“Well done, Ava,” Eris said quietly as she circled the pool. “Though my warning was rather helpful, your strength never fails you.” Her mouth spread into the malevolent smile that was so characteristic of her. “But strength alone cannot save your city from what is coming. I'd say I was sorry for putting you through this, but... I'm not.” She broke into peals of laughter.

“But there is one more thing to take care of,” she added, her smile vanishing, “Athena herself. The Goddess of Wisdom will inevitably try to avert her city's destruction, and unlike Poseidon I cannot count on Zeus to prevent the other Olympians from getting in my way. Athena is, after all, my father's favorite child.” Her face darkened into a bitter sneer. “Zeus loves his little bastard princess. Meanwhile, neither he nor Hera even acknowledge me as their own child and the rest of the Olympians follow their example; while they look up to my bastard half-sister as their princess, I am treated as an outcast. Therefore, I must distract Athena from her city's impending doom, find something to keep her busy until it is too late.”

Her malicious smile returned and she waved her hand over the pool; the water rippled and beneath its surface appeared the image of a boat on a calm sea. At the ship's prow stood a man, his stature great, his features noble.

“Basileios,” Eris chuckled, “one of Athena's favorite heroes. Having just set out across the sea, he will have to pay respect to Poseidon to ensure a safe crossing.” She fluttered her fingers over the water. “But he will forget, and there will be a great storm.”

As she spoke, the image in the pool grew dark as turbulent waves tossed the helpless ship about.

“Basileios will survive, shipwrecked on an unfamiliar shore. But with Athena's help he will overcome all setbacks and continue on his journey. Meanwhile, Athens will collapse into chaos. It'll be my big surprise for when she gets back.”

Eris cackled gleefully.

“Now I just need to find an indiscreet way of letting Athena know about poor Basileios' plight...”

* * *

Skipping through the pine trees, Eris arrived at the edge of the forest and looked down into a beautiful valley. Fields of bright green grass, sprinkled with rainbows of flowers, surrounded a massive lake, the clear blue water sparkling in the sunlight. Eris smiled as she spotted Athena sitting by the lakeside; glancing down the valley, she saw another figure approaching. Even from such a distance, Eris recognized the golden hair and belt, both glittering in the light.

“Ah, Aphrodite,” chuckled Eris. “Perfect.”

* * *

Athena gazed across the shimmering water, lost in her own thoughts. She heard a long groan and looked up to see Aphrodite standing nearby.

“What's your problem?” Athena asked, noting the Goddess of Beauty's rather peeved expression.

“I had hoped to bathe alone and in peace,” Aphrodite sighed.

Athena smirked. “Don't worry, I won't look. I really don't care to see you naked.”

A furious scowl formed on Aphrodite's face, her long dark lashes framing her angry blue eyes.

“How dare you! None can resist my beauty!”

She tossed her head indignantly, her waterfall of soft, curly golden hair bouncing about her shoulders and face. Athena merely smiled, amused by the other Goddess' temper.

“Perhaps the eyes of mortals are easily tricked,” Athena said casually, “but even a face as beautiful as yours cannot hide an ugly heart from me.”

“You insolent little bastard!” Aphrodite spat. “Think you can talk to everyone like that just because you're Zeus' favorite little princess? Even your pet mortals, like Basileios, have no respect for any God but you.”

“Basileios?” Athena asked, suddenly curious. “What of him?”

“How does his story go again?” Aphrodite recounted his tale with disinterest, “a prince cast out by his usurping uncle after the death of his father. Languished as a slave in a distant land but, through his intelligence and nobility, won the respect of his masters and earned his freedom. He obtained a ship and planned to return home to reclaim his rightful throne.”

“I know all this,” Athena said impatiently. “Go on, what news do you have of him?”

“In his arrogance he failed to pay respect to Poseidon, and his ship was caught in a storm, leaving Basileios shipwrecked on some inhospitable coast.”

“Is this true?” Athena asked, her eyes lighting with fury.

Aphrodite swept her hand over the water and an image formed beneath its surface, of a man lying exhausted on a rocky beach. Athena scowled and stood up.

“Clearly he seeks to spite me for what happened at Athens,” she said, “but I will not let that bitter old man have his way.”

She turned and strode off. Watching from the cover of the trees, Eris smiled.