All of Olympus went insane. The gods started screaming at one another and Hestia saw her plan backfire. Instead of them just blaming her for it, they all just started fighting with each other over why she was innocent or at her guilt. All her confession seemed to do was drive every one of her family members against one another.

Hera literally took a few steps back and was staring at Hestia, horrified.

"How could you?!"

Aphrodite looked the calmest of everyone, but she mostly just looked grateful. Behind her stood a rather confused Hephaestus who appeared to have just arrived and had immediately released his wife from her manacles.

"I'll make this up to you," she mouthed to Hestia from across the room. "Two PM, my place, tomorrow. We're gonna find out how much trouble you can cause when you're dressed for it."

Weirdly enough, that brought a smile to Hestia's face. She wasn't interested in dressing up or causing trouble, but there was something wonderful about the idea that there'd be a tomorrow to have fun in.

Then Aphrodite vanished behind the crowd of gods and Hestia suddenly found herself shaking under the fury of her family's onslaught, pulling her veil tighter around her head. All she'd wanted was to keep her family together, why did her admission have to drive them so far apart?

"ENOUGH!" Zeus' commanding voice rang through the air. Everyone suddenly quieted and backed away. In one massive step, Zeus was right in front of her. He grabbed her by the chin and forced her to look at him.

"Why would you do such a thing?" he demanded.

Hestia shivered, but she couldn't answer. She had a feeling he wouldn't take too happily to the idea that she had done it to help humanity.

"What would inspire you to betray our trust like that?" he demanded.

Hestia wilted under his gaze but kept her resolution strong. She was going to be the only one to pay for this. It would be fine. She'd already lived through being swallowed once; she could do it again. Just so long as it meant her family stayed together.

"What could the fates use to inspire you to do something that risks our, your family's, existence?"

"She just wanted to see the world," Hestia managed to squeak out. "Her place is with humanity. When I couldn't make you see that, I had to let her out while you were distracted."

Hestia heard Hera sigh dramatically. There was a general murmur about her too weak heart from the surrounding gods.

In the background, Aphrodite raised a gentle hand in the air. "Hem, hem," she called. Her voice wasn't particularly loud, but somehow it managed to carry across the whole throne room.

Everyone turned to her. Somehow Aphrodite had managed to make the 'dragged forcefully to the throne room and then framed' look seem stylish. She also had a strange gleam in her eyes.

"I don't know about the rest of you, but Hestia doesn't strike me as the sort to do things like this without a good reason. Can't any of you think of a good reason why she might have done something like this?" Aphrodite fluttered her eyelashes, and a collected sigh went off among the gods.

Hestia felt Hera stir. "Of course," Hera breathed. "She must have been seduced into it. A boy must have sweet-talked her into it."

Aphrodite looked uncomfortable as she glanced at Hestia. Her dainty fingers in front of her mouth were enough of a reaction that told the Olympian Council what they wanted to believe was true.

Hestia opened her mouth to protest that Prometheus had not, before stopping herself. She couldn't afford to reveal that she hadn't worked alone. As she remained silent, Hestia wasn't sure whether Aphrodite letting her companion spill was intentional or not, but it had clearly been the goddess' way of trying to help. It was sweet, but Hestia didn't want to be helped. Besides, it was kind of embarrassing to see how many gods believed that Hestia's mind could be influenced by a few pretty words.

"That's true," a projection of Apollo told Zeus. "My sister caught the trail of the Flame and we've been tracking it. We've mostly caught up with the real thief and it isn't her. He appeared to have to run to one of the mortal villages. He's definitely male and definitely a Titan."

Zeus scowled at that. "We should have gotten rid of the last of them. We should have known that they wouldn't stop trying to bring us down."

Hestia wanted to scream, but somehow no sounds came out. Not all Titans were as terrible as their father. If it weren't for the help of some Titans, they wouldn't have won the war. For crying out loud, their own mother was a Titan. No one else seemed to remember that. Instead, they kept trying to console Hestia for having been 'hoodwinked'.

"We have his location my lord," Hermes bowed. "If you come now, we can trap him for good."

Zeus nodded. "Keep your sister calm and present," he commanded Hera right before he vanished. Hera took her job seriously.

Hestia was forced to wait on pins and needles, praying that some more powerful deity existed to ensure Prometheus would be alright.

"Chin up," Aphrodite jokingly told the terrified goddess. "I'll find you some nice boyfriends who aren't trying to bring us down. They'll cheer you right up."

"I don't want nice boyfriends," Hestia told Aphrodite who just laughed.

"Then I'll get you some not so nice ones."

"I'm not interested in dating anyone."

Aphrodite laughed. "But how else am I supposed to cheer you up?"

"Leave her alone," Demeter argued. "A maiden doesn't need a man to be whole."

Hestia got a strong sense that she was talking about her daughter, Kore, more than Hestia. Demeter had gone a little overboard in terms of her daughter's protection. Despite her assurance that she trusted Hestia, Demeter barely let Kore go anywhere unsupervised and that included letting her visit her sister.

Aphrodite just sighed before going off to chat and likely flirt with a small cluster of woodland nymphs that she'd stumbled across. Hestia wasn't sure how many of the remaining gods knew just how nervous the young goddess must have been.

"We got him," Athena announced as she was the first of the hunting party to reappear. Hestia felt her knees collapse under her as they pulled a beaten and bruised Prometheus into view.

"I knew she did it out of love," Aphrodite sighed, dramatically.

Hestia glanced towards Prometheus who looked back at her with his firm gaze. He seemed to promise that whatever happened he would be fine. He was also smiling in such a way that Hestia knew that somehow, he had succeeded. The Flame had been given to humanity. The two wouldn't be separated again. Hestia felt some relief at that. Whatever happened now, at least they'd succeeded in that.

Zeus raised a hand. "I gather together the Olympian Council to discuss the punishment of one traitorous Titan, Prometheus. Olympians take your thrones."

He gestured around at the twelve thrones. He took the one at the top with Hera taking the one next to him. Poseidon was to his left and Hestia was supposed to sit on their right. As the other gods and goddesses found their thrones, Hestia found herself standing next to Prometheus in the center. Hestia noticed that Aphrodite had taken the last, previously empty, throne.

"Take a seat, Hestia," Zeus commanded, waving a hand. "We will deal with your punishment later."

Hestia stared back at him, begging her brother to be merciful. From her side, she heard Prometheus telling her to sit down. "I'll be fine," he promised her. "We did it. That's the important thing and they can't stop it. I made sure of that."

Hestia found herself stumbling to her throne. It had never felt more like a burden. All Hestia wanted in that moment was to be alone. Preferably sitting by the hearth, comfortable and warm. The assembled gods and goddesses stared at her as she finally took her place. A tiny part of her mind wondered if she ran whether they'd be able to run the council meeting. It was too late either way. Hestia sat down.

Prometheus was kneeling, chin up, defiantly in front of Zeus.

"You are being charged with high treason," Zeus told Prometheus. "You stole the Flame of Olympus from the forge of Hephaestus in a selfish attempt to seize all our power for yourself. Additionally, you tricked one of our own council members into helping you-"

"He didn't trick me," Hestia boldly declared. "I did it w-"

Zeus waved a hand and her voice suddenly vanished. "You are also on trial too." Zeus didn't turn to face her. "You have no say in these partings unless I ask for your defense. If you attempt to interrupt again or try to run, I will have Hephaestus design a trap to hold you here. Do you understand?"

Hestia froze, then nodded, trying to keep from crying. They didn't understand. Prometheus wasn't guilty! He wasn't selfish either. He was kind, caring, and compassionate. He would never do anything that would harm her family. No one else in the audience seemed to realize that and they all avoided looking at Hestia's face. She clutched the arms of her "throne" with reckless abandon.

The only one who seemed to notice her was Prometheus. He gave her a long steady gaze warning her to hold tight. Reminding her gently that he would be fine. He could handle anything.

"You are being charged with high treason. Stealing the Flame to take the power of Olympus from us. You gained our trust only to betray us and to attempt to steal our power for your own. Additionally, you are being charged with tempting a loyal member of the council into turning against her own family. How do you plead?"

Prometheus swallowed. "I'm not sure how much my plea will matter. But nonetheless, I plead not guilty. According to your charges I stole the Flame for selfish reasons and to tear down Olympus. That is not true. I did it for my creations."

"Those 'mortals'," Hera gestured off-handedly. "If I recall correctly, you got Hestia all excited about those little clay creations of yours. She mentioned something about them when explaining her 'reasons' for listening to you."

Prometheus nodded.

"I am used to that reaction. Your father and most of my fellow, ah, brethren, were dismissive of them as well."

Hestia felt a tremor of unease flow through the throne room. No one enjoyed being compared to their late father. Maybe this would mean…

"I will admit that I hoped you would prove to be kinder to them and rest assured that you have been. For the most part. However, I came to realize that they would never fully grow to their full potential without the Flame. My intention was never to steal your power for myself or even to give it solely to give your powers to my creations. My intention was to give them part of it, just enough to help them advance and to give the Flame a chance to grow and spread and in doing so, make you stronger."

He gave everyone on council one long steady look.

"And now, I must apologize in advance for having to bring your father back into this again, but he too tried to keep the Flame trapped in his castle. He succeeded in that the Flame never tried to leave for she knew nothing of the world outside her room, but it hurt the Flame. For by keeping her trapped, she was never able to grow and thus their power was stunted.

"While you may not see it in the same light that I do, by gifting the Flame of Olympus to mortals I did not steal your power but rather gave it a chance to grow. If I had intended to take the Flame for myself, rest assured that there would not have been a spark left of her on this peak."

The entire council was silent for a moment before they erupted into noise.

"So that speech was how you convinced Hestia to aid you," Athena murmured. Her brow appeared to be clenched slightly in thought.

"This is so sweet," Aphrodite leaned over to whisper to Ares who was sitting next to her in his own throne.

Artemis was nodding soundly at Prometheus' logic as if finally understanding why Hestia had chosen to help him.

"If I may," Prometheus cleared his throat. "I just beg that you leave Hestia out of this. Her part was minimal and was only to get me to the Flame. The thievery was all my own. She played no part in that. She is as loyal a family member to you as any I have ever seen. She has a warm heart and I beg of you not to destroy it with needless cruelty. She aided only through kindness but should bear no guilt and should share no part of my punishment."

Hestia's throat closed. She didn't deserve a friend like Prometheus. She couldn't even manage to stand next to him when he needed her. All she could do was hope that enough of her family members would support him as well.

"Very well," Zeus told Prometheus, "I can easily see how your crafty words might have turned my sister's head. She, being of course the most like our mother, would have been charmed by your mortals and words."

Her brother stood and began to walk over to Prometheus. He towered over the titan. Hestia's stomach felt unnaturally tight. Was Zeus planning on giving a speech before her and her family got to vote?

"You claim that you acted for our benefit, yet I have not heard one word out of your mouth about the matter I inquired about a year ago. If you truly were on our side and did not harbor any hidden ill intentions, you would have given me the information I seek. Besides, we cannot forget that 'prank' of yours about our portion of the sacrifice that led to my final decision on the matter."

Prometheus seemed to wince at that. His eyes narrowed knowingly. The truth hit suddenly. There wasn't going to be a vote. Her brother had already made up his mind before Prometheus had even been given a chance to speak. There was going to be no fair trial here.

"I give you this one last chance," Zeus stood imperiously over Prometheus. "With whom will I bear a child that will be stronger than me? With whom will I have a child who could be strong enough to take me down?"

Prometheus looked a bit uncomfortable staring up at Zeus like that. The bands holding his arms behind his back were far more visible in a way Hestia hadn't seen before.

"Knowledge like that is dangerous," Prometheus told Zeus. "I cannot share this with you in good faith."

Zeus looked coldly down on him. Glowing strands of lightning clutched in his fist. "Then you must pay for your crimes against the gods. I condemn you to be chained to a rock on the mountain of your country men. Every day an eagle shall come down and devour your liver and every night you will regrow it only to have it devoured again. Thus, shall your punishment be carried out and thus shall it be until you agree to give me the knowledge I seek."

Zeus stamped his foot and Prometheus vanished. Hestia screamed. Her voice returned. The 'trial' was over and suddenly she could move again. Teary eyed she ran into the center of the hall and turned back at her brother. Her brother, who stared at her with a face she barely recognized.

"How did you catch him?" she demanded.

"Sit back down Hestia," Zeus commanded. "We're not finished."

This time Hestia shrugged his command.

"Where did you find him?" It had been a long time since Hestia had felt this betrayed. It had been a long time since her father had swallowed her. Back then all she'd been able to do was wail and try to get out. She had been young then and powerless. But this time, this time she could actually do something.

"Hestia, relax," Hermes tried to calm her down. "We found him in the Agora, alright? Leastwise it looked like it was going to become an Agora. The flame was burning brightly in the center."

Hestia turned her head up. "Then I declare the Agora to be my safe place along with homes. If anyone finds themself fleeing from another power, whether it be for danger or from the law itself, all that person must do is ask for protection and I shall grant it. The home and the town center are my sacred places and to chase after anyone there will be to violate my sacred domain."

She found her face flushed and not in a pleasant manner.

"Hestia," Zeus called after her. "Come back, we can discuss this rationally."

"Like you sentenced an innocent man to eternal torture because you wouldn't bother listening? You know when you saved us, I really believed in you. I believed that you would be better. That you would try to do the right thing no matter what. That you wouldn't let power blind you. That at the end of the day, YOU WOULD AT LEAST LISTEN TO THE FAMILY THAT LOVES YOU!"

Hestia spun away from her brother who'd suddenly become the spitting image of his father.

"Hestia, wait," Zeus called after her. "You're wrong."

She didn't think she was. Sure, she was mad. Sure, she was furious. Sure, she was grieving. But it felt like for the first time she could see her brother clearly. Zeus was too blinded by his own paranoia that he could no longer see anything beyond threats to his power.

"He was trying to incite those humans you love so much against us. If you stay, you'll see that I had to make an example of him."

Hestia took a deep breath as she stormed away. She couldn't stay here any longer.

"If you leave, you won't be able to find him," Zeus' soft voice reached her as she finally neared the doors.

She hesitated for just a moment.

"I won't find him if I stay here either," Hestia called back. And with that she vanished.

Hestia wasn't sure where she would go. She just knew she couldn't stay.

She needed space. Just a little space to calm down. Just a little space to remember herself.

Fates, she loved her family. She loved them more than anything. But they had hurt her, and she needed time. Time to heal. She needed time to get over her family's assumptions of her. In the trial and even before, they'd completely ignored everything she'd said. She didn't mind it most days. She wanted it most days. But her family had also never completely ignored everything she'd said to keep her in the little box that they'd placed her. Even worse, they'd assumed she was weak, willing to 'betray' them for nothing more than a few kind words. Did they really think they meant that little to her?

Fates, Hestia loved her family, but that didn't mean she didn't need space. Just a little space to cry. To mourn the loss of her brave friend punished for being the hero. To mourn just how far her family had fallen.

Hestia hesitated a second before vanishing. It was time for her to return to her first home.

With Hestia's disappearance and rage, the Olympian Council broke up rather awkwardly. Aphrodite sought the hurt goddess, wanting to thank her. Wanting to show just how much Hestia's sacrifice meant to her. And wanting to apologize for throwing her friend under the bus for the silly stupid selfish reason of she didn't want to lose her only friend.

Hephaestus sought after his wife, wanting to tell her how much he'd believed in her. How much he'd wanted to support her. And how much, now that everything was over, he wanted to shower her with gifts like she deserved. And to learn more about the wonderful woman who'd leapt to protect his favorite aunt.

Demeter returned home in a huff only to pull her little Kore close to her chest. Hoping that her precious daughter's presence would be enough to wipe Hestia's betrayed expressions from her mind.

Hera and Artemis sought out Zeus, both goddesses wanting to give the god a piece of their mind. Athena longed to join them, but knowing unity was essential she went to ensure her father had a voice of reason among his advisors. So instead, she headed to his office and awaited his arrival.

Zeus soon followed along with the rest of the remaining council. Their first and foremost task was to figure out a way to reclaim the Flame.

They tried everything in their power, but humanities' hold on the Flame stayed strong. Prometheus' foresight had not failed them. Still, the Olympians were not ready to give up. At least not quite yet.

A/N: Thank you all for reading! One more chapter to go.