A Patchwork Fantasy Tale in eight parts.

Our fifth visit to Hotel Olympus, during which approval is gained.

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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]

(This chapter comes with a content warning for a brief worry about possible abuse.)

Hotel Olympus Chapter 5

It was busy at the hotel this evening. Something to do with the stars, apparently. Or what people worshipping deities thought about the stars at least. Charlie had been rushing left and right all afternoon. That didn’t mean she skipped out on checking in with the front desk, however, which is why she almost walked straight into Autolycus.

“Well hello Ms. Manager.” He was leaning against the counter, chatting with Cassandra.

“Hi Autolycus,” Charlie replied with patient neutrality. “Done with Mister Dionysus’ requests already?” The names were still giving her trouble, but she prided herself on proper pronunciation for both her guests and employees.

“Oh I have everything ready for him in advance, especially when he drops by with his wife,” Autolycus grinned. “No worries there.”

“Good,” Charlie nodded. She might not have time for his flirting, but Autolycus was very good at his job. She was not sure if  “head of room service” quite covered the extent of his services, but he didn’t seem to mind it.

“What about you, hm?” he prodded. “Anyone giving you trouble? Cass is already all worked up over nothing.”

“I’ll give you worked up over nothing,” Cassandra muttered under her breath, but judging from Autolycus’ winking Charlie had to assume this was not a real threat.

“No such thing as trouble,” she said decidedly. “At least not in the lobby of my…hotel…” Charlie trailed off, eyes straying to the glass doors of the main entrance, on the other side of which  Phaëton seemed to be doing a lot of running. There was a terrible racket outside.

“Good lord!” Charlie exclaimed. “Are those swans?”

Cassandra let out a barely muffled yelp. Trying to get out from behind her counter and looking at Autolycus with miserable reproach. “You made me lose track of the time! I cannot be here when he’s—” 

“Cass, Cass,” Autolycus tried to shush her, hands lifted in genuine apology. “Artemis is with him, he’s not gonna give you any—”

“Wait,” Charlie interrupted, turning back to the lit up figures just now making their entrance. “Those are Artemis and Apollo?”

Cassandra let out a soft noise of despair and fury.

“Right,” Charlie frowned. “Excuse me a moment. I need to speak with Ms. Artemis about hosting hunting parties inside my hotel suites.”

This time Cassandra sounded more like she choked. “Charlie!” she gasped. “Charlie, you can’t—”

But Charlie wasn’t listening. She was putting on her most polished managerial smile and bearing down on the two guests that were striding into her lobby with far less elegant steps than theirs.

“Mister Apollo? Ms. Artemis? Welcome back to Hotel Olympus!”

Two flawless faces turned her way and behind her at the counter, Cassandra and Autolycus held their breath.

“You have come without your friends today, Ms. Artemis?” Charlie asked pleasantly, resisting the urge to shield her eyes against the golden glow that seemed to radiate from Apollos’s hair.

“My nymphs will be joining me shortly,” Artemis replied, studying Charlie with eyes as endless as the hidden waters in the woods.

Oh great. “Wonderful,” Charlie smiled. “Then, may I suggest that if you and your friends want to engage in sports, the way you did during your last visit, you make use of our fitness facilities? I assure you these are much more suitable for both target practice and endurance runs than our suites.”

It became very quiet in the lobby. Even the swans and deer outside seemed to give up their protests as they were wrangled towards the stables. But Charlie was no longer intimidated by being looked up and down by wealthy women, even ones that carried a bow and arrow.

“These facilities,” Artemis said at length. “Where are they located?”

“On the ground floor of the east wing, I have been assured there is no need to reserve them as there is always enough room,” she replied. And then, remembering the mess in the bathroom, she added: “There are also several pools, ma’am, and one of those can be reserved for your party if you so wish.”

It was always a relief when guests went from thoughtful to smiling. The one implied they were thinking of ways to disagree with you, the other meant they had been won over.

“To have a pool to ourselves would be very pleasant,” Artemis said. “You will make sure no one can disturb us there?”

“I shall see to it you can bathe in privacy,” Charlie promised.

The smile in Artemis’ eyes lit up and before Charlie had the presence of mind to react, the goddess reached out a hand and pressed two soft fingers to the crown of her forehead. “Thank you, maiden, for your service. It is most appreciated. I shall now see to it that Helios’ boy does not upset my deer.” And she turned on the tips of her toes and disappeared back out of the front door, leaving Charlie to blink in confusion at her retreating form.

“Excuse me?” a voice that was clearly not used to speaking those words said beside her.

“Yes, Sir?” Charlie chimed promptly, turning to Apollo.

“Has my room been supplied with laurels?”

“If it hasn’t yet, Autolycos can take care of that for you, Sir.” She looked over her shoulder towards the front desk.

Autolycos and Cassandra were standing side by side, staring at her with partially open mouths.

“Autolycos,” Charlie said with emphasis. “Mister Apollo would like to speak to you about his floral arrangements.”

Autolycos’ feet never seemed to make any sound, even when he was moving at running speed. “Yes, ma’am!” He made a stiff little bow. “Right this way, Sir.”

Charlie nodded pleasantly as he ushered Apollo away and returned to the counter, where Cassandra was still staring.

“You alright, Cassandra?” she asked. “I know you said you didn’t want to be around whenever Apollo-“

“What did you say to her?” Cassandra’s eyes were as round as saucers.  “What did you say to Lady Artemis?”

“That she could use the swimming pool?” Charlie said. “As long as it keeps her and her friends from flooding the bathroom and attacking the furniture it’s all the same to me.” She rubbed absent-mindedly at her forehead with her sleeve. “Is dramatic touching a normal thank you, for your clients I mean.”

“No,” Cassandra said slowly. “No it isn’t. Be sure to mention it to Mister P. when you give him the report of the day.”

Charlie raised an eyebrow. “I’ve had people do way worse, good and bad,” she told her. “But if you say so, I will.”

When her next paycheck arrived, it was a significantly higher amount than the previous one.

[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.}