“I feel less like a holy being, and more like a beast at times.” He told her, as he nipped at her delicate pointed ear. Even after centuries together, he was still so fascinated with his female. His beautiful water nymph.

She was beautiful. She was creative. She was glorious. And she was all his, as he was hers. 

His love. His life. Unto each other till the end.

“Well it’s all about perspective, isn’t it kami?” She said as she lifted herself over him, trailing her fingers down his chest. A glowing glint in her eyes.

Ah, his beauty, was also very cunning. She always had her ways to keep him on his toes. The wily water sprite was always a step ahead of her intelligent fire god. And he didn’t mind, not one bit.

Fates, but he was a lucky bastard to have been gifted with this magnificent female. And he showed her just how much he adored her, by bringing her head down to his, as she ruled him from above.

                                                                                         *

My mother’s sordidness? Zeus would bloody dare though, wouldn’t he? I reminded myself that Zeus was not just a fool, but an ignorant fool at that. It wouldn’t be wise to create a scene, regarding his implication on my parentage, on my supposed illegitimacy, or my mother’s honor.

Oh how I wanted to pull this his’s eyes out with my favourite weapon. But it was not the time for that just yet.

It was at moments like these, where I appreciated my mother’s values. I was a product of a “legitimate” union, but even if that were not the case, it would never matter. I would be no more a bastard, even if my parents had not been in love.

A child, irregardless of the circumstances of its birth, is just as precious as any other child born in a 'valid' bond Azar.

To Hera, all children were nothing less but precious. Reminiscing over her words always helped me to calm my anger. 

It wasn’t that I did not feel anger, or have vicious desires. But I had always complete control over my desire to act upon them without thought. It would not do for me to be rash. Especially not with my particular godly status. As the master of fire, I had never had the luxury to be impulsive. 

Not that I hadn’t had my few moments in my younger years. Moments that had proved to be disastrous. But now, I was even more in control than I used to be. And that was truly, saying something. Courtesy of my old man, I guess. 

But then again, father had controlled his actions so perfectly, because he always had been cold hearted. I was not fortunate enough to have his apathetic disposition. At least not to the extent as he was. But I was very good at pretending that I was just like him. But then again I only cared for a handful of souls. Father had cared about even less. So perhaps my father and I were truly, not that different. 

Therefore, instead of acting as I truly desired, I put on my best acting shoes, and begged through my teeth. “Because I have no where to go, my King.”

Oh how it galled, to address him as such. For him to lord over a place that could never be his. My only solace was, that Zeus had no access to the real throne or heavens.

No one could enter it without the true successor's permission. That fact in itself was a small mercy right now. And I was long overdue some good fortune, in this long ass, bloody game that had been ongoing since the primordials first came into the world. 

I endeavoured to keep my focus on my mother's transgressor, and not on any of his own bastards. Children, I mean. Brutalizing his kids would have to come later. 

I also tried to ignore the waves of disbelief coming from the god who was pretending to be my uncle. Shu was angry with me, and he would nurse it for a while yet, before all would be normal between us again.  

If I as fire, was the epitome of cool, then Shu as water was had a very fiery disposition. Our contradicting nature between our respective powers and personalities, used to be of utmost amusement to our family.

“And, son of Hera, how is that my problem?” Zeus’s words both brought me back to the matter at hand, and annoyed me. I understood why I had to walk this path as Hephaestus, but that did not mean I had to like it.

You fool. You do not know how right you are when you say, I am Hera’s son.

Zeus should not have called me that. Only very few had the right to address me by that phrase. There was no way he could know what that meant to me. What it meant to my parents.

Ignore his blustering son. Him calling you as such is just a mere coincidence. No matter how distasteful you find it.

My facial expression must have slipped for the Queen to have bothered with sending that message my way. Not there was much to be seen on the ruin I wore now, anyways.

No, you were loud enough, that someone else besides me also heard your mind. Came her irritated reply.

That’s not possible, none of them can be strong enough to…

Do not argue with me at this point child. It has happened. Came her stern voice. Until I could literally feel her mind wheels churning. Perhaps this could provide the distraction we need. Figure out who it was Azar.

Feeling relieved at my reprieve of not having to stare at the glorified rapist, I turned to find the first Olympian that had signed themselves to a one-way ticket to Tartarus. I also strengthened my mind from any further intrusions. Even if I was certain she hadn't understood a word of what my mind had been thinking. The language would be foreign to her. But still, I could not have someone with the ability to stumble into my mind just running around.

It was not that difficult to spot the one who had slipped into my mind. It was the small female with the bright hair, and even the brighter apparel that I had seen before.

She dressed like an adult, but acted more like a child in her mannerisms. I had dismissed her as one of Zeus’s many minor indiscretions. But my mistake, the delicate fluff ball was actually an Olympian.

I guess today was my day to eat some humble pie from many of my wrong assumptions. No wonder, the Queen had insisted that I couldn’t do from the outside, which I could do far more easily from the inside.

As I stared into her green eyes, I was unnerved to see that while she was shocked by me, she was neither afraid or disgusted. It angered me how easily she was able to read my emotions.

Hate. Anger. Disgust. It burned so obviously in those cold eyes of his. He had the voice of heavens, and the eyes of hell. So cold. So dangerous. So unfeeling. Her soft voice sounded in my own mind. 

And I hated her more for how she correctly guessed that I was not born ugly, but rather had been tortured into this.

It was truly unfortunate for this pretty female, that she had been more wiser than Athena in coming close enough to guess my intentions of coming to Olympus. And now, she would have to be the first to go. How wretched, but unavoidable. Yet, for the time being, maybe a scare tactic would suffice.

Keep your musings to yourself, dove. If you know what is best for you. I thought to her, meaning the threat in my words completely.

Any other day, I would have chuckled at the comical way the emotions flitted across her pale face. 

As if he was even powerful enough to do anything to me. Not anymore. He was crippled…

But do you truly wish to test it, dove? I thought her way, barely avoiding the smirk that wanted to come out.

Wait! You...You... can hear me!? It really felt like she was screeching at me in mind speak. Had she just realized that? It seemed the fates had been kind to her on the outside, but not so much on the inside. 

“Aphrodite? What is the meaning of this, goddess?” Zeus, always the oily third wheel. Putting an end to my fun before it even started.

Wait, Aphrodite? This was Aphrodite? The name that had become the bane of my existence, and this was her. This child? She was supposed to be the goddess of beauty and sensuality? The fates truly had a sick sense of humour. She was pretty, no doubt. But she was not the most beautiful I had ever seen.

I was not liking the implications whatsoever by what her presence could mean. I was angry that the Queen had failed to ever mention this to me. 

Why didn’t you tell me? I thought to her furiously. I though I had time before I would be confronted with what the fates had planned for me. 

You were adamant that it could never be true son. So stand true to your convictions, and fight against destiny if you dare Azar. She thought at me as her eyes flickered from blue to black.

Aphrodite? You are the infamous goddess of beauty? That is indeed comical. I told my so called destiny, while deciding that her end would come quicker than even I had anticipated. But the fool that she was, she further accelerated her own demise with her words.

“I can read Hephaestus’s mind.” She told her father, and the twit was further thanking fates for my not having told Zeus that I could 'read' her mind too.

I doubt that there is anything of importance for anyone, in that frilly mind of yours Aphrodite. I almost hissed at her, glad that she did not know the difference between mind reading and mind speaking. And what the latter meant.

There was no way, it would ever be possible. I wouldn’t let it be.

I ignored her, and I ignored Zeus’s obvious scheme of recruiting her to spy on me. Perhaps it might be suspicious is she did die right after making it obvious to everyone what he intended for her to do. 

“Well then. I would like to talk my siblings, and our newest member alone for a bit. The rest of you are dismissed.”

Who would have thought that there would be a moment, that I would feel thankful towards Zeus. I ignored the dark look the Queen threw my way. This was entirely her fault after all. She was the one who had insisted time and again, that I should come here to speed up things. 

And in a way, the Queen was right. My grief had made me a blind fool. But that wouldn't be the case. 

Not anymore.

And if I had to kill my so called wife, or rather wife-to-be, then so be it.