Pandora (pandoros) wrote in nevermore_logs, @ 2016-05-17 02:03:00 |
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Entry tags: | pandora, zeus |
WHO: Pandora & Zeus
WHEN: Tuesday evening
WHERE: An unnamed and unimportant hotel
WHAT: ugh, surprises are the worst
WARNINGS: rape mentions
Pandora didn't believe in coincidences. What Pandora believed in was plain old bad luck, and that was something she had plenty of especially when things seemed to be going well. Like just finishing a meeting in a hotel restaurant with a new client who wanted her to illustrate their next children's book and then leaving them and running straight into the Lord of Olympus.
That kind of bad luck.
Pandora avoided Olympians, as a rule. Hephaestus and Hermes were alright, but even with those men she considered to be fathers she knew she had to watch her back. It was a constant game of making sure she played the right role at the right time. (More so with Hermes than Hephaestus. Hermes who had given Pandora her wiles, but he kept far more for himself.)
The other Olympians, though, Pandora went out of her way to keep clear of. They had made her what she was - a weapon, a danger, a damaged girl to play a specific role, and she knew they would always use her again if they felt like it.
And Zeus? Zeus was worst of them all, and it was only a few months ago that he'd reminded Pandora of what he was capable of. So now, standing before him, Pandora fought the urge to run if only because running was a mistake. Nymphs ran, and it was never good news for nymphs.
So instead she stood and waited for him to approach, not matching his smile. Instead as he came before her, Pandora dropped her head. "My Lord," she greeted him, with all the respect in her voice that she could muster.
"Pandora," Zeus said, his tone warm, like they were old friends, like they weren't a king and his loyal subject. Loyalty and fealty, these things Pandora could wear today. They suited her better than the alternative. "I'm surprised to see you here. Aren't you living in Chicago?"
"I've relocated back to New York, my king," she told him, still not raising her eyes, keeping them on the ground.
"This tremulous little mortal act doesn't quite suit, Pandora," he said, some of the warmth leaving his voice. Pandora raised her eyes slowly to look at him and he considered her and then nodded. "Not quite the spitfire you were last time we talked."
"My behavior was unacceptable," Pandora said, the words tasting disgusting as they passed over her tongue, like bile and rot. "I don't know what came over me."
"Well," Zeus said, reaching out to touch her golden hair. "I'm glad to see you learned your lesson in any case."
"Yes, my lord," she said, but it sounded so very much like I hate you.
Zeus just smiled, and Pandora understood perfectly - she was free to hate him, but still she had to bow to him. In fact, Pandora was quite sure he liked it even better when the people bowing secretly despised him. In a way Pandora was jealous - was must it be like to have that much power over people?
"I don't want to have to punish you again," he eventually said, his hand slipping down from her hair and onto her shoulder. "Don't forget who you belong to, Pandora."
"Oh," Pandora said bitterly, "don't worry, you made that very clear to me, sire."
Zeus smiled and squeezed her shoulder, just a little too tightly. "Good girl. Now go on," he said, letting go of her shoulder and moving to walk past her. Pandora, shaking with a combination of anger and fear.
She was halfway to the door when she heard his voice, "Oh, and Pandora?" Pandora turned, ready, avoiding again that urge to run. He was watching her with interest, clearly considering something. "I might have a job for you soon. Don't leave town."
Pandora bit down on her tongue and held it there, plastering her lips with a fake smile. Zeus accepted it and carried on to wherever it was he was going.
Pandora wished she had her box with her to cling to.