Only, that "fierce" glare, in Zeus's eyes, was nothing but charming and coy—one could even call it brimful of allure.
In truth, the soft, silly goddess, already stirred without knowing it, had naturally begun to show a uniquely her own, most wondrous, dainty allure.
It was the perfect interweaving of utmost innocent softness and utmost sultry temptation—"pure desire"—like sunset gilding falling on cherry blossoms, like a peach petal blooming from a clear spring.
Such an Amalthea set Zeus's heart ablaze; He could no longer hold back and bent to peck the long, alabaster neck that had flushed to the red of carnelian.
Amalthea pushed at Zeus feebly and, in a tear-tinted, coquettish voice, scolded, "Zeus! You—you—you're the worst!"
"I—I—I…"
As she spoke, the dear goddess's tone softened by degrees, like a tuft of cotton candy melting slow between His lips and teeth.
"You rascal… I—I missed you so much… and you were out fooling around! You forgot me completely! Not even one message back!"
"Hard enough for you to come back, and you… you still bully me!"
"Zeus— Zeus is the worst!"
Hearing this, Zeus felt a pang of shame.
For the growth and harmony of the cosmic laws, He had indeed thrown Himself into His work too deeply.
Only now did He spare a thread of mind to glance at the divine-message channel that was on the verge of exploding.
Mm…
Too many messages. Not reading!
Right before Him was far worthier of His gaze.
The wronged, soft silly goddess gazed up at Him with tear-dimmed golden eyes, on the verge of weeping.
She looked at Zeus so pitiably He felt His heart melted by her—His whole thunder-heart simmered to sweet broth.
The shameless God-King nuzzled the beloved softie at His cheek, full of tender pity as He soothed the dear goddess: "Amalthea, I've been thinking of you all along. How could I bear to truly bully you?"
"Feel carefully—can you not feel my surging, pounding love for you?"
Zeus took her boneless-soft little hand and set it where that love was more than obvious.
The silly goddess, sunk in sadness, started.
Then, before the naked eye, her pretty face flushed hot at once.
Rarely, she even gave a little tsk.
The sound was softer still. "Zeus—you… you're the worst—you only bully me…"
Talk as she might, she did not pull away from feeling Zeus's love.
Zeus stared straight into those golden eyes that matched His own. The goddess's gaze dodged; she dared not meet that gaze full of conquest.
The heat in the God-King's chest was nigh ungovernable.
In a slightly husky, deeply magnetic voice, He murmured, "Amalthea, I… am hungry again…"
Amalthea squeezed her eyes shut; her little face turned entirely aside, red and hot.
Yet though she said not a word, as countless times before, with trembling little hands for her beloved Zeus, she undid the last barrier.
Silence louder than speech—quietly, everything that should be done was done.
This time the stir was at least smaller—only the center of the universe's order was covered.
Golden clouds heaved in waves, golden rain fell like silk—the endless golden clouds and golden rain veiled all Olympus completely.
And this silly, great goddess who ruled "nourishing," "healing," and "purifying" was, in turn, wholly nourished by the God-King's exuberant, vast divinity.
Her divinity once more soared by an unimaginable bound.
Like a well suddenly fed by the River of Heaven, brimming to the lip.
The God-King also felt His restless heart wholly purified by His beloved goddess's purest divinity.
For the moment…
Zeus did not, for the time being, grant Amalthea a child.
He judged that putting Amalthea in charge of a child… might be a stretch for her to handle well.
Best to wait a while.
Only, this reason did not satisfy Amalthea.
Satisfied and spent, she curled in Zeus's broad arms like a fawn full of warm milk.
Still she muttered, pouting, "Zeus, you only talk nonsense. I'm far older than you. I fed you up from little, and didn't you grow up just fine?"
"And you say I'd raise a child badly—you're the one who talks nonsense!"
"Who was it that fed you one mouthful at a time when you were little? Heartless rascal!"
"You—you—even now—aren't I the one feeding you?"
Zeus broke into helpless laughter and rubbed the dazzling long horns upon Amalthea's head—those were altogether too useful!
Only, when holding her in His arms, they had a habit of poking His face now and again.
No great matter—His skin was thick enough!
He could not help teasing, "Wasn't it Adrasteia and Ida who chiefly tended me then?"
"As for you," His tone was all banter, "besides feeding me, you just dragged me hither and yon to play. Did you really take proper care of me for one whole day?"
"If you hadn't been so rough, playing with me then, I wouldn't have slipped and snapped your goat horn."
"And stop saying you're older than me! You were created by the Mother of All only while I was being borne by my Mother Goddess. There isn't much between us."
"Besides, you were borne anew by the Ocean God. Strictly speaking, you're now a young goddess at the height of her spring."
Zeus grinned in triumph, and Amalthea, having had her bottom line laid bare, flushed with anger and shame.
She lifted her head and tried to jab Zeus's cheek with those dazzling long horns.
Only, the God-King's skin proved altogether too stout; this attack did Him not the least harm.
Instead, He seized them with a big hand and turned them into a different kind of intimate plaything.
Amalthea struggled a few times and could not break free; she had to give up.
She pouted her rosy lips and, in a most wronged tone, began to act spoiled. "Zeus— they all have dear children—I want one too—"
"You—you're always out fooling around. Most of the time I can't see you. If I had a darling child to keep me company, I… I wouldn't be so bored."
Hearing this, Zeus could only laugh and cry. Holding her horns, He gently shook her head. "What then? You want a child just to ease your boredom?"
Amalthea greatly disliked this excessive gesture of Zeus's, but still endured it.
She said, a bit embarrassed, "Th—that's only one reason. You know—I love children best."
"And you needn't worry I'd teach badly. With Adrasteia and Ida helping me, the three of us together could certainly raise a child well."
Zeus blinked and thought to Himself: Well now—this lineup was nearly what He Himself had enjoyed in the old days.
No—better than He had enjoyed back then.
After all, those three goddesses had been far from as mighty as now, and their stations had not been so exalted.
Zeus nodded, then suddenly remembered that since His return He had not seen Adrasteia and Ida, and said, "There's some sense in that."
"I can consider it seriously. But—ultimately, it depends on your performance."
Amalthea lit up at the first half.
But at the latter half she puckered at once, cheeks puffed like a little cloud just roused by a gust.
Zeus went on, "By the way, why haven't I seen Adrasteia and Ida—where did they go?"
Amalthea's displeasure came fast and went fast.
Hearing Zeus's question, she tossed aside that little mood at once and said, "Didn't a new race appear in the mortal world—you must know—the 'humans.' The two of them were bored, so they went down together to take a look."
"They should have messaged you, too. Did you… not read again?"
Amalthea narrowed her golden eyes, full of scrutiny—and obvious disdain.
Zeus smiled sheepishly; only then did He remember He really should check His messages.
He sent a thread of divine thought into the divine-message channel that was nearly exploding.
At one glance—mm… there were even more messages.
His dear daughters' daily greetings—He would have to reply to each, with fatherly encouragement attached.
As Father God, timely praise and encouragement are the necessary lubricant of father-daughter affection, and a key to a child's healthy growth.
Atropos, the little daughter of Fate—that child was getting into mischief again; it looked like she needed some proper "education."
The Muse daughters had sent "work progress reports" on human civilization—He should give them high affirmation and praise.
Dear Mnemosyne had also sent a missive of longing—He needed to soothe her quickly.
Ah—dear Themis had sent a message as well.
Her question, however, was only about a small matter of law-detail.
With her wisdom, why would she need to ask Me this?
Zeus's heart leapt and turned hot.
It seemed dear Themis also missed Him—only she was too shy to say so.
Thinking of that stainless goddess who presided over holy, just order, Zeus's heart gave a thump, and heat rose in His chest.
That most just, most steadfast Vice-Regent of the universe would never cling to Him as frankly as Nyx…
But all the more for that, the love suppressed beneath her reserve was only the hotter.
He at once sent back several passages of sweet words enough to melt an iceberg, then read on.
Dear Hestia, Demeter, and Hera had also messaged Him, telling that they had gone down together to look upon humankind.
Add Adrasteia and Ida to that… well now—nearly everyone had gone to the mortal world.
Humanity's luck, truly, was fine indeed.
For the ones going down were all the gentlest, most loving goddesses.
When He had handled all these messages, Zeus finally turned His gaze to the chat window with by far the most unread messages—and the most "piercing" to the eye.
The Lady of Night.
______
(≧◡≦) ♡ Support me and read 20 chapters ahead – patreon.com/Mutter
For every 50 Power Stones, one extra chapter will be released on Saturday.