“Goodness…” Hades said, leading the stallion towards Chiron so that they could be better acquainted. “He sounds like a brute. Did the giants have to bring him down from his cave themselves?”

“I was able to lure him out,” the half-god replied, gently scratching at the horse’s withers. “He has a temper but he is not unreasonable… much like your friend here.”

“For someone half-horse you certainly don’t spook easily,” Zeus said with an eyebrow raised. One of Chiron’s pointed ears twitched at the remark.

“What good would I be on a battlefield if I were?” He regarded Hades once more. “You do well with him, brother.” He then turned to Poseidon, who was looking slightly irritated. “And he is a beautiful creation, Poseidon,” he stated. “Perhaps we will see more in the near future.”

Poseidon smiled. “I would hope so. He seems to be the alpha of his herd, so for all we know, we will have a few winged foals on the way.”

“Now that will be a sight,” Hades remarked. “All legs and weak little pinfeathers…” he giggled at the thought. The horse only nudged him with its snout.

“Will you stay here until the battle?” Zeus asked.

“Only long enough to provide information. I have been granted a few nymphs to spread the word to all of our warriors.”

“Nymphs…” Zeus repeated, thinking. He then turned to Hades and led him aside, calling back to Poseidon and Chiron that they continue conversing. “Perhaps we might borrow one of them to send word back to Crete…” he suggested to Hades.

Hades’ eyes widened in shock when he thought back on the sisters he’d left completely ignorant on the other side of the ocean. “My goodness! Demeter and Hestia! They must be worried sick over my absence!”

“I should think so,” Zeus replied dryly. “You did a very thoughtless thing, brother. I should hope that Demeter never lets you hear the end of it when you meet again.”

“If we meet again,” Hades gravely corrected his younger brother.

“You will,” Zeus promised. “I’ll see to that.”

TBC...
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The Immortal Heart