5. Making Enemies 

Aphrodite

But before Queen Persephone could act on her son’s behalf, Hermes had already gone and stood in position as King Zeus’s herald. I breathed out a sigh of relief at that. Because no matter how powerful the rulers of the Underworld, this was still King Zeus’s domain.

And no one, could get away with disrupting his entrance. Not even his precious Athena or a Queen herself.

Hermes first announced Demeter and Hestia before they appeared. Hestia took her seat right beside the Queen seat. As Demeter moved towards her seat near Zeus.

Demeter gave her daughter’s husband a withering look, but sat down without comment. Then came the sea god and its ruler Poseidon, as he took his place beside his eldest sister.

And finally Hermes announced our father’s arrival.

“All rise, for here comes our great saviour, King Zeus.”

That announcement was different than last week, I thought, while standing up along with everyone else to welcome our King of Gods and Goddesses.

And just like always, our King arrived in a shimmering light of gold in front of his equally golden throne. The first time I had seen it, I had been impressed by the sight.

But after having seen so many godly appearances, I could not help but find Zeus’s to be far more pretentious.

Just like his white hair, and white beard. Did he really think, he looked better like that? An old man’s head on a younger man’s strong body?

Thank Gaea, his brothers spared us from such an unnecessarily ghastly sight. Despite their faults, Hades and Poseidon were the most beautiful gods. 

But I was surprised to see that our Queen was still missing. She was never announced like the other older Olympians. Instead she always arrived along with her husband to the throne room.

“Ah brother Hades, have you come to welcome your sister’s new found son?” The King asked in that booming voice of his. It was no secret that Zeus hated Hades. But no one truly knew why. That did not stop the rumours from circulating though. Some said it was because Hades had been the rightful heir to his father's throne. Some said it was because Hades had trapped Rhea somewhere, where no one could find her. Some said it was because Queen Hera had loved her younger twin brother and still did.

While my romantic heart would bet my gold on the last rumour. It was far more likely that the first two rumours were perhaps more closer to the truth. 

Yet, there was something there to the last rumor. An odd sort of tension between the youngest daughter and the eldest son of Cronos.

And I truly would bet everything that I owned on the fact that the Queen Hera was the real reason why the dark King avoided Olympus.

“Ah little brother, I presume from your words, that your wife had her son on her own then? That you gave no contribution to his making.”

The anger on Zeus’s face was truly entertaining. He may not care for Queen Hera at all, but he did consider her to be his. And if the circumstances about Hepheastus’s conception were true. Then it would put a dent to Zeus’s arrogance, I mean pride.

I bit my lip and looked away, lest I laugh at the spectacle our King made of himself when it came to his prime nemesis. “Just as your wife had a son that was mine, brother?” Ah Zeus, and his stubbornness to have the last word.

“Debatable.” Came Hades’s sardonic reply. “While a disappointment, Zagreus does look more like me. If I were to gain some flab, we would be almost identical." 

And the entire room stared at the the dark lord in stunned disbelief. Even Zeus himself. No matter how terrifying, it was undeniable that the dark lord was handsome. One of the most beautiful male God, I or anyone else in this room had ever seen. How could bulging Dionysus even compare? As if all agreed with me, we simultaneously turned to where Dionysus sat. Or where he should have been sitting. 

But he was still missing? Peculiar. Aria winked at me as our eyes met, and I was glad to see that this attention on her missing husband had not bothered her.

"Now Zeus, before I get impatient, I would urge you to tell me where Hera is?” The demand seemed to stun no one but the one being ordered himself. It seemed that King Zeus truly thought that King Hades’s usual habit of staying quiet meant a lack of power. 

Even, I knew who was the most powerful being in this room. No one in this room feared Hades because he ruled over dead humans. We feared him because he was more than that.

Unknown, and mystifying. 

For once, our King used his head and not his knees like usual when it came to his oldest brother.

“Our sister seems to be stuck.” King Zeus grumbled out reluctantly. His sister, and not his Queen? The King always liked to rub it in King Hades’s face, that it was he who had bedded and then married the virgin Hera. So why the sudden change?

Zeus could not possibly understand how different King Hades truly was from the rest of his male counterparts.

Even though, I pitied Kore, she was still the only exception where her husband did not act out in his godly virility. There had been no one before her, or after her. Or so the rumors wents.

And King Hades laughed out loud, right in our King’s face. I am sure that if the fact of the dark King laughing had not been shocking in itself, Zeus would have attacked the Underworld ruler outright. But even  Zeus had been rendered quiet. Only for a few peaceful moments it seemed, as he angrily demanded, “What is so funny here Hades?”

Hades quieted with a look of amusement on his normally expressionless face.

“Ah Zeus, I feel no humour, only pride. That boy always has been intelligent.”

That boy?

Was he speaking of Hephaestus? Had he known of his nephew’s existence then? Zeus’s next words voiced my question out loud.

“You knew of him? That ugly creature that calls himself my wife’s son?”

“Of course little brother, my sister keeps no secret from me.” The dark King smiled almost smugly it seemed.

“Well then, I will punish you all, for such a farce. To hide something of such gravity from your King needs to be punished. To betray a husband...”

“Father, If I may.” At hearing his favourite daughter address him by their familial bond, the King stopped in his tirade. As much as Athena was the most beloved, King Zeus still preferred to be addressed by title in his court. By everyone. So he most certainly was bound to be annoyed with Athena. But Athena was still exempt from any kind of punishment. At seeing his nod in acquiescence, the Goddess of War continued, “We have no choice but to welcome him.”

“Athena, how can you suggest such an indignity?” Her father huffed at her in annoyance, and in disbelief. 

“Because if my calculations prove correctly, he is the one who saved my life. And you are aware what that would mean.” King Zeus froze at that statement. Obviously a secret shared between father and daughter, that none of us ever would be privy to.

Well, it seemed as if, Hephaestus knew of this secret! Obviously Athena had to be talking about him.

Had Hephaestus saved Athena in a war perhaps? Oh the ambiguity of this entire situation and the lack of his presence was killing me. A crippled God had saved the strongest Goddess around? Oh I wanted to ask him so much. Know so much.

Regardless, Athena wanted him to be accepted. And King Zeus rarely went against his daughter’s wishes, especially when she voiced them out in front of everyone.

“Tell me Hades, is he at least only hers?” The King positively growled out.

“That, I do not know. Only my dear sister can answer that. But she did try to make him in the image of the God she loves.” King Hades pauses to smirk at his brother before continuing. “But I am afraid the boy turned out too much like his mother.”

What did that mean? Queen Hera, no matter her flaws, was beautiful. As rumours went, that was not the case for Hephaestus. But she was entirely empty on the inside. Had King Hades meant Hepheastus was just as cold as his mother then. 

"Well then my wife failed spectacularly did she not?" Zeus railed at his brother. "He looks nothing like you Hades."

Ah, so even our King had his suspicions about Queen Hera and King Hades. 

“Ah Zeus, I never said it was me Hera had in mind when she created her son." King Hades had finally reverted to his stoicism. "I leave you with one advise Zeus. The fire god hates the Queen. Quite passionately. He may prove to be of more use to you.” He stopped to stare at Athena. “Use him wisely, and you may find forgiveness for your crimes.”

We all recognised it for the prophesy that it was. But as all prophecies went, that was very cryptic.

King Zeus was left yelling as his older brother, the dark King disappeared. Leaving his own Queen exactly where she was standing.King Zeus looked at his eldest daughter for answers, and Kore shrugged at him in ignorance. “My husband does not discuss anything with me. I am only a Queen in name, not in deed.”

The implication was not lost on anyone, and Demeter now took to glaring at her brother King, now that her daughter's husband had disappeared.

“Athena, child, explain to me what is all of this? Why would you want him here? Why should I have keep him here? In my beautiful heavens? You have seen him! How can he live here amongst us?”

Athena had already seen him? How unfair.

“Because no matter what you may offer him, he would want for nothing else, but this. You are well aware that all lower gods and goddesses aim for one thing, and one thing only.”

“And the nonsense that my brother just left us with?” He asked while walking back up to his throne and sitting down, with arms crossed.

“From what I could make of it, my King. The Queen’s son seems to be sent to us as some sort of test. However, I am still not sure in what manner.”

The King nodded in agreement, “Ah my wise Athena. What would I ever do without you?”

End up in bigger predicaments than ever? I thought to myself quietly. 

“I only wish to serve my King and my father.” The Goddess bowed to her father, before she went back to her own placement.

The King motioned us to sit before speaking. “Now that, that unpleasant business is over with. And my malicious brother has finally gone. I wish to inform you that I have already met the Queen’s son. His name is Hephaestus. And yes, he is quite ugly to look at. Before I make my final decision about the pair of mother and son, I would like to hear what you all have to say.”

Fates, had he not already decided? Had Athena not already told him that he must accept Hepheastus? And what about King Hades’s prophesy?

“I say no.” Came the strong voice, from a surprising source as I looked to my right at the hulking God.

Ares.

The one who had never had any interest whatsoever in these matters was now raising an issue? An issue against something I desperately wanted? How dare he, I thought to myself angrily, a part of me saying that I should just remain quiet like always.

“I say yes.”

If Ares’s voice ringing in court matters was surprising, then hearing my own in comparison, was perhaps an earthquake.

But somehow, I stood my ground, ignoring the hateful glare that was being directed at me, at this very moment.

“Aphrodite!” The King exclaimed in shock, before his expression morphed into pure glee. No doubt anticipating entertainment for his pleasure at my expense. “Ah my beauty of the sea, please tell everyone why you have voted in my son's favour.”

His son? As if he understood my confusion, he answered my question. "Well if I am to accept my wife's indiscretion. I would rather the world believe that he is my own."

I should have known. As if, any god would tolerate an illegitimate child on his wife's part. No matter how many they went around creating and leaving themsleves. 

“I know why Ares says no.” I replied determinedly. “It is because of his own precarious relationship with his mother.” I paused because I could feel the war god's glare intensify. But I had already put my foot in it, might as well keep walking.

“All I wish to say is that we should not fault Hephaestus for any betrayal his mother may have done.” I said quickly before looking down. Waiting for Zeus’s verdict.

“And I say that she had no right to have him.” Ares replied back just as heatedly.

“I agree with the goddess of love, my fierce son.” He said while indicating for us to sit down. A statement which was a bold faced lie. He had agreed with me to embbarass Ares. 

King Zeus was obviously not happy with me. He had not liked that I had stood up against his son for his wife's son. And he most definitely had not liked what I had said. Because it had been the truth.

Hepheastus was innocent. 

So as punishment, he had made sure Ares would stay angry with me for far longer than he normally would have. And while I no longer felt Ares’s eyes on me, I could feel the rage rolling off of him in waves.

Something that made me want to hide away in my seat.

I had not even met this Hephaestus, but already made a powerful enemy, just for him. And by default even Ares’s sisters, Eris and Hebe, would be after me now.

I hoped that the son of Queen Hera would appreciate what I had done for him.