| Fantasy Fiction posted September 2, 2024 | Chapters: |
Prologue -1- 2... 
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The story of Theo's roots begins on Mount Olympus.
A chapter in the book Body of a Horse, Heart of a Man
The Daughter of Zeus
by davisr (Rhonda)
| Background A fanciful tale of adventure. Phoebus, son of Poseidon, is a god turned Centaur by Zeus. Diantha, is a young lady in peril. Together, they must face an evil foe, and make some difficult choices. |
Summary of Prologue:
While the Greek gods enjoy a measure of immortality, they do slowly age, and in their rather lengthy twilight years, Zeus and Hera had a daughter, Eudora. Beautiful and petulant, the spoiled child eventually became a teen.
Zeus was trying to curb his overall irritability to reduce the squabbles amongst his people, but was notably unsuccessful. Eudora did not help the situation.
Compounding his frustrations was the arrival of a young god named Phoebus on Mount Olympus. The youth was the son of Zeus' powerful brother Poseidon, the god of the sea. Like his father, he loved horses, and he helped Apollo care for the magnificent beasts he used to pull his chariot across the sky.
Phoebus was both talented and hard working, a rarity on Mount Olympus. He branched out from just caring for Apollo's horses, to breeding others of his own for racing. The gods were well known for enjoying sports, and so the lad soon won a place in their hearts. The name Phoebus became synonymous with quality and excitement.
This was not the part that caused Zeus anxiety. The fact that Phoebus was turning the heads of all the young ladies was. Eudora could talk of nothing else, and Zeus grew more wary as his child prattled on.
Chapter 1 Begins:
One day, Eudora approached the object of her affection and adoration. He had just finished putting a large black stallion through a rigorous training session. He was tired, dirty and in no mood for zealous young goddesses.
While the Greek gods enjoy a measure of immortality, they do slowly age, and in their rather lengthy twilight years, Zeus and Hera had a daughter, Eudora. Beautiful and petulant, the spoiled child eventually became a teen.
Zeus was trying to curb his overall irritability to reduce the squabbles amongst his people, but was notably unsuccessful. Eudora did not help the situation.
Compounding his frustrations was the arrival of a young god named Phoebus on Mount Olympus. The youth was the son of Zeus' powerful brother Poseidon, the god of the sea. Like his father, he loved horses, and he helped Apollo care for the magnificent beasts he used to pull his chariot across the sky.
Phoebus was both talented and hard working, a rarity on Mount Olympus. He branched out from just caring for Apollo's horses, to breeding others of his own for racing. The gods were well known for enjoying sports, and so the lad soon won a place in their hearts. The name Phoebus became synonymous with quality and excitement.
This was not the part that caused Zeus anxiety. The fact that Phoebus was turning the heads of all the young ladies was. Eudora could talk of nothing else, and Zeus grew more wary as his child prattled on.
Chapter 1 Begins:
One day, Eudora approached the object of her affection and adoration. He had just finished putting a large black stallion through a rigorous training session. He was tired, dirty and in no mood for zealous young goddesses.
"Hey Phoebus," Eudora called out. She leaned against the fence just outside his training pen. "Nice run."
Phoebus flashed her a tolerant smile as he led the fiery steed toward the barn. "Thank you."
Eudora, dressed in a luxurious gown, followed behind.
"Can I help you brush him down?"
"Can I help you brush him down?"
"Sure, but you'll have to be careful. He's a bit high-spirited."
"I'm not scared."
"You don't have to be scared, just careful," he said with forced patience.
It wasn't that he didn't like the girl. It was just that he knew who she was, and more importantly, who her father was. He had no intention of having to face the volatile king of the gods any more often than necessary. Besides, as a princess, Eudora had to be handled with care, and he was far too tired for delicacy.
Phoebus' young admirer picked up the curry brush and began to stroke the stallion's velvety black hair. "I'll be careful."
Phoebus took the halter off the horse's head and stroked the white star on his forehead. "As long as he's calm like he is right now, you don't have to worry. But if he starts stomping, or rears back his head, back away."
Eudora nodded and continued to brush the horse. She seemed intent enough on her task, but kept stealing glances at his master.
"He sure is pretty," she said.
"Thank you." Phoebus grabbed a brush and began grooming the horse as well. "Eternal is the best in my stable right now. He's strong, fast and beautiful. I'm using him to race and later to breed."
"He sure is pretty," she said.
"Thank you." Phoebus grabbed a brush and began grooming the horse as well. "Eternal is the best in my stable right now. He's strong, fast and beautiful. I'm using him to race and later to breed."
"Why the name Eternal?"
"He's one of the rare horses that are immortal. He was given to me by my father."
"You really like them, don't you?"
"Horses are my life."
"Don't get me wrong," Eudora began, "I like them too, but maybe you should get out more, you know, have fun."
"This is fun. At least to me it is."
Eudora rolled her eyes and sighed dramatically. "Okay, Phoebus, I'm throwing a party tonight with all the gods and godesses our age, and I'd like you to come as my personal guest."
Phoebus stopped and gave her a more tolerant smile. He knew he had a reputation for being reclusive and didn't want to perpetuate the image. She was just trying to be nice. "That's very sweet, Eudora, really it is. I know how hard it is to get invited to one of your parties, and I appreciate you thinking about me, but I have a race tomorrow I need to get ready for."
"I don't know why you're always taking your horses to the human world to compete," Eudora said. "What do they have down there that makes you so interested in going all the time? I think it's much more beautiful up here."
"Well, there isn't much competition in Olympia. I'm about the only one raising horses here. Even your father shows up to the human races when I have a good one entered. He has to go in disguise, but he hardly ever misses an event."
"I know. He's always bragging about you and your races, but still, they're only humans, and they don't even have beautiful gardens like we do. I've seen their pathetic attempts at growing flowers, terribly boring if you ask me. And have you seen the temples they've built to the gods? They're dismal."
"They are our people, Eudora. Human beings are why we're here on this planet. It's our job to guide and protect them. We're not really gods, you know. We're just immortals with powers."
Eudora nodded her head. "I know all that. I've heard it over and over, but it's not our job, Phoebus. You and I don't have positions of authority. What do they call us, lesser gods? We don't owe the world anything. It's not like anyone is going to build us a temple, pitiful or otherwise."
"It's true that all our generation, including you and me, have no leadership jobs, but we're still required to look after humans. We are in, what my father calls, a supportive role."
"As I said, lesser gods. To be honest, I don't know why we bother with them at all. They don't really live very long. Their life expectancy is what, about 70-80 years? Why make the effort when they're just going to die, anyway?"
"In the time they're allotted, they have important missions to fulfill, Eudora. They need our help to do so."
"Well, I'm not going down there and waste my time. You should see the fits they give Daddy, but I won't argue with you about it. You do a great job with your horses, and the other gods enjoy what you do. Still, I would like you to come to my party."
"I can't, not tonight."
"Okay, then, what about next weekend?"
"Weekends aren't really good for me in general. That's when humans usually have their biggest races."
Eudora continued to stroke the horse with the course brush. She leaned in and smelled the musky scent of his coat. It was pleasing, but not so much so that she could understand the intense fascination Phoebus had for them. She leaned back and shrugged. "Then which day during the week is better? I can call a party anytime."
"You really like them, don't you?"
"Horses are my life."
"Don't get me wrong," Eudora began, "I like them too, but maybe you should get out more, you know, have fun."
"This is fun. At least to me it is."
Eudora rolled her eyes and sighed dramatically. "Okay, Phoebus, I'm throwing a party tonight with all the gods and godesses our age, and I'd like you to come as my personal guest."
Phoebus stopped and gave her a more tolerant smile. He knew he had a reputation for being reclusive and didn't want to perpetuate the image. She was just trying to be nice. "That's very sweet, Eudora, really it is. I know how hard it is to get invited to one of your parties, and I appreciate you thinking about me, but I have a race tomorrow I need to get ready for."
"I don't know why you're always taking your horses to the human world to compete," Eudora said. "What do they have down there that makes you so interested in going all the time? I think it's much more beautiful up here."
"Well, there isn't much competition in Olympia. I'm about the only one raising horses here. Even your father shows up to the human races when I have a good one entered. He has to go in disguise, but he hardly ever misses an event."
"I know. He's always bragging about you and your races, but still, they're only humans, and they don't even have beautiful gardens like we do. I've seen their pathetic attempts at growing flowers, terribly boring if you ask me. And have you seen the temples they've built to the gods? They're dismal."
"They are our people, Eudora. Human beings are why we're here on this planet. It's our job to guide and protect them. We're not really gods, you know. We're just immortals with powers."
Eudora nodded her head. "I know all that. I've heard it over and over, but it's not our job, Phoebus. You and I don't have positions of authority. What do they call us, lesser gods? We don't owe the world anything. It's not like anyone is going to build us a temple, pitiful or otherwise."
"It's true that all our generation, including you and me, have no leadership jobs, but we're still required to look after humans. We are in, what my father calls, a supportive role."
"As I said, lesser gods. To be honest, I don't know why we bother with them at all. They don't really live very long. Their life expectancy is what, about 70-80 years? Why make the effort when they're just going to die, anyway?"
"In the time they're allotted, they have important missions to fulfill, Eudora. They need our help to do so."
"Well, I'm not going down there and waste my time. You should see the fits they give Daddy, but I won't argue with you about it. You do a great job with your horses, and the other gods enjoy what you do. Still, I would like you to come to my party."
"I can't, not tonight."
"Okay, then, what about next weekend?"
"Weekends aren't really good for me in general. That's when humans usually have their biggest races."
Eudora continued to stroke the horse with the course brush. She leaned in and smelled the musky scent of his coat. It was pleasing, but not so much so that she could understand the intense fascination Phoebus had for them. She leaned back and shrugged. "Then which day during the week is better? I can call a party anytime."
Phoebus took a deep breath and leaned his dark curly head against the barn wall. Olive skin accented well sculpted muscles, and sea green eyes captured attention, even when he was exhausted. He blew out his breath as he searched for the right words.
"What do you really want from me, Eudora?" he asked.
"Just your attention," she answered simply. "Is that too much to ask?"
"No, of course it's not. I'm just busy all the time trying to get established in the racing world, and working for Apollo. It's nothing personal, I assure you. Any number of young men would die to get a chance to date you."
"But I don't like any number of men. They're all boring."
"That's because they sit around and do nothing all day. You like me because I don't. I understand that, but you have to understand that makes me unavailable a lot."
"From what I can tell, you're unavailable all the time."
"That's not true, you just have to be patient."
Eudora shook her head, her blonde hair wafting around her shoulders like silk. "I'm not the patient sort."
Phoebus squeezed his eyes shut as his stomach started to churn. "Look, I'm just not ready for a relationship. Like I've been attempting to explain to you, I'm building up my stable to establish myself as a god in my own right."
Eudora stroked the bridge of her nose as though trying to calm herself. "By raising horses?"
"Pretty much, yes. As you pointed out earlier, it's hard to get into a leadership role. My father is the god of horses and the sea, and the sea part takes most of his time. If I can get good enough with horses, he might branch that part off to me. He's hinted as much to me."
"Cool. Have you talked to my father about it?"
"No, but I told Apollo. He said he would mention it to Zeus some day when he's in the right mood."
"Well, I can mention it to him now, and I promise he likes me better than Apollo."
"I would hope so."
"You want me to talk to him about it?"
"I had wanted to wait until I have my stable more built up. I'm not ready yet."
"So what? If daddy knows we'll be getting married as soon as you get your godhood, he'll do it quick as can be. I can be very convincing."
Phoebus threw up a hand as though to ward her off. "Whoa. All we were talking about is a party. I know I'm not ready for marriage. I want Zeus to be impressed with my ability. I wanted to earn god status, not just be given it."
Eudora cocked her head to the side and made a face. "Oh my gosh, Phoebus, he's already impressed with you, and I know I am. What more do you need?"
Phoebus took Eudora's hands in his and gazed intently into her eyes. "Let's take this slowly, ok? I'll think about what you said about going to one of your parties, but marriage and all, let's wait on that for awhile. I need to spend time with my horses, and you need to get a little older. I want to be sure of myself first, and then we can consider a relationship between you and me."
"So you're trying to say you would choose a mere horse's company over mine?"
"You're putting words in my mouth, Eudora. I'm saying I have responsibilities, and I need to meet those first. I would be of little use to you as a companion if I have not earned my own status. I want whoever I end up marrying to respect me."
"I am Zeus' daughter. You need no other responsibility. You're an inferior god like me, and all this horse stuff you're doing isn't going to make you a main one like your father or mine. You're fooling yourself, and you may lose me in the process."
"I never had you, Eudora. Please, just leave me to take care of my horses. Don't make me choose between them and you."
"Don't worry." Eudora began to show signs of her father's disagreeable temper. "You just keep your horses, and don't expect any recommendations from me, either."
"Don't get angry," Phoebus said. "You're blowing this way out of proportion. I didn't say I don't ever want to get with you, just not right now. I need to spend time with my horses and then maybe there can be an us."
"When?"
"I don't know when. If you really care for me, you'll wait until the time is right."
"Like I told you before, I'm not a patient person, and I'm terribly tired of this conversation. I'm going right now to get ready for the party. If you know what's good for you, you'll be there. Just tell them at the gate you're with me. I'll leave your name as my guest. And Phoebus, don't disappoint me."
"What do you really want from me, Eudora?" he asked.
"Just your attention," she answered simply. "Is that too much to ask?"
"No, of course it's not. I'm just busy all the time trying to get established in the racing world, and working for Apollo. It's nothing personal, I assure you. Any number of young men would die to get a chance to date you."
"But I don't like any number of men. They're all boring."
"That's because they sit around and do nothing all day. You like me because I don't. I understand that, but you have to understand that makes me unavailable a lot."
"From what I can tell, you're unavailable all the time."
"That's not true, you just have to be patient."
Eudora shook her head, her blonde hair wafting around her shoulders like silk. "I'm not the patient sort."
Phoebus squeezed his eyes shut as his stomach started to churn. "Look, I'm just not ready for a relationship. Like I've been attempting to explain to you, I'm building up my stable to establish myself as a god in my own right."
Eudora stroked the bridge of her nose as though trying to calm herself. "By raising horses?"
"Pretty much, yes. As you pointed out earlier, it's hard to get into a leadership role. My father is the god of horses and the sea, and the sea part takes most of his time. If I can get good enough with horses, he might branch that part off to me. He's hinted as much to me."
"Cool. Have you talked to my father about it?"
"No, but I told Apollo. He said he would mention it to Zeus some day when he's in the right mood."
"Well, I can mention it to him now, and I promise he likes me better than Apollo."
"I would hope so."
"You want me to talk to him about it?"
"I had wanted to wait until I have my stable more built up. I'm not ready yet."
"So what? If daddy knows we'll be getting married as soon as you get your godhood, he'll do it quick as can be. I can be very convincing."
Phoebus threw up a hand as though to ward her off. "Whoa. All we were talking about is a party. I know I'm not ready for marriage. I want Zeus to be impressed with my ability. I wanted to earn god status, not just be given it."
Eudora cocked her head to the side and made a face. "Oh my gosh, Phoebus, he's already impressed with you, and I know I am. What more do you need?"
Phoebus took Eudora's hands in his and gazed intently into her eyes. "Let's take this slowly, ok? I'll think about what you said about going to one of your parties, but marriage and all, let's wait on that for awhile. I need to spend time with my horses, and you need to get a little older. I want to be sure of myself first, and then we can consider a relationship between you and me."
"So you're trying to say you would choose a mere horse's company over mine?"
"You're putting words in my mouth, Eudora. I'm saying I have responsibilities, and I need to meet those first. I would be of little use to you as a companion if I have not earned my own status. I want whoever I end up marrying to respect me."
"I am Zeus' daughter. You need no other responsibility. You're an inferior god like me, and all this horse stuff you're doing isn't going to make you a main one like your father or mine. You're fooling yourself, and you may lose me in the process."
"I never had you, Eudora. Please, just leave me to take care of my horses. Don't make me choose between them and you."
"Don't worry." Eudora began to show signs of her father's disagreeable temper. "You just keep your horses, and don't expect any recommendations from me, either."
"Don't get angry," Phoebus said. "You're blowing this way out of proportion. I didn't say I don't ever want to get with you, just not right now. I need to spend time with my horses and then maybe there can be an us."
"When?"
"I don't know when. If you really care for me, you'll wait until the time is right."
"Like I told you before, I'm not a patient person, and I'm terribly tired of this conversation. I'm going right now to get ready for the party. If you know what's good for you, you'll be there. Just tell them at the gate you're with me. I'll leave your name as my guest. And Phoebus, don't disappoint me."
 Recognized |
All AI Images from IZEA.
I started this book several years ago. I didn't get past the prologue as live events intervened and I was off for a while. I wrote the sequel to it on here first, and am now going back to the original as a prequel.
For those of you who might have read the prologue, I just summarized it here.
Phoebus: Young son of Poseidon. He works for Apollo as a horse tender and has started a line of horses of his own.
Eudora: Youngest daughter of Zeus and Hera - She's spoiled and petulant and purely made up on my part.
Eternal: Phoebus' favorite black stallion. A gift from Poseidon to get his youngest son started in horse breeding. He's an immortal and hopefully the father of Phoebus' planned bloodline.
Pays
one point
and 2 member cents. I started this book several years ago. I didn't get past the prologue as live events intervened and I was off for a while. I wrote the sequel to it on here first, and am now going back to the original as a prequel.
For those of you who might have read the prologue, I just summarized it here.
Phoebus: Young son of Poseidon. He works for Apollo as a horse tender and has started a line of horses of his own.
Eudora: Youngest daughter of Zeus and Hera - She's spoiled and petulant and purely made up on my part.
Eternal: Phoebus' favorite black stallion. A gift from Poseidon to get his youngest son started in horse breeding. He's an immortal and hopefully the father of Phoebus' planned bloodline.
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