Mount Olympus.
Fabled home of the Greek pantheon, birthplace of myth and legend.
It stood at the heart of all the stories from the Ancient World, yet it had been silenced for thousands of years, until the cycle wound around once more to awaken those who rested there. With their awakening had come a war that might have destroyed humanity, but for the intervention of a small group of remarkable humans. And it was to this place that Ares bore the raving Becky, as proof of the treachery of a sister he had detested for far too long.
When the God of War arrived with Clotho in tow, Olympus was in some disarray. The great hall where Zeus held court was at the center of that bustle, with many of the pantheon who had survived gathered there to witness what was happening. Zeus and Hera sat enthroned, looking down on two lesser beings - an archangel and a demon, neither one of which truly wanted to be there, and both of whom weren't getting away without conceding to the Olympians' demands. A short distance away, Artemis was slumped against a pillar, held up by a docile doe as her brother worked to heal her of the wounds inflicted in her fight with Hades. And in a niche to one side of the thrones, Hades' body lay in state. He may have been the cause of all the trouble, but he was family, and as such, he would be accorded honor in death.
Ares knew his arrival would only add to the confusion, but it was necessary. He knew, too, that his father might not be pleased to see him, especially given the fact that he had brought a human with him. Hopefully, his mother would be able to stay his father's hand until their son had a chance to explain. There had been a time when his father had not wanted to listen to what his son had to say, but Ares was no boy any longer. Centuries of banishment had matured him, until he was a force in his own right. He would make sure his voice was heard here today, and he would make sure that justice was at last served. Ares searched the faces of all those in attendance, noting that the betrayer was not present.
He offered a respectful nod to Artemis and Apollo, with whom he'd become unlikely allies, before he approached the dais where his parents sat enthroned, but it wasn't Ares who seemed to draw the Olympians' attention so much as the mortal woman he cradled in his arms who raving and rambling was his reason for this visit. He acknowledged the demon and angel with a brief glance. Though he was fond of neither, they were necessary to this latest drama - witnesses to what had most recently occurred on Earth.
"Father," he began, first greeting and appealing to his father, who was the undisputed King of Olympus. "I have come to seek justice and healing for the sake of this woman who was wronged by one of our own. A betrayer who pretends loyalty to you, but who has sought to cause discord and chaos amidst humanity and our own kind."
To say Zeus was angry was something of an understatement. "What is the meaning of this?" the Olympian King demanded, rising from his throne to scowl down at his son. "You dare to bring a human here?"
As Hera laid her hand on Zeus' arm to calm him, Clotho stepped forward, interposing herself between father and son. "He brought me, too," she informed the furious Olympian. "Have you forgotten me, Zeus" I spun your thread when first you came into existence. My sisters guarded your life when your foolish mistakes placed all our order in danger. And now, when your son comes to you seeking help and guidance, you behave like a spoiled child declaring a tantrum. Shall I expound on your mistakes, Zeus" Or will you bear witness and listen, like the impartial judge you were meant to be?"
For a long moment, there was absolute silence. Zeus glared down at Clotho, but there was more than a small measure of respect in his gaze. She might be mortal now, but she had once spun the threads of every person on Olympus. If he were to raise a hand against her, she would have defenders.
"I'll bear witness," a weak voice said, drawing his eyes to Artemis where she leaned on her brother. "The girl is Rebecca Hoffman, bound at heart to Samuel Winchester, the man out of time. What Ares has to say is pertinent."
Zeus drew in a slow breath, lowering himself to sit once again, ignoring the fact that his wife was smirking behind her hand at the way he had been scolded in front of his people. "Speak then, my son," the Olympian King commanded. "Tell us of the treachery you have uncovered."
Ares' lips twitched just slightly at his father's greeting. If it had not been for Clotho's intercession, he might have been banished once again before he was able to bring to light what had been going on behind his father's back. He found some irony in the fact that his father had addressed him as his son, knowing it was only because of his mother and Clotho's intercession that Zeus begrudged such a title on his estranged son. But Ares no longer cared what his father thought of him. He had proven his own worth time and again, and this was not the reason for his visit here today.
"There is one among us who has sought to undermine your authority and sow discord between humans and Olympians. For what purpose, I do not know. Perhaps only because I chose to defend humanity. She has betrayed your trust and is guilty of treason. She has sought for millennia to sow discord between us, yet I am not here to seek revenge but justice. I humbly beseech you to look on this girl with sympathy, who is innocent of any offense and who has been cruelly used as a tool to cause discord and chaos among those who seek peace. That is all the humans want, Father.
"They wish to live in peace and harmony, but how can they when there are those who crave chaos and strife" This woman was forced through no desire of her own to spill the blood of her beloved's mother, that of Jo Winchester, and upon accomplishing such a task, she turned her own hand against herself, seeking justice for a crime she committed through no will of her own, but because she was driven to madness and influenced by outside forces we all know as the Furies. And who commands the Furies, Father" We all know the answer to that."
Ares stepped forward once again and very gently set Becky down before the throne where his mother and father sat in judgment. "I come here not only to expose the guilty party for the traitor she is, but to plead for this woman's well-being, who is innocent of all wrong-doing." He did not bother to name the traitor or to argue his case further. He had said enough and wished to leave them to consider all he had said and reach their own conclusions regarding its implications.
As he listened, Zeus' expression darkened. He knew of whom Ares spoke, his favorite daughter, the one of whom he was most proud and in whom he had put most trust. Yet he also knew that no one would speak against her without proof.
Hera watched her husband with narrowed eyes, noting how reluctant he was to speak. "Artemis," she said instead, turning her head toward the twin Olympians. "Are you strong enough to draw the Furies from this woman's mind?"
Fabled home of the Greek pantheon, birthplace of myth and legend.
It stood at the heart of all the stories from the Ancient World, yet it had been silenced for thousands of years, until the cycle wound around once more to awaken those who rested there. With their awakening had come a war that might have destroyed humanity, but for the intervention of a small group of remarkable humans. And it was to this place that Ares bore the raving Becky, as proof of the treachery of a sister he had detested for far too long.
When the God of War arrived with Clotho in tow, Olympus was in some disarray. The great hall where Zeus held court was at the center of that bustle, with many of the pantheon who had survived gathered there to witness what was happening. Zeus and Hera sat enthroned, looking down on two lesser beings - an archangel and a demon, neither one of which truly wanted to be there, and both of whom weren't getting away without conceding to the Olympians' demands. A short distance away, Artemis was slumped against a pillar, held up by a docile doe as her brother worked to heal her of the wounds inflicted in her fight with Hades. And in a niche to one side of the thrones, Hades' body lay in state. He may have been the cause of all the trouble, but he was family, and as such, he would be accorded honor in death.
Ares knew his arrival would only add to the confusion, but it was necessary. He knew, too, that his father might not be pleased to see him, especially given the fact that he had brought a human with him. Hopefully, his mother would be able to stay his father's hand until their son had a chance to explain. There had been a time when his father had not wanted to listen to what his son had to say, but Ares was no boy any longer. Centuries of banishment had matured him, until he was a force in his own right. He would make sure his voice was heard here today, and he would make sure that justice was at last served. Ares searched the faces of all those in attendance, noting that the betrayer was not present.
He offered a respectful nod to Artemis and Apollo, with whom he'd become unlikely allies, before he approached the dais where his parents sat enthroned, but it wasn't Ares who seemed to draw the Olympians' attention so much as the mortal woman he cradled in his arms who raving and rambling was his reason for this visit. He acknowledged the demon and angel with a brief glance. Though he was fond of neither, they were necessary to this latest drama - witnesses to what had most recently occurred on Earth.
"Father," he began, first greeting and appealing to his father, who was the undisputed King of Olympus. "I have come to seek justice and healing for the sake of this woman who was wronged by one of our own. A betrayer who pretends loyalty to you, but who has sought to cause discord and chaos amidst humanity and our own kind."
To say Zeus was angry was something of an understatement. "What is the meaning of this?" the Olympian King demanded, rising from his throne to scowl down at his son. "You dare to bring a human here?"
As Hera laid her hand on Zeus' arm to calm him, Clotho stepped forward, interposing herself between father and son. "He brought me, too," she informed the furious Olympian. "Have you forgotten me, Zeus" I spun your thread when first you came into existence. My sisters guarded your life when your foolish mistakes placed all our order in danger. And now, when your son comes to you seeking help and guidance, you behave like a spoiled child declaring a tantrum. Shall I expound on your mistakes, Zeus" Or will you bear witness and listen, like the impartial judge you were meant to be?"
For a long moment, there was absolute silence. Zeus glared down at Clotho, but there was more than a small measure of respect in his gaze. She might be mortal now, but she had once spun the threads of every person on Olympus. If he were to raise a hand against her, she would have defenders.
"I'll bear witness," a weak voice said, drawing his eyes to Artemis where she leaned on her brother. "The girl is Rebecca Hoffman, bound at heart to Samuel Winchester, the man out of time. What Ares has to say is pertinent."
Zeus drew in a slow breath, lowering himself to sit once again, ignoring the fact that his wife was smirking behind her hand at the way he had been scolded in front of his people. "Speak then, my son," the Olympian King commanded. "Tell us of the treachery you have uncovered."
Ares' lips twitched just slightly at his father's greeting. If it had not been for Clotho's intercession, he might have been banished once again before he was able to bring to light what had been going on behind his father's back. He found some irony in the fact that his father had addressed him as his son, knowing it was only because of his mother and Clotho's intercession that Zeus begrudged such a title on his estranged son. But Ares no longer cared what his father thought of him. He had proven his own worth time and again, and this was not the reason for his visit here today.
"There is one among us who has sought to undermine your authority and sow discord between humans and Olympians. For what purpose, I do not know. Perhaps only because I chose to defend humanity. She has betrayed your trust and is guilty of treason. She has sought for millennia to sow discord between us, yet I am not here to seek revenge but justice. I humbly beseech you to look on this girl with sympathy, who is innocent of any offense and who has been cruelly used as a tool to cause discord and chaos among those who seek peace. That is all the humans want, Father.
"They wish to live in peace and harmony, but how can they when there are those who crave chaos and strife" This woman was forced through no desire of her own to spill the blood of her beloved's mother, that of Jo Winchester, and upon accomplishing such a task, she turned her own hand against herself, seeking justice for a crime she committed through no will of her own, but because she was driven to madness and influenced by outside forces we all know as the Furies. And who commands the Furies, Father" We all know the answer to that."
Ares stepped forward once again and very gently set Becky down before the throne where his mother and father sat in judgment. "I come here not only to expose the guilty party for the traitor she is, but to plead for this woman's well-being, who is innocent of all wrong-doing." He did not bother to name the traitor or to argue his case further. He had said enough and wished to leave them to consider all he had said and reach their own conclusions regarding its implications.
As he listened, Zeus' expression darkened. He knew of whom Ares spoke, his favorite daughter, the one of whom he was most proud and in whom he had put most trust. Yet he also knew that no one would speak against her without proof.
Hera watched her husband with narrowed eyes, noting how reluctant he was to speak. "Artemis," she said instead, turning her head toward the twin Olympians. "Are you strong enough to draw the Furies from this woman's mind?"