Half a minute ticked by in silence as Kratos considered his king’s query. What are they planning? The question had been etched into his mind for days. He had a few ideas, but each one seemed less likely than the last. Was it really possible to predict the actions of a god? Cronus may have been old, but age brought with it both wisdom and experience. Zeus’ father was a formidable foe: intelligent, cunning, and patient.
The only thing that Kratos could come up with was a general idea. Not a concrete plan, not what his king was asking for, but it was the best that he could do. He’d spent hours pouring over every scrap of information, wanting to be prepared should Zeus happen to ask him for answers. One of the biggest parts of war was the preparation, knowing how your enemy thought and what they would do next.
“I think,” he said, pausing briefly to stress the fact that this was only a theory, “that he'll try to force your hand. Make you act. You’re a king, and you can’t just assassinate a king. You have to destroy him, make him look weak so that he loses the support of his people.” Another pause. An intake of breath. “He’ll hit you where it hurts, and without warning. It’ll be something that you have to respond to. He won’t give you the option of ignoring him.”