Pawns of Olympus Ch. 02

Hera grinned as she ran her hand through the viewing pool, distorting the images there. She’d show Zeus who was boss, the best way she knew how: underhanded manipulation.

It’d been only too easy to convince Eros to enchant the poor woman. And to have her fuck a monster, well...Hera laughed out loud, disturbing the peacocks wandering around the white marble room.

A princess here, a demi-goddess there, she was sick of it. No man ignored her like that, even if he was king of the gods. Though she couldn’t attack him directly, her lips curled into a sly smile, she could certainly undermine the manhood of his champion. The brawny mortal would never see it coming, and Zeus would never be able to prove her part in it.

Hera dipped a slender finger into a pot of honey and licked it off slowly, savoring the weight and sweetness.

The perfect plan.

*~*~*

Aegina hobbled over to the side of the road, wincing whenever she put weight on her left foot. She unfastened her sandal and pulled it off, grimacing at the size of the blisters. Her wavy dark coffee tresses were plastered to her olive skin, adhering to the sheen of sweat the hot afternoon sun had created. Ageina hated her hair, always thought it looked too much like mud.

Perhaps going adventuring wasn’t such a good idea after all. But it was too late for that now. Aegina wasn’t the type of woman to be wishy-washy. No, she’d made her decision and was going to stick with it.

Still, it didn’t make her throat less parched or her blistering feet less sore. She nursed her foot for another few minutes before gingerly setting it down on the compressed dirt road and continuing onward.

The sun was only about a quarter past its peak when Aegina finally reached Berora. Not having a horse, the journey had forced her to spend her money on a night at a roadside inn. Inn, she snorted, more like a hovel. She raised her wine flask to her mouth and swallowed a few drops of the sweet drink. Both her flask and her purse were running dry.

Aegina ducked into the first inn she came to; resting just on the outskirts of the city, it was a small building with a humble sign depicting a satyr with a wine bottle. The inside of the cramped room was dim and clouded with the smoke from burning herbs. The smell of a roasting pig pervaded the atmosphere and caused Aegina’s stomach to growl menacingly.

The innkeeper raised an eyebrow at her entrance. He was used to visitors coming at all times of the day, and usually pretty young women were accompanied by large entourages of servants or family. The girl sat down at a rough wooden table and he made his way over with a hearty grin, but on closer evaluation of her bedraggled and dusty appearance, it quickly faded.

“What can I do for you?” he asked, clearly feigning politeness.

Aegina responded with a tired but grateful smile. “A cup of wine?”

The innkeeper nodded curtly and returned promptly, snatching up the coins she set down on the table.

She sipped the cool liquid, feeling the suspicious eyes of the innkeeper on her back. Aegina waved him over when her cup was empty. “Excuse me,” she asked as he began to draw away, “do you know if there are any households looking for a cook?”

The thick lips of the innkeeper pursed in thought. “There are some larger houses if you go down the road a bit and turn left onto the wide road there. But I’ll warn you, they usually like to have a father’s permission.”

When Aegina’s eyes widened the older man knew she wasn’t expecting that.

“Well, my husband has given me permission,” she announced boldly, trying to quell the nervous butterflies in her stomach. “We’re farmers, and, well, the gods haven’t been too kind this season.”

It was a flat out lie and he knew that. But still, looking into her dark doe eyes filled with determination, he felt a strange need to help her. The old man sighed and straightened his tunic.

“Tell you what, lady. If night is falling and you’ve not yet found a job, seek a woman named Pythia. Everyone around here knows who she is. She will let you spend the night, but think carefully about your husband before accepting work from her. If I were you, I’d turn around and go back to the farm right now.”

Aegina smiled at him and he found that he couldn’t help but smile back. “I appreciate your concern, but I don’t think I can go back.”

“You say that now missy, but..” He just shook his head. “Pythia will help you if you need it. Tell her that Huros sent ya.”

Aegina scooped up her belongings and clasped his large hand in her small ones. “Thank you Mister Huros, I won’t forget this kindness.”

After a quick stop at a town well to straighten her hair and wash the dust off her face, Aegina set off with a brisk step and high hopes of finding a job.

However, with the sun hanging low in the sky, and having stopped at every house on the street Huros suggested, Aegina’s hopes were flagging. She’d received a couple offers, but without having her husband there to give consent in person, the households had been forced to turn her away. Aegina glanced at a sundial as she made her way through the garden behind the last house. The sun would be setting within an hour.

Dejectedly, Aegina made her way back onto the main street, wondering what she was going to do if she couldn’t find a job. A servant at one of the houses had given her some dinner while they chatted, so her stomach wasn’t growling anymore, but, she sighed, that was the least of her worries. She could go to that woman Huros had mentioned, but something in the way he said her name made her wonder if that was a good idea.

She kicked at the dust along the side of the road, watching the merchants roll down shades and close their doors for the night.

She had nowhere to stay, no job, no money...

Pythia was her only option it seemed.

Doing her best impression of a lost and innocent maiden, Aegina wandered over to one of the shop owners. When she asked about Pythia, the man looked shocked, but gave her directions anyway. His strange reaction made Aegina even more nervous about her decision to seek the woman’s help. The words “nowhere else to go” chanted themselves in her head as she made her way towards Pythia’s residence.

*~*~*

Eros’s long, tan body lay stretched out and naked on the white silk sheets covering Hera’s bed.

“So, Hera, where’s my payment?”

Hera smiled coyly, dark eyelashes fluttering against smooth pale cheeks.

“Whatever are you talking about?”

The god of love sat up, wings flexing. “You know I love a bit of mischief, but I’m not about to anger Zeus without some sort of...compensation.”

“Angering Zeus? I’d never ask you to do something like that dear Eros.” Hera lifted the hem of her dress, showing off a long milky white leg as she climbed on to the bed. Eros leaned close to her, breathing in the scent of her skin.

“Lovely Hera, I shot an arrow into the heart of the wife of Tyre of Sena.” His tongue flicked out tasting the flesh of her collar bone and traveling up her neck and along her jaw line.

Hera sucked her breath in as his hand came up to cup her breast.

“And Tyre of Sena is Zeus’s new favorite mortal.”

“Aren’t you a clever one,” Hera purred, teasing his golden curls with ivory fingertips.

Her hand dropped to his groin, caressing his member, thick and heavy. Eros nibbled at the base of her neck before throwing his head back and groaning.

The smell of burnt meat filled her chamber and Hera was left stroking empty air. She craned her neck and gave Zeus a flippant smile.

“You’re back early.”

*~*~*

Pythia’s house was more of a compound, Aegina decided as a servant led her through the lush green courtyard. Her hostess was lounging upon a couch, chatting animatedly with a group of women who looked to be about the petite housewife’s age. The servant cleared his throat and announced, “A visitor, Mistress Pythia.”

The older woman turned her shrewd gaze on Aegina, causing her cheeks to flush. Pythia was a woman for whom wealth and age had taken pleasant curvature and finished rounding out her figure, so that her overall appearance was that of a large melon with limbs. Her face was beginning to show lines, but her mouth was stained a bright berry red, as if it hoped to distract from the signs of aging.

“Spin around for me, girl,” she commanded before Aegina even had a chance to introduce herself.

Aegina gave a hesitant turn, while Pythia nodded sagely, surveying the petite but curvy girl.

“And your name?”

“Aegina,” she managed to stutter.

More nodding. “That will do. Well, Aegina, care to tell me why you’re here?”

“Uhhh...Huros said that if I couldn’t find a job, you’d put me up for the night, and maybe offer me a job.” Her sob story spilled out of her mouth, once again a lie, but she spoke with an intensity she’d not found before, desperation etched in every phrase. Aegina finished quickly, chest tight, eyes seeking some sort of response from the older woman.

Pythia simply raised an eyebrow. “I’d work on that tale a bit, but it’s good enough for me. You can stay the night, but you’ll have to work.”

Aegina glanced nervously at the women who surrounded Pythia in the courtyard. She was beginning to realize exactly what Pythia offered at her large estate.

“Not like that.” Pythia tried to suppress the urge to grin at the girl’s obvious discomfort. “One of my servants has come down with a very disturbing rash. You could take her place for the evening, in exchange for a meal and bed for the night.”

“I guess that’d be okay.” Aegina smiled brightly, though the butterflies in her stomach hadn’t calmed down in the least.

“Good. Girls,” a snap of her fingers caught the attention of the lounging women around the courtyard, “will you please follow Aegina to her room and see that she’s...presentable for this evening.”

A bath, three different dresses, each gaping further down her cleavage than was comfortable, and several tightly pulled curls later, Aegina was “presentable.” One of the girls quickly explained what would be expected of her before running off to tend to her own appearance.

The party started picking up around what Aegina usually considered her bedtime. Her eyelids drooped, but she fought to stay awake, serving wine and flirting with men she’d never met before and most likely only see again in the morning, when they crawled out of bed hung over. Finally one of the girls who had helped her earlier told her to just go sleep.

She made her way down the hall, pulling pins from her hair, almost too tired to lift up her feet, when what she saw through an open doorway made her do a double take.

A lean, tan man.

With shaggy black hair.

And a circular patch of black skin at the base of his spine.

It couldn’t be...

Curious, Aegina crept silently into the room to try and get a better look, afraid to disturb the man enjoying one of Pythia’s prostitutes. But within a few steps, she could tell. The muscles flexing in his shoulders, the way his skin seemed to glimmer in the moonlight, the way that black spot seemed to pulse as he thrust into the woman underneath him...

Eiro closed his eyes, breathing in deeply. He could almost smell her, the alluring scent of her skin. Pulling back he thrust harder into the woman underneath him, finding a new energy. This prostitute, she tasted like all other women, but she had tasted sweet...

The room had gotten at least ten degrees hotter as she watch his movements. The dress itched uncomfortably at her breasts, making her twitch everytime the heavy cloth brushed against her. Aegina bit her lip as she continued to watch him. His long shaft pumped faster now into the convulsing prostitute. She had no doubt about what that woman was feeling, the slick ecstacy as he pounded away at her small frame...Aegina shuddered and clutched at the gather of fabric at her waist.

The black patch of skin on his back pulsed, forming a small mound before smoothing out again. It mesmerized Aegina, pulling her closer to his body. Her hand reached out, wanting to touch him, but she pulled back, gnawing on her bottom lip, afraid to break his concentration. Instead, she leaned over, inches away from him, inspecting the darkened patch. After all, she could always remember the feel of his skin against hers, the taste...

Her small pink tongue flicked out almost of its own will, running over and around that intriguing bit of flesh.

*~*~*

“You can come on out now, the big bad god is gone,” Hera said to the empty air.

She sighed and once again waved away an image in her reflecting pool. Eros appeared right in front of her seated form, wings tucked back and hardened member inches away from her full lips.

“You called?”

One corner of her mouth lifted in an attempt to smile.

“I suppose I did.” Her eyes fixed on the tan shaft in bobbing in front of her. “You’re always ready, aren’t you, Eros?”

He grinned broadly. “It does happen to be my specialty.”

Hera glanced up, noticing again the gleam of his white teeth, before returning her gaze to his manhood. The veins that protruded along his member glowed faintly gold. “You know I haven’t tasted true ambrosia in the longest time.”

She licked her lips and leaned forward, capturing him with ease. Running her tongue along his length, she brought him further into her mouth. She pulled back, wrapping her lips around just the head of his cock and sucking fiercely. Eros’ wings stretched and flexed as Hera’s talented tongue worked him to the point of ecstasy. One hand gripped his backside, keeping him under control, with the other she fondled his heavy balls. Her head bobbed forward, burying her nose in curly hair of his crotch, forcing his cock down her throat. Clamping her lips tightly around his shaft, she pulled back. She kept it up, speeding up until he couldn’t keep himself from gripping her head and fucking her mouth. An instant later his golden seed poured down her throat and she swallowed it greedily, teasing every last drop from him.

*~*~*

Eiro leaned his head back and shivered. “Aegina,” he breathed. Her tongue froze as she heard him whisper.

“Wait...Aegina?” Eiro twisted as well as he could, flipping his shaggy hair out of his face, clearly shocked at her sudden appearance. She straightened, sheepish, hand covering her mouth.

“Aegina, what are you doing here?” he hissed, obviously restraining himself from yelling.

“I..uh..ran away from home.” She backed away from the bed, nervous and embarrassed. She tried for a smile. “And then I saw you in here and...I don’t know what came over me...I’m...”

“You ran away from home?” Eiro pulled himself out of the prostitute, her juices running off his shrinking member and down his leg. The woman remained motionless as he hopped off the bed, searching for his tunic. “You’re not following me are you?”

Aegina sniffed, trying to regain some composure. “No, of course not. I’m trying to find a job.”

Eiro’s gold eyes bored into her as he scrutinzed her from the tips of her dainty toes up over full hips, tiny waist and a surprisingly generous bust for someone her height. He paused for a minute at her haughty pout, captivated by the red bow of a mouth. “You want a job here?”

“What? No no no!” She waved her hands frantically trying to emphasize the point. “Pythia’s letting me spend the night here since I had no place to go.”

He nodded, rather dazed by the current events. “Good. You’re better than this.”

“Eiro...”

The woman on the bed moaned softly, interrupting Aegina’s train of thought. Aegina peered around Eiro’s larger frame, just now really noticing the other occupant of the room. “Is she ok?” she asked, concerned.

He glanced back. “Yes.”

Aegina raised an eyebrow; it was her turn to be speculative. “Then why hasn’t she moved?”

Eiro pulled a small vial from an unseen pocket. “Because I drugged her. It...enhances the experience.”

“And it also causes them to ignore certain details,” Aegina finished for him.

“Yes, that too,” he conceded. “I’ve had to buy a new vial since the wreck.”

She nodded, thoughtful and very aware of his lean, muscular, and partially clad presence. After a minute of pondering, her eyes widened and she smiled broadly. “I figured it out!”

“Figured what out?” Eiro paused in adjusting his tunic.

“How to get a job, of course.”

“And how are you going to do that? You have no references since you,” he barely managed to keep his voice low this time, “ran away from home!”

Aegina grinned coyly. Again, Eiro had to tear his eyes away from her lips. “Well, that’s what you’re here for. See, none of the houses would accept me without a father or husband’s permission. Well, I obviously don’t have that, but you could pose as my husband and give the house your permission and then they’d hire me!”

“Pretend to be your...husband?” Eiro’s brows knit while the idea processed. “No. No no no.” He waved his hands frantically to emphasize the point. “I keep a low profile in towns. I’m not going to go parading around introducing myself to anyone other than dealers and whores who will never remember my name.”

Her face fell. “Please, Eiro? I need a job, and if I can’t be a housekeeper, or a cook, or a maid, or something respectable, I’m going to end up here, and not just to spend the night.”

“I’m sorry Aegina, but I can’t.” Gods, she looked so sad... “I can’t afford to be known. Someone might find out, might realize what I really am.”

Aegina lifted her gaze to meet his. Her earnest brown eyes radiated an emotion he hadn’t felt for the longest time. “I know what you are, Eiro.”

Kindness.

“Please just do me this one favor, and I will never bother you again.” Her voice was soft. “I can’t go back home now; it’s too empty, too lonely. There’s more in this world for me, Eiro, I can feel it. But I need your help if I’m going to make it.”

His eyes broke away first, flicking from her face to the floor and back again.

“Alright, I’ll help you. I must repay my debts after all.”

Aegina felt the tingling in her nose that meant she was about to cry. Willing back her tears, she thanked him profusely and agreed to meet him the next morning at the end of the street. Eiro, left alone with the now snoring prostitute, stripped off his hastily donned tunic and lay down on the mattress next to her. He closed his eyes, but his mind kept turning and turning, remembering exactly how Aegina’s dainty tongue had made him shiver.

*~*~*

Hera licked the corner of her mouth, not letting any of his cum escape. “I’d consider our business finished now, Eros.”

“And that means what exactly?” He tried hard, and could often use his looks to his advantage, but despite his attempts the handsome god never did quite understand Olympian politics.

“Leave.” Hera gestured, once again reclining on her couch and staring into her scrying pool. Eros pouted, but when she continued to ignore him, he spun around and flew off.

Frowning at her reflection in the water, Hera plucked a grey hair from her dark mane.

*~*~*

The next morning’s dawn came early, and Aegina felt as if she hadn’t slept at all. She hurriedly pulled on her own plain dress, wishing the fabric was a little cleaner. She slipped into her worn sandals, wishing they were a little less used. Using some of the pins the ‘girls’ had put in her hair last night, she tamed some of the wilder curls.

If only, she thought, everything wasn’t based on her appearance, not to mention her husband.

Finally satisfied that she had done all she could, she found Pythia, half-drunk and half-asleep, thanked her, half meaning it, and practically ran down the street, heart pounding in her chest.

Eiro was at the corner as promised, broad shoulders slumped, hair falling into his eyes. He tossed his head, reminding her of a horse trying to shake off the flies, and began walking briskly down the street.