"The Sibling War Gods" by Loke Mei Yin

The Sibling War Gods

She heard him as he approached her, how could she not; when his heavy armour made so much noise as he moved closer. But she knew that it was his awkward way of announcing his arrival to her without actually calling out to her. After all what more could anyone say at this

point?

She ignored him and focused her attention on the scenes of carnage and destruction unfolding

within the scrying pool beneath her.

However, she was soon distracted by the persistent clanking of the armour again when her

brother shifted his weight impatiently from foot to foot. Athena smiled- patience was never

his forte. For a brief moment, she felt the familiar affection for this particular younger sibling.

But it was quickly extinguished as another image appeared before her -of the latest champion

of her people falling to the cruel spears of their enemy.

She noticed her brother glancing at the image and to her anger, his eyes came ablaze with

delight as the mortal fell. Unable to ignore him any long, she stood tall and when she spoke it

was as cold a tone as she ever took against one of her blood.

"You would be delighted, wouldn't you?" Athena hissed at him.

The other was startled and at first puzzled as he came out of his enjoyment of the bloody tale

 unfolding before him. "Wha…what? Oh, yes well, I've always enjoyed the passion generated

in the most brutal and violent aspects of war so I forgot myself there."

Here he shrugged somewhat apologetically. Yes, Athena already knew that. If nothing else,

 this brother of hers had always been passionate. How could she not when they have shared

so many battlefields together and walked the blood soaked soil for so many human lifetimes.

How strange as it was, the brother of whom she shares so much with was the one whom she

has spoken least to of all her  half-siblings. Perhaps it was because of the awkwardness of

their stations-she, borne of their father's first wife, is also one of their father's most trusted

advisors. Whereas her brother was borne of Zeus long-suffering second wife.

Both of them the eldest royal children conceived within proper wedlock, unlike so many of

the others and both are aspects of war. Or was it with so much more in common, they no

longer needed to talk as having understood each other so completely?

Silence fell between them once more and Athena returned to watch as her beloved Athens-

the proud city bearing her name was set aflame and her people slaughtered. With her sibling

so near she could not help laughing bitterly at the irony.

Her family, the other gods and goddess of Olympus even the mortals have long considered

her as the superior to this bull of a younger brother.  Some in fact considered him a mockery,

especially considering whose bloods flow through his veins.

However if she was truly so much more wise, brilliant and talented than him why was it her

people who were being defeated and her city that had been set ablaze?

And now he was here, Athena wasn't sure whether she should just run him through.

"Why are you here Ares? Not here to gloat are you?"

"I…I thought that with all that has happened, that I should…"

"DO NOT SAY IT!" Athena whipped back and sliced the air sharply with the tip of her spear.

Ares quickly stepped back to avoid being impaled.

"But! You are obviously upset." A puzzled frown appeared on Ares handsome visage. He

never seen Athena this distressed over a war on the mortal planes- it was not her nature.

However, the circumstances were different from their usual.

He respects his elder sister, Athena and they share an understanding. He did not want it to

end with the burning of her city. However his older sister appeared to have made up her mind.

"There is nothing to be said. Your children have fought well and they have won the war."

Athena's tone was stiff and she stood straight and proud. She would not be pitied! Not by him!

" One is defeated to make way for another. That is war, and this is the way of war. Do not

insult me or my chosen people by your half-hearted apologies."

The reflection of the pool showed the fires upon the city were being put out- the battle is over.

Athens now belongs to the Romans, descendants of Romulus and Remus- twin mortal sons

of Ares.

"Your children have done well, see to it that they build a glorious empire- my people would

not be conquered by one inferior to them and…congratulations."

"Thank you." With that Ares took his leave and left Athena alone to her grief.