Note: there is no agreement on the year of the Minoan eruption of the volcano on Thera/Santorini. Estimates, even with carbon-dating, vary from late 1600s BCE to mid 1400s BCE, though there is suggestion that there was an effect on Egypt's weather. But it's mostly linked with mid-to-late 16th Dynasty Egyptian time-frame.

Thoth was really skilled at Senet, and well he should be since its predecessor was draughts and he had been quite good at that. Much to Khonsu's chagrin. But, skill only went so far when the knuckle-bones did not roll just the way you wanted or needed them to in order to allot the player the opportunity to execute the strategy they wished to employ. Part luck, part skill. Thoth really enjoyed the game. As did much of Egypt, it had grown in popularity in not only the noble and Pharonic classes but with the peasants, as well.

Equally, he enjoyed sharing it with friends because there was no reason to accuse him of letting anyone win since there was so much luck and chance at play. In fact, he rather enjoyed it when he was beaten. Problem was, not many had patience for long afternoons of playing. Especially not those from outside Egypt. Hermes had not the patience for more than a single game most times before he'd regale Thoth with all the details of the things he was missing by staying in arid Egypt.

( Thoth. Isis. Set. Osiris. Egypt.... )

Kratos stood in the middle of the road, watching the retreating figure as she stomped away. Each footstep created a little puff of dust because of the dry conditions, but to Kray's confused mind it seemed to be a manifestation of her attitude towards him. Which he couldn't quite put a finger on, but it seemed to be a combination of anger, disgust and being affronted. Was there a word for that? And one question kept throbbing in his brain, just as his cheek throbbed where she'd struck him: ( what the hell had just happened? )

[Arizona, October 1881]


Kray wasn't exactly happy with the way things seemed to be shaping up these days in Tombstone. But he wasn't sure how to tell his brother that he thought it was time to either step up or step out of the way, because it seemed like Zelos was missing all the cues that there was a lot of stress running under the surface. Kratos could sort of understand that, because Zee hadn't come here looking to get involved in local politics. He'd come to do some gambling and have some fun, and at first, Kratos had been happy to go along with that and have a good time.

( But that was before the stagecoach robberies last month. )

Egypt. Was. Hot. In all his ramblings about this fantastical place, Hermes had somehow managed to not describe the heat accurately. Maybe Kratos should have picked it up from the descriptions of the clothing that the messenger said the Egyptians wore, light and filmy. Some of those worn by the women were all but see through, which made him blush some. Hermes hadn't described that accurately either, but Kray thought maybe he'd done that on purpose; gods would be flooding into Egypt to ogle if they knew about that.

Kratos decided maybe he'd keep that to himself as well. But he was telling everyone how very hot it was. What he wouldn't give for a cool skin of wine right about now. Not that he was much of a drinker. He preferred water, usually. But since he didn't know how reliable the water here was, or the location of a good spring, wine would be safer. Some of Dionysos' wine would be best, though it generally went straight to his head. ( Maybe he could find some local wine. )

Kratos was silent as they left the theater. Around him, he could hear the buzz of conversation, but he didn't speak himself. There were a number of thoughts rolling through his brain, they had been since about half an hour into the movie, but he kept them inside his mind for the moment. Because he hadn't been the only one to see the thing, and he didn't want to taint things for the god that had come with him.

( It was a tradition. )

Kratos had been all over his mother's temple in the Underworld. There were a lot of places to hide, he knew that because they'd played hide and seek a lot when they were younger. Still did, sometimes. But they were getting bigger now, older, and Zee liked to pretend like he didn't like games anymore at all. Actually, he was getting to be a pain in the butt. ( And the girls... )

It had been a brutal trip. It was July, and it was expected to be hot, but this was beyond all anticipation. At least during the day, it was. As they crossed over into the mountains, it grew ever colder after the sunsets, and the temperature dipped below the freezing point. It was not uncommon to wake in the morning with frost on top of blankets, joints stiff from lying on the frigid ground, only to have the day warm past a point that was bearable, the air too heavy with heat to breathe. Little sleep was actually had, but it was too dangerous to try to navigate the roads at night even if it was cooler.

( The overly hot days were not much better. )

It was over.

The Titan War had been exhausting -mentally and physically, but persistence paid off and the Olympians were victorious. A bittersweet victory, as so many had perished, but a victory none-the-less. Then the three Olympian brothers were left with the task of divvying up the spoils of war. There was no easy agreement, so lots were drawn. Poseidon had the seas to claim his rule over. Hades had the Underworld and Zeus... Zeus got the heavens. Which he far considered the best of the three.

( Fate, it seemed, was on his side. )