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Published:
2024-11-26
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1,156
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1/1
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Gilded Cage and Burning Rage

Summary:

Prometheus, now free of his binds, distracts so another may escape theirs. For a gilded cage is still a prison.

He would see Truth freed. He would see her in his arms once more.

Notes:

In Greek mythos, their are two parents of Truth, Zeus or Prometheus. Considering the characterization of both god and titan, I highly doubt Zeus would make Truth. But Prometheus? Who carefully crafted and made her for mortal kind to know and learn? Yes. Yes he would. Would Zeus steal and bend Truth to his whims to control mortals? Also yes.

Would explain all the 'discrepancies' between the gods lives and mortal's retelling. Sure, many of them appear to be 'pranks' or 'misunderstandings', but with mortals having no Truth, how would they know? We laugh at Orpheus for being so blindly trusting of Zagreus and his prank, but perhaps in hindsight it's not his fault. Sisyphus had godly (or titan) blood in his lineage. Eurydice is a nymph. Achilles is a demigod. And only following Patroclus' father's side ancestry (as his mother varies too much) he has nymph, several river gods, and god/titan heritage. Only Orpheus is truly mortal (As his father in mythos, Apollo, is stated in game as only a mentor).

Maybe I'm thinking too hard but it's some fun food for thought. That true mortals (no divine blood) blindly believe gods/titans because they CAN'T know any better.

(See the end of the work for more notes.)

Work Text:

For all the prisoners of the gods, mortals would lay claim none were more undeserving than Prometheus. The mighty titan who took flame from the Olympians and gifted it to the mortals he aided in crafting. Damned by the gods for giving his creation the means to grow and thrive on their own. The titan of foresight himself thought otherwise.

Watching Olympus burn was a bittersweet reward of sorts. Not one he intended on in his journey. ‘Penance for allying against his brethren’? Laughable. He was a being of progress and growth, even at his own cost. He would not deny vengeance was pleasant but not much for himself. He tamed the eagle ages ago. 

Feeding a beast endlessly for ages did wonders in earning their trust and eventual respect.

No, the vengeance the titan found so pleasing was that for Aletheia. The freedom he fought for not his own, but the mortals and hers. Aetos had seen her above with the gods. His loyal friend carefully leading her down. Hidden from her captors back to his burning embrace. He was allowed to be selfish for once. Have this.

The agent of change was busy toiling with Chronos currently. She would slay him this night again but time would resume as always. He had time on his side, for the moment. His foresight was never directed to the titan. Chronos needed to know not for his intentions. In time, time too would be stopped and a proper pace would resume. Prometheus would take his respite where he could.
Gods and Titans alike seemed to forget when they misplaced their being, another would come for it.

Aetos cawed, landing on his shoulder proudly. He shook his head faintly. Thoughts for another time. Hah. She was coming. Had time changed her? How had she grown? Out of all he could see, he dared not look directly upon her until she was before him. Until he could properly take her in.

Would she look more like her captors, or still resemble him? Beautiful as the day she was born, crafted carefully with love and devotion by his hands and fire breathing love and life into her. Or had she become some twisted Olympian toy, a piece to speak of and nothing more?

Some things simply had to be seen directly with one’s own eyes.

“Father…” His red gaze flicked up to greet her at long last. A slender goddess, no, titaness carefully making her way to his resting place. She looked no older than when he was chained away. Unchanged. Her red a warmer glow than his own. Her blue carefully styled than his wild mane. He didn’t need his sight to see. He opened his arms, kneeling without hesitation. “Father!” Aletheia fell into his arms sobbing, holding his tight as her little frame could.

“My joy.” He held her gently as the clay he crafted her from. His perfect daughter. She leaned into his flames as she sobbed. Fire would never harm her, and certainly never his. Born of it, bathed in it. Hiccuping as he soothed her cries gently. “My darling joy.” He wiped at her tears, his flame simmering them away. Her hands grabbed his burning one desperately.

“You were gone for so long.” She whimpered, an ages of tears unshed in her gaze. He was. He knew freedom would come but not at such a cost. He saw much, but visions could change over time. Some shifted, some were certain. “They lie and lie and it, it-” She shook her head, tearing up again. “I am so far from them.”

“When Zeus turned away Themis, he turned you away as well.” Divine law was shunned, the king of the gods taking judgement into his own hands. Themis now wandered the lands in disguise, only returning to the mountain or otherwise when summoned. She had not been called for in age. Prometheus was not ‘gifted’ the right to call for her in his own trail. Turning away unbiased justice, meant turning from truth. From his daughter.

“He claimed me as his.” Aletheia whispered softly. Prometheus bit back a scalding remark. Not only did thunder god chain him, torment him, but steal his daughter as well. Zeus had children by the dozens and cared little for majority of them. Little surprise he would shackle truth by his side, but a fire burned still. “But I knew. I always knew. I never forgot.” She promised sincerely. “I knew you’d come and save me. That we’d embrace and be together once again.”

He had his foresight, but Aletheia had her omnipotence. She knew the truth, as she was truth. He crafted honesty into the world, his daughter beautifully to discern lies from reality. She knew. She always knew. Knew as he did, and on the rare occasion, more.

“And here we are.” Aetos pecked absently at her shining earrings. She still had his stones, even after all this time. He chuckled, guiding his companion’s beak to his own. The eagle was content to pick at the feathers. “My joy, you cannot stay here.” She nodded but stayed in place. Holding him tightly as if he would vanish again. No, not this time. Never again.

“But I have to leave you again.” He nodded. “Will I see you again?”

“You will.” He rested there foreheads together. “I must walk this path to completion, my joy. Only then will change be complete and we may be in peace again. The agent works and learns as we speak.” He could hold her in his study again. 

Inventing, crafting, and gaining students again. Passing knowledge onto mortals and watching them grow. In kind learning from them and growing more. Such was progress.
But not today. Not this night.

“For now, you are free, my joy.” He held his daughter close one more time before letting her go. “I will return to you when my task is done, and this war finished.” She nodded silently. “Until such, it is time for truth to prevail at long last.” He managed a smile for her. He could always manage one for her. Aletheia nodded faintly.

“I will. I’ll do all I can, father.” She swore. He knew. She did not lie. Could not. He rarely saw a point in anyways. His chest ached more than when Aetos first tore into him. Watching her leave as quickly as she arrived. Aletheia was needed below. Not here. She had spent enough time in her gilded cage.

A prison was a prison regardless of the adornments. He had his task and she had hers. The Fates may no longer weave but he would not be shocked if their mentor picked up in their absence. Were she so kind, the agent of change would meet Aletheia. Change may come faster in such a case.

Still, so much potential for his ideal future. That was something Prometheus could look forward to.

Notes:

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