Clotho, the pink-clad Maiden and youngest of the three women, held steadily onto the spindle upon which she fed the threads of life which had been spun upon her ancient wheel. Lachesis, the Mother and middle Fate robed in scarlet, would then carefully measure and determine how much thread - and how much life - would be apportioned to each man and woman who walked upon the earth. Atropos in gray - the Crone and the eldest - wielded the heavy scissors that were used to cut off each life when its time had come, and she would do so now and again as the notion indicated. They never once hesitated in their constant work.

When Ares appeared, the Fates all glanced up, but did not outwardly express any particular surprise they may have felt at seeing him. After a few moments of silence, they returned their eyes to their ever-important jobs as though he were not there. Slightly insulted, he continued to wait a little longer for some sort of greeting or acknowledgment of his presence from them, but he quickly tired of waiting for the three ladies' curiosity to pique.

"Well?" he finally demanded their attention impatiently, and their eyes gradually turned his way again. Still they did not speak to him, so he continued, "Aren't you ladies the least bit curious as to why I am here?"

After a moment's hesitation, the Maiden answered matter-of-factly, "Lord Ares, God of War, is free to travel to any place in the heavens or earth he pleases."

"True, true," Ares nodded slowly, not at all offended by the casually deflective remark, for it reflected the extent of his power and stroked his even more extensive ego. However, it did not allow for an opportunity to explain himself, and he continued, "But ladies, I'm afraid today's visit isn't all fun and games, like a few of my past visits have been. Now, aren't you ladies just dying to know why not?"

"Lord Ares, God of War, may also do as he pleases," replied the Crone. "We do not question that."

"Another good answer," Ares conceded with mild irritation, seeing that the Fates were being a bit more contrary than usual - or at least, more than he'd ever noticed in the past. He momentarily chalked it up to the mistrust developed over past experiences and went on, "However, that is not what I meant, and I have a really strong feeling that you ladies know it. So, why don't we just do away with the unnecessary formalities and get right down to business, shall we?"

The three spinners all stared blankly at Ares, not one seeming to be the least bit curious about his purpose for being there. Then, to his ultimate disapproval, he noticed that while their eyes were plainly fixed on him, their hands were still busy at work. They weren't really paying any attention to him - or, at least, the attention he felt he deserved - and it infuriated him inasmuch as he dared to be with the Fates. Swaggering across the expanse of the room, he approached the large spinning wheel and began to slowly and deliberately stroke the coarse threads that steadily wrapped about Clotho's spindle, and he said smugly, "You ladies seem to be so very devoted to these miserable humans, spinning their lives, determining what they will do and how long they will live, and ultimately, when and how they will die . . .With that kind of attention for such . . . minor . . . details, it truly surprises me to see that you don't seem to be quite as involved in the fates of your own children!"

All three women immediately stopped their work, and the Maiden and Crone both turned to look at the woman standing between them - the only one of the three who had any children: Lachesis.

"We forget nothing!" Lachesis replied coldly, still yet to show even a hint of being visibly moved by the underlying threat of his words and tone of voice.

"You don't?" Ares questioned with an upraised brow. "Seems to me that you've forgotten at least one's birthday!"

"We forget nothing," Atropos reinforced sternly. "We are fully aware that today Sorrow is of age."

"And of marriageable age, according to the bargain you made with my dear, departed mother eighteen years ago," Ares added smugly.

Lachesis now openly faced Ares, "No such thing was ever agreed upon. Hera only suggested that her son would be a good match for my daughter. Neither I, nor her father Poseidon, have ever agreed to this proposal."

"Not what I heard," Ares answered easily with great self-assurance. "My mother herself has reminded me off and on over the years that this day would be my wedding day, though I will admit, it almost slipped my mind. But, here I am nonetheless, and I'm here to collect my bride."

Clotho frowned, "Hera wished to wed Sorrow, Goddess of Lamentation, to Ares, God of War?"

Atropos also turned a cold eye to Ares as she emotionlessly snipped a nearby thread, and said boldly, "Sorrow has another destiny, Lord Ares - "

"Destinies can be changed," he said firmly and without humor. His eyes now highly reflected his growing discomfiture as he continued, "With all due respect, ladies, I understand your thing with the destiny bit; but, my mother had her heart set on Sorrow becoming my bride, and you know that what Hera wanted, Hera got - I will not tarnish her memory by disregarding her wishes. Now, where is she?"

Lachesis, emotionless as ever, remained face to face with Ares for a good while longer, carrying on a silent battle of wills that she knew she ultimately had no hope of winning. No matter what she wanted, or her daughter wanted, it had been decided for them both what would happen to the poor, minor goddess. As a Fate, she could command respect from the lower gods and goddesses; but, she could not dare to tell the God of War what to do, and knew that her own words would be nothing compared to Ares' power. At long last, with no other recourse to look toward, Lachesis reluctantly turned and called out for her daughter to appear.

Lachesis called several times, but the young goddess did not immediately respond. After quite some time of waiting had passed, Ares began to get impatient. "Where is she!?" he demanded petulantly. "Where is Sorrow?"

"Lord Ares, Sorrow has her own work to do, even as we have ours - ," Lachesis started to explain, but was interrupted by the sudden appearance of her tardy daughter at the door.

"Forgive me, Mother - I was delayed with a grieving widow and her poor children. How may I serve you?" questioned the young goddess as she bolted through the open portal and went straight to Lachesis. She did not at first see Ares standing off to the side of the room, and so he was able to fully appraise his new bride without her knowledge or notice.

In most every way Sorrow was her mother's daughter, with fair features that lent easily to beauty. However, it was her father's attributes that truly set her apart from the rest of the gods and goddesses of Olympus - long, curling tresses of ocean blue hair draped over faintly pink, pearlescent skin, all courtesy of Poseidon. She was attractively dressed in a dark green silk gown, and Ares was - inasmuch as he was able to be - mesmerized by her stately presence. Even as young as she was, she commanded the attention and respect of Ares, and it stirred something deep inside him. However, he wasn't going to let that stop him from accomplishing what his mother had commanded him to do.

"Lord Ares, God of War, requests your hand in marriage," Lachesis told her daughter plainly and without emotion, which upset Ares greatly.

"Don't make it sound quite so romantic, Lachesis," he retorted sarcastically, surprising Sorrow with the sudden awareness of his presence.

Turning to face the unannounced presence, Sorrow's jaw dropped as she beheld him, and she appeared a bit dazed as her head bobbed back and forth between her mother and Ares. In response to her confusion, Ares held out his hand and a small, silver box slowly materialized before all their eyes.

"A gift for you, Sorrow," Ares said gently, but firmly, "to show you that I am quite sincere when I ask you to agree to come away with me to my temple and become my wife."

"Become your wife!?" Sorrow echoed, her voice sounding high and strained. She immediately looked back to her mother for clarity as even deeper confusion set in upon her. Flustered, her face began to darken to a deep pink.

"Yes, become my wife," Ares repeated for emphasis, beginning to take offense at Sorrow's almost suspicious reaction to his unusual presence and even more unusual proposal.

"I - I don't know what to say," Sorrow stammered in reply. "May I ask what has precipitated this sudden desire to marry a cousin you have never really known?"

Ares tossed the unreceived box aside and it vanished into thin air as he raised both hands in a display of innocence. He said laughingly, "Actually, our parents have arranged this little joint venture, so you might say we were ‘a match made in heaven'!"

Sorrow did not laugh at his joke, and she did not know what to make of this situation, so she looked to her mother in hopes that Lachesis could shed some light on his claims. But, when she turned to them, she saw that all three Fates were steadily shaking their heads, signifying that no such bargain had ever been made on their part and negating what the war god was saying. Seeing their attitudes, Sorrow turned back to Ares, only to find that he had somehow moved much closer to her without her awareness.

"OH!" she gasped in shock and surprise when she turned and came just short of actually bumping into him. She tried to smile cordially as he began to step menacingly toward her, causing her to walk backwards as she asked, "Has my father given his blessing, Lord Ares?"

"You don't think he will?" Ares stopped his advancement, amazed that this young goddess actually had the audacity to presume that Poseidon would not approve of such a matter.

"Um, no, I didn't say that," Sorrow quickly covered, striving to keep from stammering in her fear. "I just want to make sure my father is pleased with this arrangement."

Ares smiled wickedly and nodded as his oily voice assured, "I promise you, Sorrow - Poseidon won't believe your good fortune!"

"That's what I thought," Sorrow said under her breath before facing Ares head on. "I thank you for the offer, Lord Ares, but I am afraid your proposal is more of an honor than I deserve, and therefore, I must decline and say no."

"No?" Ares echoed, his eyebrows flying upward as his incredulity rose. "Are you telling me - Ares, God of War - that you won't have me as your husband?"

"No," Sorrow interjected quickly, feeling emboldened by the presence of her mother and aunts. "I won't have me as your wife!"

Ares gaped at her for a long moment, completely dumbfounded by her denial. He turned to the emotionless Fates, but they were conveniently busy at their work again. So, he was forced to make a scene.

"Somebody here seems to think that the wishes of my late mother, Hera, Queen of the Gods, are subject to personal discretion, and they are not," he announced loudly enough to regain the attention of all three Fates. "As I was just saying a moment ago, what my mother wanted, my mother shall have, and that includes you, Sorrow, as her daughter-in-law!"

Sorrow blinked at him in a mixture of panic and amazement. As a minor goddess of Olympus, she was as familiar with Ares as a cousin ought to be, but she had never been on the receiving end of one of his temper tantrums. In fact, in all her young years, she had never encountered such anger from any of her powerful family, and it frightened her into complete silence.

"Well?" Ares prompted, becoming uncharacteristically nervous at her quietness. She rewarded him with even more silence as she contemplated what she should do to avoid this situation.

Sorrow glanced at her mother and aunts once more, and this time only her mother acknowledged her. The one nod Lachesis gave her told Sorrow what she should do, and furthermore, that she approved of anything Sorrow might do - other than becoming Ares' wife as demanded. The nod seemed to free her of any possible responsibility she might feel for what she had to do, and so she acted quickly.

"Okay, Ares, I will go with you," she began. "But first, I must pack my trousseau - "

"I will provide your every need,"Ares interjected sternly.

"Ah, no, thank you," Sorrow smiled genially. "I have a special wedding dress I must wear - if you'll just wait here, I will go and get it. I won't be gone long - I promise."

Ares at first wanted to say no. He wanted only to be done with this bargain and be gone again, for he was anxious to get away from the unnervingly quiet and immovable Fates and get Sorrow to his temple, where he planned to consummate their marriage immediately. However, he decided to allow it, realizing that there was no use in upsetting his wife and her family on their wedding day.

"You have five minutes," he finally conceded, holding up the five fingers of his left hand to emphasize the short amount of time he was allowing.

Sorrow cast one last, longing look at her mother before nodding and making as if to obey Ares. Not looking back, she left the hall and went to her room as expected, but there was no special dress awaiting her there. Instead, she took hold of a long, black, hooded cape and wrapped it well about her before diving out of the window at the other end of the room, and she was gone.

When the allotted five minutes had elapsed, Ares didn't complain at first. But, as more time began to disappear with no sign of Sorrow appearing, he finally looked to the Fates, only to see in their faces and eyes the fact that Sorrow had skipped out on him.

"Lachesis!" Ares bellowed, fixing an angry eye on the middle Fate.

"Sorrow has another destiny," Lachesis reminded, her voice intoning nothing.

Pushed far beyond the boundaries of respect, Ares shook an accusing finger at the three women and warned, "This isn't the last of this - I will find Sorrow, and I will marry her, and our children will rule man and the earth!"

He did not bother to wait for a response he would never receive, and he immediately disappeared. The Fates, unperturbed as ever, merely returned to their spinning, measuring and cutting as though nothing had ever happened.