Introductions

We continued on our path to freedom, with Zeus leading the way. The day turned onto night, and the night into day. This transition between night and day occurred around three time. However each transition was glorious . The sunrise and the sunset. The moon glowing through the night and the stars persistently twinkling in the night's darkness.

It was a silent trip. However we had all grown accustomed to silence. Additionally, we needed this silence to think. To come to terms with everything that had transpired. To accept it all. To plan for the future, because honestly, what next?

We continued flying, I observed the beauty of the world around me. The colour. The sounds. It was overwhelmingly glorious. It was a welcome change from the darkness I had known my whole life. It filled me with pure rapture. It was like my heart was floating with each new splendour I witnessed. I was in a stated of elated awe.

Faster than I would have liked, , Zeus slowed down as he approached a large tree with branches 1hich extended freely, like strong, sturdy fingers. He landed on one such branch and transformed into his original shape.

The rest of us landed on our own selected branches and transformed into our original shapes. It seemed the wind had blown away the vile fluid and its repugnant stench from our bodies. We remained in silence for some time. Observing and analysing each other during the moment of silence.

Eyes dartimg around, Zeus was the first to speak, " As I said earlier, my name is Zeus and I am your brother. I came..." , before he could finish his statement, he was interrupted by one of my sisters, who was sitting in poised manner on her branch excluding an air of elegance.

Turning her piercing gaze on Zeus, my sister, released a barrage of questions , one after another, " Is it not interesting that you, Zeus was the only one among us who was not swallowed by our father? Why is it you were the exemption? Are you really our sibling?"

Her questions were sensible, given we Zeus did not seem to have the same origin as the rest of us. However, the rest of us and we did not even know each others names. We only knew the name of the one who is our sibling but was not swallowed. We only knew Zeus.

Was it really wise to sow discord among us when we only had each other? Was it right to spite the one who saved us with this barrage of questions when we had not even communicated our gratitude?

I took a deep breath and opened my mouth and decided to speak before anyone else spoke, " Sister, before he answers any of your questions, I think gratitude is in order and we need to introduce each other. Is it not rude to start a conversation without even knowing who you are speaking to? Is it not wrong to withhold thanks where they are due?"

I paused, took a deep breath and gave a meaningful look to my sister who was giving me a thoughtful look.

You would ask how we would know who was the eldest and who was the youngest. Well, it was all based on the number of existences one felt when they were consumed by father. The same way I felt two presences in the darkness when I was growing before two additional existences were added at different times later on.

This therefore meant I was the third offspring of my parents and it explains why we are doubtful that Zeus was our brother. There was a brief moment of silence, then a female voice broke it.

" She has a point. Very well. I'll start since I was the one consumed first. My name is Hestia." An elegant voice above me spoke.

I looked above me to Behold the owner of the elegant voice. It was a beautiful woman with golden hair like the sun's rays. Her face was shaped like an inverted teardrop and just like my sister who interrupted Zeus, she excluded an air of elegance.

Without further ado, the woman who interrupted Zeus spoke, " I was named Demeter and I was second to be consumed."

I spoke next, " My name is Hera. Mither name me that before father consumed me as their third child."

One of my brothers spoke next. He was a handsome, with bouncing locks of glowing black hair and porcelain skin which was highlighted by his hair, further accenting hid good looks. He was sitting on a branch adjacent to my own. He spoke in a calm tone, " I was named Hades, it seems I am the first son of our parents."

My other brothers sitting on their respective branches nodded in unison.

After a brief silence where those words were contemplated briefly. Then, my brother with caramel skin and dreadlocks that accented his ferociously handsome looks spoke.

" I am Poseidon. Nice to meet you all." His introduction was nice and brief.

We all then turned to look at Zeus, his blur eyes sparkling. Now it was his turn to speak. The only sound that could be heard was the rustling of leaves in the wind as the rising sun reflected of the glossy surface of the emerald leaves and landed on his muscular body. His golden hair was showered by the sun rays and this made hum seem like even more like an Ethel being..

He opened his mouth and spoke, "I am Zeus, as I introduced earlier. I was not swallowed because mother was tiered off the pain of loosing her children. One after another. So she hid me, gave our father a rock to swallow instead and gave me to dreads to raise me. I was raised knowing about all of you, my revered elders, and made it my mission to grow strong and somehow help you escape." He paused looking meaningfully at Demeter, " I know, I was not swallowed like the rest of you but.. do you not feel our connection? Our blood which flows in our veins unites us like the water which flows in water is always together.

However, our blood hold more weight than fleeting water. It flows only in out veins and it cannot be easily disrupted by outside forces like water. Our blood is our. Only we can feel it. Only we can understand it. Our blood creates a bond thicker than the bonds water could ever make. For our blood is strong."

Everyone was silent. It is true we had always known. That is why we followed him. Maybe it was resentment that kept us from accepting one who did not share our ordeal. However resentment should never be the instrument to break our family. Right?

I blinked and looked at my golden haired brother, and opened my lips to speak in a soft tone, "Welcome to the family, Zeus."