Zeus

Zeus listened as his daughters spoke. Internally, very careful not to do it externally where they could see it, he rolled his eyes as Clotho spoke about about the uncertainty of fate. This was not the verbal soothing balm he had wanted from his daughters.

Lachesis's words did provide some level of comfort to him. He felt like his suspicions had been validated. She is keeping secrets. Being right was a significant comfort. But what could they be.... "Thank you Lachesis. I don't suppose you could find it in your heart to share with your father what my wife is keeping from me?"

But Atropos's words confused him. If Hera had stayed faithful, then what secrets would she have to keep from her husband? Why would she not speak with him so that they could work on things together. It had been her idea to seek marriage counseling. Why wasn't she using the skills that she had forced him to learn. This seemed awfully one-sided.

Straight to the point then. He thought to himself. He wasn't sure why he bothered with the pomp and circumstance, pretending that there was no ulterior motive for their call to his side. They were The Fates. They had long ago known that he would bring them up here and ask for their knowledge. Just as he also knew that he would likely find little clarity or comfort from them. But it was his last hope. He couldn't shake the feeling that Hera was keeping a secret. A secret that could lead to his ruin as King of the Gods. And that, he couldn't suffer idly by.

"Clever as always, girls." He leaned forward on his throne, looking over the elderly women before him. "Hera returned to Olympus early, and I've not heard hide nor hair of complaint from her since." He stated frankly. "And while I would like to believe that she has simply chosen to accept the consequences of her actions, history has taught me that my wife's temper is not something that is so easily stifled." Looking at each of them in the face, one at a time, he continued, "So I ask of you, is my wife hiding something from me? Should I be wary?"

If they hadn't been standing immediately before him, Zeus likely would have ran his palm across his face in frustration. The problem with having triplets, or at least these triplets, was that they always seemed to be in competition with one another. Or perhaps they just enjoyed the fact that they could unsettle him and liked to play on that. He would never really know. What he did know, however, was that they held everyone's fate in their old and wrinkled hands. He knew better than to tempt them into punishing him early.

"My daughters you are all equally lovely." He said diplomatically. It wasn't a lie. Equal did not mean 'very', and was a qualifier of its own. 'Not' three times was still technically all equal. "But certainly you didn't travel all this way for our visit to spend such a rare visit squabbling." Zeus hadn't seen The Fates since the end of The Second Giant War, and he didn't really intend to make a habit of seeing them frequently. He had, ever since their infancy, found them to be intimidating and he did not sit well with being intimidated. "Please, take a seat ladies." He waved a hand and comfortable seating appeared in the throne room for them.

Uncertainty had plagued Zeus since his wife's return to Olympus. The usual intense and irrational anger didn't surround her as it typically did. This was something that Zeus found more unsettling than comforting. Perhaps the marriage counseling had worked, but Zeus couldn't shake the feeling that Hera knew something that he didn't. And if there was one thing that Zeus could not handle it was anyone having the upper hand on him.

Zeus sat on his throne in the throne room on Mount Olympus. He called forth his children, the Fates, to hopefully abate his anxiety. This was something he almost never did as he found the creatures intimidating. Indeed, they had been the very reason that he had left their mother Themis. Still, Hera would not answer his questions and the only entities who could ease the unsettled feeling he had inside would be them.

As the three old women walked into the throne room, Zeus greeted them. "Ah ladies, you look... it's wonderful... I'm glad you've arrived." He stumbled over the correct greeting. After all, daughters of his they may be, the women were very powerful in their own rights, weaving the thread of life for mortals and immortals alike. It wouldn't due to insult them or to insult their intelligence by providing them with undue flattery. Especially not when one was about to seek a favor. The Morai were very rarely straightforward with their secrets. He would need to find himself on their good side if he were to stand any chance of having a forthright conversation with them. They were his only hope.