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Diary of a Thundering Prince
Part 5
Sproutling, 20, Year of the Blue Moon
Greetings Book,
Considering how many messages had to be sent and how many people had to be convinced, I think things went quickly. The council of the free people of Sea World began today. Nereus cast a globe of water over the shores Deadman's Beach. The Sea People stood in the water and the land people stood on the shore. The water globe stopped any unpleasantness that Cronus might throw at us. He sent a flood which washed over the globe but did not hurt us. I had no doubt that either Cronus or Nereus would die in the end. Sea World was gradually becoming to small for both of them.
The Titans wanted to seize control over all of Sea World. They thought it was time to place the rule of the Sea World in someone elses hands. Everyone agreed with them except the Sea People thought they should rule and the Land People thought that everyone should rule themselves. The Mythicals thought they the humans should be left on their own. Generally the only thing that was accomplished was now everyone wanted to kill everyone else. I still did not know where Metis was and everyone seemed to think I was responsible for the damage, even the children in my care. It was very disheartening. Maybe the council was a bad idea.
“Well, I think it is settled then.” Hera said as the sun started to go down, “The Titans will control the world. The Star People will fall.”
“No and yes!” Nereus shouted, “The Star People will fall, but the Sea People will control the world!”
“Meaning you!” Hera spat.
“Speaking for the Mythicals,” Jupiter rumbled, “I claim the right to be free from any ruler!”
“The free people will be free or we will rise up against you, Cronus or any other rat who dares tempt our freedom!” Hercules shouted.
“You threaten our princess!” Argus roared and leaped at Hercules.
“Stop!” I cried and tried to pry them apart. But they were locked tighter then an oyster shell, “Jupiter I need your help!” I shouted. Grumbling the Minotaur approached me. Together we managed to pull the combatants apart.
“We will have neither Titans, free people or Mythicals ruling us!” the Sea People cried, and sent tidal waves washing over the rest of us. I was tossed about in the swirling waters, then dragged under the cold surface. My nose and mouth filled with water and I was unable to breathe. Cursing wildly, I thrashed and flailed uselessly. The cursing made things worse. Then Nereus pulled me out of the water and slammed me hard on a rock. The waves receded, reveling the rest of the land people flattened on the sand. None of them looked very happy.
“Zeus, civil war will rip Sea World apart.” Nereus said, “You as a landsman will have decide where your loyalties lie. Tomorrow we finish the council!” the Sea People retreated down under the water, leaving the land people trapped in the globe. We were truly at the mercy of any of the Sea People who wished to drown us. I tried to make the others understand but they were to angry and humiliated to listen to me. Hera was especially angry. Where do my loyalties lie?
Farewell for now,
Zeus
Sproutling, 21, Year of the Blue Moon
Greetings Book,
I spent all night awake, trying to come up with a simple way to speak to the bickering powers. I finally came up with a sorry little speech. As soon as the Sea People rose out of the water, the Titans started yelling and shouting at them. But I leaped between them and yelled at them all to be silent. Suddenly there was silence. Everyone was staring at me.
“People of Sea World!” I yelled, “Listen to me before you start killing each other!” Perhaps not the best of opening lines, but I was in a hurry.
“Well, go on.” Nereus said, “What have you to say?”
“Are you all completely selfish and greedy?” I cried, “Before we can discuss a new ruler, we need to take down the enemy. The common enemy. You are all of this world. You are- are-”
“Brothers.” Delphi whispered in my ear.
“Brothers!” I yelled, “The Titans can take the mountains. You have been born and raised inside those rocky slopes. Cronus cannot flood everything. Nereus controls the waters more then him! Nereus, for pity sakes, why would you fight your potential allies? This is what Cronus wants! Now take the waters and fight back. Hold back the floods with your water! You can do this! Mythicals, you can fly, tunnel and have many other powers. Use them! Free people, band together. Chose a leader from among your own kind. Do not fight each other, just the Star People. Divided we fall, together we conquer! We do not fight for ourselves, we fight for our children, for our futures, for our world!” I took a deep breath, “Who is with me?”
There was a dead silence. My heart sank to my feet. I crossed my arms and scowled. Somewhere outside the globe there was a crash of thunder.
“Well, if you want to fight each other, be my guest, I will die trying to save the World!” I turned my back on them.
“Well spoken, Zeus.” Delphi said.
“A lot of help you were.” I muttered. Then someone punched me in the back. I yelled and whirled. It was Jupiter.
“Pretty good for a common boy.” he laughed, “You caught yourself a footsoldier, although I think I still have to watch your back anyway.”
“The Nyads will follow you to the fire!” Rhea cried as she burst from the group of Nyads and flung her arms around me. I wanted to cry.
“Thank you Rhea.” I whispered.
“The Titans will follow you, provided you turn out to be a good leader.” Hera said coldly, but she was glowering at Rhea. I smirked at her.
“The free people are yours to command, my liege!” Hercules rumbled with a sour look at Argus. The rest of the Mythicals nodded. I could not believe my eyes. They had all agreed upon a leader, me? This was embarrassing. How was I supposed to tell them that I was nothing but an untrained sheltered pet of a half Nyad? Why I could not even swing a sword.
Farewell for now,
Zeus
Sproutling, 25, Year of the Blue Moon
Greetings Book,
Yesterday, I divided the captains of each group and sent them off to relay orders to their new squads. The Sea People swam them under the water and brought them up in a sheltered cove. The Star People had surrounded the globe and once it came down we would all be killed. At first Hera was furious that I sent one of her men off with the Titans and kept both her and Argus. But then she found out that I wanted her for a special mission.
Nereus personally gave me five fish mail cloaks. The Star Fleet was our target. Hera, Argus, Jupiter, Hercules and myself were going to take the flagship while the Mermen and Seamen destroyed the rest of the fleet. This would be a mare distraction. The Star People were to powerful, but the Sea People could still do a lot of damage. The main point of the plan was for me to get something valuable from the flagship. Something that Cronus would parley for. We had to get him to talk to us. As it was he would keep pounding us without ever parleying. I would have gone on by myself, but the flagship was sure to have lots of big, mean, powerful guards. So I chose the four best warriors I knew to keep me alive. Maybe it was a little selfish of me.
“Do you think Nereus would sell these cloaks to me?” Hera demanded as we walked along the sandy floor of the sea. I looked at her sideways.
“What do you want it for?” I asked, “You only have itty bitty streams up in the mountains.”
“A lot you know about it, Goldilocks!” Hera snarled.
“I really do not like the Titan.” Hercules muttered. He cocked his fists, “One word from you Goldie, and she is mashed Titan.”
“Lay one finger on my mistress and I will fry your alive!” Argus snarled.
“Now hold on a minute-” I began.
“Shall I bash all of them, Zeus?” Jupiter asked. I sighed.
“Hera, Nereus will not sell his cloaks, he loans them to friends.” I said, “Hercules, you were insulting me too, so turn yourself into mashed- mashed- whatever- freeman. Argus, you are in the water for Whale sakes, you cannot fry anyone underwater. Jupiter, please try not to kill them, I need them alive.”
Everyone stared at me. I wanted to clutch my aching head and scream. But I figured that it would only make me look like a fool again. Argus tapped me on the shoulder, then he pointed to a shark swimming in our direction. He put one hand on my knife. Finally a battle I could fight. Argus closed his eyes. I let out a yell. A third eye had just opened up in the center of the Titan's forehead. A searing red light shot through the water and lit the shark on fire. The Shark swam away while fire soon went out.
“Lets not anger the Titan boy.” Jupiter whispered, “He has the Cyclops Eye.”
About this time, I tripped over the anchor of a ship. We had had reached the Star Fleet. I waved my hands wildly at the following Sea People and pointed upwards. The Mer and Seamen swam upwards in shoals. I nodded at my four companions and kicked my feet upwards. They followed more slowly. We burst out of the water to find ourselves surrounded by ships. But which one was the flagship?
“Well, where is the flagship, Goldie?” Hera sneered. The waters began to froth as the Sea People waited for the command to attack. I hesitated and glanced around. Suddenly, a face appeared at the rail of the nearest ship. He was perhaps a few years younger then me. Hardly more then a child. But his bronzed skin had a faint greenish glow, and his long hair was poison green.
For one terrible second the boy and I stared at each. Then Jupiter ejected out of the water and leaped up the side of the ship. The boy recoiled.
“Chiron!” he shouted, “Come quick, the Sea People are attacking!” Jupiter caught the boy by the throat and hurled him far over the ships and into the water. I grimaced. But suddenly Jupiter was flung back into the water. He came up puffing and choking.
“They have an armored intelligent centaur.” he wheezed.
“Is there really such a thing?” Hera cried, “You must be mistaken.” Suddenly the rail of the ship was lined with centaurs. Each had a mighty iron bow.
“Dive!” I yelled and plunged under the water. We had to go deep to escape from the mighty arrows that perused us. But even so the skin was scraped off my shoulders where the arrows had whizzed past.
Once the arrows had passed, I turned and kicked my heels upwards. The others shouted at me to come back, but I was angry. I came up on the other side of the Centaurs' ship and climbed aboard. The massive creatures were nearly eight feet tall. Most of their horse bodies were pale brown, but some were black, and others were white. Very few of them were multi-colored. There leader was obviously the armored intelligent centaur that Jupiter had mentioned. He was even taller then the others. His horse body was black, and his man body was nearly as dark. He wore an iron breastplate and a pointed iron helmet. Red tattoos ran down the bulging arm muscles and disappeared under his iron arm guards. His thick black dreadlocks bristled out from under his helmet. He carried a massive scythe in one hand. A five foot sword was strapped to his flanks.
“That thing kicked me off the ship.” Jupiter whispered as he leaped to my side. I gulped. The creature was terrifying. Then the Centaur turned and glared at us.
“By Lapith and the great Ixion!” the creature bellowed, “What have you done with the prince?” he leaped at us.
“Oh great flaming bulls!” Jupiter howled and plunged back into the water. I leaped aboard and rolled aside, narrowly missing the storming hooves.
“Zeus!” I heard Hera screaming from the water, “Get out of there!” I came up standing. The Centaur reared up on his hind legs. I took a step backwards and was seized by the other centaurs. I screamed. The flashing hooves were as big as my head. One tap and my brains would splatter. So much for my carefully thought out plans.
Suddenly the ship rattled, and plunged upwards, then downwards. The centaurs were scattered and flung about. I rolled among the kicking heels and writhing bodies. I saw stars as something hard made contact with my head. I rubbed face to clear the swirling blackness and my hand came away bloody.
“Zeus, get off the ship!” several voices yelled as the ship split down the middle. The Sea People were ripping it in half. I could see clear down to the water. The centaurs were sliding down into the crack as the two sides were pushed up. I was going with them.
Suddenly, a strong hand grabbed me. It was Chiron. His massive hooves were embedded deep into the deck, to stop himself from plunging after his companions. For one terrible second, I swung in empty space, then Chiron leaped into the water. We plunged under the swirling waves. In a panic, I realized my cloak was gone. With nothing to do, I clung to the Centaur. His powerful legs kicked wildly. We came up outside the ring of exploding ships, which now looked like kindling. Screaming and writhing bodies were everywhere. I felt sick. The Centaur seized me by the neck and raised me out of the water. I choked and beat feebly against his arms, but in vain.
“Where is Poseidon?” Chiron rumbled, “Where is my prince?”
“I- I do not know.” I croaked.
“You better know quick, or I will snap your neck like a twig!” he snarled.
“Jupiter threw him over that way.” I gasped weekly, then everything went black. But not before I heard an explosion of thunder.
Farewell for now,
Zeus
Sproutling, 26, Year of the Blue Moon
Greetings Book,
I awoke to find myself lying in the middle of a burnt ring on a piece of deck, a sort of makeshift raft. The green haired boy was sitting cross-legged beside me. Nereus, was in the water, leaning against the raft. Chiron, without any armor, was spread out across most of the raft. He looked fried. His dreadlocks were all but standing up on end. His face was even more blacker, with soot. He was glowering at me. Metis and Hera were seated on the other side of me. Argus, Hercules, and Jupiter were leaning against the raft like Nereus. I smiled weakly and sat up.
“Ah, awake at last.” Nereus said, “You brought us two valuable hostages. Chrion, the legendary sword master, and Poseidon, son of Cronus.” I sat up quickly. I felt completely fine, but I was on the same raft as a son of Cronus. That was not fine. The green haired boy grinned.
“I told father that the Sea People would destroy the fleet if it was left in your territory.” he said. I frowned. He should not have been pleased about his father's defeat.
“Careful.” Metis said gently, “You nearly drowned.”
“He will be alright.” Jupiter growled, “Stop being a mother bird. The boy will be perfectly fine after his major headache goes away.”
“I do not have a headache.” I said as I got to my feet.
“Sure you do.” Jupiter said cheerfully, “Stop trying to relieve your mother's sufferings.”
“I am serious!” I snapped, “I feel perfectly fine.” I glanced at Chiron. What had happened? I met my gaze evenly, but said nothing.
Suddenly, I noticed the others were gaping at me. I glanced around uncomfortably. What had I done now?
“How do you mean you are perfectly fine?” Hera said at last, “When you and the Centaur crashed into the water, you were under for at least fifteen minutes, without your cloak.”
“Humans can maybe last five minutes at tops.” Nereus said. Slowly, everyone turned and stared at Metis. She shivered and looked at the sky.
“So what the heck is he?” Hera cried.
“Not a Titan!” Argus rumbled.
“Not a human!” Hercules said.
“Not a Sea Man!” Nereus added.
“Certainly not a centaur!” Chiron said sourly.
“Is he a Mythical?” Hera asked with a frown.
“Certainly not!” Jupiter said in offended voice.
“What about a halfling?” Nereus suggested, “Metis any idea? Is he a cross between two species?” the Nyad did not reply. Obviously she knew and chose to be silent. I felt a panic rush through me. What was I? I felt like a monster.
“I will tell you.” Poseidon said cheerfully, “He is one of the Star People.” Metis groaned, everyone else dropped their jaws, including myself.
“I could have told you when he blasted both of us clean out of the water.” Chiron snarled.
“A Star Lord judging by his power.” Poseidon continued.
“I am not!” I shouted.
“Metis?” Nereus growled ignoring me, “You knew? Where in the great glorious sea did you get a Star Lord from?”
“I stole him!” Metis shouted, “Right out of his cradle. And why not, it is not like the Star People cared. They murder their own kind. Have you not heard about the chains of Prometheus, or the slaughter of the First Born. They are inhuman!”
“You do realize you people are greatly mistaken in the Star People.” Poseidon said, “Now my mother has sea blood in her veins, but I am the only one who inherited it. With the exceptions of Hades, Ares, and maybe Amertis most of the Star Father's children are really nice. Myself included.” Nereus turned to him, his eyes flashing.
“You will remain a prisoner in my palace. A prisoner without rights until you can be ransomed. I will not kill Zeus because for Metis, although neither of them will be welcome back in the Sea. Once ashore, stay ashore. The Sea People withdraw from the alliance!” He took hold of Poseidon and dived into the debts. Chiron cursed wildly, Metis burst into tears and I sat down helplessly.
“Well this is a pretty kettle of fish.” Jupiter muttered, “At least he let us keep our cloaks so we won't drown when the rest of the world is flooded.”
“Well, the Titans do not need the Sea People to survive!” Hera snapped as she stood up, “I claim Chiron for my prisoner. We shall return to the mountains and fight our own way.”
“I am the captive of Zeus, not of the Titan.” Chiron snarled, “I answer only to him.”
“Get me ashore!” I said briefly.
“Zeus no!” Metis cried, “It was wrong of me to deceive everyone, but I needed you alive, they would have killed you otherwise. Your mother helped me steal you!” I froze, then whirled.
“My mother?” I gaped.
“She is called Rhea.” Metis said miserably, “She has Nyad blood in her. I hoped you would inherit some of the Sea but you were all Star. Well, you were little it was easy to pass you for a human-” I stopped listening and plunged into the water. Chrion leaped in after me. I scrambled onto his back.
Farewell for now,
Zeus
To Be Continued
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