The Flames of Desire

by Guardian of the Flames

Hestia had been the most revered goddess to ever exist, amongst mortals and Olympians alike. Still, for all the appreciation she received, there would always be desires the fire goddess could not satisfy. She had forbidden herself from those desires, and yet, it was all still so unfair.

The flames of the Olympian Hearth didn't emit their usual warmth. Hestia thought it was either her troubled soul making her feel cold, or the lack of concentration made the flames less passionate. Probably a little of both. The flames still crackled and sparked, but they had no feeling behind them. If one of the gods were to visit, Hestia knew they would immediately asked her what was on her mind. If there was one thing Hestia held dear, it was the hearth. She never gave anything less than her soul when tending to it's fire. If it was less than perfect, Hestia was troubled. Without a doubt. Hestia would've liked to refute her siblings assumptions, but if they were always correct, they weren't really assuming, were they?

Hestia sighed and tried to concentrate on the fire, even though she knew it was pointless. The fire was her excuse, after all. Aside from feasts, which Hestia would be given the first sacrifice, she never left the hearth at all. The flames of the hearth had to burn indefinitely it was her duty, and if Hestia had to sacrifice her soul, then so be it. That was what she always claimed at said feasts, but eventually her sister, Athena caught on. "Modest as you are, Hestia," she said, "you are too competent to fool me. You could make those flames burn for centuries at the wave of your hand, perhaps they wouldn't be as lively as you'd like, but they would still burn with absolute certainty. I know you wish to remain at the hearth, sister, and I will respect your wishes. Just know that if you ever decide to leave, your family would be glad to see you." Hestia thanked her sister and promised to consider, but they both secretly knew even if she did consider, she really wouldn't. The hearth was Hestia's home, not Olympus.

And now even the hearth didn't make Hestia comfortable. She finally gave up, the embers of the fire flaring up at her frustration before deflating back to their passionless burning. The flames would burn. Hestia had to resolve her inner turmoil then. What was her lament at that time? Her family rarely visiting her? Her family visiting her too much? How the persistent conflict between her siblings and nephews and nieces had caused her to weep countless times? How, because of those conflicts, she was a failure as the goddess and protector of families? How she could never have children, god or demigod, because she swore to be a virgin for eternity? Ashamed as she was to admit it, Hestia had to admit it was the last one. Being a virgin wasn't what bothered her. She took an oath to Artemis, Athena, and especially Zeus to remain a virgin forever and even if she did regret making said oath, she would keep it regardless. The thought of disappointing or even unintentionally lying to her family was unbearable to the fire goddess.

Indeed, she was definitely lamenting the lack of someone to keep her company. Someone who understood that bloody conflict between families was something to be mourned and prevented, not something to be indifferent or somehow enthusiastic about. Someone who would understand punishing someone for minor transgressions was wrong and, even if they were capable of causing suffering, they wouldn't do so because it was just wrong. As much as Hestia loved her family on Olympus, at their worst they acted like spoiled children who would use their magical powers to punish unlucky mortals because they didn't get their way. And they could do so without consequences. And what was Hestia going to do? Protect the mortals by burning her family? That would not only make her a hypocrite, it would make her a complete monster. Hestia would never do such a thing to anyone. The mere thought of causing someone else pain was unbearable to the goddess. Perhaps that was why conflict was so persistent. If Hestia was more forceful, more aggressive with her power, maybe she could forcibly bring order to Olympus and... oh, she was just imagining things. She would never use force. She'd never do anything, in fact. Because she was a good girl, and good girls never cause anyone grief.

Unfortunately, this withheld Hestia from getting her greatest desire: a child. Why couldn't she have one? All the gods would've supported her. Hera once swallowed her pride and outright declared Hestia had more morals than all the gods, herself included. She also said, without the slightest hesitation, she would always be the most fit goddess to be a mother. Even worse, no one disagreed. So why couldn't she have one? She had already even imagined and planned out how she would raise her child. The child would be a beautiful and compassionate little girl. Whenever she was tired, Hestia would adjust the flames ever so slightly if her daughter was a little too warm or a little chilly, and she would hold her until she slept peacefully. Hestia would teach her daughter her own values, and, if her daughter was bored, Hestia would remind her how if something were to happen to her, it would fall on the child to keep Olympus together, for when the Gods where off to war, she would be the only Olympian left. The child would thus understand Hestia's despair when conflicts were brutal, or her loneliness when the other gods, as much as they loved her, couldn't connect with her. When her child felt sadness over the bloodshed, Hestia would comfort her. The fire goddess would cook for her child, wonderful feasts that no else could, and, if she had been good, she would allow her daughter to tend to the flames. She could be the perfect mother. None of the gods would object to her breaking her oath or abducting a mortal baby and making her immortal. The only person standing in her way was her. Hestia would never, for all eternity, abduct a child at the expense of having a woman suffer. If the woman didn't want her child, it was Hestia's duty to convince her otherwise. In times of despair, family is all a mortal has. If a family is dysfunctional, then a mortal would never find happiness no matter how many material possessions they had. Hestia would never try to disrupt something as important as family. Why should someone else pay a price because of Hestia's loneliness? The simple answer was that they shouldn't.

As such, at the hearth Hestia would stay. Her only comfort would be the sounds of the fire cracking and the rustling of her robes and the shuffling of her feet. No matter what she did, there would always be conflict. She would never have a child. Besides, even though she would be alone, if she fulfilled her duty, she did not have the right to want. It was not in the nature of the most revered goddess among mortals to want. Even if the fire goddess did find herself wanting, she had no choice but to disregard said wants. For if she ever found herself ensnared in the petty conflict of her siblings, there would be nothing left. No Olympus, no mortals, no life to speak of. Her peaceful nature barely kept her family, and the family of all living creatures, together. Indeed, Hestia did not have the right to be selfish, nor was it her choice. She had given up her throne on Olympus to maintain peace. She had given up the option of petty desire to keep peace.

And if she had to give up her soul for peace, then so be it.