"Has the war started?" Paris asked worriedly as they saw Athena coming down.

Everyone present stared at the goddesses.

"No" Gaia answered, although she seemed worried.

"You will know when the war starts" Selene added "That was but a taste of what would happen if hostilities break".

In the Greek camp, Agamemnon, who still had a few doubts about leaving, was now fully convinced of the gravity of the situation.

Priam seemed disappointed to see with his own eyes how little the patron god of his beloved city actually cared about them. He remembered Selene's words when they first met.

"You are praying to the wrong god" she had said.

Odysseus expressed what was on everyone's minds.

"We must leave as soon as we can" he looked at the goddesses and added with some worry.

"It worries me that they will listen…we are nothing to them"

Preparations were made quickly. Priam left Paris in charge of the city. Both Hector and Achilles spent a few moments alone with Andromache and Briseis.

"The gods brought you back to me from death, and now they are taking you away" She embraced him tightly, afraid that she would never see him again.

Hector's strong arms embraced her

"I promise I will return" He looked at his baby son and added.

"Not even the gods will keep me away from you, my love"

One hour later, the four humans along with the four goddesses stood together in the palace's great hall.

Normally Priam would always say "May the gods be with you" but now he wasn't sure what to say to his people", so he just smiled at Paris and said

"Our people has survived countless wars and tribulations…have faith in yourselves"

Then a bright light enveloped them

Hector expected to see the gods in their giant forms, but was surprised to see them in normal size.

"I thought you had to be in your true forms when in Olympus?" he asked.

Selene laughed and explained.

"You are not exactly in Olympus; you are in my kingdom"

That answer only filled the mortals with more questions.

"Let me explain" Athena said. "Mount Olympus is just the entrance to the realm of the gods. The center of that realm is Olympus itself, but it's surrounded by the Elysian Fields. Each of the main gods, with the exception of Hades who governs the underworld, rules a kingdom in the fields…Just as there are many nations in the human realm, the same applies in the immortal lands"

"I f you want to" Gaia smiled and suddenly grew to giant size "we could adopt our true form"

She restrained herself from laughing at the shocked expression of the mortals

She shrank herself to normal size "But I think you will be more comfortable to talk with us at this size"

"You will stay in my palace" Selene said as she pointed to a white building not far from where they stood. Hector felt a little relieved as it was built for normal sized people, not giants.

"Who are your subjects?" Priam asked with curiosity.

Selene answered

"Oh, there are many sorts of creatures on each kingdom. Nymphs, Satyrs, Cyclops, giants, minor gods"

This and other questions were asked by the mortals as they entered the palace. As it was late at night, each one of them was lead to a room"

"Tomorrow is going to be a long day" Gaia said before saying goodbye to each of them. Nyx and Athena followed her example

Hector approached Selene and said

"I am going to take a walk outside…I have so many things on my mind right now, and I think some fresh air will help me clear my thoughts"

Hera remained silent when she opened the door to her chambers and found his husband in bed with a young goddess. Zeus saw her and smiled mockingly at her, but she just closed the door without saying a word.

She did not cry at first as she tried to keep a dignified pose in front of the other gods, who just bowed to her as she passed among them, but she knew they were whispering about her and some even mocking her behind her back. It was not until she left the main temple and went to a desolated spot outside Olympus, on Selene's realm, when she broke down and cried. This time he didn't even have the decency to cheat on her in private. He had taken his new lover to the royal chambers, in front of everyone.

"Bastard" she whispered among broken swords.

"My lady, are you alright?"

The goddess was taken by surprise by the tiny yet gentle voice. She looked down and recognized the Trojan prince standing a few feet from where she was sitting.

Hector debated with himself if he should approach the crying goddess or not, but then made his decision. "Goddess or not, she looks like she is in need of friendly company" he thought before approaching her

Hera brushed the tears out of her face and composed herself before shrinking down to his size.

Hector was truly surprised when she revealed her identity.

"I am in a debt with you" he said as he knew it was her that had brought him back from the dead.

Despite her sadness, Hera smiled sadly and said "It was the least I could do"

Hector said "I am just a mortal, but I can see you are in a terrible pain… is there anything I can do to help you?"

She didn't know why, perhaps it was his honest expression and gentle eyes, something that was rare among the gods, but she told him everything. The constant humiliations and infidelities she received from her husband, how she tried to keep her dignity and act as if nothing was happening, just for the sake of her family and the kingdom. How her husband took her for granted"

When she finished, a tear escaped her eye and she buried her face in her hands

"Your husband may be the king of the gods, but he is a fool"

Hera looked up at him, surprise in her face.

"You are Loyal, kind, with a generous heart and very beautiful. Few gods or mortals can be as lucky as him to have such a wonderful wife and companion… yet he does not value you".

He was taken by surprise when the queen of the gods threw herself at him and cried into his chest.

Fort a moment he didn't know how to react.

"How do you give comfort to a god?" he wondered.

He remembered one time when a young briseis was heartbroken for an unrequited crush she had on a young apollonian. How she had comforted her and told her that it would pass.

For a moment he considered how all the gods he had seen so far looked young, no older than 20, and acted as such.

He decided to act the same way he did to his young cousin. He embraced her in his arms and let her cry, while gently caressing the back of her head".

Nyx watched the whole scene being careful to hide her presence from both of them.

"You are a great man, prince hector" she thought.

When Hera finally calmed down, she looked into his eyes and was surprised to see nothing but kindness and concern for her.

Never in her whole life had someone given her what Hector gave her tonight.

"I envy your wife and your son" she confessed. "I wish I had been born in a family like yours"

Hector added "My lady, you can talk with me whenever you want. If there is anything I can do for you, don't doubt to ask"

For an answer she kissed him on the check and said

"You already have, prince of Troy"

For the first time, Hector saw a genuine smile on her face, and then she disappeared