Author's note: English isn't my native language so forgive me if I make some mistakes.

Prologue

"Is it true?" Hera asked angrily "Estia please tell me that it is not true"

"Yes sister I am afraid that it is true" the other goddess responded.

"I will never forgive him for this" the Queen of the Gods now raged "not in a thousand years. Times and times again I was forced to see him father his bastards but not this time. Not with my own sister. How could he? How could she? How could Demeter do this to me?"

"It is not her fault. You know when Zeus wants a woman he takes her. No one can resist his charm. Our sister never had a chance." Estia tried to reason with her. She knew her sister well and if she didn't interfere if she didn't placate Hera soon she would do something terrible. She didn't blame her though. Centuries after centuries Zeus humiliated her by chasing other women, fathering children both mortal and immortal. Half of the Olympian Gods were Zeus's children and most of them his bastards.

"How dare you to lie to me! Not her fault? She could resist his advances if she wanted to but NO. She wanted to get back at me; she wanted to rub it in my face. She wanted to parade Olympus holding her little brat in her arms. She never forgave me for what I said to her on the last Winter Solstice. And look now ten months later she gives Zeus a daughter."

"What did you say to her sister mine?" Estia wanted to know what cruel words caused this mess. What could Hera have said that made Demeter betray her own sister?"

"I didn't start it ok? She did." She was pacing now up and down the hall wanting to smash something "we were both drunk at the feast and she made a joke about Zeus's last whore, that stupid mortal from Thebes. I was hurt by her words so I flaunted my wedding ring in her face and bragged that I was the only Goddess wearing one."

"Oh sister!"

"But the bitch didn't stop there. She dared to mock me. Do you hear MOCK ME! She said my ring meant nothing since my husband hopped from bed to bed. And I got really angry then and answered her that he always hopped back to my bed while her bed was eternally empty."

"Oh no sister you didn't!" Estia was appalled. Demeter and Hera were going to have a vendetta for centuries. They had wounded each others pride and now they would cut each others throats. Demeter had already started her revenge. No less than a year since that incident and she had already given birth to a daughter, a daughter fathered by Zeus himself, Hera's husband. She must stop them.

"I will not let this pass!" Hera threatened "I will make her pay for this"

"No sister mine you can't" Estia now was scared. This is what she feared from the beginning. When Hera got mad things were getting real ugly. "You cannot hurt your own sister. Our mother Gaea would make you pay dear for this"

"I won't hurt her" Hera sneered.

"No not the child. You cannot do this either. She is not one of Zeus's mortal bastards. She is borne a goddess. You cannot curse her like the others" Estia had to stop her. Cursing another god while he was innocent was forbidden by the ancient laws. If Hera did something this foolish she would bring chaos. "She is innocent you cannot make her pay for her parents sins. I will not allow you to curse her!"

"Curse her? I have no intention to curse the child" now the Queen's eyes had a taunting gleam. "I do not intent to curse her at all. I intent to bless her" she smiled with this evil smile.

"Hera I do not understand."

"It is simple Estia" Hera had resolved what to do and she was determined "I will bestow a precious gift on the child. A gift that while will appease Zeus and make the child eventually happy it will make our dear Demeter suffer."

"How?"

"I know our sister. I know her well. She abhors men. How she withstood Zeus's touch I do not know. She will not have another child. She will love her, cherish her, and smother her. She will not allow men to taint her little treasure with their filthy hands. And that is the weakness I will step on. Wait and see sister. Just wait and see."

Winter Solstice Two months later

The gods had assembled on Mount Olympus for their usual semi annual meeting. On this day for millennia all the gods gathered here to talk about their problems and resolve their differences. After the counsel a royal feast followed where the gods celebrated the passing of another year. This year they gathered so they could see and welcome the new addition in their ranks, Demeter's daughter.

Zeus himself held the little infant and one by one the other gods approached his throne so they would give her their gifts. Beauty, grace, virtue, honor, strength and joy were some of their blessings. Finally it was Hera's turn. All gods held their breath. They were eager to see how Hera would respond to this humiliation. Estia was the only one who knew Hera's plan for revenge and for once she agreed with her sister.

Hera approached the little girl and decreed:

"She shall have the most successful marriage amongst us"

The gods were stunned. This was indeed magnanimous of her. Zeus was very pleased with this gift. Athena nodded with approval. Ares was perplexed. Apollo choked. Artemis snorted. Aphrodite was amused and Hephaestus burst with laughter. Only Demeter looked terrified with this. Hera looked at the terror written on her face and though 'perfect'.

Zeus's turn was now and he spoke with a clear voice:

"Her name shall be Persephone"