FanStory.com - The Curse of Zeusby davisr (Rhonda)

Background
A fanciful tale of adventure. Phoebus, son of Poseidon, is a god turned Centaur by Zeus. Diantha, is a young lady in peril. Together, they must face an evil foe, and make some difficult choices.

End of Last Chapter:

"Don't get angry," Phoebus said. "You're blowing this way out of proportion. I didn't say I don't ever want to get with you, just not right now. I need to spend time with my horses and then maybe there can be an us."

"When?"

"I don't know when. If you really care for me, you'll wait until the time is right."

"Like I told you before, I'm not a patient person, and I'm terribly tired of this conversation. I'm going right now to get ready for the party. If you know what's good for you, you'll be there. Just tell them at the gate you're with me. I'll leave your name as my guest. And Phoebus, don't disappoint me."

New Chapter Begins:

Phoebus watched the young goddess walk out of his barn. He had to admit she was beautiful. She had curly blonde hair and captivating blue eyes. She was small, shapely, and quite desirable.

Why was it, then, that he couldn't fall in love with her? It would be so easy to just give in and agree to marriage. He would soon have the godhood he so desperately desired. But what would he have to give up in the process?

He knew all too well. He had been thinking about it for years, not just with Eudora, but with any other woman. He would lose his independence, self esteem and ultimately, his horses.

No, he thought, he wouldn't do it. There was no reason to lie to her or himself. He wanted the life he had now, not one of a useless playboy with no real function. Mount Olympus had enough of that type.

He wanted to fulfill his role as a god, and to lead and help humans. It was prophesied he would be a great leader when he was born. It was as important to him to succeed in this as it was to his father who receivd the vision.

But did he have the courage not to show up at the party, and to stand up the daughter of the volatile Zeus? Shaking his head dismally, he guided his black stallion into its stall. He would have to think on that one.

~~~~~

Eudora was excited as she got ready for the evening's festivities. She'd watched Phoebus for years and desired him above all other young gods. Now, she had gotten brave enough to approach him. Of course he had gone on about those silly horses, but she just knew that in the end he would make the right choice.

What else could he do? She was the most desirable goddess on the planet, or at least in her age group, and he was more than lucky to be chosen by her. He would think about it and show up. He just had to, or she would be humiliated for being so bold as to speak to him. Humiliation, like patience, was not something Eudora tolerated.

About half-way through the party, Eudora realized Phoebus wasn't coming. She had given him ample time to arrive. She looked around for him, waited for him, and even sent her best friend Kara to look for him. Still, there were no signs of his anticipated presence.

In a fit, she sent everyone home, and stormed into her father's study where he was writing a book on the physics behind lightning bolts.

When she entered the study, she had huge tears streaming down her face. "Father, I need to talk to you."

He put his pen on the desk and looked up. "What is it my precious garden flower?"

"Do you know that boy, Phoebus?" she asked. She sauntered over and sat in his lap. She placed dainty arms around his large shoulders and leaned her face against his chest.

"You mean Poseidon's son, the horse trainer?"

"Yes, sir."

"Sure, he's doing a great job. I love to watch his horses race. Just the other day I was on the island of Crete when..."

"Father!" she shrieked. "I came to talk to you about a problem."

"I'm sorry, sweetheart, go ahead."

"Well, I kind of like him, you know, like a boyfriend."

"Okay. He's well connected and a hard worker, but he spends an awful lot of time with horses."

"That's true, and sort of my problem. I invited him to my party tonight, and, well, he didn't show up."

Eudora took a ragged and rather dramatic breath. She sniffed a few times for effect.

Zeus wiped her face with his pocket handkerchief and kissed her forehead. "He's probably busy, dear. I think he has a race tomorrow. I'm supposed to go, too, and see how that new stallion is doing. Have you seen the magnificent beast? He's huge, and has the most beautiful coat."

"Father, please. Not only did he not show up to the party, but he rejected me. I offered to marry him and talk to you about letting him take over the role of horse god. He said he isn't ready, and that he wants to spend time with his horses instead."

Zeus threw the handkerchief on his desk and took his own deep breath. His wasn't exaggerated. "He said he'd rather spend time with the horses than you?" His voice grew louder as his eyes bored into his daughter's.

"He sure did," Eudora said. She made a face bordering on martyrdom. She seemed unaware of the effect her words were having on her father. "Appears he was just too busy for me."

Zeus rose violently to his feet, forcing Eudora to scramble up to keep from falling on the floor. "He said these words to you?"

"More or less."

"What's going on in here?" Hera appeared in the doorway, concern evident in her voice. She had come running when she heard her husband's voice shaking the walls. She knew if she didn't step in, lightning bolts wouldn't be far behind.

"That irreverant kid of Poseidon's has broken our daughter's heart. He said he would rather be with his horses than her." His voice was still rising in pitch and intensity.

Hera began to wring her hands. "Now, Zeus, I'm sure whatever he said he didn't mean the way Eudora took it. You know how she is, and he's still very young."

"He's old enough to know better than to spurn our baby girl's affections. Look at her, she's devastated."

"She's not devastated, she's frightened. Dear, please calm down. I'm sure it's just a little quarrel. Let it blow over." She took the trembling Eudora by the hand and pulled her close.

By now, it was too late to stem the rising tide of his fury. lightning bolts were already streaking across the sky over three continents, and thunder tore though the air in their mighty wake.

Standing in the barn beside his horse, Eternal, Phoebus bent his head and listened to the echos of his own doom. There would be no rest for him tonight and no horse race tomorrow.

"Send the boy to me," Zeus bellowed. When no one moved, he simply waved his hand in the air and Phoebus appeared before him.

"What have you done to my daughter?" he yelled.

Phoebus bent his head in deference to Zeus' authority, but his eyes were calm and his face passive. "Nothing, sir."

"Do you deny rejecting her affections?" Zeus demanded.

"I do," he replied. He looked over at the trembling Eudora.

"Did she invite you to a party here, tonight?"

Phoebus turned back to face his king. "Yes, sir."

Zeus' face was apoplectic. "Did you come?"

"No, sir."

"Why not?"

"I was getting my stallion ready for the race tomorrow, just as I explained to her earlier." He made eye contact with Zeus and held his head high. There was no use cowering, it would do no good.

Another wave of Zeus' hand produced the black stallion Eudora had seen earlier. Even the moody stud seemed afraid of the god, and stood still as a statue.

"Is this the beast you chose over my daughter?" he demanded.

"I wouldn't put it that way," Phoebus said.

"How would you put it?" Zeus' eyes seemed to drip fire.

"Well, I was brushing Eternal down after a workout, actually Eudora was helping..."

Zeus shook his head in irritation. "Get to the point, boy."

"Eudora wanted me to come to the party with her tonight and I explained I already had plans."

"She said you two discussed marriage."

Phoebus blinked a few times to buy time to think. "She brought the topic up, but I told her I wasn't ready for commitment."

As soon as Phoebus uttered these words, he regretted them. He glanced over at Hera, whose own countenance had become dark. He couldn't tell whose side she was on, but knew it didn't matter.

Eudora simply looked scared. She had never meant the situation to go this far. She had only expected some sympathy from her father and promises to talk to the lad about his choices. Maybe a few thunderbolts to add emphasis would have been acceptable, but this was too far. Why did her father have to have so nasty a temper, and why had she been foolish enough to underestimate it?

"He is a beautiful beast," Zeus remarked in a voice that didn't seem to agree with his statement. "Perhaps you were afraid that getting involved with my daughter would separate you from the things you love, like this horse."

"No, sir. I think Eudora is beautiful and much more desirable than a horse."

"But you chose it over her."

"I told her I needed time to think."

"Good, son, then I will give you plenty of it."

"Zeus, please, don't," Hera pleaded. "Let the kids work it out for themselves."

"I will also make sure you'll never be separated from your favorite thing in the world again," he continued, totally ignoring Hera.

"Daddy, no," Eudora cried. She ran over and grabbed her father's sleeve. "I didn't want this."

Zeus ignored her pleas, though he didn't brush her aside. "I am the creator of a race of creatures known as Centaurs."

Hera closed her eyes and shook her head. She knew what was coming next, and there was no longer anything she could do to change it. Eudora began to cry as she stepped away from her father. Phoebus bowed his head and braced himself for the worst. What more could he do?

"Now, I, Zeus, king of the gods, do hereby make you one of the herd of beasts that are neither man nor horse, but a blending of the two." Zeus paused for effect. "You will now go forth as a Centaur."

With another dramatic wave of his hand, the king of the gods welded together the young man with the beautiful black stallion that stood beside him. A wail of pain was added to the sound of thunder that tore through the room. For a few seconds, Eudora looked upon a monstrous beast. Tender blue eyes met horrified green eyed ones.

With another wave of her father's hand, the creature was gone.

"What did you do with him?" Eudora asked. Her voice was broken, her eyes clouded with tears.

"I sent him away and took all memory of you and this world from him. Let him make his own place in life, a place where even his father can't help him."

Eudora fell to her knees and wept. Hera came over and put her arms around her young shoulders.

Zeus looked at both in disgust. "I have punished the impudent fool for his rejection. Get up and be happy. I did it for you."

Eudora screamed at him in despair, then ran out of the room.

"You did it for your own pride," Hera said. A scold was evident in her queenly voice, "and you went too far."

"I don't know what you're talking about. He deserved what he got. Go tend your daughter, I have important things to do."

After that day, Eudora's relationship with her father changed. Zeus missed the closeness he had once shared with his youngest child, but could not bring himself to free Phoebus of his condition.