Zeus 25 - Zenobia

17 - In Zeus's palace

Maia, Phoebe, Eudora, and Zenobia arrived at the House of Law and Punishment as Zeus's party was inspecting two Steam Titans in the courtyard.

As Eudora stepped from the Clayman-coach that brought them, Phoebe looked up at the Steam Titans dwarfing Zeus. "It's worth coming up on Mount Olympus just to see them," she exclaimed.

Zenobia stepped down behind Phoebe, and then Maia followed. "Why do the Titans look so different from each other," Zenobia asked Eudora. "The shiny one on the right looks twice as strong." As she looked back to the giants, she found Zeus staring at her.

"It is twice as strong, but not due to an Orb of Strength," Zeus said. "It's parts are made from a new metal the Guild of Science has created, NarDol."

"What a funny name," Zenobia observed.

"Just an optionchoice of its creator," Zeus said.

"Optionchoice?"

"Choice," Zeus corrected himself. Zenobia stared at him as if he'd sprouted horns. "Come Phoebe, Maia, let me show you my palace and your new rooms," Zeus continued. Then he turned back to Zenobia, "We'll find a place for you too, if you're staying the night."

"Lead on," Eudora said, encouraging Zeus.

Doeros followed carrying the new apprentice's belongings. All seemed impressed by the sundials and the fountain in the courtyard. They skirted the Claymen and Ironmen working at the Well of the Earth and entered the main building.

Upstairs, Zeus showed them the great wooden spheres where the Orbs of Pain and Death were created, then took them to his audience chamber where Leto was waiting.

"Please take these young ladies up to the Grand Council chamber, Leto, and show them the view from the balconies," Zeus said, "while I speak with Eudora."

#

Zenobia thought herself in good shape, but trudging up the stairs to the topmost tower in the House of Law and Punishment was exhausting. Only Phoebe seemed unfazed by the effort. Yet all Zenobia's tiredness evaporated when she entered The Grand Council Chamber open on four sides to balconies for arriving and departing Airmen. Breezes swept through the rooms carrying the chill of Mount Olympus's slopes with them.

Baffles protected the circle of tables at the center of the room from the breezes, and Hot Blocks flooded the central area with warmth. Tables surrounded the black ring marking the reach of Zeus's Orb of Death which normally sat on the now empty plinth in the exact center of the room. Two oversized chairs marked the table and area Zeus and Leto ruled from.

Leto followed Zenobia's gaze. "Maia and Phoebe will share that table with Zeus and me. You may attend too, but will sit and the adjoining tables with my sons when they're present—which isn't often.

"No doubt you all will be bored by the business details of running Atlantis," she said, eyeing Maia and Phoebe.

"I doubt that," Phoebe assured her.

Leto led them out onto a balcony where the view plummeted down a thousand feet and out over all Elesium. She stepped right to the edge where no railing prevented falling.

"Come back," Maia cried, shaking with fear for the queen.

"I'm Weightless, Dear," Leto said, "though I appreciate your concern. If I slipped off, I would fall slowly like an Autumn leaf and would have to borrow some Airman's fans to waft my way back up here. The breeze rushing up these cliffs," she continued, breathing in the cold air, "would help considerably, and I'd be back before lunch."

"Will we get permanent weightlessness?" Phoebe wondered.

"In time, all the mage training will be yours, and Zeus will permanently enhance you when he sees fit."