It started off like any other day—tending the Olympian hearth and cheering up Zeus when he got into one of his moods. But then things turned sour.

I had been in the middle of a conversation with Zeus, both of us laughing and lightly debating random topics. It was easy to talk to Zeus. Everyone was afraid of him, but he was nice to a selected few—one of which being me. We truly had a brother/sister bond that was unbreakable. I knew he liked me more than our other siblings—for the exception of his wife, Hera.

We were both guffawing hard when a familiar gorgeous blonde slammed the doors of the throne room open, storming in angrily. Our laughter immediately stopped and I scrambled over to my hearth, desperate to get out of Aphrodite's way.

"How dare you!" she screamed, gesturing wildly. "How dare you do this to me!"

I glanced over quickly at Zeus to see how he was reacting. Usually when someone yelled at him he'd kill them on the spot. But instead of doing anything rash, Zeus simply quirked a brow at the dramatic beauty before him.

"Do what, Aphrodite?" he sighed.

"You're making me marry that beast of a man! That vile . . . disgusting creature!" Aphrodite stuck her nose up high. "I refuse to marry him. I refuse to look at him. He doesn't deserve to breathe the same air as I!"

Zeus stared at her, unimpressed as she continued to rant about how horrible her fiancee was.

Finally, knowing Zeus was about to shut her up permanently, I interrupted, "Who are you to marry?"

Aphrodite turned towards me, her azure eyes flashing furiously. "Hephaestus!"

I frowned. Why did Aphrodite despise Hephaestus so much? He was always kind towards me, thanking me after a long council meeting, and always generously giving fire to my hearth. He wasn't even that ugly. Sure, he wasn't the most attractive God, but I'd seen worse. Hephaestus was a large, burly man-truly built like an ox. Hephaestus's build was similar to his brother Ares's and I had no doubt Hephaestus would be a good warrior.

Hephaestus used to be a cripple after Hera had thrown him off Olympus, but he had recently invented something to fix his limp. A metal leg! It was insane to see, but inciting all the same. Athena was interested in his metal leg the most out of all of us Olympians.

Aphrodite's breathtaking features contorted into a sudden mask of sadness as she turned to face my brother once more. "We don't love each other, Lord Zeus."

Zeus snorted. "Surely he's smitten with that pretty face of yours."

Aphrodite shook her head furiously. "I am the Goddess of love. I know Hephaestus is in love with someone else."

Zeus waved his hand. "It doesn't matter, Aphrodite. You're to marry him and that's final."

"No!" she weeped. "I demand the council be called to an emergency session. You cannot be this cruel to me!"

Zeus's eyes flashed as he stood up from his throne. Thunder boomed loudly, causing both Aphrodite and I to flinch at the intense volume. "Don't test me, child. You do not order anything of me. You're making a downright fool of yourself."

Aphrodite began to sob loudly.

"Leave," Zeus barked down at her.

She didn't budge, only continued crying.

Zeus turned to me. "Hestia, get her out of here."

I bit my lip, but did as I was ordered. I hurried over to Aphrodite and had her lean against me as I escorted her out of the throne room. We were halfway down the hallway to the front door of the palace when Aphrodite began to talk.

"It's not fair," she murmured. "I above everyone else deserve love. I give and give but never receive."

"Don't fret," I told her. "Hephaestus will make a fine husband. He's always been very humble."

She pulled away from me, a large scowl on her pretty lips. "I don't want a nice man! I want a strong, handsome one!"

I stared at her, thinking to myself at just how self-absorbed she really was. Sure, Aphrodite was easily the most beautiful being in existence, but she had a black heart. And not even the most beautiful of all is truly beautiful with a hollow heart.

"I truly am sorry for your misfortune," I said.

Aphrodite's sobs increased. "Just leave me alone."

She pushed me again before stumbling out the palace doors, screaming about how unfair and cruel King Zeus was to his followers. I simply sighed to myself. I knew how bad of a mood Zeus was going to be in now that Aphrodite had bothered him and I really didn't want to be there to endure his anger. But I had to. I had to endure Zeus's moods and Zeus's wrath because it was my job. I had given up my seat on the council for this. I always had to remind myself that I chose to tend the hearth instead of making the decisions.

I walked back into the throne room, fully expecting Zeus to be yelling and gesturing wildly, but instead I saw him laughing with a dark haired woman that sat beside him. Hera. Thank the Gods that woman existed to keep Zeus at bay.

I bowed respectfully in her presence. "Queen Hera, King Zeus." I eyed them both carefully. "Would you like for me to leave you alone?"

Queen Hera, my sister, giggled and shook her head. "No, you don't have to leave, Hesita. You may sit and tend to your hearth. We're only talking."

I nodded and walked back over to my very lively flames.

Some thought Hera brash, but she was actually very kind . . . most of the time. She hated practically every goddess that entered a ten foot radius of Zeus for all of the right reasons. Zeus was known for sleeping around on his ever-so-faithful wife. Hera was kind to me because of my virginity pact. She knew I'd never sleep with Zeus.

"So," Hera continued her conversation with her husband. "Why was Aphrodite here?"

Zeus's gray eyes darkened to match the color of a storm cloud. "Her marriage."

"Ah, yes," Hera sighed. "She's to be wed with Hephaestus."

Zeus snorted, "Aphrodite is so upset about marrying him she's demanded a council session be held to discuss it. She claims Hephaestus doesn't love her."

"He doesn't love her," Hera said simply.

I tried to block out their conversation, wanting to give them privacy, but it was proved impossible. They talked far too loudly and I was right next to them. The crackle of the fire was too quiet for their booming voices.

"What do you mean?" he sounded confused. "How does he not?"

Hera shrugged, "I can tell. I see it in his eyes every time you bring up Aphrodite around him."

"What are you saying? That we should hold a council meeting for this wedding?"

"We should," Hera's voice was slightly hesitant, "Neither of them want to wed and I don't think we should force it."

Zeus was exasperated. "We have to force Aphrodite to wed someone! All of the gods are fighting over her. If she doesn't get married soon a war will break out."

Hera shrugged again. "Then predecide her new suitor and announce it at the meeting."

Zeus groaned, annoyance shimmering all over his aura of power. "Fine," he snapped, turning towards me. "Hestia call for Hermes and request the council meet."

I nodded. "Yes, my lord."

I quickly walked out of the throne room to give the two some much needed privacy as I took out the whistle Hermes had given me long ago to signal him. He had given all of us Olympians ways to reach him in case of an emergency . . . Hermes was prepared like that.

I blew gently on the whistle and not a second later a familiar handsome winged man appeared. He looked slightly disheveled, as if he had run a long way, but there was still a mischievous glint in his bright green eyes. He was taller than I was, judging on how I liked to make my appearance short, with peppery black hair. His skin was tanned like all of ours, holding a bright glow.

"Hestia!" he called, wrapping his arms around me.

"Hermes!" My mood immediately brightened. Being the goddess of family, I absolutely loved it when I saw my own.

With a wide, but obviously hesitant smile, he pointed at my whistle. "What's going on, Hestia?"

I sighed. "An emergency meeting for the Olympians."

Hermes's eyes widened. "What's going on? I haven't heard of any upcoming wars . . ."

I shook my head quickly. "No, no wars. Nothing like that."

"Then what's the meeting for?"

I bit my lip, "It's to discuss the arrangement of Aphrodite and Hephaestus."

Hermes busted out laughing. "You've got to be joking! They're calling a meeting of the council for that?"

"It's a serious issue."

Hermes quirked a brow. "Alright, alright. I'll tell the other members to gather here, but don't expect many to show up. It's a pointless meeting."

"Yes, well," I quipped. "Attendance is mandatory."

He rolled his eyes. "Did Lord Zeus actually say that?"

"Well," I blushed, "No, but it was implied."

Hermes's eyes lightened and he let out a hearty chortle. "Oh, Hestia! You're just too funny!"

I frowned, nervously moving my thumbs back and forth together. "I really must be getting back to my hearth. It makes me anxious to be away from it. I'll see you later, Hermes?"

He deliberated for a few seconds before nodding. "Sure. I'll see you."

And then he was gone.