As Adiya made her way down the stairs from an afternoon with Zeus she could hear the faint music of a piano. She looked down the hall next to the staircase and could hear the haunting echo of the piano. She remembered Hera's threat from the other day and thought better of it to go and explore but something about the music was just so passionate and familiar, but there was also a certain somberness to it. She had to know who it was. She had her suspicions as to who it was but it couldn't be. She wasn't here at the moment. She was still back at the park with her cigarettes.

So she dared walk down the hall past many closed doors to an open chamber that seemed like a ball room. The music danced around the white, marble walls and the golden baseboards. It intermingled with the heavenly light shining through the large windows and it ducked and weaved through the elegant curtains that adorned the stained glass. She felt herself being lured out to the center and the music twirled with her and danced. Her bare feet hugging the welcoming but cold, golden white granite floor. She danced around the room the music accompanying her every step of the way.

Suddenly the piano made a strange noise that halted the music. She turned in the direction of the bad note to find Hera sitting from the piano's bench, glaring at her,"What do you think you're doing."

Adiya saw her life flash before her eyes and trembled,"I'm-I'm sorry. I heard the music and I thought it was pretty. I only wanted to take a peek to see who was playing."

"You did more than just take a peek. You tainted the floor with your silly twirls. I thought I told you I didn't want to see you anywhere in my home but the bedroom and the front door!" thunder echoed once more and the golden cheer the ballroom once held turned into a grey tomb.

"I'm-I'm sorry, Lady Hera. I was only curious. I'll get going. I'm sorry for disturbing you,"Adiya quickly made her way out of the temple and out the front door. Hera didn't chase after her. She was tired. She didn't want anymore drama. But she could feel the anger inside boiling.

She had been playing with the piano's keys her mind entranced with the music and the motion of her fingers dancing along the keyboard she never acknowledged Adiya dancing behind her until she looked up at the music sheet and saw her reflection in the golden music rack.

Hera looked around the now sullen chamber and scowled at it. There really wasn't a place where she could relax on Olympus was there? Adiya took care of that question and now the chamber was cold and hostile with her sudden disappearance. What did that bitch have that she didn't? Hera swore that the girl was one song away from finding her happily ever. Adiya just needed to walk into a room and suddenly everyone burst into a gleeful song but when Hera entered it was always quiet or some disagreement would just happen to come up.

Hera let out an inhumane battle cry and slammed her fists back onto keyboard in anger which caused the fall board to, well, fall right onto her unsuspecting hands. She let out a cry as she pulled out her hands from the sandwich and the fall board slammed shut hiding the keyboard.

She held her hands to her bosom cradling them and held back tears. It wasn't fair. While she got hate and resentment Adiya received love and joy in the same palace Hera lived in. Hera couldn't help wonder why Adiya was standing on the ledge ready to end her life when she had it all.

Beauty. Grace. Friends. Love.

She was a little whore that had everything handed to her at request while she was the queen of the gods who had to fetch everything for herself. Why?

She shook herself away from the thought of Little Miss. Perfect and stormed out the of ballroom to her own bed chambers ready to call it a day.

~o0o~

Adiya walked down the trail of Olympus to what the gods called The Square. It was like a town center for a village. There were small stores lined up on the side of the road and another park that was squeezed in between two buildings, one building dedicating itself to selling books on charms and the other books on hexes. She continued walking until she reached a dance hall and went inside.

She heard the laughter of the nine muses along with a few other gods as they break danced to Reckless by Chris Taylor.

It was like looking at nine mirrors reflecting the same person. The muses had caramel skin and curly, short black hair with shimmering dark eyes. They all had the same upturned nose and the same long legs and lean, strong bodies. They moved in unison in a way that only choreographed professionals dreamed of moving. The only way Adiya could tell apart which muse was which was the different styles of clothing each wore and the make up and accessories they'd wear to match it.

At the end of their routine Apollo clapped at their performance with a blinding smile. He had a golden comb over and dodger blue eyes. His skin seemed to glow with a sunny light and it was absolutely natural to see him in jeans and white t-shirt and flannel. His white vans remained spotless.

In a deep, attractive voice he announced,"That was great! But I noticed you were lacking in energy a bit Terpsichore, what's up?"

Said muse wore baggy, camouflage pants and red crop top. She shrugged her blue eyes looking at the floor shamefully,"I'm just not feeling it, man. There's something about this routine that just doesn't flow."

Another muse with a black shirt and black yoga pants placed her hand on Terpsichore's shoulder. She held a bright smile that just made you want to laugh from how wide and almost silly it was.

"Well, you're the muse of dance. If you don't dig it. Fix it."

Apollo nodded gesturing to her,"Thalia's right. If you feel that something isn't right right figure it out and change it but we need to have it ready by the Spring Solstice."

The muses all agreed. Finally one of them noticed Adiya sitting like a neglected puppy on the sides. She had black lipstick and somber look in her eye. She wore all black clothes and a skirt with some shorts underneath,"Hey, Adiya is here. Maybe she can help."

Immediately the other muses perked up and agreed again. Terpsichore led her to Apollo,"I just need you to pay attention. Maybe you can catch what I can't."

Again the music started but before they could start their routine again a loud clash of thunder echoed and the lights in the studio went out including the music. The goddesses all jeered.

"Well, isn't that shocking. And just when we were about to shed some light on the situation," Thalia, at least that's who Adiya thought it was, giggled while her sisters groaned.

"Well, I guess we'll call it a day, guys," Adiya assumed it was Terpsichore who spoke. The muses packed up except for two.

They gathered around her and Apollo. Apollo turned to her,"So what brings you here today, Adiya?"

Adiya shrugged,"I just left Zeus and Hera's and I figured I might as well come here."

"You ever thought of being a dancer before?" Thalia chugged a bottle of nectar. Adiya shrugged,"It might have crossed my mind when I was in high school but it never really called to me."

Apollo gestured outside to the sleet of rain and the raging lightning. She knew he was trying to keep Thalia from straying from the topic at hand. That topic being the monstrous storm brewing outside which Adiya caused,"Was Hera there?"

She nodded relaying the events of what had happened. The three gods looked outside. Apollo rubbed his neck,"She's probably crying."

"Who is? Hera?" Adiya asked.

He nodded,"There's an old story that everytime Zeus and Hera argue they create storms. When Zeus argues lightning flashes. When Hera argues back that's the thunder and when it rains she's crying. But no one has ever seen her cry when it rains."

Adiya huffed. It was hard for her to believe Hera, the queen of the gods, cried. She didn't seem like the kind of woman who'd break down into tears. "If you've never seen her shed a tear when it rains why is it still a thing?"

Thalia lowered her voice as if someone was listening to the conversation,"Not many do. But isn't it convenient that it rains everytime Zeus does something to her that would make someone normal cry?"

Adiya didn't like how Thalia called Hera weird. The woman couldn't cry. Adiya had dealt with people like her before, everyone of them thought that any kind of emotion shown was a sign of weakness. Hera practically lived by the rule. But still. She couldn't help but to think about the story a bit.

The first night Adiya stayed on Olympus there had been a lightning storm and a while later when the clouds no longer radiated light and thunder didn't boom it began to rain.

Adiya sat at a window seat the studio had and looked out at the window. While she saw two raindrops race against each other she remembered the name of the song Hera was playing, Tears in Heaven by Eric Clapton.

~o0o~

A week later Hera was overlooking the preparations for the Spring Solstice. Persephone would arrive tomorrow and Demeter would be a pain if something went wrong. Unfortunately she had Adiya to deal with.

The girl just wouldn't stop. She kept pestering Hera that she could help and Hera kept saying no. What was with that girl and her Mother Teresa act?

Speak of the devil. Adiya walked up to Hera. Today she was in an orange sundress,"Hera, let me help. You're biting off more than you can chew."

"I can handle it. I've planned bigger things before. Now go away. You're distracting me,"once again the girl left in a huff.

Only to return holding some baskets with lanterns a few moments later. Hera gave her a wary look,"What are you doing? I thought I told you not to help."

Adiya batted her eyes innocently,"Zeus requested my help. You're not saying I should disobey orders from the king of the gods now, are you?"

Hera gave her a growl and turned away from the girl. Adiya responded with a smirk and walked off to hand the baskets to Hermes. The latter took the baskets happily,"Oh hey. Zeus is asking for you and Hera. He's in the throne room."

Adiya nodded and head back to the ballroom but Hera wasn't there. She asked a servant if they knew where she had gone they told her to look in Hera's bedroom.

Adiya was a bit hesitant but she wouldn't be going against Hera's wishes. She did say she only wanted to see Adiya in the bedroom and the front door. And so she went to the bedroom. She stood in front of the oak door for a bit distracting herself with carvings the door held on its surface when she couldn't distract herself any longer she finally opened the large door. She looked around the room searching for Hera.

It was a room that rivaled in size to the ballroom. The bed was neatly made with silk velvet sheets and a canopy hovered over the bed with drapes cascading down from it. The rest of the bedroom looked like a second living room. There was a cushioned bench at the foot of the bed and following that was a sofa set surrounding a TV. Off to the side was a golden hallway that led to a bathroom and on the other side of this hallway was a dresser where Hera sat.

Adiya blushed. Hera wasn't dressed. Her bare back was to her so the latter didn't notice the former enter the room. She reached for a bottle of wine on the dresser and downed it. She reached in her closet and took out some Greek robes. While she dressed Adiya noticed every marking and scar Zeus would inflict on Hera.

She covered them all well save for the one on her neck. Hera looked at herself in the mirror, she tried. She pulled at her robes trying to hide the bruise with her sleeve but then she'd reveal her white arms underneath and the pattern of bruises that lay on it. She finally gave up again and dabbed a bit of make up over it so it looked like it was fading.

Adiya watched from the front door. Her heart hurt as she watched Hera try to cover for her husband. And she felt guilty as she watched her try to make herself look nice to catch his attention. She could see her in the mirror. She seemed tired but she still held a kind of dignity that only she could muster.

After a bit Hera's eyes met Adiya's through the mirror and she lividly turned in her seat,"What are you doing? How long have you been there?"

Adiya panicked. She couldn't utter a word only noises. She felt her face flush the longer she tried to say something. Hera only went red with rage,"Has no one ever taught you to knock before entering? What the hell are you doing here, you slimy little wretch! How long were you standing there? Say something before I beat it out of you, twit!"

Adiya gulped and stepped out of the room holding her hands up defensively while Hera loomed over her dangerously. "Z-Z-Zeus called for the b-b-both of us. I-I-I-I th-thought you'd be in y-your room and I c-came to tell you," she managed.

Hera's glare still scorched through her,"How long were you there?"

Adiya gulped,"I-I-I walked in while-while you were getting dressed-"

Hera's eyes flashed with rage,"You what!?"

"I'm-I'm sorry! I'm just so used to going in without knocking that I forgot Zeus wasn't-" thunder rumbled when Hera heard the sentence and Adiya knew she screwed up.

Once again Adiya saw her life flash before her eyes as she sped down the stairs Hera right behind her. As she hurried down she felt a hand on her shoulder and she stumbled forward, rolling down the rest of the way. The commotion the two women had created caught the attention of Hermes and Athena who rushed to the stairs at the sound of Adiya's fall.

Once there they found the mortal girl laying at the bottom of the stairs looking up at the raging goddess. Adiya was bleeding from her forehead as she looked up in shock at the queen of the gods.

Hera always had a fair share of words to throw at the girl but she never actually did her any harm until today.

Athena rushed to Adiya's aid. She was a tall goddess with raven hair and grey eyes. Her skin was tan and she wore a simple greek robe with golden sandals and battle armor. Her helmet flew off as she rushed to the girl's aid. She looked up at Hera as if she were Ares and in a shrill accent cried,"Have you gone mad!? You could've killed her!"

Hera only scoffed,"Oh, please. She barely has a scratch on her."

Hermes helped Adiya stand glaring up at the queen,"A scratch? To a mortal this could be fatal, Hera!"

Before Hera could retaliate the front door opened and an imposing man stepped inside. He wore a nice business suit and a trimmed beard rested on his face. His blond, grey hair was combed over with a side parting and his Prussian blue eyes held an intimidating source of power in them.

He walked over to Adiya and examined the wound on her forehead and then glared at Hera,"What did you do."

Shock turned to anger as Adiya pulled away from the two gods and stormed up the stairs,"She pushed me down the fucking stairs!"

"I barely touched you! I gave you a small nudge and you flew down the stairs!"

"A small nudge wouldn't have made me fall! You pushed me!" Adiya and Hera were finally level with each other the two held an intense glare with each other.

Hera scoffed,"I would have never laid a hand on you if I knew you would fall! It was a mistake!"

Adiya finally began to corner Hera against the wall,"You knew that would happen! We're on the fucking stairs, Hera! You pushed me on purpose!"

She let her rage flow and she pushed Hera against the wall and by instinct Hera did what she normally did when she was pushed. She slapped her attacker.

The three gods rushed up the stairs before it could escalate further. They pulled apart the two women as they rushed at each other claws at the ready. Zeus boomed,"That will be quite enough! You two will learn to live with each other's company from here on out. Adiya you shall live in my home from now on."

Hera let out a cry,"What? It's not enough to have her sleep in my bed! Now I have to share the same roof with her!"

Zeus turned to Hera sharply. He held up a hand to silence her and it worked effectively on Hera,"Now. It's been a year. And you're still acting like a child over such a small act."

Hera dared,"I have reason to be! Your 'small act' involved the bringing of this tramp into my home and you expect me to welcome her with open arms!"

Zeus and Hera held their own glaring contest the sound of thunder echoing outside. What ended the contest was the flash of lightning and Hera's anger dropped along with a pitiful thud of thunder. She only gave Adiya a resigned look. She huffed and stormed up to her room slamming the door shut.

Zeus took in a breath before turning to Adiya. He kissed her hand as an apology and ordered her to be taken to Apollo to get checked up on. Adiya's own anger lifted away as she watched Zeus slam the door of his bedroom shut behind him.