Eris and her whole "not leaving the mountain" thing was so tedious. Unlike some of their siblings, Kakia didn't really have anything against the mountain, but it was a very boring place most of the time, and when everyone had the same vices, it got a bit repetitive trying to convince them to indulge, besides which indulging didn't really make much difference to the gods. No, she preferred wandering around with the mortals and playing them, and if she needed relaxation, well... home sweet home in the Underworld was her choice.

She swung into her baby sister's temple and called out a "Yo, Eris!", moving directly into the first parlor to wait, grinning as she saw one of the kids there sulking.

"Hey kiddo... Why the long face?"

She reached out at ruffled at Adikia's hair, laughing as her hand got swatted away.

"Nothing.I'm not a kid."

"Sorry... I still call your mom Kiddo. Where is she?"

"With Apollo. She's always with Apollo."

"So why are you sitting by yourself?"

"Nothing to do."

"There is always something to do."

"Ate's hanging out with the erotes, Lethe's... who knows. And I don't want to play with the babies."

"Well... your mother was supposed to be here. But if she's ditching me, and you're bored. let's go do something."

"Like what? The mountain is boring."

"So we leave the mountain."

"Not supposed to go off by myself."

"Hello. I'll be with you. I think I count as a responsible adult."

She smirked at the non-believing look her niece gave her and stood, holding out her hand.

"c'mon, kiddo... let's go corrupt some mortals."

She laughed as she ran, long black hair streaming behind her in the wind. She had let them get to close... so close the Litae almost caught her.

But almost only counted in horseshoes and discus throwing.

She slowed only as she saw herself coming into a square, and with a glance over the shoulder to make sure the Litae had plenty to keep them busy, she slipped into the one place the Litae wouldn't think to find her... the local cathedral. Byzantine Greece had taken to elaborate churches when they threw over the old gods for the Trinity, hiding the worship of the old gods beneath their new saints and holidays, or slightly more openly in the woods and old traditions. Still, she had to admire the Church.... consolidating religion offered one of the most corrupt things she'd ever seen... it was almost not worth the bit of work it took to ruin it bit by bit.
She took a seat in a pew near the confessionals, eyes closed as she worked to get her breath, taking in the quite of the church, save the voices she heard behind the thick curtains. Listening to confessions was a particular pleasure of hers... there was nothing like getting an intimate insight on the dark secrets people thought they were sharing with god.

She listened to words of coveting, of envy, sitting up with a start only as she heard the sound of the priest's voice... it was a voice she recognized, though not one she'd heard in a very long time. Sure, it wasn't someone she'd dealt with often, but a girl always had time for family... Especially if it seemed they were onto something fun.

She waited until the the penitent got his penance of donations to the church, buying his way into heaven with Indulgences. Once he'd left she slipped into the booth behind the curtain, kneeling slowly. She smirked as the screen opened and she heard Momos greet her in the name of the father, the son, and the holy spirit, answering him in a Greek tongue long forgotten.

"Forgive me, Uncle, for I have sinned... a lot."

"Mama!"

Aphrodite lifted her head as she heard the plaintive cry of one of her boys, a smile curling her lips.

"Out here baby..."

She lifted herself up to a seated position on the chaise she lounged on, waving away the few attendants that were near the pool as well. Adoring as they all were, she preferred not having an audience when dealing with the children... privacy and the importance of it had been a hard learned lesson. Her hand was lifted in anticipation, and she offered a bright smile to the erote who took hold of it as he came out into the gardens, collapsing dramatically onto the chaise in front of her.

"Oh, mama... I'm in love."

"Are you, baby?"

It was Hedylogos, young enough still to fall in love once a week. She ran her fingers through the mop of blond curls that decorated his head, doing her best to hide any amusement as he lifted her head to her.

"Oh yes... She was beautiful, mama... Sitting on a the riverbank, watching the nymphs play... her lips were like roses, her skin petal soft..."

"What's her name?"

"I don't know. I didn't talk to her."

She just lifted a brow as she looked at him absently motioning for him to turn around. He sighed as he stood, turning to sit on the end of the chaise, his back toward her, wings unfurling slowly, catching the light in a shimmer of gold. "You didn't talk to her?"

"No... I couldn't. Anteros said we didn't have time... and I didn't know what to say."

Normally she'd comment on Anteros not having time for a lovely girl, but if he was getting moody, she didn't want to worry Hedy about it. Instead she scritched the nape of his neck lightly before fingers started moving with a careful expertise through his feathers. "You're the erote of sweet talking, lovey... And you didn't know what to say?"

"I just couldn't decide... the lips, the skin, her hair, the curve of her thigh..."

Her fingers sliding the outer feathers first, starting at the base of each one and realigning it, paying careful attention to the pin feathers he had growing in and slowly removing the shafts that surrounded them, opening up the baby soft feathers of gold to the light. Once the feathers on the top were done, she was able to lean in, resting her chin gently on his shoulder... preening the feathers of her boys was one of her favourite tasks, and it was something she could do without looking by this point. She smiled as she watched him, his head leaning back just so as she groomed the wings, hearing the soft purr that was deep in his throat.

"She sounds special. Sounds like a lot of things you could have said."

"Oh, Mama..."

"You can't always listen to Anteros you know."

He nodded with a purr, head tilting in against hers as shoulders rolled, her fingers sliding down to the base of his spine.

"Maybe I'll go back tomorrow..."

Smiling, she finished the work on his feathers, tickling his sides lightly as she wrapped an arm around his waist, hugging him back to her as she kissed his cheek.

"She'll be there, baby. You talk to her."

    "Adikia!!"

    Ate held one sandal in her hand as she stormed down the hall way towards her sister's room, batting away toy arrows that flew through the air from the Phonoi's quarters, yelling a "Shut UP already!" as she heard Alala start screeching about something.  This place was a madhouse... there was no getting around it. No wonder she spent her days at Aphrodite's when she could... the place was a sea of tranquility compared to home. Of course, she couldn't leave without her other sandal.

    She barged into her sister's room, growling as she spotted the missing footwear being jammed onto her sister's foot. "Dammit, Kia... they're my sandals, and it's not going to fit you. They were made for me!"

    "It's not fair! I like them."

    "Well, tough! Hephaestus made them for me. They're not going to fit you. Give it over, brat."

    "No! I'll break it."

    "You can't, Kia... Hephaestus made them. Give me my damned shoe now!"

    "I will... if you take me with you today."

    "Kia, don't be daft. You can't go."

    She watched as her sister screwed her face into a determined scowl. "Why not?"

    "You're not old enough. And you're not a love goddess. "

    "Neither are you!"

    "But I am! I am Love's Folly.Gets me in the door, pipsqueak."

    "You know I'm going to be bigger than you soon, and I'm going to beat you every time you call me that."

    "Promises, promises. Why you wanting to go to Dite's?"

    "The boys are really hot."

    Ate laughed, sitting down on the bed next to her sister. "This is true."

    "It's just not fair...."

    "Kia, you're injustice. Of course it's not fair. Sandal, please?"

    She flashed another grin as Kia sighed, handing over the shoe, and Ate took her time making sure everything was laced correctly. "I don't think you'd like it anyway."

    "Why not? you do. "

    "It's quiet, and tranquil..."

    "But the boys are hot. Really hot. And I bet you just have sex all day."

    "Kia!" She laughed again, and waggled her brow. "I do not. Not all day. Like you wouldn't, too."

    She watched as her sister's chin lifted, features setting up stubbornly. "Doesn't sound like that much fun. Kissing and sex and that stuff can't be that much fun. I've been kissed and I don't see what the big deal is."

    "Then you haven't been kissed right..."

    "So you should take me to Aphrodite's with you! She has erotes. I bet they know how to do it right!"

    "... yeah, no."

    "If you say I'm too young, I'll.... I'll...."

    "You're not too young." She grinned, tugging at one of Kia's curls. who've you been kissing who's not doing it right?"

    "I don't have to tell you that!"

    "Chill, little sister. It was just a question.  You're snarly today."

    "You get to go have fun, and I'm stuck here."

    "It's not all fun and games and you don't have to stay here. You just can't come with me."

    "I don't want to come with you. Stupid boys and stupid kissing and stupid sex..."

    "Don't be a brat.  And kissing isn't stupid."

    "So take me with you and prove it!"

    "What if I prove it without taking you there?"

    "Where are we going to go?"

    "No where."

    "You think one of our brothers kisses better than an erote?"

    "Your obsession with erotes? kinda creepy. But no... probably not yet. "
   
    "Then who?"

    "C'mere..." She reached over and took Kia's shoulder,  sliding her hand up to cup her sister's cheek. "I don't need a boy, silly girl." Her free arm slid back around Kia's shoulders, holding her close as she leaned her head in, first brushing lips against her sister's, before pressing them in tight.  She could feel Kia tense, then relax, smiling as she felt her give in and give back, her sister's lips moving against hers. She leaned forward, pressing Kia back until she lay on the bed, stretching out at her side.

    "Open your mouth, Kia..." She thumbed her sister's chin lightly, as she lifted her head long enough to issue the light command, taking advantage of whatever question Kia started to ask by leaning back in and taking her mouth once more, muffling words as she slid her tongue in slowly, tasting her sister. She was gentle and slow and insistent, gratified as Kia's arms wrapped up around her neck and she felt her sister returning the kiss with an impatience that wasn't at all surprising... Kia never was patient.

    After a few moments she pulled her head up, fingers stroking at her sister's cheek. "Still think kissing is dumb?"

Erebus is confronted by Phanes with what The Darkness recognizes as a distasteful request.

    Today.

    Today she was getting her river.

    It was weird, when she thought about it… how her mother had asked her if she wanted this, if she was sure it was what she wanted, after explaining that it was part of being Oblivion, and that it was needed… but stressing that she needed to realize it meant living in the Underworld. Didn’t her mother see that that was the greatest appeal? She understood Eris preferred Olympus… It was a lovely place, and she did so like being near everyone… but so many of her siblings were destined to walk among the mortals… for isn’t that what their sort did? To be offered the ability to stay in the Underworld...

    She smiled as she remembered when she told him... explained it all to him. How much easier it'd be to see each other. There was always dream time, sure... but if they were both living in the Underworld, those waking moments together would be so much more often. And how much time could it really take to offer some souls a chance to forget their past lives before being reincarnated?

    She stretched out on the bed, taking a few more moments before waking up completely. It'd been such a lovely dream. Had it not been so lovely, she might feel guilty at the possibility that others may have suffered substandard dreams for all the attention he'd given her... but a small part of her delighted in that attention. But every night she saw him was a gift.... imagery just for her, offering her glimpses into fantastical worlds and futures, or nights filled with flowers and candle light... He was a master at his craft, there was no doubt. Just has she had no doubt he loved her. Sure, it was nothing like the stories her sister brought back from Aphrodite's temple, but it was love. There was no other option. And it was only going to get better...

* * *

    It had been such a normal day...Ate and Kia growling at each other in the morning, the younger kids causing mischief in their various ways... Neikos trying to convince Hori to put worms in Dysnomia's hair before going off to Ares', Kia grumbling about things being unfair... Everyone basically doing the same things they did every did.  And it was lovely...just the way she wanted her last day living here to be like. But now... She was dressed in her most formal, blond hair brushed to a sheen, outfit spotless, staying quiet as her mother spoke to Hades who was here to take her to the Underworld. She didn't pay much attention to what they spoke about... Eris seemed to be worried that she'd still be allowed here (and why wouldn't she be? She'd seen her Aunt Styx around...) and after that she faded out a bit until she felt a hand on her shoulder, smiling as she blinked back into focus, looking up at Hades.

    "Are you ready to go, girl?"

    "Yes, sir."

    Hades nodded at her and kept a hold of her shoulder, And Lethe smiled as Eris kissed both her cheeks. "Be good, poppet."

    "Yes Mother. I'll see you soon."

    "Of course you will."

    Eris stepped back, and Lethe turned her attention back to Hades, again flashing that innocent smile, blinking as the room spun away and they were in the Underworld, a small trickle of water flowing through what looked like a new river bed.

    "That's the river?" She had expected something a bit more substantial...

    "You will be the river, Lethe. It's time."

    She didn't have so much as a moment to agree or not when he put both hands on her shoulders, and pushed down.... down into the flat of the river bed. And where a person may meet resistance against the ground, she did not.... her lower limbs melting into the silver waters of forgetfulness, water level rising even as he lowered her down. She wanted to call out, to ask him to stop, but it was too quick, her mouth opening in protest as he pushed further, head going under water, and his hands weren't on her any longer.

    There was no her... only the water, flowing though the bed, taking ownership of its area, flowing freely... and as it did, the rest just floated away, memories fading quickly, becoming insubstantial... this is what she was now.. .water, currents, eddies... little more.  It was with a gasp she felt the hand pulling her back out, her boy forming fully clothed again on the banks of the now slowly rolling river, and she blinked at the foreboding man beside her.

    "Remember your form. And that those who drink from your waters forget."

    He offered other instructions... and while she could not recall them, they imprinted themselves in her. When he left, she sat on the banks, staring at the water, mesmerized by the occasional whorl of color that floated along. It was hypnotizing, and she didn't know how long she sat there before feeling the hand on her shoulder.

    A stranger stood there... a lovely stranger, to be sure, and she offered a blank smile, polite by devoid of recognition.

    "Are you here to be reincarnated?"

    He frowned at her, and she was sure she didn't like that... it made her feel bad, though she knew not why.

    "Lethe?"

    "The River is Lethe..."

    "You are Lethe. What's wrong?"

    "Wrong? Are you here to be reincarnated? I can help..."

    His frown deepened and he stepped away from her, a look of anger darkening his features... and it was impossible not ot wonder what she'd done, confusion clouding her own.

    "This is making it easier for us?"

    "I'm sorry?"

    "Yeah... I see that."

    With those confusing words, the man disappeared on her, and she was left ot figure out precisely what had occurred. She tried to think of a reason for the hostility, but the swirls of color in her river... were just so lovely....