A Patchwork Fantasy Tale in eight parts.
Our fourth visit to Hotel Olympus, during which Charlie enforces her standards.
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Transcript
[Upbeat, inquisitive music]
Laura: Hi, you can call me Laura. I’m here to tell you a story if you like. This is Patchwork Fairy Tales and today we’re visiting Hotel Olympus. If you want to read as well as listen, check out the transcript linked in the description.
[Music fades]
Hotel Olympus Chapter 4
(This chapter comes with a content warning for a brief worry about possible abuse.)
Learning how to not see things had been a big part of Charlie’s education. Hospitality management included a lot of training on how to treat whatever nonsensical things your guests are doing was either completely normal or absolutely invisible to you. Charlie was quite good at it too. She had pretty much elevated minding her own business to an artform. Something she was quite grateful for since finding out that her guests were apparently literal gods. However, no matter the divinity of the guests, some things would always be her business. And unconscious people being carried through her lobby was definitely one of them.
Cassandra didn’t even bat an eye, but Charlie was absolutely sure the young man currently being carried towards the stairs was absolutely out of it.
“Ma’am!” she called out, rushing to her feet.
“Charlie,” she could hear Cassandra hiss at her. “That’s Selene! That’s the goddes you had the conservatory—”
“I don’t care who she is,” Charlie hissed back, already striding towards the stairs. “Ma’am, excuse me!”
The young woman turned around to face her with remarkably little effort, considering she was cradling a grown man in her arms. She did look rather startled though, large eyes shining behind wisps of silvery hair. “Yes?”
Charlie glanced quickly at the young man’s face, who seemed to be sleeping, before giving the woman her best customer service smile. “Is your friend there alright, ma’am?”
The young woman’s eyes fluttered with embarrassment. “…yes. He’s sleeping.”
Charlie could barely hear her so low was her voice. She also didn’t believe her. She didn’t smell any alcohol, but even if he was just asleep, there was still no way she was going to let these two out of her sight before making sure.
“Did you book a room for two, ma’am?” she asked, dangerously pleasant. “Could I have your name please?”
“Selene…” Her pale cheeks were beginning to turn pink and she turned her gaze to the floor. “This is Endymion.”
“Excellent,” Charlie smiled. Her voice getting a little kinder when Selene just looked deeply embarrassed rather than guilty. “I can imagine he’s very tired, but could you wake him up for me please?”
With her face now burning bright scarlet, the young goddess nodded. Charlie didn’t hear or see her do anything, but suddenly the young man opened his eyes and she hastily put him back on his feet.
“Hello,” he smiled at Charlie, looking completely alert and not the least bit drowsy. He held out his hand for her to shake. “Endymion.”
Charlie blinked in confusion. “I— hello, Charlie, it’s a pleasure. I was wondering—”
“Yes, I could hear you in the dream, and it’s really very kind of you,” he interrupted pleasantly. “But I’m quite alright, promise.”
Beside him Selene was staring at the floor, blushing down to her neck and evidently wishing she was elsewhere. Charlie was beginning to feel extremely uncomfortable herself. It seemed that Endymion had somehow heard the entire conversation.
“It’s alright, dearest,” Endymion hummed at Selene, looking so sincerely adoring that Charlie felt the need to avert her eyes. “Miss Charlie is just doing her job. Let’s wait until we’re upstairs next time, shall we?” He turned his bright eyes on Charlie again.
Charlie knew she was rather inattentive to such things, but he really was very handsome.
“There was a charming theatre performance about how we met,” he confides in her. “And we got a little overzealous. Selene was eager to get back to our room… It was bad manners. Won’t happen again, miss.”
“I just want to look at him…” Selene muttered unhappily, clearly not even consoled by Endymion’s humming comfortingly at her.
By that time Charlie’s own cheeks were feeling rather hot. She was pretty sure she finally understood the situation and it made her involvement very awkward. “I am so sorry for disturbing you,” she said hastily. “I do apologise.”
“Not at all,” Endymion assured her. “You were quite right. Thanks again for the concern.”
Selene would still not meet Charlie’s eyes, but to be honest, Charlie was kind of grateful for that. She wished the divine couple goodnight in as composed a tone as she could manage and hastily retreated back towards the check-in desk, where Cassandra was looking at her with a face full of pained sympathy.
“I need to start keeping a list,” she groaned.
“Don’t beat yourself up about it,” Cassandra said comfortingly. “The moon falling in love with a youth sleeping under her night’s sky is really only a minor myth.”
Charlie didn’t answer. Minor myth or not, she was going to have to speak to the manager about house rules concerning magical roleplay.
[Upbeat, inquisitive music returns]
Laura: Thank you very much for listening, I hope you liked this installment of Hotel Olympus. Transcripts, easy streaming, and all the information about this podcast and all my other creations can be found on laurasimons.com.
There’s another tale to tell some other day, but until then: remember to mind your mythology, guard your name, and be safe.
[Music fades]
Copyright Laura Simons, please do not copy my stories without my permission, lest you insult the fae.