Home

CALLIOPE: You may find yourself asking once again if we are going to be returning to that little thread left unwoven at the end of chapter 24. The answer is, finally, yes; though it will not be in the way that you may be expecting. You see, in order to move the story forward, we must first turn the clock back a touch. There is another new player in our midst, one that seems rather far removed from the events all things considered. Perhaps that’s why our king of the gods has turned to him. 

Welcome, dear listeners, to Forged Bonds.

We shall begin in a place we often don’t: Zeus’ office. He is flipping through papers, a small scowl on his face, when a soft knock at the door arrives.

ZEUS: Enter.

POSEIDON: I don’t know why I expected a warmer welcome from you.

CALLIOPE: Poseidon, god of the sea and brother of Zeus, walked into the door with a confidence that was betrayed by the look of trepidation in his eyes. He stood in front of Zeus’ desk as though issuing a challenge, as if there was any challenge he could issue and win.

ZEUS: Poseidon. I wasn’t certain you’d reply to my summons–

POSEIDON: Summons, right. Is anyone around to see the whole ‘formal king’ schtick or are you just this much of an asshole all the time?

ZEUS: You haven’t changed much, have you, little brother?

POSEIDON: I’ve changed more than you have. I mean you’re always gonna be stuck exactly– (sigh) What do you want?

ZEUS: I have a favor to ask.

POSEIDON: A favor. You have a favor to ask. You don’t talk to me for months, barely acknowledge my existence at the wedding you insisted I attend, and now you have a favor to ask? You have to be fucking kidding me.

ZEUS: (surprisingly genuine) I’m sorry, Poseidon. Truly, I… I should not have done that to you. You’re my brother and I should be doing a better job of keeping in touch with you, checking in to make sure you’re alright. 

POSEIDON: Wow, I get a whole apology from Zeus, damn, it must be a big favor.

ZEUS: It was rude of me to ask you here under these pretenses, though I hope you’ll at least hear me out. And if you do that and decide that you don’t want to be a part of this, I will not blame you.

POSEIDON: (sigh) What is it, Zeus? Just. Tell me what you need.

ZEUS: What do you know about everything that’s going on with Hera?

POSEIDON: Your wife? Who you have very publicly been seen with lately? This is really what you called me here for?

ZEUS: Hera and I are technically separated at the moment. Hades thought it would be a good idea for her to live elsewhere for the time being and, because I’m a man of my word, I let him choose that as his boon for the aid he had given me during Ares and Aphrodite’s wedding. I need you to get me permission to have someone talk to Hera.

POSEIDON: Of course. I’m gonna regret asking this but why can’t you just do this yourself?

ZEUS: Because the person in question is Demeter, who I have been having an affair with. She wants to talk to Hera for reasons that I honestly do not know or care to know. Hades isn’t going to listen to anything I have to say, but you… You have a much better shot that I do, little brother. 

POSEIDON: Why Demeter?

ZEUS: Why does one choose any partner? She showed interest and I was bored. It all seemed like a good fit to me.

POSEIDON: Is that really all you think of her?

ZEUS: Don’t go having a moral quandary over all of this now, Poseidon. Your past isn’t much cleaner than my present, or do I need to bring Medusa into this.

POSEIDON: Okay, that’s not fair. 

ZEUS: Life rarely is. Now, will you help me?

POSEIDON: Okay so, in summary– just to show you how ridiculous your request is– you want me to go talk to Hades, and get Hades to let you get somebody else to talk to– (sigh) Zeus. Why– why me? You have dozens of minor gods and other immortals just running around the world, all they want is your attention and they’re more than willing to do shit for you. Why– Why are you bringing this to me? I don’t wanna be here, I– 

ZEUS: Because this cannot get out to the public. And despite your best moral instincts, you’re still my brother. You may make waves in the ocean, but you’ve never been one to make waves in life. Plus I know you have a level of fondness for Hera, you wouldn’t air her business to the world like this, now, would you?

POSEIDON: …Alright. I’ll see what I can do, I guess. No promises, though. Hades thinks I’m more similar to you than to him so. Probably will go nowhere, but I’ll give it a shot.

ZEUS: If he denies your request, I’ll have no choice but to think of something else. (pause) Thank you, Poseidon.

POSEIDON: I’m not– Don’t thank me for this. 

CALLIOPE: Poseidon turned and walked out of the room before Zeus could say anything further, guilt and annoyance building in his chest as he walked and walked and walked until he found himself staring at a familiar door, just hidden out of sight, on the edge of the water. Bracing himself, Poseidon opened the door, hoping this older brother wouldn’t be on the other side and that all of this could simply be forgotten. 

Poseidon, of course, wasn’t that lucky.

HADES: Si? You haven’t used the door in a while, is everything okay?

POSEIDON: Zeus–

HADES: (Coldly) Ah. 

POSEIDON: No, Hades, wait–

HADES: So he’s sent you to do his bidding then? I didn’t realize he would stoop so low, but I suppose I can’t be truly surprised by this; it’s his entire personality, after all. I guess I was hoping for more from you, Si.

POSEIDON: (hurt) Hades, that’s not fair. You don’t even know why I’m here!

HADES: You know you don’t have to do this. You don’t have to do whatever it is that he told you you have to do. You can just leave! It’s not like you would come down here on your own anyway–

POSEIDON: Doors work both ways, Hades. You didn’t come up to see me either.

HADES: (flatly) Why did he send you?

POSEIDON: To talk. Literally just one question and then I’ll leave you alone. 

HADES: (scoffing) One question? From Zeus? Surely you’re not that naive to believe that that’s all he’ll as of you. I mean seriously, Si, what made you think–

POSEIDON: I’m gonna stop you there. I know you’re all older brother rage anger right now, but I didn’t come here to fight, Hades.

HADES: You have to understand why I don’t believe that.

POSEIDON: I know. Me showing up out of nowhere and the first word out of my mouth being “Zeus” wasn’t helpful. But I promise I’m not here to fight, I just… He did send me. And I would like to talk that through because… I don’t know, Hades, I just feel like I owe it to him.

HADES: You don’t owe him anything. (pause before continuing gently) You don’t owe me anything either. You don’t have to be involved in this at all, it’s not your problem.

POSEIDON: As your favorite little brother–

HADES: It was either you or Zeus so it’s not like I have a real choice.

POSEIDON: All I ask is that you’ll hear me out. Please. For old time’s sake.

HADES: Fine.

POSEIDON: Demeter would like to talk to Hera. And Zeus would also like to talk to Hera. He thought having a neutral party come to talk to you would make it more likely for you to say yes. I’ll be honest, Hade, I don’t really care if you say yes or no to Zeus. But Demeter… I’m worried about her. About her being with Zeus. If anyone can talk her out of it–

HADES: (deep sigh) It’s Hera.

POSEIDON: Do you think she’d talk to Demeter?

HADES: She… She did want to, and we were working on a plan for her to. But she started to back off from the idea. For a while she thought she owed it to Demeter to try and save her from Zeus, but I think… I think that ship may have sailed. And Sephie… Demeter ignored her calls after begging for contact with her. I don’t think she will take kindly to Demeter being anywhere near her or Hera at this point.

POSEIDON: I… didn’t think about that.

HADES: I suppose I can’t expect you to be thinking of my wife’s feelings. 

POSEIDON: I’m trying my best here, Hades.

HADES: …You’re right, right. I’m sorry, Si. I’m not being fair to you. It’s just… the entire situation is a mess and the fact that he’s trying to pull you into it–

POSEIDON: What happened, Hades? I mean, besides the obvious Zeus-ness of it all, this doesn’t seem like anything… Out of the ordinary? He’s always been like this. 

HADES: He didn’t always force a wedding to happen to cover up his extramarital affairs.

POSEIDON: Force a wed… He didn’t. Ares and Aphrodite were forced to get married?

HADES: Yes. That’s part of the reason it was the spectacle it is. This is more than just cheating on Hera, Si. This is him dragging his claws into the personal lives of other Olympians to hide his crimes. This is him hurting Hera’s friends. This is becoming so much bigger than it needs to be and for what?

POSEIDON: I didn’t know.

HADES: I don’t think either of us wanted you to. You’re the baby, Si. I want to protect you and Zeus wants you to venerate him. 

POSEIDON: Is Hera okay?

HADES: She’s better now that she’s here. I’ll talk to Sephie about Demeter coming to see Hera. And maybe… Maybe you could come with? She’ll need a chaperone.

POSEIDON: Demeter hates me.

HADES: Demeter hates everyone. And she hates me far more than she hates you. You’ll be welcome company all things considered. I… I’d like to see you, Poseidon. 

POSEIDON: …Yeah. Yeah okay. If Sephie says yes, I’ll come with. Just… keep me updated?

HADES: Of course. (pause) I’m sorry, Si. I shouldn’t have jumped to conclusions, and I shouldn’t have been so distant. You’re right, the door works both ways I guess… I guess I just assumed that if you wanted to see me you’d come through.

POSEIDON: I know you have this image of me as the annoying baby brother, but I don’t actually like making trouble for you. It felt like I was making you drop everything the first few times I visited and I just… I didn’t want to keep inconveniencing you.

HADES: You’re not an inconvenience, Si. You’re my brother. 

POSEIDON: Those things can be synonymous. I mean, look at Zeus.

HADES: (laughing) You have a point there. You’re always welcome here, Si. I mean it. 

POSEIDON: Thanks, Hades. I should probably get going though; you’ll need to talk to Persephone and I do not want to be here for that if it goes poorly.

HADES: That you don’t. We’ll talk again soon? With or without Demeter coming to see Hera.

POSEIDON: I’d like that.

CALLIOPE: Our dear brothers shared a hug, Hades waving Poseidon back through the door before setting about on the difficult task of asking his wife about her mother.

HADES: Persephone my love?

PERSEPHONE: Oh no.

HADES: What?

PERSEPHONE: ‘Persephone my love’ always means you’re about to tell me something terrible. You only ever call me Persephone when things are serious. What’s happened, darling, is everything okay? Are you okay?

HADES: Poseidon just came through–

PERSEPHONE: Who you also don’t refer to by his full name unless things are serious–

HADES: Zeus sent him to ask if Demeter could come and speak to Hera.

PERSEPHONE: (shocked) What?

HADES: I know, I know, it’s… I don’t want her here either, beloved, but Si raised a good point: it’s concerning that she’s spending so much time–

PERSEPHONE: (muttered) Among other things.

HADES: –With Zeus. And if anyone can convince her that that’s not a good idea, it would be Hera. I know we were starting to move away from this, but the situation is becoming more serious and… And I think Hera could use the closure. I’m not going to do anything you’re not comfortable with, Sephie. Especially not where Demeter is involved. If you don’t want her here, she won’t come here. I care more about you than I could ever care about Demeter or her wellbeing. 

PERSEPHONE: …I should care, though. She’s my mother. 

HADES: She’s also hurt you, Sephie. You’re allowed to feel conflicted about facilitating help for her. 

PERSEPHONE: Do you think Hera would still want to speak with her? 

HADES: I think she’d be open to it. She was originally willing to drag Demeter down here kicking and screaming, after all. Demeter coming to talk willingly may make the conversation easier on both sides. We’d obviously ask her beforehand, I don’t want to force a conversation that Hera may not want any longer. You’re my wife and she’s my sister, your feelings are what’s most important here. If you don’t like it, we won’t do it. Si definitely understands that, and Zeus will just have to deal.

PERSEPHONE: I should just let her suffer for everything she’s done. I should let her continue to spiral with Zeus until she realizes that this– right here, what she’s doing– That was never what she wanted and it’s too late for her to get that. She chose to isolate herself. She chose to try and force me away from you all for her own means. And all just to make me her enemy in return. She ignored my calls when she started seeing Zeus even though she had tried to guilt me into contact for years before that. She chose to sleep with a man who could never truly care about her. None of that is my fault. None of this! That’s all on her, and she should have to face the consequences for that. (sigh) But then, of course, she’d get to win. Then I would– we would– really be the villains she makes us out to be. She really thinks no one cares for her because she pushed me away when I chose to stay with you. I’m not going to let her play the victim anymore. Not with me. As long as Hera is alright with it, Demeter can come here. I make no promises that I’ll speak with her, but she can come. She’ll need to be escorted–

HADES: Si has already agreed to that.

PERSEPHONE: Good. She hates him, so at the very least it’ll be miserable for her. 

HADES: Thank you for doing this, beloved. 

PERSEPHONE: I’m not letting her make me the villain. Even if she doesn’t deserve my kindness, she’s going to get it. And she’s going to choke on it. 

HADES: This world does not deserve you, Sephie. 

PERSEPHONE: But you do. Just as I deserve you. I love you, Hades. No matter what my mother wanted me to do, or say, or believe, I always loved you. 

HADES: I love you too, Sephie. And I will be grateful every day that I get to bask in the radiance of your light. Demeter doesn’t know what she lost.

PERSEPHONE: And she’ll never get to know what she lost. Not unless I want her to.

HADES: And right now you don’t, which is okay. You’re my first priority, my love, always. I won’t let her near you if that is only going to cause you pain. (forehead kiss) I’m going to go and talk to Hera, okay? We’ll determine what, if anything, will happen next. 

CALLIOPE: And that, my dear listeners, is where we shall close this episode. You didn’t think I was going to give you all of Hera and Demeter’s story here, did you? There have to be some secrets between episodes, and this is the most fitting place to end. Until next time, and as always, thank you for listening.