Zeus is unignorable by nature. She’d just finished telling a story louder than she’d needed to, and covered most of her audience’s reaction with her own booming laugh. Like she’d not told it a hundred times over. Vasilia hid her smile in a sip of her beverage, which was why you couldn’t find it on her face. Pah. No drink bitterer than a forced one. “Anyone can see what an honor it is to host such a host, Thunderer.” And now she was sitting next to her. When did that happen?! She specifically remembered at least a two-seat buffer not five minutes ago… “Of all the Captains of all the ships in all the universe, whyever should you dote on me so? After all, there’s no end of brave souls with the necessary...ambition to seek glory.” Why not bother one of them for a change? Jas’o certainly seemed your type.

**********************************

Dolce had been idly tracing patterns in the ash with his foot. Little swirls and whorls turned into swirling nebulae, and soon he had a few ships in to see the sights. He didn’t remember adding the face-down cards on top of them, but they were there to greet him when he turned away for a moment to address a call for refills. But, well, they were here, so he might as well pick one, no?

Thus began the Lord Hades' subtle exit from the table, and entry into a spirited game of cards with the chef. They had little to play with, only a few crumbs leftover from the cooking, but it didn’t seem to matter; the Lord of the Dead played as if they were priceless diamonds, and Dolce was not about to disappoint him with a poor showing.

“I was wondering,” Dolce asked, as Hades silently shuffled the cards for another round. “With all that’s still before us, and all that might be, are you...betting on our voyage? That we would succeed or fail?”