Summary: A miraculous birth, Psyche meets the War gods, and Cupid...acts a bit like a...*cough* doo doo head
Notes: My first try at this fandom, and I’m so outside cannon it’s awful...But it’s been in my head a LONG time (mostly b/c I read almost everything at arescupidjoxer.com :p). Ok, I drew more on the Psyche from legend then from the show. I also made up the Deimos/Phobos look, not meant to be the Deimos from the show. Hope you enjoy! Comments welcome, Constructive criticism welcome, flames laughed and jeered at.
PS: Grammar/spelling mistakes are all me, any Betas out there want to adopt a writer?
The Legend of Ebony:
And so with Love’s denial
Mischief went to battle
And when careless mortal
Blade pierced his flesh
The love within was given
Life of its own choosing
And upon the grounds of
War was born Ebony
“Fuck!” Strife snarled as a sword sliced his hand. Ares glanced his way brow furrowed with worry. His second in command was usually able to walk among the battling participants with an ease that bordered on ridiculous. The War God turned back to keep an eye on some of his chosen warriors, but spun back around when a burst of godly power erupted from Strife’s area.
Strife had knelt, where his blood touched the ground it glowed, one lone tear escaped the Mischief God. As tear touched blood something happened. With an explosion of energy a new thread was added to the tapestry. Strife found himself looking down into two big blue eyes, eyes belonging to a very naked little baby girl laying in the muck of battle. Before he even realized it he had scooped her up to protect her skull from a solder’s foot. The battle around them had stilled for a moment and later men would whisper of the mysterious birth of a godling. Small black wings covered in baby down lay against her back and the god held her to his leather-covered chest where she settled easily.
He saw Ares appear before him, heard his mother’s voice and was grateful when he was whisked away from the battle. Because for the moment the child in his arms was all he saw.
***
“He’s in his room, resting, I put some...baby clothes on the kid,” Discord muttered, dropping into a chair at the round table. The large war planning room was usually used to plan battles or discuss situations that needed the House of War’s attention. Tonight Deimos, Phobos, Ares, and Discord were using it to discuss the events on the battlefield.
“No one knows yet,” Phobos murmured, an almost hopeful look in his eyes.
“The wings...miraculous or not we know who’s it is...” Discord said. She played nervously with a throwing knife.
“But...he doesn’t know yet...” Deimos insisted, blonde hair falling around his face as he nervously played with it. His twin’s hand slid into his to still the twitching. The two gods looked almost exactly alike, both muscular yet trim, an interesting combination of Aphrodite and Ares. But where Phobos was ebony haired Deimos blonde blonde.
“We keep this among ourselves,” Ares said finally and there was a massive relieved expelling of breath. “For as long as we can...”
***
Strife watched the baby sleep, his hand on her stomach. She was so tiny, so beautiful, and...his. At least as long as he could keep her.
“Strife?” His mother’s unusually soft voice brought his head up. She held a small water skin up. “This...It’s one of yours ya ain’t exactly equipped...”
“Thanks Ma,” He smiled and Eris came to sit on the child’s other side. “She’s gonna need a name...”
“Be better then callin’ her, ‘Kid’,” Discord agreed.
“I’m thinkin’...maybe...Ebony?” Strife murmured, almost jerking back when the child woke and fussed lightly.
“Think she knows her name...” His mother grinned. She passed the skin, now filled with milk, to her son. He carefully picked the fussing baby up and settled her against his chest, she took her first meal eagerly, bright blue eyes looking up to find her parent’s face.
“How’s it goin’?” Deimos murmured hesitantly from the doorway. Phobos was watching chin propped on his twin’s shoulder. “She finally wake up?”
“Yeah, and she’s ‘bout ta drain this thing...” Strife muttered, grinning when his cousins closed in around them. Ares was the last to arrive and he let a rare soft smile appear on his face.
“This a private party or can anyone join?” Laughter met the comment and he went to stand by his sister, fingers ghosting over the dark blonde tuft of hair on the baby’s head. “She’s beautiful, Strife...”
***
“Where ya headed, babe?” Cupid had just appeared between jobs and found Psyche with Bliss’ bag over her shoulder and the wiggling child in her arms.
“To see your father,” She shifted and her thin butterfly like wings caught the light. They had grown shortly after her godhood had settled and been well...a godsend when it came to their son. “Aphrodite suggested it and I think it’s a good idea...”
“Babe...he’s a War God are you sure...”
“Cupid! He’s also your father, and ‘Dite said he’d been wanting to see Bliss...” Bliss flapped and seemed to lift from her arms a bit. His mother gave him a hard look and he settled again giggling. “And it’s time I met someone besides the gods in Love and people wanting to use me...”
“Psyche, that’s not...” And stopped at his wife’s raised eyebrow. “Ok, well, it’s god politics...but the War Gods are...dangerous Psyche.”
“That’s not what your mother says and I think it’s time I formed my own opinions...Now, aren’t you supposed to be doing something for Aphrodite?”
With a sigh and a worried look Cupid vanished. Psyche shook a piece of chestnut hair from her face and walked out.
Olympus was interesting enough when you first got there but after a while it was just...boring. Cupid and her temple was one of many scattered around beside the main temple of Love. And though she’d learned to adore her mother in law she couldn’t stand her decorating. Pink was...pink. Luckily Cupid hadn’t been attached to the color scheme, in fact she was told she was welcome to change it. Unfortunately Cupid kept forgetting she wasn’t always a god. So until he taught her to do the flashy quick decorating or got her a pail of paint it was staying pink inside their place.
Following Aphrodite’s directions she soon found the main temple of War. It was as large and black as Aphrodite’s place was pink and airy. She hesitated at the door, knowing gods usually just flashed in, but she had been taught a different set of manners in the mortal realm. And if people weren’t supposed to knock why was the large brass knocker there? Hesitantly reaching up she raised the knocker and let it fall. There was a loud thundering sound and then silence. From within there was shuffling and then the door opened to reveal a confused looking blonde man in the black leather.
“Ummm...hi, Psyche right?” She nodded hesitantly, biting her lip. “Right, you...need somethin’?”
“Well...I’m...That is...I thought I’d bring Bliss...to see his grandfather...unless...unless he’s busy, I could come back...” She felt very stupid and very human suddenly.
“No! No, come in...” The door was thrown open and Psyche was given but a moment to wonder at the pleased but shocked look on the man’s face before she was pulled into the dark halls of War. Torches lit and bathed the room in a warm glow. “I’m Deimos, don’t go anywhere, I’ll be right back with Dad...” And he was gone.
She stood uneasily in the room, biting her lip and feeling out of place. The room was huge and a large round table set in the center with maps all over it, another larger map was tacked to the wall and as she watched the paint shifted and a marked area moved. Bliss had been fussy, sensing his mother’s nervousness, but he didn’t seem in the least upset now within the temple, in fact he had relaxed against his mother. Taking her cue from the little God of Happiness she too tried to relax. Then jumped as multiple gods came into being just in front of her.
Ares appeared with a confused look on his face, he was dressed in bloody leathers, as was his twin sister Eris, who appeared a moment later, then another dark haired man who looked to be Deimos’ darker reflection, and finally a thinner pale man in an outfit covered in curious silver rings and pins, his hair was spiky and mused. Deimos was still absent, but she was more concerned about being the attention of almost all the War gods.
“Get rid of the blood Ma, Unc, you’ll freak the kid...” The pale spiky haired god grinned at her. “Hey, they call me Strife, ya’re Psyche, right?” She nodded and watched in amazement as the blood and gore vanished from the embarrassed senior War gods. “Ya prolly met Unc Ares and my ma Eris and this is Phobos, he’s Deimos’ twin.”
“Hi, yeah, I’m Psyche, this is...Bliss.” She gently coaxed the hiding godling from her hair. “Bliss, honey, say hi to your Grandpa Ares...”
“Hi, Ganpa ‘Res...” The little one peeked out and smiled. Ares smiled back, not the War God smile, no it was a delighted grandfather smile. “Do you want to hold him? He’s growing so fast! I mean he’s only one...and he looks like he’s three...”
“Gods do that sometimes,” Ares murmured, taking the child. The boy went trustingly to him, snuggling close under Ares’ chin. “Apollo and Artemis really did grow up fast, not in a day, but in a week.”
“I’m just glad that he’s still iffy on walking, I’ve already tethered him to the bed...I know it sounds awful but I don’t know how to fly well yet and Cupid’s always busy...”
“Hasn’t Cupe taught you to track Bliss yet?” Phobos asked, handing the child a suddenly there chew ring, made of leather of course.
“No...I...I couldn’t well...poof to him anyway, or bring him down to me...” She sounded embarrassed. The War gods looked up from the baby, startled.
“Ya mean no one’s taught ya to do the god bit?” Discord asked finally.
“Well...Aphrodite and Cupid are busy and...”
“It doesn’t matter,” Ares said firmly, letting his sister take the child, who was reaching for her. Bliss chewed happily on the ring, he may have looked three but he still wasn’t done teething. He giggled as Strife made faces at him. “If you’ll be raising Bliss you’ll have to know a lot of basics, just to keep up with him...”
“I know...but...”
“No but’s, we’ll start teaching you,” Ares nodded to Phobos. “Walk her through a...’poof’.”
“K,” The god appeared right beside her with a grin. “It’s not that bad, just kind of something you don’t think about after a while...”
***
“You did it!” Strife cheered, Psyche laughed and collapsed in the chair she’d been aiming for.
“Yeah, but it’s just across the room...” She pointed out.
“Hey, the first few times me and Deimos tried we moved like, in the wrong direction, Mom found us in the yard instead of across the room...” Phobos grinned. “It’ll get easier the more you do it...”
“Has Cupid taught ya about your temples and power base and stuff?” Discord asked, tucking a blanket around Bliss. The child was sound asleep, hands clutching a wooden sword that Strife had made for him, he’d fallen asleep in a pile of cushions that Ares had made. All of them admittedly were in dark reds and blacks but still fluffy and the best place to get a story, according to Ares who was stroking the curly head resting on his lap.
“No...” The gods shook their heads.
“We’ll help ya get the temples and stuff done if ya want, come by tomorrow, just come on in,” Strife added. “The doors will open for you.” Ares handed her a blanket wrapped Bliss, still napping.
***
“Did Bliss and Arey have a good visit?” Aphrodite asked, tickling her grandson.
“They did, I like Ares. He seems...like a good grandpa,” Psyche smiled. “Is Cupid...?”
“Still busy, hon,” Aphrodite said regretfully, turning away from her daughter-in-law before she saw the lie. “So, did Eris and the other’s get see him?”
“Yes, they almost all came...” She hesitated. “They...they taught me to ‘poof’, at least to a chair across the room...”
“Isn’t Cupie helping you with that?” The Love goddess sounded startled. “I mean, that was kinda in with the whole deal. He should have already taught you the basics...”
“He...he’s busy a lot...” Psyche said softly. “Aphrodite?” The former mortal’s serious tone brought her around to face the girl.
“I...I don’t think he...He didn’t expect me to be...this way...” She whispered finally, quietly beginning to stroke and groom her son’s wings. The boy happily settled down. “When he found me...when he disobeyed you...I was still a princess, I was hiding in the castle, tired of being fawned over. I just wanted someone to like me...ME. Not ‘Psyche the beautiful’, not the princess...and he did. I don’t think he likes who I’m becoming though.”
“Psyche he’s...”
“It’s ok, but maybe it’d be better if I stayed with you a while. So he can actually come home sometimes...”
***
“She’s taking to her godhood well then,” Anteros murmured as he listened to his mother. The God of Slighted Love and Love’s Opposer quietly counted his arrows out. His black hair fell straight and was braided down his back to his waist. “She is the Goddess of Soul and Mind, Mom. She’s gotta be able to pick up on these things...”
“Cupie’s being an ass, I mean, he’s just avoiding stuff. He’s a Love God, Anteros, he should so know this is bad for a relationship...” Aphrodite sighed and settled on the bench as her son checked his list.
“He’s all in the falling in love area, Mom. Not the rest, I mean, Strife let him get away with tons of crap because...”
“Yeah...” His mother sighed, toying with a curl. “Psyche took Bliss to see Ares...”
“I bet Dad was thrilled...”
“Heph says he was bouncing when he came to pick up some things, and the other War Gods are the same way. Even Strife’s kinda less glum...”
“Days like this...I really hate the Z ya know?” The Love god murmured softly. “I wish...Dad’s...he’s so good with kids, ya know? I just wish I’d gotten more time...”
“I know...” Aphrodite turned away, eyes unusually somber. “He loves you guys so fucking much, and Cupe’s the only one isn’t on the clue wagon...”
“It took us a while too, Mom...”
***
Anteros still vividly recalled the first time after what they called the Separation. It was on one of his more bloody slighted love runs. The man had killed himself after an obsession arrow had left him desperately in love with a woman who would never love him back, just revenge for forcing his own lover to suicide but...
He had been throwing up beside a rock when an arm had settled quietly over his back. The same someone gave him a goblet of water and got him to sit on the rock. The God of War stood over him quietly, not judging, just waiting for him to recover his wits.
“Dad...?” He’d husked out, voice breaking. He hadn’t seen his father since Zeus had ordered him not to at the age of ten. Just like the other children of the House of War.
“Anteros,” Ares returned softly. The younger god lasted a moment, then he tossed himself desperately at his father. The War God held him tightly and took them away from the death. Ares had him lie down on a large bed and put a cool cloth over his eyes.
“It’s always bad the first time,” He said finally when his son had settled down a bit. “War God or Love God, trained or not, the first time you see someone’s life fade because of you...it hurts you soul deep, gives you a sense of your power.”
“Does it get better? Do you get used to it?” The Love God whispered.
“Not if you’re a good god, the moment you become cold to the mortals you help you stop really helping. You learn to understand them better through death. You learn what death is. Mortals have a real sense of it, they don’t have an eternity and so they appreciate the now, and live with the fact that end will come. It’s one of the things that I admire about them.” Ares absently took the cloth and re-wet it. “Rest, I’ll tell your mom where you are...”
“Dad...” Anteros peeked from under the cloth at his father. “Thanks.” Ares smiled softly and shrugged.
“You’re my son, and whether Zeus likes it or not I won’t see you suffer if I can help it...” He flashed out and left a thoughtful godling behind him.
***
“I woke up with him watching me...” Anteros smiled softly at the memory. “Like he was afraid I was going to vanish...I’m glad Psyche didn’t let herself be turned against him...”
“I hate to admit I was wrong but...she’s ok. She’s gonna be good for Cupie. I just worry about our little Mischief...”
***
“Hey, Doll,” Strife lifted the crying child into his arms. “How we doin’?” The child sniffed and quieted, cooing up at her father. “Just a little lonely huh? Well, I guess you can bunk wit me tonight...”
This seemed to make Ebony happy and she tried to reach his dangling earring.
“Nu-uh, none o’ that till you’re old enough for yer own...” She flapped her wings a bit as she was settled, on his shoulder and he checked the wards around the area. /”No mistakes this time...”/ his mother had whispered as they had painstakingly erected the shield within the War’s usual shieldings. It blocked the little goddesses’ signature and her cries. It was the same type that his mother had used, with the aid of illusions, to hide his own birth.
He remembered his early years, playing happily among the War Gods, his mother’s fierce embrace. But he was a secret, always a secret, when the other gods were sensed by the shields he was swept away to another room. A human midwife had delivered him and then Ares had wiped her memory. The youngest member of War’s House had been hopelessly fawned over and adored by the others.
Then his godhood had begun to form when he around five. It happened in all gods at varying ages. Unfortunately the shields then hadn’t blocked it. Zeus had been furious. He still remembered being ripped from his mother’s chest, crying all the while. Aphrodite had stepped in and begged to be allowed to take him. She pointed out that she could raise and had raised War Gods. It was granted only when Hera forced the matter.
It wasn’t that he didn’t like the House of Love too, he’d adored Aphrodite and his new family as much as his old. But he’d wanted his mother. ‘Dite had snuck him to his mother’s many nights, but he was forced back by the worry Zeus would find out.
His mother still resented Aphrodite for it. She’d missed the things that a mother should be there for, his first tooth coming out, his first sparkings of power, the disasters he managed to make, and most of all him. He knew for a fact she still had carefully preserved scrolls with his drawings and handprints, that she had his first attempt at writing her a note, his first tooth, and a lock of his hair. All tucked away, hidden as all the War God’s hid things. Because to love someone in the open invited ridicule and even the taking of that someone. So they loved quietly, in the shadow.
Putting extra shields and blocks around his own room he flashed in and settled with his daughter on the bed. Putting a pillow on her other side, just in case, he watched Ebony fight with sleep, then finally drift to her dreams. Smiling lightly he followed her.
***
“Psyche’s here...” Phobos said, swooping Ebony up to be tickled. Deimos smiled and took his turn with the baby.
“It’s our turn to Ebony-sit, you go help her out, Bliss is asking ‘bout ya...” The blonde twin grinned.
“Thanks, catch you guys later...” Walking into the main hall he was slamned into by a happy blonde godling.
“Stife!”
“Hey, kid, you’re sure fired up, ya loose your Mommy? Or just hide her?” Bliss giggled and pointed back to a tired looking Psyche who was smiling at them. “Ahhh...there she is. You wanna go play with some other kids?” The boy nodded eagerly. “C’mon, Psych, I’ll take ya ta one of my temples.” They flashed out and Psyche looked around the little temple they were in curiously. A priest, evident only because he wore Strife’s symbol around his neck, he was otherwise dressed in plain clothes. He bowed lightly then grinned.
“My Lord...”
“Hey, Fairus, this is Psyche, new Goddess of the Mind and Cupid’s wife,” Psyche saw something flicker over the man’s face at the introduction, but it was just as quickly gone. “And the kid with feathas here is the one and only Bliss, our future God of Happiness. Where’re the kids?”
“They’re in the gardens, I could...”
“Naw, let ‘em play, take Bliss out to meet ‘em would ya?” Turning his gaze to Bliss Strife’s voice turned stern. “These kids is human, kid, so be nice and don’t fly off, understand?” Bliss nodded solemnly.
“Pomise,” He affirmed. Smiling the god handed him off to the priest who smiled and immediately started talking to the child about his favorite toys and such.
“Kids?” Psyche asked softly.
“Yeah, my main worshippers are kids, I keep a few adults, but mostly I loose ‘em to other gods when they get older. “I got jesters and jokers and such and even a couple o’ thieves here and there. Now, onta your stuff...” Snapping his fingers a map appeared on the alter. “Now, we need to get you some temples started, by the time ya get your powers perfected they’ll be done...”
“You’ve got a lot more confidence in me then I do...” Psyche sighed, coming over to stand by Strife. “I’m not sure I’m good at being a god...”
“Takes practice, ya just kinda got it all shoved on ya, you’ll be fine. Here, we need to get one in a large city, like Corinth and one in your hometown. After that you let the mortals run with it, when your worship base starts takin’ off ya’ll get more. We’ll start some of Hephaestus’ favorites on your home temple, with some godly help o’ course, and ask Iphicles to start one for you. You’ll need to make a couple of appearances. It’d be good for Iphicles ta meet ya...and I bet you’d like ta see some o’ your old friends and family...”
“Not so much as you might think,” Psyche smiled. “Mother died when I was young and Father...Father saw as means to expand his power. My sisters all hated me and after a while I wasn’t allowed to leave the castle...But, yes, I’d like to ask King Iphicles personally, I’ve heard Uncle Hercules speak of him.”
“You and Herc close?” Strife asked absently, making the map vanish.
“He was the only one who never saw me as an object, he always brought me things from his trips. Not ‘girl’ things, but scrolls of stories, or an Amazon facemask. I think that’s why I thought I was in love with him.” She smiled softly then shrugged. “Anyway, you’re the teacher, what do we learn today?”
***
An hour later, after numerous ‘poofs’ and trying make things appear and vanish, Psyche leaned tiredly against the alter and watched Strife get mobbed by a group of children. There were about a dozen of them and Strife knew every name and age. He held Bliss and the youngest boy, about four, in his arms as he listened to them, laughing and talking excitedly.
“We found a bird’s nest in our barn...”
“And I lost my tooth...”
“Daddy’s back from war and...”
Their voices were a pleasant jumble as she rested and watched them. Bliss lay his head contently on Strife’s shoulder, as proud as a peacock he was known as ‘Strife’s friend’. The children finally wound down and some of them left until only the boy Strife held and three other’s remained.
“Dara you take Cornelius here and get some lunch ok? Fairus’ll help ya, I gotta go do some god stuff...” He received hugs dutifully and sent them off, walking back to Psyche. “They’re my temple kids, sleep here and stuff.” He explained shrugging. “C’mon, Unk wants me to bring you to one of his campaigns to help ya with your mind power stuff. It’s not a huge war or nuthin’ just a border guard. I’m gonna go ahead with Bliss and you do what I showed you to track and follow, k?”
Psyche nodded swallowing hard, but Strife’s obvious faith in her bolstered her spirits. As her son and the Mischief God flashed out she closed her eyes, finding her son’s presence, beside it she felt Strife’s own energy, chaotic and...yet somehow calm. Concentrating around them she found a tent and another God, Ares’ she assumed. Aiming carefully between them she ‘poofed’. Opening one eye hesitantly she met the bemused gaze of Ares and sighed with relief. Then jumped off the table with as much dignity as she could muster. Strife laughed, but there was no cruelness to the sound, just genuine amusement. She glared and punched him playfully in the shoulder, which made her son giggle.
“You made it, that’s the point,” Ares said sternly. “Now, I’m going to be calling in two men. One is a suspected traitor, the other loyal to me. You tell me which is which...”