Catch One’s Breath | Eris & Zeus
The return to the world of the gods had been harder than expected for Zeus. The comments, the disputes, the sad, angry and disappointed faces he’d received upon seeing those he had cared for back again weighed gravely down on him. Apparently, all the bad blood between them, for which he partly or entirely was responsible for, had ran too long in their bloodstreams so it now seemingly was edged to their core. The Greek gods always had been known for their quarrels among each other and were once he had held the power to stop these quarrels, it now felt like they all had turned against him. It wasn’t like he had expected them to lay out a red carpet for him and form a double row while blowing horns and throwing confetti around or something. But he had expected something more. Actually, he had hoped and not expected to receive a kind or warm smile. For at least one of them to be glad with his return. Yet he hadn’t encountered anyone so far and a part of him still hoped, since he hadn’t encountered everyone yet, that one will smile at him and tell him it’s good to see him again.
And what was worst of all was that most of all he missed his wife. After everything that had happened between them he still loved her. He always had done so and he guessed that he’ll always will. Hera wasn’t in the city of Mount Phoenix and with each passing day that she wasn’t here, more questions arose in his mind. Where was she? Was she safe? Had she found someone new? Was she happy? Was it better that he wasn’t in her eternal life anymore? Did she still love him? But what if she would come to Mount Phoenix? What would happen between them then? Zeus feared that her gaze would be cold and that her voice would carry that clear tone of utter disinterest towards him. All of these thoughts were maddening and Zeus knew he had to get a grip on himself or he’d slowly go insane. And thus the god of lightning decided to go and seek comfort in the one place he always had found it in. In the stars of the night sky. So he quickly left his luxurious apartment to head to the park. Glad that it was still open so late at night, he entered it and went to find a bench which would provide him with a clear view on the stars.
With his back against the backrest of the wooden bench, Zeus breathed out a deep sigh into the night. Hearing and also feeling how sparks of lighting danced over the skin of his fists, he refused to get lost in his extreme emotions of anger and remorse. Instead he focused on slowly counting the stars he saw up there. Focusing another part of his mind on his breathing, Zeus soon was able to get a hold of himself once more. The sparks having disappeared from his hands the moment he did. Yet his body was still very tense and thus he started on working to let go of the tension he held slowly but surely next, all the while while counting stars.