In the Beginning Ch. 04

Chapter 4: Chains of Betrayal.

The Cyclopes and the Hecatoncheires were exactly where Gaia left them. They were extraordinary, almost as large as Gaia and Ouranos. Their Titan brethren would be closer to runts if the children before Gaia were the standard. She walked before them as the physical embodiment of Earth and plant life. When she approached, she could see them at a forge they had made. When one set of triplets failed, the other three were quite ingenious. She would always applaud the creativity of her children. Upon an anvil, they were forging the handle of something. She could not be sure, but in their hot forge was a link to a chain.

"What do you think you are doing?"

"We're crafting, Mother, " one of her children cried over the hammering.

"What are you making? What is this?" Gaia asked, addressing Cottus. He was striking his hammer over the chain.

"We call it adamantine, " Gyges replied. "It's strong enough to harm beings such as us," he said, motioning to himself and his mother. "After some time, we discovered it can also bind us."

"How did you discover that?" Gaia wondered. "When?"

"When we were born, some of Chaos's magic flowed in the land as dangerous shadow beings, and we needed to destroy them," Arges replied.

"After all," Brontes added, "You were too busy favoring our Titan brethren!"

"Do not blame your siblings for your jealousy!" Gaia exclaimed, feeling cornered by the disobedient children.

"We don't blame them!" Steropes shouted back. "We blame you, Mother! But most of all, we blame Father. You favored your precious Titans. We, who were not handsome, graceful, or close enough to you and Father, were discarded. We have made our peace with that, but we will not live in fear of Father's wrath. What will we do when he convinces our brethren we are undeserving to live in your Realm? Will he banish us to the east as he has Hyperion?"

"Your Father never banished Hyperion anywhere."

"But did he banish us, Mother?" Arges asked.

Gaia almost replied in haste. Had she responded negatively, it would be a lie to her children. In her heart, she never meant to lie to them.

"We thought so," Steropes said as they all went to work on their chain.

"Then what is this?" Gaia asked, empty of will to fight with them.

"We do not want to destroy Father, Mother, but we will not live in fear of him. This chain can bind him, even strip him of his great power if we have made it right. He will not be able to harm us," Brontes replied.

"And we may live in peace," Steropes added.

"If we are lucky, perhaps our Titan brethren will have daughters for us to marry," Gyges said hopefully.

When she heard the tone of their voices, Gaia's heart shattered. She had not considered the difficulties their lives had been under Ouranos's banishment. "Let me speak to your Father for you," Gaia asked. "Perhaps he will be reasonable, and you will not need that chain."

They all seemed dismissive of her. Steropes even went so far as to wave her away.

"Go, then, Mother," Brontes said.

Gaia turned, unsure of what to do. Her steps were loud and powerful with the weight she bore on her shoulders.

"Do you believe she shall succeed?" Steropes asked when Gaia was far enough away.

"No," Brontes said.

Briareos, the powerful Hecatoncheires, was quick to give his input. "Then we need to finish this. The chain will need to bind Father three or four times over. If Mother fails, he will come here for us."

"We could always run," Gyges said.

"Father would chase us," Cottus countered.

"Not if we go in different directions," Gyges remarked.

"Then he will pick us off one by one," Briareos answered. He shook his many heads. "No...we will need to stand our ground. Either Father will respect our choice, or he will try to harm us. We cannot count on our Titan brothers to help us. Cronos is the only one who talks with us regularly, but is too young. We will need to do this ourselves."

They all agreed. In their unity, they continued work on their chain to bind their Father. Their other creation, a sword, would have to wait.

**********

In the time called night, Ouranos looked upon Rhea's sleeping body. In her rest, he could see every inch and curve of her beauty. She was gorgeous and would be one remembered for the ages. Her hair was a mix of earthy brown and heavenly gold. Her gown was as blue as the sky.

Her breathing was so soft and sweet. Of course, it was; she was young, after all. He thought of the hard choices he had been forced to make. He had to separate his more deserving children from the failures to preserve his plan to destroy Chaos.

Returning his attention to Rhea, Ouranos thought of how subservient she could be. Rhea had always been willing to please. He wondered if she would be amenable to his plans. She could be the next Queen of the Heavens and Earth. She would only need to carry his many children. Would she be willing? Caressing his daughter's cheek, he felt her move into his tender endearment. Had she thought he was Cronos, or was she aware of the truth? He leaned down to his favored daughter and kissed her softly. For the briefest moment, she returned his intimate action. For now, that was enough for the King of the Sky.

**********

Gaia sat in the Palace of Ouranos. In the grandeur and magic, their home was the first palace in all of Greece. It stood in a Realm separated from, but connected to, the Mountain called Olympus. It was a grand edifice, crafted with divine skill and adorned with opulence, and merged seamlessly with the natural beauty of its surroundings, blending earthly elements with celestial splendor.

Its exterior walls were constructed from the finest white marble, shimmering in the sunlight and reflecting the changing colors of the sky. Delicate ivy vines clung to the walls, intertwining with vibrant flowers that bloomed year-round. Inside the palace, a grand hall stretched out, adorned with exquisite tapestries. Marble columns rose towards the heavens, supporting the weight of the celestial dome above.

Gaia was confident the palace would stand for millennia, even if Ouranos or his children did not. She wondered if the Cyclopes or Hecatoncheires could make something to decorate the walls or ceiling. Their skills would be important in the future, but she was just not sure how.

Still, her children were right. They had done nothing to have earned Ouranos's anger. Gaia considered her decision; she would hide the truth of her discovery from Ouranos and allow events to play out. The problem was that Ouranos would consider Gaia's withholding as treachery if he were to confront the Cyclopes and Hecatoncheires. As time moved forward, she would need to decide quickly.

**********

Oceanus and Tethys could not get enough of one another. The other beings had their machinations and planning, but neither cared. Oceanus's strong arms were wrapped around Tethys's dainty frame. To kiss, hold, and be engulfed by her was the most meaningful and right thing in the world. Her lips tasted as fresh as a cool stream, her body soft to touch, and her desires were as transparent as a lake. When he was with her, he could only be with her. She returned his love, and that told him all he needed. Oceanus, the Titan of the Sea, caressed his love. When his manhood entered her, he prayed to Chaos that she would always want him.

Tethys always returned Oceanus's tenderness. He was her other half. She yearned for him. They parted to make the Realm of Greece more beautiful. That was their duty. They made their Mother's land more wonderful. When they were together, however, they forgot the world. Nothing else mattered. They would need to learn to temper their desires, or else they would never do much else for the Realm. That would have to wait, in Tethys's eyes, until after their next lovemaking.

**********

In the depths of Tartarus, where darkness reigned supreme, Gaia found Nyx in a secluded corner to discuss a matter of utmost importance. Nyx sat in the Realm of Tartarus with a familiarity that worried Gaia. Mother Night was so used to dark loneliness that Gaia worried a life alone was all Nyx would have. For her part, Nyx seemed at ease with her situation. Amidst the swirling shadows and haunting silence, Nyx stood tall, her form veiled in the encompassing darkness. She wore a gown of blackness.

Gaia, adorned with verdant greenery and rooted firmly to the ground, approached Nyx with a sense of urgency. The air crackled with anticipation and trepidation as the two primordial goddesses came face to face for the first time in a long time.

Nyx raised an eyebrow at Gaia's hurry. "I assume you are in need, Mother Earth?" Nyx wondered.

"Nyx, yes," Gaia said, exhausted by how quickly she had come to Tartarus.

Nyx, realizing the seriousness of Gaia's fear, straightened. "How can I help?"

"My children mean to harm Ouranos," Gaia spat out.

"The Titans?" Nyx asked, confused. "I thought Ouranos loved your precious offspring."

"Not the Titans," Gaia said with a shake of her hand. "The Cyclopes and Hecatoncheires. They have made a chain to bind Ouranos. It won't destroy him—or so they have said."

"And what have you come to me for?"

"I don't want my husband hurt, but I do not want my children harmed, either."

Nyx sat in her darkness, considering Gaia's words. "While your children's actions are duplicitous and treasonous against their Father and King, Ouranos's actions have not always been fair to them, Mother Earth."

Gaia nodded in agreement. "I know. I have often seen Ouranos's tyranny, Nyx. His disregard for our children and relentless control over them has weighed heavily on me. But something says that if I allow the Cyclopes or the Hecatoncheires to do this, my children will bind us all when they feel we have served our purpose. I am unsure of the right course, so I seek your guidance. I do not want to doom us all with action or inaction."

Nyx exhaled a long and deep breath. Her smoky visage stood statuesque as she considered the Queen of Olympus. "As much as I disapprove of Ouranos's actions towards your older children, Gaia, Chaos did crown him ruler of Olympus and the Realms below. His reign is not to be stopped by the likes of us. We should show loyalty to him and trust in the choice Chaos made."

"But what if Chaos got it wrong?" Gaia wondered.

"Then perhaps you should take the matter up with Chaos or even my daughters. We must make our own choices, Gaia, as your husband and children do. We will be judged for whatever we decide."

"Thank you for your counsel, Nyx," Gaia remarked

Nyx inclined her head to Gaia in a sign of respect. "Gaia, you are always welcome in the Realm of Tartarus and Erebus. I wish you well in your rule."

**********

"They what?" Ouranos exclaimed to Gaia's news.

Though she tried to restrain him, Gaia could not obstruct his thunderous fury. For all the love they had once shared, especially on their wedding night to conceive the Hecatoncheires, Gaia could see it had turned to rage for Ouranos. She struck out to leave for Greece. Holding him back led Ouranos to throw her to the wayside, and she crumbled against their palace. She looked at her husband with hurt in her eyes. How had something so good and pure turned to such vileness? She raced after him, all too aware that she could not save her children fast enough.

**********

The Cyclopes and Hecatoncheires were nearly finished with the second half of the chain when he came. They were not sure what they expected of their absent Father Ouranos, but they were not ready when the sky split apart. He appeared before them every bit the divine King. The air crackled with tension as Ouranos gazed upon the adamantine chain they had forged with their formidable skills. When his mind fully grasped their decision, his wrath came violently.

"How dare you!" Ouranos exclaimed, throwing a blow upon one of the Hecatoncheires. He had not been bothered to learn their names. They were unworthy of even that token. When his fist crashed upon one of the many heads of the ugly deformity, Ouranos turned to the other treacherous beings.

"We meant no harm, Ouranos," one of the Cyclopes stammered, his voice trembling. "We only sought to live lives without fear of you."

The lightning from the heavens crashed against that worthless creature, disabling them. The full impact of Ouranos's magic was too great for such an insignificant thing. The others, realizing they had incurred the wrath of the Sky Titan, quickly stumbled to grab the chain and bind their Father.

"You abominations!" Ouranos exclaimed as he dodged their clumsy effort to wrap their metallic chain around his body. "That you live in my world should have been gift enough for you!"

Realizing the chain might have the ability to cripple him, Ouranos never allowed the warm metal to so much as graze him. Quickly, the Cyclopes recovered, but the Hecatoncheires stumbled with their many hands. Ouranos used this opening to summon a storm of lightning and might onto his children. As they recoiled, he showered them with blow after blow of his mighty strength. As one of the four recovered, he hailed down more ferocity. If any had the power to rebel in his beating, he threw more force upon them. He offered no opening or mercy. They sought to bind him, and their destruction would be an effective deterrent.

One of the children, Briareos, threw a single blow that bruised Ouranos's cheek. For that, Ouranos's thunder enveloped his fist and crashed into many faces of his abominable child.

"Ouranos! No! You'll destroy them!" Gaia screamed.

"They meant to destroy me!" Ouranos called back. Even as he motioned toward his deformed children, they were maimed, whimpering messes. The King of Olympus had been too great for his children to withstand.

"No! They sought to imprison you for banishing them," Gaia cried. She ran to her children in their beaten forms. "Can you not show them mercy when they have been foolish?"

Ouranos considered striking down Gaia at that moment. She would need to learn her place, but as he contemplated it, he could see Themis, his child of fairness, watching from afar. Killing Gaia in the sight of any of her children could incite the Titans to harm him. If he killed all of his children, he would have no army to battle Chaos. Instead, he stayed his hand. He reached for the chain his deformed children made, and feeling the solid adamantine, Ouranos admitted his children were superior at their craft.

"Very well, Gaia. I will do to them what they had sought to do to me."

"What?" Gaia asked.

Dragging the six children together, he wrapped the chain around them. What might have wrapped around him three times barely wrapped around his small children just once. When he latched one end of the chain to the other, he said, "They are hereby banished to Tartarus, where they will never see the light of day again. Their banishment will serve as a warning to any who would challenge my rule."

**********

Gaia helplessly watched as Ouranos kept his word and dragged their six children to the Realm of Tartarus. There, he hammered in two metallic stakes and lifted them by the chain they had fashioned for him. They hung on a wall in Tartarus; the chain and Realm would drain them of their divine gifts for the rest of eternity.

Gaia wept for her children. Themis slowly approached her Mother. "What he did was despicable."

"No one can stop him. He is King," Gaia said through her tears.

"Not yet, Mother, but maybe someday, someone will."

**********

Ouranos returned to his palace, exhausted from his day's work. The tale of imprisoning his offspring would spread to his favored children, where he hoped it would instill some respect into them or, at the very least, fear. He was not to be challenged. He was King. Chaos had recognized that worth in him. It was his right to rule and to have.

He sat on his throne, deeply breathing, recalling Gaia's defiance. Had he not already considered discarding her, Ouranos would no longer lay with her. Any more children by her would prove dangerous. While Gaia was away, he would need to change their palace. He considered how Rhea would feel about his plans. Even as he thought of her, Rhea appeared in her gown of icy blue.

"Father?" Rhea said, kneeling before his throne.

"Yes, Little One," Ouranos said, ever the gentle Father to her. He made a motion for her to stand.

"You have been hurt," Rhea said, walking up to him. She touched his cheek with a softness that told him of her love for him. There was some healing from her touch; he felt the bruise disappearing.

"Come here," he ordered, pulling her onto his lap.

"Father!" Rhea cried in good fun. "I have not sat on your lap since I was a little girl."

Ouranos smiled, brushing her hair to the side. "You will always be my little girl," he said. As she looked at him with daughterly tenderness, Ouranos wondered how far he could push his advance onto her. If he bent too fast, too soon, the metal would break, but if it was bent right, all his desires could come to pass.

Softly, he moved his face closer to hers. Her little heart beat faster from nervousness. No, he would have to restrain his passions. He needed her to want what he wanted. He softly kissed her cheek, lingering to inform her of his love.

"Oh, father," Rhea said nervously.

Ouranos paused, running his fingers through her hair. He would have her soon enough. Her subservience was enough of a sign for now.

"Thank you, Little One," he said, lifting her off him to stand.

She looked confused. "For what?"

"For making your father feel important."

"Father, you are King. You are the most important."

**********