Love is Always Write Anthology Volume 1

needed to hurry. He had hoped that he was not going to spend the whole day waiting in line like he had done in Delphi.
    Eleftherios walked up the stairs, through the columns and into the courtyard. He gaped, amazed at the sight. Before him was the Promakhos that he had only heard of and had never seen. Athena's statue, made from bronze, towered before him, higher than even the temple itself. In her right hand, she held a statue of Nike, her shield rested against her leg, and her left arm held her spear. He was tempted to place his hand against his forehead and squint so that he could get a better look at the image that represented to all of Athens the role of Athena as the protector, but he remembered why he had travelled so far from home. Athena had not protected him when it mattered. The statue should mean nothing to him. Of course, as a blacksmith, he had to admire the effort and time Phidias must have given to the sculpture.
    He moved to the right and walked towards the covered columns before him. The directions his aunt had given him echoed in his head. As he descended the stairs, in front of him stood the Parthenon with the depiction of the battle of the Centaurs and the Lapiths carved upon the panel that housed the ceiling of the building. He had finally attained his destination. The place was as empty as the courtyard he had just left.
    Slowly, he walked up the steps, surrounded by the stately columns of the temple. The fires in the temple burned brightly, illuminating the brilliant statue of Athena Parthenos— Athena, the virgin— that stood before him. The image had been crafted from ivory and gold and had silver threading through it. He felt the rage build up, beating against his head. His breath released in soft gasps, and his hands tightened and relaxed. He could feel the scream threatening to breach his lips; his muscles bunched as his eyes darted around searching for something to hit. The image of his mother's head had been worked into Athena's breastplate in brilliant ivory, and as he stared at the image, buzzing sounds echoed in his ears.
    "Do you hate me, Eleftherios?"
    He turned around to stare at the goddess. Her grey eyes bore into him like she could see his soul. She probably could if she wanted.
    "You esteem me higher than I deserve, Eleftherios. I am sorry to disappoint you, but I cannot see into your soul. The only one that can do that would be Hades."
    "But you can read my mind."
    "What kind of a goddess would I be if I cannot hear your thoughts?"
    "If so, why then do you ask me if I hate you? You should already know the answer to that."
    He got a smile that lit up the goddess's stern features. "Clever. And you are right. I know the answer already. I just want you to say it. Indulge a goddess."
    "I hate the decision you made. I hate the fact that you punished my mother without thinking of how it would affect her family. I hate seeing my lovers cursed because of me. But no, I do not hate you, Athena." He saw her smile widen and hastily added, "It doesn't mean that I like you though. I can't stand you or any of the gods for that matter."
    He expected the goddess to glower or leave him be. What he received was her laughter as the sun lit the helmet she held in her hands. "Honest and fearless. I do like that in a mortal."
    She motioned with her hands, and together they walked out of the Parthenon, descending the stairs and walking through the columns that separated the temple from the courtyard. "Your mother acted without thought. She let her emotions rule her actions and blindly made a decision that showed she lacked consideration for another, whether human or god, and she paid for it. I do not apologize for that."
    They had gotten to the Promakhos, and Athena gazed up at it, saying nothing for some moments. "Adelpha has been a better mother to you and your brothers, and she has made sure that none of you would ever regret being in her care. Or has she not treated you well, Eleftherios?"
    He shook his head immediately. Adelpha had been a mother to them all. To deny her now would be an injustice.
    Athena smiled and nodded with a grave look on her face as she tapped her chin with one finger. "Your mother finally learnt her lesson; although, I fear it came very late for her. You, on the other hand, are not as stubborn as Medusa. Come to think of it, you are the least stubborn of her sons."
    Eleftherios shrugged. Metrophanes was like their mother in so many ways that it filled him with terror