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Leda's eldest daughter favored her, with silken blonde hair and blue eyes She was nearly old enough to draw interest frorateful she would bebefore irls, but Leda kept a close eye on Clyteht her a lovely girl, but she went unnoticed whenever Helen stood nearby

Leda ran her fingers over the cloth "This is already perfection Let's see to the dyes"

"Is there enough of the saffron to color this a bright yellow?"

"If that's what you wish, we'll find it" Leda hugged her daughter and turned her thoughts to creating fine garments for her family

Helen's roan pony trotted along behind her brothers' shohite ling toward the alrant pink blosso shade The boys were supposed to look after her, but they never did, and she did not care a whit She loved oddess riding to her shrine, or the queen she would one day be returning home to palace splendor

When she saw someone ahead, she pulled back on the reins, but her pony trotted on toward him He was quite the most beautiful man she had ever seen He was tall and well muscled with thick, deep auburn hair and eyes of the sa and refined bearing made it impossible for her to mistake him for a field hand

"Who are you and what are you doing in rove?" she called to him

Zeus caught her pony's bridle "I came to see you"

He handed her a red, ripe poranate "Do you use the seeds for dye?"

He was friendly and his tone too reassuring to cause Helen any fear, and she accepted the fruit and weighed it between her hands "Thank you I would rather eat them, but I do love their deep red for cloth Nohy have you come to see me?"

He smiled and scratched her pony's neck "I'm a dear friend of your mother's, but you mustn't tell her we've met, or she'll be insulted I didn't tarry to see her Are you good at keeping secrets?"

A bright twinkle lit his gaze and h "Maybe, maybe not How did you come here, have you no horse or chariot?"

"I have theirl, are you not?"

"My father fears I'm too smart Do you know him too?"

"Tyndareus? I knoho he is, and he knows me You must not tell him you have seen me either"

"How can I tell hiiven me your na They seldoone astray Do you wish to speak to them too?"

Zeus moved close and brushed her cheek with a tender kiss "I cao before they reach us and remember not to tell"

She lifted her hand to shade her eyes and raised up to gauge how far away the boys were When she turned back, the fine-looking stranger had vanished She pressed the pole soul they'd met

Chapter 3

Mount Olympus, Home of the Gods