King Zeus wasn’t one to take orders. Suggestions? Absolutely. Friendly advice? Certainly. His son demanding he’d leave his current position per Hera’s instruction?

Let’s just say he wasn’t a happy king. Kicking the side door into his living room off the hinges. Sending it flying, so Hera had to catch the wood with a finger. Levitating it before it struck anyone.

“Hera! You better have a good reason for interrupting my duties!”

Zeus was clutching his bath towel. Leaving a trail of water and soap suds as he stomped forward. Olive skin drenched. His curly hair was watered down to wavy strings.

“Would you like to have some more kids?” Hera asked.

Zeus loosened up. An awkward, slightly confused, smile on his face. This was a weird thing to ask in front of Apollo. Who was sitting in a chair, arms crossed.

“Uh,” Zeus shrugged, “Sure. If that’s all you wanted, then we can go for a daughter.”

Hera let the door fall. Like a curtain dropping to reveal a prize. A curly blonde-haired, 13-year-old boy with blue eyes. Sitting cross-legged on the table while enjoying a pomegranate.

“Greetings King Zeus!” Hermes bowed. He had enough respect to stand before the king. Hera would’ve preferred if it wasn’t on the table.

The king was massive. Slightly shorter than Hera at 7 feet, but twice as muscular. Like a weightlifter, his body was more built for competition than showing off definition. Rounded out instead of chiseled like his brother Poseidon.

“Hello there, young man!” Zeus greeted. He was all smiles as he put the boy on ground level. “You must be,” he looked at Apollo.

The orange curls on his son matched the gold curls on this kid. Their warm skin tones weren’t the same, but were close. Apollo's being slightly darker than the boy’s honey complexion.

Zeus figured the mother’s genes had to be included somewhere.

“My grandson! Atta boy Apollo!”

Zeus was careful not to break any of Hermes’ bones patting his back.

Hera corrected him, “He’s your son.”

“I know Apollo’s my son,” Zeus said.

Frustrated, “No, Hermes.”

“Who’s Hermes?” Zeus asked.

Hermes raised his hand, “I’m Hermes.”

“Hello Hermes,” Zeus shook his hand.

Hermes shook the king’s hand, “Hello Father.”

Zeus froze like a bug in winter. His electric yellow eyes shifted to Hera’s. It wasn’t clear if the water coming down his scarred forehead was from the bath or if he spontaneously started sweating.

Hera snapped her fingers. Zeus was all dry and in his royal clothes. A robe of pure white with yellow stitching and a yellow belt. A lightning medal on the shoulder straps. His copper sandals caught Hermes' eye.

“I think you misspoke,” Zeus said.

“I can prove that I’m a half-god if you want.” Hermes offered, “I can run to that door and back in 1 second! You can give me a trial! Like, gather 100,”

“How’s about a punishment?” Apollo interrupted. “Father, this cretin is guilty of theft. He,”

Zeus glared Apollo down, “Do not interrupt. Do not raise your voice at me. And do not insult our guest.”

Like a pet being scolded, Apollo sat back down.

Zeus returned to Hermes. Calmly, “I understand that your father is a God. No mortal can set foot on Mt. Olympus and survive. However, I’m not your father. Whoever told you that was either ill-informed or playing a cruel joke.”

With Zeus’ hair dry and back to normal, Hera wanted to smack the back of his blonde head.

The curly hair the 3 men had. The way all 3 stood with their arms crossed. The way Apollo & Hermes’ cheeks were puffed in frustration. Something she’d seen Zeus do when Poseidon beat him in a chariot race.

She wasn’t going to entertain this further.

“Zeus,” she asked, “do you recall visiting Arcadia around 14 years ago? One of the Pleiades was helping you and Artemis with something.”

Zeus suddenly remembered, “Oh yeah! There were so many predatory animals that it would’ve been uninhabitable for humans. She uh,” Zeus scratched his beard, “what was her name?”

“Maia,” Hermes answered. “My mother’s name was Maia.”

“Yes! Maia! She was…oh.”

Zeus saw Maia’s blue eyes. Her straight nose. Her dark skin tone.

He saw his hair. His chin and cheeks that the beard hid. His toe-tapping tick.

Beyond that, Zeus saw a child in less-than-presentable clothes. Unacceptable for any child to be in. Regardless if the child was his.

He didn’t recall much. But Maia’s cleanliness despite loving nature was one thing. How organized she was. And how she’d most likely chew out any child of hers that looked the way Hermes did.

The word ‘was’ in ‘my mother’s name was Maia’ truly hit him.

“…oh.” Zeus cleared his throat, “Let’s get you cleaned up. Hermes was it?”

Hermes nodded, “Yes, King Zeus.”

Zeus gently patted the boy’s shoulder. He led him to the side door. Missing one door.

“You go on and take a bath. I’ll send for you in a minute.”

Hermes got one foot in the doorway. Apollo couldn’t allow that to happen.

“That’s it!?” Apollo raged, “He absconded with my cows! Misplaced five of them! Insulted me multiple times! And has yet to tell me where they are despite me holding up my end of the deal! And his punishment is that he gets a bath?!”

Hera didn’t need to say anything to Apollo. She just wondered why he would yell the way he did. He had to know Zeus wouldn’t tolerate such immaturity.

How did Zeus respond? He slowly walked around the table. Letting his footsteps echo. Not breaking eye contact with Apollo. His persistent stare breaking Apollo’s bravado.

As Zeus stood over Apollo, he demanded the man, “Look at me, son.”

Apollo reluctantly pulled his gaze up from the floor.

“Is that true?” Zeus asked. “Are you throwing a tantrum in my house because you lost your sacred animals?”

“No father,” Apollo gulped, “I, he, what I meant to say was,”

Zeus asked again, “Are you telling me that you made a deal with him? And he didn’t honor his end?”

Apollo saw his chance, “Yes, father.” A slight smirk appeared on his face. “That’s what happened.”

Zeus clarified, “You mean to tell me that you’re the god of education. And you got hustled by a child?”

The silence Apollo gave was his answer. He was right back to looking anywhere but his father. As his smirk faded, Zeus’ smile grew.

Zeus had a long and low chuckle. Gradually getting louder and louder. Until he was fully laughing in Apollo’s face. Grabbing his son’s shoulders just to keep steady.

Apollo’s cheeks puffed and he crossed his arms. Hermes’ laugh was similar enough to Zeus’. Hera, like her adult stepson, still wasn’t laughing.

“You do realize you’re still going to be punished for stealing?” Hera asked the boy.

Hermes stopped laughing.

End