Hermes normally played the lyre to pass the time. To calm his ram during thunderstorms. Or just to practice a song he had in mind.

It was one he had made himself from a tortoise shell. Not the most polished instrument. But the cows he was herding didn’t seem to mind that part.

Any cow that could hear the song, followed the tune. Any cow that started to shift out of the herd, was brought back in by Hermes. How?

He just ran over, played for that cow, and led them back into the crowd. Then he’d run back to the head and keep leading them all before they changed direction.

The cows at the front only wondered where the music went for a few seconds.

“This would be easier if I had more apples,” Hermes said.

Luckily, the sun was rising and he was a few meters away from his cave. A day’s travel for a human was a marathon with his speed. Thankfully, these cows weren’t sluggish.

Fast enough to keep up with Hermes' power walk. If not forcing him to slow down at times. One of them was strong enough to crush a tree stump as it walked on it instead of around. All were big enough that little Hermes had no chance of getting on top of one to ride.

Their bright red color and orange spots let anyone who spotted them know who they belonged to. If Arcadia’s forests were more populated, Hermes would’ve been in trouble immediately. The only person he saw was Eris outside his cave.

She teleported out of the way whenever the ram charged her. The ram wouldn’t be charging her if she wasn’t teasing him with an apple.

“Leave Ram alone,” Hermes ordered.

“I’m just playing with him.”

Eris got a horn in her knee at full speed. Toppling down in the most unflattering way possible.

Eris was face down in the grass. A ram called ‘Ram’ on top of her back. Listening to it chew on one of her apples.

Hermes laughed all the way to his cave’s entrance.

“I hate animals,” Eris grumbled.

She stood up. Ram was still on her back like it was a hill. She teleported inside the cave, dropping the animal.

“Anyone see you?”

Eris swung in a hammock she had constructed from rocks inside the cave. She had a second one for Hermes. Smoothed to a fine surface to avoid poking and puncturing. But still, they were rocks.

“I think we scared some fish crossing the creek.”

Hermes sat cross-legged on the floor, playing his lyre. Soothing the cows to sleep with a slower song. Letting the gentle melody null them after their travel.

Hermes watched as each cow started to go to the ground. Shutting their eyes one by one. A cattle of red giants resting on his lawn.

“You sure this is gonna work?” Hermes asked.

No response. He checked and Eris was gone. Her hammocks weren’t there. What was there, were Hermes’ few possessions.

Clean clothes stitched to fit him. A new wicker box with his coins organized inside. Patched blankets, bags, and shoes. A basket full of apples and a polished metal bucket beside it.

“Hmm, that was nice of her,” Hermes admitted.

“What was nice of her?” Someone asked.

“You being,” Hermes was about to answer. But the voice wasn’t feminine. It was high-pitched like Eris’. But the songs were very different.

Apollo’s current tune: a song of rage. His glowing eyes were bearing into Hermes. A mad ox before a little sheep.

“No, please continue,” Apollo grabbed Hermes by his collar. Lifting the boy off the ground so roughly that his clothes tore. “Me being what?”

Hermes lyre dropped to the ground. His feet dangled in the air at Apollo’s waist. He had nowhere to run.

“I thought you were my friend. She usually comes around…” Hermes feigned delighted surprise, “Sun God Apollo?! Of the Olympians?! What’re you doing here?!”

“Questioning whether it's moral or not to choke a child,” Apollo bluffed. “Why did you steal my cattle?! You do know stealing from the gods is punishable by death?”

Smelling the alcohol, “I’d tell you why, but I doubt you’re sober enough to understand what I’m saying.”

There was only one reason Hermes wasn’t picking up his teeth for that comment.

“Where are your parents?” Apollo asked.

Hermes bragged, “Same as yours. Take me up to Mt. Olympus and I’ll introduce you.

“You’re not a god. And I’m not humoring this.”

“I got your cattle from the temple to a cave in one night, and I’m not even tired. What human could’ve done that?” Hermes continued, “Just set me down, and I can show you how fast,”

Apollo meant his statements. He didn’t wait and carried the boy under his arm. He stood in the center of the sleeping cows. He counted them all fast.

“Where are they?” Apollo asked.

Hermes looked around at the resting cattle. He pointed at a few of them.

“There’s one right there. There’s another one. Oh! There’s a big one by your foot.”

Hermes found himself upside down. Apollo had him by the ankle now. The grip suddenly made the kid wince. He ground his teeth as the god’s fingers dug into his skin.

Steam came off Apollo’s hand. An orange aura surrounded the god. The grass under his feet was so hot that it turned black.

Snarling, “Where! Are! The! Rest!”

The cows woke up and started to run from the fire. The blaze was small, but they didn’t care. No matter how strong they were, no cow enjoyed flames.

Hermes tried to think fast. He couldn’t keep joking. Telling on Eris could compromise the plan. He’d be able to think if his ankle wasn’t burning. Or if there wasn’t a fire inching toward him.

“Take me to Mt. Olympus, and I’ll tell you where the rest are! That’s all I want! I just want to see King Zeus!”

Hermes began to panic. The fire was a few centimeters from his hair. Like the cattle, he didn’t want to test if he was flammable.

“Why should I?” Apollo asked. Not a single ounce of humor in his voice, “You’re not in a position to bargain.”

Hermes turned his head as the heat started to turn his skin red. Sweat evaporated the second it formed. He was more terrified than he’d ever been in his life.

Worse, he could see the flames approaching his mother’s grave.

“Please! I just want to know who my father is! If it’s King Zeus!”

“Is that all?”

That wasn’t Apollo’s voice. That wasn’t Eris’ voice. That wasn’t even a voice Hermes was familiar with.

When he opened his eyes, the flames were gone. So was the grass. All of the cows and his pet Ram were nowhere to be seen.

Instead, he was in a room with a long table and colored pillars. Still, upside down, Hermes spotted who he assumed had asked the question. Who had brought them both there.

Her glorious purple dress was so perfectly stitched that Hermes couldn’t imagine that a human made it. Her matching violet hair down to her back was the second clue as to who she was. The elegant lily-shaped crown sealed Hermes’ assumption.

Queen Hera. Goddess of women and marriage.

Hermes greeted. “I apologize for not bowing. I’m a little held up.”

Apollo dropped the boy. Thankfully, Hera cared enough to passively lift two fingers. Summoning a purple glow around the boy. Stopping Hermes’ from hitting his head. Freezing him in midair.

Hera beckoned the youth her way. Drawing her finger back and pulling Hermes across the room. Above the table, he squirmed and tried to get back to being right side up.

Once he was a meter away from Hera, she let him stand up. The table still didn’t put them eye to eye. Yes, Hermes was short. But even if he was average height for a 13-year-old, Hera would still be tucking her chin just to see him.

All she saw was her husband’s shrunken clone.

“Lord Apollo,” Hera called. Her violent violet eyes were wide. Venom dripped from her voice, “Would you kindly, go get your father.”

End