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scanned the agenda. “Deeds, both good and bad, performed by the gods and goddesses during the last month.”
    Neptune watched as the others ducked their heads, and then he did the same. This was always the worst part, when Jupiter took them to task for any improper use of their powers. Occasionally, there would be praise, but generally, comments were negative. The King Of The Emerald Sea sometimes resented Jupiter’s obvious enjoyment as he corrected their behavior. After all, Jupiter was his own brother, and shouldn’t be able to lord it over him like this.
    Jupiter clearly enjoyed this task immensely, as he was above reproach, carrying a sort of diplomatic immunity due to his status as leader of the group. Once this part of the council was over with, everyone tended to relax.
    Neptune cringed on the bench, knowing he would be hearing about the massive and violent storm he had triggered at sea. He looked forward unseeingly, like a child in class who wished to make himself invisible so that he wouldn’t be called upon.
    Jupiter swept his ice-blue gaze around the circle of deities. No one met his eyes, for all of them were undoubtedly guilty of something . Neptune knew from painful experience that the power to intervene and change events to one’s liking was a difficult one to resist— willpower and patience were not the godliest of character traits.
    “Venus!” Jupiter thundered, and Neptune shuddered—his turn was coming. “I have heard about your latest transgressions.” The Sky God glowered at the Goddess of Love in a way that no one else ever did. “Would you care to tell us why you did what you did, in...?” He looked down at the scroll while Diana smirked in her seat. “Florence, Italy.”
    Venus stood up, as they were made to do when defending their actions. “I’m not sure what I could have done to displease His Majesty,” Venus murmured soothingly. “I’m sure I’ve done nothing wrong...this time.”
    The Sea God held his breath as Venus stood majestically before them. She smiled and surveyed the group, her teeth glowing white in the most dazzling of smiles. Her lips were so full and red they seemed to have been painted, although they were not. Her cheeks flushed pink as she let her large and beautiful eyes well up with crocodile tears. Neptune felt awful— how could Jupiter abuse the poor girl?
    He fantasized about rescuing her in many heroic ways, but as he did so, he made no move to help her out. When Jupiter became truly angry, thunderbolts and black skies and vicious cold rains disturbed the Sunlit Cloud, and they were all made to stand and suffer until he settled down and restored the lovely weather again. Intervening on another god or goddesses’ behalf was just the sort of thing that would set him off.
    “Venus, you must tell what happened,” Minerva said without any rancor. “This is a council of truth.”
    Venus sighed audibly. It was obvious to Neptune that she knew exactly why she had been called upon, despite her coyness.
    “Well,” she began, haltingly. “There is a museum in Florence, the Uffizi, full of art and sculpture.” She looked down at her feet. “They have many depictions of the gods and goddesses, and so often they get it terribly wrong. They draw us with messy hair or unflatteringly large hips!” she sputtered. “I remember when I saw this offensive painting for the first time. The Birth Of Venus, they call it. I saw it in the museum during the night. I went in and gazed at the depiction of me, and I was horrified.
    “In the painting, I was standing on a half-shell, like an appetizer,” she said, her tone outraged. “And truthfully, I am much slimmer than she is, and it was just all wrong, really.”
    Neptune smiled as she ran her hands down her curves to reassure herself that they were still perfect. Really, the lady was most charming.
    “Especially my thighs,” she muttered angrily.
    “What did you do with the painting, Venus?” Jupiter thundered.