Gods on Trial
Chapter 10
The chatter died down as Minerva began banging her spear and demanding silence. I watched Persephone as she stood at the back of the courtroom regarding her husband. Everyone knew that their union was a very unwilling one, especially on her part. She didn't love him, she was simply trapped there with no way out always wishing she could be back with her mother amongst the nature she loved. Ceres looked sad as she regarded her daughter. I even thought I saw a flicker of sadness from Vesta but I wasn't sure as my gaze was torn from her and towards Persephone who was now coming down the aisle. Her black stulla flicked around her and soft screams could be heard from it, as though the souls themselves could feel her pain. When she got to the front she turned to regard everyone.
"Why would you do this?" Pluto asked quietly, he looked stunned and hurt. Persephone's expression turned to one of pure hatred.
"Why? WHY? BECAUSE I HATE YOU! I WANTED OUT OF THAT HORRIBLE PLACE! BUT WOULD YOU LET ME OUT? NO! YOU DEMANDED I STAY THERE AS YOUR UNWILLING BRIDE!" Persephone then turned her anger on the gods sitting in the room. "AND DID ANY OF YOU TRY TO HELP ME? NO! YOU ALL SAT ON YOUR BUTTS AND DID NOTHING!" I felt my heart go out to her. No one deserved her fate.
"But why did you take it?" Minerva asked gently. Persephone calmed enough to answer that without screaming.
"Because with it I could escape. If I was invisible I could catch a ride on Charon's ferry and then get back to Earth. But I lost it," I felt my eyes go wide as all the pieces fell into place. Erato found the helm where Persephone had left it, that's why it wasn't in its right place, because Persephone had put it there.
"Then who has it now?" Pluto asked as he regain some composure. It was then that Erato decided to make the stupidest and most costly mistake ever.
"I have it now," Erato said standing up. The courtroom erupted as Erato took the helm out of the bag she'd been carrying it in. Pluto looked peeved as Mercury took the helm carefully and brought it to Pluto. Pluto held it for and moment and if his head could catch on fire I think it would of for how mad he started to look.
"I WANT HER PUNISHED!" Pluto screamed. The courtroom seemed stunned and the jurors looked like rabbits ready to bolt.
"Calm down, Pluto she didn't do anything," Jupiter began as he stood up. He may be a big player but he is still our father (I guess I forgot to mention that). Pluto didn't look ready to calm down though.
"NO! SHE TOOK MY HELM OUT OF THE UNDERWORLD AND THEN LET ME MAKE A FOOL OF MYSELF BY PUTTING EVERYONE ON TRIAL! SHE DESERVES TO BE PUNISHED!" I saw my mother stiffen at the thought of Erato being punished and quickly prayed to Gaia that Jupiter could calm him down.
"She made a mistake I'll admit, but she doesn't deserve to be punished!" Jupiter shot back as he carefully maneuvered himself so Erato was out of Pluto's sight range. But Pluto was not to be deterred.
"We had a deal, the person who took my helm would be punished. She took it she must be punished end of story! Argus grab her!" Argus didn't grab Erato but he did move a little bit forward slowly almost waiting for someone to protest so he wouldn't have to take her.
"Argus stop!" My mother commanded. Argus looked relieved as he stopped and went back to his post by the door. "Pluto you listen to me, my daughter did not steal your helm, your wife did that and she admitted it. This was all a misunderstanding." Pluto snorted.
"Misunderstanding my behind, this wasn't a 'misunderstanding'. This was an act of thievery that will not be tolerated!" My mother narrowed her eyes and I shot a look around the courtroom for someone to step in and help. But everyone seemed too stunned by the turn of events to say anything.
"You either admit my daughter's innocence or we go on strike," I spun at the mention of a strike, I didn't remember ever discussing that. A strike would be catastrophic for the human race. Without us there would be no inspiration, no new ideas, no inventions or discoveries. We couldn't go on strike!
"Fine then go on strike, no one will miss you," my mother turned and walked out of the courtroom at that as we followed.
"We'll see about that," my mother tossed over her shoulder as she continued her march out of the courtroom with us at her heels. Before we reached the exit I heard one of the jurors ask if that meant he could leave. I heard Minerva say yes and that punishment for Erato, if that were deemed appropriate, would be determined later with a panel of gods ruling.
"Are we really going on strike?" I asked as soon as we were out of the courtroom and beginning out descent down Mount Olympus. My mother nodded but seemed sad.
"Yes we are. I know that it will cost the mortals a lot, and much will be lost. However the gods need to learn that we are not to be messed with. Just because we can't control elements, or build things, or cause emotions does not mean that we can be scapegoats." I nodded in understanding but couldn't help but wonder if our strike would do anything except create chaos amongst those we've helped inspire. I really prayed that this would all end well but somewhere deep down I knew that human lives were going to be lost and it was all going to be our fault.
"Why would you do this?" Pluto asked quietly, he looked stunned and hurt. Persephone's expression turned to one of pure hatred.
"Why? WHY? BECAUSE I HATE YOU! I WANTED OUT OF THAT HORRIBLE PLACE! BUT WOULD YOU LET ME OUT? NO! YOU DEMANDED I STAY THERE AS YOUR UNWILLING BRIDE!" Persephone then turned her anger on the gods sitting in the room. "AND DID ANY OF YOU TRY TO HELP ME? NO! YOU ALL SAT ON YOUR BUTTS AND DID NOTHING!" I felt my heart go out to her. No one deserved her fate.
"But why did you take it?" Minerva asked gently. Persephone calmed enough to answer that without screaming.
"Because with it I could escape. If I was invisible I could catch a ride on Charon's ferry and then get back to Earth. But I lost it," I felt my eyes go wide as all the pieces fell into place. Erato found the helm where Persephone had left it, that's why it wasn't in its right place, because Persephone had put it there.
"Then who has it now?" Pluto asked as he regain some composure. It was then that Erato decided to make the stupidest and most costly mistake ever.
"I have it now," Erato said standing up. The courtroom erupted as Erato took the helm out of the bag she'd been carrying it in. Pluto looked peeved as Mercury took the helm carefully and brought it to Pluto. Pluto held it for and moment and if his head could catch on fire I think it would of for how mad he started to look.
"I WANT HER PUNISHED!" Pluto screamed. The courtroom seemed stunned and the jurors looked like rabbits ready to bolt.
"Calm down, Pluto she didn't do anything," Jupiter began as he stood up. He may be a big player but he is still our father (I guess I forgot to mention that). Pluto didn't look ready to calm down though.
"NO! SHE TOOK MY HELM OUT OF THE UNDERWORLD AND THEN LET ME MAKE A FOOL OF MYSELF BY PUTTING EVERYONE ON TRIAL! SHE DESERVES TO BE PUNISHED!" I saw my mother stiffen at the thought of Erato being punished and quickly prayed to Gaia that Jupiter could calm him down.
"She made a mistake I'll admit, but she doesn't deserve to be punished!" Jupiter shot back as he carefully maneuvered himself so Erato was out of Pluto's sight range. But Pluto was not to be deterred.
"We had a deal, the person who took my helm would be punished. She took it she must be punished end of story! Argus grab her!" Argus didn't grab Erato but he did move a little bit forward slowly almost waiting for someone to protest so he wouldn't have to take her.
"Argus stop!" My mother commanded. Argus looked relieved as he stopped and went back to his post by the door. "Pluto you listen to me, my daughter did not steal your helm, your wife did that and she admitted it. This was all a misunderstanding." Pluto snorted.
"Misunderstanding my behind, this wasn't a 'misunderstanding'. This was an act of thievery that will not be tolerated!" My mother narrowed her eyes and I shot a look around the courtroom for someone to step in and help. But everyone seemed too stunned by the turn of events to say anything.
"You either admit my daughter's innocence or we go on strike," I spun at the mention of a strike, I didn't remember ever discussing that. A strike would be catastrophic for the human race. Without us there would be no inspiration, no new ideas, no inventions or discoveries. We couldn't go on strike!
"Fine then go on strike, no one will miss you," my mother turned and walked out of the courtroom at that as we followed.
"We'll see about that," my mother tossed over her shoulder as she continued her march out of the courtroom with us at her heels. Before we reached the exit I heard one of the jurors ask if that meant he could leave. I heard Minerva say yes and that punishment for Erato, if that were deemed appropriate, would be determined later with a panel of gods ruling.
"Are we really going on strike?" I asked as soon as we were out of the courtroom and beginning out descent down Mount Olympus. My mother nodded but seemed sad.
"Yes we are. I know that it will cost the mortals a lot, and much will be lost. However the gods need to learn that we are not to be messed with. Just because we can't control elements, or build things, or cause emotions does not mean that we can be scapegoats." I nodded in understanding but couldn't help but wonder if our strike would do anything except create chaos amongst those we've helped inspire. I really prayed that this would all end well but somewhere deep down I knew that human lives were going to be lost and it was all going to be our fault.