The Goddess of Buttercups and Daisies Read Free Page B

is a clever woman. And fond of money, as it happens.’

Kleonike, Priestess
     
    The silver mines at Laurium had brought a lot of wealth to Athens. Themistocles used the money to pay for two hundred triremes, setting them on the road to power. Athenian coins were used all over the civilised world. It was highest quality silver. The priestess Kleonike regretted that she’d never seen any great share of it. As a loyal Athenian priestess of thirty years’ standing, she thought she might have been better remunerated. When Euphranor, who had more than his share of Athenian silver, visited the temple with some specific requests, backed up by some solid currency, she didn’t mind accommodating him.
    Euphranor was a fool, of course. No one but a fool would ask an Athenian priestess to summon Laet.
    She knelt in front of the altar. Egyptian incense swirled around her head. ‘Come to Athens, Laet, bringer of discord. Come to Athens, and let the strife continue.’

Bremusa, Amazon Warrior
     
    Bremusa had noticed they didn’t have that many emergencies on Mount Olympus. Fewer than they used to anyway. There didn’t seem to be so many semi-divine adventurers in Greece these days, causing problems. However, from the Goddess Athena’s expression as she flew out of the private shrine in her mansion, she knew something bad had happened.
    ‘Bremusa, I just received terrible news from Delphi! Some corrupt priestess in Athens has summoned Laet!’
    ‘Who’s Laet?’
    Athena gave her a rather angry glance. ‘How can you not know who Laet is?’
    ‘You have so many of these semi-divine figures. I lose track.’
    ‘You have been here for more than seven hundred years,’ said the goddess. ‘I thought you’d know them all by now. Laet is the granddaughter of Eris, goddess of strife, discord and war. You remember the trouble she caused with that golden apple. And if that’s not bad enough, Laet is also the daughter of Ate, the spirit of delusion, infatuation and reckless folly.’
    ‘Some parentage. Who’s her father?’
    ‘No one knows. But if he was unwise enough to fall for Ate, I doubt he’s still around.’
    ‘So what’s this Laet like?’
    The goddess made a face. ‘With Strife as a grandmother and Reckless Folly as a mother? Laet is the very embodiment of utter foolishness. She’s the spirit of choosing the worst option on every occasion. She has a baleful influence on all who encounter her. Which means…’
    ‘She’s not the kind of person you’d want at a peace conference?’
    ‘Exactly.’ The Goddess Athena looked troubled. ‘If she enters Athens unchecked, there will be chaos. The peace conference will fall apart.’
    Somehow Bremusa couldn’t see this as such a great crisis. ‘They’ve been fighting for ten years anyway.’
    ‘Bremusa, I want peace! My cities need respite.’
    ‘You’ve participated in a lot of war in your time… Athena Promachos, leader in battle.’
    ‘Well now I’m acting as Athena Polias, protector of the city. And I want peace.’
    The goddess drummed her fingertips on a gilded table, causing the golden bowls of grapes to vibrate.
    ‘I’d stop Laet myself if Zeus didn’t prevent Olympians entering the cities during festivals. There’s nothing else for it, Bremusa – you’ll have to stop her for me.’
    That was a suggestion the Amazon liked. She drew her sword. ‘I’ll make short work of her.’
    ‘Put your sword away. Laet can’t die in Athens. Her malevolent spirit would curse the city. I need you to stop her tactfully.’
    Bremusa didn’t like that so much. ‘Tactfully? How?’
    ‘Outwit her.’
    ‘That’s never been my strongest point.’
    ‘I have faith in you,’ said Athena.
    ‘Can’t I just chop her head off? I’m good at that.’
    The goddess pursed her lips. ‘I’ll find someone to help you with the outwitting.’

Luxos
     
    Luxos hadn’t really expected that Aristophanes would let him write lyrics for his plays, though he did hold out some