Aletheia

I tried to write this in kinda-sorta the style of Homer in the Iliad (which I recently read).

'''SallyPerson had this idea for gods claiming children that wasn't theirs. She still might do a big story on it but this one is really short.'''

'Please'' tell me what you think on my talk page. Thanks.''' Kakki10 00:26, September 3, 2010 (UTC)

This is a short story about Aletheia, goddess of truth.

Arianna DeVall was an ordinary girl at Camp Half Blood. She had been there for three days and already had many friends due to her personality: sweet, and kind, and just like any other kid, she was claimed. Around the campfire with her friends, the flames shot up and tendrils snaked from them. They encircled Arianna, careful not to touch her skin, and Greek letters swirled around her head, spelling out Apate, goddess of deception.

Far away from the scene, a goddess reared her head in fury, winging off to find the object of her frustration. Find it she did, but it was not alone. Standing on either side of Apate were Dolos and Pseudologoi. “I see you brought back up,” said the infuriated goddess, maintaining to keep her voice calm, “but you should have known that I don’t pick a fight, or did some of your lies penetrate your own head this time?”

“Just being cautious,” said Apate with a sneer, “you never know what people with do when it’s a family matter.” Dolos and Pseudologoi snickered at her side.

“Why? Why pick on my daughter?” asked the goddess, torn.

“Why? Why not? I just like having some fun. Spreading some lies and deception, it’s what makes me tick......unlike you.” she adds with disgust.

The goddess sighed, “It’s an ongoing battle, isn’t it, between truth and falsehood, but you shall not win. The power of Truth is five times the power of Lies. My daughter is mine.” With that the goddess flew off, plan in mind.

But the three on the ground were not finish just quite yet. “Go on then! Fly away! But know this Aletheia, I intend to keep her.”

Aletheia flew to the heights of Olympus, to Zeus, the father of the gods. “Father Zeus,” the goddess of truth cried, “you know that I have always been truthful, as it is my nature, so don’t disregard what I am saying now. Apate is at it again, only this time, it is much closer to my heart. She has claimed my daughter, wonderful Arianna, on just the night that my own greeting was on it’s way.”

Zeus took pity on the goddess at his feet. “Aletheia, I can not do it all for you, only help. Quick, go down to Arianna, I will send Iris to Apate with a message to distract her. Try to convince your daughter of her true parentage.”

With that, Aletheia flew down toward Camp and Zeus called Iris to his side. “Quick, Iris,” he said to her, “go to Apate. Tell her that a god, Eros perhaps, is waiting for her on the hills of Ida. Feed her one of her own lies so that the snake can taste her poison.”

On Iris flew to Apate, and relayed her the message meant to deceive. Apate, hearing the message, lost all judgment and conservation, off she went to Ida, to Eros who was not there. And Aletheia was flying down to camp, to her daughter who was in tears.

Arianna was afraid of the black cabin, afraid of her thought-to-be mother, afraid of what her new found friends would think of her now that she was the daughter of lies herself. Aletheia, saw all of this a was desperate to tell her daughter the truth, but immortal hands grabbed her while in flight, and dragged her back to the outskirts of Olympus.

They threw her onto the ground and Aletheia looked up at their faces. “Going somewhere?” Dolos asked her.

What are you doing?” Alethia asked.

“Well,” Pseudologoi answered, “someone has to keep an eye on you when Apate is gone.”

Furious, the goddess left them for Olympus, knowing the gods’ eyes were trained on her disappearing form. She had to get to Arianna. She couldn’t bear for her own daughter to be taken from the truth.

For days, she tried to get word to her, but every time, Dolos, Pseudologoi, or even Apate (who was now back from Ida and furious), got in her way. Their lies and deceit got in the way of the truth. For reasons she couldn’t fathom, people always wanted to believe the lies, but she also knew that sooner or later, the truth would come out.

One day, she ran into Apate. “Apate,” she started, “why don’t we call off this war between us for now. It is tiresome and never ceases.”

The goddess only laughed. “Why do you say that Aletheia? It seems that for once, I am winning, and you don’t like it. No, I will not stop, ever. Now if you will excuse me oh Goddess of Truth,” she said mockingly, “I have to go meat Eros.”

“On Ida?” Aletheia asked, unable to contain herself.

Apate glared back at her, fury in her stare. “No,” she spat. “After that incident I ran across him and demanded an explanation which soon resulted in today’s meeting.” With that, the goddess flew off. Leaving Aletheia alone, and sad.

The broken goddess went off to the peaks of Ida, crying for her daughter. Her daughter that got sadder with each passing day. Her daughter, that once so pure, was beginning to doubt herself and those around her. Her daughter, who needed her. But it seemed that, for once, truth could not win. That deception would bask in glory.

Dike found her there, lamenting, and comforted her. “There, there Aletheia. All is not lost. Apate has beaten you down, but Adikia tries to do the same to me. We stand for what is right, Alethia. The way we overpower them is by being smarter than them. Here, I have a plan, for it seems that there is injustice at camp. You’re in my territory now.”

Dike whispered her plan into Apate’s ear, and upon hearing it, the goddess of truth brightened. Wiping her eyes to show no sign of tears, she winged down to camp. As expected, two immortal pairs of hands grabbed her, preventing her from getting any closer to her daughter.

“Back so soon Aletheia? We thought you had given up.” said Dolos, looking at the goddess that he had suspended in the air.

“Saddly no, although perhaps I should. I though to myself, ‘One more try. Just one more try while Apate is away. Then we shall see’ But I was wrong.”

Surprise crossed both the gods’ faces. Seeing it, Aletheia continued, “You did not know? Why, Apate is on her way to Ida right now.”

“You lie.” said Pseudologoi.

Aletheia shook her head. “No, it is not my nature to lie, as you well know. I simply cannot do it. So heed these words as true, she in indeed hoping to find Eros.” Apate was only hoping, a hope that would soon be crushed, for it was not Eros she bumped into, but Dike, already putting her plan into action.

Pain was the next emotion that played across their faces. For they always thought that it was them whom Apate relied on. That they, who were always at her sides, would be the ones she cared about the most. Now, hurt, they both forgot their duty of Aletheia and winged their way to Ida as fast as wind could carry them, racing to be the first. Hoping that they would see Apate first and convince her of their loyalty. Hoping that they would mean something to her.

Watching them leave, Aletheia smiled. Dike’s plan had worked, and now she had work of her own to do. She flew do to camp and appeared in her daughters cabin where Arianna was staring darkly at the engraved ceiling.

Hearing her footsteps, Arianna turned her head to Aletheia. “Who are you?’ she asked without her usual warmth.

“I am your mother.” Aletheia replied.

“Oh, right. Apate, the goddess of deception.” Arianna said it with such scorn that it felt like Aletheia’s heart has bleeding.

“No. I am not Apate. I am Aletheia, goddess of truth. And I, not Apate, am your mother.”

Arianna glared at her skeptically, “Yeah, sure. How do I know that you’re telling the truth?”

“You can’t know. You have to feel. For instance, how do you feel in this cabin? Does it feel right?”

Arianna pursed her lips. “No,” she said haltingly, “but I was claimed, at the campfire. I’m sure that a lot of kids have trouble adjusting.”

“Ok, but tell me this. If you are the daughter of the goddess of lies, why is it that you think that lying is wrong? That the truth is better?”

Instead of answering, Arianna turned her attention back to the ceiling. It was a long wait before she said, her eyes sprinkled with tears, “But I can tell when people are lying. I know about all the lies everyone says!”

Heart broken for her daughter, Aletheia sat down on her bed and embraced her. “No, no. It’s not that you can pick out the lies. It’s that you can pick out the truth and see its absence. Trust me, you are my daughter. Would I have any reason to be here otherwise?”

“Really?” Arianna sniffled.

“Really.”

Arianna dried her eyes and sat up. The last month had been emotionally and mentally taxing on her. “I guess you better go try to convince Chiron.”

“Already done. Dike took care of that while I was talking to you. She’s a great goddess you know. Always looking out for the Truth. You better put in an offering for her too tonight.” she said, with a smile. “Come. Let’s get you in your new cabin.”

With Arianna all settled, Aletheia winged her way back to Olympus. She found Dike and embraced her. “Thank you so much Dike. I will never know how to repay you.”

“There’s no need my friend.” Dike answered. “We are Justice and Truth; we look out for each other.” Just then, three figures found them, seething with hated. “What do you three want?”

Dolos and Pseudologoi glared at Dike, but Apate’s eyes never left Aletheia. “You may have won this one Aletheia,” she said, “but I will not stop. Deceit is all around, and I am with it.” With that, they left.

Aletheia breathed a heavy sigh. Things were back to the way they were, but there was a difference. She had an ally and friend in Dike, and because of her, she knew just how to handle Apate. She was above her childless now. And most importantly, she gained another child. A child of her own.