Disclaimer: I don't own anything

Cripples, Bastards, and unBroken Things?

A week later

Hera was surrounded by Aurae rushing about her. She had decided to impregnate herself but in her arrogance, she thought that she would only need herself to make a child, she didn't know yet how wrong she was.

The pregnancy of deities was very... flexible. The deities could(if they knew that they were pregnant mind you) manipulate: how long it would take, the gender, and if they wanted to do it the old-fashioned way or just magically pop it out. Hera had decided in her arrogance that she didn't need any extra 'help' conceiving this child, she also decided to only be pregnant for three days, one day for each trimester which was basically the minimum time a deity could be pregnant if they wanted a biological child. Because she could just make a rock into a child and give it life and a little bit of essence and there you had a demigod child.

But Hera wanted the full experience... ish because she thought the full nine months would be stressful and tiresome so she only took three days of pregnancy but she did at least decide that as the goddess of childbirth she should know how it feels like herself so that's what she did.

Though she was starting to regret it after ten hours in labor she was a very stubborn and proud woman so she wouldn't quit(at least not yet). Another couple of hours a baby's voice joined her screams and she sighed in relief at it being done.

But the horrible twisted monster she was presented with made her feel disgusted and ultimately betrayed that this monster dared to make her spend so much energy and time for... that.

She walked out of her palace still in the nightgown she had birthed in with the... child, in her hands. The Aurae who had acted as her nursing maids were following her not daring to ask a question but unable to just leave. When they eventually arrived at the edge of the floating island that was Olympus she promptly punted it in a kick, not unlike that of an American football player three and a half millennia in the future would have been envious of. She turned around without looking any further and silently walked back to her palace.

In an ancient forest stretching along rolling hills which was located in the shadow of a mighty mountain in the fertile region of Pieria in northern Greece, a baby landed hard, breaking multiple bones and it got serious internal bleeding at the impact. The baby looked regular enough with small tufts of hair upon the baby's head and now closed eyes looking like volcanic rock. It was a boy and his only unusual feature was his hunched back/very curved spine.

A man suddenly flashed into the now clearing where the newborn baby had landed. He went up to the child and his hand flashed with godly power which he hovered over the little boy. He gained a deeply disturbed expression on his face when he felt the godly essence covering... his nephew apparently. He picked up the boy and flashed into a big cave directly into Pan's bedroom.

Pan who had already been contacted mentally by Perseus had some Satyrs standing around him with Pan flutes. Perseus laid his nephew on his back upon a bed in the middle of the room. The Satyrs immediately began to play quick short tunes. "So who is he?" Pan asked once they had backed up to the wall to not distract the healers working.

"He's my nephew" Pan raised an eyebrow at the revelation. "He doesn't have a father or at least I can't feel who it is but his mother is definitely Hera. I just don't know why he was lying there in the forest with such horrific injuries" Perseus said deeply troubled. "Could it be that he wasn't supposed to be found? I noticed he already had a crooked back?" Perseus looked as if it was even possible more troubling that anyone could do that to its own flesh and blood.

"But who would do such a thing?" Perseus asked rhetorically. Pan answered anyway "An arrogant and prideful woman, perhaps?" Perseus looked horrified at his new friend and technically his colleague too at just the accusation. But he calmed down and thought about it logically.

She could be very arrogant always believing herself to be the best and such but would she really do this? 'Maybe' Perseus concluded to himself. But she wasn't even pregnant the last time he was up on Olympus and that was just a week ago, did that mean that she just created him? Surely not, you wouldn't consciously create a crippled child to just get rid of it later. Wait, Perseus flashed back into the forest clearing where he found his nephew and looked around on the ground and then up.

There were a series of broken branches on an impact angle with the ground. Behind the broken branches was the outline of Olympus. 'No, she couldn't. Wouldn't' he flashed up to Olympus and looked around he found the closest point to the clearing at Olympus he looked off the floating island. With his insane vision, he could just about see the clearing in the distance. He conjured a baby-shaped stone and threw it towards the clearing but it flew by and ended up a few miles past it.

He tried a few times more throwing it but found out the angle was impossible to replicate with a throw. 'Surely she wouldn't... kick a baby off of Olympus' While he thought of that scenario he had yet again conjured a baby-shaped stone and kicked it with godly precision. 'Shit! How could she?' Perseus thought to himself when he saw it perfectly fitting through the little hole in the branches.

Perseus decided to check up on his nephew with disbelief in his mind. 'Hmm, I haven't seen Sképsi or Myaló in a while, where could those troublemakers be?' Perseus thought absentmindedly before he flashed back into Pan's cave.

When he arrived back there were only three beings there. The child of course(should give him a name), Pan sitting on the ground just breathing apparently, and Gerses standing at the entrance. Gerses lit up when he saw Perseus and tried to bow to Perseus but he was discouraged by Perseus's hand absently waving him away.

Perseus went up to the child and kneeled in front of him, looking down at the now peaceful-looking child. He felt over the child with his power. He sighed and Pan stated "He's not long for this world, with him being a godling he wouldn't be able to reform anyway" Perseus got a frustrated expression "I know that!" Pan only looked at Perseus with curiosity before stating "There is one way" Perseus took a long breath before nodding. "I know, but I'm not sure if I have the right to have him sentenced to live in such a way" Pan raised an eyebrow "You mean to tell me that you are unsure if you should save him?"

Perseus replied hotly "His body would be crippled forever, you can't change one's natural form as you very well know Pan." Pan nodded but replied in his still calm voice "Yes but even so he deserves life, it's not your call anymore just do it" Perseus nodded and began to chant in an age-old language only used by deities. He directed his power into his nephew and the little boy's body began to glow with letters floating around him. His injuries except for the one he was born with were fixed and the light show suddenly stopped with the little boy gasping for air.

Perseus quickly grabbed the little boy and whispered into his ear "My son, you shall be known as Hephaestus from now on" The little boy didn't understand anything other than his name and that he was safe. "I shall guide you to adulthood and then watch proudly at all your achievements" Perseus whispered in a warm and already proud voice.

A day later

"So you have a son then?" The woman looked at Perseus holding little Hephaestus in his arms with such great care. The woman looked with great longing at the sight and subtly rubbed her belly.

"Yes, and I will not apologize for it Demeter," Perseus said firmly with Hephaestus giggling happily in his lap. "And I wouldn't ask for it anyway" Demeter replied in with a loving smile dancing on her lips. "Perseus what..." She coughed nervously "...wouldyousayifitoldyouthatiwaspregnant" She blurted out looking down on her feet. Perseus looked sharply up at her. "What?" Demeter gulped nervously. "No no I'm not mad" He left his chair with Hephaestus now tucked in his arm. He walked up to his new lover/sister. "What is wrong Demeter?" He had kneeled in front of her trying to catch her gaze.

Demeter choked out a breath. "I'm pregnant" Perseus was quite stumped at her revelation. "Ohh" Perseus eloquently replied, before lighting up like a child on its birthday. He rushed forward and enveloped her in a hug. "That's wonderful!" Demeter had just laid into his strong hug, she sobbed but this time in joy and relief "But what about Hephaestus?" Hephaestus actually joined the now group hug. Perseus replied "It will be good for Hephaestus to have a sibling" Demeter replied quickly "Sister" Perseus looked down at her prompting her to reply again "Hephaestus will have a sister" The two to be parents glowed in happiness whit Hephaestus giggling along.

Two weeks later

Finally on a completely average day with Helios baking everyone like he usually does, arrived two Ravens. They swooped onto the shoulders of Perseus who was strolling about in a forest. "Ahh, you finally came back! Where have you two been?" They quickly whispered into his ears and Perseus abruptly stopped "She tried to do what? With my... ugh disgusting" Perseus looked shocked. "And she impregnated herself!?" Perseus sighed, this was just his luck. "And where were she doing these... experiments?" The Ravens whispered rapidly into his ears and suddenly a large flash surrounded the forest and after the light was gone the man and his two companions were gone without a trace.

In a small cabin on the coast of Illyria sat a witch on her butt with soot covering her whole front. She said to herself irritably "Damn, that was the last of the... special ingredient, I don't understand how it exploded though it was supposed to be stable but apparently not" She smiled a little with obsession and a little madness dancing in her eyes. "At least I managed to do the most important thing." She looked down at her abdomen with a loving and ambitious gaze.

Suddenly a flash erupted a couple of feet away and the man of her dreams stepped out with two Ravens glaring at her with beady black eyes, but she didn't notice them because she only had eyes for one male and that was their god. She ran up to him with madly glinting eyes. "My love, you came for me!" Perseus rapidly backed up from the apparently mad woman.

"Hecate? What is this about love potions I have heard of?" Hecate looked shocked before glancing suspiciously at the familiar Ravens. "You, you were here and have been here for two weeks now. And now I know that you spied on me" She said in an accusing voice. "It was you, who sabotaged my potion" The Ravens looked at her unblinkingly and Hecate lost the staring match and returned her gaze to Perseus.

"But my love I'm the bearer of your child. You can't be mad at me then" She said the last bit more to herself than Perseus. "You have put me in quite a tight spot Hecate and while yes I will love any child that I have, you are not allowed to use the child as a hostage understood?" Hecate nodded meekly. "This time I want you to swear it on the River Styx." Perseus looked intensely at her until she nodded and continued "Repeat after me, I (insert name) swear to never use any child of Perseus and Hecate as a hostage, that's all" She quickly repeated the vow and Perseus nodded. "This was a major breach of trust Hecate, I thought that I could have trusted you but you immediately broke it by somehow obtaining my sperm and impregnating yourself" Hecate looked like a kicked puppy but she had hope in her eyes.

"I trust that you will inform me of the child when he or she has been born?" Hecate nodded meekly and Perseus flashed out. Hecate cried in first sadness but then her crying got joyful when she felt a kick in her stomach.

Three weeks later

An innocent-looking man with boring brown colored eyes and hair walked through the streets of the now much more populated village/town of Perséa. He walked up to the temple of Perseus and went in without any delay. The inside of the temple was much more extravagant than it had been previously. Perseus also noticed the number of priests walking around increased from only Alchymedes to maybe eight including Alchymedes. He looked around and noticed the absence of any symbols of his domains and decided that he should inform them immediately.

He walked into the sleeping quarters which had also been greatly expanded. He arrived at a door with a stone engraved "Head Priest" written upon it. He knocked confidently and then stepped back whistling merrily all the while. The door opened to emit Alchymedes' face. "Hello, my brother what can I help you with?" Perseus raised an eyebrow at the honorific. "Brother?" Alchymedes nodded "Yes, we are all brothers and sisters" Perseus's eyebrow remained raised and Alchymedes continued "Yes we are all children of the great Lord Perseus. What is your name brother?" Perseus let his current form fade away to his natural form, with his characteristic golden and green eyes Alchymedes gasped and dropped to his knee.

"Lord Perseus, forgive me for not recognizing you." Perseus let a little reassuring smile form upon his lips and answered "You are forgiven, anyway I want to announce in the town square. Can I trust you to send out the word while I read the summaries of the current status of...(*sigh) Perséa?" Alchymedes nodded rapidly and trotted out not daring to run in the presence of a god. Perseus shook his head amused by his Head Priest antics and found some papyrus scrolls that Alchymedes had been scribbling on.

The population had rapidly expanded from 52 to 83 in about three weeks, but considering that this was an inland village it would probably never expand any further but the current population was quite respectable for an inland village without any major rivers in the area. Alchymedes had also expanded to two unnamed villages in the area where he had set up Shrines for Perseus(which he had felt and was one of the reasons why he had visited). He also noted that one apostle had managed to arrive in the nearby Knossos and had requested an audience with the current King there, wanting to convert him to the(*sigh) Sibling-hood of Perseus, and was there now.

He heard hurried breathing outside the door and saw Alchymedes nervously standing outside the doorframe probably nervous about disturbing Perseus. Perseus coughed politely and Alchymedes looked up sharply and replied breathlessly. "The village folk has arrived at the town square My Lord" Perseus nodded at him appreciatively and walked out of his temple and through the now abandoned streets.

He arrived at the village center and walked up to a podium that just happened to be there, he looked at Alchymedes who was following him. Alchymedes ducked his head sheepishly but he did have a little smile on his face. Perseus shook his head yet again at his Head Priest but he had something to do.

"My loyal friends and newcomers, I have some things to inform you of," Perseus said enigmatically. "And who are you?" One voice cut through the crowd. The crowd immediately stepped away from the voice and suddenly the young adult was isolated in a little bubble with people looking at him scathingly. The young man was now a little nervous because of his isolation but he weathered the storm and looked suspiciously at Perseus.

Perseus was amused by the mortal and he chuckled amusement evident to all. The young man was becoming a little red in the face by the chuckles and even other people had begun to chuckle though they didn't know why. "What!? Why are you laughing at me?" The young man said now with much more nervousness than before. "Sorry for my poor sense of humor, let me introduce myself" The crowd looked on with bated breath. "I am Lord Perseus God of Nature, Ravens..." When he said that Myaló and Sképsi swooped in from nowhere and landed upon his shoulders. "...Sacrifice, Dawn and Dusk, and Swordsmanship, I am also Co-King of The Olympian Gods and Patron of Mortals these titles and domains all given to me by The Fates except for the King of the Gods title which I and my brother Zeus God of the Sky and Thunder share"

The sky suddenly flashed with lightning and Perseus sighed "Lord Zeus, my brother is quite strict with his titles and such" Lightning boomed in affirmative and then the sky cleared up as suddenly as it clouded up. "So as the Patron of Mortals I am more interested in you and mortals in general than my fellow siblings and Olympians," Perseus said with amusement dancing in his eyes at the pale-faced man who had questioned him before, not that he cared that he had been questioned it actually made his day but it was a guilty pleasure of his to be right.

"Alright thanks for paying attention to me, and goodbye," Perseus said kindly and he turned himself invisible at the same time he did with his now quiet companions. He looked around wondering how they would react without him there.

Alchymedes immediately walked up onto the podium and boomed out "As you saw our Patron and God has decided to grace us with his presence yet again" Alchymedes took a theatrical breath of air before continuing "As you all heard, the Father is a King of the Gods and we shall honor him with converting the rest of the known world to worship him and his siblings as we do here at his birthplace. We will send apostles out to Gortyna, Ierapetra, and Polyrrhenia before going to the mainland understood?" Everyone in the crowd cheered and nodded enthusiastically.

Alchymedes looked at the young man who had questioned Perseus before subtly nodding to two militiamen who grabbed the guy and dragged him into the temple locking the doors behind them. Perseus quickly said some instructions to Myaló and let him fly into a small 'air went'(which was only a hole in the wall). Perseus flashed into the darkest corner of his temple and looked at the situation unfolding with interested eyes.

Myaló swooped in through the 'air went' and started to croak out. "My Lord has decided to let this one become an apostle as his sentence for the rudeness and disrespectful attitude towards Our Patron" All the priests and militiamen present jumped out of their hides at the unnerving sound of a raven speaking Greek. They quickly noticed his familiarity with one of Lord Perseus's Ravens, and they nodded obeying the order immediately releasing the young man. The raven nodded and asked the young man "What is your name? Our Patron is curious."

The young man gulped and replied "Ophion, Great Raven." Myaló nodded and disappeared in a mini-tornado of raven feathers leaving some black feathers upon where he stood.

Alchymedes arrived some minutes later with the shocked group greeting him. When he heard that one of the Ravens of Perseus had left some feathers he immediately picked them up for... something. Perseus decided that he had spied on his priests enough and silently flashed out of his temple.

Eight and a half months later

Perseus was pacing back and forth in front of the door in his palace. He had heard the screams who just became more and more tired over time, he had paced for maybe six hours already and he was becoming more and more nervous as he heard the screams of his sister/lover. He had Hera come because of her domain of childbirth, but considering her track record he was still unsure about the decision. But he would give her the benefit of the doubt and trust her to not sabotage the birthing.

He had heard from Hecate that they had gotten a son named Prokopios who had apparently calmed down the now not so mad witch to her stable self which did mean that she was a little less mad than usual.

He finally heard baby screams from the other side of the door he was prowling in front of. Hera opened the door not managing to say a word before Perseus rushed past her like a whirlwind. He arrived into the room and walked a little more calmly up to where his lover and child currently laid resting peacefully. He walked up to his 'first' biological child. "It's a girl" Demeter tiredly told him without looking away from their daughter.

"What will we name her?" Perseus asked completely out of his depth. "What about Persephone?" Demeter replied not letting her focus depart from their daughter for a moment. Perseus nods appreciatively at the suggestion "Persephone is a very nice name" He leaned up to his new daughter.

"Hello, Persephone." He whispered to her.

End of Chapter

I designed the Hecate in this chapter after Merope Gaunt(mother of Voldemort) from Harry Potter and I hope it works with her obsession and madness.

Lots of children getting popped out of this chapter and this will be very irregular I assure you I just had to get some characters born now so I hope it fits in nicely with the rest of the story.

In the first draft of this chapter I actually had Perseus being really mad with her, but when I actually thought about what she had done I decided that the only thing she's guilty of is stealing sperm which I'm pretty sure isn't a crime. Yes, she did try to brew a love potion but she was unsuccessful so no harm no foul.

If anyone is confused about Hepheasteus's unfortunate situation with his spine it's because Hera technically made a baby with herself. After all, she only used her own DNA just in male and female forms so Hephaestus is inbred and that's why he is born a cripple(poor Hepheasteus he just can't catch a break and his only passion are creating and constructing things for himself and others for a price of course, but he is one of the more 'good' Olympians).

This story will begin to speed up from here, I only needed to get this first 'act'/introduction finished so we had a little real backstory for Perseus.

Next: Olympian Headaches and Weddings

Thank you for reading!