[b]Alexa![/b]

"Oh!" said Beljani. "You're just like the others! No hellos, no how do you dos, no you look fetching in that armour Beljanis, just straight to 'Kill this person, save this other person, also here is my life story'!" She huffs but the words don't have real bite to them. They're just stress noises. Her actual action is to snap her fingers at a charging Kaeri. "You! Bad owl! Stop what you're doing and carry this for me, would you?"

The owl warrior's footsteps drag to a slurred halt. After a moment of struggle she leans down and picks up Alexa's severed head.

"But," she said thoughtfully. "You're offering to pay me? Nobody's ever done that before. I mean, I'm not clear what sort of favour you're positioned to offer... oh!" she snaps her fingers again. "Do you know how to write letters?"

[b]Dolce![/b]

"Oh, darling Zeus," said Demeter. "You're such a soft touch. You can't keep letting these mortals get away with this! They'll never learn if you don't discipline them."
"Why is their learning of interest to me?" said Zeus. "Either they please me or they don't. Either they seek my favour or they don't. I do not seek to control their lives."
"That seems such a cruel way to rule!" said Demeter. "Your garden runs wild. If you let your field bring you whatsoever harvest it pleases and in the end the forest will grow and all will fall into darkness. Just think of all the wonderful things that you could do if you took a more active hand?"
Zeus smiled and patted the top of her sister's head. "Demeter," she said. "You think that the path to glory is through your children. You couldn't be more wrong! My glory comes not from what my sons and daughters do, but from what [i]I[/i] do!"
In the heavens above, through a gap in the cloud, a brilliant-bright star winks out. Ten million years ago across the cosmic void of space an explosion of incomprehensible size finally comes to a halt and the last supernova light finally reaches this distant world. A tiny thing. A gesture missed by two armies knee deep in wet sand and nettles, but no less mighty for their failure to see.
"And were I to spend my days persecuting failed kings, or torturing those who fail to live up to my moral aspirations," said Zeus, "then I would be an ignoble god indeed."

Though Zeus smiles there is no question of the edge of cool judgement in her tone. She does not bring Demeter to heel but her disapproval is clear as she turns away to Olympus. Demeter remains, though red faced and bitter at the implied insult.