8 June 2004

The lighting ceremony went off without a hitch; probably because no actual gods were involved in the process. Several of them, including Eirene and her mother, did watch as the torch was carefully lit from the sacred fire inside the temple of Zeus and then proudly marched out to the waiting masses (and tv people) so everyone could cheer.

It was now on its way to visit every host city in the world before returning to Greece in a few months for the opening of the Games themselves.

Eirene spent most of May either sitting in on Committee meetings when not out and about doing her duties, or playing with Mel who had grown slightly larger in the intervening months, and didn't get a chance to talk with many family members on subjects not involving the Olympics, so when Themis invited her to lunch one day in early June, she jumped at the chance.

When she walked away from her mother's home that afternoon, the personification of Spring left something behind.

Her fertility.

(At least she can retrieve it someday, if one of the major fertility goddesses agree to restore what was taken, but the loss is going to nag at her for some time.)