To end a Coup

Poseidon could feel dread settle in the pit of his stomach the instant he materialized at the base of Mount Olympus. The eerie silence of the stale night sent a shiver down his spine. Triton had not been overexaggerating in the least. The heavy shroud of Nyx's thick robes blocked out any traces of heavenly light. With a flick of his wrist, he produced a subtle blue flame to light the narrow, treacherous path leading to the palace.

The dread built as Poseidon made his way through the hauntingly quiet palace. There were no guards watching the entrance or any of the various hallways and floors. The usual bustle of maids, servants, and other lesser gods were absent. Not even the peep of a bird could be heard. The interior of the palace was almost as dark as the shrouded night's skies making the familiar hallways seem foreign.

The low echo of voices caught Poseidon's attention as he made his way through the innermost rooms of the Olympic Palace.

"What are you all doing?! Stick to the plan! We must work together on this before he wakes up!"

Areion's familiar voice caused his feet to move involuntarily faster. As he rounded the last corner of the long corridor, the small group came into view outside his brother's main quarters. He ran to his son and clasped Areion's shoulder tightly, spinning the boy to face him. "What have you done? You must leave at once!"

Arei's angry eyes locked with his father's. "I will not!" He bit out as he pushed Poseidon's hand away. "I will avenge Pel this night." His hate-filled glare narrowed on his father more. "You remember Pel right? I'm sure even you are capable of that much."

Poseidon pushed the stinging pain of the words to the side as he reached out and grasped his son's shoulder once again. "You have to leave. It's not safe. If Zeus finds you here, there will be hell to pay."

Arei pushed him away again. "I'm not afraid of Uncle."

"You should be!" Poseidon interjected. He didn't wait to hear Arei's argument, instead, with one quick touch, he sent the boy to the farthest, safest place he could think of. With his son now safe, Poseidon turned his attention to the rest of the crowd gathered around. To no one's surprise, Hera and Apollo were arguing.

"The sun god is the natural choice to lead, besides it has already been prophesized his son shall dethrone Zeus. That son is I!"

"Over my dead body shall a bastard of my husbands set on MY throne! You forget little pup, I am and have been Queen of the gods way before my husband fucked your mother!"

"It…it was my plan… my cunning. Let me take father's place and I'll bring peace back to the Olympians." Athena argued against both of the much older gods.

Hera's hateful gaze turned violently on Athena. "Did you not hear me just moments ago, girl?"

Athena straightened, pushing her shoulders out and tilting her chin up proudly. "Yes, and as you well know. I am no bastard of the king of gods. I am the legitimate child of Zeus and Metis" She sent Apollo a glare as she continued. "If any of his children are to fulfill that prophecy, it shall be I… The only child of Zeus and Metis."

A heated argument ensued as sides were beginning to form among the small group. Poseidon stepped around the group, hugging close to the wall as he did. He peered into the bed chamber, his eyes landing instantly on Zeus's bound body sleeping soundly on a lounger. His eyes moved over the delicate golden chains to the pale beauty of the ethereal deity gently massaging Zeus's temples. Though his features were much more delicate and pleasing, there was no mistaking the twin of Thanatos… son of Nyx. He was just about to turn his attention back to the group outside the room when a loud commotion broke out. The clash of swords caused his head to whip around. The only thing that moved faster than his eyes was the daimon deity.

Poseidon watched in morbid curiosity as Apollo fell to the ground with one light tap of an index finger to his forehead. The sword the sun god had drawn against the queen of the gods clattered to the floor, echoing through the now silent corridors. The silence drew on as everyone stared at the couple in the center of the group in stunned disbelief. Hypnos searched Hera's delicate features for wounds like a concerned lover. Realization dawned a Poseidon quickly worked out the full extent of the situation he'd stepped into. His feet moved instinctively as he began to back out of the room.

The rattling of chains broke the silence. All eyes turned toward the room as a gruff voice pierced the thick night's air. "What is this?" Zeus tugged against the chains, his sleep-fogged brain struggling to work out his current predicament. Confusion was evident in his gaze as his eyes moved over the group standing just inside the doors of his bed-chamber. "What is the meaning of this?" His eyes pierced through the group. "Hera… where is Hera?"

Poseidon bit back a curse as he watched the damning scene play out. Hypnos held her protectively behind him, blocking Zeus's view of his wife. Rage quickly replaced Confusion as Zeus pulled against the chains. His booming voice shook the walls as he cursed Hera and her seemingly new lover. "You all dare to break into my chambers and betray me?! I shall destroy each and every one of you!!" He fought fiercely against the chains, but they wouldn't budge.

Poseidon swallowed hard as he made up his mind and stepped forward. "Brother, calm yourself. We shall get to the bottom of this together-"

"YOU? You are part of this? My own brother?" Zeus exclaimed, his fight against the chains renewed.

Poseidon held up his hands. "I'm not here to betray you, brother. I'm here to-" He bit back his own words. He couldn't tell Zeus why he was there. "I am on your side brother."

Zeus rattled the chains as he glared at his brother. "I would appear otherwise."

Just as Poseidon stepped forward, the ghostly hand of Hypnos reached out and tapped his forehead. Everything went dark as Poseidon slipped into dreamland.

***

Arei panted hard as he struggled to make out the landscape around him. "Where the-"

"You're awake." Yuri turned away from the warmth of a low fire burning in a shallow hearth. She lifted a spoon she'd been stirring a pot with. "Would you like some tea? It will warm you."

Arei's brows furrowed. "Who are you."

Yuri sent him a gentle smile. "I am Yuri." She motioned to the corner of the tiny room where a woman Arei hadn't noticed sat rocking a sleeping child. "And this is my sister Ursula." She nodded to the child in Ursula's arms. "We fled the palace with your brother and the girls not long before you appeared here." She pointed to a weathered dresser. "The furniture must have been moved since the last time His Majesty had been here. You hit your head when he teleported you in."

Arei's hand automatically lifted to the sore spot on his forehead. His eyes moved around the tiny cottage. It looked vaguely familiar, but he couldn't place it. Before he could ask more questions, the squeaky door was pushed open, and a familiar girl came bounding through it.

"Uncle! You're awake?" Triteia bolted toward him, launching herself at him once she was within range. She giggled in amusement as Arei's eyes bugged and the air was forced from his lungs in a puff. Her tiny head tilted as she noticed the large bump. "You're hurt, uncle."

"Yea-aww." Before he could get out a full reply the girl was poking the lump. He gently pushed away her hand. "That kinda hurt, Trity." He carefully set her beside him, his eyes moving to the statue of a man standing by the door. "Triton…"

The stoic expression shifted to anger. "What are you doing here? Have you not caused enough problems for the night?"

Arei grunted as he pushed himself to his feet from the floor and brushed off the dust. "Father teleported me. I had no choice… trust me, I wouldn't have left Athena."

Triton's anger shifted to concern. "Where is she now?"

Arei shrugged. "How should I know? I'm not even sure how long I've been here." He looked around. "I'm surprised father didn't send her as well."

Triton frowned. "He couldn't… Had he, Zeus would have been angered further, more than likely."

Arei adjusted his clothes as she straightened. "Then what now? We must return for her. We must see what has resulted from tonight's mission."

Triton reached out and gripped Arei's shoulders. "We shall not do a thing! You are endangering my daughters and Yuri by being her. How could you? How could you do something so stupid as to go up against Zeus."

Arei's brows knitted. "We had a foolproof plan. There is no way-"

Triton jerked Arei toward the front door. He shoved him out in front of him as he pointed to the sky just in time for a bright flash of lightning. "Zeus is freed. Your plans have failed." He let those words settle before he added. "And now we are all in danger."