When there are many gods and minds start to stir, contention is only natural.
Suffice it to say, whether goddess or woman, their nature has ever been ardent for competition.
To have a dozen young women, facing the same beloved object, still coexist in perfect peace—this miracle is something even the almighty God-King Zeus cannot achieve.
On this Zeus holds that, so long as things don't become irreconcilable, a little squabbling is fine—indeed, it counts as a bit of fun.
For now, with Clymene keeping watch, nothing will truly escalate beyond repair.
Zeus at this moment was ringed two or three deep by little goddesses, warbling voices and fragrant breezes swirling.
Faced with these little goddesses, each harboring ulterior motives and different thoughts, He could only pinch cheeks and ruffle hair one by one, soothing them properly and just barely getting by.
To show support for Maia's "big-sister" standing, in the end He took only Maia's small hand and walked into the hall with her.
Gentle Maia, for the sake of her sisters' unity, thought to keep a low profile.
But she could not bear to let go of the God-King's hand, and could only comfort herself in her heart: His Majesty insisted on holding it—how could she make Him unhappy? As His Majesty's little handmaid, this too was to satisfy His Majesty's needs.
Zeus strolled along, and when He saw the last one—the "steward," Clymene—His eyes couldn't help but light up.
He saw that in her semi-transparent ice-blue eyes the sorrow and grief that had been suppressed had melted like accumulated snow, replaced by a clarity like a glacier thawing in spring after rain has washed the sky.
It was the purest, most crystalline, breathtaking beauty—stunning beyond compare.
Clymene came before Zeus, bowed, and, in a voice crisp as tinkling spring water, begged pardon: "Clymene pays homage to Your Majesty and wishes Your Majesty holy peace.
"Clymene begs Your Majesty's pardon. Not long ago I left my post without leave. May Your Majesty mete out punishment."
After His brief amazement, Zeus only smiled softly and said in a gentle tone that brooked no dispute, "What punishment? How could I not know? When you left Olympus, was it not with my permission?"
"Haha—these days Olympus has had only happy things—no ill happenings at all."
"Beautiful Clymene, seeing you finally untie your knot, wipe the dust from your heart, and grow more lovely and at ease—I am happy for you too."
"You must know—the past is past. The future matters more. Live the present well to forge a more hopeful future—that is what matters most, is it not? Haha—"
Zeus laughed heartily, taking this trifle not at all to heart.
Hearing this, Clymene felt the softest place in her heart wholly wrapped in warmth, and was deeply moved.
She lightly pressed her pink-blue lips together; her limpid ice-blue eyes were already brimming.
The Ocean daughter's most musical words flowed from her sensuous, lovely lips: "Your Majesty, you speak true. Thank you for your forbearance. Clymene understands now. I understand how to treat the present and how to create the future."
"All of this is Your grace. Clymene… is most grateful for Your sea-deep, broad-hearted favor."
Zeus only arched His brow at her and smiled lightly. "All of it is also your own choice. The choice you make is the result you will have."
"As for me—what I grant is merely a chance to choose. The outcome will ever depend on the being who makes the choice."
"But whatever the case, I hope every being can choose the right path, the path of justice, and in the end gain happiness and joy of their own."
"Dear Clymene—this is so for you, and for any being in this universe."
Clymene nodded gently; clear brilliance flickered in her ice-blue eyes as she went on, "Honored Majesty, great Majesty, for all beings in this world, to possess the right of 'choice' is itself a most fortunate thing."
"That you are willing to grant all beings the chance to 'choose'—this is your most generous, deepest love for the whole universe."
"Ha ha ha—" At this Zeus laughed aloud again, the sound like spring thunder rolling over the mountains, filled with unfeigned delight.
His smile was warm as sunlight; there was a hint of appreciation and mischief in His golden eyes as He said to Clymene, "Clymene, Clymene—thank you for your praise."
"We have been together so little and already I begin to feel reluctant to leave you. After ten thousand years, I fear I truly will be unable to part from you."
Clymene's heart gave a sudden tremor; her fine lashes quivered; a nameless flutter made her turn her head slightly by instinct, not daring to meet the God-King's sunny smile.
In a voice nearly too soft to hear she answered, "Clymene also wishes to serve always at Your Majesty's side. To ever bask in Your Majesty's radiance is an honor Clymene… could not desire more."
Zeus only smiled and shook His head lightly, saying no more. Some words need only be touched upon.
When at last, surrounded by the little goddesses, He returned to His temple, He immediately saw Amalthea lying there listlessly upon the god-throne to one side of His highest God-King's seat—the one reserved for Amalthea alone.
She pouted her rosy lips, like a white cloud without wind, languid and feeble, her snow-white long legs crossed at random—truly no image to uphold.
She was staring vacantly, her spirit wandering beyond the heavens, and did not even notice Zeus's return.
After all, unless one looked directly—and unless Zeus had not deliberately concealed Himself—
otherwise, when He did not actively reveal His divine might, no one could easily sense His presence.
Clymene, very tactful, withdrew for the time being with those children who still did not want to leave. Though their eyes still held evident reluctance and unwillingness,
she knew very well that even if the goddesses of the Atlas family were bound together, they could not compare with Amalthea.
Though she might now be counted as Amalthea's elder sister, and also as the wisdom goddess Metis's sister, the difference here still defied comparison.
The God-King had a natural fondness for this little sister and had written His partiality for her with His own hand.
Seeing Amalthea sitting there dazed, not knowing what she was thinking, Zeus's playful heart stirred.
He tiptoed, held His breath, and silently came to her side.
"Ha!!!"
"Ah—!!!"
With a loud shout, Zeus directly scared this already-timid goddess out of her wits; she tumbled from the god-throne on the spot.
Fortunately, Zeus had already calculated the angle and caught her squarely in His arms.
Even having fallen into Zeus's embrace, the silly goddess still looked left and right, as if she had no idea what had happened—
which made Zeus unable to hold back; holding her, He collapsed laughing upon the god-seat.
Hearing His unabashed peals of wicked laughter, Amalthea finally came back to herself.
She realized she had been teased by this rascal!
At once she grew even more angry.
"Zeus!!!"
Zeus, naturally, only laughed harder. "Amalthea, what's this? Don't be so worked up. What were you thinking just now? So lost in thought you didn't know I'd come in?"
Amalthea, cheeks puffed, pushed hard against Zeus's chest with her soft little hands.
Of course, she could not move Him at all.
She turned her head away in a huff, pouting without a word, expressing her strongest protest in silence.
Zeus chuckled and kept teasing her. "So dazed, yet such a temper. What are you angry about, hmm? Come now—tell me, tell me."
As He spoke, He had already, without ceremony, pressed His tall, mighty body down upon Amalthea's lush, tender divine form.
His lips wandered to and fro over her rosy cheek, her graceful jawline, and her fair, smooth throat.
Before long He had teased this already hyper-sensitive, silly goddess until she was flushed ear to ear; the breath she had been holding vanished like smoke.
She forced herself not to answer Zeus, squeezing her golden eyes shut and refusing to speak.
Only those long lashes quivered lightly, beyond her control, like her quickening heartbeat.
With the beloved goddess's scent—enough to make a god lose his soul—filling His mouth and nose, Zeus's tone grew ever softer.
Close by her ear He pressed on, "Amalthea, come now—what were you thinking just now, to be so lost?"
"Mm-hmm~" From her nose the tender goddess let out two muffled sounds, like a spoiled kitten.
She still said not a word, only that the Ocean daughter's lithe body had truly turned to a puddle of clear water, lying lightly in the God-King's arms like a cloud softened by golden rain.
All the more pleased with Himself, Zeus went on bantering, "Since you won't tell me, let me guess."
"Mm—were you thinking of me, my love? Thinking why I took so long and hadn't come to keep you company?"
"Thinking why greedy, hungry me suddenly stopped being greedy? Is it… that you wanted to be eaten by me? Is that it? My dear Amalthea~"
However brazen the God-King's words, they went in one ear and out the other for the lovely goddess.
Her snow-white, jade-like face flushed all the redder, all the lovelier.
She suddenly opened her golden eyes, at last turned her head to look at Zeus, and, with all her strength, shot Him a "fierce" glare.
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